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Private Safaris

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We’ve discussed luxury and we’ve talked about the fact that Africa can be enormously “grounding”, reawakening many an instinct that lies dormant within us.

After all, staying at a luxury camp in a National Park or a closeup wildlife encounter – maybe whilst you are on foot! – are unforgettable moments in time. We are always looking to enhance our client’s experience of Africa, wherever it may take place. Given that the one crucial factor that makes or breaks a safari is the quality and, arguably, intensity of the guiding an obvious way to make the absolute most of every day is to ask us to create a private safari.

One might argue that a safari-to-oneself is an indulgence, but that really isn’t so when one looks at value and benefit. A private safari for an individual with an over-riding special interest is an obvious case in point, allowing him or her to focus on that speciality with a suitable guide and not be overbearing for others. For a couple, it may be that they simply want to be on their own and take each day as it comes with a guide who is flexible and can tailor each day to their whim. For a family the argument becomes even more compelling – a guide who is sensitive to adults and children alike can make each day as exciting or as relaxing as the participants require. All this has value – after all safaris are hardly cheap and one wants to make the most of every pound or dollar spent. The benefit is, surely, obvious.

If one wants an example of this particular point then look no further than being guided by Richard Knocker in Tanzania. We’ve known Richard for a Very Long Time Indeed and having him as a private guide is, frankly, a privilege. Utterly knowledgeable and totally at home in his element, Richard is a true gentleman and a superb guide, bringing humour, expertise and enormous fun to the time one spends with him. It is only at the end of the trip that you realise just what a vast ream of information he has shared. A private safari with someone like Richard is a truly wonderful way to enjoy the bush!

People often think that a safari to themselves means a mobile camp or taking a whole property and, sometimes, obviously, this is exactly the point. There are some stunning private houses and lodges (oceanside villas, too, for one’s after-safari relaxation!) which we book for our client’s private use as well as taking entire camps or erecting mobiles in “just the right spot”. But there’s no reason why a private safari cannot mix private accommodation – say a mobile or series of mobiles in Kenya, Tanzania or Botswana or a private lodge such as Mukima House in Kenya – with other camps and lodges that might have “outside” guests staying at the same time. In this way clients can spend part of the safari on their own yet have more social interaction at certain times, thus ringing the changes. This suggests another benefit of private safaris: the ability to throw the net very wide when one is at the planning stage. This is a hard thing to value – but it is precious!

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