Explore A Land Of Staggering Natural Beauty, Ancient Traditions and Fabulous Food
The most populous continent on earth pulses with an energy you can scarcely imagine. The vibrant chaos of the cities, the richness of festivals and historic sites, and the intangible cultural heritage expressed in music, dance, literature, and craftsmanship can be overpowering. And yet, with the right guide you’ll not only be able to immerse yourself in Asia’s wonders, but also meet local people and better understand their way of life.
A Journeysmiths’ adventure in Asia is not just about human encounters. We want you to venture beyond the urban areas and discover the continent’s wild places as well. From the lowland rainforests of Borneo to the high Himalayas, the jungles of Assam’s Kaziranga National Park to the pristine beaches of the Indian Ocean, it is time to explore Asia’s diverse landscapes and to appreciate its flora and fauna.
A Journeysmiths’ adventure in Asia is not just about human encounters. We want you to venture beyond the urban areas and discover the continent’s wild places as well. From the lowland rainforests of Borneo to the high Himalayas, the jungles of Assam’s Kaziranga National Park to the pristine beaches of the Indian Ocean, it is time to explore Asia’s diverse landscapes and to appreciate its flora and fauna.
Destinations To Explore In Asia
A region of welcoming people, stunning temples and mighty rivers. Rice fields, waterfalls, mountains and beaches. Explore a land of staggering natural beauty, ancient traditions, fabulous food and a surprise adventure around every corner!A region of welcoming people, stunning temples and mighty rivers. Rice fields, waterfalls, mountains and beaches. Explore a land of staggering natural beauty, ancient traditions, fabulous food and a surprise adventure around every corner!
India
India is a world in itself. Vast and varied from the deserts of Rajasthan to the High Himalayas, India is among our most compelling destinations for cultural immersion and unforgettable adventure.
Bhutan
The ultimate trekking holiday is right here in Bhutan. You’ll find incredible peaks and lush valleys filled with awe-inspiring trails, exquisite wildlife and cultural wonder all throughout this biodiverse country.
Latest Articles from Around the World
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Top 10 Family Activities in Botswana
Booking your family safari to Botswana opens a door to a world of exciting adventure. From the minute your Cessna touches the bush strip, your family will be in the wilds with expert guides. We curated the top 10 family experiences in Botswana to whet your appetite.
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Travel Trends 2024
At Journeysmiths we are constantly searching for exciting new travel experiences. Here we highlight some of our top trends and destinations for 2024.
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Top 10 Indian Experiences
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Top 10 Bhutan Activities
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Top 10 Galapagos Activities
We’ve created an exciting list of the most memorable things to do in the Galapagos Islands.
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Top 10 Ecuadorian Activities
We’ve created an enticing list of the most memorable things to do in Ecuador.
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Top 10 Peru Activities
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Steve Backshall's Father-Son Safari To Kenya
When one of TV’s best-known wildlife enthusiast, Steve Backshall, tasked us with crafting an unforgettable father-son safari in celebration of his son’s 5th birthday, we knew exactly how to create a trip that would excite and inspire both in equal measures.
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Experience Norway
Come away with us to northern Norway, ‘Gateway to the Arctic’. A land on the edge, framed by mountains and greeted by sea. Suspend your cares and embrace Friluftsliv — free air life — the Norwegian philosophy of living harmoniously with nature. Let us show you the wilds of Scandinavia as you’ve only imagined.
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New hotels & camps 2024
From exclusive lodge accommodation, to comfortable wilderness camps and sumptuous hotel suites - these properties will take you beyond the path well trodden.
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Episode 2 - Oceans: Planet Earth III Filming Locations
Are you feeling inspired to explore the oceans after watching Planet Earth Three?
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Top Nine Places to Encounter Africa's Elephants
Watching elephants on a safari is pure joy. We’ve compiled nine of our favourite elephant spotting locations from the savannahs, deserts and great rivers of Africa.
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Top 10 Family Activities in Kenya
What To Do In Kenya With Children? We’ve chosen our best experiences for a luxury family safari to Kenya.
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Top 10 Family Activities in Tanzania
We highlight the top ten Tanzania family safari adventures.
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Top 10 Family Activities In Costa Rica
We highlight the top ten must-do activities for your family to enjoy in Costa Rica.
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Top 9 things to do in Galapagos & Ecuador with your family
If you’re looking for a place where you can embrace adventure, learn more about our planet’s incredible wildlife and truly connect to nature, Ecuador has it all.
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Episode 3 - Deserts and Grasslands: Planet Earth III Filming Locations
We highlight some of the places filmed in Planet Earth Three’s Deserts and Grasslands episode; view elephants in Zakouma National Park and Arabian camels roaming the Ennedi plateau in Chad, ostriches and chacma baboons in Namibia.
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Episode 3 - Leopards : Planet Earth III Filming Locations
7 Secret Places to Spot Leopards in Southern and East Africa
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite leopard viewing destinations for the best chances of guaranteed sightings.
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite leopard viewing destinations for the best chances of guaranteed sightings.
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Safari FAQ
Not sure where to start? We have answered frequently asked questions we’ve received over the past decades about our bespoke safaris. Here we discuss everything from pre-planning information to responsible travel. We hope you will find this useful, but if you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
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Costa Rica Family Holidays
If you’re seeking an active family holiday of natural wonders and vanilla sand beaches we recommend Costa Rica. Choose between Pacific and Caribbean beaches where turtles nest and the reefs abound with colourful fish. Rainforests cascade down mountainsides to the ocean.
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Top Destinations And Travel Trends for 2023
Our team has been compiling a list of incredible travel destinations around the world to consider for the year ahead.
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Walking, Canoeing and Open Vehicles
Zambia is the perfect place for a real family safari adventure. You can track elephants and giraffe on foot with an expert guide. You can paddle a stable Canadian canoe down the Zambezi watching zebra and antelope drinking at the water’s edge.
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Latin America Travel Trends 2024 & 2025
We may use the term ‘travel trends’ but these destinations won't be crowded. Here we're showcasing the most stunning experiences to ignite your next Latin America holiday.
Each offers a unique blend of adventure and indulgence, so whether you're seeking a multi generational trip, a romantic couples getaway or a unique solo adventure, we have something special in store for everyone.
Each offers a unique blend of adventure and indulgence, so whether you're seeking a multi generational trip, a romantic couples getaway or a unique solo adventure, we have something special in store for everyone.
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Empowering Women Through Travel
In celebration of International Women’s Day, we wanted to spotlight travel experiences that empower women in the world’s wild places. When we create journeys, supporting local communities is of paramount importance - this is especially true of women and girls who across the globe face many gender-related obstacles.
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Travel Q & A with Laura Burdett-Munns
Laura is an encyclopedia of all things Journeysmiths travel, so who better to quiz on her hidden gems and most memorable wildlife encounters.
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5 Reasons to Choose Safari For Your Multigenerational Holiday
Are you celebrating a big birthday, a retirement or special anniversary? Maybe you have a plan to take your whole family, children and grandchildren on a trip that will delight and inspire them. Any reason will do!
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Meet The Meerkats on a Kalahari Adventure
The Kalahari is a fascinating place for a family safari. The children can sit by a meerkat den watching these curious little creatures foraging and playing as one stands guard on its hind legs looking out for eagles. They can watch enthralled as a San Bushman reveals hidden secrets that have enabled them to survive here for thousands of years.
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Meet the Relatives
Coming face to face with a quarter ton silverback is something you just have to do sometime in your life. This is one of the single most emotional animal encounters that you can have and is something you’ll never forget.
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Meet Laura Burdett-Munns
It’s Laura’s deeply-rooted enthusiasm for exploration, combined with her desire to protect the world’s wild places through meaningful connections with local communities, that is the driving force of Journeysmiths’ vision.
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What Really Matters to Young Children on a Kenya Safari
An Exploration of Unforgettable Experiences at My Favourite Camps in Kenya
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Exclusive Rhino Relocation
The only travel company to have access to a huge moment in conservation history, our Kenya Conservation safari group got to watch a rhino release!
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The Wildlife Of Deepest Darkest Peru
What kind of creatures actually live in the Amazon Basin, Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca, and in the Sacred Valley of the Incas?
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Meet The Maasai In Kenya and Tanzania
A safari holiday gives your family a wonderful chance to meet local tribal people and experience their culture.
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Stargazing on safari
A safari in the wilds of Africa allows you space to pause and wonder – to gaze and reflect. Epic landscapes, the balanced beauty of creation, the absence of hurry. You would imagine that the day’s adventures end with the setting sun. But as one star disappears and the heavens turn indigo to black, millions more appear, filling the unpolluted skies. We’ve chosen a few of our favourite spots for safari stargazing.
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Where to track rhino
A sighting of any one of the Big Five is a cause for great excitement. But spotting a rhino in the wild? It is one of those things that dreams are made of. At around a tonne in weight, and generally considered to be the second largest land mammal, they shouldn’t be hard to see, but poaching has devastated population numbers. Park authorities have to be very cautious with any information they share about rhino numbers and regarding their whereabouts. An encounter, therefore, truly is a privilege.
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A Spectacular Namibian Desert Safari
Namibia is a spectacularly unusual place for a family holiday. You can see enormous numbers of elephant, rhinoceros, big cats and plains game, yet the main attraction is the incredible variety of desert landscapes.
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Africa’s Best Family Beach Retreats
From the Seychelles to the Skeleton Coast, the coastlines, islands and lake shores of Africa are striking and unforgettable.
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Africa & Beyond
Our world is extraordinarily diverse.
Deserts, wetlands, forests and islands in different parts of the world may have similar rainfall statistics or comparable geographic features.
Look closer though and we find that every place has its distinctive character, wildlife and human culture.
Deserts, wetlands, forests and islands in different parts of the world may have similar rainfall statistics or comparable geographic features.
Look closer though and we find that every place has its distinctive character, wildlife and human culture.
Magnificent Big Cat Encounters
The Journeysmiths Guide to Seeing Big Cats
How much purr-suasion do you need to agree to a feline themed adventure? We promise that we’ll drop the puns as we help you discover the most extraordinary big cats in the world.
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Why South Africa Is Great For A Family Safari
South Africa is an excellent choice for family travel with children of all ages. Its wildlife is abundant, with a great diversity of species, including the Big Five: rhino, leopard, lion, elephant and buffalo. There are vast malaria-free reserves and it’s easy to get from safari regions to Cape Town and the beach.
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Explore The Okavango Delta
Botswana is one of the best places for a family holiday of a lifetime! There are millions of animals across plains, deserts and deltas.
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Top 10 Zambia Activities
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
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Go Exclusive In Botswana
The best way to give your family the facilities it seeks may be to book out an entire camp or lodge. Perhaps you are planning a multi-generation safari. Or you may want to fulfil a dream of walking, mokoroing and camping out in the Okavango. You may simply crave an extra degree of privacy. Most lodges we use take fewer than 16 guests, some take only eight, so booking a whole lodge is a viable option.
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Top 10 Uganda Activities
Here’s our list of ten wonderful experiences that you might consider having whilst you are in Uganda:
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Top 10 Tanzania Activities
We’ve collated a list of our ten favourite Tanzanian experiences to show you what’s possible in this incredible country.
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Tanzania Family Safaris
The Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater are truly spectacular settings filled with great herds and big cats. We take you far from the crowds and minibuses with your own private guide, staying in exclusive accommodation. Families with older teenagers will love the wildly remote Selous, Ruaha and Mahale, where you can walk, canoe and even track chimpanzees. Round it off on exotic Zanzibar.
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Top 10 Namibia Activities
Here’s our list of ten wonderful experiences to consider including in your Namibia safari:
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Kenya: A Safari for Conservation
Go behind the scenes of modern conservation on this Small Group, Big Impact journey through Kenya's wild places.
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Top 10 Kenya Activities
We will ensure you can enjoy the best of Africa in the exclusivity of Kenya’s private conservancies where walking, riding and other expertly guided activities enable the richest safari experience.
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The Zambezi Expedition
In 2022, we took on an epic fundraising challenge to celebrate our 30th anniversary.
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Top 10 Botswana Activities
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
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Top 10 Rwanda Activities
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
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Kenya Family Safaris
Kenya has the ingredients for an amazing family safari. Your children will love seeing vast numbers of animals in iconic African settings. Stay in amazing and exclusive accommodation on private reserves. Enjoy adventures on foot, horseback and by open vehicle with Africa’s finest guides. Your children can see pioneering conservation work in action and meet remote tribal communities. Maybe end with a few days by the coast.
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Zimbabwe - Top 10 activities
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
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Top 10 South African Activities
With opportunities to see the Big Five of both land and sea, along with incredible scenery, enormous national parks, world-class vineyards, a fascinating history and vibrant, friendly people, South Africa frequently tops the lists of the world’s best holiday destinations. Even so, less than 1% of the world's travellers make it here, so it’s a place where you’ll find yourself with a few select, like-minded and discerning adventurers who have discovered this gem of a country. It’s a place you could return to for the whole of your life and never tire of it.
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
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Top 10 Egypt Activities
In this article we’ve put together a list of our top ten recommended highlights to whet your appetite and show you what’s possible in Egypt.
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Botswana Downtime & Combinations
Between safaris there is plenty for children to do in camp while the adults relax. Safari lodges may be small and in remote locations, but they have excellent facilities and your hosts’ purpose is to give you the best possible time. In this section we also suggest a couple of places that combine easily to complement your Botswana safari.
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Animals on a Botswana Safari
Botswana is a great choice for an exclusive family safari. Roaming the spectacular deserts, deltas and savannahs are literally millions of animals. The fertility and abundant water of the Okavango and Linyanti Deltas supports an incredible 200 different mammal species. The Government’s high value, low volume tourism policy helps conservation and enables you to enjoy a top quality private safari.
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People of Botswana
Here’s something you might not expect. The people looking after you on safari might create some of your happiest safari memories. You’ll remember laughter and those after dinner stories and jokes around the campfire. During a three-night stay in a luxury camp, you’ll get to make friends with your guide, the chef, the vegetable gardener and the other people who love their work.
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Activities on a Botswana Safari
Imagine gliding silently along an Okavango waterway in a mokoro canoe as zebra and impala graze the grasslands. Or cantering on horseback with your guide alongside giraffe. In the Kalahari, take an early morning walk with a San Bushman as he explains the ancestral secrets of survival.
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Botswana Family Safaris
Botswana is Africa’s most exclusive safari destination. Each enormous private reserve has just one or two luxury lodges guaranteeing a series of private experiences as you travel from one exquisite location to the next. Expert guides will take your family on safari among big cats and vast elephant herds in beautiful deltas and deserts.
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Top 10 Chilean Experiences
We’ve created a list of our favourite activities to give you an idea of what you can expect from a trip to Chile.
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History And The Himba of Namibia
Namibia has a diverse cultural heritage and is home to one of the most distinct African tribes — the Himba — a group of semi-nomads who live in the Kunene region.
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Fiesta Time! When To Visit Chile
Everyone has heard of the Rio Carnival, which takes place each year just before Lent, but such festivities are by no means a Brazilian speciality. At Journeysmiths we have a particular sweet spot for the fiestas in Chile.
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Astrotourism in Africa
Astro-tourism is travel with a star gazing theme, and it’ll take you to some of the last great wildernesses in Africa.
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Three Great Rivers Zambia
Three of Africa’s great rivers set the scene for your Zambia safari. The Zambezi, the Luangwa and the Kafue rivers are all of different character and have national parks named for them.
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The Giant Tortoise Of The Seychelles
It is not only the Galapagos which has giant tortoise! You can find them in the Seychelles too. These extraordinary reptiles grow up to four feet long, weigh as much as 770 lbs, and some of them are more than 100 years old. They’ve survived here because their populations were isolated, protecting them against predators. Spotting them is a rare treat, as they are found in so few other places.
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Battlefields And Culture South Africa
Formerly the Zulu Kingdom, the province of KwaZulu Natal runs along South Africa’s dramatic Indian Ocean coastline. The Drakensberg Mountains create a natural border between Lesotho and the Eastern Cape, and offer some excellent hiking routes.
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Explore The Garden Route South Africa
To experience a little bit of everything that South Africa has to offer, you can hardly do better than to drive along the coastal road of the Garden Route between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. It’s an extraordinary journey, and there’s wildlife on both land and shore, endless beaches, historic battlefields, and the vineyards are never far away. One day you might be whale spotting at Hermanus — renowned as one of the best whale watching locations in the world — and the next you could be learning about the Battle of Rorke’s Drift, handling antique weapons and scrambling over the British and Zulu positions.
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Magnificent Cape Town
Cape Town is one of the world’s great cities with a unique setting beneath Table Mountain.
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Luxury And The Big Five South Africa
Without a shadow of a doubt, South Africa is one of the very best places to watch wildlife in the world. The Kruger National Park — a protected area the size of Wales — is certainly the most famous and popular safari destination, but with Africa Exclusive you’ll escape the crowds to explore vast, wildlife-filled private reserves, in the company of the best guides.
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The Rainbow Nation South Africa
Archbishop Desmond Tutu was the first person to call South Africa “the rainbow nation”. It’s a reflection on the fascinating diversity of this country, not only in the identities of its people but in the landscapes, wildlife, cultures, and activities it offers. South Africa is a country which, because of its variety, can be all things to all people, truly a rainbow of varied opportunities and experiences.
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Top 10 Costa Rica Activities
We highlight the top ten must-do activities for your to enjoy in Costa Rica.
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School Holiday Safaris
The school holiday cycle is full of opportunity; there is a safari for every season, whether it’s during the Christmas, Easter or Summer holiday period.
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Ultimate Guide To Gorilla Trekking - Rwanda vs Uganda
Mountain gorilla can be found in Rwanda and Uganda, both superb destinations but each offering something slightly different. Read on to find out which is best for you.
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Episode 4 - Freshwater: Planet Earth III Filming Locations
Without freshwater, life on land wouldn't exist.
Freshwater is the most precious resource on our planet, but it's finite. Vital to life, only 2.5% of all Earth’s water is fresh and less than 1% of that is accessible. Planet Earth Three’s episode on freshwater documents its importance for selection of species.
Freshwater is the most precious resource on our planet, but it's finite. Vital to life, only 2.5% of all Earth’s water is fresh and less than 1% of that is accessible. Planet Earth Three’s episode on freshwater documents its importance for selection of species.
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Malaria - Should I Worry About It?
Many of Africa’s best safari regions are low to very low risk of malaria, particularly if you travel during the summer holidays.
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Episode 1 - Coasts: Planet Earth III Filming Locations
Are you feeling inspired to travel after watching Planet Earth Three?
Coasts offer the opportunity to see a wide variety of wildlife both at sea and on shore and are excellent destinations for wildlife enthusiasts. Follow in the footsteps of the Planet Earth crew and journey along the picturesque Garden Route coast to see Cape fur seals gathered in their thousands in South Africa. Head to the eerie Skeleton Coast of Namibia to find the desert-adapted lions that laze on its sand dunes. Or hop on a boat in Chile and watch the enormous barnacled body of southern right whales emerge from the water as they breach a matter of metres from your eyes.
Coasts offer the opportunity to see a wide variety of wildlife both at sea and on shore and are excellent destinations for wildlife enthusiasts. Follow in the footsteps of the Planet Earth crew and journey along the picturesque Garden Route coast to see Cape fur seals gathered in their thousands in South Africa. Head to the eerie Skeleton Coast of Namibia to find the desert-adapted lions that laze on its sand dunes. Or hop on a boat in Chile and watch the enormous barnacled body of southern right whales emerge from the water as they breach a matter of metres from your eyes.
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Facts You May Not Know About Mosquitoes
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South Africa Family Safaris
If you’re looking for a country that’s got everything, choose South Africa. Renowned for the spectacular views of the Garden Route, vibrant Cape Town, malaria free safaris, fascinating history and outstanding wildlife, the whole family will fall under the alluring spell of this diverse country.
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Ecuador and Galapagos Family Holidays
Treat your family to an extraordinary wildlife adventure holiday in the Galapagos and Ecuador. It’s a place you’ll likely visit just once so be sure to do it well. We have access to the finest yachts, lodges and expert guides. This way your family can visit remote islands in comfort and privacy encountering amazing wildlife.
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Peru Family Holidays
If your young explorers are hungry for an adventure, look no further than Peru. The diverse landscapes range from the vibrant jungles of the Amazon Rainforest to the jagged peaks of the Andes Mountains. Needless to say, you’ll have the chance to experience the unique mountain top setting of mysterious Machu Picchu.
Private Journeys Unique to You
We are a boutique travel specialist. For over 15 years we have been creating luxury tailor-made holidays to the warm and vibrant landscapes of Asia. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you, every time.We are a boutique travel specialist. For over 15 years we have been creating luxury tailor-made holidays to the warm and vibrant landscapes of Asia. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you, every time.
Who Are Journeysmiths?
An experienced team of well-travelled individuals, passionate about crafting journeys that are as exceptional as they are personal, while maximising our positive impact on the places in which we work.
Why Travel With Us?
While the evolution of travel and technology has seen much change at Journeysmiths over the years, our fundamental beliefs about the perfect holiday have not.
Positive Impact Mission
Journeysmiths mission is to inspire and expand peoples horizons through exceptional travel experiences, while preserving the natural world for future generations.
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