Our Favourite Walking Safaris

Our Favourite Walking Safaris

If you’re looking for a truly amazing experience to add to your itinerary then a walking safari is your best bet. The beauty of a guided walking safari is that you can explore the African wilderness on foot and get up close to the incredible animals. It’s not about how much ground you can cover, but rather about absorbing the sounds, sights, smells and general atmosphere of the wilderness. Whilst a game drive will provide with you amazing encounters, a safari walk is a truly unique experience. A number of camps and lodges in Africa offer walking safaris, but these are just a few of our favourites.

Plains Camp, Kruger National Park

African explorer-style tents are on offer at Plains Camp which overlooks a spectacular plain and its awesome game in the very heart of South Africa’sKruger National Park. The camp’s magnificent location allows it to offer unrivalled walking safaris across a vast area of land in search of the Big 5. After a quick cup of tea or coffee in the morning you will head out into the bush with an armed ranger, having exciting encounters with wildlife including anything from antelope to prides of lion and even rhinos if you're lucky.  The camp is also known for its sleep outs, where you travel to a raised platform and sleep in comfort out under the stars.

Luangwa River Camp, South Luangwa National Park

Small and intimate with lovely spacious suites, Luangwa River Camp is an excellent option for guests looking to explore the South Luangwa in comfort, but without breaking the bank. The location is fantastic, providing easy access to one of the most game rich areas of the reserve.  The camp is well known for its walking safaris, which are led by their highly knowledgeable guides. Most of the guided walks at Luangwa River Camp take place in the game management area, where herds of elephant, bushbuck, the odd leopard and various other animals are often seen, but some also take place within the national park itself.  

Footsteps Camp, Okavango Delta

Located on the northern side of Botswana’s Okavango Delta, Footsteps Camp is uniquely in tune with its surroundings. A safari in the old fashioned sense of the world, you sleep, eat and walk in the bush - but not at any cost to luxury. Walking in the wilderness is the highlight of any stay at Footsteps Camp. Guests are in the hands of the very best professional guides whose first passion is to interpret and bring to life every aspect of the bush. The walking safaris are usually carried out in two separate sessions each day, morning and afternoon, each of 3 to 4 hours duration. These are not tough route-marches, but slow-paced explorations, taking in the detail of the flora and fauna, enjoying walking alongside giraffes and zebras, stopping to watch elephants and hippos out in the water. However, if a walking safari doesn't sound like your cup of tea then opt for a canoe safari or the more traditional game drives.

Sosian Lodge, Kenya

Located in the foothills of Mount Kenya in the high plains of Laikipia, Sosian Lodge is a beautifully restored African ranch house built in the 1940's by Italian artisans. The area around the property is completely unfenced with wildlife roaming freely across the open plains. The Lodge offers some incredible walking safaris, which are led by expert guides. You’ll learn how to follow animal tracks, recognise dung, insects, flora and fauna and all the other tiny details you might miss from a vehicle. Also, you don’t have to be super fit to enjoy the walking safaris, which can range in duration from 20 minutes to 4 hours depending on how you are feeling at the time. If you're feeling very adventurous, the lodge also offers horseback safaris!

Somalisa Camp, Hwange National Park

Located in the heart of Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park, Somalisa offers an authentic yet luxurious tented safari experience and is well renowned for its walking safaris, which are led by some of the best safari guides in Africa. Somalisa believe that there is much more to an African safari than being driven around in a vehicle while passively viewing animals. In combining the ultimate itinerary with an expert guide, they create the complete journey, where experiences, knowledge and passions are shared and whereby a standard Safari is transformed into an extra-ordinary one.