Rick in the African bush

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10 reasons why you should go on a Botswana safari right now

  It might be the low travel season in Botswana, but if you’re looking to get away from the crowds and experience an authentic African safari, we’ve scoured Instagram to give you the 10 best reasons why you should go on a Botswana safari right now. 

Lonely Planet has voted Botswana as the top destination in the world to visit in 2016  and with this world-class wildlife destination right on our doorstep, it really should be on every nature-loving South African’s bucket list. And the beauty is, it’s an affordable holiday that can be planned independently without the need for travel agents or flights.

"Animals are indeed more ancient, more complex and in many ways more sophisticated than us. They are more perfect because they remain within Nature's fearful symmetry just as Nature intended. They should be respected and revered, but perhaps none more so than the elephant, the world's most emotionally human land mammal." - Daphne Sheldrick Photography by Rachel Lang @bushboundgirl #elephants #botswana #AbuCamp #africansafari #wildlifephotography #90daysinthebush #wildernesssafaris @wearewilderness

A photo posted by Wilderness Safaris (@wearewilderness) on Feb 10, 2016 at 10:50pm PST

Found this little player while out and about in the Okavango Delta on the weekend. Guy had bagged himself a mother AND daughter combo to cuddle up with and cure his loneliness. #Botswana #Lion #BigCat #Wildlife #Canon7D #Okavango #TravelAndBeyond #LostInBots #BushLife #GameDrive #InstaSafari #InstaTravel

A photo posted by Clare Doolan (@khakiclare) on Feb 11, 2016 at 12:33am PST

The stunning Tea Tent at Jacks Camp makes for a beautiful private dinner party tent too! Under a blanket of stars on the edge of the salt pans with thousands of zebra around, hard to beat. Picture part of a timelapse which will be uploaded soon... #makgadikgadi #saltpans #safari #botswana #passagetoafrica #bespokesafari #privateguide #stars #tent #dinnerparty #southernskies #timelpase #syrp #genie #romance #jackscamp #okavangoexplorers #nolimits @unchartedafrica @passagetoafrica

A photo posted by Josh Iremonger (@joshiremonger) on Feb 10, 2016 at 12:29am PST

Photo by @beverlyjoubert: Lilac-breasted rollers perch in a dead tree in the Selinda Reserve in #Botswana.

A photo posted by National Geographic Creative (@natgeocreative) on Feb 2, 2016 at 11:33am PST

You probably already knew that Victoria Falls is found at the intersection of Zambia and Zimbabwe, but did you know that the countries of Botswana and Namibia are only about an hour away? While in Victoria Falls I took a quick hop over to Botswana for a two day safari with Kalahari Tours in Chobe National Park. Yoooooo. I thought nothing could top my experience in Kruger but the volume of animal sightings in Chobe blew. me. away. Think HUNDREDS of elephants in the plains mud-bathing and playing, lion prides plotting a hunt right before your eyes (and within your reach!), gaggles of impala brushing against your truck! We camped in the park and ate dinner around a fire with the night noises of nature as our soundtrack. We even saw two male giraffes fighting over a female! Crazy stuff, and I now have a ton of photos and video to sort through and post. But in the meantime, consider this a public service announcement about why you need to add a safari in Chobe in Botswana to your list! You can thank me later. #Botswana #ThisIsAfrica

A photo posted by @oneikatraveller on Feb 9, 2016 at 11:14pm PST

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The Masai Mara National Reserve 5 Reasons why you should experience a safari to Kenya

Did you know that Kenya is considered the home of the African safaris?

If you are looking for an authentic African safari experience, here are 5 reasons why you should experience a safari to Kenya over a standard african safari holiday.

Masai Mara National Reserve

The Masai Mara National Reserve is one of Africa’s premier safari destinations. The 583 square miles (1510 square kilometer) National Park is home to Africa’s Big Five - lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros.

The Masai Mara is also the best serviced of all Kenyan national parks and reserves, boasting accommodation for travelers with any budget. with a wide range of accommodation for any budget. If you'd like to experience game drives, with some lodges and camps even offering walking and balloon safaris - then this is the place to be.

Wildebeest Migration

The wildebeest migration is a continuous route that is followed by over 1.5 million wildebeests and thousands of zebras, gazelles and elands. In the Masai Mara, the migration generally arrives from the Serengeti National Park during July through to October. This is when the migratory animals cross the Nile crocodile-infested Mara River from the Serengeti to get to the greener grass of the Mara.

Wildlife enthusiasts can even track the wildebeest migration in real-time using HerdTracker.

Birdwatching at the Great Rift Valley Lakes

The Great Rift Valley Lakes are a group of lakes in the East African Rift that runs north to south through the eastern side of the African continent from Ethiopia to Malawi. These lakes are some of the oldest, largest, and deepest lakes in the world.

There are over 450 species of birds recorded at the Great Rift Valley Lakes.

Luxurious beaches

Apart from safari, Kenya is also home to some of the world’s most beautiful beaches.

Watamu, a small and peaceful village on the Kenya coast, is known for its unique, relaxed and laid back way of life. It is a small town but it is a great attraction as this national park has two main lagoons surrounding it, Turtle Bay and Blue lagoon.

Mount Kenya

Mount Kenya is 17,057 feet high. It is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second highest in Africa, after Mount Kilimanjaro. The mountain lies 90 miles (150 kilometers) northeast of Nairobi.

Sir Halford John Mackiner, Josef Brocherel, and Cesar Ollier were the first to ascend Mount Kenya’s highest peak, Batian, in September 1899.

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4 awe-inspiring videos of a Kruger National Park safari

According to South African National Parks (SANParks), the Kruger National Park is home to to an impressive number of species: 336 trees, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds and 147 mammals. It’s this diversity of flora and fauna that make a Kruger National Park safari such a popular choice for travellers from all over the globe. If you’re planning a South African safari, I've scoured YouTube to find you four awe-inspiring videos to whet your appetite. 

This video gives a clear overview of what you can expect to see during a safari in the Kruger National Park. Shown are several species of animals, the local people living around there and the beautiful sights.

This seven minute long clip shows you a safari experience is filmed here through the eyes of a traveler - and the diversity of wildlife that you can see in the Kruger National Park.

See what you can experience during a full day game drives in the Kruger National Park. A wildlife photographer's dream.

Watch this short documentary-styled video of a 4-day safari in the Kruger National Park.

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3 reasons why a South African safari should be on your travel bucketlist

South Africa is one of Africa's premier wildlife destinations - hosting  a variety of high quality, wildlife-rich game reserves as well as luxurious swimming beaches - making it one of the best bush and beach safari destinations on the continent.

Excellent Weather Conditions

Did you know that Durban, Ballito and the beaches of the KwaZulu-Natal Coast average over 300 days of sunshine a year? South Africa has a predominantly semi-arid climate with sunny days and cool nights.

Explore the Kruger National Park

The Kruger National Park a huge diversity of wildlife, boasting  over 12,000 elephants, 27,000 African Buffalo, 1,000 leopards and a variety of other species.

The park also has a good number of accommodation options to choose from to suit any budget, and is home to an impressive 21 rest camps, 2 private lodge concessions and 15 private safari lodges.

Go on a Self Drive Safari

South Africa is one of few countries in Africa suited for a self-drive holiday. 

Most game parks have an ideal infrastructure which makes them very accessible. Besides, car rental in South Africa is easy. There is a rental car for every road and occasion in South Africa, you just have to pick one that suits your needs.

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The Ultimate Guide to Traveling When You're Broke

By Matthew Kepnes

Think you don’t have enough money to travel? Think again. Travel guru Matt Kepnes puts that myth to rest with this guide to traveling on little (or no) money.

Keep reading

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Kenya - Lodge manager Fairman shows us around Olare Mara Kempinski safari lodge

We arrive at the Mara Conservancies in Kenya and Lodge manager Fairman shows us around the Olare Mara Kempinski safari lodge. We are travelling with #KenyaLive as part of the Make it Kenya campaign developed by Kenyan tourism. The aim of the exercise is to give people a taste of what it is like visiting Kenya and why a safari in Kenya should be their next choice in destination and experience.

The Mara conservancy was established in 2000 as some of the local leaders became concerned about levels of mismanagement in the Mara Triangle. As a result the Mara Conservancy, a not-for-profit management company, was established to manage the Triangle on behalf of Trans-Mara County Council. A five-year management agreement was signed on 25 May 2001 and the Mara Conservancy started operations in the Mara Triangle on 12 June so to ensure a better structured and well run initiative. This created the first public/private sector partnership of its kind in the region and has led to an active and cooperative partnership between conservation professionals and the local Maasai community. It has also introduced an initiative to improve the conservation and overall management of one of the most visited and well known protected areas in the world.

The Olare Mara Kempinski lodge is part of the Kempinski group of lodges and guests at the Olare Mara Kempinski Masai Mara leave with memories that last a lifetime, thanks to stunning surroundings, abundant wildlife and understated luxury blended with authentic African design. Their expert guides are ready and waiting to show you this fascinating part of the world.

Below lodge manager Fairman shows us around the Olare Mara Kempinski safari lodge and explains why the establishment is the premium choice for your Kenyan holiday.

click on the icon below to watch the full periscope video

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Off we go! With Air Kenya #KenyaLive @MakeitKenya

Our first broadcast of the #KenyaLive campaign is underway with Carel Verhoef introducing some of the team and giving a brief overview of the trip ahead. The #KenyaLive campaign in association with Make it Kenya, will run over a two week period in the Mara conservancies looking at lion activity at night as well, as a turtle rescue and release into the Indian ocean on the coast. The combination of the two brings together the awe inspiring beauty of Kenya, and attempts to illustrate a true Kenyan safari experience to the digital tourist abroad.

Carel (HerdTracker) introduces the team which consists of Jacques van Tonder who will be taking on the role of cameraman filming most of the activities during the trip. Stuart Price will be the resident still photographer and Andre van Kets (HerdTracker) focusing on the Persicope broadcasts and technical aspects of the campaign.

click on the icon below to watch the full periscope video

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Mother lion waiting for the cubs on our Kenyan safari

[bbcshorts]

19 JAN: Watch the “turtlecam” footage filmed in Kenya showing the journey of rescued sea turtles being released into the Indian Ocean. Find out more: bbc.in/turtlecam #Kenya #KenyaLive #BBCShorts @BBCNews

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You can also check out more videos at KenyaLive

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#KenyaLive is live streaming night safaris and turtle on Periscope

Kenya’s stunning wildlife is set to be showcased with two world firsts in a series of live web broadcasts using a new state-of–the-art technology. #KenyaLive will enable travellers to witness the excitement of a night safari in the Mara – as well as the country's coastal underwater treasures - in real time! Building on the success of #MaraLive - the world’s first live web broadcast of the great wildebeest migration - Make It Kenya has partnered with HerdTracker to use a combination innovative filming technology and Twitter’s Periscope app, to give people around the world unprecedented access to  some of the most thrilling and rare animal behaviours, with 50 live broadcasts over 11 days.

The Ruins of Gedi in Watamu, Kenya - Photo credit: Stuart Price

The broadcast team, manned by Kenyan safari hosts Carel Verhoef and Andre Van Kets of DiscoverAfrica.com and co-creators of HerdTracker, will use the latest technology - including the incredible new starlight camera; underwater live periscope and 360-degree video, to capture the exclusive content.

The live streaming and videos will be available to viewers via their mobile phones, tablets or computers via Periscope and MakeItKenya.com. Mara Conservancy Lion Interaction The first of the live broadcasts will offer an unprecedented view of the lions in the Olare Motorogi and Naboisho Conservancies of the Maasai Mara, and what the conservancies have to offer: off-road game drives, fly camping, night game drive safaris as well as walking safaris. Viewers can also enjoy a series of live night broadcasts - the very first of their kind. The team responsible for the broadcasts will be staying at various bush camps including the Olare Mara Kempinski Hotel, Asilia Africa’s Encounter Mara, Naboisho camps as well as Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Mahali Mzuri luxury safari camp.

Watamu Turtle Watch From 14 -18 January, the team will be in the coastal town of Watamu to stream live broadcasts of the Watamu Turtle Watch project as well as the world’s first live underwater broadcasts.

The project will share the lives of nesting sea turtles, rehabilitating sick and injured sea turtles before sending them back into their natural habitat. One of the highlights of this leg of the project will involve live footage captured via “TurtleCam”, using a GoPro strapped to a turtle’s back.

The Watamu Local Ocean Trust releases a Hawksbi turtle back into the ocean - Photo credit: Stuart Price

#KenyaLive will also be demonstrating the beautiful destinations that  Watamu has to offer. The area is known for its adventure activities, cruises, treetop yoga and kite surfing. Viewers may even be able to spot dolphins in the area during a live stand-up paddleboard broadcast.

SUP Boarding off the Watamu Coast in Kenya - Photo credit: Stuart Price

To follow the live broadcasts, download the Periscope app and follow HerdTracker’s channel from 7-18 January 2016.

You can keep track of their updates

here

.

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First ever SEA TURTLE RELEASE with @GoPro camera attached to it’s back. This is sooooooo awesome!!! #KenyaLive 

http://www.discoverafrica.com/kenyalive/