Be inspired... six of the best African safaris

We're blowing our own World Cup vuvuzelas to trumpet six of our best African safaris. How about canoeing down the Selinda Spillway in Botswana? Or go to Zimbabwe where they have some of the best guides in Africa? Read on to find out about our new hit safari in Mozambique and even Christmas ideas for the family.

Botswana Adventure

The best floods in decades mean that it is possible to canoe the Selinda Spillway that connects the Okavango Delta with the Kwando and Linyanti systems... but our advice is to go now before it's too late, there is no guarantee that next year it will happen again.

There are so many ways to explore the Botswana wilderness including walking, mokoros (traditional dug out canoes), canoe safaris, on horseback or even elephant back safaris. Botswana also offers fabulous luxury mobile tented safaris, which are perfect for families or larger groups wishing to experience a safari in a more private way. Each of these safaris are in the company of a top safari guide who will accompany you throughout your journey and share with you their enviable knowledge of the bush.

Regardless of what kind of safari you choose, the game experience will be fantastic and offers something very different to the normal 4x4 safari. Some of these safari options complement a stay in a permanent lodge or tented camp whilst a horse riding safari or a private luxury mobile safari are ideal simply taken on their own for a week and then combined with a stay in Victoria Falls or on the white sandy beaches of Mozambique for a Robinson Crusoe beach break at the end of your holiday.

Hwange - Zimbabwe

After years of turmoil Zimbabwe is back on the safari map. Hwange, famous for its large concentrations of game and diversity of mammal species is Zimbabwe's largest, and oldest, national park. Almost the size of Belgium (14,651km²), it lies south of Victoria Falls on the border with Botswana.

The area gets very low rainfall and has a number of privately maintained manmade waterholes, boreholes and dams meaning that the wildlife remains healthy and within the park during the winter. Game viewing is consequently spectacular, particularly at this time (dry season - July to October).

Renowned for large numbers of elephant and buffalo, lion are also commonly seen and the park also has one of the largest populations of wild dog in Africa. There are black, and white rhino with over 100 species of mammals and over 400 birds in total recorded. There are varied ecosystems within the park ranging from huge open plains to teak forests with an attendant variety of birds and mammals.

It is a wonderful combination with the majestic Victoria Falls (a short drive away), its adrenaline inducing activities and perhaps a coastal addition in Mozambique or the Indian Ocean beaches in South Africa. Walking and game drive safaris are possible which also makes it an excellent combination with Mana Pools in the north of the country where you can also spend peaceful days canoeing down the Zambezi River.

Gorongosa National Park - Mozambique

The islands off Mozambique have become hugely popular destinations of late, but now it's time for the country's 'bush' element to rival the 'beach', starting with Gorongosa National Park.

Situated near Beira in central Mozambique, Gorongosa National Park is one of Mozambique's flagship conservation areas. Fortunately an incredible number of animals survived the civil war in the 1970s that devastated the country (and, as a result, the tourist industry) and most species are making a great comeback with more and more being reintroduced as part of the Park Restoration Project.

There are now significant populations of oribi, reedbuck, impala, waterbuck, Lichtenstein's hartebeest, warthog and sable. Predators are also recovering slowly with a number of lion prides already seen on a daily basis. Add elephants, large herds of buffalo and wildebeest, zebra, hippo, leopard and several other usual suspects and this is a park very much on the up. Birding at Gorongosa is also excellent with quality and quantities of special and endemic birds on show. National Geographic, never ones to miss an up-and-coming destination, have just produced a fabulous film on Gorongosa called Africa's Lost Eden which is receiving plaudits worldwide.

Best of all? The islands off Mozambique are THE hot beach destination right now, so this is a perfect 'bush and beach' alternative to nearby Tanzania and Kenya.

KwaZulu-Natal - South Africa

Soak up post World Cup football euphoria and head to the Zulu kingdom of KwaZulu-Natal. Fabulous beaches, mountains for hiking and excellent safaris. KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is one of South Africa's largest provinces but is often overlooked by visitors who tend to enjoy a safari, go to Cape Town and the Winelands and then perhaps along the Garden Route.

KZN is well worth a look - there's Anglo-Zulu War heritage to discover, the dramatic Drakensberg Mountain range for superb trekking, excellent game reserves and some of the Rainbow Nation's finest coastline.

Elsewhere, between the warm waters of the Indian Ocean and the waterways of the Greater Saint Lucia Wetland Park renamed iSimangaliso Wetland Park in 2007 (a World Heritage Site), Phinda Game Reserve's 17,000 hectares span seven unique ecosystems and host an unrivalled diversity of wildlife including the 'big five', almost 400 species of bird and superb marine wildlife such as dolphins and turtles.

Activities range from game drives to diving, and it's possible to spot a lion in the morning and a whale shark in the afternoon.

Family Safari in Kenya

Christmas will be upon us before we know it and a family safari to Kenya ticks all the boxes. Several of Kenya's best lodges are extremely family-friendly and offer fantastic game viewing, a wide range of activities and special family accommodation where you won't disturb the honeymooning couples or scare all the wildlife away.

A family safari in Kenya offers a range of activities from game drives (by day and night) featuring the cast from The Lion King to bush breakfasts and visits to local villages that will open children's eyes to a different way of life where tribal people still lead simple, traditional lives without PlayStation.

Depending on the property, children can enjoy special activities with Samburu and Maasai guides, learning about the uses of plants, how to identify animal tracks and so on.

A family safari in Kenya is easily combinable with a beach holiday on Kenya's Indian Ocean coast, and you should make time at the beginning or end of the trip for a visit to see the baby elephants at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi.

Namibia - The Namib Desert

Looking for complete escapism? Namibia is one of our firm favourites for its wide open spaces and incredible scenery . It doesn't get much more dramatic than the gigantic dunes of Sossusvlei, in the heart of the Namib Desert, and one of the most iconic sights in Africa.

Sossusvlei is a clay pan, or dry lake, enclosed by giant sand dunes - thought to be the tallest in the world. Very occasionally, when there has been sufficient rainfall to cause the Tsauchab River to flow, the pan fills with water and becomes a turquoise lake that lasts just a few weeks and makes the scenery even more surreal. The dunes have been sculpted by the wind over millions of years, and some of them have become petrified over time.

The nearby NamibRand Nature Reserve lies on the eastern edge of the Namib Desert and contains a desert tapestry of colours and shapes that make it a visual utopia for those in search of natural beauty. Game species found in the reserve include oryx, zebra, ostrich, giraffe, several species of antelope, and a wide variety of smaller desert creatures. Over a hundred species of birds have also been recorded.

Conservation is key in the NamibRand, so the number of guests to this wilderness paradise is strictly limited. We know all the finest places to stay and can arrange activities from guided game drives or walks led by knowledgeable guides to picnics in the reserve and hot-air balloon flights.