Chalo Africa featured in Condé Nast Traveller – Where to Safari

Chalo Africa was mentioned in an article in Condé Nast Traveller India’s latest issue (August 2016) “How to plan the perfect African safari” by Ranjan Pal. Our co-founder, Sangeeta Prasad, suggested some great tips, which we recommend all safari goers take into account: http://www.cntraveller.in/story/how-to-plan-the-perfect-african-safari/

Here are some of Sangeeta’s tips on this adventure of a lifetime:

Where should you go on your African Safari?

Kenya

Image by Sudhir Shivaram. Sudhir conducts photography safaris every year to Kenya & Tanzania.

• Pros:
  • Easily accessible, well-organised
  • Remarkable variety, density of wildlife
  • Something for every budget
• Cons:
  • Extremely popular so parks can get very crowded in high season

Tanzania

Aside from the popular Northern Circuit, Tanzania offers some extraordinary offbeat destinations such as Greystoke Mahale on the shores of Lake Tanganyika.

• Pros:
  • Easily access to the North Circuit via road
  • Wildlife is spectacular (wildebeest migration, predators, and more)
  • Mt. Kilimanjaro & Zanzibar are the perfect additions to your safari
• Cons:
  • Travel can be tougher because tourism infrastructure isn’t as well developed outside the northern parks.

Uganda

• Pros:
  • Incredible birding, chimp tracking and gorilla tracking experiences all in one place
  • Spectacular natural beauty complete with misty mountains and crater lakes
• Cons:
  • Safari infrastructure is still developing; quality can be patchy

Zambia

• Pros:
  • Many small, owner-owned camps, with an “authentic” safari experience
  • Diverse and spectacular wildlife sightings (excellent leopard sightings)
• Cons:
  • Safaris here are expensive because the season is short (May – October)

Botswana

Mokoro rides are a great way to experience the wilderness of Botswana.

• Pros:
  • Strong, stable & wealthy country
  • Delivers an authentic wilderness experience, with the best of luxury
• Cons:
  • Easily amongst the most expensive safari destinations

Rwanda

• Pros:
  • Excellent place to spot birds, primates; great access to mountain gorillas
  • Big on cultural, historical sites
• Cons:
  • Gorilla tracking permits and more expensive than those in Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo

Namibia

Ultimate Namibia is a set departure safari holiday itinerary that we highly recommend.

• Pros:
  • A complete destination with wildlife, desertscapes, oceans and cultural experiences
  • Excellent infrastructure makes it perfect for self-drive holidays
• Cons:
  • Internal flights are expensive

South Africa

• Pros:
  • Complete wildlife, family holiday destination
  • Excellent infrastructure, on par with the best in the world
• Cons:
  • The wilderness experience can feel a lot more managed.

So many choices, so many options, how do you decide? Yes, it can be confusing. That’s why we recommend customised holidays — get in touch with our team, and we will suggest what is best for you keeping in mind your interests and budgets.