On & Beyond Wildlife

The Arctic Circle is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after holiday destinations on Earth and with good reason.

As you sit in your jeep, watching the big cats of the savanna hunt their prey, you are in awe. They strategize, stalk, and when the time is right, they go in for the kill. The scene is intense and quick. Blink and you just might miss it!

Going on a safari through Africa is a travel experience that will change your life. While exploring the continent’s vast wild spaces, your urban existence melts away when you compare your shoes with the giant footprints of elephants. As you silently witness big cats seeking refuge in the scant shade of an umbrella thorn tree and watch campfire smoke spiral into the Milky Way, you drift off to the sounds of nature hoping this would never end.

You’ve booked your flight, decided on the length of your trip and even planned your outfits for the duration of your holiday. Now, all that’s left to do is to think about the one aspect that stumps even the most thorough planner among us: money.

Located at the southern tip of Africa, South Africa offers varied landscape and endless opportunities to have fun! Home to 21 national parks and seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the country is a treasure trove for anyone who is fascinated by nature, wildlife, and history.

Picture this: you’re lying under a blanket of stars while listening to the soundtrack of the African bush. Eventually, you drift off to sleep until the orange glow of sunrise fills your tent. You wake up to the trumpeting of an elephant, and when you step out of your tent, you spot paw prints in the dirt mere feet from your tent door.

On your quest for an authentic safari adventure, you’ve decided on exploring the beautiful country of Tanzania – a land unlike anywhere else in Africa. As you decide on your travel dates and sit down to plan your unforgettable journey, you stop to think to yourself, “What now? Where do I begin?”

Traveling around the world has never been so easy. If you’ve ever dreamed of visiting some far-off remote island with crystal blue waters and white sand beaches, it’s amazing to think we can book a flight tomorrow to do just that, all with a few taps on our smartphones. 

There really is nothing else quite like a safari holiday. These unique experiences have been a favorite of travelers for some time, and it’s easy to see why. They allow you to get right up close to some of the most majestic animals on the planet, and see them existing in their natural habitat.

Ask any traveler to name the most challenging part of preparing for their trip. Deciding on the location and packing will likely be on top of their lists. Especially for first-time safari-goers, picking the right equipment, gear, and accessories will be the most difficult part. 

Plane ticket to Africa, passport, vaccinations? Check, check and check! If you’ve already decided on your travel itinerary and have all the details sorted out, there’s only one thing left to do before you begin your wild African adventure: packing!

Let’s face it - if you are a professional photographer, you will admit that there are a few things more exhilarating or exciting than a safari into the depths of the jungle.

Thinking about going on your first Safari experience? This guide will help you get a good grasp of what you should expect and provide you some crucial and interesting information you need to know before embarking on a great adventure in an African Safari.

They often say that your travel experience is enriched not only by the places you visit but also the people you visit them with. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to travel not only on my own but also with my family and my son. Each experience is different from the other, but every one of them has been memorable.

For many travelers, South Africa is the gateway to Africa – their first and most important point of contact with this great region. South Africa is an all-around great destination to visit, with its warm hospitality, temperate weather and delicious food. 

I am a travel junkie. My horoscope told me so. So when my son came along, I was determined to start traveling with him as soon as possible. But as parents, we all know the woes of traveling with young children. 

Going on an African safari is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding experiences one can have. But the cost of an African safari, as well as the long journey to Africa has made many travelers think twice about taking the trip.

One of the very top things that you have on your travel-packing checklist before setting off on an adventure is your camera. After all, how else are you going to capture and freeze those memorable moments that you are bound to experience? 

Next to seeing the Big Five in the African savannah, encountering gorillas up close and personal in their natural habitat comes up close on most adventurous traveler’s bucket list. 

The thought of trekking the globe, one destination at a time, may sound appealing. But one of the biggest problems travelers face when planning their worldwide adventure is the hefty price tag. Money, whether we like it or not, dictates much of our travels. Afterall, it buys our flights, our hotels and many of our experiences.

Often my biggest fear about traveling is taking my 2-year-old along. My fears are the same as what any parents with young children will fear. Will our kids behave? Can they sit still for a long period  oftime? How do we keep them from disrupting others? Yet, through all those fears, I still deign to take my toddler on our travels, because that’s where both he and I learn the most.

As you pack for your next vacation out of town, you start running through your checklist. Listed among your comprehensive list are the essentials, which normally include clothes, toiletries, phone chargers, medications, passports and travel documents. But in your packing frenzy, you may have overlooked the most important thing you might need on your trip, especially to Africa. Vaccination.

The affordability of digital SLR technology together with the many options of affordable high-end camera phones have led to an increase in the numbers of photographers. And it also makes it easy for everyone to take snaps of everything they enjoy.