TRAVEL IDEAS: JUNE
As far as we're concerned, June marks the start of the adventure season. It’s the beginning of peak season for safari in South Africa, because the climate is cooler and vegetation is sparser. In Botswana, the flood waters may have reached the Okavango Delta and it's a rewarding season for game viewing. In Zimbabwe and Zambia, you can have a 'peak season' safari experience at mid-season rates (followed by a ‘beach’ holiday at Kaya Mawa in Malawi – recently voted Africa’s most romantic lodge) or spend some time at Victoria Falls which will be at their most impressive and will soon play host to a brand new luxury camp, from the masters at Great Plains Conservation. Similarly in East Africa, the rains are mostly over, the landscape is lush and green and many lodges in Kenya offer low season rates before peak season kicks off in July. It's also a great time to head to Madagascar to discover its myriad of extraordinary species, both animal and plant.
In Botswana, Belmond Savute Elephant Camp re-opening in 2018 following a completely new design - the new lodge now boasts a luxurious spa, inter-connecting family rooms, a wildlife-viewing hide where animals come to drink and a fire-pit with a view over the famous Savute Channel. Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge is strategically located in the even more remote Savute region of Northern Botswana, where National Geographic Wild filmed their award-winning Savage Kingdom series. Those looking for adventure will enjoy Great Plains Conservation's 4 Day / 3 Night adventure along the channels of the Selinda Spillway. Following the ecosystem’s natural changes during the course of 2017, they adapted the experience for 2018, which entails a traditional canoe and walking safari following the route, whilst exploring side channels of the Selinda Spillway (subject to high-enough water levels); or a pure guided walking safari following a similar route (should the Spillway be dry or too shallow to canoe). Walking distance is just over a total of 20 kilometers over the 4 days and canoeing is approximately 40 kilometers over the 4 days. Along either route we expect to come across several diverse species of wildlife that inhabit the Selinda Reserve. The area is well known for some of Botswana’s largest herds of buffalo, elephant, roan antelope and African wild dog. Other possible sightings include cheetah, lion, leopard and a wide variety of other species. It is also a birder’s paradise with over 300 species possibly seen. The best time of year for canoeing is generally mid-June to end of August but water levels vary annually.
This year some of our fearless clients took on the Big Rivers Ride in Namibia’s Zambezi Region – and rivers there were. Some of them required swimming the horses through….one at dusk with the sun fast disappearing…. good thing they only found out afterwards there were crocodile and hippo in the channel! Namibia Horse Safaris only take repeat riders on their Exploratory Rides (so-called as they have not actually been ridden before) but they have a variety of other scheduled rides than run throughout the year, including the Damara Elephant Safari departing 21 June 2019 - 11 days, 10 nights (first and last night lodged, 8 nights camping under the stars) from Windhoek back to Windhoek.
