Tag: East Africa

Azura Benguerra: White Sand Paradise

Posted on by James

The exceptional Azura resort rests on the idyllic shoreline of Benguerra Island. Built entirely by hand by the local community, Azura offers 18 splendid villas set amidst indigenous gardens only steps away from the beach. Each villa features a beautiful ensuite bathroom with an alfresco shower, a dressing area, a huge comfy bed, a private plunge pool, a beachside sala, a sundeck and day beds.

Guests are assigned a dedicated Mozambican host, who will attend to their every need for the duration of their stay. Dining is a delectable affair, with a superb seafood menu. Meals can be savoured in the restaurant, on the beach or at a picnic in a romantic and secluded spot. Azura houses a decadent and luxurious spa, as well as a water sports centre that offers adventures such as scuba diving, snorkelling, sailing, big game fishing and kayaking. Island drives and cultural excursions can also be arranged.

Compact villas offer the perfect balance of stylish comfort and elegant simplicity. Comfortable indoor lounge and living spaces flow into an outdoor seating and dining area with secluded beachside frontage.

Submerge into your private plunge pool that mirrors the colours of the ocean, or enjoy some R&R on the large, undercover deck with a daybed. All beach villas have a separate sundeck, as well as a private beach sala for seaside relaxation.

Hop aboard a traditional dhow, a wooden vessel with a triangular sail, used for fishing by the island’s locals. A welcoming local skipper will collect you from your casita or cabana in the late afternoon, embarking on an unforgettable cruise around the azure bay. The sailing adventure presents the Island and its surrounding waters in a unique light and thus offers excellent photographic opportunities of the wide horizon, the calm waters and the glowing horizon.

Watch the sun set over the islands of the Bazaruto Archipelago as you drift along the calm water, guided by ocean breezes. Witness the cerulean sky rapidly change colour, embracing hues of rose and violet spread over an amber canvas. Marvel at the illuminated water, dancing with gold shimmers, as it welcomes the sun’s descent beneath the distant horizon. The scene plays out beautifully and the ocean swallows the golden orb into its infinite depths. Travel back to the shore, accompanied by the quiet swoosh of the dhow’s sail, lost in the kaleidoscope of an African sunset.

Feel as though you have the island all to yourself as you indulge in a decadent picnic set in one of the most secluded sites on the Bazaruto Archipelago. Revel in magnificent sea views from the sand spit that daringly juts out into the ocean and lounge on the peak of soaring sand dunes, romantically set up for an idyllic picnic. Delight in fare that is sure to tantalise your taste buds with a vast assortment of hors d’oeuvres, appetisers and local delicacies.

Choose from South Point Bazaruto or North Point Benguerra, gently evoking feelings of being a castaway on a dreamy deserted island. Kick up your heels and lounge on satiny sands with 360 degree views of the ocean vista and the frolicking dolphins below. Relish a languid afternoon picnic in exquisite natural surroundings. South Point Bazaruto is an ideal spot to relax after thrilling dives or on a meandering sunset cruise. The North Point Benguerra Castaway Picnic will have you reclining on a sandy spit with unparalleled views of a wild, frothing ocean with short waves on one side and a calm bay with mirror-like waters on the other. Explore the clean coastline over miles, treasure hunt for rippled seashells, encounter the almost translucent ghost crab and marvel at the ebony and candy floss coloured wings of the elegant flamingo. Soak in the temperate, aquamarine waters of the Indian Ocean, brilliantly illuminated by the warmth of the African sun.

Snorkelling at Two-Mile Reef will suit every guest, regardless of age and expertise. The boat ride out to the reef can be bumpy as the outgoing and incoming tides converge in the channel between Bazaruto and Benguerra Island. Two-Mile Reef is a flat-topped barrier reef renowned for its brilliant snorkelling. Highlights include a variety of hard and soft corals and many schools of reef and pelagic fish passing through. On the boat trip you may be lucky enough to spot playful dolphins and the elusive, endangered dugong.  Under the water you may encounter harmless reef sharks and slumberous turtles that effortlessly glide past with their wise eyes. Embrace the unspoilt beauty of the reef and the kaleidoscopic colours of the tropical fish that move in droves along the exposed coral. Two-Mile Reef is faultless in its beauty, guaranteeing an unforgettable outing, and is ideal for those who want to confidently explore the Indian Ocean’s shallower coral reefs. Your snorkelling excursion goes out at low tide, so is determined by the timing of the sea.

Azura Benguerra is truly the perfect way to wind down at the end of your African sojourn.

Safaris are incredible, but a few days of the early wake-ups for morning drives and some late evenings around the fire sipping delicious red wine can leave one in need of some proper down time, and that’s where the tropical paradise of the Mozambican islands comes in…

Get in touch with us through info@iconicafrica.com to find out about rates and availability at Azura Benguerra or others like it…

Iconic Africa’s 3 Bucket List Safaris

Posted on by James

From the Bale Mountains of Ethiopia to the roaring Atlantic Beaches of Cape Town… Africa has an almost endless variety of experiences on offer. It would take multiple lifetimes to do them all.
Yet if we were absolutely pushed to choose only THREE – an almost impossible task – we know which way we’d go.

After much internal deliberation, we settled on one safari to get you blood absolutely racing, one to make you feel an unbelievable connection to nature, and one to bring you utter peace…

Here then is Iconic Africa’s Bucket List Selection of 3 (at least for now):

1. The Great Migration

It’s one of the greatest wildlife spectacles on earth.

1.5 million wildebeest sweeping majestically over the great African plains is a sight that you won’t soon be forgetting. The annual circuit of this megaherd between the southern Serengeti of Tanzania and the Maasai Mara of Kenya is a sheer wonder to behold. The wildebeest – accompanied by half a million zebra – follow the seasonal rains and the good grazing they bring, moving in an never-ending clockwise ring.

From July through to September, the herds have been hitting the northern extent of their movements and have entered the Mara Triangle; a thin wedge of land between the Mara River in the east and the Oloololo Escarpment in the west. It is the Mara river and the crossing thereof that presents them with their greatest challenge on their already arduous journey.
Monster crocodiles lie in wait in the brown waters, and prides of lions line the banks, knowing how the herds will be funneled through very specific gulleys and exit points.
It is carnage as tens of thousands of wildebeest ford the river at once, and it is a glut for the predators.
A particularly wild crossing will leave you completely out of breath.

It seems almost impossible that there can be such an aggregation of wild animals in one place – or at least one area – yet the Great Migration as it is simply known will redefine what you previously imagined as abundance.
Seeing it first hand would be THE safari we would recommend, if you could only choose one…

2. Gorilla Trekking

Another safari to take your breath away, but in a total different manner…

Staring into the eyes of a great ape that but for its shaggy black coat and enormous size could be… you… will bridge the gap between human and nature in a profound way than any other experience you’ve ever had.
You will know – not suspect, but know – that this creature is working you out in exactly the same manner that you are working him or her out, and once you’ve encountered a sentient being like that in the wild, your whole perception of the word “wild” will change. As will your understanding of our human place in this world, and our responsibility to protect it.

The mountain gorillas of east/central Africa are confined to a very small area between Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC.
Uganda and Rwanda are where the infrastructure lies for gorilla trekking, and there are a number of excellent lodges to choose from, like Wilderness Bisate or Singita Kwitonda.
In reality, the lodge you stay in is secondary to the gorilla experience itself, but you do tend to find that the higher-end establishments prepare their guests far better for the treks on the mountain by providing things like gaiters, gloves and other handy equipment.

3. Boatride in the Okavango

Botswana’s Okavango Delta is a true eden. Plate tectonics under the Kalahari Basin have meant that the Okavango River never reaches the sea. Instead it flows out into the Kalahari sands, forming an unbelievably lush inland delta covering 16 000 square kilometres that are simply brimming with wildlife.

The Okavango is seasonal, in that the floodwaters are only around between the end of May and September, when the rain that has fallen far away in the Angolan highlands has flowed down through the catchment area and spread out into the myriad waterways of the Delta.

This is the time to go boating.

There are essentially two options; mokoro or motorboat.

A mokoro (plural mekoro) is the traditional dugout canoe of these parts and is still used extensively bby local fisherman to pole their way through the winding channels. A mokoro ride (multi-day trips are possible) is slow and serene, and allows one real intimacy with nature. You approach silently round corners so have every chance of hearing what’s up ahead of you, like a stately elephant bull crossing a channel.

You get to see the Delta at eye-level, and can appreciate its finer details like frogs and waterlillies and wading birds. It is one of the most tranquil experiences you can find on Safari.

The second option is to head out on a motorboat. You can still find the serenity in droves once you’ve cut the engine, and the beauty of this mode of transport is that you get to cover a whole lot more ground in a short space of time, so if you want to maximise your experience but only have a couple of days in the area, this is the option we’d recommend.

The Okavango is such an incredible body of water (during the flood) that it is a shame not to get the full potential out of your time there, and a boat excursion is definitely the way to do this!

Africa is vast and so is the diversity of safari offerings. No two experiences are the same, which is really the beauty of safari in the first place. Even the same activities in the same area will always differ.

The above three options we are supremely confident will move you in a profound way. If you want the safari bug to bite – and you are unlikely to have much control over the matter – then the Great Migration, a gorilla trek, and exploring the Okavango’s waterways are a sure way to let Africa into your soul…

Get in touch through info@iconicafrica.com to find out more about these and other experiences that are out there, just waiting for you…

 

 

Lodges of Legacy

Posted on by James

Dotted amongst the myriad of safari offerings out there are a few camps who have truly stood the test of time.
Tracing their roots back to the early days of safari in their particular areas of operation, these gems have refined their offerings to the utmost degree, understanding their environments and their guests’ needs superbly. Some offer luxury, some offer a quaint rustic charm, but all of them are steeped in history and have already left a legacy within their chosen corner.

Here are three of our favourites, from South Africa, Kenya and Botswana…

Londolozi

Family-run Londolozi has been around since 1926, although technically only as a commercial safari operation since the early 70’s.

Bought by the Varty family as a bankrupt cattle farm almost 100 years ago, the land was slowly regenerated and rewilded, until it turned into the thriving ecosystem guests enjoy today, with some of the best wildlife viewing on the planet, the highest density of leopards yet recorded in Africa, and a percentage of repeat guests that most lodges only dream about, so loyal to this unique brand do its visitors become.

With its progressive approach to the safari space, Londolozi has been at the forefront of many innovations in the industry, setting the tone for how the bush can – and should – be so much more than simply a place to view animals. Instead, they have recognized it as a place of healing and connection, and this ethos has tailored their whole safari and lodge offering to reflect that.

Londolozi was the training ground for many big names across the industry. The head of Kruger Park anti-poaching, a world authority on the Okavango Delta, CEOs of big lodge portfolios, award-winning wildlife cameramen, internationally-renowned public speakers… all former rangers at Londolozi who have gone on and continue to go on to shape the industry across the continent.

The legacy of Londolozi has not only been the mark it has left on the many guests who have passed through its gates, but the ripple effect out across African safaris in general…

Cottar’s 1920 Camp

The award-winning Cottar’s 1920s Camp is situated in the 7608-acre private Olderkesi Conservancy bordering the famous ‘seventh’ natural wonder of the world, the Maasai Mara in Kenya and the Tanzania Serengeti game reserve. Owned and managed by the oldest established and continuing safari family in Africa it extends an era of luxury and quality and returns to the original spirit and essence of ‘safari’.

Cottar’s Safari Service was founded in 1919, which means over 100 years of experience in the industry.

The Cottar family was renowned amongst the British administration for being rebellious and anti-establishment, preferring long stints with African tribes in wildest Africa. The Cottars’ were the first to import American vehicles for safaris, the first to reach new areas such as Lake Paradise, the first to obtain never before seen wildlife footage. In this family it was normal to have lions, leopards, wild dogs and chimpanzees as family pets. Mike’s son Glen, with his wife Pat, continued the family business and pioneered hunting and explorations expeditions into remote parts of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Zaire and Botswana.

Having established and run photographic safari camps since their first one erected in Tsavo National Park in the 60s, the Cottars’ legacy has long been established, only furthered by the building of Cottar’s 1920 Lodge in the 1990s by Calvin Cottar, the great-grandson of Charles Cottar, who founded the business all those years ago.

The camp itself provides the romance of safari under cream canvas tents, the style of the bygone era of the twenties, while at the same time supplying the amenities required by today’s modern world travellers. It has two main mess tent areas for fine dining, drinking, reading and relaxing, and an amazing pool and spa where guests can relax after a game drive. Guests can also enjoy a traditional canvas safari bath, a genuinely unique way of bathing specifically set up on the tent’s verandah, with views out over the plains. The location of the camp provides easy access for day and night wildlife drives in the Maasai Mara National Reserve and the Olderkesi Conservancy, wildlife walks, and cultural interactions with the Maasai community.

The professional guiding team that will handle your safari rank among the most qualified in Africa.

Nxamaseri Island Lodge

Nxamaseri Island Lodge is one of the oldest camps in the Okavango Delta. It was established in the early 1980s by PJ and Barney Bestelink. PJ, an experienced guide, spent months exploring the permanent water channels of the delta in search of a perfect location for his home and camp. He favoured the Nxamaseri Channel for its beauty and seclusion, and eventually elected to build his lodge on a large shady island hidden in the Nxamaseri waterways.

The lodge is best summed up in the video below:


These are just three of our favourite picks, each offering their own unique insight into the wild ways of Africa.

Get in touch with us through info@iconicafrica.com to find out about some other gems who have left their indelible mark on the industry…

The Mara Conservancies: a Conservation Framework

Posted on by James

It might seem strange to head out on game drive, spend some time viewing a lion pride sleeping int he shade, then drive round the corner and bump into a Maasai herdsman out walking with his cattle.
Yet that is the reality in much of rural Africa – the co-existence of wildlife and people. And if it is to be a peaceful and productive one, conservancies are an excellent way to maintain it.

The last thirty years in Africa have seen the evolution of the conservancy concept, which has spread fast.
Conservancies in Kenya in particular are regarded as a way of involving local communities with wildlife conservation. The purpose of a conservancy is not the same as a nationally protected reserve like a park, and they do not replace these area, instead they complement them.

Conservancies provide a range of local values, including clarifying and firming up local land tenure over pasture and grazing areas, improving security – both for wildlife and land-owners – through networks of community scouts and communications infrastructure and law enforcement bodies, and “providing a legal structure for communities to enter into third-party joint ventures with tourism investors in order to generate revenue from wildlife”.

Conservancies in Kenya are represented by Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association “who work with landowners and communities to sustainably conserve and manage wildlife and their habitat outside formal protected areas to perpetuate Kenya’s heritage.”

Whereas historically wildlife has been seen as a nuisance by both pastoralists and farmers (livestock gets killed by predators and elephants raid crops), and the establishment of restricted wildlife areas as prohibiting access to good grazing grounds, the establishment of conservancies essentially sees local landowners and local communities benefitting from tourism dollars whilst still maintaining many land-use rights, and ultimately coming to see wildlife as a positive.

Kicheche Wildlife Camps, who operate in three conservancies that border the Maasai Mara (Naboisho, Olare Matorogi and Mara North) have this to say about their trust in the conservcancy system:

Keeping with the commitment of The Long Run’s 4Cs – Conservation, Community, Culture and Commerce – we collaborate with the local community via the Kicheche Community Trust to support traditional and sustainable ways of living that are in harmony with wildlife and the environment.

All guest donations and bednight contributions to the Kicheche Community Trust are channelled into projects impacting its conservancy communities. These then have a significant impact on women’s empowerment in particular.  The Trust’s efforts and passion evolve around four pillars: Education, Health and Family Care Community Empowerment, Environment and Conservation.

With an ever expanding number of conservancies across Kenya that provide safe havens for wildlife as well as invaluable corridors for its free movement between established protected areas, the system seems to be the way forward in areas where it can be implemented…

 

 

 

&Beyond Bateleur Camp: Front Row to the Masai Mara

Posted on by James

The Masai Mara – in particular the Mara Triangle between the Mara River and the Oloololo Escarpment – is most famous for the Great Migration that passes through each year, around July/August, yet what many don’t realise is that the game viewing is spectacular no matter what month you visit.
The lions, elephants, buffalo and cheetahs that call the area home don’t move with the migration; they are resident, and can be found whatever the season.

Nestled in indigenous forest at the base of the escarpment sits &Beyond Bateleur Camp.

 

It is situated in the Kichwa Tembo private concession, contiguous with the Masai Mara. Meaning ‘head of the elephant’ in Kiswahili, Kichwa Tembo consists of private land leased from Maasai landlords and situated in the remote western Mara, almost exclusively explored by &Beyond guests. In addition to its the excellent year-round concentration of wildlife, Kichwa Tembo lies directly in the path of Africa’s spectacular Great Migration, and perfectly positioned to maximise the viewing of the reserve’s wildlife.

Guests can almost exclusively explore this area on a game drive or on foot, as well as enjoying access to pristine outdoor dining locations.

Comprised of just two intimate camps of nine Luxury Tents each and a Luxury Family Tent, Bateleur Camp retains a wonderful sense of intimacy; each with its own private butler and housekeeper reflecting the ambiance and glamour of Kenyan explorers of old.
Slip into a world of hardwood floors, polished silver and copper bathtubs juxtaposed against the romance of the open Mara plains, with their abundant herds of game. Beautifully handcrafted artefacts, fine antiques, leather buttoned Chesterfield sofas, books, and crystal and candlelight adorn the comfortable sitting and dining areas, making you feel like you have slipped straight into a 19th century safari.

Cooling pools in each camp provide comfort in between stimulating game drives that can be so varied in their offerings. Grasslands, riverfront or the escarpment itself all offer something different in terms of setting and species.
On the culinary side, delectable cuisine is served in memorable settings – often beneath the stars – and bush breakfasts and romantic sundowners offer an unforgettable African experience. Adventures at Bateleur Camp include twice-daily game drives, including spot-lit night drives on which some of the more elusive nocturnal creatures might be encountered. The camp also offers a range of additional activities such as bush walks, hot air balloon safaris and community excursions, and for the fitness-minded a well-equipped gym and wellness treatment centre await.

The Masai Mara is unforgettable due to the abundance of wildlife and spectacular landscapes. This is the quintessential African safari experience, where travellers can expect to encounter the Big Five and observe thrilling predator interaction.

With the Kitchwa Tembo airstrip only a few minutes drive from camp, and flights from Wilson Airport in Nairobi only taking an hour, Bateleur Camp is supremely accessible, allowing guests an easy trip to the greatest wildlife show on earth.

Get in touch through info@iconicafrica.com to find out more about &Beyond Bateleur Camp, and other East African safari offerings…

Lemala Ndutu & Mara: Migration Madness

Posted on by James

If there was one reason to safari in East Africa, it’s the great migration. Well north of a million wildebeest and zebra follow the rains as they move between the great grassland ecosystems of the Maasai Mara and the Serengeti on a continuous loop.

Since the migration is seasonal and highly concentrated at different times of the year, knowing when and where to go is crucial if you are to fully appreciate one of the natural world’s great wildlife shows.

One authentic mobile tented camp, but in two locations, Lemala Ndutu & Lemala Mara moves north and south with the seasons to ensure guests enjoy ringside seats to the spectacle of the magnificent wildebeest migration year-round. Both camps are set up in sublime locations offering a high-quality safari experience with excellent guiding.

Lemala Ndutu Tented Camp is in the Ndutu region of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area near the border of the Southern Serengeti.
This area is classic savannah, characterized by flat grassy plains, and the camp is in one of the finest locations in Ndutu to see the migration between December and March. Tens of thousands of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle usually arrive in December to graze on the newly-watered, highly nutritious short grass plains, and then by February, the main calving season takes place. Predators – especially the big cats – are highly concentrated in the Ndutu area in these months, and take full advantage of the birthing season to snap up easy meals among the newborn wildebeest.
With nine tents, Lemala Ndutu is perched on the edge of a permanent marsh and acts as the ultimate amphitheatre to capture the boundless drama that accompanies the migration.

The twelve tents of Lemala Mara Tented Camp travel north between June and October to set up under large Euclea trees in one of the best game viewing areas of the Northern Serengeti. The exact location varies from year to year. Sometimes the camp set up camp close to the Mara River, but are always far enough away to remain discreet and not interrupt wildlife behaviour as the wildebeest mass along the steep banks during their frantic crossings on their way north to the Maasai Mara.
Here, in this immense remote wilderness, guests can enjoy fabulous landscapes and terrific game viewing with almost no crowds. Resident wildlife numbers are always high, but nothing compared to the dramatic scenes during the migration as tens of thousands of animals gather to then plunge into the crocodile-infested river.

Lemala Mara & Ndutu is a mobile tented camp offering an authentic bush experience, but the tents are spacious and each is furnished with two queen-size beds and all the little luxuries and amenities that make them wonderfully comfortable. After an evening game drive, your tent attendant ensures your safari shower is filled with hot water to wash away the dust of the African savannah.
Delicious meals are prepared fresh, and for those who want to go on extended full-day game drives, great picnic breakfasts and lunches are available. The communal areas have separate lounge and dining areas and are beautifully decorated with leather sofas, chandeliers, side cabinets, rugs, chests and a bar. In the evening, guests can gather around the campfire to enjoy pre-dinner drinks and canapes and share their safari stories of the day.

Lemala Ndutu & Mara is a superb option for those who want to be in awae of the great migration, and want the feel of an old school authentic safari.
The canvas tents of the camp make you feel so much more a part of the ecosystem, rather than removed from it when you return from your game drive.

Get in touch through info@iconicafrica.com to find out more about the great migration and the best way to experience it…

Where to View Leopards in 2023

Posted on by James

In many ways, the leopard represents the African continent best.

Whilst the regal lion may hold the title of King of the Beasts, and the elephant’s great size render it the most impressive African mammal, it is the enigmatic nature of the leopard, and the mystery that surrounds it, that most adds to its allure as an animal to see on safari, and captures the essence of the African continent most effectively.

In large portions of Africa – and particularly in areas where human wildlife conflict has been a factor over the years – leopards can be hard to find. They are there, but remain invisible. Although they occupy almost every habitat from the mountains just outside Cape Town to the open deserts of the Sahara way to the north, for the most part they are unobserved creatures of the night.

Yet in a few wildlife reserves, leopards are eminently viewable. The big cats there have long realised that the game viewing vehicles do not represent a threat to them, and so allow them and the guests they contain into their daily lives.
Although there is no such thing as a guaranteed sighting, these are a few places that will give you your best chance of viewing leopards in the wild:

Sabi Sand Reserve, South Africa

Long-viewed as the epicentre of wildlife viewing in Southern Africa, a recent camera-trap survey by the Panthera Organisation firmly established this iconic reserve as containing the densest leopard population yet recorded on the African continent.
With a high availability of natural prey species and perfect habitat in which to hunt and raise cubs, the area boasts leopard numbers that around 12 per hundred square kilometres in the centre of the park.


A number of world-class lodges like Londolozi, Singita and Mala Mala have decades of experience showing guests the wonders of the area, and in particular the leopards. Experienced rangers are well versed in the habits and territorial movements of the resident individuals, and so it is in the Sabi Sands that we feel you have THE best chance of viewing leopards in the wild.

South Luangwa, Zambia

Although not as lauded as other contemporary reserves, the South Luangwa National Park has in fact been providing phenomenal game viewing for years. With the Luangwa River delivering a much-needed source of water during the dry season, the area is able to sustain healthy general game populations, and it is these antelope species  – particularly puku and impala – that the local leopard population favours.

Riparian vegetation along the river and its many tributaries provides the perfect habitat for the leopards to slink through, and large evergreen trees provide safe refuges in which to hoist kills to keep them out of reach of hyenas.

Serengeti, Tanzania

Whilst better known for boasting the largest populations of lions and cheetahs in Africa, the Serengeti/Masai Mara ecosystem in East Africa has no shortage of leopards. Although sightings won’t be quite as regular as in other reserves, it is the setting here that creates the appeal around leopard viewing.


Wide open spaces, unimpeded Acacia woodland; wherever you see a leopard – and in particular photograph it – you are likely to get the sense of space that the greater habitat brings. Vistas like you can’t believe, with the seemingly endless plains of Africa stretched out around you. If you happen to be there during the migration, you will also have the background accompaniment of a million snorting wildebeest throughout the day.
Leopard or no leopard though, the East African grasslands are a wildlife experience like no other.

Laikipia, Kenya

Our final recommended leopard-viewing destination is not what one would normally expect to be included in a list like this.
In fact until recently, it wasn’t really on the international radar as a place to see these beautiful cats.
But over the last couple of years, one or two leopards in particular in a small area called Laikipia in central Kenya, have captured the broader imagination of the safari community.
These are the mythical black leopards.

Photographer: Will Burard-Lucas

A rare recessive gene that codes for an excess of melanin – a dark pigment – results in an animal that is much darker than a normal individual. This is the black panther of legend. Black panthers can be any big cat from the Panthera genus – although they are essentially either leopards or jaguars – and contrary to popular belief they are not all black. One can still see the rosettes in their coats if you look closely.
A few individuals have been born recently in the Laikipia district, and although most of them are skittish and very hard to find, one or two individuals that inhabit the area near Laikipia Wilderness Camp have become accustomed to the presence of game drive vehicles, and spectacular photos like the above one by Will Burrard-Lucas are now possible.

Even without the viewing of this most special of leopards, Laikipia is a spectacular area to safari with its high number of unique species.

Leopards capture the idea of safari beautifully. They are on many safari-goers’ bucket lists, but many visitors to Africa entertain little hope of actually seeing them.

If they are an animal which you really to want to see though, we have a number of lodges we recommend highly to give you your best chance.

Get in touch through info@iconicafrica.com, and let’s start planning your safari…

 

Little Chem Chem: Quintessential Safari in East Africa

Posted on by James

On the shores of Tanzania’s Lake Burunge, set amongst the acacia and baobab trees with the lip of the Great Rift Valley Escarpment sitting as a backdrop, lies Little Chem Chem; a camp where understated luxury is woven into every experience.

Little Chem Chem is the “sunrise camp” of the three Chem Chem lodges – the other two are Chem Chem Lodge itself and Forst Chem Chem – being the furthest east, and as such being situated the closest to Tarangire National Park, with which the concession on which the lodges are found share a contiguous border. With no fences around the park allowing the free movement of wildlife, the entire area shows an abundance of game for the wildlife enthusiast. Lions and elephants are regular visitors and during the migration season the fringes of the great wildebeest herds pass through, providing a glut for the predators.

The bird life is sensational, and the combination of savanna and lake shore habitats will keep the avid bird watcher enthralled for hours with its myriad of species.

The lodge itself is elegance in the true classic safari style.

Six luxury safari tents (including one family tent), each boasting indoor and outdoor showers, overlook an open gladed area that attracts an abundance of wildlife. Stately giraffes stroll by as you sit outside in the shade of your canvas awning, and superb starlings hop about looking for morsels amongst the grasses. The main lodge is spacious and cool (WiFi is available in both the rooms and the main area) and allows for fantastic views into the surrounding bush and open spaces. Being small in size, it retains a completely intimate feel, and is also readily available for exclusive occupancy…

Martial eagles soar above, and the bush sings to you constantly with its soft chirp of cicadas in summer, von der Decken’s hornbills in winter, and at night time the ambient sound is provided by the roar of the lion and the guttural rasp of the leopard slinking in the shadows.

Little Chem Chem has paced itself to the natural rhythm of Africa herself, and you will too upon arrival.

Walk with wildlife, marvel at ancient baobabs, embrace serenity and wellness, sip sundowners overlooking the Rift Valley, and discover the ancient culture of the Maasai people. Chem Chem is where you go to feel something with this ancient continent; belonging.

 

One of Africa’s Most Breathtaking Views

Posted on by James

Wildlife Photographer and Guide James Tyrrell recently visited Angama Mara, perched on the lip of the Oloololo Escarpment overlooking Kenya’s Maasai Mara. He is adamant that walking on to the deck for the first time and taking in the view below him is one of his all-time favourite safari moments.

Read what he had to say in a recent Angama Mara blog post here:

After more than a decade of living and working in the African bush, the truly “Wow” moments are inevitably going to be harder to come by.

Despite retaining the same level of childhood excitement I have always felt when heading out on a game drive or bush walk, it was always going to happen that over the years with a certain amount of repetition (and I hesitate to use that word, since nothing in the bush is ever the same), there would be just the slightest drop off in the impact a sighting would have on me. Actually, I guess it’s more a case of working in the bush for so long means it’s just harder to pick specific sightings out of the literally thousands you will have accumulated over the course of my career, just like Kilimanjaro would be tougher to point out if it was part of a mountain range instead of being free-standing. Maybe not the best metaphor, but it’s the closest I can think of.

The first time I saw a leopard hoist a kill will be indelibly imprinted on my mind for the rest of my days, but my twenty fifth time is a bit harder to zero in on. It’s not that one becomes jaded – not at all – but more that you have an absolute surplus of experiences to choose from, and many of them start to merge into each other over the years.

Having a moment then, in which you know, in the moment itself, that this is going to stay with you forever, becomes a rarity.

Walking on to the Angama Mara deck for the first time was one such moment for me.

Angama Kenya Iconic Africa Luxury Safaris

I can still go back to it in my head and feel the same sense of wonder and awe. I can still see what the light was doing and how cloud shadows danced on the grassland far below, and I can still hear the air rushing over the white-backed vulture’s wings as it soared past, beneath me.

It’s not often that I am truly at a loss for words, but seeing Africa laid out before me in all its vastness was something that upon consideration would have made anything spoken superfluous.

There’s a surrealism to that view that grips you. It’s almost like a live version of the love-child of Google Earth and the best nature documentary you’ve seen.
When elephants look like ants, the teeming herds of wildebeest resemble a moving carpet and you can make out every little twist and turn in the Mara River in the distance, you know you are somewhere special.

“Moments of Discovery” are one of the first things one learns about when training as a guide. They come in a multitude of forms; from the first time a guest exits their plane to the first time they enter their room, to their first encounter with a lion.
Hundreds of little moments – some more noticeably impactful than others – that aggregate over the course of a safari to create an intangible experiential synergy…

Each one is an opportunity for a guest to reconfirm to themselves – whether consciously or subconsciously – that this, right here, right now, is where they ought to be.
The top guides, lodges and companies in the safari industry – and other industries as well – recognise these moments of discovery as being instrumental in making guests or customers want to return time and time again.

One rare occasions, one single moment of discovery is all it takes for a guest to say to themselves, “I could go home right now, and I’d be happy”. More often than not these are the wildlife sightings normally associated with National Geographic; a leopard hoisting a kill, a wild crossing during the great migration or a pride of lions taking down a buffalo bull in the rain.
Sometimes though, they are something else, and for me, it was walking out onto the Angama Mara deck.

When such a moment occurs before a guest has even gone on safari, you’re onto a pretty good thing.

The view breathes life into your soul and captures your imagination.

A safari lodge that can do that is one that’s always going to occupy a special place in its guests’ hearts.

I know it does in mine.

Our Iconic Africa

Posted on by James

Africa has been waiting for you all this time. And so have we…

The wildebeest are still spreading in their hundreds of thousands over the sea of grass that is Tanzania’s Serengeti and the leopards are still lounging on the marula branches of the Sabi Sand Reserve in South Africa.
Wild Africa is essentially unchanged.

And most spectacular of all is that these bucket list trips are more accessible than ever.

The last year and a half has been an interesting time in all of our lives, and while we can’t predict the future, what we do know is that the latest news on the African travel front has all been good.
Travel restrictions to multiple countries all over Africa have been lifted, and the continent that birthed mankind is opening up once again to the blank canvas of imagination.

We’re big fans of the clouds-with-silver-linings approach, and the beautiful lesson we’ve taken out of the last year is the recognition of our fundamental human need for experiences. The urge to be spontaneous and free. And above all, a deep desire we all have to understand our humanity through a wild reconnection with ourselves and with each other.

If that connection is something you are looking for, we can help you find it.

Come and rediscover your true wild self…

Angama Mara: Endless Horizons Over Africa

Posted on by James

There are few places on the African continent that are so picturesque, let alone iconic, but the picnic site at Angama Mara overlooking the Masai Mara grasslands has to be top of the list.

Imagine gazing down over somewhere in the region of a million herbivores, from the very same spot that Robert Redford and Meryl Streep picnicked in Out of Africa; hot air balloons floating in the still Kenyan air beneath you, swallows swooping all around, and the stillness of the magnificent continent stretched out to the hazy horizon.
As fancifully romantic as this sounds, it really is an experience you can live. Angama Mara offers intimate picnics for two at the little koppie (rocky outcrop) next to their southern camp, right where Out of Africa was filmed, or at least that scene from it.

But it is far more than a simple picnic that has guests travelling from all over the world to this stunning camp, perched literally on the rim of Africa. The wildlife, the staff, the views that take one’s breath away… take your pick of any one of multiple reasons that have made Angama the award-winning camp that it is today.

The first time you walk out on to the deck of the main lodge will be a moment you won’t forget in a hurry. You truly feel as if you are gazing out over the rest of the world.
Perched up on top of the Oolololo Escarpment, Angama Mara sits above the Mara Triangle, an incredibly wildlife-rich area best known for the wildebeest crossings that take place there every year as the migrating herds thunder across the Mara River, braving crocodiles, often raging water levels, and often marauding lion prides waiting on the riverbank.
Yet it’s not only about the migration: year round the wildlife viewing is stunning, with black rhino, elephant, leopards, cheetahs and many more being constant features of the terrain, even when the wildebeest herds (that get funnelled into the triangle by the steep walls of the escarpment itself) have turned back south.

Photography plays a key role in the safari experience at Angama, and their dedicated photographic studio is at the core of their media offerings.
Guests can learn the fundamentals of photography, hire a private photographic guide, and even print their own photographs on canvas as a special memento to take home. Few destinations in Africa lend themselves so well to wildlife photography as the Masai Mara and its sweeping plains.

The Angama experience is ultimately as well-rounded as one can find, with activities ranging from traditional game drives to balloon flights to cultural immersions. This is a place where the true meaning of safari can be understood, in the very place where the word originated.

To stand on Angama’s deck and gaze out over endless horizons is to gaze out at limitless, beautiful possibility…

 

Gorilla Trekking: The Time is Now!

Posted on by James

Africa’s most diverse protected area is the Virunga National Park; a third of the world’s mountain gorillas occur here, as well as over one thousand species of bird, mammal, reptile and amphibians.
Yet the national park itself is just a sample of the incredible wildlife experience the region offers. The Virunga Mountain range, which runs along the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and the DRC, is home to perhaps Africa’s greatest wildlife encounter, which can be experienced in a number of places and from a number of lodges in the area; Gorilla trekking.


Coming face to face with the great apes in the wild is an emotional experience. Time stretches out before you yet goes by so fast at the same time. You feel like you have been holding your breath for the whole duration of the encounter.
Sitting barely a metre from a huge silverback male is something very few people have the opportunity to do, and with only a small population surviving in the wild, it may even be that the current generation is the last on planet earth to be able to have these encounters.

The fantastic news is that the experience has suddenly become far more accessible than it has been for years. A special on gorilla trekking permits for African citizens is currently running and will be continuing until the end of 2022. The often prohibitive cost of $1500 for a permit has been reduced to just $500, so there literally isn’t a better time to go than right now!

Mountain gorillas, Virunga Mountains, Rwanda

With a number of lodges in the Virunga region currently running specials as well, the combination of reduced permit prices and discounted accommodation has seen a surge in interest in the experience.
Given that space is limited in most of the lodges and only a certain number of guests can participate in each trek, be sure to contact us as soo as you have dates in mind over which you might like to visit.
This is truly a bucket-list adventure, and there was never a better time to go!

A Once-in-a-Lifetime Gorilla Safari Combo

Posted on by Lexi Hall

“Spending time with these gorillas changed my life.” – Ellen Degeneres.

No wildlife adventure can compete with coming face-to-face with a wild gorilla – it truly is the ultimate wildlife experience. 

“They are so incredible and so closely linked to us, sharing 98 per cent of our DNA. There are only 880 of these majestic creatures left on this planet,” adds Degeneres. So don’t leave it too late!

Due to the huge demand for a safari and gorilla combo, we have carefully crafted an incredible 7-night tour at a combination of our selected Sanctuary Retreats giving you a MASSIVE saving! Save over 33% on this amazing experience. Witness the iconic mountain gorillas now and bask in unimaginable luxury surrounded by the densest vegetation and the world’s most revered wildlife population. Pay a visit to the elephant orphanage in Kenya; see large prides of lion in Tanzania before stopping in Uganda to visit the majestic mountain gorillas. 

Best times to visit:

The best times to visit the gorillas are December to March and June to September as the rainy season is from April to May and October to November, with the wettest month being April. You can expect tropical climates and change in weather depending on your altitude.  

When to book:

Bookings fill up quickly and we recommend securing your trip between 12 and 18 months beforehand. 

Our very own director John Holley travelled to Rwanda to see Gorillas up close in their natural habitat. He had no idea how close….. that could be. Here’s a sneak peek… to give you an idea just how close he came!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAPi9rgsv3w

See below for full itinerary:

Spend 1 night at the Ole Sereni Hotel in Nairobi on a Bed & Breakfast basis. 

Situated along the Nairobi River in beautiful Kenya, Nairobi is East Africa’s most cosmopolitan city. It serves as an excellent starting point for African safari trips around Kenya. Nairobi is Africa’s 4th largest city and is a vibrant and exciting place, with some fascinating attractions: its cafe culture, unbridled nightlife, the National Museum, the Karen Blixen Museum and most notably just 20 minutes from the city centre wild lions and buffalo roam in the world’s only urban game reserve. Make sure you pay a visit to the elephant orphanage operated by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

This journey will then take you to the Masai Mara National Reserve offering wonderful scenery and plenty of game. It is perhaps the only region left in Kenya where the visitor may see animals in the same super-abundance as existed a century ago.

Spend 4 nights at the Sanctuary Olonana Camp in the Masai Mara on an all-inclusive basis. 

The Masai Mara together with Tanzania’s Serengeti form Africa’s most famous wildlife park, the Masai Mara National Reserve. The image of acacia trees dotting endless grass plains epitomises Africa for many, then add a Maasai warrior and some cattle to the picture and the conversation need go no further. The undeniable highlight of the Masai Mara National Reserve is undoubtedly the annual wildebeest migration traversing the vast plains of the Serengeti and the Masai Mara. It is known as the largest mass movement of land mammals on the planet – with more than a million animals following the rains. Large prides of lion, elephants, giraffes, gazelles and eland can also be spotted in the reserve. Aside from horse riding safaris and traditional vehicle safaris, hot-air ballooning over the Mara plains has become almost essential.

Finally, fly to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in southwestern Uganda. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and accessible only on foot, it is one of the richest ecosystems in Africa providing habitat for over 90 mammals (including 11 primates), 346 species of birds (including 23 highly localized Albertine Rift endemics), 202 species of butterflies, 163 tree species, over 100 species of ferns, 27 species of frogs, chameleons, geckos and other endangered species. chameleons, geckos and other endangered species.

Spend 3 nights at Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest on an all-inclusive basis.

Located in southwestern Uganda, the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is said to be Africa’s oldest rainforest. It is world-renowned for its excellent gorilla-sighting opportunities. The rugged landscape features dense jungle, cascading waterfalls, sparkling mountain streams, deep valleys and steep ridges. This untouched forest has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its breathtaking natural beauty and unique ecological significance. Don’t miss the opportunity to explore the spectacular Virunga Volcanoes. Bwindi is, however, most notable for her 340 Mountain Gorillas, about half the world’s population of this critically endangered primate. 

The opulence doesn’t end with your luxurious room! All guests visiting &Beyond safari lodges can now enjoy the use of a complementary pair of Swarovski binoculars, for the entire duration of their stay!

This offer is in high demand and difficult to get availability for, so don’t wait to book your once-in-a-lifetime experience. This offer is based for 2 adults sharing. The percentage discount varies based on selected property, seasonality and length of stay.  

*Please be sure to carefully check your passport & visa requirements for yourself and all the guests accompanying you on your trip.

Bringing a Piece of Africa to Atlanta, USA

Posted on by Lexi Hall

“Up in this air you breathed easily, drawing in a vital assurance and lightness of heart. In the highlands you woke up in the morning and thought: Here I am, where I ought to be.” – Karen Blixen, Out of Africa

On 24 September 2019, Angama Mara will partner with Iconic Africa to present an unforgettable and authentic African night of inspiration and entertainment in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, to help raise funds and awareness.

We request your company this September as we bring Africa to Atlanta and display a marvellous exhibition of stunning wildlife photographs from Kenya’s newest photographic competition, The Greatest Maasai Mara Photographer of the Year. For full invite click here. 

The Angama Foundation proudly presents a competition, exhibition and auction which aims to help important conservation programs such as The MAA Trust, Anne K. Taylor Fund, mara elephant project, The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and Mara Conservancy: Protecting the Mara Triangle with funds raised.

Let us transport you to an unimaginable part of East Africa and fall in love with the greatest game reserve, wildlife habitat and photography.

The rationale behind this exhibition is to:

  • Promote the beauty of Africa’s Masai Mara
  • Raise awareness of conservation issues
  • Create exposure for many up and coming wildlife photographers
  • Connect potential travellers to East Africa

The evening will include sundowners, an authentic African Braai, and lively African stories around the campfire.

A fantastic holiday at Angama Mara will also be up for auction.

Angama Kenya Iconic Africa Luxury Safaris

Venue:

CAPE DUTCH

1782 Cheshire Bridge, NE, Atlanta, GA, 30324

Contact (404) – 343 0313

Dress Code

Smart casual / restaurant attire

Cost of Ticket

$90.00 – Includes South African sundowner pre-drinks and snacks, African dinner (from a set menu), speakers and African entertainment.

There will be an auction selling an incredible holiday and funds from the proceeds will go to the listed charities

RSVP – Terri Abadi at RSVP@iconicafrica.com or +14 044 322 407

 

Southern Africa’s ‘Green’ Season

Posted on by Lexi Hall

If you’ve set out on safari before, you’ll know that Africa’s traditional safari season begins in the southern hemisphere’s winter months, – just when European and North American holiday-makers are on their summer breaks.

This means that Africa’s peak season runs from July to September, which is ideal for most travellers. But this also means that Africa’s ‘green’ season is often overlooked. Between November and April, traditional ‘safari hotspots’ experience a rainy summer. With luscious landscapes and quiet accommodations, this could actually be the perfect time for that luxury trip to the bush. During this ‘green’ season, the chances of having uninterrupted views and endless sightings of wildlife all to yourself are good. By March most of the summer ‘safari hotspots’ move towards the end of the heavy rain period making it a pleasant time for travel.

Summer rain also brings about an abundance of migratory birds visiting from the North and resident birds preparing to breed making it perfect for avid bird-watchers; there’s copious flora; thriving bugs and the short rainstorms make way for clear skies and cloud formations that present beautiful sunsets. Summer brings about new life from impala to elephants which also mean the bush is filled with predatory activity.

Some of our top southern safari hotspots that experience refreshing summer rains are Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and Tanzania.  Here is our list of seven summer safari destinations that will definitely add significant value to your experience:

Victoria Falls remains a top bucket-list destination perfect for year-round travel with heaps of local activities.

Chobe is an hour’s drive from Victoria Falls and offers spectacular elephant sightings.

The Central Kalahari is at its finest from December to April.

The Okavango Delta is excellent year-round.

Cape Town’s peak season is during the warm and clear summer months and is easily combined with other safari hotspots.

Tanzania’s Serengeti is at its peak once the rains have fallen. The new-born wildlife is thriving and the area is carpeted in luscious grass.

From October to April, Uganda is set apart from any other African safari destination with its diverse bird habitats.

Book your next safari trip in March when there is little rain and there is an increase in game sightings. It’s a quiet time of the year in the bush and you will hopefully miss the crowds. For more on the exquisite destinations we recommend in the above destinations contact us here.