This year I am thrilled to be accompanying our guests on this small group expedition which we will run only one time in 2015, from August 11-26, and am looking forward to seeing Africa’s treasures anew with the help of the outstanding group of experts we have assembled to meet with us at each fascinating stop from Johannesburg, South Africa to Ethiopia.
If you look at the map outlining our course, you’ll see that the routing is inspired by geological forces which shaped Africa’s landscapes over 30 million years ago, creating the Great Rift Valley.
This over-3,000 mile gouge in the Earth’s surface winds its way along the eastern side of the continent from Ethiopia to the Kalahari, linking volcanoes, great plains, giant lakes, flocks of flamingos and wild savannas. As we follow its course in our regional jet you’ll experience the wild, natural beauty of the Okavango Delta and the Great Migration of the Serengeti, the raw power of Victoria Falls, as well as key archeological sites in Ethiopia. The diversity of the itinerary introduces you to some very different ecosystems, and the diverse wildlife who call them home.
Beyond the opportunity to spend time learning from conservationists, archaeologists and biologists — getting in-depth answers to question’s about that day’s specific adventures — the regional private jet experience eliminates all of the hassles of air travel, bringing you comfortably and safely to regional airstrips where you will connect with bush flights direct to your lodge’s airstrip. While your in-flight experience will be comfortable, and quite scenic, it also enables you to enjoy more time on the ground, and less time routing between remote destinations.
Once in camp, you will be treated to stunning scenery, delicious meals, and attentive staff and enjoy the incomparable delight of adventure by day, and luxury by night. The camps we’ve selected are ones we know very well, with only 24 beds, allowing you a very personalized, authentic African safari experience. Although we’ll travel as a small group, enjoying each other’s company around the campfire at night, during the day guests can choose their own activities and their own pace. So, for example, some may choose to take a guided safari walk, others may prefer to go in a vehicle, and some may prefer to take a break from the action poolside.
While the geological wonder of the Rift Valley shaped the course of our journey, the particulars have been chosen based on twenty-five years of our guests’ feedback. This 16 day program is the best way we know for the intellectually curious traveler to get a broad — yet richly detailed — impression of Africa’s incomparable wildlife and cultures.