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Mapping the Makgadikgadi motherland: a quad bike cruise to Kubu Island
I have butterflies before we set off. An unquashable exhilaration. I had visited Kubu Island before, but in a comfy 4WD vehicle from the south, a well-trodden track that leads into the Makgadikgadi from Botswana’s diamond-mining town of Lethlakane. This would be my fourth visit but on a far more unorthodox ride. Also read: What’s […]
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The 17 best wildlife-focused experiences in Africa
1. Gorilla trekking in Central Africa Nothing quite prepares you for the moment you come upon a gorilla family in the wild. The first glimpse of black as a juvenile jumps off a nearby branch, a toddler clings to its mother’s back and a giant silverback rises to size you up. For many people, it’s […]
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Discover Africa’s Heavenly Dark Sky Places
The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) is the globally recognised authority on light pollution and dedicated to preserving dark spaces around the world. Its list of certified International Dark Sky Places are selected because of the starry quality of the night skies and protected because of the scientific, natural, environmental, and cultural importance of its nocturnal […]
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The 10 Best Safari Destinations for First-timers to Africa
While internet research is handy, it’s always more efficient to talk to an expert. Safaris are highly specialised trips and our experienced team, who have been all over Africa, can break down the different options for you simply and easily. The first thing we suggest is to choose between East Africa and Southern Africa. East […]
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The life aquatic: mythbusting Botswana’s iconic mokoro
Tshepang Mikell Mogomotsi – known as “Mike” – is well-versed in this ancient art. Originally from Jao, a village in the heart of the Okavango Delta, he has poled since he was just 10 years old. Mike is my “Delta Decoder” and guide at Kwando Safaris Pom Pom Camp, an eco-friendly lodge west of the […]
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12 Enthralling African destinations to add to your wander-list for 2021
Every year, I eagerly anticipate the travel hotlists and destination round-ups released by the likes of CondĂ© Nast and National Geographic, and each time am routinely disappointed by the conspicuous absence of alluring African countries. Our continent will forever be an eternal safari hotspot, but there are so many more reasons to plan a trip. […]
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What’s so special about Baines’ Baobabs anyway?
The story of salt, a sea and lonely trees An ivory-coloured expanse, the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans encrust the northern reaches of the Kalahari Desert in an immensity so vast that it’s possible to see them from outer space. (Just ask Nasa astronaut Doug Hurley, who captured the landscape while floating above us in the International […]