Vacation Home Rental

Take our advice : Africa is the greatest place on earth for a Safari Holiday . In fact ‘Safari’ actually translates as journey in Swahilii. But if you adhere to that old estate agent’s saying of ‘location, location, location’, South Africa wins the global prize of ultimate safari holiday destination .

The country combines perfect wildlife viewing spots with superb conditions that enhance chances of seeing the ‘Big 5 ’ – as they say in the safari world to mean leopards, rhinos, elephants, lions and giraffes . And South Africa has many of the more spectacular and diverse landscapes in the world .

South Africa’s safari holiday infrastructure is number one for this part of the earth . Which means you can expect the best in food and drink , along with the best in safari guides and transport – that is applicable whether you want an open top jeep or small private plane .

South Africa’s extraordinary national parks and picturesque game reserves exhibit first-rate viewings. After all, safaris are all about the animal sightings, whether it’s the ‘Big Five ’ or huge herds of enormous buffaloes and wilderbeest viewed congregated around watering holes on their great annual migrations. Imagine , too , an original , tailor made holiday tracking just 1 animal in special conditions – such as the impressive and rarely seen gorilla.

In South Africa, Victoria Falls is the largest waterfall on the planet , and a deserved World Heritage Site. This is a good place to start your safari, possibly the most memorable experience of your life.

Some of the finest South African safari holidays combine wildlife viewing with a beach holiday , allowing you to really get the best of both worlds. Wherever you go in the world, a safari will always be an awe-inspiring , humbling experience. After all, it is giving you front row seats to possibly one of the most impressive shows on the planet .

Whether you are travelling by yourself , or in a group , South Africa is the perfect safari location that provides the perfect safari destination – just for you.

Few animals are as mysterious and fascinating as the big cats of Africa, all of which are very different. Africa’s big cats include the leopard, known for it’s secretiveness, the cheetah, which is the fastest land animal, and the King of the Jungle, the mighty lion.

We’ll look at these magnificent wild cats in more detail for those who are planning on going on a Kenyan African safari.

The Lion

Inhabiting the plains of East Africa, the lion, dubbed as the King of the jungle due to its brave nature as a predator is the second largest cat after the Tiger. The biggest male lion is estimated to weigh 250kg with the female weighing an estimated 168kg both with exceptional strength capable of bringing down the biggest of buffaloes 4 times its size.

Lions have short fur of an ocher color, with tufted tails. Males also have a mane around their heads and necks, composed of long darker brown or black fur. The sight of lions pursuing their prey is quite amazing – the Masai Mara migration involves countless wildebeest and zebras trekking thousands of kilometers in search of food, as they are pursued by predators such as the lion.

Unlike most big wild cats, the lions are pretty social and can be found in prides of about 15 ranging from 5 to 10 females, their young, and 2 or 3 territorial males. The males in the pride work to protect the females, who must raise their young and hunt for food.

The Leopard

Leopards are large cats with dark or ocher colored fur that has rosette markings which assist in their camouflage. Finding leopards can be quite the challenge, as they’re solitary cats who can climb trees, swim, and who live in rather diverse habitats compared to many other species of wild cat.

Leopards have large territories, and tend to move around their territories regularly, meaning they’re rarely in the same place for more than a couple of days at a time. Ranges are marked with urine and claw marks and leopards proclaim their presence to other leopards with a rasping cough.

Leopards put their climbing skill to good use by hauling prey they’ve caught up into trees to eat. This is necessary as other predators and scavengers like hyenas and lions will quickly help themselves to a leopard’s kill if they don’t.

The Cheetah

Cheetahs are known for their speed – over a short distance they’ve been known to sprint as fast as 120km/hr. This amazing speed is achievable due to the physiology of the cheetah which includes large nostrils, and an extra large heart and lungs, which are able to circulate oxygen efficiently during the chase, where cheetahs may take as many as 150 breaths per minute.

Sadly, there are no more than about 12,000 cheetahs remaining in the wild, the majority of which reside in eastern and southern Africa. One of the most common places for visitors to see cheetah is in the Maasai Mara game reserve in Kenya, and the Serengeti national park in Tanzania.

Tanzania and Kenya are the countries to visit if you really want to see big cats in their natural habitats. One will be spoilt for choices on what type of tour to go for as they enjoy the scenery in East Africa. Some popular tours include beach based safaris, Tanzania camping safaris and even luxury safaris.

If you have managed to get over to Disney World you will know for a fact that they have a big ride over in Animal Kingdom known as Kilimanjaro Safari and of course it is supposed to be a bit like the real thing. However does it really compare or is it just a badly made ride that is there for the people who are interested in animals but not going on a safari.

The ride itself is very good as it feels like a real safari so it is very cool if you cannot afford to gety over to Africa for the real thing. It of course features real animals such as lions and elephants that you would expect to see on a real safari. Of course there are some negatives to the ride. One of the big problems is that the person driving you around is a bit cheesy and you can really tell that they are doing this all the time, they do have some really cool information on the animals.

Disney are not trying to make it better but are trying to give you a small glimpse into the real thing. All Disney are tyring to do is giving a bit of a taster when it comes to going on a safari. They are really only out there to show you the parts of Africa that people do not often get to see and are only trying to inspire people to actually go to the place itself.

So why don’t you actually go after a real Safari holiday by taking a going on one of those Kenya Holidays. Of course you could also go on one of those Botswana Holidays or even Zambia Holidays.

It is of course your choice on what you want to do, if you do not fancy the real Africa just go to the theme park!

The real problem is that many people will be going over to Africa next year for the very first time and it will quite possibly be the last time too. Why is the football going to be so popular? Surely there are other reasons why people should be on their way to Africa next year?

A lot of these things that you can do are in fact a lot better than the World Cuip. Africa is all about saving the animals of the world in the form of a safari and just think how much rubbish is going to be left in South Africa by the football fans next year. All of this is going to make a big impact on the environment and the real question is, should this be happening?

It shouldnt at all as people should be enjoying Africa for all of the other things that it has on offer other than the football next year. Of course the most famous option available to you is to go on a Kenya Safari but that isn’t the only thing you can do in Africa. You can actually do loads of different things such as a self drive holiday and even Christmas deals that you can take part in.

So instead of tearing the place apart next year when the football kicks off why don’t you actually think about going and doing something better in the continent. Of course Zambia holidays and Lamu Holidays are not cheap but they are really worth visiting as they are truly wonderful places to camp in at night.

Yes the football is going to be worth going to watch but that doesn’t mean you cannot think about going to some of the other locations that Africa has on hand to offer someone who is interested in the place.

So what is the point in travelling all that way to Africa, when all you need to do is take a drive down the road? You do have to remember that the zoo wont hold nearly as many different animals as Africa does. So let’s try and clear a few things up, let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of the two.

We’ll start with the Zoo. Straight away, here is something your all probably thinking, it wont be very expensive. Although you’re not actually in the wild you can see some of the wild’s most amazing animals and they are just behind a sheet of glass. The chance to see these animals is rare, but a zoo offers this chance to everybody, in some cases you can actually interact with these animals (probably not the dangerous ones). A safari is a rather long way away. Anyone usually has a zoo within about 100-150 miles of them, not 6000 miles in a plane. The zoo is a great place for you to take your children and a great lace for you and the family to have a day out.

So now let’s take a look at the Safari. If you want an idea of how amazing these holidays, then consider this, they are utterly amazing, life changing and unforgettable. This is a holiday that you only really need to go on once, but after you have been, you will want to go back again. The chance to spend a couple of weeks in Africa in the world should be snapped up by any body. Imagine the feeling of sitting in your bed knowing there are Lions or rhinos walking around outside. If you do consider splashing out the money for this you wont be disappointed, but you will have to leave the kids at home. You will hear astonishing stories that your guide will tell you about and some of them are considered luxury holidays.

Think carefully when you go to the zoo the next time, the more you see these animals in captivity the more you will want to see them in the wild, you never know you might end up wanting a Kenya safari!

People across the world have been travelling to the south of Africa to embark on one of the most amazing holidays available to the holiday maker.  Safari holidays have slowly started to become one of the most popular vacations available.So why do people want these new holiday experiences?

Well the best way to stay in tip top shape is to exercise and what better way to exercise then being in paradise.  These holidays offer the tourist a chance to explore the hot plains of Africa on foot (with a guide) but never the less on foot.  Walking is totally under-rated and can burn off thousands of calories within a couple of hours.The air in Africa is very clean and although the Pollen count is high the pollution levels are very low.This allows you to get all of the clean air you need and it also acts as a great outdoor sauna and gym.

If you book a Kenya Safari you will be able to explore the outdoors on foot in some places and there is a footpath through the Maasai Mara.If you want to see nature at its finest and lose the pounds then this is the ultimate place to be.  What's great about these holidays is that you don't have to be super-fit to partake; these holidays encourage people of all weights and sizes to come along.In a huge amount of cases you won't even feel like you are doing the exercise, but let me tell you now that you will lose a little weight.  The food is mainly comprised of greens and some high protein meats, in a decent amount.

All of this will provide you with a great fitness regime.

For great Kenya Holidays and Zanzibar Holidays I can guarantee you will be truly delighted and come back a happy person.

Even for those that have been on holiday to a Safari location before will be interested to know where the best resorts are. Obviously Africa is the best place for a wild animal safari, so here are the recommended top three resorts for you.

In Kenya there is the Porini Wilderness Safari. The advantage with this place is that you book it as a Safari bundle. There are actually three economically friendly bush camps that you will be staying in while on your safari quest. All of these camps have been built to have as little effect on the environment as possible. The guides are world renowned for being experienced and great tours; they are all accompanied with a 4X4 wheel Jeep.

This one is for those that want to see some of the most dangerous animals in the world. The Maasai Mara Big Cat Safari, this is in the Maasai Mara reserve in Kenya and offers some of the most amazing animals in the world. The Big Cats are most plentiful here, the lion prowls all over these grounds. There is also a great night safari available to anyone who embarks on this safari!  Kenya Safari holidays have become th most popular in the world.

Next is a truly majestic safari, the Zambia Classic Safari. This safari crosses across two of the main national reserve parks in Zambia, the Luangwa and the Lower Zambezi and Livingstone Park. This Safari offers two of the greatest features for holiday makers. The one that everybody considers a great creature is the Elephant, they are massive and powerful, yet very majestic. The second feature is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Victoria Falls, an amazing waterfall that looks like a chimney set in the ground because of the water mist it generates. Diving holidays have been very popular here for the falls have a hidden secret called the Devil’s Armchair.

I am 29 years old, but my journey actually began when I was a toddler and facinated by animals. I used to annoy my parents to bring me to the zoo every single week. When we used to go I adored bringing my camera along on the journey. Within the timeframe of a few years my whole room was covered in wildlife images.

When I went to college I carried on studying art and photography, I made a decision not to go to university and alternativley got a job down the local sea life centre. The job I was in was outstanding, I was doing a job that I loved but somehow it did not feel like it was enough.

When I turned 25 I received the best gift ever from my parents, safari holidays were an up and coming trend, but to be honest I could have never afforded to go. Once I received my tickets I was absolutely ecstatic.

Once I arrived on my Kenya holidays I just felt that I belonged to be here. The feeling just got stronger and stronger and the more time I stayed there. Personally I did not want to return back home, I mean the weather was better, the people were nicer and I could take advantage of my photography. So do you realise what? I decided not to return back, I have now spent 5 happy years in Kenya and although I do miss my family and friends there is no way that I would ever return back.

I was brought into this world to be part of nature and that is where I want to stay, I am also earning a great bit of cash by selling on my wildlife photos, but not everything is about the money.