Safaris can be more than just game drives and walks in the bush. These itineraries from Africa to Australia give a new meaning to the term safari.
Extraordinary Journeys Africa is inserting yoga into the safari experience on the 9-day Dunia Yoga Safari, taking place May 16-24.
In addition to wildlife watching in the Samburu National Park and Maasai Mara National Reserve, travelers can take part in daily personalized yoga and meditation classes in the African Bush led by private instructor Whitney Bushnell. Guests will even have the chance to participate in a yoga class and Q&A with the Africa Yoga Project in Nairobi, one of the largest donation-based community classes in Africa.
Throughout the trip, guests will go on game drives with professional Samburu guides in the Samburu Reserve; visit the AFEW Giraffe Center and Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi; and go on bush walks.
Rates start at $4,990 pp dbl and include most meals, guided walks, game drives, cultural activities, flights in Kenya, yoga/meditation classes, and accommodations at Karen Blixen Coffee Garden & Cottages in Nairobi and at deluxe safari lodges Saruni Samburu and Saruni Mara. For more information, visit extraordinaryjourneys.net/blog/dunia-yoga-safari-in-kenya or ejafrica.com.
Steppes Travel is taking safaris to the sea with a sea safari cruise around the remote islands of Eastern Indonesia.
On the timber phinisi sailing yacht Tiger Blue, travelers will explore one of the Seven Wonders of the World in Komodo, volcanoes in the Spice Islands (Malaku Islands) and incredible dive sites in Raja Ampat. On the private cruise, travelers will visit beaches and embark on diving and snorkeling excursions.
“Until recently, Indonesia has mostly been an unknown destination for tourism. This tour enables us the chance to experience life at sea in a very graceful, comfortable vessel and to explore the beautiful islands of Eastern Indonesia with their diverse bird and wildlife, gentle hiking opportunities and world-class dive sites. Most of these islands are only accessible by boat. The cruise is very laid back and passengers can do as much or as little as they like,” says Justin Wateridge, managing director of Steppes.
The traditional Indonesian two-mast ship features a crew of eight people, including the executive chef, dive master and expedition leader, and offers guests personally tailored Asian and Western menus.
Rates start at $3,042 pp dbl, with a minimum of 12 people. For more information, visit steppestravel.com.
New luxury wine tour operator Vineyard Safaris, based in South Australia, is offering travelers a glimpse into the region’s vineyards with private wine tours and tastings.
The custom tours start in Adelaide and take travelers to wineries in a chauffeured vehicle. Tours are hosted by Master of Wine Tim Wildman and include cellar door and vineyard visits to labels such as Penfolds Grange.
“We take [travelers] away from the cellar door crowds and off the beaten track,” Wildman says. “[They’ll] get to meet the people who make the wine, learn their secrets and hear their family stories. It’s this blend of the iconic and the authentic that makes Vineyard Safaris a truly unique experience for wine lovers who want to travel beyond the cellar door.”
Travelers will have the chance to meet winemakers in person and taste wines from their birth year, allowing them to create and bottle a blend to take home.
Rates start at $2,500 pp and include transportation in a chauffeured car to and from Adelaide, tastings and lunch. For more information, visit vineyardsafaris.com.
