African Bush Camps’ Safari of the Year

COVID-19 struck a heart cord for Africa’s tourism industry hard, keeping holding travel operators on the edges of their seats for developments on border-crossing regulations. At 2021’s halfway mark, one million international arrivals in Africa were documented.

Compared to the five million visits in January 2019 alone, African tourism remains at the bottom of the economic barrel at rock bottom levels. While recurring red-listings and quarantine restrictions continue to dampen travelers’ appetites for trekking to Africa, we’re here to cut through the noise and give you the best option.

 After honing in on reviewing our guests’ feedback, requests, and personalized experiences, African Bush Camps decided to ease overwhelming travel decisions and highlight its most traveled, most loved, and most recommended safari itinerary for 2021: The Magic of Three Countries.

“Since we started African Bush Camps and our sister , in tandem with its foundation, it has always been about bringing people closer together to the amazing wildlife and the genuineness of its people,” says founder and CEO, Beks Ndlovu. “Creating meaningful connections means filtering out the noise and focusing on what matters for those we are fortunate to welcome to this festive season, and hopefully, to our camps in the future.”

“Our Safari of the Year is a fusion of experiences that ticks every safari travel box,” adds Karl Parkinson, head of trade relations. “If it’s an escape you seek, or you want to spend quality time with family and those closest to you, or simply explore the best Africa has to offer, this itinerary has been marked as a favorite by and for our guests.”

What Does The Itinerary Include:

The nine-night bush adventure is equally divided between three locations, starting with three nights at African Bush Camps’ newest Botswana property in the Okavango Delta, Khwai Leadwood. Khwai’s biggest drawcard is its abundant wildlife. You will often find hippos, elephants, and lions crossing the marsh to and from the Moremi Game Reserve. It’s a hotspot for the annual zebra migration, and as the silly season draws to a close, Khwai Leadwood will likely be in the middle of it.

The itinerary also includes three nights at the uber-luxurious Thorntree River Lodge on the banks of the Zambian side of the lower Zambezi River, within ‘hearing’ distance of the Victoria Falls. Following after a day of activities, find the perfect respite by relaxing in the infinity pool that seamlessly blends into the river horizon. After a sundowner drink, spend your evening sharing your safari outings around the fire in the comfort of the sunken boma before enjoying an African-inspired fine-dining experience.

Finish off your last leg of your safari adventure with three nights at Somalisa in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park. Somalisa Main is the first camp that Ndlovu built in 2006. The park is a land of contrasts. From dense teak and Acacia forests to vast open savannah, it offers an exhibition of raw and diverse Africa. Tucked away under the dappled shade of an Acacia grove, along the edge of an ancient seasonal floodplain, the location offers ideal viewing opportunities of wildlife seeking refuge from the heat at nearby waterholes and the camp’s splash pools. The camp has been awarded Zimbabwe’s Leading Safari Tented Camp for the last three years consecutively since 2019 at the World Travel Awards.