ILLUSTRATION: BEK CRUDDACE. IMAGE: GETTY


Wild Africa


KEY FACTS


CAPITALS Gaborone, Botswana; Nairobi, Kenya; Windhoek, Namibia; Kigali, Rwanda; Pretoria, Cape Town, Bloemfontein — South Africa; Lusaka, Zambia; Harare, Zimbabwe CURRENCIES Botswana pula, Kenyan shilling, Namibian dollar, Rwandan franc, South African rand, Zambian kwacha, Zimbabwean dollar VISA No UK visa is required for Botswana, Namibia, South Africa. Visas are required for Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe GETTING THERE Direct flights include: London Heathrow to Nairobi (8h 30m) with British Airways. South African Airways, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic fly direct from the UK to Cape Town and Johannesburg, where it’s possible to pick up connecting flights going across the entire continent.


MEDICAL ADVICE Malaria is a risk in many regions. Other hazards include contaminated food and water, sun damage and blood-borne infections. Travellers should see a health professional, as malaria prevention tablets and vaccines are usually advised. There’s also a danger of yellow fever in parts of Kenya. Find destination-specific advice at travelhealthpro.org.uk


| big attraction | The Great Migration


Africa’s stunning range of wildlife habitats support a staggering variety of viewing opportunities, but for sheer spectacle and majesty the Great Migration across the plains of Tanzania’s Serengeti to Kenya’s Masai Mara remains peerless. The largest annual migration of animals anywhere in the world is led by the wildebeest. Other mammals, such as zebra and gazelle, also migrate in numbers, running the gauntlet of predators including the Serengeti’s lion population. Timings are dictated largely by rain paterns, but in Kenya, the best time to observe the phenomenon is roughly July to August, when visitors can catch a dramatic Mara River crossing, and October, when the animals begin the return journey.


SAMPLES


SKY SAFARI by Elewana offers a Kenya Classic itinerary, touring Meru National Park and Sand River Masai Mara. It includes a stay at a boutique hotel next to Nairobi National Park. Prices start from £5,413, including flights. skysafari.com


KUONI offers a 14-night Namibian Explorer tour, which includes three nights in Etosha National Park, as well as Swakopmund, Central Namibia and Damaraland. Prices start from £4,298 per person, including flights. kuoni.co.uk


RAINBOW TOURS’ Kwazulu Natal Action- Packed Family Holiday in South Africa offers six nights at Umkhumbi and three nights at Amangwane, with game drives and elephant encounters. From £2,570, including flights. rainbowtours.co.uk


countrybycountry.com | ABTA Magazine 67


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