Active experiences

Spend time with a celebrated local artist from the village of Ambalangoda, and witness how the local masks are being carved and painted. If you want you can learn the art of how to do the carving and painting as well.

Feel the crunch of the soil beneath your boots and learn to hear the tell-tale rustle of wildlife on a bush walk. Straight after breakfast set out to uncover the secrets of the Serengeti. While the specifics depend on where you are, you'll have the chance to take a microscope to the landscape. Joined by your knowledgable guide, follow a flutter of wings to see lovebirds snacking on figs, peer into an earthy warthog burrow and inspect every track you can find. You could just be following a pride of lion (who should be napping in the distance) or thirsty elephant on the way to a waterhole! Whether it's scanning acacia bark for tiny critters or staring skyward to see an eagle soaring overhead, the essence of the Serengeti is yours to experience.

As one of the oldest wildernesses in Africa, Hwange is certainly worth taking a closer look and that's exactly what you'll do on a walking safari. Hwange's diversity of landscapes - from the water-logged pans to wind-swept Kalahari sands, and the wildlife that roams between them is staggering. Your sure-footed guide will lead you on a journey of following tracks, listening for calls (and learning what they mean) and examining the tiniest details to learn their secrets. And you're bound to encounter the stars of Hwange, the elephant who march grandly across the plains and, sometimes, through camp! After refreshments and a spot of sky-gazing, you'll return to base.

This is your chance to conquer the thundering waters and burbling rapids of the impressive Zambezi River on an inflatable raft in the experience of a lifetime – and one to tell the grandkids about. Choose a full day of rafting to experience all 21 ferocious rapids (or 25 if in high water season) with a stop for lunch in between, or opt for the more gentle (!) half-day experience. The morning trip takes in rapids 1 – 10, ending with lunch and drinks, whilst the afternoon experience starts at rapid 11 and continues to 21, ending with drinks. And with the rapids aptly named things like ‘The Gnashing Jaws of Death’ and ‘Devil’s Toilet Bowl’, those drinks might just be needed…!

On the lower sections of the Zambezi River, where the water flows slow and wide, creating pretty bays, inlets and eddies, one of Africa’s greatest fighting fish lies in wait. The tigerfish is one of Africa's most powerful freshwater species and it can weigh up to a whopping 15 kilograms. The Zambezi has become known as the best place to take on this ferocious fish in Southern Africa, attracting travellers from all over the world for a spot of catch-and-release fishing. Join them from August to November for the chance to net one of these beauties yourself (maybe with a helping hand from an expert…).

Zambia is home of the walking safari, and exploring Liuwa Plains on foot will certainly not disappoint. Wander along glittering streams, through shady patches of forest and across the vast plains as the sun pops its head above the horizon. A walking safari here isn’t so much about chasing animals, but about enjoying your surroundings, taking it slow and simply "being" in nature.

When you see the dorsal fin silently slice the clear water, you know a Great White Shark has arrived near your boat. Secured in a special steel cage, you then descend below the surface for a little one-on-one with this terrifying, beautiful creature - it's nerve-wrecking, yet extremely rewarding.

Explore on foot to enjoy changing landscapes, see indigenous plants of the Cape Floral Kingdom up close, spot a jewel-bright sunbird or hear the call of the African fish eagle. You might even see mammals that are protected in the Cederberg wilderness, like Cape mountain zebra, bontebok, bat-eared fox and klipspringer.