GROUP TRAVEL

African Tour

My love affair with Africa began over 11 years ago when I was lucky enough to go on an escorted trip offered by the Auckland based company I now use, World Journeys and South African company @beyond.
On my return, the urge to return proved so over whelming that I have taken fully escorted tours every year since, and some years twice a year, except for 2020.
A dear friend from Durban South Africa once said to me “You could take the girl out of Africa but could not take Africa out of the girl” This has left me wondering if I was born in Africa in another lifetime.
I have been fortunate in travelling to South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and my beloved Botswana and the Okavango Delta.
My escorted tours are almost fully inclusive and limited to a total of 9 including me. The itinerary does vary each year and is dependent on who is travelling with me, as for the last 4 years there has been several returnee clients and I endeavour to work the itinerary around their loves and what they wish to see. The Okavango Delta is always top of the list, it is stunning.
The tours are at what I would call the luxury level, and priced accordingly, but the inclusions of the tour are impressive and end up being real value for money.
Most of the properties visited are located in conservatories, which is private land leased from respective governments. The difference between a conservatory, (up close and personal game viewing) and national parks, (restricted to the roads traversing the park) The thrill of a lion walking past your safari truck to sleep in the shade beneath is hard to express, a photographers dream, and still fills me with awe. I’m not a bird person but the bird life is spectacular, and I always come home with 1000’s of pictures of birds, lions, leopard, cheetah, elephant, zebra, hippo, wild dog, rhino and so much more.
Every morning our ranger asks what you would like to see……a chorus of “everything” and they deliver.
The lodges where we stay, are fabulous, as is the food, which caters for all dietary requirements. So much food and there are often little surprises just around the corner, but I cannot let the cat out of the bag about those, it would spoil the surprise.
Having travelled there as often as I have, the @beyond family at the lodges have become part of my extended family. We see the same wonderful people every year, maybe not at the same lodge but it blows me away that they remember our names and greet us with genuine joy. The company believes in caring for the land, wildlife and people and we see and hear this at every turn.
Have a look through my photos, such a small selection, I hope you like them. I am happy to talk with anyone who has an interest in travelling to this spectacular destination.
May the African sun always shine down on you. May the rhythm of it's drums beat deeply in your heart, and may the vision of it's glory fill you with joy and may the memory of Africa be with you always.