Africa

South Africa is truly The Rainbow Nation. The diversity of landscapes, cultures, and experiences is unrivaled across the globe. It is a world in one country and delights honeymooners, baby boomers, and families. With world-class infrastructure, it is easy to connect safari, beach, wine country, desert, and amazing urbanscapes.

Nowhere can we offer more un-googleable moonshot experiences. Diving for diamonds, hands-on conservation efforts, cultural immersion … the list is endless. Allow us to introduce you to our friends who will deliver Africa’s warmest embrace. If there is one destination globally where we shine brightest as travel designers, it is South Africa.

Endless horizons are a much-vaunted feature of the country, and the Serengeti does not disappoint. It presents prolific wildlife across vast plains with Mount Kilimanjaro as a backdrop. Intrepid visitors are rewarded when they allow us to showcase the remote wildlife refuges like Ruaha, Selous, and Katavi.

No visit to the country is complete without experiencing the Spice Islands, a mysterious and exotic melting pot of offshore islands. The real hidden gem in Zanzibar is Stone Town, with its artisanal coffee shops, bustling outdoor markets, and spice farms. Mornings can be spent swimming with dolphins and kite surfing and evenings exploring hookah bars and restaurants serving fusion cuisine.

For sheer exposure to mega herds of wildlife, Kenya has no equal. Mystical and storied, it is known for its great migration and was the backdrop for the film Out of Africa. Safari lodges are among the most romantic and luxurious in all of Africa for their spectacular locations and sheer scale.

However, the country is much more than the seasonal Great Migration … it offers stellar perennial wildlife sightings. The highlands around Laikipia offer emotive cultural experiences against a backdrop of staggering beauty. There are myriad outdoor pursuits and conservation projects to participate in.

More than half a century ago the Botswana government took a visionary decision to grant conservation rights to some 45% of the country’s landmass. They became guardians of some of the most pristine wilderness on the African continent, including the fabled Okavango Delta. This led to a staggeringly small human footprint.

Fly via helicopter over an influx of water filling the arid riverbeds of the delta, where you can ride in a mokoro, a traditional dugout canoe, and watch in awe as the Kalahari Desert turns into wetlands divided solely by hippo highways.

In Zambia, you will find remote wilderness, the second-largest wildebeest migration, and powerful Victoria Falls.

As the African rains arrive in the north, the vast plains of Liuwa Plain National Park turn into wetlands, attracting countless wildlife. This includes wildebeest as they journey south to calve. This region is also known for its huge packs of hyenas—sometimes 60 in number! In addition, the sheer spectrum of aquatic species creates birders’ and photographers’ nirvana.

One of the largest concentrations of elephants and lions calls Kafue National Park home. In the Lower Zambezi Valley, along the Zambezi River course, you find activities such as tiger fishing, canoeing, sleeping under the stars, and watching wildlife from ground-level hides.

Namibia’s wildlife and otherworldly landscapes will leave you feeling like you have landed on another planet.

The distinct wildlife that calls Namibia home is a collection of species that have adapted to the inhospitable Namib Desert, the ethereal Skeleton Coast, the raw and remote Kunene area, and the Etosha region with its unique silvery-white salt pan and Big 5 wildlife viewing.

Our expert guides will introduce you to the country’s rich culture. German roots are seen in Swakopmund, a seaside town where you find authentic Bavarian sausage and apfelstrudel in traditional beer gardens. You may witness nomadic communities including the Himba tribe, whose bodies are covered in ocher-hued otijize, and Herero members in Victorian-inspired dresses.

Known as the “Land of 1,000 Hills”, Rwanda offers so much more than gorillas. Treks through dense rainforest reveal twelve primate species, including chimpanzees and the endangered golden monkey. What may come as a surprise is the ability to witness Africa’s Big 5 in Akagera National Park. Thanks to repopulation efforts, elephants, black and white rhinos, lions, leopards, and Cape buffalo take refuge in these protected wetlands.

Polished luxury lodges allow access to the primary jungle where ecology thrives. Myriad flora and fauna attract the largest concentration of birdlife in Africa. Bustling markets are the best place to immerse yourself in the local culture through its vibrant people and food. Find out why we label this country the Switzerland of Africa.

Home to the mystical source of the Nile River, Uganda is a gem in central Africa. From gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to hands-on chimpanzee habituation in Kibale, the country is ground zero for primates.

There is a multitude of truly endearing aspects of the country: the warmth of the Ugandan welcome, especially in rural areas; Big 5 savannah game safaris; rafting the wildest, most remote reaches of the Nile River; and the best bird watching in Africa. Uganda’s location ensures that any visit can be easily combined with Kenya and Tanzania as well as the beach destinations off the East African coastline.

Zimbabwe offers some of the last great herds of elephants and buffalo found anywhere on the African continent. The lower Zambezi River valley has dense wildlife viewing alongside a plethora of aquatic species. Zimbabwean safari guides are revered as being the elite and their educational skills are excellent, making Zimbabwe a wonderful choice for family safari trips.

The country shares Victoria Falls or Mosi-oa-Tunya, meaning "the smoke that thunders” with neighboring Zambia. Vic Falls is also known as the adrenaline and adventure capital of the African continent. The ability to include one of the seven great natural wonders of the world in a safari itinerary makes Zimbabwe one of our favorite destinations.

Cairo is a melting pot apparent in its diverse Coptic, Islamic, and Ottoman cuisine, architecture, and people. The Nile is truly the fertile lifeblood of Egypt. Traveling on a luxury Dahabiya is the best possible form of transport on the Nile allowing for an intimate experience and quick disembarkation.

A sunrise hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings where Ramses VI and Tutankhamun rest, allows you to view the stark differences in the landscape. Equally impressive is Abu Simbel, the most iconic Nubian Monument. Located on the banks of Lake Nassar.

With TS, exclusive moments await in this magical destination … picture yourself between the paws of the sphinx, a location that is off-limits aside from the best Egyptologist in the field … and our clients!

The stark Sahara Desert, the romanticism of Casablanca, and the bustling medinas in Marrakech are the stuff of legend. Set against its deep history is a rapidly changing country with a progressive Arabic society. Tangiers is re-emergent and is a thriving metropolis that bridges the African and European continents.

Essaouira is a chic seaside fishing village where surfers rub shoulders with generations-old fishing families. This country has some of the best beach experiences in Africa and kitesurfing locations in the world.

The gems of Morocco are Fez and the snow-capped Atlas Mountains. Fez has movie-star appeal and souks selling world-class fabrics and carpets. The famous Berber hospitality in rural villages along the spine of the Atlas Mountains will ensure that you rethink your views on kindness and generosity of spirit.

The world’s fourth-largest island is alive with fauna and flora that are indigenous here and nowhere else on the globe. The northern reaches of the country offer marine reserves where water visibility is more than 30 feet deep resulting in a snorkeling and diving paradise. Some reefs have yet to be discovered and have never been dived before. Canyoning and kitesurfing are best in show.

All manner of lemur and a dense concentration of strange and wonderful wildlife are just waiting to be discovered in virgin rainforests. The southern loop is home to vast forests of Baobab trees.

Malagasy are welcoming and generous people and nowhere is this more apparent than at their table. Colonial influences from France and Portugal prevail making this a surprising foodie destination.

Mozambique is the darling of romance and honeymoon. Think unspoiled archipelagos with marine reserves, miles of beaches littered with sand dollars, colorful local fishing boats, and drastic tides. Vestiges of Portuguese colonial reign remain expressed in iconic architecture and music, and especially in the country’s culinary offerings.

Stellar boutique resorts and private villas abound where chefs and butlers attend to your every need. After a day of ‘ocean safari’ where game fishing in the Mozambique Channel is a highly coveted experience, dine on Peri Peri Prawns paired with a crisp Viño Verde.

The ‘Spice Island’ is a mysterious and exotic island off the coast of Tanzania. As the historic nexus of the world’s spice trade, it generated untold wealth. Sultan’s Palaces, merchant mansions, and exclusive beach hideaways abound.

The real hidden gem in Zanzibar is Stone Town, with its artisanal coffee shops, bustling outdoor markets, and spice farms that grow cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom. Mornings can be spent swimming with dolphins and kitesurfing and evenings exploring hookah bars and restaurants serving inspirational dishes that fuse Swahili, Arabic, and European cuisine.

One of the greatest rooftop dining experiences in all of Africa is in Stone Town. The convergence of sights, sounds, and aromas is unparalleled.

This remote jewel in the Indian Ocean encapsulates barefoot luxury. This group of 1,192 islands spans the equator in the Indian Ocean.

Conjure images of sparkling turquoise water, silky white sand, epic sunsets, and over-water villas. The archipelago's protected marine environment allows myriad fish and coral to thrive and welcomes elusive whale sharks, turtles, and giant manta rays.

As you can imagine, translucent paddle boarding, snorkeling, and diving are world-renowned.

Mauritius is a vibrant cultural crossroads and nowhere is this more evident than in the island’s cuisine. It delivers a sense of a Creole-inspired place combined with influences from Asia, Africa, and Europe.

The island offers rich historical experiences centered around its colonial past and the once-thriving sugar and rum industries. Mauritius is particularly family-friendly with a multitude of welcoming resorts. A short hop from the African continent, the island is an ideal way to end a family safari trip.

Napoleon Bonapartes’ final resting place is also home to one of the best locales in the world to swim with whale sharks. The island of Saint Helena is centered in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Africa. Dramatic cliffs that shear down into the ocean give way to a lush, sub-tropical interior that is a hiker’s and biker’s nirvana. It is also home to a vast array of endemic species.

Surrounded by military battlements, amateur astronomers have unparalleled views of the night skies. Saint Helena is a truly charming island where each turn down a winding road evokes another country—verdant English valleys one moment and Italian hilltop dwellings the next.

The Seychelles archipelago personifies romance and intimacy.

It is the very pinnacle for exclusive and luxurious honeymoons and anniversaries. The beaches are as fine as talcum powder, the water is azure blue and the embrace from native Seychellois is all-enveloping.

The outer islands are the real treats—Robinson Crusoe never had it this good. Against the backdrop of huge granite boulders and deserted beaches, feast on sumptuous seafood picnics and roam around with giant tortoises. The fishing and snorkeling experiences in the Seychelles are unrivaled.

The wellbeing retreats in this locale truly meet platinum standards.

Nestled in equatorial waters in the shadow of West Africa is a tiny island nation that is home to monolithic rock formations, nesting turtles, and rambling cocoa plantations. Take the opportunity to go back in time and learn to make artisanal chocolate in atmospheric plantations amidst the remnants of crumbling Portuguese colonial rule.

The surrounding waters offer steep drop-offs where diving with benign nurse sharks and all manner of marine life is best in show. There is no compromise on luxury as boutique lodges offer world-class design, organic dining, and private plunge pools in remote coves.

Tunisia is a fusion of exotic Arab and Berber cultures. A recipe of equal parts sand dunes, sparkling sea, and ancient artifacts, put this destination on must-see lists. 

In cosmopolitan Tunis, the capital city, their iconic medina is packed with souks touting spices, pottery, and mosaics, as well as hundreds of monuments including tiled fountains, statuesque mosques, and mausoleums. 

The Sahara showcases the Atlas Mountain range in its background and hides oases within windswept dunes. Tozeur is a town peppered with tall date palm trees and boasts kilns and brick buildings.   

Conjure Mediterranean vibes as you relax in Sidi Bou Saïd the coastal “blue city” where brightly-colored doors and shutters contrast with whitewashed buildings and sandy beaches. For thrill-seekers, surfing, windsurfing, and kitesurfing is world-renowned.