Southern Africa is one of the best safari destinations in the world and has a lot to offer. Explore its hidden gems, scenic landscapes, and fascinating wildlife with a customised itinerary based on your personal wishes.
Within the region of Southern Africa are the countries of South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. These countries cover terrains such as forests, wetlands, riverine lands and deltas, savannah, coastal plain and desert. There’s so much diversity, which is what makes it such a great repeat destination!
You can look forward to spotting the Big Five—that is, lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo—as well as hippos, herds of wildebeest, giraffe, and many other birds and animals that are unique to this region.
How you’ll get around
Well, that depends on the type of holiday you’re looking for. There are areas of Southern Africa, where you can easily rent a car and drive yourself. . The Kafue National Park is a great place to try a self-drive safari. Alternatively, you can book guided drives, where a guide accompanies you on the way so you don’t miss anything!
You could also travel by Zambia rail train or stay on a houseboat on a lake Itezhi Tezhi. If you plan to visit the Okavango Delta in Botswana, make sure you go when you can try a traditional mokoro safari. There’s nothing quite like the stillness you’ll experience there.
It’s also quite easy to fly between the main centres throughout Southern Africa, and even the more remote lodges are accessible by light aircraft or helicopters.
The choice is entirely yours, but if you choose to book with us, you can rest assured that we’ll look after you every step of the way, no matter your choice of travel. We can help you find the right mode of transport and handpick the amazing guides we work with!
Where to stay
The diversity of accommodation in Southern Africa means you can camp, caravan or “glamp”, stay at guesthouses, B&Bs or small lodges, or live it up in 5-star hotels, lodges and private game reserves. The choice is yours.
If you plan to stay at any of the lodges within or around the game parks and reserves, you’ll be pleased to know that you can do so with us and save some cash! That’s because we’ve got great relationships with many lodges, hotels, villas and operators allowing us to offer you some great rates.
When is a good time of year to travel?
As with so many destinations, there are certain times of the year when it’s better to travel. When it comes to safaris and animal spotting, there are some general guidelines that will help you to get the most out of your trip.
Winter—that is, southern hemisphere winter, from June to October—is the best time to go on safari in most of Southern Africa. That’s because winter is the dry season, concentrating water in the watering holes and making the bushveld dry and easy to see through. When there is less water, there’s more chance of spotting animals as they visit and drink from watering holes.
Coincidentally, the best time to go to the Okavango Delta in Botswana is also from about June to October, when it’s flooding. When the Delta is in flood, you can take water safaris and see the multitudes of animals the water attracts.
A day on safari: what to expect
Let’s head to Botswana for our virtual day on safari. Picture yourself waking up in a luxury tent in the African bush. Enjoy breakfast at the lodge, or head out on a dawn safari and take breakfast with you. Each day, take a game drive, exploring the region and seeing lions, wild dogs, serval, elephants and more.
Or, you could explore the Okavango Delta by traditional mokoro. Poling through the quiet water, you might spot an African fish eagle, Pel’s fishing owl, or a wattled crane. You might come upon an elephant having a bath, and hundreds of tiny frogs clinging to the reeds.
Pause during your evening drive to enjoy a cocktail on a river, then dine alongside the river at the lodge. Fall asleep listening to the creak of cicadas, the song of frogs and hunting birds and all the chirrups and chirps native to the African bush. When you wake up, it’s a new adventure in this African paradise.
It’s the guides who make the trip
Of course, self-drive safaris can be a wonderful experience, but we often find that our guests get so much more out of their trips with the help of a great guide.
Experienced guides know where the animals tend to congregate, and they communicate with other guides to find out what’s been spotted where. Nature reserves and game parks can be enormous, and a knowledgeable guide can help you see exactly what you want to see on your trip.
No matter where you decide to take your Southern Africa safari, we can set you up with some of the best guides in the world. All of our guides are knowledgeable, local people who know their regions intimately and can explain them well. Our long-standing relationships with local guides mean that they know what we want and expect, and deliver every time.
For any inquires or bookings, kindly contact us: Email: lochinvarsafarilodge@gmail.com Cell phone/WhatsApp: +26 0955361449