The best safari experiences for teenagers – from Expert Africa

April 13, 2012 - PRLog -- Plus, they’re past the age where taking malaria medication is an issue. The options and combinations are, quite literally, endless – and can be quite overwhelming and wearisome to research oneself – so here’s leading safari specialist Expert Africa’s top picks for interested teens:

Flatdogs, Zambia
A winner on the affordability front, Flatdogs is a relatively frill-free option in the fertile South Luangwa with a wonderful atmosphere and excellent guides. It has a very comfortable two-storey family chalet and a large, crystal-clear swimming pool – heavenly for afternoons spent splashing, reading and listening to the sounds of the bush all around. There are safari quizzes to take on day and night drives, and nature walks around the camp accompanied by a guide and a ranger.
Expert Africa’s nine-day Spotted Hyena Safari, which includes a stay at Flatdogs, Kawaza Village and Luangwa River Camp, flights (Heathrow), transfers and full-board accommodation costs from £2,495 pp based on two people sharing (020 8232 9777, www.expertafrica.com).

Nhoma Camp, Namibia
Expert Africa has been sending families to Nhoma Camp for ten years, to spend time with the Bushmen – gathering wild food, tracking game, learning to make arrows and snares. In this remote region of the northern Kalahari known as Bushmanland, the experiences are exciting and enlightening, and extremely humbling. It gets young people properly involved and gives importance to a people’s traditional skills
Expert Africa’s 16-day Hartebeest Self-drive Safari costs from £2,794 pp based on two people sharing. This includes four days visiting the Bushmen, flights (Heathrow), transfers and full-board accommodation (020 8232 9777, www.expertafrica.com).

Footsteps, Botswana
Set amongst picturesque floodplains, Footsteps is a rustic camp in the heart of the Okavango Delta that offers a ‘Young Explorers’ programme, designed specifically for families. Young people can learn bush skills like identifying animal tracks, cooking on a fire, making bows and arrows and fishing under the supervision of a specialist guide.
The ten-day Steenbok Safari costs from £3,701 pp based on two people sharing including flights (Heathrow), transfers and full-board accommodation (020 8232 9777, www.expertafrica.com).

Hwange Mobile Camp, Zimbabwe
Offering outstanding value, families here in this remote corner of Hwange (Zimbabwe’s largest game park) have their own professional guide, tracker, chef and ‘camp hand’. For an awesome walking safari experience (don’t be surprised when your guide merrily tracks black rhino on foot and doesn’t bat an eyelid when he sees an elephant approaching), Hwange Mobile Camp comes highly recommended and, although accommodation is reasonably basic, it’s certainly comfortable and the standards of service and food are high.
A seven-day trip costs from £2,770 pp based on two people sharing including flights (Heathrow), transfers and full-board accommodation (020 8232 9777, www.expertafrica.com).

Selous Impala Camp, Tanzania
Set on a wooded stretch of the stunning Rufiji River in Africa’s largest game reserve (the Selous), Selous Impala Camp has been wowing families with its personalised approach, stylish old-Africa-style tents and stunning vistas for many years. There is a lovely family tent, a swimming pool and, unlike most camps in the park, dining is separate rather than communal – perhaps better for families wanting time together.  Activities include game drives, walks and boat trips.
The five-day Suni Safari costs from £1,759 pp based on two people sharing, including flights (Heathrow), transfers and full-board accommodation (020 8232 9777, www.expertafrica.com).

Expert Africa covers Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, the Seychelles, the Cape of South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. For further information, call 020 8232 9777 or visit http://www.expertafrica.com.

Wild about Africa (020 8758 4717; http://www.wildaboutafrica.com) is a small group specialist - known for affordability, inclusiveness and flexibility - to Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Tanzania. Many of the safaris have very low or no single-person supplements, making these very economic options for solo travellers.

Ends/12th April, 2012

Press: For further information, or to interview Chris McIntyre, MD of Expert Africa, call Richard Mellor or Mischa Mack at Travel PR on 020 8891 4440 or email r.mellor@travelpr.co.uk or m.mack@travelpr.co.uk.

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