I've Planned High-end Safaris For More Than 30 Years-Here Are 3 Ways to Take Your Trip to the Next Level

"Though many companies suggest road-based safaris, they fail to mention the long time spent on bad roads. Flying between safari areas allows you to visit remote, uncrowded locations in comfort. Air travel is the best way to get to Tanzania's Greystroke Mahale lodge or Botswana's Okavango Delta. The Beagle Expeditions mobile camp offers a unique, multi-day safari, with helicopter access to the Kweene Trails safari park, in the western Okavango Delta."

"Another way to elevate your experience is to stay at exclusive-use properties or book private experiences-which gives you the freedom to do what you want, when you want. If you've ever dreamed of taking over a private, Big 5 safari estate for a week, look no further than Ol Jogi. This wildlife conservancy is my favorite spot in Laikipia, Kenya, and can be booked for as few as four guests. The rooms, manor house, spa, guides, chefs, and 58,000-acre grounds are all at your disposal."

Key methods to elevate safaris include flying between areas, booking exclusive-use properties, and arranging private experiences. Flying avoids long drives on poor roads, reaches remote uncrowded lodges such as Greystroke Mahale in Tanzania and the Okavango Delta in Botswana, and can save more than 24 hours on a typical two-week trip. Options include mobile camps with helicopter access, private aircraft with executive seating, and pilot-guides who accompany guests. Exclusive-use estates like Ol Jogi offer private Big 5 conservancy access with full staff and 58,000 acres. Private dhow charters allow fishing, snorkeling, island picnics, and sleeping under the stars; smaller camps such as Chiawa in Zambia's Lower Zambezi National Park and Cheetah Plains in South Africa provide privacy without full-property charters.

Read at Travel + Leisure