Taking an African Safari can be one of the most memorable travel experiences of a lifetime, that is, if it’s planned properly. Knowing the best time to go and where, which local guides to use and what experiences will elevate your trip from a vacation to a life-changing trip is not something that can come from doing a little research online. We hear from acclaimed Africa expert Henrietta Loyd and her regional team at cazenove+loyd about the invaluable benefits of working with a seasoned travel specialist to design the perfect bespoke safari holiday for each traveler.
Insider Expertise & Experience
There are many elements to factor in when planning a safari from which camps and lodges to stay at to the best adapted activities to include. Cazenove+loyd was born in Africa after founder Henrietta Loyd’s time living in Botswana over 30 years ago. She and her team experience have accumulated over sixty years experience living, working and planning extraordinary holidays in Africa.
Their Destination Experts are intensely passionate about Africa and strive to make all of their clients fall in love with the place they have spent their lives exploring. They have built a carefully selected repertoire of on the ground contacts which allows them to ensure that each trip is entirely seamless. They even go as far as calling ahead to make sure their close-knit group of trusted local camp owners and guides know when a cazenove+loyd client is staying with them so that the clients are guaranteed to have an extra-special stay.
Access to the Top Luxury Lodges & Camps
The cazenove+loyd Africa team has all stayed and even worked at the best safari lodges and camps. They tend to select small and owner-run lodges and camps which have first-class facilities, a diverse range of activities, the very best resident guides and which are located in the most breathtaking places. They also have the perfect venues for those looking for additional luxuries like gyms, wifi and even spas. They have fostered personal friendships with the owners, who add on specials touches that make a big difference to creating a trip exceeds expectations.
Tried & Test Network of Exceptional Guides
Securing the most inspiring guides for their clients is cazenove+loyd’s highest priority. Having the right person to introduce visitors to the country, while at the same time reveal its soul, is immensely important on safari. Cazenove+loyd’s guides are gifted storytellers who are also highly-skilled at tracking animals – both key attributes to a safari experience. The best guides know exactly when a wild animal is nearby and even how to communicate with it. There is no way to feel more connected with Africa than discovering it with someone whose life has been dedicated to unlocking its best and cazenove+loyd can connect you with the top guides who live and breathe their work. They match guides to clients based on their personal interests, from conservation to birdlife. The team is especially attentive to pair families with guides who are the most engaging and exciting for children while a different personality might be better suited to couples. A private guide can also be arranged to accompany guests on multi-country safaris.
Access to the Best Exclusive Experiences
People often associate safaris with game-drives, however, there are so many other amazing ways to experience Africa. Cazenove+loyd’s Destination Experts have been out riding, fishing, trekking, flying and quad-biking to know which are the very best experiences available for clients and to able to tailor the perfect itinerary for them. You can read more about their flying safari in Namibia at the bottom of this article.
Knowing the Best Times to Go & Where
Nature’s cycles and rhythms can vary dramatically in Africa. With their extensively first-hand experience living and working over the whole continent, cazenove+loyd’s Destination Experts can advise clients as to which destination is best visited depending on the month, what they are would to see and what are hoping to get out of their trip. The dry season is generally prefered by families and traditional safaris with big game viewing, like witnessing the phenomenal Great Migration in Kenya and Tanzania. That said, the drama and lush landscapes of the rainy season, such as the stormy skies creeping over Tanzania’s Great Rift Valley, are equally awe-inspiring. A true specialist will focus in on the options with you to help you decide.
Environmentally & Socially Responsible
Poaching and other environmental disturbances have lead a number of endemic species to be critically endangered and has threatened various ecosystems over the continent. Travelers to Africa can play a positive role by traveling with sustainably minded companies. All of cazenove+loyd’s safari and wildlife vacations are based around conservation, as without responsible tourism, the projects that protect animals and their habitat would not and could not exist. They are actively involved in projects from cheetah conservation to saving the Waterberg Rhino – efforts in which clients can get directly involved on safari with cazenove+loyd. The thrill of encountering animals in their natural habitat can be matched by witnessing the conservation projects that protect these majestic creatures.
Learn more about any of the above experiences or start planning an exciting, meaningful and memorable African safari with Henrietta Loyd and her Africa Destination Experts here.
