Africa

A Kenya wildlife safari to Amboseli takes you to some of the most beautiful scenery in the entire country and many of our clients love to combine the Masai Mara and Amboseli as part of a longer Kenya wildlife tour. World famous for the huge Tuskers which rumble across the landscape, Amboseli is also important to include as part of a big cat safari in Kenya, with good chances for lions and cheetahs in the diverse landscape.

This exciting 12-day adventure takes in some of Northern Botswana’s most prolific parks, including Moremi, the private Khwai concession and Botswana’s jewel in the crown; Savute. Before finishing on the Chobe Riverfront in Chobe National Park.

All locations offer excellent photographic and wildlife viewing opportunities. Where the predators, including lion, leopard and wild dog are regularly seen. The areas are also a haven for other wildlife, such as elephant, hippo, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, lechwe, kudu and many other iconic African mammals and of course a vast array of bird species.

With a large well-equipped game vehicles for a maximum group size of 6 people there is plenty of room assured for each guest. This tour will be characterized by maximising time in the field to take advantage of all available wildlife viewing opportunities. Fully supported camping ensures long days in the parks enjoying wildlife and a warm and friendly welcome back at camp in the evening.

Best time to visit Botswana on safari?

One of the best times to visit Botswana for wildlife is the dry season which runs approximately from June to October. This is the best time to see the predators in Botswana; as they share the same depleting water resources as their prey and it is at the lagoons and still flowing rivers where the majority of the hunting action takes place. We can also witness large bull elephants in Chobe national park and take a peaceful Mokoro safari looking for Hippo’s, giant crocs and a wonderful diversity of birdlife in the Okavango Delta. Temperatures will climb steadily throughout this period and reach their peak in October, but the game viewing in Botswana will remain vibrant throughout. We will have the chance to see African Wild Dogs in Moremi or Khwai and some large prides of lions in Savuti.

Wildlife Trails have pioneered a certain bespoke design of gorilla and chimp safari, that brings together the best mid-range wildlife lodges – all of which we have personally visited – with our hand picked dirver/naturalists and their photographer friendly landcruisers with roof openings. Our tailored gorilla trekking holidays allow you to get under the skin of this wildlife rich and vibrant country, as your driver will not only be your expert naturalist; but also your friend and guide to all things Ugandan. This 10 day Gorilla and Chimp safari takes you from the shores of Lake Victoria in Entebbe to Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi and Lake Mburo (see detailed map info); as you enjoy both chimp and gorilla treks in this primate focused Uganda wildlife holiday.

Always dreamed of a ‘real’ Botswana camping experience but worried it would be too basic. Believe me, having taken this exact safari in July 2022, this is as good as it gets for a quality Botswana safari, with the stunning private campsites, superb camping staff and excellent quality ensuite tents ensuring all you have to worry about is charging your camera and taking enough memory cards.

We focus on extended stays in Savuti, Moremi and Khwai with the genuine chance to see lions, leopards and African wild dogs. We were lucky enough to also see African wild cat and Serval in Khwai and expect to be surrounded by Elephants on the Chobe River, as we take you on a private boat safari just before sunset. Interested in our small group Botswana camping safari? Then contact Allan at Africa(at)wildlifetrails.co.uk

The Masai Mara is one of those most special of wildlife places in the world which just keeps you wanting to come back for more and more. We know that from many regular clients who visit multiple times a year and it is one of those safari destinations which can deliver great wildlife encounters outside of the main high season, which runs from July to October. It is without doubt one of the best places in the world to see big cats and it is not unsual in the Mara to have regular sightings of the Big 3; Lion, Leopard and Cheetah. This June departure will see cheaper options available on international flights and less crowds in the park, so why not join us on this Big Cat safari at Mara Intrepids in June 2021.

Can you really wish for more than three dream wildlife destinations in the same safari? This amazing private big cat safari in Tanzania and Kenya, combines a 3 night stay in the northern Serengeti to coincide with the great wildebeest migration, with a full day drive into the world famous Ngorongoro crater, before heading back to Arusha via a quick visit to Tarangire national park. You then fly to Nairobim where you have a night to catch your breath, before driving to the Masai Mara for a 4 night stay at the dearly loved Mara Bush Camp – where you will stay in the private wing. All your safaris will be in a Covid-19 secure vehicle, with just yourself and the driver/naturalist heading out on the game drives.

Zikomo Lodge is a real gem and is attracting a lot of interest from film companies like the BBC and Smithsonian channel; due to regular sightings of Wild Dogs, Lion and Leopard. From here we continue our journey through the most famous game reserve in Zambia, staying 4 nights at Flatdogs Camp where we can continue to observe game by both vehicle and high adrenaline walking safaris. The South Luangwa is one of the few parks in Africa to allow night drives, and the Flatdogs guides’ knowledge of animal behaviour really pays off after dark – get ready for action. After our stay at South Luangwa, we fly back to Lusaka and then drive south to Mukambi Lodge; gateway to the beautiful and less visitied Kafue national park. After a night in Mukambi, we can enjoy a morning game drive as we head towards the superbly located Busanga Plains Camp. Busanga Plains Camp is strategically located between the teeming floodplains frequented by several lion prides and the papyrus-edged Busanga Swamps, abundant with birdlife and home of the shy sitatunga. Famed for its tree-climbing lions, Busanga Plains is also known for its endless parade of wildlife and birds – huge herds of lechwe, puku and buffalo, which in turn sustain the top predators, including cheetah and wild dog.

Follow in the footsteps of Wildlife Trails recent recce trip to the beautiful far north of Madagascar, as we visited Amber Mountain national park, Andrafiamena special reserve, Ankarana and enjoyed a relaxing and exhilerating stay on the stunning island of Nosy Sakatia; from where you will go snorkelling with Hawksbill and Green turtles, as well as enjoying a small boat safari trip to snorkell with the graceful and serene whale sharks. Expect adventure, great food, few tourists and to see an incredible variety of landscapes, as well as diverse marine and terrestrial wildlife packed into a small geographical area. Simply stunning!

A good friend of Wildlife Trails and superb photographer, Chris Brunskill returned from Laikipia wilderness camp last spring, and his amazing images of Giza have been published all around the world. There are many reasons why a beautiful cat like Giza becomes less shy and is seen more regularly by the safari vehicles and of course this can also change rapidly, due to terrotorial fights or other  factors which might lead to her moving away or keeping a lower profile.

Allan then went out with a group in September 2023 and enjoyed 4 stunning consecutive days with Giza, with everything from her at night in a tree on a kill, witnessing the start of a hunt as she ran flat out near the river, having her walk metres from our vehicle and two seperate river crossings right in front of us – it was hard to believe it was happening and we had to remind ourselves to breathe!

So now its time to do it all over again next year. Whose up for it?

This is a Botswana safari I have been thinking about designing for years and I am so excited that it has finally come to fruition. The annual Zebra migration through Botswana does not attract as much attention as the famous Wildebeest migration in East Africa, but in its own way it is equally special and also attracts the attention of many of Botswana’s apex predators.

Once the rains end and the salt pans at Makgadikgadi dry up (around April/May), tens of thousands of zebra migrate across the National Park to the banks of the Boteti River valley and remain there until the rains start again in late October/early November.

Our beautiful Botswana wildlife lodge, Leroo La Tau, is located on the banks of the Boteti River Valley so this significant and overwhelming migration arrives on their ‘doorstep’ during April/early May (depending on the years rain) and will remain in that area for the next 6 months or so.

As well as 4 nights at Leroo La Tau to witness the Zebra migration, we will also spend 3 nights at Camp Xakanaxa which is located on the boundary between the Okavango Delta and the world famous Moremi game reserve. It is one of the few camps which allows the perfect balance of water based activities and game drives at the same time. Moremi is one of the best places in Botswana to see lions, leopards and African wildlife dogs.

We will have large well-equipped game vehicles for a maximum group size of 6 people so each guest has a window seat and plenty of room for their camera equipment. This tour will be characterized by maximising time in the field to take advantage of all available wildlife viewing opportunities.

Join us on a Kenya wildlife holiday to remember in the beautiful Masai Mara during one of the peak months for river crossings and migration action. Wildlife Trails will be going BIG in Kenya this September, with back to back safaris running right through the month. First we start with a week at the beautiful Laikipia wilderness camp for the chance to photograph the legendary Black Panther, Giza. Allan will then fly to meet the group arriving into the Mara for 4 nights at the stunning Mara Legends Camp, which has a perfect location for our Big Cat safaris. Finally, he will head over to the Kicheche Mara North camp to finish off what will be an amazing combination of Kenya wildlife camps and wildlife experiences.

Safari through the wilderness of Botswana. Experience the Okavango Delta by traditional dug-outs and the abundant wildlife of Moremi game reserve and Savuti. Explore Chobe NP by boat and enjoy wonderful views of Victoria Falls!

Two lucky clients will get the chance to take advantage of some ‘left over’ chimp habituation permits and gorilla permits from trips which could not take place during the pandemic. You must be able to travel for these specific dates in June, as we have already moved the permits one time before and cannot do so again.

Our tailored gorilla trekking holidays allow you to get under the skin of this wildlife rich and vibrant country, as your driver will not only be your expert naturalist; but also your friend and guide to all things Ugandan. This 10 day Gorilla and Chimp safari takes you from the shores of Lake Victoria in Entebbe to Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi and Lake Mburo (see detailed map info); as you enjoy both chimp and gorilla treks in this primate focused Uganda wildlife holiday.

For our return to Uganda and Rwanda to celebrate my 40th birthday I was keen to bring an adventerous element to the trip and as well as camping in many of the beautiful national parks, we also included a few more strenous activities on top of the Gorilla Trekking we did in Nkuringo. These included paddling across Lake Mutanda, walking with the Batwa tribals at Magahinga and the absolute highlight of a full day trek up the beautiful Mount Sabinyo, which stands at an impressive 3600M. Not only did this provide us with the elation of achieving our goals, but it also took us away from some of the more mainstream locations on the Uganda wildlife circuit and provided more village life and colour into our Uganda wildlife holiday.

There is no doubt that the island of Madagascar is one of those stand out wildlife locations in the world, that captures the imagination of thousands of wildlife lovers and photographers around the world. Having been lucky enough to visit this wildlife jewelon a few occasions, I can say hand on heart that I enjoyed it all; the lemurs, the forests, the chameleons, the local villagers and even the long tiring car journeys inbetween the fragmented wildlife hotspots. However, if you ask me to design the best photography tour of Madagascar for Lemurs and make it more way more efficient with regards to less time on the road and more time with the Lemurs, then this is exactly the Madagascan safari I would put together for you. This is absolutely the best of the south west forests and eastern forests for the lemur photography and we are avoiding at least three full days of vehicle lockdown for a similar tour by road only.

This bespoke Zambia wildlife holiday focuses on quality long stays at two fabulous safari lodges in two very different and diverse parks. First you will fly from Lusaka to Livingstone and transfer to the Lower Zambezi . There is a lot of wildlife in this park, although the variety isn’t as diverse as in Kafue or South Luangwa. The lower Zambezi is know for its large elephant and buffalo herds and the birding is spectacular. The main apex predators seen here are leopard, spotted hyena and large prides of lion. From here you will fly to Mfuwe, which is the gateway to South Luangwa national park, rightly known as one of the best national parks to see big cats in the whole of Africa. You will be staying at Flatdogs Camp, whose naturalists have won international awards for their quality of guiding. Expect full on action during both the game drives and the night time safaris, as you are allowed to stay inside the park until 20:00.

Years of research and regular trips to Madagascar by Wildlife Trails have identified and confirmed the best places to see Lemurs. However, given the size of the country and in some of the areas, poor road conditions, we have to consider how you spend your time in the country and come up with itinerary ideas which suit our clients who prefer to avoid longer car journeys. For them, this is the perfect combination of the eastern rainforests in Madagascar combined with the warmer north and its rare lemurs and amazing marine wildlife.

June in Kenya is the last month of the shoulder season and a stunning time to visit on your Kenya wildlife holidays before the crowds of the high season arrive. By booking all accommodation through the famous Serena lodges we obtain an additional discount on your behalf, but we also retain our independance and privacy by booking an expert naturalist/driver, who will be your friendly, personal guide from the moment you touch down in Nairobi.

Zambia safaris nearly always deliver a spectacular wildlife experience and it is particularly famous for its night time safaris and the incredibly high number of leopard encounters. Many of these safaris take place in the famous Luangwa valley and we feel the perfect budget Zambia safari combines an extended stay in comfortable chalet accommodation close to the beautiful Luangwa river, with a couple of exhilarating nights at a nearby bush camp. Listen to the roar of Lions and other nocutrnal wildlife as you experience an African safari in the truest sense.

If you enjoy the path less travelled and seeing a greater diversity of wildlife, then a camping safari to the edge of the Kalahari in Botswana could be for you. This 7 day bespoke Botswana wildlife holiday spends 3 nights each in Nxai and Madadakagdi Pans. There is plentiful resident wildlife in the Nxai Pan National Park which is mainly desert adapted species such as springbok, gemsbok, ostrich and brown hyena. During the summer months this population is swelled by elephant, zebra, eland, giraffe and wildebeest. The pans are one of the best places to see wild cheetahs in Botswana and prides of lions also follow the seasonal migrations.

When planning a Kenya wildlife safari it sometimes feels that the Masai Mara is the only wildlife reserve in Kenya, but that is far from the truth. There are many other national reserves and conservancies with abundant wildlife and far less visitors than the Mara, and here at Wildlife Trails we are keen to show them to you. So we bring you the best Kenya wildlife camps and guided private Samburu safaris. Come to Samburu national reserve and see the Big 5 of Grevy’s Zebra, Somali Ostrich, Beisa Oryx, Reticulated Giraffe and Gerenuk. Also enjoy magnificent views of Mount Kenya and visit the adjacent Buffalo Springs national reserve.

This very special Ugandan gorilla holiday gives you the opportunity to see 3 of Uganda’s most iconic animal species. We start off with a short drive to the Mabamba wetlands on the outskirts of Kampala, where we enjoy a gentle private dugout boat safari looking for the beautifully bizarre Shoebill Stork. From here you wil drive to Queen Elizabeth national park and enjoy both private game drives and boat safaris on the scenic Kazinga channel. We may be lucky to catch a glimpse of a leopard or lion, before driving south to the Ishasha sector; home to the famous tree climbing lions. We then enjoy a long but spectacular journey to the remote community of Nkuringo on the Nteko ridge and if the weather is clear, we will have stunning views of up to 8 Volcanoes, which ‘straddle’ the Uganda, Rwanda and DRC borders. It’s time for you to experience that life changing 1 hour with a Gorilla family before driving to Lake Mburo national park and staying at the stunning Mihingo Lodge. Lake Mburo now enjoys regular leopard sightings during their unique night time drives and is home to many different antelope species within the park. You will enjoy a final breakfast overlooking the park before driving back to Entebbe.

It is true to say that if you include a visit to Murchison national park in Uganda, you need to add a lot more time to your Uganda gorilla trekking holiday – but what’s the rush? If you avoid the holiday weekends you will see few other visitors here and the wildlife encounters, including huge Wild Elephants, Hippos, Lion, Leopard and the iconic Shoebill, can often be amazing. From here, it’s a long but scenic drive up the escarpment and down the other side to Kibale, where you will have two amazing chimp trekking opportunities in the stunning forest. You then have time for more savannah wildlife viewing at Queen Elizabeth national park, before then heading to two seperate and stunning gorilla trekking locations in Bwindi and then Nkuringo. We then include some well deserved chill out time at the surreal Lake Bunyonyi, before heading back to Entebbe to connect with your onward flight.

After a nice nights sleep in a quality hotel in Dar, it’s time to start the adventure with your private naturalist with a visit to the world-famous Selous game reserve – famous for big cats and the chance to see African wild dogs. From Selous, we visit Mikumi and it’s large lion prides, before ending up in a beautiful camp on the Great Ruaha River, where big game regularly walks through the camp to the excitement of all visitors.

A walking safari in Zambia, particuarly in the South Luangwa valley, is one of the most exhilarating and immersive safari experiences in Africa. Walking with guides who have intimate knowledge of the land and its animals, dipping deeper into the bush from the fixed camps by camping out for a couple of nights, dinner and stories around the fire, simple but delicious food… When staying at Tena Tena and Nsefu you can walk between the two for two or three days, camping on the way. This is simple camping but with that extra touch of comfort. There are stand up tents, mattresses on the ground, sheets and blankets, wash basins, shared 60L bucket shower, bush loo, full bar and food service, fully serviced camp.

The chance to see African wild dogs, or African painted dogs as they are sometimes referred to, is high on many wildlife lovers wish list. It is important to remember that this is one of the rarest canids in the world and sadly is on the endangered ‘Red List’ of IUCN. Loss of habitat and human conflict are the main reasons for their decline; so it is more important than ever to conserve and protect the few remaining strong holds of this charismatic species. Over the years, Wildlife Trails have enjoyed considerable success in photographing this species and with this knowledge we have created safari holidays which visit the best places to see wild dogs at the right time of year.

The Wildebeest Migration through the Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem is one of the largest mass movements on earth. Thousands of wildebeests, zebras and Thompson’s gazelles migrate throughout the year always seeking for fresh grass and water. They follow an annual pattern through both Ecosystems, with broadly predictable timing, however their movement does depend on rain.

Tanzania has two rainy seasons – the ‘long rains’ between March and May and the ‘short rains’ between November and December. After the short rainfalls, the wildebeest migration is expected to arrive from the north in late November / early December on the short-grass plains of the south. These grass plains include southern Serengeti, located in Serengeti National Park; and Ndutu Area, located inside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Through January, February and March, the wildebeest migration is expected to stay on these southern plains as the grasses are very nutritious and most wildebeest calves will be born in a coordinated bound of calving during February and into early March. Many regular safari goers to Tanzania consider this the best time to visit Tanzania for wildlife.