12/08/2017
At Southern Explorations, we have a passion for South America and Central America. But when our wanderlust takes us to different continents, we turn to like-minded companies that we trust, just like Your Private Africa, who are experts at crafting safaris for all types of travelers, with amazing on-the-ground connections, and a passion for excellence and dedication to delivering the experience of a lifetime.
When we first spoke with Nick Bay, Founder & CEO of Your Private Africa, we knew two things: one, we need to go on a safari with him right away; and two, we need him to share the magic of Africa and the importance of the "slow safari" with you. Here you go.
Close your eyes and imagine a vast savanna landscape as far as the eye can see. A meandering blue-green river rushes past riverbanks lined with palm trees and rocky outcroppings of granite and sandstone where giant Nile crocodiles bask in the sunlight. A herd of elephants drinks along the riverbank and above them a troop of baboons plucks figs as they ripen in the massive Sycamore fig tree. A warm gentle breeze kisses your face as you drink in the moment, and then suddenly as if on cue a leopard reveals itself as it climbs down a tree to drink from the river before disappearing into the tall grass in the direction of a herd of impala. To find out what happens next… well you’ll have to go on a safari to Africa and find out for yourself!
In today’s hi-tech, fast paced world most of us find it difficult to relax, take a breath and enjoy the beauty of the present moment. It is easy to become over stimulated as we are constantly on digital devices which scatter our attention and awareness of our natural surroundings and daily human experiences.
A safari to Africa allows you to do just that; to unplug, get outside and settle into the natural pace of the African wilderness. Activities are usually based around the movement of the wildlife so 4x4 game drives are early in the mornings and late in the afternoons and there is some downtime during the heat of the day when the sun is directly overhead. In the late afternoons, when many animals go to the river or waterhole to drink, guests can toast the sunset with “sundowner” cocktails - a safari ritual.
Depending on the itinerary and accommodation you can unplug as much as you want to. There is little to no cell reception or WiFi available at many of the safari camps precisely because travelers have shown that they enjoy their safari experience more when they are present in the natural surroundings and not distracted by news and social media.
In fact, the ‘slow safari’ is a trending style of travel where guests not only unplug from their devices but also stay in just one or two camps over a 7 or 8 night period allowing you to enjoy all the activities, experiences and the local communities that border the wildlife reserves. By not rushing to a new camp every other night you can save time and money and have peace of mind knowing you are getting the most out of your time in each place.
For me, the wildest and hardest to reach places offer the most stunning scenery and feelings of peacefulness. There are the wilds of Botswana’s Okavango Delta and the desert oases and canyons of Namibia’s Skeleton Coast, the wide open expanses of the Serengeti & Masai Mara, the alpine tropical forests of the Virunga Mountains (home of the mountain gorillas), the tropical island paradises of the Indian Ocean including the warm tropical beaches of Seychelles and Madagascar, to name just a few of the many destinations that the African continent boasts. In general the smaller the safari camp and the longer you stay at each camp, the more rewarding your time spent in the African bush will be.Submitted by Zach on Fri, 12/08/2017 - 1:51pm
At Southern Explorations, we have a passion for South America and Central America. But when our wanderlust takes us to different continents, we turn to like-minded companies that we trust, just like Your Private Africa, who are experts at crafting safaris for all types of travelers, with amazing on-the-ground connections, and a passion for excellence and dedication to delivering the experience of a lifetime.
When we first spoke with Nick Bay, Founder & CEO of Your Private Africa, we knew two things: one, we need to go on a safari with him right away; and two, we need him to share the magic of Africa and the importance of the "slow safari" with you. Here you go.
Close your eyes and imagine a vast savanna landscape as far as the eye can see. A meandering blue-green river rushes past riverbanks lined with palm trees and rocky outcroppings of granite and sandstone where giant Nile crocodiles bask in the sunlight. A herd of elephants drinks along the riverbank and above them a troop of baboons plucks figs as they ripen in the massive Sycamore fig tree. A warm gentle breeze kisses your face as you drink in the moment, and then suddenly as if on cue a leopard reveals itself as it climbs down a tree to drink from the river before disappearing into the tall grass in the direction of a herd of impala. To find out what happens next… well you’ll have to go on a safari to Africa and find out for yourself!
In today’s hi-tech, fast paced world most of us find it difficult to relax, take a breath and enjoy the beauty of the present moment. It is easy to become over stimulated as we are constantly on digital devices which scatter our attention and awareness of our natural surroundings and daily human experiences.
A safari to Africa allows you to do just that; to unplug, get outside and settle into the natural pace of the African wilderness. Activities are usually based around the movement of the wildlife so 4x4 game drives are early in the mornings and late in the afternoons and there is some downtime during the heat of the day when the sun is directly overhead. In the late afternoons, when many animals go to the river or waterhole to drink, guests can toast the sunset with “sundowner” cocktails - a safari ritual.
Depending on the itinerary and accommodation you can unplug as much as you want to. There is little to no cell reception or WiFi available at many of the safari camps precisely because travelers have shown that they enjoy their safari experience more when they are present in the natural surroundings and not distracted by news and social media.
In fact, the ‘slow safari’ is a trending style of travel where guests not only unplug from their devices but also stay in just one or two camps over a 7 or 8 night period allowing you to enjoy all the activities, experiences and the local communities that border the wildlife reserves. By not rushing to a new camp every other night you can save time and money and have peace of mind knowing you are getting the most out of your time in each place.
For me, the wildest and hardest to reach places offer the most stunning scenery and feelings of peacefulness. There are the wilds of Botswana’s Okavango Delta and the desert oases and canyons of Namibia’s Skeleton Coast, the wide open expanses of the Serengeti & Masai Mara, the alpine tropical forests of the Virunga Mountains (home of the mountain gorillas), the tropical island paradises of the Indian Ocean including the warm tropical beaches of Seychelles and Madagascar, to name just a few of the many destinations that the African continent boasts. In general the smaller the safari camp and the longer you stay at each camp, the more rewarding your time spent in the African bush will be.
