Category Archives: Safari

Our top Botswana lodges and safari camps

Botswana lodges and safari camps ~ In recent blogs we looked at our favourite regions of Botswana as well as the best times of year to visit them. Of course, choosing which of Botswana’s many wonderful national parks and game reserves to visit is just the first stage of your planning your safari; choosing which camps and lodges to stay at is the next step, and arguably the most important. Thankfully, Botswana is home to some of Africa’s very best accommodation, whether you’re looking for a small, rustic bush camp, a luxury lodge, or something inbetween. In this blog, our Botswana specialist Sarah Williams lists some of her favourite Botswana lodges and camps.
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Botswana Wildlife Highlights – Top 5 Botswana wildlife attractions

Botswana Wildlife Highlights ~ Botswana’s wildlife is as rich and varied as its diverse terrain. From the plains of the Kalahari to the waterways of Linyanti, Botswana’s many different habitats are host to a vast array of species. Here we highlight just a few of our favourite of Botswana’s wildlife attractions, with special emphasis on those that are unique to the country.  Continue reading Botswana Wildlife Highlights – Top 5 Botswana wildlife attractions

The best time to visit Botswana; a guide to Botswana’s seasons

When is the best time to visit Botswana? Many African countries have an optimum period when the weather, wildlife and scenery combine to deliver a perfect safari, but Botswana is different, for you can visit at just about any time of the year, provided you know where to go. Each season brings its own attractions and some months have the added bonus of reduced accommodation rates too! Continue reading The best time to visit Botswana; a guide to Botswana’s seasons

Botswana National Parks and Game Reserves – An Overview

The second in our May series of blogs on Botswana looks at the country’s greatest national parks and game reserves. From the lush, wetland paradise of the Okavango Delta to the dry and arid Kalahari Desert, Botswana offers a rich variety of wilderness areas, and between them many unique safari experiences that simply can’t be replicated anywhere else in Africa. Read on to learn more about Botswana’s most spectacular national parks and game reserves.
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Botswana – Africa’s most exclusive safari destination

Throughout May we will be publishing a series of blogs on Botswana, one of Africa’s greatest yet least visited safari destinations. In this introductory blog we provide an overview of Botswana and its safari parks, focusing on what makes the country unique among African safari destinations: it’s low-volume, low-impact approach to tourism and, by extension, its exclusivity.

Botswana has a well-earned reputation as Africa’s most exclusive safari destination. This small, sparsely-populated southern African country entertains far fewer tourists each year than the much more famous and iconic safari lands of East Africa, but for those few who do visit, it offers the most intimate of game-viewing experiences. Indeed, for those who want to experience Africa as it was in the days of the early explorers—wild, untamed, and untrammelled—Botswana is the safari destination of choice. Continue reading Botswana – Africa’s most exclusive safari destination

Madagascar Wildlife Holiday – is it on your bucket list?

A Madagascar Wildlife holiday is sure to be on the travel wish list for all wildlife enthusiasts.

Did you know that Madagascar is the fourth-largest island in the world? Situated in the Indian Ocean, just off the coast of Mozambique, this wonderful island country is naturally an excellent destination for a wildlife holiday. For wildlife enthusiasts looking to experience something different from the usual safari routes of East or Southern Africa, a Madagascar wildlife holiday can offer a diverse range of ecosystems and hugely varied wildlife. The island is also an ideal destination if are interested in Africa’s rich history and culture.

Wildlife holidays to Madagascar are always unique and exciting!

A central chain of high mountains occupies more than half of Madagascar and is responsible for the differences – scenically, climatically and ethnically – between the east and west coasts. The narrow strip of lowland on the east coast is mainly covered by dense rain-forests. The broader west coast landscape is mostly Savannah. The southern tip of Madagascar is semi-desert with great spiny forests of cactus-like plants.

Madagascar is surrounded by turquoise seas, pristine beaches, and coral reefs, which offer excellent diving as well as the possibility of whale watching. The marine life here is simply among the best in Africa.

In terms of biodiversity, the island is one of a kind. There are roughly 200,000 known species with about 150,000 being endemic. This makes Madagascar a wonderful and unique wildlife holiday destination. There are more than 35 types of lemurs, 3,000 species of butterfly, 1,000 orchids and 7 kinds of baobab tree!  The island bursts with unusual and colourful flowers as well as a diversity of reptiles, amphibians and birds. You will return with great memories of your Madagascar wildlife holiday!

A Madagascar wildlife holiday can offer fabulous sightings of unique species such as Indri and Aye Aye as well as time to relax on delightful beaches on Ile Saint Marie and Nosy Be.

Read more about Gane and Marshall Madagascar here

Is a Madagascar wildlife holiday on your wish list? Or have you already been lucky enough to go? We’d love to hear your thoughts on Madagascar, please use the link to leave a reply above.

Visit the Madagascan Tourist Board here.

Tanzania Safari Lodge – we choose our Favourite Properties

Choosing a Tanzania Safari Lodge can be rather confusing. We are here to help. With over 20 years’ experience of arranging Tanzania safaris, we have personally visited most properties and  can provide you with valuable, unbiased first hand advice.

We share with you here in this blog details of where Gane & Marshall staff would stay on our own Tanzania Safari Holidays ~ ssssh don’t tell everyone or it will get crowded! Continue reading Tanzania Safari Lodge – we choose our Favourite Properties

Zanzibar attacks – Jeremy Gane interviewed on BBC Radio 5 and BBC Radio WM

The team at Gane and Marshall were shocked to hear the recent news of an acid attack on two young British girls working in Zanzibar. Tanzania and Zanzibar are, on the whole, remarkably peaceful destinations, with attacks on tourists very rare, and attacks of the kind described unheard of.

Following news of the attacks, Jeremy Gane was invited to interview on BBC Radio 5 Live (interview at 6:18 mins) and BBC Radio West Midlands (interview at 51:45). Here he discusses Zanzibar’s history, it’s Swahili culture, and the impact of tourism more generally. The interviews can be heard on iPlayer via the attached links.