TraveLuxe

Welcome to the Jungle!

Well, maybe not the jungle in all cases, but the wild! From open plains to dense rain forests to rushing rivers and long-stretching deserts, Africa?s landscapes and animals have caught on in a big way. Not only are travelers planning safaris, but many are looking for more than the traditional game drive options and less-explored regions. When it comes to choosing a safari, the styles and destinations are numerous. It?s because of this that we chose to create an entire TraveLuxe edition surrounding safaris. Sit back, enjoy and then start planning your trip to Africa!

Safari Styles – Types of Safaris

Just as with other types of vacations, safaris come in all shapes and sizes, so to speak. The most popular, or at least most readily depicted, is the driving safari. This usually involves heading out in a 4×4 vehicle with an expert guide, and is possibly the most general type of safari ? it?s a great way to see a wide variety of (land) animals and can be done in a national park or game reserve. It?s often a small group (afterall, you have to fit in the vehicle) and can be done as a private safari as well.

In addition to the driving safari, though, there are numerous ways to see the animals, some of which are necessary for viewing specific types of wildlife.

? Walking safaris ? these can be done with a group or a private guide, and allow guests to travel on foot to see the animals. Without the vehicle between you and the wildlife, it can feel a bit more interesting, albeit perhaps a bit more scary and thrilling the closer the animals get. The guides are experts in the regions and the wildlife, though, and know how to read the animals movements to ensure that safari-goers are not in any danger. These can range from a few hours to multiple nights, with the overnight safaris having both basic and luxury sleeping options.

? River/boat Safaris ? this is an excellent way to see water-dwelling wildlife, such as hippopotamus, alligators, and many species of bird, as well as animals who come to the water to drink or bath, such as elephants (who you?ll often see actually in the water or cooling off in the mud by the banks) and multiple types of antelope such as impala, bushbuck, waterbuck and kudu.

? Fly-in safaris ? these allow you to see a greater number of area in a shorter period of time. In addition, they also offer an areal view of the landscape and wildlife ? a completely unique experience from anything offered on the ground.

? Hot air balloon safaris ? These are almost always day trip options, as opposed to multiple-day safaris. It?s tough to beat the spectacular view of sunrise over the African plains as the hot air balloon takes off.

? Canoe safaris ? Like boat safaris, a canoe safari focuses on the animals in and around the rives. Unlike the boat safaris, though, canoes are smaller and quieter (no motor) allowing you to get even closer to the animals. These are led by a guide, just as with other safaris, and can range in length from a day trip to multiple days.

? Mobile safaris ? These safaris move from place to place, setting up camp each night. They can require longer drives, sometimes up to six hours between locations. Just because they are tented, they don?t necessarily require ?roughing it?. Some offer very luxurious, even en suite tents.

? Elephant-back safari ? For elephant-lovers, this might be the ultimate safari experience. While they?re often just a half-day or full-day excursion, these safaris let you see the landscape from atop an elephant. Elephants are typically very gentle creatures, though, and the particular elephants used have gone through training to participate in the safaris. Still, it?s important to know how to ride the elephant and be respectful of the animal and it?s environment. They can still get spooked or excited, and you have to be prepared to hold on if their speed changes or they move suddenly.

? Primate Safaris ? Because of their nature, primate safaris are limited to just a few countries in the world. The most sought after include: lemurs in Madagascar, the chimpanzees in Uganda; lowland gorillas in the Congo, Cameroon, Central Africa Republic and Gabon; and perhaps the most incredible, the endangered mountain gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda and the Congo. With under 700 mountain gorillas left in the world, permits for viewing the mountain gorillas are quite limited and are rather costly, though all of the proceeds from these goes directly back to conservation efforts for the gorillas.

Often, people choose to combine several types of safaris and in multiple destinations. Often, game lodges will provide a package with a variety of safari options ? for instance 4×4 safaris, boat safaris and perhaps a walking safari. Before choosing your destination, consider which types of safaris you are interested in, which animals you?d most like to see, and which landscapes you?d most like to experience.