Wildlife & Safari

The classic safari experience. Settle into an open-sided vehicle and head into the bush at sunrise or late afternoon, when animals are most active and the light is soft. Your guide tracks fresh signs, reads animal behaviour and shares the stories behind each sighting. Chobe is famed for its elephant concentrations, while the Okavango region and Khwai offer excellent chances to see lions, wild dogs and leopards. Morning and afternoon drives are available, and full-day options can be arranged. The same style of drive is available in other Southern African parks, including Hwange in Zimbabwe, South Luangwa in Zambia, Etosha in Namibia and Kruger in South Africa.

When the sun sets, a different cast of animals takes over. On a night drive your guide sweeps a soft spotlight across the bush to pick out the glow of eyes: genets, civets, honey badgers, owls, bushbabies and, with luck, a hunting leopard or hyena. Night drives are permitted only in selected private and community concessions, not in every national park, so availability depends on your itinerary. Dress warmly, as evenings cool quickly.

Leave the vehicle behind and experience the bush at ground level. Led by a qualified, armed guide, you will learn to read tracks and dung, identify plants and insects and approach wildlife quietly and respectfully. Walking safaris reward patience with intimate encounters, from a dung beetle at work to a herd of zebra grazing nearby. They take place in selected areas only, with groups kept small and a safety briefing given beforehand. A moderate level of fitness is helpful. South Luangwa in Zambia is often credited as the birthplace of the walking safari, and Mana Pools in Zimbabwe is also celebrated for walking among wildlife.

Horses can carry you closer to plains game than a vehicle often can, since animals tend to accept a rider as part of the landscape. Guided rides in selected Botswana reserves let you move at a gentle pace past giraffe, zebra, wildebeest and antelope. Horseback safaris suit riders with some prior experience, as you may canter and cover open ground. Rides are matched to your ability, and riding hats and safety briefings are standard.

Designed for keen photographers of every level, these outings put the picture first. Guides position the vehicle or boat for the best angle and light, stay longer at promising sightings and understand the behaviour that leads to great shots, from elephants crossing the river to birds in flight. Golden-hour starts and sunset finishes are the focus. Bring a zoom lens, spare batteries and memory cards, and we will help with the rest.

The Makgadikgadi Pans are among the largest salt flats on Earth, a dazzling white expanse that feels like another planet. Guided outings can include sunrise visits to habituated meerkat colonies, quad-bike rides across the pans and nights on a bedroll beneath the stars. After the rains, the area also draws zebra and wildebeest in large numbers, while the dry season is quieter and more stark. Dress for strong sun by day and cold nights.