Houseboat Safari Experience
Referred to as a game drive on water, while overnighting in a floating hotel, a houseboat safari is one of the most tranquil and meaningful ways to explore Africa’s wild ways. It offers visitors to these shores the ultimate fusion of a traditional game drive, admiring sublime nature and breathtaking panoramas.
What to expect
A houseboat safari will give its patrons a glimpse into natural spaces that are otherwise inaccessible and bring them eye-to-eye with the water-dwelling species. Not much sweat and tears are required as this is the most tranquil of safari experiences, from a viewing perspective that is.
Away from the boat, the unexpected can happen around the many curves and bends. There will be no rest for the weary with a plethora of birdlife, predators of all shapes and sizes, and even lesser-known species inhabiting the local waters and lands.
A typical houseboat can accommodate from a six-person family to a group of safari-goers of 24 people. Depending on the level of luxury preferred, everyday features such as an outdoor viewing deck and air-conditioned ensuite sleeping quarters, as well as opulent features like a plunge pool and Jacuzzi can be expected. The services of a boat pilot, guide, and butler are also part and parcel of the package.
A Tranquil Experience
Time is of no particular importance when on a boat safari and there’s no need to wander too far for the game viewing to start. With a warm cuppa firmly in hand at the crack of dawn, scanning the surrounding waters and terra firma for all things big and small, mornings on the water are both enchanting and mysterious at the same. The rest of the day is dictated by the flow of the natural world and more often than not, safari-goers have ringside seats to spectacular sightings.
Amiable is probably the best way to describe the atmosphere onboard a houseboat. Sharing an innate love for the wild and wonderful creatures of the planet, guests from a variety of backgrounds marvel at the spectacle of life unfolding around them.
A houseboat safari is an enduring way to explore the imposing waterways of Africa. There are countless havens on the continent to have the most rewarding experiences in this particular way.
The best destinations for a Houseboat Safari
Chobe River: This river makes its way from the highlands of Angola, connects with the Zambezi River, flows into the Victoria Falls and ends in the Indian Ocean. The various channels that cross through floodplains and woodlands make for game viewing on a grandiose scale.
Knysna Lagoon and Jozini Dam: These destinations may not be frequented by the illustrious members of the animal kingdom, but rather offer a distinctly different immersion in the natural world with a focus on the indigenous flora.
Lake Kariba: Spectacular views top and tailed by breathtaking sunrises and sunsets abound on this body of water that is more than 220 kilometres long and up to 40 kilometres wide in some places.