The Llama Travel Blog

One of the iconic images of Namibia is the huge rolling sand dunes found in the Namib-Naukluft National Park. They are some of the highest dunes in the world, and have developed over many millions of years. Visiting these characteristic orange dunes from the region of Sossusvlei was one of our Product Manager’s standout highlights from his trip to Namibia. Read on to find out about Scott’s experiences of climbing the aptly named ‘Big Daddy’ and exploring Deadvlei. 

Perched on the South Atlantic Ocean with the imposing Table Mountain as its backdrop, Cape Town, the Mother City of South Africa, is one of the most scenically beautiful cities I have ever visited. With its varied history involving the Portuguese, Dutch and British, it is a cultural melting pot.

Victoria Falls is one of the most iconic destinations in Africa, and there is plenty to see and do to keep you busy for several days. Activities here cater for everyone - from the less adventurous who simply want to admire a Natural Wonder of the World and discover its history, to adrenalin-seekers looking to zip-line or bungee jump off the bridge. There's also Chobe National Park across the border in Botswana.

The African bush. Whether you visit it from South Africa or Botswana, you will find that the format on our safari trips is similar. Of course each day is unpredictable depending on the weather, time of year and herd behaviour, but as a general rule of thumb there are game drives in the early morning and late afternoon (this is essential to see the animals at their most active), with plenty of time to relax in-between. This blog helps you to make the most of your safari by knowing what to expect on a typical day.

Something I had been looking forward to before I even set foot in Namibia was tracking black rhinos in Damaraland. There are less than 6,000 black rhinos left in Africa, and while they don’t disclose how many rhinos there are in the region in order to combat poaching, there is a sizeable population still in the Palmwag concession, so the chances of seeing them are high.

Scott's journey through Botswana began in the town of Maun, before flying in a light aircraft into the Okavango Delta and embarking on a 9-night mobile camping safari. The safari took him from the Moremi National Park, Khwai concession and Savuti (part of the Chobe National Park). From there he crossed into Zimbabwe, finishing at the majestic Victoria Falls. Here are some pictures he took along the way. 

Last month we unveiled our plans to introduce Africa by pinning a brand new destination on the Llama Travel map: Namibia. As you might have guessed, we've got a few more places up our sleeve. Famously dubbed The Rainbow Nation in the post-apartheid glow, South Africa is as diverse a place as they come. Visitors to this part of the world will not be disappointed by the breadth of local culture, and many leave feeling truly touched by the warmth of the South Africans they have met. As for the landscape, South Africa is a multi-centre destination with tourist hubs in the gorgeous, mountain-hugged Cape Town, the traditional town of Oudtshoorn in the Little Karoo, the emerald green Garden Route and the renowned Kruger National Park.

Recently back from familiarisation trips to South Africa, two of our sales team share some of their highlights.  

We've been sitting on this news for a while now, but it's finally time to let the (big) cat out of the bag. We’re launching a new destination - Africa!

Our formula of flexible small group tours gets great feedback in Latin America, but we know you love travelling and there's a whole world beyond Latin America to explore. That's why we're excited to announce southern Africa as the next pin on Llama Travel's map.

Come mid-2019 we'll be offering holidays to Namibia, South Africa, Botswana and Victoria Falls. 

Our product manager, Scott is back from the first of our destinations, Namibia. He's got some fabulous photos which give a hint at what this region has to offer.