Africa - Amala Destinations

The beauty of Africa lies in it's diversity: a unique blend of incredible wildlife, stunning landscapes and fascinating cultures.

From drifting along the intricate waterways of the Okavango Delta to traversing the endless plains of the Serengeti; from quadbiking across the ancient sand dunes of Namibia to tracking critically-endangered mountain gorillas through the lush forests of Rwanda, Africa is a dream destination which always offers an experience to ignite the senses.

Our journeys to Africa represent a natural progression to our beginnings as a Bhutan specialist; an opportunity to immerse oneself in pristine natural and wilderness environments and truly "disconnect to reconnect". We hope to share with you some of our passion for this most special of continents.

BOTSWANA

TANZANIA

RWANDA

KENYA

NAMIBIA

ZIMBABWE

SOUTH AFRICA

MOROCCO

Our Favourite Africa experienceS

Dubbed 'The Greatest Show on Earth', the Great Migration is the largest herd movement of animals on the planet. The vast plains of the Serengeti and Maasai Mara play host to this epic spectacle of survival; over a million wildebeest, zebra and gazelles in perpetual motion chasing the rains in search of fresh food and water. From the calving season in the Southern Serengeti, where hundreds of thousands of wildebeest are born within weeks of each other, to the chaotic and treacherous river crossings between the Northern Serengeti and Maasai Mara, it is a perilous journey, which provides an awe-inspiring experience like no other.

The successes and hardships of Blacktip and Tait, and their respective packs of painted wolves, were well documented in BBC’s fascinating docu-series “Dynasties”. From a safari perspective, adventurous safari-goers have the unique opportunity to observe these endangered animals from ground level, tracking Blacktip and Tait’s progeny on foot as they traverse the forests and floodplains of Mana Pools National Park in northern Zimbabwe, under the watchful eye of expert guides who have spent years, sometimes decades, in the area getting to know these animals, their personalities and their behaviours. On foot with Africa’s most successful predator.

To the far west of Tanzania, set along the shores of the crystal-clear waters of Lake Tanganyika and beneath the lush forests of the Mahale Mountains, lies an idyllic jungle paradise: Greystoke Mahale. The Mahale Mountains are home to many groups of chimpanzees, including the M-Community, who have become habituated to the presence of humans due to ongoing research by a team of Japanese scientists which began in the 1960’s. Trekking into the depths of the forest, picking up hints of jasmine on the nose and feeling the crunch of leaves underfoot in search of our closest relatives - whose behaviours, politics and antics so closely resemble our own - is an unforgettable experience; one of the most intimate and memorable wildlife interactions in Africa.

Across Africa, rhinos are faced with a grave battle for survival, and passionate conservationists have gone to great lengths to preserve one of Africa's iconic species. In some cases, they have partnered with safari operators to provide guests with unique opportunities to participate and raise awareness towards the plight of the rhino. Guests can witness the darting of a rhino, and assist the veterinary team in notching the sleeping rhino's ear or observe the de-horning of the rhino for research and security monitoring purposes.

From the ground, the vastness of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem can sometimes be underestimated, and a hot air balloon safari provides the perfect opportunity put things into perspective and truly appreciate the sense of scale. Take to the skies as the first golden flickers of a new day dawns, and float over the endless plains, forests and rivers of the Maasai Mara. What is often surprising is the sense of absolute stillness and silence as you gently drift wherever the air currents choose to take you.

A nature drive or eco-sensitive guided quad-bike ride through the private Kulala Wilderness Reserve allows you to take in the incredible views and denizens of the desert, including the likes of oryx, springbok and bat-eared fox, as well as fascinating avian desert specials such as the endemic dune lark.

Abu Camp, in Botswana's Okavango Delta, is famous for its elephant rehabilitation programme, which focuses on elephant conservation, raising awareness for the plight of the species and supporting meaningful scientific research projects. Abu provides the opportunity to interact and spend time walking with the Abu Herd, gaining a deeper connection with the individual members of the herd as you see the African bush through their eyes. The programme aims to reintroduce elephants who have been orphaned, injured or rescued from captivity back into the wild; several elephants have been successfully reintroduced into the wild, some of which have remained in the area.