My Trip | Eat Your Heart Out Attenborough

The similarities cannot be denied. I’m well aware that if you’re going to compare anything to the world-renowned BBC series, Planet Earth then the contemporary better be good. Really good. The Lyons’ photographs fulfill this strict criteria. I understand that this claim may be met with skepticism. Anticipating this I’ll offer three reasons justifying the association:

1. Both create an intense wanderlust – a sharp desire to pack a bag and explore unfamiliar landscapes.

2. The photographs and the footage give nature and her favourite offspring, wildlife, a chance to show off.

3. For those who have listened to David Attenborough wax lyrical about Emperor penguins again and again, you’ll know that from ‘Pole to Pole’ isn’t a reference to ‘the Diaries of an Exotic Dancer,’ and ‘Deserts’ isn’t an exploration of culinary treats (not least because the word is missing a’s.’) These are, of course, two of the terrains featured on the celebrated documentary. Conscious of it or not, the Lyons choose close (and in one case an exact replica) of the categories used on Planet Earth. And so I present – or rather – act as a conduit for the Lyons to present:

Deserts, Rivers, Pans and Falls

* As a premature footnote allow me to offer this account some detail. Deserts capture the dramatic landscapes of Sossusvlei and Damaraland in Namibia; Rivers refers to Kavango and Kwando, two rivers in Namibia and also includes Chobe River in Botswana while Pans encapsulates the Etosha Salt Pans. Last but never least are the Falls which honour one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World: the Victoria Falls.

End of footnote ends. Cue inspiring photos.

Deserts

 Pans

Rivers

Falls

At this point you might be thinking, ‘I want to go there.’ Predicting this urge, we’ve included a list of the properties the Lyons stayed at during each leg of their journey:

Namibia:

Olive Grove – Windhoek
Sossusvlei Desert Lodge – Sossusvlei
The Stiltz – Swakopmund
Mowani Mountain Camp – Damaraland
Ongava Lodge – Etosha National Park
Onguma Tented Camp – Etosha National Park
Hakusembe River Lodge – Caprivi Strip
Lianshulu Lodge – Caprivi Strip

Botswana

Kwando Lagoon Camp – Chobe
Chobe Marina Lodge – Chobe

Zimbabwe

Ilala Lodge – Victoria Falls

Thank you to Belinda and Matthew Lyons for capturing their journey in such a way that we could go along for the ride. We hope you’ll always look back on this time with great fondness.

Looking for a change of scenery? Tired of looking at the same landscape through your lens finder? If you’re set on an adventure full of African charm and a whole lot of luxury in between then contact one of our travel experts who will help you narrow down your options and get you closer to your African adventure.