Ideas for the Avid Explorer

Imagine the thrill of having an entire national park to yourself! In Luambe, Zambia, that dream can actually come true.

The park is off the beaten track, so despite having been a protected area since 1938, few people ever come here. There is just one camp — Luambe Camp — which accommodates a maximum of 10 guests in five luxurious tents. You can request the camp for exclusive use, but even if you don’t you might well be the only guest, especially in green season.

Luambe is in the Luangwa Valley, in between the much more famous North and South Luangwa national parks. The landscape and selection of wildlife is very similar, but the park is completely underdeveloped. Those in the know say it is exactly how Luangwa used to be. You will find pods of hippo wallowing in the river mud, shy nocturnal creatures including leopard drinking at the waterhole, and more than 200 species of birds.

Best of all, when you head out on a game drive, you won’t see another vehicle: you alone will witness each sighting, and when you stop and cut the engine, the only sound you hear will be the natural soundtrack of the bush.

Combine adventure and luxury with Great Plains on an Explorer Safari. If you’re looking for something intrepid with an extra dose of comfort, these camps offer the perfect balance. Choose Kenya’s Masai Mara, the exclusive Sapi Concession in Zimbabwe, or dive into the watery wilds of northern Botswana. Joining expert guides, you’ll explore remote areas which are only accessible on foot, while spotting unique wildlife along the way.

Every day is a day of discovery; you are reliving the experience of great explorers past. Yet each night you return to your intimate and atmospheric camp to enjoy five-star cuisine in the heart of the bush.

There are safaris, and then there are grand adventures. In the tradition of David Livingstone and Laurens van der Post, you too can shun civilisation and discover the wild interior of Africa.

Maswa, Tanzania is just one of the remote regions which awaits you. This emerald Garden of Eden transforms to a semi-arid desert depending on the season, but it’s a favourite haunt of lion, wildebeest, hyena, jackal, and ostrich, too. There are three camps in prime locations, and Subeti Tented Camp in particular harks back to a bygone age of discovery.

If you have already been on safari by jeep, boat, and on foot, surely it’s time to take to the air! On a flying safari you’ll gain a thrilling new perspective on the landscape, and be able to spot big game from afar.

Perhaps the most sensational region to explore from above is Namibia’s Skeleton Coast. Deserted beaches strewn with shipwrecks give way to sandy dunes, unique geological formations, and desert-adapted elephant. By plane you can reach the remotest reaches of the Namib Desert and even spot endangered black rhino, too.

Your magical experience begins as you journey through western Tanzania towards the Mahale Mountains. At a unique camp, Greystoke Mahale, you will stay on the lake shore by the edge of the forest amongst the birds, butterflies, and chimpanzee. Trek to the waterfalls, swim in the ice-cold mountain pools, and paddle on the pristine lake at dawn.

Continue to Katavi National Park for an intense big game experience, complete with bush walks and fly camping in the great outdoors. With your guide and tracker you’ll marvel at elephant, enjoy a candlelit meal, then sleep out beneath the stars.

From the Sahara to the Silk Road, man has long known his best companion on long journeys is a camel. Join a camel caravan and process steadily across the plains of northern Kenya. You will move under your own steam, but the camel will carry your luggage and everything you need to camp.

Walking through the Rift Valley, stop and learn about the region’s geology and archeology, not to mention the indigenous wildlife. Walking guide Kerry Glen is renowned as one of the best in Africa; she’s an absolute fountain of knowledge.