Tag: travel

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…

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.

 

How to Get the Most out of Safari

Posted on by James

With the world having opened up once more, and PCR tests a thing of the past, I wonder how people feel to be returning to the bush and safari. For some – for many in fact – it’s been a long wait.

I remember chatting about it to other guides: would returning guests be so thrilled to be outdoors, traveling, immersed in nature, that just the whisper of the wind in the grass will be enough to keep them content, or will it be the opposite? Or would there an almost overwhelming need to race around and take in as much as possible as quickly as possible, like a starving person being confronted with an overload buffet?

Don’t race around.
Stop, breathe, listen. Appreciate how magic it is that we can travel again.
Although we’re sure you want to leave with an absolute surfeit of memories and experiences (which you will almost certainly get), the best way to achieve this is actually to slow down.

Stopping to look at birds will help you find the big cats, because with the vehicle engine off you will hear alarm calls that much more easily, or even the calls of the predator themselves. But given that many people have had to defer their safari trips for so long thanks to the pandemic, we thought we’d reiterate some of the golden rules we’ve picked up during our years in the industry…

Stop often

It’s not only about the listening mentioned above when the engine is off. Stopping for the small stuff gives everyone’s eyes on the vehicle a chance to wander, not just those of the ranger and tracker.
Movement is one of the biggest giveaways of an animal’s position, pretty much rendering camouflage moot, but if you’re driving most of the time, it’s hard to spot movement against what is essentially already a moving background. Coming to a standstill and taking the time to scan is far more likely to reveal results.
A tracker I once worked with spotted a leopard at 820m distance because of a brief flicker of movement in a tree, but he almost certainly wouldn’t have been able to do so if the vehicle had been moving.

Sitting still gives you a time to appreciate things more, it gives the tracker a better chance to examine the road ahead for signs of animals that have passed by, and unless you really need to be covering ground, there is very little to be said against stopping. We’re not advocating a regular ten-minute break, but don’t be afraid to have the engine off.
You’ll end up seeing more. Trust us.

Keep the pressure off

The rangers and trackers are well aware of their guests’ expectations. The team conducting your safari also have their own expectations of what they should be seeing in the bush. They want to see the spectacular, just as much as guests. They do their job because they love the environment and the thrill of viewing wildlife. They want the best sightings possible, and are going to do everything in their power to get you into the right position to see nature at its finest.

But, quite often, they need time to be able to do this. The time to analyse tracks, the time to make well thought-out decisions based on the evidence of the bush, their knowledge of animal movements, the weather, where other guides and trackers are working at the same time, and a myriad of other factors that all combine to make them decide to turn left or right at the next road junction.
The more the pressure mounts to see something epic, the more the possibility creeps in that that pressure might influence the decisions being made. Granted, by far the most pressure ranger and tracker teams receive is from themselves, but the less pressure from outside, the more the experience can proceed at the leisurely pace that will ultimately reveal the most.

Tracking in particular takes patience and concentration, and a ranger constantly radioing in and asking for updates is only a distraction. If a tracker or ranger has an update, they’ll give it. Many of most revered trackers are notorious for turning their radio off when on foot. They will radio you only when they find the animal, not before. Frustrating at times for the ranger(s) working with them, but they know what they was doing, and don’t want the distraction.

Remind yourself

We should regularly pinch ourselves when out the bush. “I can’t believe I’m seeing”, should play on loop in your head. Make sure to actively remind yourself just how special it all is. It’s human nature to become used to something, but the last couple of years have been a wake-up for many to not take anything for granted.
Even if it’s something seemingly mundane like a turtle dove hopping around in front of your chalet, take a moment to truly observe it and think about its role in the greater scheme of things. It’s also trying to survive, with a life every bit as dramatic – at least for it – as a leopard’s, and just as fraught with danger as that of an impala constantly sniffing the wind for the scent of a lion.

During the most restricted days of the pandemic, we often pictured international travel opening up again being like the shop doors opening at a Black Friday sale. It wasn’t quite that hectic, but the comparison that can still be made is the anticipation while waiting; excitement and the prospect of something spectacular and imminent. And given the crazy boom in travel we’re currently seeing, that metaphor wasn’t all that wide of the mark…

There the comparison ends, as in the bush, instead of having to rush around madly trying to fill your shopping trolley, you’ll find that if you just take a leisurely stroll down the aisle, the trolley fills up all on its own, and can hold far more than you possibly imagined…

Abadi’s Iconic Africa Safaris Go Wild

Posted on by James
Our Co-founder and director Terri Abadi was recently featured in a wonderful article in the Atlanta Jewish Times. 
We have reprinted the article below for you to enjoy:
Article by Marcia Caller Jaffe.

Terri Abadi provides customized safari experiences from glamping to kosher based on her own love of nature and her native country.

Terri Abadi spent her childhood in Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city, where she developed a love of wildlife, wild spaces and “her people.” In 2013, she launched Atlanta-based safari tour company Iconic Africa, specializing in planning tours for adventurous and curious travelers. A top choice on most bucket lists, the South Africa safaris elicit remarks such as “life changing” and “intensely spiritual” from Abadi’s travelers.

A young male elephant tests the breeze n Botswana’s Okavango Delta

“I feel the closest to God when I’m in wild places,” the Iconic Africa director told the AJT. “Nature, with its wealth of diversity and unfathomable complexity, is a gift from God and where I feel most spiritual. When I’m out in the African wilds, I often ponder God’s acts of creation and see incomparable genius. Waking up to the sounds of the wild, the vivid colors of the African sunrise, sounds of the coucal at dawn, the roar of a lion reverberating through the night … I breathe in the crisp air and smell the wild sage as we drive out of camp; the cool morning wind on my face makes me count my lucky stars that I get to do this so often.”

Leaving South Africa in the 1990s to be near her brothers in Atlanta, Abadi partnered in 2014 with an old friend, John Holley, who now runs her South Africa office, to turn a traditional travel agency into a superior online travel platform showcasing African destinations representative of her values: most importantly, an authentic commitment to wilderness conservation.

Lion cubs play in a sandy riverbed.

Iconic Africa has teams in South Africa, Kenya and the U.S. staffed by African-born travel experts who are committed to being close at hand on each step of the journey. Beyond sightseeing, the company maintains philanthropic goals focused on facilitating positive change for Africans in Africa, while creating a seamless and unforgettable experience for their clients.

Abadi does not chaperone every trip, but does take three to four tours herself every year, usually with extended family, in June.

“It’s important for agents to know the areas to which they send clients, so I make sure I have experience with every destination included on an itinerary,” she said. “While I do not personally go on each tour, I curate each trip for the particular client from start to finish.”

Each trip is completely customized, from multi-generational family trips, once-in-a-lifetime honeymoons or conservation-driven trips. To make the ordinary truly extraordinary, Abadi probes the desires and expectations of each client ahead of time. Iconic Africa includes boutique elements with customized packages that fit every budget from standard tours to totally private, ultra-luxurious expeditions.

When it comes to safety, Abadi says, “All our tours are completely safe, and we are always in the loop, making sure our travelers’ safety is paramount.”

Yes, kosher accommodations are available. Iconic offers fully Beth Din-approved hotels and lodges. At remote safari lodges and destinations, they offer various solutions, from flying in prepared kosher meals to preparing fresh kosher-friendly food on site, or even arranging private chefs to reside on hand.

Terri Abadi founded Iconic Africa in 2013. She has an unbridled love for her native country and its wildlife.

Being South African, Terri favors the Greater Kruger area, particularly the Sabi Sand Reserve, where game viewing is most incredible. “There are so many wonderful lodges in Africa, each with its own brand of magic,” she recalled. “From panoramas over the Great Rift Valley, to glamping in style in the Botswanan desert, every landscape awakens the soul!”

A female leopard and two cubs get out of the wet grass at Londolozi Game Reserve in South Africa following a short rainstorm.

One of Abadi’s unmissable sights is leopard viewing in Londolozi Game Reserve. “The leopard viewing is surreal!” she exclaims. “I have seen more than my fair share of these beautiful cats there over the years and have even watched some grow from tiny cubs to having multiple litters of their own.”

Abadi is a member of Congregation Beth Tefillah and has four children. Her other passions include yoga, reading and photography.

The Ultimate Botswana Family Safari

Posted on by James

Long-time friend of Iconic Africa, Lorin Burgoyne, recently travelled to Botswana with her husband Paul and their kids to take advantage of some of the amazing specials Iconic Africa are currently running.
Any uncertainty they may have had about taking young children with them on safari was quickly dispelled.

Read Lorin’s account of their trip here:

We had an absolutely brilliant Family Safari in Botswana. I must admit that we had our reservations about whether it would be worth it for a 11 and 8 year old but we were blown away by the experience. It was our first trip to Botswana and have a much better idea of what it is all about and how it works in terms of tourism and accessibility. We cannot wait to go back and explore more.

We caught a super easy Airlink flight from Johannesburg to Maun and transferred (via Mack Air) to Little Sable Camp in the Khwai Private Reserve on the Delta. Flying in was fascinating – seeing the rivers bleed and flood plains swell in the desert landscape is incredible.

Our days at Little Sable were busy – we saw the sunrise every morning and had fabulous activities every afternoon – a boat cruise up the Khwai river, a mokoro ride down a tributary and the kids favourite – a helicopter flip over the Okavango!

The camp staff and our guide were wonderful – very friendly – and had little surprises up their sleeves to enhance our experience. Our guide was superb at balancing twitcher parents (overly keen bird watchers) with big 5 children – never easy.
The camp itself was lovely – authentic and beautifully positioned in the environment. Nothing was fussy or overdone – just comfortable luxury. The rooms were tents (always my favourite) on stilts over the edge of a flood plan so the frogs and hippos sing you to sleep at night – we also had a resident Barred Owl that fascinated the children. The tents were luxurious– outdoor showers with a view over the marsh and hot water for days (critical for mums!)!

The game viewing was different compared to South African bush – lots of water meant the game was quite spread out so we had to work hard for sightings, but the landscape was by far the champion. The boat cruise and helicopter flip were definitely the highlights for us – it reinforced how water is the artery of life there.

We then transferred to Jack’s Camp in the Makgadikgadi pans via Maun – again flying over the salt pans was awesome – mind blowing landscapes! The pilot let Tom my son sit in the co-pilot seat on the way there – is there anything more exciting for a 10 year old? He says he is now totally comfortable with how small planes work and can probably fly one…

Chemical (our guide; what a legend!) was incredibly knowledgeable and gave us in-depth understanding of how the plains developed geologically – and don’t think there is a bird on the planet he doesn’t know! As seasoned bush goers, we loved that he could paint the full picture of ecology, plant, animal and bird life as well as the history of the area. We felt an incredible sense of belonging at Jack’s Camp – not something I am prone to acknowledging. I always believe this is down to people – everyone was wonderful there! They have built a family and you really feel welcomed into it – what a privilege.

The camp itself is one of the best places I have ever had the opportunity of seeing – let alone staying. There are treasures all over – my son said he felt like he was in the Natural history Museum in London! He was not far off – I could have spent another week there just looking through the artefacts and books – I’m clearly a nerd at heart. As an Architect I am obsessed with place making and how and why spaces work and Jack’s was really is special in this regard – I don’t think there are many places in the world where you will get this treat!

Our days were packed at Jack’s. We visited the habituated Meerkats – I thought Catie was going to faint with excitement. It was amazing – even as an adult. We loved the experience – pups crawling all over us to play, and we loved that they almost command you to assist them with their lookout patrols to become the tallest sentinels in the landscape!

The vistas over the Makgadikgadi pans are some of the most beautiful we have ever seen– peaceful and quiet and calming.  Paul and I were totally entranced by the landscape – we could have spent a month there happily. We can’t wait to go back to this region to explore, the kids can’t wait to go back and ride fat bikes, go on horse rides and drive across the salt plains on quads.

An unexpected highlight of our trip was meeting the local San Bushmen tribe. I believe they have a long relationship with the Bousfield family and visit the region annually. On the night of our arrival, the tribe did a trance dance – not something I believe they normally do for guests, who went to bed at 11pm and the San at 2am.  What a fascinating experience and a rare opportunity to get insight into a new culture. The Jack’s host was wonderfully discreet about an appropriate time for the children to leave. Hilarious – no hallucinogens on family tour! The next afternoon, we were invited to do a walk with the San. Tom had been studying the Khoi San at school and was completely entranced with the walk which was literally about 300 metres! In that time we dug up root bulbs for water, caught a scorpion, made a bird trap, started a fire and learnt how to play their version of rock-paper-scissors. The best 2 hours of our kids’ lives! All in all it was an incredible experience and opportunity, and let’s just say that rock-paper-scissors will never exist in its original form in our household again, and nor should it!

From a game perspective, we caught the end of the zebra and wildebeest migration (also visible on the flight in) which was surreal, but more up or street was the bird migration. Flamingos, pelicans, terns and according to our kids every unidentifiable little brown bird on the planet. I think we were lucky in our timing but birding mecca it was!

Unchartered Africa know how to safari – every moment from arrival to departure was next level! I cannot recommend it enough – one of the best camps I have ever been to and one I will happily return to.

As a last note, it has become rather unfashionable to bucket list travel with children (if not expensive) but I was reminded about why we choose to take ours along on our adventures. Every single experience on this trip was enhanced because of them and not because the experiences were tailored to them. Authentic places, characters and experiences, and that is what builds true memories.

Travel Restrictions Almost Completely Lifted

Posted on by James

We’ll keep it brief here, but the news is all good!

A few weeks ago Botswana scrapped the required PCR test for incoming visitors if they are vaccinated.

Only last week the government of Namibia declared that the country no longer needed to wear masks in public.

And the latest on the South African front, effective as of today, is that PCR tests are also no longer necessary for visitors who have been vaccinated, masks will no longer be mandatory in outdoor public places, and with an expected 80% of the population having some form of immunity due to a combination of vaccinations and previous infection, South Africa now stands at a “watershed moment as it enters the next phase of managing the pandemic.” according to President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Safari bookings are already reflecting the ever-loosening travel restrictions across the globe. Most of the lodges we deal with report that should things continue as they have been, 2022 will be their busiest year on record. This is excellent for them and for the industry as a whole (although it does make getting a new booking tricky, as this year is made up of a combination of deferred and new bookings, so availability is becoming more and more limited).

The message we are hearing on a continually increasing scale is that the end is in sight. Yes, the new normal will probably never revert back to the way it was. Yes, the after-effects will take a while to settle down fully, but we can confidently state that this is the first time we are truly, truly optimistic about the African travel situation in the coming year.
Up until now it has been a mish-mash of very different approaches from different countries, but each week we are seeing the best safari destinations more and more in line with each other under their respective country’s policies, and travel is suddenly almost as easy as it was before March 2020!

We know we’ve been disappointed before, and the last two years have certainly taught us to take no situation for granted, but with a wave of overwhelming optimism sweeping through the industry, we can firmly state, THIS IS IT! Time to TRAVEL!!

 

Photography Tips: Understanding Exposure

Posted on by James

Exposure is simply a matter of how dark or light a photograph is.
Too dark is termed underexposed, too light and it’s referred to as overexposed. Just right and it’s called even or neutral exposure.

Left to right: Underexposed, correct exposure, overexposed.

In its simplest form, exposure is a function of three factors: shutter speed, aperture and ISO. We’ll go into these in more detail in a future post, but for now just know the following: 

Shutter speed is how long light is able to enter the camera for.

Aperture is the size of the opening through which light enters the camera; the wider the opening the more light that can come in.

ISO is the camera’s sensitivity to that light. Making it more sensitive without changing either of the other two factors will result in lighter image.

Leaving out ISO for the moment, let’s just look at the combination of shutter speed and aperture.

The way I lie to think of it is to imagine I’m trying to fill a bucket with water. The tap I’m pouring the water out of is how I control the water. The wider the diameter of the hole the water is coming out of (Aperture) the more water can come out in a set period of time, and the longer that set period of time is (shutter speed), the more water will come out as well.

Fast shutter speeds are used to freeze action; very helpful for wildlife photography in which animals are often moving fast.

The next step is to set a specific amount of water I want (exposure). Let’s say we set that level to the middle of the bucket, and we’ll call this even exposure.
If I have a very narrow apertured tap, only a thin stream will emerge, and I will need to run the tap for longer to get the level to the middle, ie. I will need a slower shutter speed.

If, however, the tap’s aperture is very wide, I will literally only need to open and close the tap and a large volume of water will come out, thus reaching the desired level in a much shorter time, ie. a faster shutter speed.

A faster shutter speed is used to underexpose the photo in silhouette photography, resulting in the colours of the sunset popping out more.

I hope this is making sense so far.

If you’re following, it should be becoming evident that the same exposure level (water in the bucket) can be achieved in different ways; a slow shutter speed and narrower aperture or a fast shutter speed and wider aperture. Many combinations of the two will give the same end result.

In photography however, photographs are going to look very different depending on which option you select to achieve your desired exposure level.
A faster shutter speed will freeze the action, while a slower one will result in motion blur. Both are great, so long as you understand which is going to do what.
Most of the time in wildlife photography you are wanting to freeze action, so the wider aperture/faster shutter speed combination is best.

A slower shutter speed can result in motion blur, which can be useful in creative photography, but it’s not always what you want.

Lenses have a limit to just how wide their apertures can open though, which brings us to the third and final part of what is known as the Exposure Triangle: ISO.

ISO is a measure of your camera’s sensitivity to light. More sensitive means it can achieve higher shutter speeds. The trade-off is that the image quality will degrade slightly as the ISO is increased, but this is a price you have to pay to achieve fast enough shutter speeds to not have a blurry image.

“Trade-off” is the key thing to remember here, as the Exposure triangle – comprised of shutter speed, aperture and ISO – is a constant compromise between the three, in which one or the other is generally prioritised to achieve the desired result. 

We’ll delve a little deeper into Shutter Speed, ISO and Aperture do in future posts.

Please comment down below if you have any questions about the subject, or would like to hear about any specific photography topic that is particularly relevant to safari.

Phinda Mountain Lodge: Dramatic Landscapes above Conservation Success

Posted on by James

The Lebombo mountains are perhaps some of the most wildlife-rich on the planet, yet are not well known outside local circles. They don’t feature snow-capped peaks or jagged ridges rising to unimaginable heights. They are in fact not the most impressive range. Yet probably along no other range of hills and mountains will you find more leopards, more lions, more elephants, and more amazing encounters than in the Lebombos.
Stretching from the north of the Kruger National park all the way down its eastern edge, down through Swaziland into South Africa, they start tapering out just as they reach one of this latter country’s finest safari destinations; Phinda Mountain Lodge.

Phinda Reserve is one of conservation’s greatest success stories. Formed from denuded pineapple farms and restocked with wildlife during the 90s, Phinda is now one of the most biodiverse reserves in Southern Africa, comprising over 70 000 acres of Big 5 country with an impressive bird list of 436.

Mountain Lodge was one of the original camps built here, and its three room types (suites, cottages – which can be turned into adjoining family style cottages – and family suite) mean there is something for every type of traveller.

If it’s romance you’re after, there will be more than enough solitude for you and your partner… why not book a private vehicle?
If you’re travelling with a family, great! The &Beyond WildChild program will keep your kids entertained with interactive adventures, perfect for mum and dad to enjoy some down-time.

Apart form world-class game viewing, it is the pioneering conservation experiences that Phinda now offers that are setting it apart from much of the rest of the industry. As a guest, it is now possible to accompany rangers and scientists in their careful monitoring programs of endangered species like Black Rhinos and Pangolins.
Participating in a rhino notching or dehorning, or laying your hands on a sleeping elephant while researchers attach a collar to it is an experience that will leave you truly moved.

Then of course there is the wildlife. Phinda is famed for its cheetahs in particular, with “the Marsh” – an open area in the north of the reserve – offering great hunting grounds for these fastest mammals on earth.
As you move through an amazing range of habitats (the unique Sand Forest is a must-visit!) you will encounter elephants, lions, black and white rhino, leopard, and an entire supporting cast of antelope and other small inhabitants of the bush.

Phinda is most definitely part of only a small group of lodges that continue to set the standard in both luxury wildlife experiences and conservation initiatives. At only a few hours drive from Durban or an easy flight in, it is also one of South Africa’s most accessible lodges for a quick weekend away…

With &Beyond offering special rates at the moment, get in touch if you fancy a trip to one of the country’s premier safari destinations…

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.

South African Resilience Always Wins

Posted on by James

Another surge of Covid cases has seen Christmas effectively getting terminated for the international tourists that traditionally flock to South African shores at this time of year, but in true South African fashion, we look upon setbacks as merely that: setbacks. We embrace life with humour and are always able to see the positive, no matter how bleak things may look in the moment. We know that this too shall pass…

Not to be disheartened by the travel doom and gloom, The Daily Maverick – South Africa’s leading independent online newspaper – took to the press and released this wonderfully candid and reaffirming article, which we felt we didn’t want to try to put into our own words, as they already said it best. The writer was referring specifically to Giving Tuesday, which, according to the DM themselves is “essentially a global generosity movement where we repent for our overspending sins from Black Friday and Cyber Monday and give to those in greater need than ourselves.”

Enjoy (and UK residents please take this as tongue-in-cheek)…

Giving Tuesday is upon us.

The only thing many South Africans would like to give right now is two fingers to the UK for their knee-jerk (emphasis on jerk) reaction to the discovery of the Omicron variant by placing South Africa and our neighbours back on their travel Red List. The world followed and cut South Africa off, too.

As President Cyril Ramaphosa stated on Sunday evening: “The prohibition of travel is not informed by science.”  

South Africans have become accustomed to crisis-surfing: load shedding, water shortages, insurrection(s), the pandemic, vaccine inequality, a bruised and battered economy. But the overwhelming reaction when the world cut us off (after despair) was one of pride. Social media exploded with gratitude and cheers for our epidemiologists who were the first to track TWO variants of Covid-19. And for their skills, transparency and integrity in disclosing the discovery. It was leadership.

Photograph courtesy Alexandros Michailidis/Shutterstock

It’s sometimes easy to forget that we have a lot to be proud of.

  • South African scientists and doctors are renowned for being among the very best in the world;
  • Our film industry is widely recognised as global leaders in their craft, welcoming foreign film crews who come to work with our talent and our landscapes;
  • Our culinary expertise and restaurants feature in the top lists around the world;
  • We breed innovation – Elon Musk and Mark Shuttleworth have changed the world of tech and are just two examples of what South Africa can produce;
  • Artists and writers like Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Damon Galgut, Nadine Gordimer and Trevor Noah are South African names held on high around the world;
  • We gave the world Jerusalema!;
  • And then there’s the Springboks. Let’s not ever forget that we’re THREE-time world champs. Take that, England.

The best and brightest exist in this country – including the talent and grit of the journalists at Daily Maverick – and this is what we’re working every day to protect. If we can get the basics right, and ensure a functioning country for all who live here, we can all focus on creating a society where our talents flourish and thrive. No country, especially one as rich in resources and talent (and experience) as ours, should be endangered by a single travel ban.

As the move to shut international borders to South Africans showed, we’re on our own. It doesn’t have to feel as daunting as it might sound, though: if anything, every crisis we’ve survived has proved our ability to band together, knuckle down and – most importantly – help each other.

It’s hard to succinctly describe what it means to be South African. “Diverse” is one way. “Enjoys a dop and a braai” is another. But ultimately, what makes us South African is that despite our differences, when the chips are down, we’re good at standing together.

Right now, many holiday plans have been ruined, long-awaited family reunions have been postponed (again) and jobs and income have been threatened or lost. It feels like a knockout blow to a nation that was already on the ropes. And still, we support each other.

We agree wholeheartedly with their sentiments. “When the chips are down, we’re good at standing together”.

South Africa is an amazing country. Its scenic grandeur, its wildlife, its history, the fact that one man could unite 45 million people and bring them back from the brink of civil war (that’s Nelson Mandela, in case you were wondering)… Seldom before in humanity’s past has a nation been as divided as South Africa was during apartheid, yet we are still here, stronger together, building for a better future. No nation is without its struggles, and it would simply be naive to think that having come from centuries of struggle, the gap between the haves and have-nots would be bridged overnight just because of the advent of democracy. We still have a long way to go as a nation, but everywhere you look in this beautiful country it seems that people are determined to move in the right direction.

That, I think, is one of our greatest gifts. No matter what life throws at us, as a collective we stay upbeat. As individuals our humour and optimism is always evident, and even more so when you scale up to the entire country.

The heart of South Africa is its people, and the heart will always beat strongly.

When things open up once more – which they surely will do – this incredible country will be waiting to welcome international travellers back with open arms. Come and see what we’re all about!

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…

Africa is Opening More and More

Posted on by James

It’s certainly been a rough year-and-a-half for the travel fundis, and for the industry as a whole. Confined at home for months, then confined to your home country, and even eighteen months in, many of you have been told that a mandatory two-week quarantine period will be enforced as soon as you return home from your overseas sojourn. Not appealing, we know!


But the light at the end of the tunnel is growing brighter and brighter, as seemingly each week another country in Africa opens up for travel. Most of the more prominent safari destinations have fallen off international red lists, regulations are easing all over the world, vaccinations have been rolled out, and although things certainly aren’t fully back to normal, there is an air of normalcy in the air that is making us more excited than we’ve been for a long time to fully welcome international visitors to African shores once more.

Kenya was recently struck off the international red list, visitors from the UK no longer have to quarantine upon their return from South Africa, and Rwanda and its gorillas is easier to visit than it has been for a long, long time. We’ve stated it before, but want to repeat that there literally is no better time to satisfy your travel cravings than right now. Many safari operators are offering insane discounts, popular areas are still quiet, and the strict covid guidelines that have made many people reluctant to venture overseas are enforced so efficiently that being out in the wilds on safari is actually pretty much the safest place to be right now, if any lingering doubts about Covid still remain.

We currently have many guests travelling with us, and without an exception the feedback has been the wonderful tranquility, the soothing of the soul by being back in the wild after so long, and the exclusive feel of almost every lodge given the current reduced occupancies. It’s a bit of an internal dilemma; wishing for business to return to how it it was as soon as possible, but also relishing in the quiet times that are currently greeting every visitor to the bush.

If you want to experience world class game viewing, relax on a beach in a Mozambiquan archipelago, or enjoy the sights and sounds of South Africa’s Mother City Cape Town, don’t wait! The light at the end of the tunnel is certainly approaching, but for the traveller that light is likely to be accompanied by higher occupancies and back-to-normal prices.

Incredible value in safari has never been easier to come by than now.

Get in touch…

The NEW Dulini Moya

Posted on by James

The Sabi Sand Game Reserve in South Africa is world-famous for its wildlife viewing – particularly of leopards – and there is now a new jewel in its crown; Dulini Moya, tucked away on the banks of the Mabrak River in the western sector of the park.

Whether it’s a luxury escape you’re after, tranquility, time in nature, or some of the most exciting game viewing on the planet, Dulini Moya has it all.

The boutique lodge, with only six beautifully appointed chalets, blends so seamlessly with its surroundings that at no point do you feel as if you’re removed from the wilderness in which you find yourself. Leopards are known to wander right through the camp, elephants are regular features in front of your room, and with each suite having its own private viewing space, you may well feel as if it’s just you, the wildlife, and no one else for miles around.

Private plunge pools on the deck of each suite allow for a cool refuge in the summer, and romantic room interiors are the perfect place to snuggle up in the chill of a winter evening, with the Scops owls calling from the canopy of an overhanging leadwood tree and the southern skies shining overhead in all their glory.

Game drives of course, are one of the main reasons of anyone’s visit to the bush, and Dulini will deliver. With one of the highest recorded leopard densities in the world, the Sabi Sand reserve is the place to view these big cats, and their Big 5 brethren are never far away. Lions, elephants, buffalo and rhino are all regularly encountered, with a myriad of other mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians completing the ensemble.
And when arriving back at the lodge after drive you will be greeted by warm smiles and laughter.
As Dulini say themselves:

The safari may be at the epicentre of Dulini offering, but care and the touch of personal relationship are at its heart.

The leopard viewing at Dulini is nothing short of spectacular.
A lioness closes an eye to avoid a wayward tail from one of her cubs.

Dulini Moya promises to break new grounds in the luxury boutique lodge space. Their emphasis on sustainable conservation, local community empowerment and ethical tourism is fast becoming the new normal in the safari industry, and this is certainly one property that does it with aplomb.

Feel free to get in touch if you want to know more about Dulini Moya, or indeed the rest of the Dulini Collection.
There are some spectacular specials on offer right now, so don’t wait too long…

 

Madikwe Safari Lodge: the Perfect Mid-Week Getaway

Posted on by James

One of South Africa’s lesser known game reserves, but one of its most ecologically diverse, the 75000ha Madikwe Game Reserve is a hidden gem of wildlife viewing.

A comfortable forty minute flight from Johannesburg – or just over four hours drive for those who enjoy a short road trip – and situated in a malaria-free area, Madikwe has been wowing visitors since 1991 when the park was first declared. Known primarily for its elephant herds – the park has a higher density of these huge herbivores than any other protected area in South Africa – and packs of African Wild Dogs, Madikwe boasts a number of full board lodges, and with the current midweek specials currently being run by Madikwe Safari Lodge, there is no better time to nip out for a few days bush break.

The beautifully appointed main area in Dithaba Lodge.
Madikwe Safari Lodger experiences some of the most amazing sunsets in Africa.

Three extravagant camps – Kopano (4 suites), Lelapa (12 suites) and Dithaba (4 suites) – are spread between two picturesque and boulder-strewn hills on the eastern side of the reserve.The two smaller camps offer a slightly more intimate experience and are perfect for romantic couples or small groups, whilst Lelapa the largest of the three camps is the more family-oriented, with specialised rangers and facilities for budding young naturalists.

Dining under the African night sky is an experience you won’t forget in a hurry.
Children are welcome at Madikwe Safari Lodge

The stunning camps are defined by a laid-back feeling and incredibly friendly staff, who immediately make you feel like you are at your very own holiday home. Experienced guides bring the complex biomes of Madikwe to life in front of your eyes, and the limit of a maximum of three vehicles allowed in a sighting maintains the intimate feel of the experience even when you are out on game drive.

The diversity of habitats found in Madikwe is part of what makes it so special.
Opulence abounds back at the lodge.

Madikwe rests on the edge of the Kalahari Desert. It is semi-arid, receiving just 350mm of rain annually but despite this supports an astonishing variety of fauna and flora. More than 60 species of mammal have been recorded at Madikwe and the bird list is now topping 350 species.

Lantern-lit pathways in the evening maintain a beautifully natural feeling.
Elephants are plentiful throughout the reserve.

In the east, Madikwe is bounded by the Marico River – a perennial stream that grows until it eventually forms the mighty Limpopo of Rudyard Kipling fame. To the west lies the Kalahari and the northern border is the national boundary with Botswana. The south is bounded by the purple and red Dwarsberg Hills. Undulating woodlands stretch north from the hills eventually falling over the Tweedepoort escarpment onto the low lying savannahs and grassland. The plains are dotted with inselbergs where baboons, hyrax and klipspringer keep a watchful eye for the attentions of Africa’s elusive leopard.

The views across the reserve are simply unbeatable.

Whilst maybe not as well-known as some of its counterparts towards the Kruger Park, Madikwe Safari Lodge offers an experience in every way as comfortable, exciting, widlife-rich and ultimately rewarding as any lodge in South Africa.

Contact us to find out more about the incredible specials Madikwe Safari Lodge is currently running…

 

 

 

Kicheche Safari Camps: Hidden Gems in a Huge Landscape

Posted on by James

Kenya’s Maasai Mara ecosystem is subdivided into a number of areas; the Mara Triangle in the west which forms the edge of the grasslands where it rises up into the Oloololo escarpment, the Maasai Mara National Reserve, which has its own private camps and is where public vehicles can access too, and on the norther edge, a number of conservancies, which operate in conjunction with local communities and traditional pastoralists.

All sections are unfenced and open to each other, allowing free movement of wildlife.

Although not receiving as much press as the sectors to the south, the northern conservancies boast just as spectacular game viewing, if not more so, as well as operating with far fewer vehicles in a sighting. And it is in these areas, prolific with wildlife, that you find the Kicheche camps.

Valley Camp in the Naboisho conservancy is tucked discreetly away in acacia woodland on a hillside, and it is not uncommon to see 20 different cheetahs in a week’s stay here. In the west, Kicheche Mara Camp is in the Mara North conservancy, where world-famous Leopard Gorge is to be found and where so many iconic wildlife documentaries have been filmed.
And in the middle sits Kicheche Bush Camp, set back in the tree-line alongside an expansive grassy plain. This is the lurking ground of the leopard Fig, who featured prominently in the National Geographic Documentary “Jade Eyed Leopard”.

All three camps are small enough to retain that sense of intimacy with guests, in which you don’t feel like a number, but part of things. Valley and Bush Camp have only six tents each, while Mara Camp is only slightly bigger with eight.
Many of the guides have been with Kicheche for well over a decade, and their experience shows in their intimate knowledge of the area. This is especially true when it comes to photography, and Kicheche is ultimately a photographer’s dream. Open skylines, an abundance of wildlife, lion numbers like you wouldn’t believe… combine this with the specially adapted Kicheche photographic vehicles and guides who understand everything from backlighting to depth of field, and you couldn’t ask for anything more, except maybe a memory card or two, as yours are sure to fill up given the prolific number of photographic opportunities.

Kicheche gets it right in the “feeling”; that intangible sense that you are somewhere that you ought to be. That synergy of all the smaller details that can seem so formulaic on paper yet is so difficult to achieve in reality. It’s the staff, the accommodation, the wildlife, the setting. It’s all of them yet none of them.
It’s an ever-elusive element that very few destinations produce, yet Kicheche have, through their own secret formula, got it right…