Destinations

East Africa

Famous for: The homeland of safari, East Africa epitomizes the authentic frontier adventure – golden grassy plains, ivory beaches, the exotic turquoise of the Indian Ocean, the chasm of the Great Rift Valley. Every October, the landscape witnesses the spectacle of the Great Migration an exodus of thousands of wildebeest and zebra from the Serengeti to the Masai Mara.

Compelling destinations:

• Rwanda – Volcanoes National Park where gorillas live in the shadows of volcanoes.
• Democratic Republic of Congo - Virunga National Park, where more gentle giants can be found as well as the awe-inspiring fiery lava lake of Nyiragongo Volcano & the Mountain of the Moon.
• Tanzania – the vast caledra of the Ngorongoro Crater is wild with plains game and big cats
• Kenya – ascend the sun-kissing peaks of Mount Kenya, the Aberdare Mountains and the Chuylu Hills

Culture and climate: Vibrant tribes such as the Turkana, Borana and Masai lead traditional pastoral lifestyles in the bush while Omani, Portuguese and Bantu influences combine to create the Swahili coastal culture.

The rains quench the land from March to May and November to December. The sun shines on the equator at its driest from December to February.

Southern Africa

Famous for: Diamonds, fecund marshes, stark deserts and ochre earth.

Compelling destinations:

• Botswana – the swamps of the Okavango Delta, alive with hippos and rare birds; the arid salt pans of the Kalahari Desert; and Chobe National Park, abounding with wildlife
• Zimbabwe – the thundering crescent where the Zambezi drops into Victoria Falls; the thriving populations of gemsbok, brown hyena and wild dog in Hwange National Park; and sunset on Lake Kariba
• Namibia – the wild, stark Skeleton Coast, the giant red dunes of the Namib Desert

Culture and climate: Sparsely populated, you might encounter the nomadic Himba people of Namibia, the San bushmen of the Makgadikgadi, or the Bantu tribes of the Ndebele or Shona people in Zimbabwe.

Namibia is hot and arid, Botswana is semi-arid, Zimbabwe enjoys a cooler tropical altitude. Visit between April and October for the most temperate experience.

Indian Ocean Islands

Famous for: Miles of alabaster beaches jeweled with luxury hide-away lodges frequented by the stars, a jade sea rippling with psychedelic marine life and coral reefs

Compelling destinations:

• Vamizi – experience castaway-chi while reclining on the deserted beaches in the shade of a coco de mer palm
• Zanzibar – bask on the deck of your dhow as the sun sets on the ancient Swahili shore of Stone Town
• Mafia Island – dive and snorkel in the opalescent waters from your private boat

Culture and climate: The islands off the Mozambique and Tanzania coast host a melee of Bantu, Arabic and Portuguese cultures. Enjoy the fragrant spices of Creole cuisine and the primordial rhythm of native music.

The islands are cooled by the southwest monsoon from late May to September but warm up again during the northwest monsoon from March to May. The humidity abates in June and August.