By The UNCHARTED® editors · 6 min readJANUARY 19, 2022 | SANDY CUNNINGHAM
The old days of driving around in safari jeeps gazing at vast herds of wildlife are still very much a part of today's safari experience, but today they are complemented by a staggeringly wide array of new and exciting experiences that will keep your heart pumping and make for very bragworthy Instagram posts!
A long time ago, together with my husband, we built and ran a Safari Lodge in Hemingway’s Green Hills of East Africa, to be specific, Ol Donyo Wuas Lodge in the Chyulu Hills. It was there that I became a big fan of bushwalks when I was forced to walk 3 miles back to camp through lion infested territory at dusk. The whole incident was entirely my fault I might add. After a day of setting up and hosting a magazine fashion shoot, we set up packing up all the props, jumped in the land rover which I had cleverly positioned facing downwards on El Mau (the twins - two somewhat symmetrical hills on the Ol Donyo plains) because I knew she was an ill-tempered beast, and would fail me whenever possible. However, this time I had the 4-wheel drive button on and apparently you can’t push or do a hill start with a land rover when this button is in effect. Conveniently the husband and Richard (Bonham) had absconded back to camp with models and radios, so Moi, James and I were left to walk back at dusk (feeding time at the zoo) and then in complete darkness back to camp. We arrived back to huge cheers, but I was surly to the husband and skulked back to my cottage where I did a celebratory dance and patted myself on the back for my immense bravery. I was a huge fan of bush walks after that and every evening I would set out with an armed masai warrior (I always took the fiercest warrior of them all) he couldn't talk english and my swahili was passable so we grunted and pointed and had the absolute best time, and those walks are still my favorite memories of my time in the bush.
But, there is so much else to do on Safari than being in a safari jeep or walking, you can gallop across the plains on horseback, ride mountain bikes with rangers, trot uncomfortably on a camel safari (I prefer walking alongside them), or spend the night in a fly-camp or in a treehouse. Balloon at dusk as the wildlife world starts to awaken and the softness is magical. Meander in a mokoro or a boat through the mesmerising waters of the Okavango delta or tackle the big rush of a class 5 rapid on the Zambezi. Or for the very brave - bungee off Vic Falls bridge whilst your mother knocks back a gin and tonic in the too close for comfort bar in complete fear and denial. Explore the far reaches of the northern frontier in Kenya on a helicopter safari with Andrew or Harry, they will have you touching down on remote outposts with views forever and a picnic lunch to satisfy your soul, or they will take you to pop in and have breakfast at an elephant orphanage. Explore the methods and marvels of wildlife photography by hooking up with a world class photographer for a day out exploring through their lens (and learning a few tips along the way). Spend time in a Maasai village (not one of those hokey touristy trap ones) but a real one - flies and all; where the kids come out in wide-eyed wonder at the weird looking foreigners, and your child is determined to kidnap a baby goat and hide it under her t-shirt. Trekking to see the majestic gorillas in Rwanda and Uganda - a completely life changing experience, then be dazzled by the riveting and gorgeous Golden Monkeys. Spend time on the brilliant aqua waters of Lake Tanganyika, where you can trek to see chimps, fish the waters, and lounge around on the sandy beaches whilst Mkombe keeps you in fits of laughter with his chimp impersonations.
Africa is a place where just sitting watching birds coming infor water or watching a honey catcher go about getting honey out of a tree whilst a gazillion bees are swarming are just marvelous ways to while away your time under the shade of a huge tree. Or, take a walk in the Kalahari with a bushman - there are some things that just can't be put into words and this is one of them - pure magic. And, if you haven't read any of Laurens Van Der Post’s books, then you absolutely should. And, of course, you should harness your inner Beryl Markham or Denys Finch Hatton as you glide through the African skies just breathing in the sheer magnificence of everything unfolding below you, this is Africa, this is what it means to be on Safari - by UNCHARTED.
UNCHARTED - Worthy Outposts
CHYULU HILLS, KENYA
Safari in Hemingway's Green Hills of East Africa at Ol Donyo Lodge
CHYULU HILLS, KENYA
Ol Donyo Lodge is situated on the slopes of the rolling Chyulu Hills between Tsavo and Amboseli with access to a quarter of a million acres of one of the few remaining corners of wild Africa. Take a trip through Hemingway's Green Hills of Africa at one of UNCHARTED's favorite base camps of all time.
Experience the Magic of the African Bush at Xigera
OKAVANGO DELTA, BOTSWANA
A complete reinvention in the Okavango Delta of Botswana, Xigera (pronounced ‘kee-jera’), is named for the Pied Kingfisher that makes its home amid the watery channels of Botswana’s Moremi Game Reserve. Situated in the western reaches of Botswana’s iconic Moremi Game Reserve, gazing out on the seasonal floodplains of the Okavango Delta, Xigera’s unique location offers unrivaled access to extraordinary safari experiences.
Mara Plains Camp Offers Unparalleled Privacy for the Wildlife Safari of a Lifetime
OLARE OROK CONSERVANCY, MASAI MARA, KENYA
Mara Plains Camp is a small, exclusive camp under canvas in Kenya's storied Masai Mara. It sits perched on raised decks with sweeping views across sweeping savannahs filled with wildlife. As just one of three camps currently operating within the Olare Orok Conservancy, you are essentially sharing an immense amount of land with all your fellow guests. In fact, if split between you, you would have 700 acres each!
Get Deep Into the Samburu Tribe’s Heartland at Ol Malo
NORTHERN FRONTIER DISTRICT, KENYA
Situated on the northern edge of the Laikipia Plateau, nestled into a rugged escarpment looking out across the time-honored lands of Kenya's Northern Frontier District, Ol Malo is a thatched-roof oasis. The dream of Kenyan-born pair Colin and Rocky Francombe, the two transformed the property from what was once an overgrazed cattle ranch into a visceral retreat for those looking for a true African safari experience.
Experience a Contemporary Nairobi at Eden
NAIROBI, KENYA
Bordering the Giraffe Sanctuary forest on the outskirts of Nairobi, Eden sits on a four-acre property in the peaceful suburb of Langata and offers travelers an immediate connection to a deeply authentic expression of one family’s Kenyan home, history, and adventures. Whilst staying at Eden, travelers have the opportunity to enjoy a fully immersive contemporary cultural experience within the intimacy of the hotel and across the city. Eden prides itself in being a platform from which to experience a modern Nairobi in a unique way.
