The Caprivi Strip is a narrow strip of land about 280 miles in Namibia that stretches east from the main area of the country between Botswana to the south, Angola & Zambia to the north and the Okavango Delta to the west. This odd narrow shaped section of land was originally annexed in 1890 to provide access to the mighty Zambezi River.
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Now this narrow strip of land serves as a main commercial traffic artery for people and good moving through the surrounding countries (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia). Because of this access, many overland budget and self drive safaris that are planning to visit some or all of these countries travel through the area.
Unlike most of the rest of Namibia, the Caprivi Strip is a wooded and fertile region, and it is crossed by a number of rivers including the Chobe, Zambezi, Kwando and Okavango Rivers. The strip is also the site of several wildlife rich parks and reserves, which while not offering the same abundance of wildlife seen in places like the Okavango Delta, they certainly provide spectacular scenery and relative solitude. The strip also offer some of the better habitat for the increasingly rear African wild dog.
Besides wildlife and the gorgeous scenery, a main draw to the Caprivi Strip is fishing. The most sought after catch is the famous and fierce tiger fish which is known as one of the best fresh water game fishes anywhere in the world. Avid fishermen and women travel from all over the world to try their hand at catching a tiger fish in a fly.
Etosha National Park is located in northwestern Namibia, and gets its name from the Etosha salt pan that sits almost wholly within the park and comprises 23% of the actual park. Etosha is located within the larger Kunene region and shares borders with the Oshana, Oshikoto and Otjozondjupa regions.
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Aside from the distinguished salt pans, there are the Leopard Hills to the south and dolomite hills to the west. Due to the salt pans it is a highly saline environment, but that has not stopped uniquely adapted plants and animals from thriving there. Amid the more habitable savanna woodlands that blanket most of the park, visitors will find many water holes that attract rare black rhinos, lions, zebras, elephants, ostriches and masses of antelope. After unusually heavy rains cause flooding, blooms of blue-green algae give the pans a whole new life by attracting flocks of flamingos and pelicans as far as the eye can see.
Accommodation in the park is clustered around the water holes to help ensure visitors encounter as much wildlife as possible. There are more exclusive and secluded camps located deeper in the park that offer a safari-style experience for discerning travelers. In addition to several well-established Government run rest camps, there are a host of private lodges available on private conservancies adjacent to the National Park. Roads throughout the park is accessible to 2WD vehicles, making Etosha is doable for the self-drive traveler to navigate the series of water hole loops.
The Damaraland and Kunene region of Namibia occupies the northwestern coastline along the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Angolan border to the north,Swakopmund to the south and the Cunene Province to the east. It is very dry with an inaccessible mountainous landscape, and thus largely undeveloped. Despite its harsh conditions, it is home to the indigenous Himba and Damara people. The Damara occupy a small region within Kunene called Damaraland, whose self-contained government was abolished in 1989 when Namibia was transitioning to independence.
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The region represents one of the last true wilderness areas Africa, with a truly pristine desert ecosystem. Expanses of sun-scorched desert flats and dunes end promptly with the frigid waters of the Atlantic, where many historical shipwrecks occurred. A remarkably unique assemblage of life has evolved to siphon water from the frequent fogs that drift over the coast from the Atlantic. These fascinating creatures reside amid the Kunene's rocky outcroppings, grasslands, and dry riverbeds that create corridors of wildlife. While exploring these areas, visitors might see a rare black rhino (one of the last of the dwindling free-range population) or a herd of the uncommon desert-adapted elephants, who act as keystone species in the ecosystem by digging deep waterholes during droughts, thus allowing other animals to survive.
There are only a few camps sprinkled throughout this desert region, but those that are available offer an unexpected experience that is unique from other areas that visitors may travel to. Chartered flights bring the adventurous into the heart of the Damaraland and Kunene region, where they can explore with guides who love to share their knowledge of the intriguing area. Travelers with more time can explore this beautiful region on self-drive trips as well.
Swakopmund sits on the northwestern coast of Namibia, to the west of the capital Windhoek. It is flanked by the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Namib Desert on the other. Palm trees dot the streets and oceanfront promenade. The sandy beaches and coastal relief from the heat of Namibia's interior means the city draws many tourists to its beach resorts every year. It was founded as the main harbor to German Southwestern Africa in 1892, with elements of the culture like language and architecture still present today. Early mornings and evening can draw an Atlantic fog, which helps cool the desert heat, with the days being perfect for tropical sunbathing.
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It is a excellent place to see the colonial architecture, or other attractions such as the Swakopmund Museum, the National Marine Aquarium, art galleries and the Swakop River with its swooping sand dunes. Thrilling adventures like skydiving, dune-boarding, hot air balloon rides, beach angling, deep-sea fishing and quad biking are available in the city and nearby areas. Historical sites can be found throughout the city and offer a intriguing glimpse into the area's past. Visit the Woermannhaus library, the Deutsche Evangelical Church and Hohenzollern Building.
Access to the city comes from B2 road by car, the Swakopmund Airport, or if visitors want a more nostalgic journey, the Trans-Namib Railway, which was started in 1895.
There is a great variety of accommodation in Swakopmund which cater for all tastes and budgets.
The Central Highlands of Kenya, located north of Nairobi, encompass several famous national parks across its expanse. This region offers some of the most spectacular landscapes of verdant jungle, clusters of conifers and shamba-dotted plains, all on a rugged mountain backdrop. At the heart sits the magnificent Mt. Kenya, but there are several other ridges of mountains winding across the region, like the Matthews and Aberdare Range. Between these ranges, fertile valleys have bloomed into a patchwork of coffee plantations, now acting as the main export for the area.
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Mt. Kenya juts up out of wildlife-laden plains of Mt. Kenya National Park to create such a breathtaking landscape that it inspired the name of the country in which it sits. The Matthews Range offers a secluded mountain experience that while less iconic than Mt. Kenya, is no less beautiful. The juniper and cycad forest that sits between its rocky peaks harbors not only the indigenous Samburu people, but also wildlife like elephants, buffalo and leopards.
Samburu National Reserve curves along the banks of the Ewaso Ng-iro River. Due to the precious water provided by the river, the ecosystem is able to support thick riverine forests, groves of doum palms and a spectacular array of wildlife. Lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants and buffalo can be seen wandering across the plains while hippos and crocodiles wallow in the river and over 350 species of birds flit about. An ornithologist's dream, the reserve's bird life includes Carmine bee-eaters, ostriches, lilac-breasted rollers, Marabou storks and countless other fascinating species.
Meru National Park is a tangle of sky-high grasses, verdant jungle and lush swamps that conceal elusive wildlife. Look carefully and watch as creatures like elephants, hippos, lions, leopards, cheetahs, black rhinos and rare species of antelopes reveal themselves. Once riddled by poaching problems, staunch conservation efforts have made this park into one of the most promising areas for game-viewing adventures.
Laikipia Plateau is mostly covered by privately owned ranches of which many have been turned into wildlife conservancies like Lewa, Ol Pejeta, Solio, Borana, Ol Lentille, Loisaba, Tumaren, Mugie and more.
Amboseli National Park is located in southeast Kenya. The park is relatively small at just 150 square miles but is the second most visited park in the country after the Mara. The area is home to a large system of swamps which helps make this arid part of Kenya a superior safari location. Amboseli offers visitors some of the best elephant viewing in Africa. Other animals including cape buffalo, impala, lion, cheetah, hyena, giraffe, zebra, and wildebeest are prevalent. As visitors explore the park they are also able to enjoy spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world. The best camps in Amboseli are located on private land concessions adjacent to the park. These areas offer safari goers the chance to explore the park proper with the rest of the crowds where the wildlife is most dense and then retreat to a semblance of privacy compared to the camps and large lodges within the park. Access is via small plane transfer flights and long and dusty road transfers. From Amboseli, visitors can choose to fly on to their next safari stop in Kenya or be transferred to the Namanga Border to enter Tanzania. From here you are just a couple of hours to Arusha, Moshi or Tarangire National Park.
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Also located in southeast Kenya, the Chyulu Hills are adjacent to the Amboseli National Park. It is considered one of the most photogenic regions in Kenya thanks to the landscape of rugged craters and sprawling, acacia dotted grasslands. Fertile volcanic soil has created a habitat that draws a wide array of magnificant wildlife, including some of Kenya's last wild black rhinos. The gently rolling slopes of the Chyullu Hills hides a hidden gem--one of the longest lava tubes in the world. Seasonal rainfall feeds into the Tsavo and Galana rivers, helping to bring a sweeping transformation of green lushness to the plains. Such verdant habitat attracts creatures like buffalo, bushbuck, elands, elephants, leopards, forest bush pigs, mountain reedbuck and wild dogs. This intriguing landscape offers guests spectacular game viewing, as well as both above ground adventures and cave exploration. Access to this area is via scheduled or charter flights.
The Republic of Congo is a brand new destination! We are thrilled to be including safari adventures to trek to see Western Lowland Gorillas. The sparsely populated Republic of the Congo is a surprising central African gem with seemingly endless pristine tropical forest and fingers of moist savannah covering its interior. Odzala-Kokoua National Park lies is the remote north of the country - in the heart of the Congo Basin, the world's second largest expanse of tropical rain forest. Aside from a host of forest biodiversity, it holds Africa's densest population of Western Lowland Gorillas. It is also renowned as the richest forest block in central Africa for primates species with eleven diurnal species recorded.
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Activities range from gorilla tracking (habituated groups), pirogue rides along lush river systems, night drives in the savannah, walks along lush forest streams and salines, and of course time spent at the productive forest bais.
Malawi is a little-known gem of a country in the heart of central southern Africa that offers a true African experience. It is a long and narrow landlocked country, and Lake Malawi, nearly 600km long and up to 80km wide, dominates the countryside. When David Livingstone arrived at the lakeshore in 1861, he was the first European explorer to see the Lake, and was so awestruck that he started missions here.
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Malawi's landscape has been shaped by Africa's Great Rift Valley. Towering mountains, lush, fertile valley floors and enormous crystal clear lakes are hallmarks of much of the Rift Valley - and Malawi displays them all. Fertile soils are a result of the Rift Valley and evidence of this is to be found everywhere in Malawi. Throw a seed on the ground and a plant grows there.
There are rolling hills, plateaus, cool misty mountains and wide-ranging scenery. Each of the many diverse habitats are protected within Malawi's eleven national parks and game reserves - from elephants to orchids.
Malawi is a warm and welcoming country that offers visitors wonderful scenery, fascinating parks and some of the friendliest people in Africa. It is no wonder that it is known as the "friendly heart of Africa."
The calm, clear waters of Lake Malawi are a great lure and there is plenty of opportunity to experience the lake more closely - either on it or in it. With some of the best fresh water diving and snorkeling in the world, along with fun sailing and boating options, there is something for everyone.
A country defined by its endless white sand beaches and thriving marine ecosystems, Mozambique is a diving and snorkeling paradise. The Quirimbas and Bazaruto Archipelagos offer incredible beach experiences for both those seeking adventure and those wanting to unwind away from the hectic pace of life. Dive beneath the turquoise waves and explore reefs teeming with vibrant tropical fish. Snorkel beside sea turtles as they flap gracefully through the crystal-clear water. Come face to face with rare dugongs as they feed on vast beds of sea grass. Stroll along the beach in search of seashells or enjoy a champagne sundowner on a traditional dhow sailboat.
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Get lost in a good book as your hammock sways gently in the warm ocean breezes. Indulge in delectable dishes that blend the freshest catch of the day with Portuguese flavors from the country’s colonial past. Ease into the rhythms of island life in the privacy of your luxurious beachfront bungalow and let your stress melt away.
