African Skies 2013

Cairo to Cape Town, crossing the continent in a private safari plane…

Be one of eight pioneers to cover the entire latitude of the African continent on the first ever air safari from the mouth of the River Nile to the Cape of Good Hope.

Never before has a safari covered the full range of Africa’s wilderness in one expedition. Westminster Safaris, in partnership with Yellow Wings, has created African Skies to take you high above the forest canopies, over the peaks of the mountains and beyond the clouds in an airborne adventure with your own private charter plane. Over 30 days your guide Guy Lawrence, will show you the canvas of the continent with all its meandering water courses and ochre earth, jagged gorges and jade lakes. From your window, decipher the shapes, colours and patterns of the landscape with a bird’s-eye-view.
It starts in Cairo in the shadow of the austere Sphinx. As you head towards the southern hemisphere, across the equator and through the Tropic of Capricorn, you’ll witness the culture changing apace with the landscape from ancient Mesopotamian influences to Bantu tribal traditions to the roots of Dutch settler colonies.
You can navigate a route that encompasses all the destinations that intrigue you. Your pilot will fly you right into the midst of the galloping herds of wildebeest massing the savannah, or hover above a fluttering pink cloud of flamingos in flight. African skies will enable you to encounter the most exotic spectacles of nature, completely inaccessible from the ground. You’ll be exhilarated by the swift passage from luxury lodge to tented camp to island beach house; and you’ll be constantly amazed by the spontaneity and freedom of having your very own wings.

On the Wing

Touch down in the myriad countries of the immense continent of Africa:

Egypt

• Gaze at the Pyramids of Giza astride a camel
•  Thrive in the hubbub of Cairo’s vibrant souks
• Contemplate the emptiness of the Western Desert
• Float past the verdure of the Nile’s bank in a felucca
• Traverse the Valley of the Kings
• Explore the Nubian Monuments at Abu Simbel

Sudan

• Soar over the Nubian Desert and Lake Nasser
• Visit the Pyramids at Meroe
• Discover the heritage of Khartoum
• Meet the whirling dervishes

Ethiopia

• Fly across Lake Tana and the peaks of the Ethiopian Highlands
• Marvel at the Coptic Churches in Lalibela, hewn into the solid rock
• Descend on Addis Ababa
• Swoop down through the Great Rift Valley and follow the wild Omo River delta

Kenya

• Hover on the jade sea of Lake Turkana and glide through the arid Suguta Valley
• Visit Laikipia and its abundant wildlife
• Spend an afternoon in the bustling hub of Nairobi
• Scale the snow capped slopes at the zenith of Mount Kenya and fly over the Aberdare Mountains and Chyulu Hills

Tanzania

• Encounter the hoary head of Mount Kilimanjaro and the desolate expanse of Lake Natron
• Relax in effortless luxury in a tented camp in Serengeti National Park
• Fly over Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika
• Hike through the remote wilds of Ruaha National Park in the footsteps of wild animals

Rwanda

• Trek through the forest in Volcanoes National Park to encounter the mountain gorillas
• Explore the cultural history of Kigali and visit the Genocide Museum

Malawi

• Circle the azure depths of Lake Malawi
• Touch down on Likoma Island to kayak on the waves and explore marine life of the Indian Ocean with a snorkel

Zambia

• Watch the sun set on the River Zambezi
• Spot the dark shadows of crocodiles as you fly over Lake Kariba
• Feel the light mist of the spray from the roaring waters of Victoria Falls

Botswana

• Skim over the fecund swamps of the Okavango Delta, canoe her endless waterways exploring this unique ecosystem.
• Encounter thousands of elephants in Chobe National Park

Namibia

• Visit Etosha National Park
• Drift along the Skeleton Coast and Damaraland
• Rise above the salt pan of Sossusvlei and the heights of Africa’s hugest sand dune above the glowing Namib Desert
• Dine on fresh fish in the harbour town of Luderitz

South Africa

• Snake along Fish River Canyon and Orange River all the way to the sheer coastal cliffs of the Western Cape
• Cruise to Robben Island to see where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned
• Taste the famous wines of Cape Town in its shady vineyards

On the Manifest

• Embark: Cairo, May 2013
• Dis-Embark: Cape Town, June 2013
• Aircraft: Cessna Caravan 208

Pilot: Christian Strebel fledged his career with Swiss Air. He began working with aircraft as a mechanic at the age of 16 and progressed to becoming a technical director of the airline. He started Yellow Wings in 1997 and the company has earned its reputation among East Africa’s premier private charters. Christian’s expertise in the cockpit is the result of thousands of hours of flying. He has flown his Cessna Caravan all over Africa and across the Atlantic Ocean.

Guide: Guy Lawrence runs Westminster Safaris; his family business. Based in Nairobi, it spans two generations of adventurers. Three decades of expertise inform every safari profile and Guy Lawrence is the wisdom behind the wildness. With a global clientele and a footprint in outlandish locations all over the most compelling countries on the African continent, Guy has spent the first six years as head of Westminster Safaris breaking new ground. Born and raised in Kenya, Guy is fluent in Kiswahili, French and English. He has explored 20 African countries, but expeditions to remote areas of Gabon, Sudan and Congo set him apart as an intrepid guide, keen to surpass the boundaries of conventional safaris.

Fare: This unique & exclusive safari for you, your family & friends for USD$ 550,000.

Options: As this safari is designed specifically for Families or groups of friends for exclusive use, we will design a detailed safari profile, tailored to your safari ambitions. We’ll have an inherent understanding of what you’d like to experience, even before your wheels touch down on the airstrip.

Don’t miss this opportunity – reserve your seat on the debut African Skies Safari, contact guy@westminstersafaris.com ; +254 725113542