African Safari And Beach Holiday News.

The thing about getting hitched these days is that the bar has been set pretty damn high and, let’s face it, getting down on one knee during dinner at your local restaurant just isn’t going to cut it anymore. Now we may be a teeny bit biased here (okay, very biased) but when it comes to what makes an amazing backdrop for a jaw-dropping proposal we think Africa has it all – incredible natural beauty, an air of magic and sunsets to die for.

So we’ve compiled a list of some of THE coolest places to propose that will virtually guarantee an answer in the affirmative and significantly increase your brownie points credit in the process.  Now all that’s left for you to do is to decide when and where to do it…

Stargazing in the Namib Desert One of the best places in the world for stargazing.  Relax in the comfort of your private ‘skybed’ and surprise your partner under a sky filled with a million stars.

Seal the Deal: head to Sossusvlei and climb to the top of the immense Dune 45.  It’s a toughie, but goodie and seeing the sun rise over the blood-orange desert dunes is a moment that will stay with you both forever.  Stay at Little Kulala, quite possibly the most romantic place on earth!

Where two oceans meet A proposal at the Southern-most tip of Africa will earn you a few good bragging rights and pave the way for an annual pilgrimage in future years to come.  Cape Agulhas is a beautiful stretch of coastline, easily accessible from Cape Town.

Seal the Deal: stop off for an overnight stay in Swellendam and enjoy a spot of wine tasting before heading back to the city.  Stay at De Kloof Luxury Estate or Jan Harmsgat Country House.  Wine tasting can be done at the Robertson wine route.

Hot air ballooning over the Masai Mara Your intended will be literally blown away by this one!  Experience the Mara with its spectacular wildlife from a totally different aspect and witness a sunrise like no other. Silently breath-taking is the best way to describe this experience.

Seal the Deal: come back to earth with a bump and enjoy a fantastic champagne breakfast to toast the happy event!  Stay at Mara Ngenche Safari Camp for a true ‘Out of Africa’ safari experience (they also make a pretty mean G&T).

On a tandem bungee-jump at Victoria Falls If your chosen one is a thrill seeker why not mix this bucket list essential with the most important day of your life?  The spine-tingling thrill of a 120mph, four second free-fall will be nothing compared to hearing yours truly utters the words “I do”!

Seal the deal: keep the adrenaline pumping with a spot of white-water rafting down the Zambezi River.  Stay at Stanley Safari Lodge and kick back, sundowners in hand, to watch an amazing African sunset while you soak it all in.

On safari out in the African bush Those lucky enough to have experienced it will tell you that an African safari has a kind of inexplicable magic.  A sense of space and wildness coupled with mesmerizing sights, sounds and smells is guaranteed to awaken the senses.

Seal the Deal: arrange a night game drive before heading back to your private lodge.  Stay at the exclusive Londolozi Varty Camp or spend a night under the stars in your own luxury treehouse at Lion Sands Narina Lodge.

At the summit of one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World Take the cable car to the top of Table Mountain, with a chilled bottle of South African wine and a couple of glasses.  Expect enthusiastic applause (and a few damp eyes) from the inquisitive tourists who flock there every day.

Seal the deal: book a romantic dinner at The Roundhouse in Camps Bay, overlooking the ocean.  Stay at The Bay in Camps Bay or head back to the city and stay at The Table Bay Hotel (be sure to request a mountain-view room).

On a tropical island paradise For a truly barefoot proposal stay on the picture-postcard island of Zanzibar and propose at the ocean’s edge.  The icing on the cake will be returning to relive your memories on an African beach and safari honeymoon adventure!

Seal the deal: arrange a magical sunset cruise on board a traditional dhow. Stay at The Palms, an exclusive and intimate getaway which is the epitome of romance.

Elephants are one of the coolest species on the planet and for good reason. Did you know that one of the largest and most famous African elephants was called Jumbo, his name thought to be derived from the Swahili word for ‘boss’ or ‘chief’. He is the reason we use the word ‘jumbo’ as a way of describing enormous things.

Now, when it comes to looks it is fair to say that elephants don’t have it all (compared to some other Africa wildlife): grey, wrinkly skin, sticky-out ears and big baggy knees (a bit like some of us, really).  But looks aside, the fact is we have a lot more in common with these intelligent giants than you may think so let us tell you why this is and where you can get acquainted with them.

1. Brain Boxes.
Elephants are one of the most intelligent animals on Earth. Their brain weighs around 5 kg which is much more than the brain of any other land-based animal. Elephants have a more developed hippocampus than any other animal (the part of the brain responsible for emotion and spatial awareness).  They can even recognise their reflection in a mirror.

2. In touch with their emotions.
Elephants commonly display emotions including grief, humour, compassion, cooperation, self-awareness and playfulness. Elephants demonstrate concern for members of their families and take care of weak or injured members of the herd. They grieve for their dead. When herds come across an unknown lone elephant that has died they will show it similar respect.

3. Social butterflies.
An elephant herd is considered one of the most closely knit societies of any animal species and a female will only leave it if she dies or is captured by humans. Elephants show affection, frequently touching and caressing each other and entwining their trunks. They can communicate within their herd or between herds many kilometres away by stamping their feet and making sounds which are too low for human ears to perceive.

4. They make incredibly cute babies.
Baby eles are incredibly cute beings.  A little known fact is that some babies take to sucking their trunk for comfort in much  the same way that humans suck their thumbs! Elephant females can have babies until they are about 50 years old. They tend to have a new baby every 2 to 4 years.

5. Women wear the trousers.
Elephant herds are matriarchal, led by the oldest female in the group. She decides where and when they move and rest. Males leave the herd as they become adolescent, around the age of 12, and live in temporary “bachelor herds” (like our bachelor pads) until they are mature enough to live alone (much like our own men!).

6. They have sensitive skin.
Elephants are susceptible to sunburn. To protect their little ones from the sun, adult elephants will douse them in sand and stand over them as they sleep.

7. No natural predators.
While it may be true that, like us, elephants have no natural predators, the sad fact is that it is us humans that present the biggest threat to their long-term survival, with increased poaching putting them in real danger of becoming extinct.  This highlights the critical importance of conservation and the amazing work being done by people to protect this incredible species.

Are you an ele-lover?  Here is our pick of the top five places to see African elephants in the wild. If a close encounter is what you long for let our friendly team help you to plan your perfect safari adventure to make your dream a reality.

Kruger National Park, South Africa is home to around 15,000 elephants and sightings are plentiful. Stay at Elephant Plains Game Lodge.

Chobe National Park, Botswana is home to the highest concentration of elephants in Africa. Stay at Savute Elephant Lodge.

Amboseli National Park , Kenya is famous for its elephant population and one of the best places to get up close to free-roaming elephants. Stay at Tortilis Camp.

Selous Game Reserve , Tanzania is a prime site for daily elephant encounters as they amble through camps on their way to watering holes. Stay at the Selous Riverside Safari Camp.

Damaraland , Namibia is home to the rare desert-dwelling elephants. Stay at Damaraland Camp.

In the past decade, South Africa has become established as one of the most popular long-haul destinations for visitors from all over the world. And with exchange rates and special offers meaning the majority of safari lodges and hotels are around 20% cheaper than in 2015, there’s never been a better time to book a trip to this diverse and fascinating country.

There are world-class attractions in every part of South Africa, from Table Mountain and the beautiful city of Cape Town, to the spectacular wildlife of the Kruger National Park and countless places in between. In fact, there’s so much to see and do that South Africa is sometimes referred to as ‘the World in One Country’. If the cities and wildlife don’t appeal to you, then the weather, beaches, vineyards, history, culture, mountains, deserts or forests surely will.

Despite all this variety, there’s no denying that the crowning glories are Cape Town and Kruger

Cape Town has one of the most beautiful settings of any city in the world. At the foot of Table Mountain, surrounded by beaches and a sparkling (if chilly) ocean, it’s home to beautiful parks, imposing buildings and plenty of bars and restaurants in which you can relax and watch the world go by. On top of this, the Cape Winelands, the Cape of Good Hope, the penguin colony at Boulders Beach and the whale-watching center of Hermanus are all within easy reach as day trips.

The weather can be scorching hot between November and April (making it an ideal winter sun destination), and even in the coolest months, average highs are around 18C. There’s also plenty to do on any days when the beach doesn’t appeal.

The Kruger Park is our top pick as the place to go in 2016 for a fantastic safari experience and unbeatable value for money. This vast area in the north east of South Africa is one of the oldest and largest wildlife reserves on the continent, and a safari here will get you incredibly close to some of the most amazing wildlife on the planet.

A stay of three or four days will mean that you’re almost guaranteed to see the Big Five (lion, elephant, leopard, rhino and buffalo), as well as seeing countless antelopes, giraffes,zebras and maybe some less frequently spotted birds and animals. There are lodges and camps to suit every taste and budget, from self-driving in the Park, to private three-star tented camps where all meals and game drives are included, to the most spectacular and luxurious five-star lodges. Wherever you choose to stay, a visit to Kruger will leave you with memories and photos to cherish for a lifetime.

Travel Butlers specialize in safari vacations, and our friendly team has been helping visitors plan trips to South Africa since 2003. So why not contact us and let us help you put together your ideal holiday to this stunning country – whatever your budget and bucket list.

As winter storms batter the UK and the excesses of the Christmas celebrations give way to hopes and plans for the New Year, we thought we would share a little inspiration with anyone thinking of planning their 2016 holiday over the next few weeks. These are our top 5 destinations in Africa and the Indian Ocean for the coming year:

The Greater Kruger Park

The Greater Kruger Park is our top pick as the place to go in 2016 for a fantastic safari experience and unbeatable value for money. This vast area of 20million hectares in the north-east of South Africa is one of the oldest and largest wildlife reserves on the continent, and a safari here will get you incredibly close to some of the most amazing wildlife on the planet.

A stay of 3 or 4 days will mean that you are almost guaranteed to see the Big 5, as well as seeing countless antelope, giraffe, zebra and maybe some less frequently spotted birds and animals.  There are lodges and camps to suit every taste and budget, from self-driving in the park, to private 3* tented camps where all meals and game drives are included, to the most spectacular and luxurious 5* lodges offered by the likes of Londolozi, Singita, and Lion Sands.

Kruger is always one of our favourite places to visit, but the icing on the cake at the moment is that current exchange rates mean that the majority of safari lodges are between 12% and 20% cheaper than in 2015!  For example, a 3 night stay at the 3* Shindzela Tented Safari Camp in June 2016 would cost £219 per person if you book now vs £279 for a stay in June 2015 booked last January.

Namibia

A holiday in Namibia is like visiting another planet: there are spectacular desert landscapes, wide open spaces, amazing plants and wildlife, an other-worldly atmosphere unlike anywhere else.

From the towering red dunes of Sossusvlei and the spectacular rock formations of Damaraland, to the huge herds of Zebra, Springbok, Wildebeest that cross the vast salt pan of Etosha, Namibia is the perfect destination for anyone who wants to get away from it all and see nature at it’s best.

The Seychelles

The Seychelles are made up of beautiful and remote group of tropical islands hidden far away in the Indian Ocean. The larger islands of  Mahé, Praslin, Silhouette Island and La Digue are rock formations covered with lush tropical forests and fringed with white-sand beaches, whilst the smaller coral islands are tiny specs of paradise dotted in the vast ocean and perfect for anyone with a Robinson Crusoe fantasy to get out of their system.

We would definitely recommend visiting a couple of Islands during your stay if you can:  if you are only in the islands for a week you might want to base yourself in one place and make day trips using the excellent ferry services, however for longer stays we would suggest a little island hopping and staying on more than one island to really experience the best of what Seychelles has to offer.

As well as relaxing on the stunning beaches and enjoying the full range of water sports (diving, snorkeling, sailing, jet skis etc are all available in various places), there is plenty to do inland, especially on the larger islands. There are numerous golf courses, nature reserves with giant tortoises, cultural experiences, and Praslin is home to one of only two UNESCO protected forest where you can see the giant coco de mer palm.  Foodies will love the local cuisine, which is a mouth-watering fusion of Indian, African and European flavours.

There is plenty enough to do in the islands to make them a perfect holiday destination in their own right, however Seychelles can also be easily combined with a safari in East Africa or Southern Africa for the ultimate safari and beach experience!

The Masai Mara

A visit to the world-famous Masai Mara is something that will be on many travellers’ bucket list, and with it’s wide open spaces, huge herds of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelles, and plenty of predators it is easy to see why it attracts many thousands of visitors each year.

Of course, the biggest draw (in just about every sense of the phrase)  is the Great Migration which passes through the Mara between August and October of each year as the huge herds cross from the Serengeti in search of fresh grass. There just aren’t words to describe the feeling of seeing this firsthand, and if you should be lucky enough to see a river crossing then we are sure that the memories will stay with you forever .

Of course, the migration is only part of the attraction of this magnificent park: many experienced visitors to Kenya choose to visit the Mara when the migration is not passing through as there is still plenty of resident game, prices and the lodges tend to be lower, and their are fewer other visitors to the park.

KwaZulu-Natal

Cape Town and Kruger will always remain the main attractions for international visitors to South Africa, however we have always had a tremendous affection for KwaZulu-Natal.  This beautiful province is home to the imposing Drakensberg Mountains, some wonderful safari lodges, the historic battlefields of Zululand and miles-upon-miles of sandy beaches.

Given it’s wealth of attractions, we have always felt that this is a vastly underrated and relatively little visited region, but hopefully this is all set to change as Emirates and Turkish Airlines have been among the airlines to start offering flights straight to Durban without the need to go through Johannesburg. This makes the journey far easier, especially for anyone thinking of hiring a car to drive around the province (which we can highly recommend), and this along with the overall affordability of South Africa due to the weak Rand makes KwaZulu-Nata an excellent choice for your holiday in 2016.

I have just recently returned from 4 wonderful days in the Masai Mara, courtesy of Atua Enkop Africa. There is so much to say about the trip, although it was only for 4 days, that I am going to break the story down into different blog posts.

I am going to start my Marvellous Mara blog series with reports on where I stayed. First up – Tipilikwani. If you break the word down, it is actually quite easy to pronounce – Te-pil-ik-wani!

We arrived into the Mara on a Sunday morning straight off the Kenya Airways flight that lands at Jomo Kenyatta at 0630. Because it was Sunday, there was, for once, no traffic on the normally busy roads of Nairobi, so we got to Wilson Airport in record time! We boarded our Air Kenya flight and set off to the Mara, bouncing through the air on the thermal currents – well, I bounced in time with the small plane, but my stomach was left behind a few times, I must admit.

We landed smoothly and our group was met by 2 wonderful guides – Dee and Jonathan. Off we set on the short drive to camp (or rather, it would have been short had we not encountered a cheetah on the way, with 2 dinky little cubs – so OF COURSE we had to sit and watch them for a while!).

Tipilikwani is located on the northern border of the Masai Mara, right on the Talek River and not too far from the Talek Gate, so if you are driving down from Nairobi, it is ideally placed. When you arrive, you cross a small bridge, and head towards Reception, where you are greeted with a much needed face cloth to wipe away the Mara dust, a gorgeous welcome drink, and a huge friendly smile from the management staff.

My tent was large to say the least – 2 double beds just for little me, a writing desk, a huge en-suite bathroom with 2 basins, a flushing toilet and a walk-in shower – none of this bucket shower melarkey either, it was hot running water at the turn of a tap! Outside I had my own private wooden deck – the perfect setting for the massage table to be set up on when I eventually got a spare couple of hours to myself.

The camp itself is what I would call ‘authentically rustic’ – the main dining/lounge and bar area is dark wood with open sides – for me, it just said ‘you are on safari’ immediately you walked in. There are no frills here, just a good, honest, down to earth safari experience. And great food too – lunch was a 3 course affair, so was dinner – with choices galore. You do not go hungry here, I can tell you!

Being near the gate does mean that it is near a village, so at night, you have the true safari sounds of lion roaring and hyena calling – which in turn set off the village dogs who then bark, who in turn disturb the cattle owned by the local Masai who live in the village. So it is a combination of comforting ‘home’ noises (my cat does like to annoy next door’s yappy little terrier so the sound of a dog barking was just like lying in my own bed at home) combined with exciting ‘safari’ noises.

The area around Tipikikwani is renowed for its high hyena population, so if you are a hyena fanatic, this really is the place to go! We did see quite a lot out on game drives, and we were also fortunate enough to meet 2 hyena research students who are studying in the area for a year – who ‘introduced’ us by name to the local hyenas from a huge file of photos that they have compiled over the months – they are so passionate about their work and it was lovely to hear their stories.

As well as hyena, on our game drives, we saw absolutely loads – lion, cheetah, zebra, rhino, giraffe, warthog, buffalo, leopard, elephant, vultures, impala, gazelles… it was a never-ending stream of wildlife just presenting itself to us. And we were only here for 2 nights – so 4 game drives in total. All you could hear at times was the constant click click click of cameras going off simultaneously. It was a wildlife photographers dream. But that is the Masai Mara…mmm, I wonder why it is one of the most popular safari destinations in Africa!!

My 5 highlights of my short stay here were sitting watching a leopard mum interact with her cub, heading out at 4 am to see the supermoon and the eclipse, dinner in the bush on our 2nd night (all beautifully lit with lanterns), finding a lovely family group of elephants, and going on a sunrise hot air balloon trip.

Was I sorry to leave? Yes I was. It felt like home the minute you arrived, and it was difficult to say goodbye. Little did I know at the time that my next stop was going to leave an even bigger impression… more on that later…