If you’re looking for a vacation that includes exotic locations, wondrous landscapes and a host of cultural and action activities, look no further than an African safari in Kenya. An African wildlife safari will satisfy all your dreams of romance and action and give you a host of other benefits besides.
Here are five great reasons to choose an African safari hotel now.
Firstly there’s the sheer romance of it. Few other vistas in the world can match a herd of wildebeest sweeping majestically across a vast plain, a group of stately elephants lumbering down to a watering hole, or a pack of gazelle in full flight. And the soft, warm African nights full of the brightest stars imaginable are the most romantic settings in the world.
There’s the feeling, too, that you’re traveling in the footsteps of a succession of intrepid souls who made it their life to get to know the Dark Continent. These include explorers such as Livingstone and writers including Hemingway and Baroness Blixen.
The next great reason to choose an African safari is to experience the magic of nature. Africa offers some of the most stunning natural landscapes in the world. These include soaring mountains capped with snow, deep tranquil lakes, fertile savannahs, forests, and soft white coral beaches on the Indian Ocean.
Then there’s the main reason for most people to go on African safaris – the animals. These comprise the world’s most diverse collection of herbivores, predators and birds. These include the “Big Five” animals of Africa – the lion, leopard, buffalo, rhinoceros and elephant.
On an African safari, you can get close up to elephants on open-vehicle game drives and watch the shy gamboling of giraffe, zebra and gazelle. If you’re lucky, you can catch a glimpse of such rare species as the Rosthschild’s Giraffe and the endangered black and white rhino.
If you’re a bird lover you’ll want to visit Kenya which is home to over 1000 species. Lake Nakuru is the domain of the flamingo. Up to a million of these elegant, pink birds can congregate there at one time to create a stunning spectacle.
If you time your visit right you can witness of the great wonders of the animal world – the Great Migration that takes place between June and September. On this occasion, millions of wildebeest, zebra and other grazing animals journey from the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to the Masai Mara in Kenya.
However romantic Africa may be and however stunning the flora and fauna, that’s not all an African safari holiday has to offer. Today’s safaris offer a wide range of activities.
These can be enjoyed both as part of the safari itself and as separate activities. An example of the former is photography. While in the past, people went on safari to hunt animals, today’s safari goers tend to focus on the shooting of film or digital images in their cameras. As you can imagine, an African safari offers unparalleled photographic opportunities.
One popular activity on safari is to view Africa from the lofty perch of a hot air balloon. This can give you a whole new perspective on the landscape and the habitats of the animals, not to mention amazing photography opportunities.
Thrill seekers are particularly well-served in Africa. They can enjoy a whole array of activities ranging from mountain climbing to mokoro (canoe), boating trips and scuba diving.
Culture buffs are well served too, with options available to visit local villages along with the sites of ancient civilizations.
The last great reason to go on an African safari is to support local communities through responsible tourism. To ensure this, you’ll need to choose a travel organizer committed to preserving local communities and the environment.
To get the absolute most out of your African safari, find a reputable company that can tailor make the event for you. In this way, you can be assured of the ultimate travel experience as well as improving the lives of local residents.
Michiel Van Kets writes articles for Cheli and Peacock Ltd., a leading ground handler in Kenya; operate up-market bespoke African safari adventures for clients that want the real African wildlife safaris experience. The company is owned and operated by Stefano Cheli and Liz Peacock who have been running it hands-on ever since 1985. Experience pristine beaches, stay at small elegant camps and observe unique African safari conservation at its best.
