There they stood in the lobby of the lodge; dressed in khaki and British pith helmets. I imagined that in a few hours they would be taking tea in the savannah while being attended to by their man-servants. I caught a my reflection in a passing door and wondered if I was from a different time, a dystopian future without pith helmets or even Earl Grey Tea. I had on jeans and a New York Yankees t-shirt covered up by a black hoodie. Around my neck hung cameras and a water bottle was strapped to my backpack. Not a seersucker or pleat in sight, yet I was just as prepared as my neocolonial friends for the adventure of a lifetime. But at that moment as I felt slightly out of place a singular concept struck me; that most people probably don’t know what to expect on a safari in South Africa, they only know what they’ve seen on TV and in the movies. So I thought I’d put together a post detailing what the experience is really like, why the trip is more attainable than you think and why everyone absolutely must experience the wildlife of South Africa at least once in their lives.

I’m not a safari expert, I’ve only been a few times and only once in South Africa. Before that I had joined game drives in Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe, but the process is pretty much the same across the board.

Where You Stay

I don’t know about you, but before my first safari I had a notion about what the entire experience was like. And it was wrong. For some reason I thought all safaris were done in rugged settings, tents and fires and stories shared around evening meals. Even for the more luxury minded like me I expected a glamping adventure of sorts. While this is certainly possible and many people do experience the African bush in this way, it’s not how most people go on safari. The easiest way to get back to nature in South Africa is by staying at one of the many (and I do mean many) game lodges around the country.

The lodges themselves are usually high quality, 4 or 5 star, and are generally known for a commitment to service, quality and luxury. At most, but not all, a flat fee nightly fee is paid that includes accommodations, food and a couple of game drives a day. Don’t worry though, even though I’m making this sound somewhat run of the mill the lodges do an amazing job of making you feel special, fully realizing that this is a trip of a lifetime for many.

I stayed at the Lukimbi Safari Lodge in Kruger National Park, one of Africa’s largest game reserves. Lukimbi is a five-star facility featuring private villas each with amazing views of the bush and situated to ensure total privacy. As at many lodges, the rates include three meals a day, tea and coffee, two game drives a day and a safari walk. But what struck me the most is how I felt when I first arrived.

Even though the lodge sees thousands of visitors a year, they’ve perfected the art of making everyone feel special. That combined with luxurious surroundings, great food and of course the wilderness, it really was a remarkable experience. Since I haven’t stayed at every game lodge in South Africa I can’t say that this occurs across the board, but I bet it’s a fairly common set of standards employed around the country. This is a special trip and the staff at the lodges do their best to make you feel like royalty.

What You Need

My friends who looked like they were extras in “Out of Africa” weren’t alone. Many people passing through South Africa dress as if they are conforming to a set of stereotypical standards, which of course they are. They imagine Teddy Roosevelt riding through the tall grasses of the Heart of Darkness, searching for the Big Five and adventures to share. You can wear whatever you want of course, but times have changed and the Africa of our imaginations isn’t the Africa of today.

Game drives typically occur in the early morning and at sunset, ensuring the best opportunities to view wildlife. Nights in Africa can get cold, variable based on time of year, so dressing in layers is essential. I wore my hoodie that day for a reason. I knew I would need it as the sun dropped below the horizon and the night chills began to set in. A fancy hat I did not need. If you’re doing a truck based safari (I’ll get to that in a moment) then types of shoes and hats aren’t as important. Dressing in layers is though, so be ready for temperature fluctuations that can happen quickly and dramatically.

You’re on safari, so gear is important. Make sure you have a good pair of sunglasses and a pair of binoculars if you don’t want to use your camera. As far as cameras go I’m a firm believer in the maxim, “The best camera you have is the one in your hands.” If you have a DSLR get a lens that can accommodate both close up and telephoto shots without having to change out lenses. I use a Tamron AF 18-270mm lens and I love it because it can do everything I need it to. Things can happen fast on a game drive and you want to be able to take a photo quickly and you can’t do that if you’re fumbling with lenses.

You also need to bring an open mind, flexible spirit and leave your expectations at home. I’ll discuss more in a second, but this is an unpredictable experience, which is what makes it so special. But if you get cranky because  “the elephant isn’t cooperating,” then this won’t be a good experience for you.

What You Do

There is no one way to experience the amazing wildlife of South Africa. Kruger is a national park, so it is possible to take your car and just drive around hoping to see animals from the road. You can also hire private and freelance guides to do everything from guided Jeep tours to walking safaris and even overnight camping experiences. Many people though experience safari the way I did, by staying at a lodge and depending on their capable staff to show you around.

There are two game drives a day, one very early in the morning and one at sunset. Passengers load up into tiered Jeeps or Range Rovers that have open sides and a covered top. There really isn’t a bad seat in these vehicles and while the drive may be bumpy at times, they’re absolutely comfortable.

The guides are professionals and they not only know how to navigate the bush, they know what to look for. They want their guests to have an amazing experience and so they do everything they can to ensure this. Following lion tracks, monitoring the freshness of elephant spoor and even the smells of the bush all tell them what animals are around. The drives usually last a couple of hours and at least once there is typically a stop to enjoy some refreshments and stretch your legs. This style of safari definitely isn’t taxing and is a lot of fun, as long as you keep your expectations in check.

What You See

You are not in Disney World. You are guaranteed nothing except that you will spend a couple of hours in a Jeep looking for animals. Last year I remember chatting with a guide and asked him what his biggest concern was. He said guests who expect too much. Everyone wants to see the Big Five, they want to find a lion on a kill, they want to see baby elephants being cute, they want to see a leopard doing a jig. They want it all, but this is nature. It is unpredictable at best and there is nothing anyone can do about that. That is why it’s key to keep those expectations at home and instead just sit back and enjoy the adventure. You will see what you will see and there’s no changing that. Maybe you’ll be lucky and see a diverse group of animals, but maybe you won’t. But you know what? You’re in Africa. On safari. This is a remarkable experience so just go with the flow.

You also need to be smart and to trust in the guides. On our last game drive in the morning we turned a corner and a white rhino charged the Jeep. Our quick witted guide scared him away, but at that moment it hit me just how real an experience safari is. Even though every precaution is taken, it is wild and with that comes risks. So don’t be stupid. Do everything your guides says and don’t try to reenact moments from Roosevelt’s life on your own. It won’t end well.

Safari is an amazing experience and as an animal lover one that I hope to enjoy many more times. I just wanted to take this opportunity to share with you the realities of the experience so that you’re prepared when you finally make it to South Africa for that amazing adventure. In the mean time, here are some more photos of the stunning wildlife and landscapes on display in Kruger National Park.

This campaign is brought to you by the South African Tourism board and is supported and managed by iambassador. LandLopers.com  maintains full editorial control of the content published on this site.

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People can be so opinionated sometimes, and that’s absolutely true when it comes to travel. Everyone thinks that their unique travel style, their trips and adventures are the only way to get out there and have fun. I was recently somewhere and was told that backpacking solo is the only “real” way to see the world. Well that’s crap. It doesn’t matter how people enjoy their time traveling, as long as they get out there and do it. One of the most misunderstood forms of travel is also one of my favorites, the cruise.

As soon as you say cruise people have images swirling through their noggins about what to expect. Almost everyone considers them to be versions of the Love Boat, filled with octogenarians and the lazy. Nothing could be further from the truth. I’ve been on a variety of cruises, from large mega-ships to small expeditions style cruises but one thing they all have in common is that they are a different but fantastic way to travel. Here’s why I PERSONALLY (Note that word please) love cruises.

1. Mobility – One of the great benefits of a cruise is perhaps the most obvious, it’s a mobile experience. You are on a boat, that boat moves, that makes it possible to do and see more at a better price than if you were to mimic the experience on your own. Case in point: A few years ago my partner and I took an 11-night cruise of the Eastern Mediterranean. The itinerary was great including stops at places like Rome, Santorini, Athens and more. We knew going into it though that we wouldn’t get a lot of time in each place, the Achilles’ heel of any cruise really. But we used the opportunity to quickly gauge the destinations to see whether or not we liked them in order to plan future trips. Before that cruise if asked I would have guessed that Athens would have been a highlight. It was not. I hated it. It’s a cesspool of humanity that no one should ever visit under any circumstance. But imagine how I would have felt had I planned a weeklong vacation there. I would have been irate. That cruise gave me the opportunity to get a quick impression of Athens with ease. In other situations mobility is necessary. In the Caribbean it’s the best way to visit several islands and in more exotic destinations like the Galapagos and Antarctica, it’s the best way to get into the nooks and crannies of a new place.

2. Convenience – My last two land-based trips have been great, but they also included staying in a new hotel every night. That means over weeks of travel I never actually had the opportunity to unpack my suitcase. This annoys me. A lot. That’s why I love cruising, the ability to settle in, relax and feel at home if only for a week or so. It’s great visiting 4-5 countries and still being able to sleep in the same bed every night. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s a great luxury on a long trip and something I get to experience very rarely. Cruise ships, no matter their size, are designed to make sure you have a good time – even in Antarctica. Meals are included of course and the options are usually plentiful. That’s not to say every meal should be enjoyed on board, but it’s nice to know the option is there should you need it. Cruise ships are divided into segments, part hotel and part restaurant. How they commingle is key and it is this unique combination that makes cruising attractive and yes, easier at times than other forms of vacation.

3. Choices – One of the great misconceptions about cruising that annoys me the most is that all there is to do is eat and sleep. And eat some more. And then nap after you eat. That may have been true thirty years ago, but times have changed and so has the cruise experience. On larger cruise ships you can be as active as you want to be. The fitness centers are massive and feature near constant classes and some of the mega-ships have amazing adventure sports right on board. Throughout the days and evenings there are classes, demonstrations, sports, movies, you name it, there are a million ways to keep yourself active and occupied. If you want to that is. It’s also very easy to go to the spa and sit around the pool all day and it is this flexibility that I love. My partner likes to relax on vacation, I don’t. I have to be in perpetual motion or I explode. On a cruise we can do both and not drive each other crazy. And this is just on board the ship; don’t forget that there are several stops at new ports and countries where you spend the day playing tourist and engaging in whatever fun activities are on offer there.

4. The People – I would not have listed this on my first or even second cruise, but now it’s an important part of the experience for me. On our third cruise we were denied our usual request for a table for two and were lumped in with several other people at a table for ten. This is where we had dinner every night for more than a week and at first I was worried. I’m gay and I’m totally open and fine with that. What does annoy me from time to time is having to constantly re-come out everywhere I go. “Oh, is your wife here?” “Is that your brother?” No, I’m gay and we’ve been married for 11 years. To avoid this and any potential hateful people, we chose to eat alone until that wasn’t possible. And you know what? It transformed the trip into something extraordinary. We formed friendships that persist four years later and the trip itself was a lot more fun experiencing it with others. I love my partner, but spending every waking second together 24/7 for eleven days is a lot to ask. Since that cruise we have been better at seeking out people, forming new relationships and every time it’s been richly rewarded. This feeling of camaraderie is even stronger on small ship or expedition style cruises, where everyone enjoys living through the unique experiences together.

5. Total experience – As with any travel experience I think, the totality of the trip is more than the individual segments of which it is made. There’s just something about a cruise, something wonderful that is difficult to explain until you actually do it. It’s not uncommon to find people who have been on ten, twenty and even thirty cruises and it’s because they’re addicted to this feeling I’m trying so poorly to describe. Sitting on the balcony of your cabin and watching the sun set over the warm waters of the Caribbean as the ship leaves port is a unique experience. Watching Italian volcanoes simmer as you round the boot of Italy is a unique experience. Smiling at pods of whales following along as your ship charters the frozen waters of Antarctica is a unique experience. The only way you can enjoy any of these memories that will last a lifetime is on a cruise. That’s just a fact.

So there you have it, a few reasons why I love to cruise and why I think everyone should try it at least once. There’s no room in this world for travel snobbery and life is too short to dismiss out of hand something you’re not even willing to try. There is a style of cruising for everyone, so do some research, figure out what that style is and try it and then, and only then, can you be judgey about the experience.

Have you been on a cruise? What did you think?

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It was my first time in Sweden and I had an admittedly unusual agenda for a first time visitor. I didn’t visit Stockholm or it famous neighborhoods, instead I was in West Sweden; a beautiful part of the country famous for its coastal getaways. Even better, I had a car giving me the best opportunity possible to explore and experience all on my own. A few people have asked about our driving route so I thought I’d provide a blow-by-blow account that anyone can replicate, including the photos to tempt you into doing it on your own.

I was in Sweden as part of the Car Plus Vacation promotion, highlighting Volvo’s program that allows overseas buyers to receive complimentary tickets to Sweden and to drive their new car around before Volvo ships it home for them. They’re also running a sweepstakes right now that will give one lucky winner and guest the opportunity to experience the Swedish Road Trip of a Life Time just like I did. Even though Swedish Tourism and Volvo sponsored this trip, all opinions are of course my own and as you’ll see I had carte blanche in how I experienced Sweden.

Driving north from Sweden’s second largest city, Gothenburg, we stopped for lunch at Villa Sjötorp , a Gothic seaside villa looking down on a wonderful seascape of small islands and peninsulas. The views were amazing and I instantly understood why Swedes flock to water, any water, in the summer months. It was early spring and even those first glimpses of green explosions of color were amazing. I could only imagine what the country must look like in its full floral wonder. Our goal wasn’t the Villa, no matter how good the food was, we were driving towards Norden’s Ark.

I detailed our experience last week in this post, but Norden’s Ark is home to endangered Nordic and exotic animals in a beautiful and dramatic coastal setting at Hunnebostrand. Many of the creatures, from tigers to owls, are part of conservation breeding and recovery programs. It was one of the highlights of our visit to Sweden and a great addition to the road trip.

By that time it was getting late, so we pointed the car south again towards our unusual hotel for the night, the Salt & Sill. Fittingly located on Klädesholmen, herring island, this is Sweden’s first floating hotel. Yes, floating. Built in 2008, the hotel features a few dozen rooms on giant floating platforms, permanently moored to the dock. Walking into the rooms though, the hotel feels more like a ship. The rooms are comfortable but about the size of a cruise ship berth and the fact that everything is nailed down completes that perception. At night the hotel moves ever so slightly and I found myself quickly lulled to sleep with the gentle motion of the sea. The best though are the views; walking out onto the deck and watching the sun rise over the rocky and austere island isn’t just a nice moment, but one that grabs you by the lapels and screams SWEDEN in your face.

There’s not a lot to do on herring island to be honest, especially if you’re like me and don’t eat seafood, so the next day we packed up the car and once again hit the road. We spent a fair amount of time driving, but I loved every second of it. It was the best way to see the country and to get to know it on a more personal level. There’s nothing like driving when you travel; I love the ability to do what I want, when I want regardless of train or plane schedules. I could also see why the US has so many people of Swedish descent amongst our ranks. The countryside looked a lot like Pennsylvania, or somewhere in the Midwest. It wasn’t foreign or alien, it was comfortable. All of these thoughts were racing through my head as we approached a slightly unusual destination, Marstrand Island.

Only 45 minutes from Gothenburg, Marstrand is a popular sailing and summer getaway destination. Please note the word summer; more on that in a second. The only way to get there is by ferry, but quite literally the ferry ride is less than five minutes long. You’d think they would have just built a bridge, but it is what it is.

Marstrand is a higher-end, island community with beautiful shops, restaurants and cafes. None of which were open when we visited in April however. Apparently they take the concept of off-season very seriously and we walked around wondering what the hell we were doing there. The one thing that was open was the massive castle that dominates the island’s skyline, Carlsten’s Fortress. But even after walking around the castle, we found ourselves back at the docks less than an hour after we arrived. I think Marstrand must be a great destination in the warm, summer months, but if you find yourself there at any other time of year, there’s really no reason to stop.

A little disappointed we prepared for a longer drive to a different part of the country, Skåne, home to many of the idyllic holiday towns Swedes flock to every summer. The first stop was the well-to-do community of Båstad on the Bjäre peninsula.

Båstad is best known for its dedication to tennis; this small town is where the Swedish Open takes place and has been host to some of the world’s top players. But that’s not what I enjoyed the most. Walking along the beach behind the Hotel Skansen at sunset, I witnessed one of the most beautiful displays of natural beauty I’ve ever seen anywhere in the world. I wasn’t expecting the explosion of pinks and purples that filled the sky as this unfiltered photo shows. It was stunning and I nearly lost my breath. More than anything that day, that very personal moment made me fall in love with Sweden if I already hadn’t.

There’s honestly not a lot to do in Båstad though, at least not for the casual tourist. Like so many other small, coastal towns in Sweden they are popular summer rental destinations; the town’s population increases tenfold when it’s warm. But it was nice. It was nice to walk around town, stop at a bakery, gawk at the prices in the grocery store and to just enjoy everyday life.

I thought that’s what I would see again the next day when we arrived in another bedroom community, Mölle, but almost right away I was proven wrong. Just across the peninsula from Båstad, Mölle is another posh summer town but with an adventurous twist thanks to nearby Kullaberg Nature Reserve. Kullaberg is great not just from a nature lover’s point of view (incredible biodiversity) but it’s also one of the best adventure sports venues in Sweden. In and around Kullaberg you can do everything from hike, mountain bike, abseil, spelunk, snorkel and scuba dive. Usually you have to travel around entire regions to get all of that, but here it’s all in one spot. Of course I did none of that, but what I did do was see the coastline from the water on an adrenaline pumping jet boat ride. Led by an able driver, the jet boat hit speeds I dare not even consider as we took in the stunning and massive cliffs of Mölle and Kullaberg from the water. It was exciting, fun and a fantastic way to get out of the car and see the coast from a different angle.

Intellectually I knew that our time in pastoral Sweden was rapidly coming to a close. We were due in to a hotel in the port city of Malmo later that day, but I just couldn’t quite let go of the earthy goodness I’d come to love. We decided to take some back roads and at several points found ourselves in people’s backyards, waiting for the livestock to clear the road. But it was great to drive through massive farms, stop to take photos of baby lambs and bask in the dappled sunlight that filtered down. As a last nod to this calm side of Sweden we stopped for lunch at a countryside hotel in Skåne, Rusthållargården. The food was fine, but that’s not why we were there. The hotel, its surroundings, everything looked like it had come out of a storybook and once again another piece of the Swedish puzzle fell into place. While many Swedes may call cities their home, their hearts clearly lie elsewhere. They lie in the coves of the coast and the rolling hills of the farmlands; the forests of the north and the beaches of the west.

That’s all I could think about as we drove to Malmo, the final stop on our great Swedish driving tour. On one hand it was nice to be back in a big city, but almost immediately I missed the calm, pastoral feeling of relaxation I had in Skåne and West Sweden. I now know why so many Swedes retreat to these wonderful villages and inlets, not to escape but to go back home.

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Venice, Italy

Hamilton, Bermuda

Brussels, Belgium

South Africa

Cherry ice cream in Tokyo, Japan

Reykjavik, Iceland

Antarctica

Maui, Hawaii

Girona, Spain

La Rochelle, France

Luang Prabang, Laos

Sydney, Australia

Banff, Canada

Bangkok, Thailand

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I returned just a few days ago from beautiful South Africa, where I was part of an exciting project designed to promote the country. The campaign included 15 international bloggers following a variety of different routes around the country in order to explore and share as much as we could. I’m still mentally processing the experience, but I thought I’d share a brief look into the experience using Instagram photos from some of the participating bloggers. Instagram was an amazing platform for this project as it allowed us to share in real time our experiences and to show how remarkable a country it is. So sit back and take a look at this brief video featuring the best of South Africa.

The participating bloggers were:

• Keith Jenkins – Velvet Escape
• Melvin Boecher – Traveldudes
• Audrey Scott and Daniel Noll – Uncornered Market
• Matthew Long – LandLopers
• Simon Falvo – Wild About Travel
• Kate McCulley – Adventurous Kate
• Claudia Saleh – Aprendiz de Viajante
• Ale Staut – Tudo al dente
• Diego Pons – Viajando Con Diego
• Ana Pilar – Tripwolf
• Nadine Pober – thenadwork
• Jeremy Kunz – Reisewerk
• Aldana Chiodi – Magia en al Camino
• Elin Reitehaug – Taste of Slow

This campaign is brought to you by the South African Tourism board and is supported and managed by iambassador. LandLopers.com  maintains full editorial control of the content published on this site.

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The drive along the E6 from Gothenburg to the small area of Hunnebostrand in Western Sweden was the perfect first introduction to the landscapes of Sweden. Spring had not yet arrived, but it was threatening and the earliest of buds and blades of grass were beginning to emerge. We followed this vernal path through forests and along lakes until our car dutifully let us know that we had arrived in a light and nearly perfect Swedish accent. In front of us sat an ark, a little more literal of an interpretation than I had anticipated, but I soon learned that was merely the public face of what is an extraordinary facility.

I was in Sweden as part of the Car Plus Vacation promotion, highlighting Volvo’s program that allows overseas buyers to receive complimentary tickets to Sweden and to drive their new car around before Volvo ships it home for them. They’re also running a sweepstakes right now that will give one lucky winner and guest the opportunity to experience the Swedish Road Trip of a Life Time just like I did. Even though Swedish Tourism and Volvo sponsored this trip, all opinions are of course my own and as you’ll see I had carte blanche in how I experienced Sweden.

My partner and I were met at the gate by our guide and overall great guy, Tom Svensson who spent the afternoon explaining the mission of the facility to us. Norden’s Ark is a 383-hectare facility that started in 1989 in order to give endangered animals a future. So much more than just a zoo, the Ark performs breeding, research & education and efforts to disseminate knowledge about biological diversity. Their focus may be on Nordic and exotic animals, but the work performed at the Ark helps animals around the world.

I love animals and making sure that I keep conservation in mind when I travel is essential, and it can be a difficult thing to figure out at times to be honest. More than once I have fallen prey to an activity that clearly was not in the animal’s best interest, and I have regretted those thankfully few encounters greatly. Norden’s Ark is of course different. Talking with Tom was the first indication. A corporate drop out, he joined the staff fifteen years ago with no formal training but a fierce desire to make the world a better place. That’s actually one of the things I love about the Swedish psyche; there’s a deep-rooted belief that we all have a role in helping others. It may seem simple, all too logical, but I can tell you that it’s also an all too rare character trait.

Walking alongside the tiger den where the extraordinarily rare Amur tiger had recently given birth to a litter of cubs was heartwarming, but frightening. I wasn’t frightened of the tigers, no I was frightened by the stark reality of what is happening to so many breeds of animals out there. This noble creature that once ruled areas in Russian’s eastern mountains is now limited to just 300 proud animals. The tiger at Norden’s Ark is one of the best biological examples, which makes this successful birth an extraordinary event.

That was the theme of the day for me as we walked by wolves and lynxes, wild horses and snow leopards. These animals are all at the massive Ark facility for a reason. Yes their individual lives were in danger at one point but they are also representatives of the last of their species. Imagine that; many of the stunning and graceful creatures who now call Sweden home may not exist in another century, if not sooner. That’s ultimately the goal of the Ark. To do everything possible to prevent that dismal future and to make sure our kids and their kids after them can live in a world where these animals once again roam.

I left that day not sad though, but happy. Happy to have found one of the most remarkable animal recovery facilities in the world; to have met Tom and most importantly to have done something personally, by just being there, to help these animals survive.

So when you find yourself in Sweden, take a drive along the E6, maybe even stop for a nice lunch somewhere but don’t miss the opportunity to spend a day with the animals at Norden’s Ark.

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