best safari outfitters in the world

The world’s best safari companies – African tour operators

Safari. What an adventure!

But only when you do it right .

It’s not just the quality of the guiding and accommodation that makes a difference; it’s where and when you go .

The best safari travel agents provide you access to exclusive, wildlife-rich areas where you can fully connect with your wild side.

Over the last two decades, I’ve witnessed the good, the bad, the very bad, but also the very best safari companies in Africa .

As they say at National Geographic magazine: “in a time when travel dollars are stretched, it’s essential that an outfitter delivers the trip of a lifetime, the first time”.

That is why the tour companies selected below are the best of the best, because they deliver on the first experience .

10 of the Best African Safari Tour Operators

I have based the listing of the best Africa safari companies on my own experiences, along with National Geographic Adventure’s selection of the Best Adventure Travel Companies .

Out of hundreds of safari companies and tour operators surveyed, only the very top were chosen (based on criteria like education , sustainability , quality of service, and spirit of adventure ).

Best Africa Tour Companies

If you’re looking to have an unforgettable safari in Africa, then you better check out some of the best Africa tour companies below.

1. Micato Safaris

“The Travel+Leisure 10-Year Winner.”

Best For : Exclusive, private safaris. This company focuses on Eastern and Southern African countries.

2. Wilderness Safaris

“Creating Life-Changing Journeys.”

Best For : Exceptional safari experiences in Africa’s untouched wilderness.

Wilderness Safaris have around 40 luxury safari camps in over 5 countries , including Botswana , Kenya , and Rwanda.

They are committed to eco-friendly tourism , which is why these luxurious trips help protect biodiversity, conserve wildlife, and give back to local communities.

wilderness-safaris.com

3. andBeyond

“Leaving Our World a Better Place for 30 Years.”

Best For : Luxury safaris, though they do have broader options for families.

andBeyond have a luxury safari experience in 9 different countries in Africa , including South Africa , Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania and Namibia .

andbeyond.com

4. Thomson Safaris

“40 Years of Wildlife Safaris.”

Best For : Safari in Tanzania. Their packages are well suited to every budget, which is why they are known as one of the best Tanzania safari companies.

Destinations include Mount Kilimanjaro , Serengeti , Selous Game Reserve , Olduvai Gorge , Ngorongoro Crater , Tarangire National Park , and Zanzibar .

thomsonsafaris.com

5. Mark Thornton Safaris

“It’s Not Only What You See. It’s How You See It.”

Best For : Tarangire and Serengeti walking safaris in Tanzania . This is one of the best Tanzania safari tour operators on the continent.

thorntonsafaris.com

6. Volcanoes Safaris

“The Number 1 Gorilla Safari Company.”

Best For : Gorilla trekking . Volcanoes Safaris is especially renowned for its gorilla safaris in Uganda and Rwanda .

Volcanoes Safaris also organize trips to the DRC and Tanzania.

volcanoessafaris.com

7. Africa Adventure Consultants

“Safaris for the Discerning Traveler.”

Best For : A tailored multi-destination (multi-country) safari.

Destinations include (East and Southern Africa)  Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda , Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia , Zimbabwe , Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa.

adventuresinafrica.com

8. Gamewatchers Safaris

“Exclusive Safaris in Africa’s Finest Wildlife Areas.”

Best For : Classic safari experiences in East Africa .

9. The Africa Adventure Company

“Your Passport for a Safari Trip to Africa’s Top Wildlife Countries.”

Best For : An East and Southern Africa safari specialist, this is one of the best-rated African safari tour companies for good-value first-time adventures.

africa-adventure.com

10. Africa Dream Safaris

“Experience Your Dreams.”

Best For : Activities concentrated in East Africa, including unique safari activities .

africadreamsafaris.com

More of the Best Africa Safari Companies

The above list is by no means exhaustive .

There are many other top safari companies that will also do a great job, but they do not fall within the top 10.

Abercrombie & Kent

If you are looking for the best luxury safari companies in Africa, then you have found the right one.

Abercrombie & Kent cater to those who want to experience luxurious travel but still rough it out in the African bush .

Norman Carr Safaris

Norman Carr Safaris operates in Zambia, specifically in South Luangwa National Park .

They are one of the original safari operators in this park, and the pioneers of walking safaris to promote eco-safari tourism.

Deeper Africa

As one of the world’s best African safari tour companies, Deeper Africa is an East Africa safari specialist .

Embark with them for an enriching experience guided by African wildlife experts.

African Portfolio

African Portfolio is best for first-time visitors to East and Southern Africa looking for simple safari itineraries .

They also have trips to Morocco and Egypt.

There is no standard route in Africa. After more than a decade of exploring, I still haven’t seen half the continent .

There is always somewhere new to go, and something new to try. So I really encourage you to live out the Africa of your dreams , wherever and whatever that may be.

It can be a little daunting at first. To get started, check out the safari planning pages on Africa Freak.

Once you understand a little about African safari check out these incredible safari deals – you’re sure to find a wildlife adventure like no other.

Used an African safari company’s services before?

Why don’t you share your experience in the comments section.

About The Author

Michael Theys

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19 thoughts on “the world’s best safari companies – african tour operators”.

For that time may be true but nowadays there’s lots of tour companies which offer best services with affordable price. You might also found them in Tanzania including https://luitours.com/ . You should pay another visit soon.

LuiTours & Safaris is Tanzanian Tour Company based in Moshi (Kilimanjaro) and Dar es Salaam, and it offers the most competitive rates on safari tour packages. https://luitours.com/ If you are looking for the ultimate safari experience, day trips or looking to relax on best Indian Ocean beaches of Zanzibar, our team will make sure that your holiday becomes unforgettable.

Elevate your adventure with upcoming safari company, standing out among the top ten best African safari companies. Expert guides guarantee exclusive wildlife encounters, from the Big Five to birdwatching delights in diverse destinations like the Serengeti and the lush Okavango Delta. As you sip sundowners against Africa’s breathtaking sunsets, rest assured that upcoming company is committed to eco-conscious travel and your safety and comfort. Capture every awe-inspiring moment on your camera, making memories that will last a lifetime. For me once used Tanzania Inside and Safari, and everything went well

There are so more amazing companies just like: https://www.sunstripafricasafaris.com/

We had an awesome experience the last time we visited Kenya and Tanzania. Our guides were incredibly nice and patient with us and very informative.

Thank you for having these selections.

Perhaps, there are so more amazing companies just like https://wildtravelsafaris.com . We had an awesome experience the last time we visited Uganda & Rwanda. Our guide Richard was incredibly nice and patient with us for the 2 weeks. He answered almost every question and made sure everything was in order as per the earlier agreement.

When it comes to Uganda or Rwanda Gorilla Trekking, you want to use https://wildtravelsafaris.com and also https://www.ugandatravelsafaris.com as an alternative platforms of them. They offer unforgettable journeys to gorillas. Give them an opportunity, you won’t regret it.

Thank you Michael for the insights.

We had an awesome experience the last time we visited Uganda. Our guide Tony was incredibly nice and patient with us. He answered all the little questions and made sure all was in order as per the earlier agreement.

When it comes to Uganda or Rwanda Gorilla Trekking, you want to use https://silverbackgorillatrekking.com , they offer unforgettable journeys to gorillas.

Give them a shot and you wont regret.

I have see that you point out 10 of the Best African Safari Tour Operators that is Great but there is another company that deserves space in the top 10 – Foot Slopes Tours and Safaris ltd, website https://www.footslopestours.com/ They organize the best private custom safari, honeymoon, Kilimanjaro climbing, hiking and trekking mountain family holidays in Tanzania. They have experienced safari guides and staffs are best in the industry.

In essence it’s a tough pick for the best safari companies as best is relative and times change. Moreover, companies evolve for better and unfortunately others for worse. There are also local based companies that have competence and overall good service.

Check out https://www.alphadeantoursandsafaris.com/ as well as https://www.africamagicalsafaris.com/index.php

It would also be nice to consider Kenya-based safari companies like Explorer Kenya Tours and Travel for honeymooners safaris, photography safaris and Kenya wildlife safaris. See them on http://www.explorerkenya.com .

This is not a definitive, or updated list of the world’s ”best” safari companies. I think A&K should surely make the proper list, along with & Beyond. But someone has rightfully pointed out that these companies are quite expensive. A few years ago, I enjoyed a fabulous African Safari in Kenya with Shoor Safaris ( http://www.shoortravel.com/ ) at much cheaper rates using the same properties I was being offered by a top US operator. So do shop around and book wisely.

Thanks for your comment Carol. Sure, it’s not a “definitive” list. At the end of the day, it all depends on what YOU’re looking for. Choose wisely and “safari njema”! 😉

Based on the dates you posted the article, that was true but now things have really changed. Those tour companies that are not keeping up with the advancement of technology especially online marketing are being overtaken by smaller operators who have invested heavily in online marketing.

Most of the companies listed above are very expensive. I found a newer tour operator based in the US that runs their trips out of an office in Tanzania. They where almost half the price of the quote I got from Micato and 35% less than Thomsons. Our trip was great. I guess that the others charge more because they have a name. Anyway, check them out and see if they can do your trip cheaper http://www.etripafrica.com .

Good Safari.

I have gone through the list of safari companies listed and while it is true that they do offer great services, I am not sure that they are the top 10. There are a number of companies operating regionally and internationally that offer just as good or better services.

Another thing is there are some good companies who have had their names sullied by one disgruntled client over the most minor issue. Tour guides are humans and something like a flat tire is something that is sometimes unavoidable. However, some clients since they book these tours way in advance a few things could have happened in the months leading up to the safari making them wish they hadn’t booked. Take the world economic crisis, a client books his safari one or two years in advance only to lose a job. So reviews by clients should be taken in totality not from one disgruntled client.

Hello Michael.

I have seen the list of the top 10 safari companies doing safaris in Africa. In Uganda you have listed Volcanoes only. There is another company that deserves space in the top 10 – Advantage Safaris ltd, website http://www.advantage-safaris.com . They organize the best birdwatching, gorilla tracking, chimpanzee tracking and family holidays in both Uganda and Rwanda. The guides and safari drivers employed by Advantage Safaris ltd are the best in the industry.

All safari goers should be a little wary of the ‘group style’ safaris on offer. Remember that you are trying to get close to wildlife and be sensitive as well as be educated. Larger groups, of say 16 people or more, in numerous vehicles can find this a little difficult. Large groups are often led by ‘an expert’ with driver/guides in the other vehicles. Whilst this keeps the cost per head down some the overall ‘life time experience ‘ can get a little diluted by sharing one so called ‘expert’ between 16-20 group members.

Tanzania is a wonderful safari destination but you cannot beat a small group of up to 8 visitors being guided by two excellent guides in two well equipped vehicles. Guides that know the back roads and want to explore.

Camp in remote locations, don’t be surrounded by cement in a lodge. It costs more but these basic rules can get a visitor closer to that dream vacation.

I agree that it is impossible to limit the world’s best safari companies down to a list of 10, especially when each safari company is focused on a different region and/or type of trip (adventure, family, honeymoon, luxury, etc.). In many cases it’s like comparing apples and oranges.

Thanks for the feedback, you definitely have a point here. Of course, they can't possibly make a "real" top 10 out of the thousands of safari companies out there. But then again, how would you do it? Did you check out their methodology? Basically, it is based on surveys that follow specific categories: education, sustainability, quality of service and spirit of adventure.

About the "trip of a lifetime" experience. This goal should always be on top of the list, totally agree with you. The question is: are they all going for it? I don't think so. I have read a few stories where people were really not well catered for. In my opinion, there are always companies out there that are looking for a quick buck no matter what… even if it has to be at the expense of their clients.

Not quite sure what you're trying to imply about the recession bit. Did you read that? Possible but am not aware of it.

Hello Michael,

Interesting topic that is being discussed here. I must say though that the premise of NG a bit of an awkward one is. 'Delivering a trip of a lifetime the first time'?? In my opinion a safari outfitter should ALWAYS try to achieve this goal the first time. Now NG suggests that there are a number of operators out there that are not doing their utmost to accommodate clients the first time and that they will only do so in times of recession.

I therefore dare to say that this survey is absolute nonsense, as NG will not have the possibility to survey 100's of operators. Why? Because they have other things to do than being a consumer watchdog on safaris. I am not implying that the mentioned companies are no good, I am just saying that out of all the thousands of companies selling safaris, you can not just make a list of 10.

What do you think yourself Michael?

Cheers from Holland.

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African Safari Specialists: 16 Experts We Trust

By Paul Brady

Even the most hardcore travelers we know—the sort of people who plan their own hikes through Patagonia , ride motor scooters up and down Vietnam, and bareboat charter in the BVIs—get a little skittish when it comes to that most bucket-y of bucket trips, the ultimate African safari . And who can blame them? It’s tough to find legit info, the geography’s confusing, there’s a bunch of indecipherable lingo, and the price tag— oh, the price tag . When you’re spending more than $1,000 a day for what’s supposed to be the trip of a lifetime, even the most intrepid travelers are gonna get skittish.

Which is why we always advise travelers to book their next African adventure with the help of a travel specialist , somebody who’s actually stayed in the tented camps, walked through the bush with the guides, and been on those puddle-jumpers you’re planning to take. These experts know what’s up, because they’ve already been where you wanna go—and the other places you hadn’t even considered that may even be a little bit better. So whether you want to see the big five, track the Great Migration, paddle through the Okavango, or cruise the Skeleton Coast, these are the go-to experts that can help you pull it off.

Dan Achber, Trufflepig Achber knows Botswana particularly well—he’s organized multiday paddles on the Selinda Spillway and game counts with zebra researchers working in the Makgadikgadi Pans.

Cherri Briggs, Explore, Inc. Briggs has spent more than two decades planning trips to Africa , and her latest focus is lesser-known but awe-inspiring places like Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and Zambia.

Deborah Calmeyer, Roar Africa With her far-reaching network that includes some of the region’s savviest guides, she can get you into private homes, gardens, and art collections you can’t otherwise see.

Linda Friedman, Custom Safaris She’s planned lots of multigenerational family safaris, and she’s also expert at gorilla tracking in Rwanda .

Julian Harrison, Premier Tours He’s arranged trips with wildlife film-makers Dereck and Beverly Joubert, as well as with lion and rhino researchers.

Ryan Hilton, AuthentEscapes He’s planned photography workshops in the bush, connected travelers with anti-poaching teams, and coordinated a ten-day, 62-mile walking safari through raw wilderness.

Will Jones, Journeys by Design A native of Africa, Jones has been working in safaris since 1994, managing camps, guiding trips, and planning way-out-there expeditions into tribal villages and stretches of untouched wilderness.

Michael Lorentz, Passage to Africa Lorentz shines at back-of-beyond trips to Ethiopia and mobile safaris in Botswana, where you’ll spot meerkat, hyena, and other wildlife.

Henrietta Loyd, Cazenove + Loyd She’ll arrange safaris through tribal regions of Kenya, art tours in Cape Town , and meetings with politicos in Ethiopia.

Mark Nolting, The Africa Adventure Company For off-the-map safaris led by researchers in places like the rarely visited Mabuasehube Game Reserve, Nolting is our guy.

Wil Smith and Karen Zulauf, Deeper Africa They take walking safaris seriously, pairing you up with leading researchers, game wardens, anti-poaching teams, and guides for itineraries in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Teresa Sullivan, Mango African Safaris Sullivan knows which routes, camps, and game reserves are best suited to families, and she’s coordinated multiday walks in the Kenyan bush.

Phoebe Weinberg, Greatways Travel Weinberg can get you the best rooms (like No. 6 at Singita Lebombo Lodge or No. 1 at Vumbura Plains), plus over-the-top extras like helicopter flights above the Okavango Delta.

Nina Wennersten and Daniel Saperstein, Hippo Creek Safaris This duo pulls off spectacular trips in Kenya (to the Segera Retreat, for example), South Africa (where they’ll arrange private wine tastings), and Tanzania (where they recommend Roving Bushtops).

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Travelling Without a Passport

The Best Safari Destinations in the World (Updated 2022)

From seeing animals in their natural habitats to camping under the stars in open plains, discover the best safari destinations in the world!

A safari is an incredible way to encounter nature and wildlife in Africa or Asia . From seeking out the big five on a safari in Africa to immersing yourself in grassy plains in Sri Lanka and jungle terrain in India , it’s the experience of a lifetime. We share the best safari destinations in the world.

Travel on: a safari tour

1. Okavango Delta, Botswana

Head to northern Botswana for one of the world’s largest inland river deltas, the Okavango Delta . The wildlife encounters visitors will experience here are remarkable. Amid the grassy plains, the cry of hyenas, the roar of lions, the growl of leopards, giraffes, and rhinos will become the melody of your safari. The wetter pastures are home to hippos, elephants, and crocodiles. This is one of Africa’s most epic safari destinations.

2. Ranthambore National Park, India

Ranthambore ‘s wild jungle scrub is home to many creatures from the animal kingdom, but the fiercest by far is the tiger. You’ll be blown away by the crocodile-filled lakes, the ancient temples and mosques, the beautiful remnants left behind by maharajas that used to hunt here, once upon a time. But nothing will leave you as breathless than seeing as seeing a tiger in the wild for the first time.

Travel on: a Tiger safari

3. Kruger National Park, South  Africa

As one of Africa’s largest game reserves, Kruger National Park tends to get crowded, but there’s a reason for that. This stunning park in northeastern South Africa is one of the best destinations to live out your safari dreams. From big five animals like lions, leopards, and elephants to exotic birds soaring down from the sky, there are plenty of opportunities to spot beasts in their natural habitat here.

Travel on: a Big Five safari

4. Serengeti, Tanzania

The Serengeti is considered to be the land that inspired Disney’s Lion King, and it’s not hard to believe. From proud lions stalking across the open plains to beautiful breeds of birds flying above you, this national park is the quintessential safari destination. Every year, the Serengeti becomes the place of migration for over a million wildebeest and zebras in the hundreds of thousands. You won’t forget this trip in a hurry.

Travel on: a Serengeti safari

5. Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania

There are many things in this beautiful conservation area of Tanzania that will take your breath away. Ngorongoro Conservation Area is one of Africa’s many wonders. When you are seeking out lions or marvelling at the spectacle of thousands of wildebeests and zebras migrating, the rest of the world will fade away. Among the many things you will experience in this epic safari destination, the massive Ngorongoro Crater and Olduvai Gorge fossils are a must-see.

Travel on: a Ngorongoro safari

6. Yala Park, Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s most famous park is located next to the Indian Ocean. Comprised of dense forest, lush grasslands, and blue lakes along with fascinating beasts like leopards, elephants, monkeys, and crocodiles, and hundreds of bird species, Yala Park is a dream safari destination alright. Travellers who go deeper into the park will be rewarded with a chance to explore pilgrimage sites, caves marked with century-old rock paintings, and the ancient Buddhist ruins of Magul Maha Viharaya. 

Travel on: a Yala safari

7. Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s largest safari destination doesn’t disappoint. Sprawled across 14,651 square kilometres, you’ll encounter elephant herds, lions, and African wild dogs in the grasslands and mopane woods found in the area. While there’s plenty of wildlife to feast your eyes on (107 animal species and 400 breeds of bird), elephants are what make Hwange so magical; the park is home to one of the largest populations on the planet.

Travel on: a Hwange safari

8. South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

There are lots of places to discover the wildlife in Africa, but the sheer density of animals makes South Luangwa one of the continent’s best safari destinations. The open plains are home to marching elephants, impalas, pukus, and buffaloes, meanwhile hippos take dips in the river and leopards hunt for their next meal. If that doesn’t delight, look up to the sky, and you’ll see hundreds of birds flying above you.

See Also: First Time Safari Tips: How to Get the Most Out of Your Trip

9. Masai Mara Reserve, Kenya

The wilderness of Masai Mara is stunning. The Mara and Talek rivers snake through grasslands, river woodlands, and acacia trees, while the animal kingdom’s finest go about their day. Lions, cheetahs, elephants, zebras, and hippos can be found in their natural habitat, and wildebeest too, as they pass through these lands for their annual migration. Along with the wildlife, visitors can explore the nearby Masaai villages and learn about their customs from locals.

Travel on: a Masai Mara safari

10. Etosha National Park, Namibia

Even if you’ve been on a safari in Africa before, Etosha National Park is a different experience altogether. Firstly, Namibia’s landscape in vivid colours is incredible as it is, but the sight of hundreds of animals flocking to the watering holes is spellbinding. In other parks, visitors go looking for animals, but here, they will make their way to you, lions, elephants, and other creatures will all come out to play.

Travel on: an Etosha safari

11. Chobe National Park, Botswana

Chobe is Botswana’s first national park and famed for being biologically diverse. Picture antelopes galloping across the plains, hippos seeking cool respite in the lagoons of Linyanti Marsh, and herds of elephants and Cape buffalo flocking to the Chobe riverfront. Even when you’re not watching for animals in the wild, camp under the stars and you have different ways to immerse yourself in the wilderness.

Travel on: a Chobe safari

12. Bwindi Impenetrable National  Park, Uganda 

Bwindi’s mountainous terrain is home to many of the world’s remaining gorillas. In this biodiverse region, this endangered species has some much-needed peace and can be observed feeding off ancient roots and trees native to the region. Make your way to the dense forests of Bwindi for a rare chance to experience something out of this world: gorillas in the wild.

13. Kalahari Desert, Botswana

Spread across three countries, a considerable mass of Botswana, parts of Namibia and South Africa , the Kalahari is an amazing and surreal safari destination. It’s home to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, which is one of the last unspoiled ecosystems on the planet. It may be arid, but it’s brimming with wildlife, roaring lions and cackling hyenas are just some of the creatures found here.

See Also: Last minute safari deals

Based in Toronto, Sahar is a full-time content editor for Days to Come and part-time travel junkie.

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Africa’s Trusted Hunting Outfitter “Since 1999"

Kaiwhai Safaris is a leading African Outfitter that specialises in tailor-made luxury African Hunting Safaris. We’ve been in operation since 1999 and have hunted with hundreds of clients over a 25 year span.

Each Safari is custom designed to your personal preferences to ensure that each client get the best African hunting experience, with a bit of luxury… Just because we are in Africa doesn’t mean we have to rough it. Our lodges are world-class and come standard with wi-fi, air-conditioning and all the extras you need, to enjoy your stay in style and comfort.

We hunt only the best quality trophy animals and our guides have many years of experience, hunting with guests from many parts of the world. 

We own the land in South Africa and Namibia that we hunt on, totaling over 300,000 acres. Over and above that, we have 2 further concessions in Botswana and the Caprivi that covers over 890,000 and 500,000 acres respectively. Combined our private land and concessions offer over 45 species of African animals to hunt. 

Whether you prefer rifle hunting or bow hunting, we have the perfect safari for you.

As a testament to our great service, the largest number of our clients each year are returning clients, who hunted with us before. We do not have any clients….. we only have friends!!

GETAWAY TO AFRICA

Our “ Getaway to Africa ” Hunting Show on the Sportsman Channel is a huge success and we regularly film new episodes in Namibia and South Africa. If you interested in being on the show feel free to contact us for more information.

Here is a short introduction to the show.

“In a civilized and cultivated country wild animals only continue to exist at all when preserved by sportsmen.  The excellent people who protest against all hunting, and consider sportsmen as enemies of wildlife, are ignorant of the fact that in reality the genuine sportsman is by all odds the most important factor in keeping the larger and more valuable wild creatures from total extermination.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Our Hunting Areas

Kaiwhai Safaris have exclusive hunting concessions for rifle and bow hunting in South Africa and Namibia. Click on the below links for more information on each area.

SOUTH AFRICA – HUNTING CONCESSIONS

NAMIBIA – PLAINS GAME CONCESSIONS

NAMIBIA – DANGEROUS GAME CONCESSIONS

Kaiwhai Safaris is owned and operated by Francois Els and Erik Potgieter, and between us we have more than 40 years of hunting experience. We have a team of professional guides that we have hand selected, with many years of experience hunting the wilds of Africa.

Hunting in Africa is our absolute passion and we have a great wealth of knowledge to pass on to our clients and ensure that each hunt is a lifetime experience. We have some of the most prolific concessions in Southern Africa with more than 45 species available to hunt. 

We tailor-make each and every safari to the specific needs of our guests and ensure that the best possible animals are harvested.

We assist with the planning and booking phase of your hunt, make all the necessary arrangements, get all permits and licenses in place, and the then personally guide each and every hunt. 

We also have many years of experience in the tourism industry and can plan and assist with luxury photographic safaris all over Africa.

Give us a call so we could escort you on your next hunting trip to Africa.

Latest Information

2024 usa roadshow.

Hi guys. We are exhibiting at quite a few hunting conventions in January and February 2024. DSC (Dallas)    –   January 11-14 HSCF (Houston)   –    January 19-21 GHC (San Antonio)    –    January 26-28 SCI (Nashville)    –    January 31 – February 3 Texas Gun Ranch    –    February 9-10 WHE …

Continue reading “2024 USA Roadshow”

If you want to send us a general message, please complete the form below and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Or click here to send an email directly

__________________________________________________

Alternatively you can reach us on:

Francois Els Tel (US):    (469)698-3030 Tel (SA): +27 82 894 7246 Email:    [email protected]

Erik Potgieter Tel:          +27 79 989 9992 Email:    [email protected]

Kaiwhai Safaris Office – Carmyn Schoeman Tel:          +27 79 695 6749 Email:    [email protected]

Or contact any of our representatives nearest to you…. __________________________________________________

*** Montana

Claudia Schmidt Tel:  406-580-7521 __________________________________________________

Bart Gardner Tel:  214-675-4435

___________________________________________________

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The best new African safari camps

By Condé Nast Traveller

An African safari is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that every traveller should have. To be among some of the world's most captivating  wildlife  and untouched landscapes  on the planet, just a few feet away from leopards lounging on trees or gazelles gallivanting across the Lower Zambezi, is a feeling far unmatched by a cityscape. And with a host of new African safari camps, there isn't a better time to venture into the wilderness than now…

Wilderness Usawa Serengeti

Given its presence across Africa, safari brand Wilderness has taken its time to arrive in the Serengeti, but last summer it made its move, partnering with local walking-safari pioneer and TV regular Jean Du Plessis. Solar-powered mobile camp Usawa is designed to leave no trace. It was joined late last year by a second camp and, in July, will become part of a trio, all three easy to disassemble and use at any of the nine walking zones scattered across 5,700 square miles of park. The concept? Seamless private on-foot access to the Great Migration, Africa’s 1,200-mile odyssey of life, death and rebirth. Days at Usawa are a timeless tapestry of wild species amid endless vistas – from lions, giraffes, elephants and hippos to the mega-herds of wildebeests, zebras and elands; and the crocodiles and hyenas who lie in wait. Du Plessis’s knowledge of the terrain curates a Serengeti seemingly devoid of other humans. The six tents were designed by glamping pioneer Luxury Frontiers (Camp Sarika by Amangiri, Nayara Tented Camp) and cater for 12 around a central tent where campfire dining unfurls below sprawling, star-strewn skies. From the tents to the acacia-thorn light fittings, handblown glassware and ebony furniture, everything has been commissioned locally. While the animal kingdom runs through the barks and shrieks of its nightly playlist, guests enjoy a prime selection of mainly South African wines paired with international and regional treats, including the moreish Zanzibari urojo, a coconut- and dhal-rich spiced stew. Andrew Harris

Website: wildernessdestinations.com Price: from about £750 per person

North Island Okavango

If the name sounds familiar, that’s intentional. Similar to its Seychellois namesake, this retreat occupies its own island, is surrounded by wildlife and has all the starry qualities set to make it a dazzling success. Some of the team who worked on the lauded Indian Ocean launch more than two decades ago have since founded Natural Selection, the management company overseeing this, Botswana’s sexiest new lodge. Set in a community-owned concession on the edge of the Okavango Delta’s panhandle shared with only one other camp, North Island enjoys a degree of exclusivity – although game drives often meander into the neighbouring concession, where Natural Selection also manages Duke’s and Duke’s East. Wild dogs are among the top animal draws here, with several known active dens attracting the likes of BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit, which filmed a sequence for Planet Earth III in the delta area. Spearheading a new trend for micro-camps, the lodge has three suites (with a fourth to follow in March) that horseshoe around a lagoon, fanning from an open-front dining area and marble-topped help-yourself bar – an ideal gathering spot for multigenerational buyouts. Especially glorious at dusk, a decking area snakes into the lagoon, negating the need to head anywhere else for a sundowner, and there’s a well-equipped outdoor gym and hot tub. Shaded by ebony and jackalberry trees, the villas sit on elevated wooden platforms tickled by reeds, with plunge pools, outdoor showers and wraparound verandas perfect for watching elephants munch on fallen fruit. Sarah Marshall

True Travel offers three nights at North Island Okavango from £7,700 per person all-inclusive, with regional flights and transfers.

Onduli Ridge

If the Flintstones were transported to Namibia , this is where they’d live: among the giant boulders of Damaraland in one of the least populated areas of the second-least populated country on earth. The landscape – part dry desert grasslands, part Mars-like miles of stone – is spectacular: scattered with rocks of all morphologies and colours, from black basalt to shards of glittering granite, and dotted with huge boulders and stunted, hardy trees. Ultimate Safaris’ Onduli Ridge sits on a neck between two inselbergs, with views from the rooms at dawn and dusk over wide, flat plains and, in the distance, the purply peaks of the Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain range. Every room is spacious and set high up on a deck among the rocks. In some, the showerhead juts from a hunk of granite; in all, bathrooms are partly open to the hills and sky, and the bed can be wheeled onto the deck for stargazing. Ultimate Safaris is renowned for upskilling local workforces, and the cooks, trained from the community, turn out inventive and fresh food, from tapas lunches served on multilayered wooden platters to wood-fired pizzas cooked by the pool under the stars. Local attractions include the  Unesco-protected Twyfelfontein rock-art sites, the Doros Crater, created by a meteorite, a petrified forest and strange geological formations such as the Organ Pipes and Burnt Mountain. Plus, if you’re very lucky, desert-adapted elephants and wild-roaming rhinos. Lisa Grainger

Website: ultimatesafaris.na Price: doubles from about £825 all-inclusive

Angama Amboseli

In a land where everything is big, the only option is to be bold. Africa’s tallest mountain and some of the continent’s last big tuskers set the scale for Angama’s new camp, close to Amboseli, one of Kenya’s prime national parks. Here, 10 canvas-roofed suites arc around the base of Kilimanjaro, with bedside views of the semi-dormant volcano rising from a magical fever tree forest. Taking up exclusive residence in the community-owned Kimana Sanctuary, the camp is set on an ancient elephant migratory route, protecting an area increasingly under threat from agriculture. Built in partnership with NGO Big Life Foundation, which leases the land from Maasai communities, Angama’s first project outside the Mara has its biggest conservation focus to date, and the best place to get a grip on the story is the mushroom-shaped observation tower. Sink into a rocking chair with a sundowner and watch elephant herds parade across swamps while lights twinkle below Kili – a reminder of the challenges cohabiting humans and wildlife face. Every design detail of the camp pays homage to the elephants who regularly pass through: exterior walls are made from dung and concrete, curved surfaces resemble their physical form and textured table mats mimic their coarse skin. A proposed new road will make Amboseli National Park accessible within 30 minutes, although there’s enough wilderness and wonder inside the sanctuary. Along with game drives and elephant tracking on foot, this is a place to rest and relax; a safe haven for four- and two-legged guests. Sarah Marshall

Africa Travel can arrange a three-night stay at Angama Amboseli from £5,490 per person all-inclusive, with international flights and transfers.

Muzimu Lodge

For years, Gorongosa National Park offered basic rondavels and tents with the bare necessities, and a campground for the more intrepid. Those who visited the park – which has undergone a two-decade restoration – weren’t seeking private plunge pools; rather, the extraordinary nature and wildlife. Set at the southern tip of the Rift Valley, Gorongosa has a rich and varied landscape, its dense jungles and infinite savannah roamed by lions and wild dogs. But 2023 ushered in a new era of smarter hospitality with the opening of Muzimu, an intimate tented lodge connected via wooden walkways on the banks of a river bed. The property’s six canvas tents are simple and restrained, with locally made wooden headboards and desks, as well as pendant lights and lounge chairs in colourful printed fabrics. Their wooden decks overlook a thick tangle of palms and acacia trees. In the main spaces, extraordinary salads and home-baked breads created by local chef Vália Dimitri (who did a stint at The Pot Luck Club in Cape Town) are served at dining tables scattered across the deck. There’s also a giant fire pit for late-night stargazing and a tempting pool fringed with sunbeds for a post-drive dip. The traditional daily game drives seem almost mundane compared with the other excursions on offer: you’ll be up mountains; visiting local research labs and coffee plantations; on epic bike rides; and exploring deep limestone gorges and waterfalls. Mary Holland

Website: gorongosa.org Price: from about £770 per person

Fothergill Island

Lake Kariba is like an inland sea in Zimbabwe: a 1.38-million-acre man-made lake bordering Zambia, fed by the Zambezi river and surrounded by spectacular conservation areas. Two wildlife lovers took over Fothergill Island, within the remote Matusadona National Park, in 2019, and transformed it into the lake’s smartest camp, reopening it in 2021. The five one-bedroom canvas-walled suites, two two-bedroom suites and one three-bedroom private retreat are more like mini villas than rooms, most with an outdoor sala, plunge pool, ponds and pretty gardens protected by electrified elephant-proof fences. A practised team of staff serve modern multicultural cuisine, serious international wines and sundowners around a starlit boma and in upscale safari-style living and dining tents, with views over the pool and lake. The real treats, though, are the activities on land and water: game drives with sunny, well-read guides to track lions, elephants and buffaloes; bush breakfasts on sandy river beds over which gem-coloured sunbirds flit; sunset trips into river gorges teeming with hippos and giant crocodiles; and catch-and-release fishing excursions to try to snag the lake’s famously ferocious tigerfish. For the restless there’s a gym, yoga deck and running track; for children, archery, swimming and wildlife excursions with guides who ooze enthusiasm for this special wild spot. Fothergill has a landing strip for charters, and smart speedboats for whizzing to Kariba airport. Lisa Grainger

Website: fothergill.travel Price: from about £590 per person

Khwai Lediba

Striking the balance between creature comforts and adventure isn’t always easy. But African Bush Camps (ABC), helmed by Zimbabwean former guide Beks Ndlovu, has mastered the art of delivering smart, Champagne-popping safaris without compromising on the thrill of waking up in the wild. Its latest project, Khwai Lediba, in the Okavango Delta, is a prime example, bridging a gap between the company’s portfolio of high-end and expedition-style camps. Hidden in a quieter corner of Botswana’s community-owned Khwai concession – now booming with camps – it neighbours slightly more upmarket sister property Khwai Leadwood, opened by ABC in 2020. Both are a decent distance from the mobile campsites used by self-drivers and Khwai’s main airstrip, though a helicopter can provide faster transfers for an additional fee. Much closer is the Khwai River crossing into the Moremi Game Reserve, where most game drives happen, clocking up sightings of lions, leopards and wild dogs. When four-wheel fatigue sets in, walking safaris and breezy late- afternoon mokoro rides unfold in the concession. Elephants frequently pass quietly through, leaving telltale footprints on sandy paths leading to seven wooden-framed canvas tents, including one honeymoon suite and a family room, both with bathtubs. In the main sitting room, bright murals and thatch-woven lampshades foreground local artists. And shared dinners are the place for the local staff’s storytelling skills to shine. Sarah Marshall

Abercrombie & Kent offers three nights at Khwai Lediba from £4,250 per person all-inclusive, with international flights and transfers.

Loapi Tented Camp

South Africa

Loapi is the newest and smartest addition to Tswalu, South Africa’s largest privately owned reserve, in the arid Kalahari. The reserve has been a 25-year passion project for the South African Oppenheimer family, involving three high-end properties, as well as land restoration and conservation initiatives focusing on animals such as rhinos, pangolins and meerkats. Loapi is the most ambitious arrival yet: a collection of six sustainable standalone homes with private house managers, chefs, guides and trackers. Gapp Architects’ striking glass, steel and canvas houses, spaced at least 165 feet apart, are self-sufficient and can be dismantled and moved, leaving the land untouched. Inside, interiors by Cape Town’s Gregory Mellor are flecked with mohair tapestries, clay sculptures, carved wooden panels and textured umber and cream sofas. But it’s all just backdrop for the main view of golden grassy plains and rust earth that bleeds into distant mountains and a cloudless, electric-blue sky. Tswalu is not for the first-time safarigoer who wants to see the Big Five all in one day. But those searching for rare pangolins or aardvarks, black and white rhinos, wild dogs and cheetahs, may be rewarded. At night, guests eat alfresco – a private chef prepares bright butternut salads, droëwors and biltong, tapas treats or cauliflower soup next to a roaring fireplace – so as to stay in nature. It’s big and bold, and, without another soul to be seen, invites introspection. Mary Holland

Red Savannah offers six nights in South Africa from £7,962 per person all-inclusive, with four nights at Loapi Tented Camp, including international flights and transfers.

CNT Editors

Olivia Morelli , CN Traveller

Duke’s Camp

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Thirty year ago, Jack’s Camp blazed on to the  safari scene , pioneering the under-canvas luxury safari in Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pans. Three decades later, sister camp Duke’s has opened in the northern Okavango Delta. It is named in honour of 80-year-old Sarefo “Duke” Sarefo, the official custodian of the land. The camp is set in the Moremi Game Reserve, home to hundreds-strong elephant herds, wild dogs, lions and leopards that occasionally lounge in trees. On the gin-clear water of the delta, which wiggles its way through the camp, sapphire-backed malachite kingfishers pose next to water lilies. They can be spotted from the camp’s mokoro dug-out canoes; from the sun-drenched deck and plunge pool; from the eight eccentrically styled tents (four more are in planning), with large decks for delta-watching. Inside the tents, wooden four-poster beds with scalloped canopies are topped with cosy feather-filled duvets and pinstripe linen. Paisley fabric is draped from the ceiling and vibrant floral cushions are scattered on armchairs. Bathrooms hark back to the 1920s, with brass fittings and mahogany dresser tables. There’s a theatrical vibe in the communal Bedouin-style dining area, where velvet sofas, Persian rugs and silky pouffes circle a low table often topped with silver tea pots and muffins. Sunlight floods in during the day; by evening it is transformed into a cosy lantern-lit dining area and bar.  Hannah Summers

Website:   naturalselection.travel/dukes-camp Price: From about £645 per person per night full board

Tembo Plains Camp

Mana Pools, Zimbabwe

It wasn’t always so easy to sit and watch a relaxed bull elephant tug grass from the ground at the edge of the Zambezi before gently shaking it off in the river. But Tembo Plains Camp, in the Sapi Reserve east of Mana Pools, is the result of a remarkable relocation project by conservationists Dereck and Beverly Joubert and their Great Plains Foundation. Having seen the wildlife overpopulation in the Savé Valley Conservancy in Southern Zimbabwe, the Jouberts began Project Rewild Zambezi, an ongoing plan to relocate more than 3,000 animals 600 miles north to the under-populated Sapi Reserve, including 400 elephants, painted dogs, lions, buffaloes, impalas and more. Tembo Plains, tucked into a forest by a hippo-friendly stretch of the Zambezi, is a classically styled camp, with canopied beds and wildlife-friendly cameras provided in each of the four suites, as well as wooden decks and private pools looking over the river. The staff are some of the warmest in southern Africa, including charismatic manager Lloyd Mushure, who serves G&Ts and stories while angling for tiger fish or on canoe trips spotting hippos and crocodiles. In camp, the steady flow of the river provides a hypnotic backdrop to massages, fireside drinks and Zimbabwean dishes such as Lake Harvest bream curry.  Hannah Summers

Website: greatplainsconservation.com/tembo-plains-camp Price:  From about £860 per person per night full board

Sanctuary Tambarare

Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya

In a corner of the 90,000-acre Ol Pejeta Conservancy, two females have achieved superstar status. Najin and her daughter Fatu are the last remaining northern white rhinos in the world. Their eggs are safely preserved in a hi-tech lab in Italy in the hope of continuing the species via IVF. For now, a new tented camp – Sanctuary Tambarare – offers a welcome base from which to visit these wildlife sensations, whose diets are lovingly and obsessively monitored and who are protected 24/7 by armed guards. Tambarare’s 10 luxury tents, each different but embracing a simple, golden-age-of-safari look, with billowing white curtains, are ensconced in fever trees under the shadow of Mount Kenya. Their deep-blue walls are dotted with Masai-inspired artwork, and there are private verandas with epic grassland views. Reports indicate that Africa’s rhino population dropped by a staggering 97 per cent in less than 30 years. In 1993, only 2,300 wild rhinos remained. Today that number has more than doubled, and Ol Pejeta is home to nearly 150 critically endangered black rhinos – the largest sanctuary for the animals in East and Central Africa. Here, you can ride horses alongside the rhinos and zebras, cycle across the Laikipia plains; walk past the hippos wallowing in the Ewaso Nyiro River or night-ride past polecats, bat-eared foxes and aardvark (a privilege banned in most Kenyan national parks and reserves). Tambarare can sign you up to meet the local anti-poaching canine unit (the bloodhounds are friendlier than you might imagine) and the park’s rapid-response team, who deal with everything from first aid to chasing bandits.  Divia Thani

Website:   abercrombiekent.co.uk/sanctuary-tambarare Price:  Abercrombie & Kent offers four nights all-inclusive at Sanctuary Tambarare and one night at Hemingways Nairobi from £3,995 per person

Sungani And Kulandila

South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

When the Davy family decided to create their own safari camp (having run Anabezi, on the Zambezi, for relatives), the far south-western part of Zambia’s game-rich South Luangwa National Park was fairly untouched. But it had access to nearly 70,000 acres of wilderness and only one other camp nearby. In 2019 they took up the challenge, moving into a couple of tents and designing and building eight-bedroom Sungani, as well as the nearby private-use safari camp Kulandila. Both feel like elegant, welcoming family bush homes, efficiently run by mother and father Lynne and Paul. Their son Michael expertly oversees the walks, canoe trips, boat rides and game drives, while moreish meals are masterminded by former Singita chef Quinton Spocter – from French-patisserie-standard tea spreads to evening feasts that might include delicate Malay-spiced fish or fire-cooked beef. Each of Sungani’s spacious villa-style, canvas-walled rooms is linked by wooden platforms, below which animals can roam – by day warthogs and, at night, hippos waddling from their lily-covered oxbow lagoon. With netted beds, airy living rooms, big baths and outdoor showers, the classic tents are soothing spaces from which to birdwatch or lounge by a plunge pool before heading into the wild to enjoy prolific game: leopards, lions and wild dogs, and almost 500 species of birds. The delivery of a plane and the new Luangwa airstrip means the bumpy if interesting three-hour road trip from Mfuwe is now optional.  Lisa Grainger

Website:   sungani.com Price:  Doubles from about £1,965 all-inclusive

Mila Tented Camp 

Western Serengeti, Tanzania

It’s easy to become blasé about the herds of eland, topi, Thomson’s gazelle, zebra, giraffe and wildebeest grazing around this explorer-style camp in the western Serengeti’s Nyasirori area. Very close to the Grumeti River, where hippos jostle and giant crocodiles bask, it’s free of crowds even at the height of the migration. Brilliant year-round wildlife viewing is the reason Mila went from being a seasonal camp to a permanent one, debuting this May with five tents and a two-bedroom family option in the tawny grasslands. The interiors are romantic yet restrained, and natural fibres rule, from deep khaki Italian-cotton bedsheets to linen throws, slip-covered sofas and handwoven jute underfoot. Reclining leather chairs and bean bags are perfectly positioned to spot jackals and hyenas slinking across the open plains. Multiple mess tents mean not having to share space, so private dining is the norm, and everyone gets a private vehicle. Chefs rotate between Legendary Safaris’ camps, keeping standards high in the humble tented kitchens. An authentic Swahili feast wows as much as chilled pea soup with a swirl of chilli oil followed by seared beef or gnocchi, butternut churros and masala chai. When the morning safari is too good to miss, breakfast is delivered wherever you are – fresh fruit, croissants with pineapple jam, East African-style omelettes and strong Tanzanian coffee. This is the way to safari, with a real sense of intimacy with the wild, vast landscape.  Jane Broughton

Website: cartologytravel.com Price:  Cartology Travel offers seven nights from about £7,210 per person, including transfers

Camp Sossus

Sossusvlei, Namibia

It’s no surprise that the deserts of  Namibia are regularly used as backdrops for sci-fi movies; few places look as unearthly. On a 60,000-acre private concession bordering the World Heritage Site of the Namib Sand Sea, Ultimate Safaris’ founder Tristan Cowley has created an eco desert camp that makes this Mars-like environment not only habitable but comfortable. Every detail has been designed so visitors can connect with nature: the six newly redesigned canvas-and-mesh-walled rooms, clad with protective, rust-coloured “skins” made from recycled oil drums, now have open-air bathrooms with star beds so guests can shower and sleep under the clearest skies on the planet. Private outside areas have shaded day-beds sited to trap cooling westerly breezes for afternoon naps, and a deck has been expanded for sunset yoga, sundowners and lamp-lit dinners. Unlike at most other desert camps, here guests have the  family-friendly private reserve to themselves: to walk or mountain bike, to watch zebras and oryx graze on shimmering grasslands, to swim in spring-filled bush pools, to dine on summits with views of the rippling Tsaris Mountains and the mammoth dunes of nearby Sossusvlei. Best of all, Cowley is one of Namibia’s leading guides, and for Sossus, as with the camp he launched on Onduli Ridge in Damaraland last year, he has created immersive experiences from children’s botany walks and family cycle rides to astronomy lessons by the fire. The camp can be taken privately, as can Namibia’s most inventively designed home, The Nest, tucked up in the hills like a giant thatched bird’s nest.  Lisa Grainger

Website:   ultimatesafaris.na/camp-sossus Price:  doubles from about £435 full board

Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge

Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

The site of the greatest migration on Earth, Serengeti National Park has become increasingly busy – with more than 40 vehicles at some river crossings. But because andBeyond’s Grumeti Serengeti property is in the far north-west, with few other camps around, wildlife spotting here is relatively private. That is, if you can tear yourself away from the rebuilt designer lodge. Strung above the Grumeti River, in which pods of hippos harrumph and baboons screech, 10 teak-clad modernist villas lie either side of an open-fronted living area, with decks dropping towards the water. As with the company’s other star project,  Lolebezi in Zambia , designers Fox Browne have made this Tanzanian outpost a showcase for contemporary pan-African design: kitenge-covered pouffes alongside hand-woven sisal tables; wooden bamileke tables from West Africa, beaded Namji dolls and a collection of artefacts. For those who don’t want to go on the twice-daily game drives (on which lions are pretty much guaranteed year-round, alongside hundreds of thousands of migrating wildebeest in June and July), there is a circular pool to laze beside, plus morning walks, in-room massages and yoga sessions. In the evening guests converge around a central domed bar lit by orbs of locally blown glass, before migrating to a boma dinner, cigars around a star-lit fire pit and late-night whiskies beside their private plunge pool.  Lisa Grainger

Website:   andbeyond.com/grumeti-serengeti-river-lodge Price:  from about £1,875 per person per night full board

Waterside At Royal Malewane

Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa

Along with enviable locations and pitch-perfect service, lived-in opulence has become a trademark of the Royal Portfolio’s South African hotel collection. Not too far from where it all began at Royal Malewane 22 years ago, this latest addition to Thornybush – a private game reserve that forms part of the Greater Kruger conservation area – feels more like a private home than a hotel. Owner Liz Biden has gone all out to create lavishly layered spaces where jewel-bright colours enliven everything from rugs to walls, antiques to repurposed junkyard salvages. This is a theatrical, transportive experience that amplifies rather than detracts from the vibrancy of the surrounding bush, which crackles with life deep into the night. Even the luminous fever trees, towering above the thatched lodge on the water’s edge, look like they’ve been touched up. There are seven suites with one or two bedrooms, as well as a four-bedroom villa – all with solar-heated pools and air-conditioning that runs on solar power and recycled water. A buzzing open-air bar serves cocktails made with local spirits, and a sommelier picks bottles from the wine cellar to enjoy with seasonal menus. There are many reasons to stay in camp, including a library, lap pool, gym, yoga studio and spa, plus a games room geared to children of all ages – but there are also 34,600 acres waiting to be explored by vehicle or on foot. From birding to epic sightings of lion prides and wild dogs, every outing is amplified in the company of experienced guides and trackers who, collectively, have the highest professional qualifications in the business.  Jane Broughton

Website:   theroyalportfolio.com/royal-malewane Price: from about £1,035 per person per night full board

Mara Plains Camp

Masai Mara, Kenya

This small, remote camp combines a splash of Indiana Jones with a great dollop of luxury in the middle of  Kenya’s Masai Mara . Tents are spaced apart amid a cluster of acacia trees, where the only sound at night is the occasional snort of a buffalo. The place has the air of a Thirties film set, with wooden campaign furniture and Eastern-inspired carpets. But channelling wilderness camping on a seven-star level is the new Mara Plains Jahazi Suite, a spacious two-bedroom tented pavilion set on raised railway-sleeper decking (past which a steady stream of wildlife parades). An indoor dining area leads to a private outdoor veranda and copper baths to melt into. By night, Mara Plains is an enchanting place: candles glitter in lanterns as chefs prepare dishes of tender grilled lamb, potato fritters, passion-fruit roulades and cheese platters with homemade chutney. Breakfast is a treat of orange-zest-flavoured pancakes and fresh coffee served on canvas chairs outside. Game drives reveal a pride of lions sprawled on a rocky escarpment, a breathtaking sight as cubs frolic and snooze in the pampas grass. Other wildlife surprises include kudus, fork-tailed drongoes, hippos mating in the river and mongoose hurtling across rutted tracks. This is the African safari dream, remote and restful, skies with fleeting Daliesque cumulus cloud formations in a landscape untouched for millennia.  Geordie Greig

Website: africatravel.com/mara-plains-camp Price:  Africa Travel offers stays from £1,190 per person per night full board, including game-viewing activities, park fees, flights and transfers (minimum two nights)

Xigera Safari Lodge

Sitting in the richly biodiverse Okavango Delta, Xigera has lions, leopards and semi-aquatic red lechwes on its doorstep. What’s maybe more surprising about this opening from global operators Red Carnation Hotels is that it’s home to one of the world’s largest collections of South African art and design, curated in collaboration with Cape Town’s forward-thinking Southern Guild gallery. This commitment to art shines in everything guests see and touch, from handmade black clay coffee cups by Cape Town ceramicist Chuma Maweni to the dining tables with warped fairy-tale legs by Kenya-born artist Stanislaw Trzebinski. The food is a few notches above most safari fare: a team of five bake the lightest, flakiest pastries for morning game drives and six-course chef’s-table meals, with each chef given free rein to follow obsessions (one menu has a dish dedicated to the much-overlooked onion). Food waste is composted and given to local farmers for free, with vegetables purchased back from them. Herbs are bought from a female-run collective in Maun, the closest city. The 12 suites, reached by a series of raised light-impact wooden walkways, are so large that the super-king beds look modest. Each is different, but all have statement lamps, colourful patterned sofas and indoor and outdoor rain showers stocked with all-natural tulip- and yuzu-scented toiletries. A remote three-storey steel baobab tree with a roof deck can be booked to sleep out in the bush itself. Hannah Summers

Website: xigera.com Price:  Doubles from about £2,355 full board

Usangu Expedition Camp

Ruaha National Park, Tanzania

Ruaha is one of those wildernesses that safari lovers keep to themselves. Unlike the busy Serengeti, Tanzania’s second biggest park has just 12 camps, and no one had ventured to this particular corner for decades until this summer, when Asilia constructed a light-footprint camp in the Usangu Wetlands in the far south. Poachers roamed freely and unchecked rice farms on the park’s perimeter drained the Ruaha River. Conservationists hope the opening of an expedition camp here will halt this destruction with the help of visitors. When not relaxing in the four solar-powered, mesh-fronted rooms overlooking the plains, guests help guides with research on game drives. Each of the camp’s recycled ethanol-powered four-wheel-drives is fitted with technology to feed information back to the Eco-Research Centre: telemetry systems to track collared cats, GPS radios to pinpoint sightings and thermal night cameras to spot nocturnal creatures. Half of the 16 Tanzanian staff are young villagers who are relishing Asilia’s training – from guide Anderson Pakomyus Mesilla, who three years ago didn’t speak English and now reels off Latin tree names, to Aly Mang’unda, the 22-year-old chef, who creates delicious dishes using just a fire. Beside each room is a square-netted star tent, so guests can sleep with the Milky Way above and the sounds of lions and hyenas roaring and whooping around. Treats on game drives include huge herds of topis, alongside sables, roans and cheetahs.  Lisa Grainger

Website:   asiliaafrica.com/usangu-expedition-camp Price:  Doubles from about £1,290 full board

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Under new management, safari outfitters is the world's oldest hunt consulting firm, established in 1952. from hunting marco polo in tajikistan to the wilds of africa and all points in between.

We pride ourselves in giving accurate, thorough hunting advice and we specialize in constructing personalized itineraries designed to achieve specific goals. Let us help you hunt the world!

Hunting in Africa with our top professionals can be an amazing experience. We have been arranging African safaris for over 63 years and have partnered with only those professional hunters with a proven track record.

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Dragonflight Season 4 Content Update Notes

Dragonflight Season 4 arrives to World of Warcraft on April 23!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

New updates are highlighted in gold ., dragonflight season 4.

Powerful rewards await in Season 4 to deliver the best of what the Dragonflight expansion offers. Jump into the new Mythic+ dungeon rotation, rally your forces for new challenges in raids, prepare for the new PvP season, and ready yourselves for The War Within . [ LEARN MORE ]

Awakened Raids

• Every week during Dragonflight Season 4, one of the three Dragonflight raids will become Awakened: Vault of the Incarnates; Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible; or Amirdrassil, the Dream's Hope. Enemies within Awakened raids are stronger and drop upgraded loot with a higher item level.
• Vault of the Incarnates: Sign of Awakened Storms – Dragonscale Expedition, Maruuk Centaur, and Iskaara Tuskaar
• Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible: Sign of Awakened Embers – Loamm Niffen, Soridormi, and Sabellian/Wrathion
• Amirdrassil, the Dream's Hope: Sign of Awakened Dreams – Dream Wardens and Valdrakken Accord
• All raids Awakened: All the above reputations are increased
• All three raids will also drop a new tier token to exchange for new tier pieces with the appearance and set bonus combination that  players voted for .
• Exchange 2 Bullion for weapons and powerful items from the Dragonflight raids from the vendors in the Parting Glass in Valdrakken.
• An additional vendor nearby sells Jigglesworth Sr mount for 3 Bullion and cosmetics that grant you the choice of any raid weapon appearance at any difficulty color for 1 Bullion each.
• Legendary items will drop as usual from raids, but players who have previously obtained them can purchase a Scale of Awakening to upgrade their items to the Season 4 ilvls (base is 502 and can be upgraded further through Crests and Flightstones).
• Complete all three Awakened  Dragonflight raids on Normal difficulty to receive the Voyaging Wildering dynamic flying mount.
• Earn the new title, "Awakened Hero", for completing the Awakened raids on Heroic difficulty.
• Those who complete the Awakened raids on Mythic difficulty are rewarded with Path Portals to the three raids.
• Return to all eight Dragonflight dungeons for a refined and rewarding progression curve for Heroic, Mythic, and Mythic+ with better pacing and meaningful rewards: Ruby Life Pools, Brackenhide Hollow, The Nokhud Offensive, Uldaman: Legacy of Tyr, Neltharus, The Azure Vault, Halls of Infusion, and Algeth’ar Academy.
• Dedicated defenders can obtain the new Keystone Master mount, Infinite Armoredon, once the  Dragonflight Keystone Master: Season 4 achievement is attained.
• Earn the new title "The Draconic" after obtaining Dragonflight Keystone Conqueror: Season 4 when you reach a Mythic+ Rating of 1500 during Dragonflight Season 4.
• "The Draconic Hero" can be earned from the achievement Draconic Hero: Dragonflight Season 4 when reaching a Mythic+ Rating in the top 0.1% of all players in your region.
• Season 4 arrives with PvP rankings reset, new gear sets, mounts, titles, and more!
• Earn the Vicious Dreamtalon (Horde or Alliance version) for Rated Arena and Rated Battleground, and the Draconic Gladiator’s Drake and "Draconic Gladiator" title for earning the Draconic Gladiator: Dragonflight Season 4  achievement.
• "Draconic Legend" title can be earned after attaining Draconic Legend: Dragonflight Season 4  when ending the season in the top 0.1% of the Solo Shuffle ladder.

DUNGEON CHANGES

Dragonflight  Season 4 brings with it a variety of changes, including new adjustments to dungeons, their progression, and rewards. [ LEARN MORE ]

• One of the most notable changes players can look forward to is the removal of the timer for Mythic Keystone dungeons for what are currently 0 and 10. Players can run through these dungeons at their own pace without the need to watch the clock while still honing their skills.
• Heroic difficulty and rewards will move up to roughly the current level of Mythic 0. These dungeons will remain available to queue into via Group Finder (default hotkey: “I”), though the item level requirement to queue will also go up accordingly.
• Mythic 0 difficulty and rewards will move up to roughly the current level of Mythic 8-10 (this is a bit hand-wavy - numerically it’s close to M10 but not having a timer at all or affixes really offsets that quite a bit).
• This difficulty is unchanged.
• The tuning and rewards of this difficulty are increasing to be equivalent to a baseline Mythic (Mythic 0) dungeon in the current system.
• Mythic difficulty changes and mechanics will not be present in this difficulty.
• This remains a queueable experience.
• The tuning and rewards of this difficulty are increasing to the equivalent of a +10 dungeon with affixes in the current system.
• There are no timers, affixes, or limitations on changing specializations or talents while in the dungeon.
• The goal is to create a mega-dungeon like difficulty for this experience. This difficulty should present a meaningful challenge and provide commensurate rewards without the pressures of the current Mythic+ system.
• Mythic 0 is still on a weekly lockout under this model.
• A +5 should be as hard as a +15 and +10 should be as hard as a +20 in the current Mythic+ system etc.
• +2 - Fortified/Tyrannical
• +5 - Entangling / Incorporeal etc.
• +10 - Bursting / Bolstering etc.
• Dungeon ratings should be equivalent to what they represent in the current system.
• There should be a smaller range of keystone levels to find groups for, and more meaningful progression between each level.
• At the beginning of Season 4, all Keystones will be reset to level 2, regardless of levels. This is done due to our difficulty refactoring of Mythic and Mythic+.
• It’s important to note that the basic structure of dungeon rewards is not changing significantly, so what you would have earned for completing a Mythic 0 will be earnable in the Heroic difficulty dungeon instead. 
• Flightstone earnings for any given Mythic+ will match the equally challenging Mythic+ from previous seasons. This means that a Mythic +2 in Season 4 will give the same number of Flightstones as a Mythic +12 in Season 3 currently does. The rewards will continue to match difficulty, even if what we’re calling those difficulty changes.
• Bonus Flightstone awards for increasing any party member’s Mythic+ score remain unchanged.
• Whelpling Crests are no longer available from Mythic+ dungeons, as those difficulties no longer exist. Players can continue to collect Whelpling Crests from many outdoor sources.
• Players will earn 10 Drake Crests on successful completion of a Mythic 0 dungeon, as there is no timer to beat.
• Wyrm Crests will be available in Mythic +2 to Mythic +5 dungeons in the same quantities as existing Mythic+ dungeons.
• Aspect Crests will be available in any Mythic difficulty from +6 and up, also in the same quantities as existing Mythic+ dungeons.

NORTHREND CUP

On April 30 through May 14, soar through the Northrend skies with the dragonrider racing event, Northrend Cup.

Challenge twelve races across Northrend in Normal, Advanced, and Reverse variations to earn Riders of Azeroth Badges to exchange for rewards with Maztha in Valdrakken. Complete all Northrend Cup races on Gold to earn the achievement Northrend Racing Completionist: Gold, Northrend Racer title, and Ruby Riders of Azeroth tabard. Head to Valdrakken and speak to Lord Andestrasz near the Rostrum of Transformation to pick up the initial quest.

New rewards are available for purchase with Riders of Azeroth Badges: Icy Drake Racer's transmog set and Checkered Pennant.

Developer's note: In Season 4, we're reducing the overall throughput of some healers to better align with our tuning goals as well as increase the comparative power of Holy Paladin, Preservation Evoker, and Holy Priest without needing to further escalate the capabilities of healers.

• All healing done reduced by 5%. Does not apply in PvP combat.
• All healing done reduced by 13%. Does not apply in PvP combat.
• Developer's note: As part of our goal for balancing healers in raids, we would like to reduce raid healing output for Discipline Priest without affecting them in other content.
• Atonement transfers 35% of damage to healing (was 40%).
• Atonement healing increased by 70% outside of raids (was 50%).

DUNGEONS AND RAIDS

• In-combat resurrection spells in Looking for Raid difficulty now use the same shared-charge system as other raid difficulties.
• Groups in Looking for Raid difficulty now start combat with six in-combat resurrection charges, and gain a charge every 90-150 seconds, depending on group size.
• Volcanic Heart now targets 4 players on Mythic difficulty (was 5).
• Hurricane Wing's pushback strength reduced by 10% on all difficulties.
• Lightning Devastation cast time increased to 4 seconds (was 3 seconds).
• Flame Shield reduced by 23%.
• Shattering Shroud healing absorb reduced by 20%.
• Dawn of the Infinite: Hard Mode tuning and rewards have been updated.
• Hard mode does not have a timer and rewards a Hero track item. Hard mode is intended to be more challenging than a standard Mythic difficulty dungeon.
• Spellbound Scepter Arcane Rain has been removed.
• Spellbound Scepter Mystic Blast can no longer be interrupted.
• Spectral Invoker's Arcane Missiles damage reduced by 50%.
• Firestorm frequency reduced to 8 seconds (was 5 seconds).
• Savage Peck's initial damage reduced by 13%.
• Savage Peck's periodic damage reduced by 33%.
• Addressed an issue where Deafening Screech can go off after the cast is interrupted.
• Mana Bomb periodic damage reduced by 20%.
• Corrupted Mana now has a slight delay before inflicting damage to players inside of its effect.
• New Mythic mechanic: Unleash Energy – The Echo of Doragosa unleashes powerful arcane energy, inflicting Arcane damage to all players and opening Arcane Rifts in nearby locations.
• Astral Breath cast time has been increased to 3 seconds (was 2 seconds).
• Increased the Mythic+ timer by 2 minutes.
• Piercing Shard now has a precast visual.
• Piercing Shard impact area reduced by 25%.
• Conjured Lasher Mystic Vapors will now be cast less frequently.
• Arcane Tender's Erratic Growth cast time increased to 3.5 seconds (was 2.5 seconds).
• Unstable Curator's Heavy Tome will now be cast less frequently.
• Shoulder Slam's knockback has been removed.
• Shoulder Slam now inflicts Physical damage and increases Physical damage taken by 10%.
• Shoulder Slam will now be cast less frequently.
• Erupting Fissures now follows current target player.
• Reduced the frequency of periodic damage from Overwhelming Energy to every 2.5 seconds (was every 2 seconds).
• Oppressive Miasma removed in Mythic difficulty.
• Crystalize now pulses Arcane damage while the crystal is shielded.
• Crackling Vortex now has a larger movement radius.
• Detonating Crystals and Hardened Crystal now spawn closer to Umbrelskul's location
• Addressed an issue where Detonating Crystals can fail to spawn.
• No longer stacks.
• Periodic damage reduced by 16%.
• Haste reduction increased to 10% (was 2%).
• Movement reduction increased to 10% (was 2%).
• Decay Totem health reduced by 20%.
• Addressed an issue where Withering cast by Decay Totem is inflicting more periodic damage than Withering from other sources.
• Renamed to Rotbow Ranger.
• Shoot now has a recast of 6 seconds.
• Diseased Meat renamed to Rotten Meat, and is now a Poison dispel.
• Brackenhide Shaper Summon Lashers and Touch of Decay have been removed.
• Violent Whirlwind radius reduced to 6 yards (was 7 yards).
• Stink Breath now locks facing after targeting a player.
• Stink Breath now has a visual while casting.
• Necrotic Breath's casting visual has been updated.
• Necrotic Breath's cone width has been adjusted to match with the new visual.
• Gutstabber Withering Poison has been removed.
• Bracken Warscourge Bloody Bite has been removed.
• Claw Fighter Bloody Bite has been removed.
• Decay Speaker Rotchanting Totem has been removed.
• Predatory Instincts Haste bonus reduced to 5% (was 10%).
• Mark for Butchery damage frequency increased to 1 second (was 0.5 seconds).
• Gash Frenzy damage reduced by 21%.
• Gash Frenzy duration reduced to 15 seconds (was 45 seconds).
• Dungeon checkpoint added after defeating Gulping Goliath.
• Normalized the spawn rate of Crashing Tsunami during the gauntlet.
• Containment Apparatus' Containment Beam damage reduced by 42%.
• Wind Buffet and Thunderstorm have been removed.
• New ability: Thunderstrike – Inflicts Nature damage to all players within 7 yards of impact.
• Primalist Earthshaker Rumbling Earth rim visual will no longer clip into the terrain.
• Titanic Fist now has a visual during cast.
• Power Overload now has a rim visual around afflicted player.
• Power Field now gradually grows to its full size.
• Added rim visuals on Ice Boulders that will trigger Avalanche.
• Cast Away now occurs at 60% health (was 100% energy).
• Each Burning Chain can only be used once.
• Burning Chain now stuns all enemies in it and increases their damage taken by 50% for 5 seconds.
• Fiery Focus pulsing damage near the Chargath has been removed.
• Fiery Focus now channels damage on current target.
• Grounding Chain now persists on defeated player.
• Grounding Chain now does a small knockback to the player when applied.
• Curse of the Dragon Hoard now stacks.
• Curse of the Dragon Hoard duration reduced from to 30 seconds (was 5 minutes).
• Azure Stone of Might has been removed.
• Multi-Shot has been removed.
• Rain of Arrows will now be cast less frequently.
• Nokhud Beastmaster Hunt Prey damage bonus reduced by 25%.
• Desecrated Ohuna Rotting Wind initial damage reduced by 30%.
• Ukhel Beastcaller Desecrating Roar frequency reduced by 25%.
• Nokhud Thunderfist Storm Shock has been removed.
• Primalist Stormspeaker Storm Bolt has been removed.
• Frequency of Stormwinds during intermission has been reduced to every 10 seconds (was every 6 seconds).
• Primal Terrasentry Stone Missiles has been removed.
• Blaze of Glory now has a 1 second delay before inflicting damage around the caster.
• Flame Dance’s end of channel damage reduced by 25%.
• Infernocore duration increased to 4 seconds (was 3 seconds).
• Infernocore periodic damage reduced by 25%.
• Flamespit targets reduced to 2 (was 3).
• Reduced the Mythic+ timer by 1 minute.
• Fiery Surge damage reduced by 75%.
• Fiery Surge's frequency has been significantly reduced – One dwarf reduced by 33%, two dwarves reduced by 50%, and three dwarves reduced by 100%.
• Burning Pitch maximum radius reduced to 6 yards (was 10 yards).
• Fiery Surge and Burning Pitch now properly scales with key level.
• Fixed an issue where Heavy Arrow was damaging pets.
• Earthen Shards initial damage reduced by 20%.
• Earthen Shards periodic damage reduced by 12.5%.
• Burning Heat duration reduced to 6 seconds (was 10 seconds).
• Seeking Flame’s visual has been adjusted to no longer clip into the terrain.
• Revival Catalyst charges have been reset to 1. One charge is earned each week (was every 2 weeks).

PLAYER VERSUS PLAYER

• Honor gained from the Battleground Blitz Brawl now contributes towards the PvP track in the Great Vault. 
• Ancient Teachings healing transfer amount reduced to 375% in PvP combat (was 412%).
• Atonement healing increased by 35% in PvP combat (was 15%).

To view all content update notes, click here .

For World of Warcraft customer support, please visit our Support Site or our Customer Support discussion forum . If you’ve found a bug, please let us know about it in our Bug Report Forum .

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7 of the best Maya ruins to visit in Mexico

Remnants of ancient civilisations still stand across Central America — and well-preserved temples and jungle-cloaked pyramids are open to visitors across southern Mexico.

Before the Spanish colonised Central America in the 16th century, the ancient Maya were one of the most sophisticated civilisations in the Western Hemisphere. They developed a complex calendar system through their knowledge of astrology and mathematics, used intricate hieroglyphics to record their history and built large, lavishly decorated cities, complete with pyramids, temples, and plazas.

At its height, the ancient Maya civilisation comprised 40 cities across Central America, spanning southern Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, El Salvador and Nicaragua. In the southern Mexican states of Yucatán, Quintana Roo and Chiapas, many of these settlements — the largest housed up to 50,000 people — still stand today, offering visitors a unique insight into the social, cultural and religious lives of the ancient Maya.

From carefully reconstructed sites like Chichen Itza to the wild, jungle-clad pyramids and ceremonial temples of Calakmul, these are the ancient Maya ruins not to miss in southern Mexico.

1. Chichen Itza

Named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007, the beautifully preserved Chichen Itza in Yucatán is Mexico’s most famous Maya ruin. Despite the crowds, few are disappointed with El Castillo — a carefully restored pyramid that rises up 80ft and has 365 steps — or the city’s tlachtli , the largest Maya ball court in the Americas.

Occupied until the 16th century, Tulum was one of the last cities inhabited by the Maya and the only one built by the coast. The pyramids here aren’t as large as other Maya ruins in Mexico, but the setting, on 40ft-high cliffs above turquoise Caribbean waters south of Cancun, more than makes up for it.

Home to the tallest pyramid in the state of Quintana Roo, Cobá was once one of the most important Maya cities in Yucatán. Located around 30 miles west of Tulum ruins, the city was built in around 600 CE and it eventually grew to 50,000 inhabitants. Though much of Cobá has yet to be excavated, travellers can climb the 138ft-high Nohoch Mul — a pyramid that offers sweeping views over the Yucatán jungle. Cobá is also known for its sophisticated sacbe,   or ‘white road’2,   network —   limestone pathways that connect the city to neighbouring settlements.

4. Palenque

Deep in the jungles of northeastern Chiapas state in southern Mexico lies Palenque , a Late Classic Maya city known for its detailed hieroglyphic inscriptions and sculpted reliefs. These highly sophisticated designs have helped archaeologists understand more of the ancient Maya's history, mythology and calendar systems.

5. Calakmul

Cloaked by the second-largest expanse of tropical forests in the Americas, in Campeche’s Calakmul Biosphere Reserve near the border with Guatemala, Calakmul is one of Mexico’s wildest Maya ruins. It has the largest and tallest pyramid in Yucatán and more than 6,000 structures, many of them covered by jungle. The site is particularly beautiful at sunrise, when the surrounding jungle comes alive with birdsong, howler monkeys and, if you’re lucky, the roar of a jaguar.

6. Ek Balam

Around 25 miles north of the Yucatán city of Valladolid is Ek Balam , which means ‘black jaguar’ or ‘jaguar star’ in the Yucatec Maya language. The city reached its height in the eight century, when more than 20,000 people lived here. Its largest pyramid is 160 metres long and 105ft high, and contains the tomb of Ukit Kan Le´t Tok, the king of Ek Balam between 770 CE and around 797 CE. Archaeologists found the ruler buried with more than 7,000 pieces of jade, bone, ceramic, shell and precious metal, and the outside walls decorated with stone jaguars, winged creatures and human skulls.

A one-hour drive from the Yucatán capital of Merida is this seventh-century Maya city, once large enough to house 25,000 inhabitants. The Uxmal ruins are part of the Ruta Puuc, a 25-mile road network that connects Uxmal with the archaeological sites of Kabah, Sayil, Xlapak, Labná, Oxkintok, Grutas de Calcehtok and Grutas de Loltún.

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Alluring Africa Voted World’s Best Safari Outfitter

Winter Park, FL: Alluring Africa’s continued dedication to providing exceptional travel experiences has struck a chord with readers of Travel + Leisure Magazine, as they have named the Florida-based luxury tour operator as the World’s Best Safari Outfitter for 2018.

With a score of 99.64, Alluring Africa was propelled into the top spot in their category following a strong third-place showing in 2017.

Travel + Leisure cited Alluring Africa’s “exacting attention to detail and earnest love for the places where it works” as a reason for the company’s enduring popularity amongst their “travel-hungry” readers, with this survey response typical of the many citations that Alluring Africa received: “They treat their clients like family, and create ultra-personalized itineraries…they are a world-class business that truly wants to help people connect with Africa!”

“We are honored to find ourselves at the head of a list that includes many of the world’s most esteemed safari outfitters,” commented Sunit Sanghrajka, founder, and owner of Alluring Africa. “This, and the fact that we have been able to improve both our score and our position since last year is a testament to the passion and hard work of every member of the Alluring Africa team. Our continued focus on sustainable luxury travel reflects our commitment to not only ensuring exceptional wildlife experiences for today’s travelers but also that these will be possible for future generations.”

Sanghrajka was mentioned by Travel + Leisure as one of Alluring Africa’s assets, and it’s clear that his passionate advocacy of his native Kenya and his leadership of Alluring Africa have taken the company to new heights in 2018.

Travel + Leisure readers are among the world’s most discerning travelers, and the magazine’s annual World’s Best awards include their favorite islands, cities and airlines, in addition to safari outfitters. The full results can be found in the August edition of the magazine, and online at https://www.travelandleisure.com/worlds-best

Offering both experience and expertise, Alluring Africa is a trusted leader in African travel. Their team of passionate travel designers return to Africa each year to be certain of offering up-to-date advice and recommendations on destinations as diverse as Morocco and the Masai Mara, Zanzibar and Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls. In addition, each destination partner is handpicked on their ability to craft and deliver ultra-personalized, authentic, and life-changing experiences that give back to Africa. Email [email protected] to experience more of what makes Alluring Africa the World’s Best Safari Outfitter.

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The World's Best Safari Outfitters in 2016

When it comes to high-end safari planners, insider knowledge and impeccable organizing skills are standard. What separates the great outfitters from the very best is the ability to listen to clients and then create a trip that aligns with their personal desires and exceeds their expectations. That’s what lifted Deeper Africa, a small company that specializes in eastern and southern Africa, to the top of this year’s World’s Best list. Wil Smith and Karen Zulauf, the couple behind Deeper Africa, make a point of accommodating each client as they would a personal guest. “Deeper Africa's expert understanding of African safaris, and their willingness to listen and customize our itinerary, allowed us to put together the trip of a lifetime,” wrote one reader. “We could not imagine a more perfect experience.” Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe—to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities , islands , cruise lines , spas , airlines, and more. Readers rated safari outfitters on their staff and guides, itineraries and destinations, activities, accommodations, food, and overall value. Deeper Africa was a first-time winner — and it wasn’t the only one. Second place went to another debut, Extraordinary Journeys, founded by mother-daughter team Marcia and Elizabeth Gordon. “Extraordinary Journeys planned by far the best travel experience of my life,” one reader proclaimed. “The itinerary was flawless and everything went off without a hitch. We had a minor hiccup in Mozambique, but Extraordinary Journeys had it sorted out within minutes. I was honestly shocked by their responsiveness.” Here’s to more happy surprises.

No. 10: Africa Adventure Company

Score: 94.43

No. 9: Africa Adventure Consultants

Score: 94.88

No. 8: Thomson Safaris

Score: 96.67

No. 7: Lion World Travel

Score: 97.15

No. 6: Mango African Safaris

Score: 97.63

No. 5: Ker & Downey

Score: 97.64

No. 4: Rothschild Safaris

Score: 97.82

No. 3: Micato Safaris

Score: 98.26

No. 2: Extraordinary Journeys

Score: 98.62

No. 1: Deeper Africa

Score: 99.43

This small outfitter based in Colorado doesn’t try to do it all — geographically, at least. Deeper Africa specializes in just seven countries — Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe — and in providing highly personalized service. “Deeper Africa worked with us to get us the exact experience we were looking for,” said one T+L reader. Plus, it's easy to see Deeper Africa’s commitment to conservation-minded, socially conscious tourism. “It was more than a safari,” another reader said. “I felt connected.”

Watch CBS News

18 indicted in alleged 2020 fake Arizona elector scheme tied to Trump, AG announces

Updated on: April 25, 2024 / 1:34 PM EDT / CBS News

An Arizona grand jury indicted 18 people Wednesday in the ongoing investigation into an alleged attempt to use  alternate electors  after the 2020 presidential election as part of a wider alleged conspiracy to falsely declare then-President Donald Trump the winner, the state's attorney general announced.

The alleged fake electors and defendants named in the indictment were Kelli Ward, Tyler Bowyer, Nancy Cottle, Jacob Hoffman, Anthony Kern, James Lamon, Robert Montgomery, Samuel Moorhead, Lorraine Pellegrino, Gregory Safsten and Michael Ward.

Ward was the Arizona Republican Party chair, and Hoffman and Kern are both Arizona state senators. Hoffman had in the past several weeks been pursuing a position with the Republican National Committee. 

The defendants, according to the indictment, are accused of pressuring election officials to change the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. After the secretary of state, board of supervisors and GOP Gov. Doug Ducey certified that Joe Biden had won the election in Arizona over Trump, the defendants, who were the Republican presidential electors for Arizona, voted for Trump and then-Vice President Mike Pence. They were, the indictment says, "falsely claiming to be the duly elected and qualified Electors for President and Vice President of the United States from the State of Arizona." 

In a statement, Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes said the indictments were the results of a "thorough" 13-month investigation. "I will not allow American democracy to be undermined," Mayes said. "It is too important." 

Additional defendants' names were redacted from court documents because they had not yet been served, Mayes said. Some, however, could be identified by their descriptions in court documents.

The indictment described Trump as "Unindicted Coconspirator 1." Trump has repeatedly called such prosecutions "witch hunts." 

One of the unnamed defendants, referred to as "an attorney for Unindicted Coconspirator 1 who was often identified as 'the Mayor'" appears to be Rudy Giuliani . Jenna Ellis, another attorney who joined Giuliani in helping spread baseless claims of widespread voter fraud, also seems to be described in the documents. 

Another unnamed defendant is referred to as Trump's chief of staff in 2020, which would have been Mark Meadows. Another unidentified defendant was the Trump campaign's Director of Election Day Operations, a title that belonged to Mike Roman. 

Attorney George Terwilliger, who represents Meadows, told The Associated Press that while he hadn't seen the indictment, naming Meadows would be "a blatantly political and politicized accusation and will be contested and defeated." 

Ted Goodman, a political adviser to Giuliani, told the AP the indictment shows "the continued weaponization of our justice system." 

While Ellis did not directly publicly comment,  she replied , "It's been a great day to keep serving a faithful God" on X when a user asked her, "it wasn't the best of days for you was it?"

In a statement on X , the Republican Party of Arizona called the indictments "politically motivated" and a "blatant abuse of legal authority aimed to disrupt, distract, and interfere in the 2024 election."

Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement that the case is a "another example of Democrats' weaponization of the legal system."

Prosecutors are accusing the defendants of deceiving Arizonans "by falsely claiming that those votes were contingent only on a legal challenge that would change the outcome of the election."

However, the indictment says that in fact, the defendants intended to use their false votes to "encourage (Vice President) Pence to reject the Biden-Harris votes on January 6, 2021, regardless of the outcome of the legal challenge." They allegedly hoped that when six other states with false GOP electors submitted their uncertified votes for Trump and Pence, that Pence would either declare Trump the winner, "delay the proceeding and have individual state legislatures determine their electors, or have Congress resolve any claimed uncertainty about the validity of election results in Arizona and six other states" in Trump's favor. 

"The scheme failed," prosecutors said in the indictment, when Pence accepted all certified Biden-Harris votes on Jan. 6, 2021. 

Hoffman told the Arizona Republic in a statement that he is "innocent of any crime," and "I look forward to the day when I am vindicated of this naked political persecution by the judicial process." 

An attorney for Lamon also told the Arizona Republic the indictment is "a politically motivated prosecution."

The Arizona Republican Party called the indictments a "blatant and unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial power" and said it "condemns these actions in the strongest terms."

The charges being brought include fraud, forgery, and conspiracy, which are class 2, 4, and 5 felonies, Mayes said.  

Arizona is one of seven states that Trump lost in 2020 where the former president's allies allegedly attempted to create a fraudulent register of electors.  

"Unwilling to accept" the fact that Biden won the 2020 presidential election, the defendants "schemed to prevent the lawful transfer of the presidency" by raising false claims of election fraud and organizing fake elector votes, the indictment said. 

The alleged fraud was committed to prevent "the lawful transfer of the presidency of the United States," keeping "Trump in office against the will of Arizona voters, and depriving Arizona voters of their right to vote and have their votes counted," court documents said. 

The Arizona indictments came as  Trump and 18 of his associates face charges  of racketeering, election fraud and other charges in Fulton County, Georgia, over an alleged effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election, including the alternate elector scheme. That  indictment alleged  that some of the defendants solicited legislators to appoint new electors in other states besides Georgia, including Arizona.

In August of last year, the  former president was indicted  by a federal grand jury over alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. That indictment, stemming from special counsel Jack Smith's investigation into Trump's actions following the 2020 election,  cited a memo outlining  a strategy for Trump supporters to serve as fake electors. 

The former president has denied all wrongdoing in both of those cases. 

Kathryn Watson, Scott MacFarlane and Olivia Rinaldi contributed reporting.

• Donald Trump

S. Dev is a news editor for CBSNews.com.

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