The African continent is enormous. The volume of choice for where to go on your African adventure can force you into a state of analysis paralysis. Over the next couple of blogs, we unpack the Southern and East Africa quandary.
Your African adventure awaits, Image Credit: Wilderness Safaris
A Taste of Africa
Do you fancy dining al fresco beneath a midnight blue star-spangled night sky on a remote island in Botswana's Okavango Delta? Are you dreaming of scaling Namibia's burnt sienna skyscraper dunes in the heart of the world's oldest desert, the Namib? How about snorkelling with mystical dugongs in the crystal-clear calm waters of a far-flung Mozambique?
Suppose you're on the hunt for inspiration and keen to know how to start planning your life-changing journey. It can be a daunting prospect. You're seeking journeys that create impact, uplift communities, and protect wildlife. Let's consider a few cornerstone concepts.
Insightful community visits add an extra layer to your African adventure, Image Credit: &Beyond Phinda
Local is “Lekker”
An Afrikaans word you’ll likely come across often in South Africa is “lekker”, meaning “good”. It's a versatile word used in many ways by locals to describe a place, person or state of being.
No matter how many well-thumbed passports you've had, it's almost impossible to draw on first-hand experience all the time. Booking with Rhino Africa, a reputable, long-standing local travel company, ticks several boxes.
It ensures that the funds generated from booking your trip stay in the local economy and gives you peace of mind that you rely on local, up-to-date travel advice. Also, should you need support during your travels, knowing that your trip organiser's office is in the exact geographic location and time zone deepens your sense of calm. Now that’s “lekker”.
Rhino Africa's Travel Experts live in Africa and know it better than anyone else
First-Hand Experience is Gold
Samantha Myburgh, Senior Travel Expert and one of the longest-serving members of the Rhino Crash prefers to call potential clients initially and have a great chat to start the ball rolling.
"My goal with this conversation is, most importantly at first, to just listen, to let them speak; it's incredible what one can learn when just listening out for key phrases, their wishes, goals or ideals."
The more information you provide your Travel Expert, the better your experience will be. Rhino Africa's consultation process caters to core market time zones, hones in on the details, and ensures no stone goes unturned to match your needs with the perfect travel products.
First-hand experience is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow
Knowledge is Power
Samantha understands how unsure a new guest to Africa might feel.
"Planning a first trip to a brand-new continent can be a daunting affair, never mind to one as vast and diverse as Africa. Where do we go first? What is the most important element for us as a couple or family? How do we know what would suit us best?
At Rhino Africa, we know it can seem an endless task and overwhelming with so many choices! My mission is to make the process seamless and easy for my clients, resulting in a bespoke adventure created just for them – how exciting!"
Understanding the nuances of luxury travel in Africa can be a minefield. Like a perfectly balanced wine, crafting a well-planned trip is a labour of love. Driven by passion and tapping into Rhino Africa’s first-hand knowledge, an essential starting point is to define your travel purpose to understand the experiences you seek.
Usually, a safari is the focal point of a trip to Southern Africa, a powerful way to contribute to conservation.
An African adventure is the perfect way to forge family bonds, Image Credit: Time&Tide Chongwe Camp
Tailored to Perfection
Working within your budget, your dedicated Travel Expert sets about putting all the elements of your trip in place, ensuring optimal travel and experiences. On your behalf, they'll check availability, identify suitable alternatives if necessary, navigate booking and payment policies, and provide emergency support. Sometimes, the best-laid plans can be affected by matters out of hand. Having an experienced professional partner on the ground is vital in such cases.
Regarding her detail-oriented dream-weaving process, Samantha says:
"Having been privileged to have explored Southern and East Africa quite significantly, it’s at this stage where I can already get an idea of what may possibly work (or not) for each specific guest."
From your favourite wine to how you like your food prepared, every detail is taken into consideration
The Golden Thread
Seasonality plays a part, too. Knowing when to go is vital. For example, some destinations are strictly seasonal, whereas others are sometimes better in the off-peak times. An experienced Travel Expert patiently teases out your deepest wishes. Let the alchemy begin!
Communication is essential when planning idyllic itineraries that encompass life-changing moments for travellers and the host communities in Southern Africa. Rhino Africa's offices are the heartbeat of their diverse body of travel planning and hospitality experts.
Despite a dispersed team due to the nature of their role within the organisation, they work hard to keep lines of communication open, sharing up-to-the-minute knowledge. Drawing on years of relationships built with their industry partners yields stellar results.
Your African adventure is personalised, from start to finish
Ready to Plan Your African Adventure?
Make all your dreams of experiencing Africa's vast beauty a reality. Contact a Travel Expert today, so they can start planning!
