I've taken the great leap and Lucie Thaxter Safaris is now a thing!

Thank you for being here, I’m so excited to be writing this. I’ve set up my own business to concentrate on doing what I do best; creating tailored, ethical and honestly priced safari and beach holidays across Africa’s most beautiful places.

Your response and enthusiasm has been fantastic, thank you for getting in touch, for cheering me on, and most of all for booking your adventures with me. Your support means the world to me.

My newsletter (and this blog) is intended to drop some ideas, updates, tips and special offers into your inbox. I won’t bombard you and I’d love to hear your feedback and suggestions!

It’s impossible to distil the contents of my head and my experiences of travelling in Africa into a couple of web pages, so I’ve deliberately kept the website simple, it’s a work in progress and will be refined and polished up a bit over time…   Here on the blog I can be a bit more free ranging and share ideas and insight as it occurs to me, so please do keep an eye on this page. I hope this is the start of a long and happy relationship!

News from the Wild

The annual flood in Botswana’s Okavango Delta is predicted by measuring Water levels at Rundu in Namibia and this year is looking really promising! 

  • The waters that fill the Okavango Delta start their journey as rainfall in the highlands of Angola. The flood starts arriving in Botswana in May reaching it’s peak around July & August.   If you’d like to witness this natural spectacle (and believe me, the hype is deserved) my tip is to travel as late as possible in June when you’ll benefit from Green Season rates – as much as 30% less than July – Nov. 

Masai Mara Reserve – this year conservation fees are increasing from $80 to $200 per day from July 2024 onwards in an attempt to reduce visitor numbers in the increasingly crowded main Masai Mara reserve.  

  • My tip is to avoid the main reserve and stay on a conservancy instead.  I’ve long been an exponent of the Mara Conservancies.  These are vast areas surrounding the main reserve, managed in conjunction with the local Masai communities, which can only be traversed by vehicles owned by the lodges located there.  For the savvy traveller this means far fewer vehicles, less crowded sightings, more relaxed game and a far more authentic safari experience.  An additional bonus is that conservation fees are lower.  Get in touch if this sounds like your kind of safari!

Safari Special Offers

Honeymooners a safari is the most exciting and romantic way to celebrate starting married life, I’ve negotiated an exclusive Southern Tanzania offer to help you get the most out of (one of) the best holidays of your life!  

Honeymoon Offer in the Tanzania’s ‘Secret South’ for travel before 31st Dec 2025:

Stay 5+ nights at a combination of Sand Rivers and or Kigelia to unlock:

  • 20% discount

  • A complimentary bottle of bubbly on arrival

  • An upgrade to a plunge pool suite (subject to availability)

  • A private dinner

  • A complimentary massage

  • 1 night complimentary fly camping under the stars at Sand Rivers

+ Private car & guide as standard

Luxury lovers here’s a fantastic special offer for a 6 night safari in Kenya including internal flights at 35% off the usual rate - equal to a saving of over £2,000 per person!

Angama Mara and Angama Amboseli are beautifully located in spectacular locations and are offering a 6 night safari at £XXx per person for travel before 31 May 2024. 

Angama Mara is perched on top of an escarpment on the West side of the Mara and the views over the reserve are incredible, while Angama Amboseli is a brand new property with exclusive use of Kimana Sanctuary, on the outskirts of Amboseli and a stronghold of Kenya’s Super Tuskers.  Both lodges offer very high standards of accommodation and service alongside spectacular wildlife viewing.  Team this up with some barefoot beach time at one of Kenya’s beach chic hotels - Alfajiri Villas, Almanara Resort or Kinondo Kwetu – and you’ve got a holiday for the connoisseurs!

This itinerary is one that I’m really looking forward to experiencing later this year – a Zambia and Malawi combination. Enjoy a South Luangwa Safari with some beach time on the shores of Lake Malawi and save 20%

Robin Pope is one of the best known safari companies in Zambia with lodges in some gorgeous locations.  After your safari it’s a short shuttle flight to the shores of Lake Malawi for snorkelling, diving and watery fun in the crystal clear waters.  Stay for 10 nights and save 20% - what’s not to love?

That’s it for this time, thank you for reading and please, please forward this to friends or family, don’t forget that if you refer anyone to me and they book there’s a lovely hamper for you as a reward, and for regular doses of inspiration please follow me on Instagram @safari_lucie, or like my facebook page Lucie Thaxter Safaris.

Till next time – safari njema!

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