South Africa

In the United States, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, and United Kingdom, hiking means walking outdoors on a trail, or off trail, for recreational purposes. A day hike refers to a hike that can be completed in a single day. However, in the United Kingdom, the word walking is also used, as well as rambling, while walking in mountainous areas is called hillwalking. In Northern England, Including the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, fellwalking describes hill or mountain walks, as fell is the common word for both features there.

“A man on a horse is spiritually, as well as physically, bigger than a man on foot”
John Steinbeck

Have you ever considered discovering Africa from the back of a horse? We offer fabulous horse back safaris along the hills, valleys, plains, and riverbeds of Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa.

Few means of transport can bring you closer and make you feel more connected to your surroundings than horseback riding. Be fully immersed in the stunning scenery and wildlife of these countries and ride for a morning, an afternoon or even an entire week. This is one very unique way to experience the awesome landscapes and wildlife of Africa…. on horseback!

Have you ever imagined yourself silently gliding across the sky while enjoying the endless landscapes from above? Paragliding is a recreational (or competitive) adventure sport of flying Paragliders, which are lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure. You set flight with an experienced pilot and enjoy the adventure while viewing the world from above as you sit in a purpose built harness.

This is an adventure for all those who enjoy a little bit of adrenaline and adventure and want to see things from a different perspective.

Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure. The pilot sits in a harness suspended below a fabric wing comprising a large number of interconnected baffled cells. Wing shape is maintained by the suspension lines, the pressure of air entering vents in the front of the wing, and the aerodynamic forces of the air flowing over the outside.

Despite not using an engine, paraglider flights can last many hours and cover many hundreds of kilometers, though flights of one to two hours and covering some tens of kilometers are more the norm. By skillful exploitation of sources of lift, the pilot may gain height, often climbing to altitudes of a few thousand meters.

A ‘Safari’ is an overland journey, usually a trip by tourists to Africa. In the past, the trip was often a big-game hunt, but today, the word ‘safari’ often refers to trips to observe and photograph wildlife—or hiking, ballooning, on horseback and sightseeing, as well.

The Swahili word ‘safari’ means journey, originally from the Arabic meaning a journey; the verb for “to travel” in Swahili is kusafiri. These words are used for any type of journey, e.g. by bus from Nairobi to Mombasa or by ferry from Dar es Salaam to Unguja. Safari entered the English language at the end of the 1850s thanks to Richard Francis Burton, the famous explorer.

The Regimental March of the King’s African Rifles was ‘Funga Safari’, literally ‘tie up the March’, or, in other words, pack up equipment ready to march.

In 1836 William Cornwallis Harris led an expedition purely to observe and record wildlife and landscapes by the expedition’s members. Harris established the safari style of journey, starting with a not too strenuous rising at first light, an energetic day walking, an afternoon rest then concluding with a formal dinner and telling stories in the evening over drinks and tobacco.

Brian Jackman once said “Everything in Africa bites, but the Safari Bug is the worst of all”. Get the bug and allow us to help you put an itinerary together of ways to see this incredible continent, by boat, balloon, jeep, sea, on foot or horseback… the opportunities are endless.

Sand boarding is a sport that developed from snowboarding. Rather than a snow covered slope to slide down, sand boarding entails sliding down a sandy slope. Southern Africa offers some of the highest desert sand dunes in the world, and sand boarding down one of these is one of the most heart-pumping outdoor activities you will experience.

​Combine sand, sun and the right amount of adrenaline and you have the perfect mix for this extreme sport. All one needs to enjoy this is an adventurous mind, a positive attitude and the basic instructions provided at the time of sand boarding. Sand boarding is offered as an extra activity during a visit to one of the countries where sand boarding is offered.

Scuba diving is another of the world’s great pastimes. Diving is special in that it offers a mechanism to take a glimpse into a completely different world than what we as human beings are used to….the underwater world.

As a point of reference, Africa is the only continent in the world where one can combine an wildlife safari to view Elephants, Zebra, Rhino, Hippo, and so much more, with a scuba diving holiday. So feel free to plan a scuba diving live aboard trip with us and add on one of our epic wildlife safaris to complete your trip to East and Southern Africa. Having a selection of budget, mid range, and luxury accommodation options to choose from, experienced dive instructors and guides, and a fleet of top quality dive boats and live aboard yachts, we have great scuba diving options for you. Our many years of planning and operating scuba diving live aboard trips to East Africa will ensure you have an epic scuba diving trip to some of the remotest off the beaten track locations in our part of the world.

This is an ultimate wild animal encounter. Snorkel with Seals in their own environment. They are surprisingly fast and playful in the water. Enjoy their fun and play while learning more about these animals and their behaviour through your experienced guides. This activity is added as an extra activity to a comprehensive itinerary.

Scientific studies have proven that spearfishing is the most selective method of fishing known to humans. This is because it is the only form of fishing where one can see their catch before it is caught. Spearfishing is also limited by depth that a person can freedive to, and has no by-catch. Hence we use the words ‘Selective Fishing’ when we address spearfishing. Anyone who eats fish and is concerned for the health of our fisheries, the ocean, and the environment, then spearing their own fish or eating fish that was selected by a spearfisher is the way to address these concerning issues. Furthermore, our self-imposed species harvest list will ensure you are selecting your fish ethically and having minimal or no impact on the fishery you are spearfishing in. We actively promote selective fishing by offering the world’s most selective spearfishing trips.

From our spearfishing bases located in Zanzibar in Tanzania to the Quirimbas Archipelago of northern Mozambique, the Nosy Be Archipelago of northern Madagascar, the Western Cape Region of South Africa, and the Atlantic Ocean waters surrounding Ascension Island, we offer tailor made luxury and mid range trips that target pelagic migratory fish species such as Tunas, Wahoo, Billfish, Trevally, and Mackerel, as well as specific demersal game fish species such as Snappers, Jobfish, and Emperors. None of the fish we catch goes to waste; it’s all either eaten by you who caught it, local communities and fishermen to whom it is donated to, or selectively chosen as bait for other fish. Fish is at times sold and 100% of the proceeds donated to the local communities we spearfish in.

Through our land based trips, world famous live aboard trips, and our freediving and spearfishing school located in Zanzibar, we cater for all levels of spearfishers; experts, intermediate, and beginners. Explore our amazing destinations and allow us to create a spearfishing trip of a lifetime for you, your family, and your friends.

If are an adrenaline junkie or nature enthusiast that has dreamed of getting up close and personal with a White Shark we have what you are looking for. White sharks are arguably the most impressive and feared of all flesh eating sharks. In reality, these majestic creatures of the sea are stunningly beautiful animals of the sea doing what they do best; surviving! With perfect safety records and chances in the high 90s percentiles of encountering the sharks during one of our outings, our trips take you – within the safety of a cage – into the domain of White Sharks for an up and close encounter.

These trips are an excellent day activity add on to a bigger trip to the respective locations where White Sharks exist.

Sky Diving is an activity for those seeking a pure adrenaline and breathtaking experience. Board and enjoy a light aircraft ride and breathtaking views while climbing up to approximately 3,000 m to the sky diving ‘drop zone’. Attached to a qualified and experienced tandem instructor, jump off the plane and freefall for an exhilarating and breathtaking 60 seconds before the parachute is opened and you gently glide to the ground while enjoying the breathtaking views from above. When doing this activity, one must remember to BREATHE…..

Sky Diving is a highly recommended activity add on to a bigger trip to the country where the activity is offered.

Make the most of one of nature’s biggest playgrounds, the Indian Ocean, with scuba diving, sailing, free-diving, fishing, snorkeling, kite surfing kayaking, stand up paddling and much more. Snorkeling is fun and very family friendly, whether from a boat or a beach you will experience the wonder of a truly stunning under water world.

There are countless quotes that we could list to help describe this soul enriching sport that we call wave surfing, yet only a handful might do it justice. One on one between yourself and the ocean elements, wave surfing is a sport achievable by just about anyone. It’s inexpensive to learn, a great way to stay fit and healthy, and does not require the participation of others to make it happen.

Our surfing options cater for beginners who wish to learn this amazing sport and also for experienced surfers who just want to try a new surf spot. This is a great activity add on to a bigger trip to these destinations.

Whales remain the biggest mammals to have ever lived on our planet! Getting up close and personal with these gentle giants is a real privilege. We offer Whale Watching trips to be enjoyed by everyone. This is a great activity add-on to a bigger country trip.

Annually, from roughly June to December, Hermanus is known as a mecca for Whale Watching. Southern Right Whales choose the area to mate and give birth…

“Everything in Africa bites, but the Safari Bug is the worst of all”
Brian Jackman

Nothing quite embodies Africa like its iconic wildlife. From the Serengeti Plains, Ngoro Ngoro Crater, Livingstone Mountains, Maasai Mara National Park, Etosha Pans, Kruger National Park, and countless other national and private game reserves, East and Southern Africa arguably offer the world’s top locations to view African Wildlife.

On the one hand, the boom in wildlife viewing tourism in the area over the past 30 years has resulted in remarkable advances in the quality of accommodation and services provided. From luxury tented camps and lodges to mid range and budget resorts and campsites, East and Southern Africa has accommodation to suit one and all. On the other hand, despite the boom and continuing growth in wildlife tourism in the area, the wildlife areas encompass such large expanses of savannah grasslands and plains, bush, forests, deserts, and mountain ranges that it’s still remarkably easy to get lost.

Come with us and visit this unique and indescribably beautiful part of Africa, where rugged wild beauty meets luxury.