What to do in Niassa Reserve

Ever fancied having one of Africa's largest conservation areas practically to yourself? This rather extraordinary wilderness offers a properly different take on safari - one where solitude and space steal the show. While you won't find yourself in bumper-to-bumper wildlife traffic here, that's precisely the point. Instead, lose yourself in vast, untouched landscapes where 12,000 elephants roam free and 6,000 buffalo make their own rules. Lions pad silently through the bush, leopards drape themselves over branches and painted dogs lope across the horizon. Keep your eyes peeled for some rather special residents too - the local wildebeest, zebra and impala have evolved their own distinct style, showing off subtle differences that would have Darwin reaching for his notebook. It's massive, wonderfully wild, and refreshingly devoid of the usual safari circus - though do pack an extra dose of patience, the wildlife here plays rather hard to get.