Why Great Plains & Africa Travel Are The Best In Africa

Why Great Plains & Africa Travel Are The Best In Africa

Who are Great Plains Conservation?

Great Plains was created by the renowned and award-winning wildlife filmmakers and conservationists Dereck and Beverly Joubert, who have been filming and exploring Africa for over 40 years. Through their film company, ‘Wildlife Films‘, they have created over 35 films and have received 8 Emmy awards.

Arguably as important as the Great Plains camps is the Great Plains Foundation. This was created by the Jouberts to protect Africa’s wild places and wildlife through innovative conservation initiatives, community development and sustainable tourism. The Foundation’s reach is as wide-ranging as the great plains of Africa themselves, and includes such projects as the SapiRestoration, BigCatsInitiative, SolarMamas, NaboishoWomen'sGroup and the GreatPlainsEarthAcademy. Schools are a particular focus, with enterprises which include SchoolSupport, BuildingBridges, MobileSchoolClinics and SponsoredTeachers.

Where are the Great Plains properties located?

The great plains of Africa are home to some extraordinary Great Plains safari lodges.

Beginning in Botswana, their operations have extended through Zimbabwe and Kenya to now encompass a magnificent collection of 14 camps and lodges, each of which has been individually designed and decorated to offer the safari guest an extraordinary experience.

The Masai Mara is the heartland of Great Plains’ African operation with 4 safari lodges – Mara Plains, Mara Nyika, Mara Toto Tree & Mara Expedition Camps, all of which can be beautifully combined with ol Donyo Lodge, set in the Chyulu Hills between the Tsavo and Amboseli National Parks.

In Botswana, home to some of the greatest plains in Africa, Great Plains has a collection of seven extraordinary, luxury safari lodges dotted in and around the magnificent Okavango Delta. Selinda Camp & Selinda Explorer Camp are joined by Duba Plains & Duba Explorers Camp, whilst Zarafa Camp and Sitatunga Private Island are both industry-leading. Their Botswana collection is completed by Okavango Explorers Camp.

Zimbabwe is the third destination for Great Plains safari camps, where Tembo Plains Camp in the Sapi Reserve is joined by Mpala Jena, set along the banks of the Zambezi River close to Victoria Falls.

What makes a Great Plains holiday so great?

The guest suites and rooms are always generously sized and of a highly-luxurious nature, but it is the small touches and attention to detail which sets Great Plains’ safari camps apart from the competition. In many of the camps an exercise bike is found on each suite’s deck, with dumbbells and a yoga mat also provided. In-room massages are widely available and the WiFi is first-rate. On the immensely comfortable beds memory foam pillows, cotton sheets with the finest thread count and the fluffiest of hot water bottles are all de rigueur. Beautiful copper baths and outdoor showers are common as are a pair of hi-spec binoculars and an even higher-spec professional camera, which are provided for all guests to use. Also the majority of safari guides and camp staff are local to the area which they work in, allowing them to show off their culture, surrounds and heritage.

Why is a Great Plains safari so special?

Although not guaranteed, Great Plains’ guests who do not find themselves in their own private safari vehicle, in the very capable hands of their own supremely qualified guide can count themselves desperately unlucky. Having your very own guide and game-viewing vehicle should never be undervalued – it allows your guide to really tailor your day to suit your wishes, and takes game viewing to a different, very special level.

The location for each Great Plains safari camp has been specially chosen to ensure that it provides the very best game-viewing experiences. Their Zimbabwe safari camps have remote, secluded settings, their Botswana properties enjoy unrivalled locations in the Okavango Delta whilst their Masai Mara safari lodges sit in areas with the greatest concentration of big cats anywhere in Africa.

Safari activities will always be in the company of an expert safari guide, with the added bonus of hot water bottles, blankets and homemade sundowner snacks.

A special mention should be made of Mara Plains Camp, located in the Olare Motorogi Conservancy. Guests are able to enjoy safari drives in the Mara North Conservancy as well as the Masai Mara National Reserve, the most famous of all Game Reserves – and it therefore boasts the perfect Mara location. 

How is the food on a Great Plains safari?

Many of the Great Plains safari lodges and camps are proud members of Relais & Chateaux and it clearly shows. The food is extraordinary, worthy of any high-class eatery, with superb salads, adventurous meat & fish dishes, and wonderful deserts on the daily changing menu, and a lighter Supper Menu available for those in search of something more snacky. The food is always supported by a full bar and extraordinary wine collections.

Bush breakfasts set up under along the river bank or under an iconic lone tree are common, with champagne, yoghurts, fruit and cereals followed by a freshly cooked, hot breakfast. Some of the lodges have interactive bush kitchens, allowing guests the opportunity to bond with the chefs and enjoy their wonderful offerings in unique surroundings. Guests can eat where, and whenever they wish, with the camps’ staff ensuring that each superb meal can be enjoyed from a different location – whether it be in a wine cellar, the dining room, in your suite, or out under the stars.

Africa Travel’s top tips for a Great Plains safari

Pack lightly when travelling with Great Plains. The use of a professional camera is a real game-changer. The airlines which fly you to and from game reserves spend a lot of time highlighting just how little luggage you are allowed to carry with you – the norm is 15kgs per person, to include your hand luggage, which all has to be packed into soft bags. This doesn’t leave much room to lug fancy camera equipment around with you so leave yours at home, and make use of that on offer. Use the camera during your stay, then hand it over to the staff and get a dongle in return – a simple but superb idea.

Take half the amount of clothing which you think you will need. Things are very casual – there is no dress code, and all of the safari camps offer a speedy and complimentary laundry service.

If possible try to travel in low season and take advantage of free night offers. Staying with Great Plains is undoubtedly a luxury, so every little helps.

Why book your Great Plains holiday with Africa Travel?

With over 30 years’ experience in creating dream trips to the plains of Africa, there is no one more qualified to organise your safari to Great Plains’ lodges than Africa Travel. We have a wealth of specialist resources to help you book your safari holiday and as all of our staff have travelled the continent themselves you can trust that our personal recommendations will deliver the holiday you have always dreamed of. We even have staff living in Africa to ensure your trip runs as smoothly as possible. Our years of knowledge mean that we can give personalised recommendations for your trip, including the best time of year to go on safari, the best Great Plains safari camps or lodges to stay at, and the best African safari guides, experts and tour guides to assist you.