22 October 2024

If you’re a lover of nature and wildlife, like myself, the obvious choice for a holiday that indulges your passion is an African safari, but there are many other places where you can see exciting wildlife and experience the wonders of nature. A personal favourite is Sri Lanka, better known perhaps for its cultural sites and beaches than wildlife, yet Yala National Park is reported to have the highest concentration of leopards on the planet. Located just outside the park, Uga Chena Huts might sound basic, but the reality is they are anything but….these are 5 star luxury cabins with ensuite facilities including a freestanding bath, and each has its own private plunge pool, perfect for a cooling dip after your game drive. The property overlooks a beach where sea turtles lay eggs by moonlight and elephants wander down from the nearby jungle to play in the surf. On one landward side Chena Huts is fringed by the tropical jungle and on the other by a saline lake where ibises, painted storks and even flamingos may be seen. Just stunning! Whilst in Sri Lanka it’s worth visiting Gal Oya National Park, where the unique draw is the opportunity to take a boat trip to spot wildlife from the water. This is the only place in Sri Lanka where you can do this and you may be lucky enough to see elephants coming to the bank to drink or even swimming in the water. Accommodation is scarce in this area, but there is a little gem in Gal Oya Lodge, a unique Sri Lanka ecolodge spread across 20 acres of private jungle. This is a true natural paradise which, as well as the wildlife and brightly coloured birds, offers you the chance to take a guided hike with the indigenous Veddha people living here. Another remarkable destination in terms of wildlife is Borneo, famous for the now endangered orangutan, and home to the rather strange looking proboscis monkey, with its big bulbous nose. You can see orangutans here at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, but for the real wild experience, head out to the Kinabatangan river and stay in one of the lodges there. Reachable only by boat, the accommodation here is built on stilts, with boardwalks between the buildings and here you swap the usual 4 wheel drive vehicle for a boat to go wildlife viewing. A good pair of binoculars is essential as the wildlife can be difficult to spot in the thick jungle, but your guide will give you a helping hand. On my own trip we saw pygmy elephants, proboscis monkeys, saltwater crocodiles and watched amazed as an orangutan climbed a tree and made his bed for the night – that’s one memory that will live with me forever! On the other side of the world, Costa Rica is an absolute must for nature lovers. This country is has an abundance of different landscapes and habitats, so it’s no surprise that it is home to more than half a million different species. From rainforest of Corcovado National Park in the south west to the Monteverde cloud forest in the north, the richness of wildlife is astonishing. Many of the most fascinating creatures are the smaller ones such as the national bird, the quetzal, and countless tiny species of frogs, but its also a fabulous thing to see and hear spider monkeys swinging through the trees and so exciting to see your first real life toucan! A holiday here warrants visiting at least 4 different areas, either on a guided tour or a self drive, to experience as much as possible. You can also mix it up a bit with accommodation in city hotels, eco lodges and former farmhouses, making for a really varied and interesting trip. Nearer to home, bird lovers should head to the Gambia in the winter. Many of the birds you see there migrate from Europe, including the ospreys from Rutland Water, so you’ll see some familiar faces and others that are native to Africa. The Senegambia Beach Hotel is a great place to base yourself, not least for its resident ornithologist and extensive gardens are teeming with birdlife. For something more unique, head to the Mandina Lodges, hidden in the African bush on a mangrove-lined tributary of the River Gambia. These are a mix of lodges, some land based and some floating, which form part of a project to protect the forest and give employment to local people. You’re just a short drive from the airport, yet a world away from the hustle and bustle and can drift along the river to spot birds, or sit on your balcony and watch out for baboons – a large troop inhabits this forest too! There are some truly sensational destinations to visit for nature and wildlife lovers, so get out there and explore!

22 October 2024

‘Anyone who claims they can describe Antarctica, hasn’t been’. So began the welcome from our captain on MS Fridtjof Nansen as we eased out of the port of Ushuaia, bound for the vast wilderness that is Antarctica. Behind us was Argentina, where we’d explored the vibrant and colourful La Boca area, dined on steak (when in Rome…) and then woken up in the wee small hours to take the three hour flight to Ushuaia, otherwise known as ‘The End of the World’, the southernmost town in the world. Ahead of us still lay a two day voyage across the Drake Passage before we reached the White Continent. At the time of writing I’ve been back several months, but still find it hard to find the words to describe this utterly unique place. In preparing for the trip I’d anticipated being bored on the 2 day sail across ‘The Drake’ and had downloaded books and videos to pass the time. I touched neither until I was back on land, on my way home, as there was just so much to do on the ship. Apart from the obligatory safety briefings there were talks on everything from penguinology to the Antarctic explorers of old, we were invited to get creative by customising our Hurtigruten refillable water bottles or making a clay penguin in the pop up art workshops and I spent a lot of time on deck practicing my skills in photgraphing sea birds in flight. First, let’s address the elephant in the room. This is not a cheap destination to travel to, so it’s not a place where everyone will be able to go in their lifetime. In fact, only one percent of people in the world have ever travelled to this destination. That’s part of why it’s so special and why we have a duty to preserve it for our future generations. Having said that, in terms of value for money, for me it rates way up there in terms of travel experiences I’ve had and I can’t think of any other holiday with such an intensity of excitement and adrenaline rushes. If I had just £1 for every single time I said ‘wow’ on this trip then I easily could finance a return visit. I’ve canoed amongst hippos on the Zambezi, sat in a rock pool at the top of the Victoria Falls, and then done Microlite flight over the falls, all in one day, and this still trumped it. Waking to see icebergs floating past for the first time was an amazing sight but from there on, things got more and more exciting. Layering up in warm and waterproof clothes for the first time to board the zodiacs, the anticipation was huge for what we might see. Cruising around through floating ice, we spotted seals lolling on icebergs, enjoying an afternoon nap and some more energetic creatures swimming between the icebergs. There were penguins too – cute Adelies gazing down at us from the rocks. This prepared us for the next outing – our first landing on the ice to visit a colony of gentoo penguins. These were the most comical creatures, waddling with wings akimbo, some sure-footed, some belly flopping and face planting their way across the snow. And so it carried on for the next few days with one or two thrilling zodiac outings per day. Highlights were weaving through giant icebergs the size of multi-storey buildings in Pleneau Bay, watching scientists taking biopsies from humpback whales in Wilhemina Bay (nicknamed ‘Whale Mania Bay’ by the crew because of the abundance of these giants of the sea in this area) and spending time at another landing site where penguin ‘teenagers’ chased their parents around, begging for food even after being fed! Other memorable moments were seeing the sun rise to a natural soundtrack of whale calls, hearing – then seeing - a glacier calve and create a mini tsunami, standing open mouthed as humpbacks swan alongside the ship, and taking a polar plunge in water barely above freezing point. I’ve never felt so alive! Onboard the ship, the ambience is one of casual comfort - muted tones and natural materials like wood and slate in the cabins and an abundance of cosy spots to sit and read a book or watch the scenery drift by in the public areas. There’s even a sauna with picture windows, a couple of large hot tubs and a heated swimming pool that was a delight to spend time in between activities. There are 3 restaurants, one of which caters for suite passengers but which other customers can pay a supplement for if they want a more fine dining experience than the main restaurant, while another serves ‘fast food’ style options such as burgers, dumplings and bao buns and even does takeaways for those nights when you are so exhausted you want to enjoy a quick meal in your room. The main restaurant meanwhile serves buffet breakfast and lunch while in the evening there’s a mix of themed buffet nights and table d’hôte menus. Sustainability is high on the agenda with HX Hurtigruten. The ship I travelled on is one of two hybrid ships in the fleet, so one of the most efficient cruise vessels on the sea today. Guests are encouraged to have a ‘green day’ and opt not to have their cabins serviced; in return, a donation is made to the Hurtigruten Foundation which supports projects that benefit the environment and vulnerable communities. Voyages source the majority of their food and beverage in the local area and closely monitor food waste, sharing data with customers on board to raise awareness. What made this trip, though, was the fantastic expedition team. Multi-national and multi-talented they taught us everything there is to know about the Antarctic, kept us safe when voyaging out, entertained us with their humour, impressed us with their organisational skills and absolutely bent over backwards to ensure that everyone got the most out of their adventure. They enriched what was already a life-changing experience and I’d go again in a heartbeat!

28 August 2024

Once the preserve of the young, heading off with a backpack to explore the world, solo trips are now becoming more and more popular and appealing to people of all ages. It’s not just singles who are taking these trips either. Some travel solo because they have a specific interest not shared by their partner, such as photography or golf. In other cases a major life change like redundancy can spur someone on to realise a dream on their own, especially if that dream is a longer trip that would use up far too much annual leave in the world of work. Whilst taking a holiday alone for the first time can be daunting, I will help you find the ideal package to suit you. Whilst I can tailor make a trip for one with a personal guide, it generally makes sense to join a group or a tour, where you will be with like minded people and have the benefit of a group leader or tour manager to help break the ice and ensure things run smoothly. A favourite operator of mine when it comes to solo holidays is Just You, who offer destinations as diverse as Puglia, Chile and Uzbekistan and who recognise that travelling alone should not mean having to compromise on standards. You’ll always have your own twin or double room, rather than having to settle for a tiny single, and for trips outside of Europe and Jordan, use of an airport lounge comes as standard. Other operators offer specific departures with no single supplement - a major bonus to help manage the budget if you can be flexible on travel dates. You can even join a women only expedition with Intrepid to areas such as Pakistan or Saudi Arabia where women have not traditionally held a prominent role in society. Cruising is also popular with lone adventurers. Expedition cruise specialist, Hurtigruten, reports that 1 in 8 of their passengers are now travelling solo, with the most popular destinations being the Galapagos and Antarctica. As well as a dedicated welcome get together for solo travellers, on this type of trip smaller groups of guests go out on activities in zodiac boats, so it’s really conducive to getting to know others and sharing experiences at the end of the day. Virgin Voyages is another great option to consider. Being adult only, it attracts couples, singles and groups of friends and So, don’t let the lack of a travelling companion hold you back from following your travel dreams. Your first solo holiday could well be the first of many!

05 April 2023

One of the reasons why I became a TC was to help people have the kind of fabulous holidays that I’ve enjoyed for years. I’m talking about holidays that can be described as a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience, but ones that you very much hope will happen more than once in your lifetime. This type of holiday doesn’t happen at the click of a mouse. This type of holiday doesn’t necessarily come ‘off the peg’. This type of holiday needs time that many busy people don’t have. This type of holiday needs careful thought and planning. This is the type of trip I love to organise for my customers! Here are some examples of ‘big trips’ I’ve organised in the past: A fabulous African experience including the Victoria Falls, wildlife watching in Botswana and a beach stay in Mozambique A trip through Argentina from the rainforests of Iguazu to the glaciers of Patagonia A journey across New Zealand, encompassing geysers and mud pools, Maori culture, vineyard visits, dramatic landscapes and laid back boat trips. A exploration of Vietnam with plenty of historical sights, an amazing cookery class and a cruise So, how do you get started on planning a big trip? There are a few things to think about first: Understand the climate - pick the right time to go and bear in mind what you plan to do. Cooler temperatures may be better if you plan activities like cycling or hiking. Don’t bite off more than you can chew! Many years ago, before I was a Travel Counsellor, I tried to plan a Brazil trip. I only wanted to go to 4 different places but realised with the distances, transport infrastructure and logistics I was going to need a lot more than 2 weeks if I didn’t want to spend more time travelling than seeing the sights. Generally ‘less is more’ and it also gives you the excuse to return on another trip at a later stage. Set your own pace It’s worth bearing in mind the effects of jet lag as well as heat and/or altitude. Always a good tip to include an extra night or two in the first place you visit to help you acclimatise. Another tip is to intersperse one night stays with longer stays where possible. If you spend one night in a hotel you might be arriving just in time for dinner and then have to check out in the morning. Doing this day in day out is exhausting and you risk not having time to really enjoy the places you are visiting. Having said this, some places only warrant a one night stay as they are a halfway stop on a long journey or because the main sights can be seen in a short time. Work the budget For most of us, the amount we spend on holidays is important and it does have a limit. I will always try to find options based on how much you want to spend, but you may need to make some compromises along the way. So, what do you value most? Staying in an iconic hotel is great, but if it’s a one night stay on a tour do you really need an all singing all dancing hotel with spa, sports facilities and entertainment? You may be able to save by staying somewhere more simple for these short stays to be able to splurge elsewhere. Also consider seasonality and travel at the less popular times - play your cards right and you could have an amazing experience without the crowds! Experience, Experience, Experience You will not be the only person wanting to have fabulous experiences on this trip, so make the most of your time by planning activities in advance. It still pains me that I made the mistake of not following this advice on my own trip in Argentina. I wouldn’t have missed floating across a lake full of turquoise icebergs to a remote settlement for the world, but I did have to miss hiking on the Perrito Moreno glacier to do it due to lack of available tours. Plan these things into the trip from the beginning so you’re sure of a place and you can also then get a better overview of how the trip will flow. Don’t forget to live the experience too. Unless you are an experienced photographer you’ll probably not capture the whole story through the lens. Some of the best bits of my adventures are in my mind’s eye and not on film. Be kind to yourself. This is a holiday, not a boot camp! Make sure you plan in some free time, so that you can revisit somewhere you particularly enjoyed or can spend some time just chilling out. Enjoy the moment rather than feeling like you’re rushing around just ticking places off. Ask yourself ‘do I need some R&R at the end?’. If you are moving around a lot and being active it’s worth adding a beach extension at the end if you can, or on a longer trip, e.g. to Australia, to build in a stopover on the way home. Engage the help of a professional. This is where I come in! I’ll work with you to put together your ideal itinerary, but will also help you think through the whole trip and ensure that it makes sense for you and your party and will give you the experiences you are craving. If you just have a country in mind, but lacking inspiration on where and what, I can give you ideas. Once we have a draft on paper, I find this really focusses the mind on what will work and what won’t, then we can tweak and refine until we get it exactly right. So, are you ready to plan that trip? I’m ready and waiting!

27 January 2021

My holiday to Namibia was somehow 20 years in the making, but it was certainly well worth the wait! Having been on my first safari to Tanzania, I was hooked on the idea of seeing elsewhere in Africa and started to look around. Namibia jumped out as being somewhere quite unique, with wildlife, yes, but paired with dramatic and often otherworldly landscapes. Long story short, we planned a couple of trips over the years and Namibia was often mentioned as a ‘one day’ place to go but the plans never quite came to fruition. Finally, out of the blue, a friend said ‘we’re thinking of going to Namibia, do you fancy coming?’ and from that moment, there was no looking back. That’s how, in April 2019, I found myself sitting at Heathrow with 7 friends and map poring over the adventure we were about to have. How to get there? There are currently no direct flights from the UK, but flying from Heathrow to Windhoek, the Namibian capital, via Johannesburg was hardly an inconvenience. In fact, in my book, a stop in Jo’burg airport is a positive advantage as there’s plenty of retail opportunities and so on the way out you can check out the things you fancy so you can do a trolley dash on the way home. When to go? We’d chosen to travel at the end of the wet season, so outside of the peak months of June to September when it’s bone dry with not a cloud in the sky. However 2019 was a year of drought when barely a drop ran in many riverbeds and so there was plentiful wildlife at the water holes. How do we get around? There are many ways to see Nambia – you can join a tour or drive yourself; you can fly into some of the remoter areas and if you’re not of a nervous disposition you can even camp on the roof of your vehicle. This is not, however, a ‘fly and flop’ or even a twin centre type of holiday; in Namibia, if you want to get to see stuff you have to put in the miles as what this country has in abundance is vast open spaces. This is one of the easiest places to drive in Africa, with good roads connecting the main places of interest and relatively little traffic, but be aware that you will also encounter some unmade roads and because of distances it’s as well to have more than one designated driver. Being a small group we decided to have the best of both worlds and hire a minibus with a driver guide, so we could all sit back and enjoy the views. For our group this was definitely the ‘right answer’ although if I had my time there again I’d opt to do the same tour in a specially adapted 4WD all-terrain truck. Where to stay? Touring Namibia you’ll be staying most of the time in lodges in out of the way places and will have breakfast and evening meal included but in Windhoek, and Swakopmund I’d definitely recommend bed and breakfast so that you can choose where you go to eat. On our first night in Windhoek we hit Joe’s Beerhouse – do the same and you’ll definitely feel more like you’re on holiday than you would having dinner in a large soulless tour hotel. We chose to mix it up a bit with accommodation, staying in more budget options in some places and splashing out in others. One place was like something from the Wild West – I fully expected to open my door and see a gunfight going on in the open space between my room and reception. Another place had the most stunning panoramic views and quirky wood-fired boilers to heat the water. Then there was the tented camp at Mushara. It’s definitely worth at least a night or two under canvas to fall asleep with the sounds of the African bush around you. My absolute favourite place to stay though was Okonjima, home of the Africat Foundation whose mission is the conservation of Nambia's carnivores in their natural habitat. I’d dreamed of this place from the moment Namibia caught my eye and one of the highlights of the whole trip was tracking leopard in the bush and actually seeing one hunting. We stayed in the luxurious Bush Camp and the memory of a silver backed jackal taking a drink at my very own waterhole and the springboks duelling before my eyes from my open sided lounge will also remain with me forever. Trip Highlights Sossusvlei is perhaps one of the most iconic locations in Namibia – it’s where you’ll find massive red dunes and white salt pans. It’s possible to climb some of the dunes and we opted for ‘Big Daddy’, the tallest dune in the Sossusvlei area, overlooking Deadvlei with its eerie landscape of salt pan punctuated by fossilised trees. Make sure you have plenty of water and take your time – it’s quite hard work climbing up sand in the heat of the day! Swakopmund, on the coast, has a cooler climate than the desert areas, but don’t let that put you off - for much of your Namibia trip you’re likely to be out in the wilds, so it’s a refreshing change to be in a town, especially when one like Swakopmund that has a variety of shops selling art works and hand crafted items, many from local co-operatives. The food was excellent here too, with local fish being the main speciality. One absolute highlight of Swakopmund was sea kayaking near a seal colony. My expectation was to view the seals on land from our kayaks, which was exciting enough, but soon we were surrounded by these curious creatures and we got the odd surprise passenger on our canoes! Etosha is Namibia’s foremost game park and a great place to see the ‘big beasts’ such as elephants, giraffe, zebra, lions and rhino, plus plenty of smaller creatures like porcupines and birds like hornbills to surprise and delight. To enjoy Etosha at its best I recommend staying in a couple of different lodges on either side of the park; this way you will see a wider variety of animals in different settings. The great beauty of it is that the transfer from your first lodge to the second can be through to park so that’s a game drive in itself! Must Dos Be brave and try the game meats like zebra and oryx which are the cornerstone of the local cuisine. Get a photo at the Tropic of Capricorn sign. Climb a dune! Or even better, fly over the dunes in a balloon. Factor in lots of game drives - every day is different in the animal world. Do that sea canoeing trip in Swakopmund – it’s something else! I could seriously go on forever about Namibia. Even with 20 years of expectation it didn’t disappoint and I would recommend it to anyone with a spirit of adventure looking for a holiday that’s a bit out of the ordinary.

29 May 2020

Strange things have been happening during lockdown. Busy friends who normally only cook at weekends are proudly producing plump sourdough loaves midweek and friends who don’t usually see the need to cook as long as M&S ready meals exist are sharing pictures of their culinary triumphs on social media. I love cooking but some things take time and effort, so I don’t do enough when I’m busy, but one luxury I do allow myself is to take time out on holiday to join a class where I can learn how to cook the local food. If you’re a busy parent who needs to put food on the table you probably think I’m mad to spend valuable holiday time cooking but please bear with me.... Joining a cookery class on holiday is a great way to meet other like-minded people and to learn how to cook typical local dishes, but it’s also an important means of engaging with the community and contributing to the local economy as most businesses offering cookery classes are locally owned. Watch out for classes that welcome youngsters too as it’s a great activity to do as a family! My first venture into learning to cook on holiday was in Laos, of all places. I had been to other Asian countries but I had no idea what to expect from the local food. I’d read that there was a trend in serving food with Thai flavours as many foreigners had travelled there before and so it was ‘familiar’ but what I wanted was to get an understanding of the real Laos specialities. I can’t say that I would ever recreate at home the dried deer stew we made (must be an acquired taste!) but otherwise the food we made and then devoured at lunch was sublime. Who knew you could stuff a lemongrass? Not only that, we did it in the most amazingly tranquil surroundings, deep in the countryside beside a pond peppered with water lilies, not far from Luang Prabang. After that I was hooked… Visiting a local market is often an integral part of the experience of a cookery class overseas. Typically a guide will take the novice chefs around the market to explain more about the ingredients and how they are used. Very often you will be cooking what is bought right there and then, as fresh as you can get! Again, this is a great way to connect with the local people and less daunting than stepping into a busy working market on your own in some far flung places. One of my most memorable cooking experiences was in Vietnam where we hopped on a boat, laden with our purchases from the market, and took a leisurely float down the river to the cookery school, set in its own garden growing organic herbs and spices. It really did feel like we were getting two excursions for the price of one! As well as learning what local ingredients are used and what they look like, a cookery class is also brilliant for picking up some new techniques. My favourite one was learning how to make ‘brik’ in Morroco. This is a kind of small pasty with a savoury filling which is shaped like a samosa and made of filo pastry. It’s not as easy as it looks to get a good neat triangular shape but once you master the technique you are set up for life in terms of making more brik, samosas or even individual Greek spinach pies. Of course, having done the class, what follows next is a strong desire to go back to the market and stock up on ingredients you can’t find at home. You won’t be able to bring back fresh fruit and vegetables but generally spices, including ready-mixed local blends, and any dried or tinned ingredients are usually good buys. Then there’s the equipment - I’m now the proud owner of a long, thin bamboo spatula that’s for making rice paper wrappers on a stretched cloth over a steaming pan of water, as well as a totally lethal instrument for grating vegetables in decorative ways. My best bit of kit though is a pestle and mortar made of heavy volcanic rock that I lugged all the way back from Bali. I’ve only once actually ground spices on it to make a beef rendang, but it still has pride of place in my kitchen and is perfect for displaying the range of garnishes for my gin tasting evenings and is always a talking point. I’m glad I squeezed time into my life to stuff a lemongrass as it led me to many other culinary adventures in places near and far and hopefully more to come in the future.

28 May 2020

You hear a lot about the ‘Big Five’ in terms of safaris, where the ‘Holy Grail’ is to see lion, elephant, Cape buffalo, rhino and leopard. Whilst its technically possible to see all of those on one safari, there are of course many other animals that are exciting to see in the wild like zebra, giraffes, hippos, wildebeest and when considering a safari holiday there’s lots of things to think about, especially if it’s your first time. To help you out, I thought I’d share my own experiences of five different African destinations. Kenya The Masai Mara is a great park to visit if you’ve never been on a safari before as you really are guaranteed to see lots of animals, especially big cats. There’s a range of accommodation available to suit different budgets and I would personally advise you to try to stay in a couple of different places, in different areas of the park – that way you get to see more variety of animals. Whilst it’s possible to fly into Nairobi, do a safari and fly out again, many people head to Mombasa on the coast for some beach chill time afterwards which is a perfect combination. Tanzania This destination offers a world of possibilities and in fact the Ngorogoro Crater is said to be the African continent in miniature, with its different landscapes including a soda lake which is home to flocks of dazzling pink flamingos. When it comes to animal migrations, Tanzania is the place to be as the animals are on the move all year round in this country and there is the possibility to follow that migration in a Bush Rover vehicle where your tent appears on the roof at night (yes, really!) There’s the possibility here to combine the wildlife parks with beach on the mainland or hop over to Zanzibar for some chill time. Botswana The big draw for me when choosing Botswana was the opportunity to experience three different environments in one holiday. This ranged from the Chobe River where we got up close with hippos on the river, to the Okavango with its maze of waterways where we stayed in a tented camp and were able to do a walking safari, to the Kalahari where the wildlife is generally smaller and more elusive but where the highlight was a night safari looking for brown hyenas. Accommodation here tends to be mainly higher end so potentially more suitable once you’ve got a safari or two under your belt. South Africa Whilst you have a high chance of seeing the ‘Big Five’ in the famous Kruger National Park and there is a massive choice of accommodation, I opted to do my first South African safari in Shamwari, near Port Elizabeth at the end of a holiday driving down the Garden Route from Cape Town. The beauty of a private reserve is that there are less crowds and so the whole experience feels much more personal. At Shamwari there are several accommodation options and some excellent guides – if you ever saw the BBC2 programme Safari School, where various celebrities learnt how to be park rangers, it was shot here. Namibia Namibia is somehow off the radar for most people in the UK but I don’t understand why as it's just fabulous, however you do need to invest some time on the road to enjoy it to the full as everything is very spread out. For example, the main wildlife park, Etosha, is around 4 hours drive from the capital, Windhoek, so it makes sense to plan to do a tour here and experience the fascinating and dramatic landscapes as well. My best experience here was tracking leopard at Okonjima. It might sound a bit too easy to go out to find animals when they are fitted with a radio collar but believe me when I say that there is nothing to compare to the thrill of sitting in a vehicle with the radio antenna bleeping furiously, knowing that a leopard is close by…except of course the moment when you spot her peeping through the bushes and then she emerges in all her glory. I hope that has whetted your appetite a bit. The experiences you can have on a safari are many and varied and no two trips are the same so for more information please do get in touch!