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Exceptional Travel

We specialise in the very best in bespoke luxury safaris and holidays to Africa, Arabia, Australasia
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We specialise in the very best in bespoke luxury safaris and holidays to Africa, Arabia, Australasia, the Indian Ocean Islands and the Indian Subcontinent.

21/02/2024

As once remarked by Pablo Picasso, “Colours, like features, follow the changes of the emotions”. As you travel through Morocco’s changing vibrant landscapes, diverse communities and rich history, colours change with you.

Did you know that each city in Morocco has its own colour? Or, that colour plays a key part within religious symbolism and story telling as Islam does not use images of people or animals in its decoration?

From the fish markets in Tangier in the north to the arid Sahara Desert in the south, the bustling markets of Marrakech to the tranquil blue alleys of Chefchaouen, colours hold deep cultural significance within Moroccan culture.

To read more on this, click the link in our bio.

13/02/2024

The golden hour in Vietnam is arguably at first light.

Many people have already been busy for hours and it is always worth putting on an early alarm to join them.

06/02/2024

“The desert is so huge, and the horizon so distant, that they make a person feel small, and as if he should remain silent.”

- Paulo Coelho

Spending time in the Moroccan Sahara desert is one of these places.

Where time can pass in simple silence, take you on a journey over crested dunes, allow you to feel the warmth leave the sand at sunset, only to be replaced by the magnificence of a star filled sky whilst sitting next to crackling fire.

Your senses become heightened as you slow down and embrace the rhythm of the Sahara.

And that, in our opinion, is great for the soul.

31/01/2024

On this World Zebra Day we wanted to earn our stripes and celebrate the strikingly elegant Grevy Zebra.

Found in Northern Kenya and isolated pockets of Ethiopia, only 2,500 individuals of this unique species are left in the wild.

We love seeing them when on safari in the Laikipia and Samburu regions where the inspiring is located and commit their efforts to the protection of the Grevy Zebra and their habitat.

Larger and taller than the widespread plains zebra and with narrower stripes, Grevy Zebra have a beautiful thick black dorsal stripe down their spine and large, fluffy, oval shaped ears.

Unlike the more common plains zebra, their stripes stop at their belly, creating a white underbelly and, having adapted to live in more arid habitats, they can survive without water for up to five days.

Aren’t they beautiful?

Thank you for sharing this image with us!

23/01/2024

“If you were to go on safari only once, where would it be?”

This is often ask, and debated here at ET – and we seem to go around in circles!

However, one of our hidden gems of the safari world sees guests coming for their “only safari” but returning year on year.

On this we would like to shine a spotlight on the sensational Old Mondoro, in the Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia.

The focus at Old Mondoro is simple: pure, authentic safari excellence.

Only 5 bush chalets, set on the edge of the mighty Zambezi River, under the most beautiful winterthorn grove. Resident wildlife are part of the camp, sharing in the daily routine. Elephants stroll through plucking at fallen pods, big cat sightings (some of the most prolific leopard sightings to be had in Africa) are abundant and the river provides island-hopping buffalo and elephant, as well as an extreme concentration of hippo.

A combination of sensational adventures, in the care of the very best guides, on personalised and varied safari activities delivers not only a transformative experience for guests but directly supports the security and future of the pristine wilderness, wildlife and surrounding communities.

We hope you enjoy some of the photos on this dark winters eve. We are imagining the warmth of the air, the smell of the earth, the honking of the hippos and chatter of Guinea fowl as they come in to roost at sunset.

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16/01/2024

The Amazon pink river dolphin is the subject of many South American legends.

One such legend describes how dolphins turn into handsome men - charming and gallant - to seduce the women of the riverside communities. Another is that, if you swim alone, the dolphins may whisk you away to a magical underwater city.

Hearing these legends from expert guides, who know the region well, is even more curious. Whether you believe them or not, the fact is that encountering the species is always a joy.

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09/01/2024

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

“Leisure” by W.H Davies.

07/12/2023

The season for Dog Sledding in the Arctic is getting under way!

Dogs play an important part of society around the world and no-truer is this than in the Arctic regions. Their thick fur and padded paws make them well equipped to thrive in the winter months and it is said that dogs have been used as a mode of transport as far back as 1,0000 A.D. Dog Sledding was invented by native and Inuit people in Northern parts of Canada and the early European explorers experienced the benefits of dog sledding first hand. On return home, this idea was quickly adopted and spread around the Nordics and even mainland Europe.

Today, whilst dog sledding is not relied upon as a form of transport, it is a highly skilled and competitive sport as well as the most wonderous way to explore the wilds of the Arctic Circle. Want to give it a try? Get in touch and we will do the rest. Hike! Hike!

28/11/2023

The Imperial city of Fes, Morocco, is an architectural wonder. Established around 800AD, upon entering one of the many impressive gates to the medina, you are whisked back in time where, whilst much has no doubt changed, the authenticity is tangible.

Lesser developed than Marrakech yet every bit as vibrant and interesting. With over 900 tight cobbled street and alleyways with endless twists and turns, it is often referred to as “a bowl” because if you are walking uphill, you are heading to the city walls and if you are walking downhill, you will find yourself at the centre of the medina. To take the stress out of negotiating the (very few) street signs, our guides are there to make sure you don’t miss a thing whilst reducing your step count finding your way around!

There is a deep-rooted charm to be found within Fez’s Medina, the architecture, apothecaries, Chaouara Tanneries, Ibn Danan Synagogue, rubber soled donkeys (so they don’t slip on the sloped cobbled streets!), all with a constant bustle from market stall owners, children and rhythmic calls to prayer.

Days can be busy, physically and for the senses, so we make sure there is a beautiful hotel or riad to return to offering all the ingredients to help you relax and re-charge. And, as the day comes to a close, a rooftop sunset over the ancient walled city is one for the memory bank.

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24/11/2023

It’s the time of year where Mfuwe Lodge in the South Luangwa National Park, Zambia, welcomes it’s largest guests as they come to feast on the fruits of a wild mango tree located in the heart of the safari lodge.

Completely at ease with their environment, visiting on an almost daily basis, even the youngest members of the family are brought for the occasion. Their trust and calm nature means that they even have a little nap after their fill of mangos!

Need to see it to believe it? We would be delighted to make that happen for you. And before you ask, yes, elephants do snore!

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14/11/2023

Where are you spending this evening?

A modern take on a traditional East African mobile safari experience, we are dreaming of this special spot.
The softest of bedding, delicious 3 course supper and a well stocked mobile bar – all the ingredients for a perfect night under the stars. Agree?

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12/11/2023

Happy Diwali! A celebration of good over evil.

Observed across many faiths, Diwali has become India’s largest of celebrations. A 5 day “Festival of Lights” brings families together in prayer, giving of gifts and wonderful feasts. The abundance of light symbolizes the inner light protecting each household from spiritual darkness.

09/11/2023

Southern Right Whales are enjoying the sheltered waters off the South African Cape at the moment and our friends provide a multitude of ways to watch them in their natural habitat. From land, air and sea, it is possible to gain a different perspective of these ocean giants. Join marine biologists on a whale watching boat trip, gain perspective of the size of these mammals from within a light aircraft or simply take a picnic and binoculars along the cliffs to watch them breach and tail slap from the coastline.

02/11/2023

Shakti Himalaya was born out of the love for exploring “another extraordinarily beautiful part of India”, untouched by the Western world. Owner, Jamshyd Sethna, has been finding solace in these mountains since a young age, a source of peace and inspiration. In his later years, Jamshyd decided he could never stop visiting the mountains but sought better accommodation and culinary offerings.

Working hand in hand with the local community, Jamshyd started renting local village houses on a long lease, did them up to a level of great comfort with the softest of beds, strong hot showers and beautiful interiors, hired a local team for managing the properties, cooking and guiding. The result, a collection of beautiful community cottages in 3 different areas: the rarely visited Kumaon, Ladakh and Sikkim. Each offering a unique experience and always enjoyed privately. The mountainous areas of Kumaon and Sikkim focus on walking journeys, through some of the most spectacular mountain passes, cultivated fields, forests, past monasteries and through villages without a fuss. Ladakh is the better-known area, and Shakti Ladakh takes guests away from the bustling capital, to untouched villages.

The remote location has not stopped them creating memorable experiences like beautiful picnics mid hike or introduction to local relations, friends or monks known to your guide. International chef friends of Jamshyd were invited to Shakti to spend time with the Shakti chefs and the combined results are sensational.

Shakti Himalaya is a project from the heart, coveted by those who have been lucky enough to visit.

26/10/2023

Being an island continent, Australia hosts a distinctive range of unique wildlife. Located 9 miles off the Southern Australian Coast, Kangaroo island is widely acclaimed as “The Galapagos of Australia”.

With 30 National and Conservation Parks, Kangaroo Island is a mecca for Australia’s native wildlife such as Kangaroos, Koalas, Wombats, Short-beaked Echidnas and Platypus (released in the 1920’s). The additional benefit of being an island, is that predators such as foxes and burrowers, such as rabbits, that have had much impact elsewhere in Australia have not been established.

The island beaches and shorelines are home to their own treasures. Australian sea lion are resident on the island and little penguins gather in April to start their annual breeding. Between the months of May to September, Southern Right Whales come to the protected waters around Kangaroo Island, visible from the beaches and, further offshore, toothed whales such as s***m, pilot and orcas can be seen.

And, in 6 weeks’ time, we look forward the re-opening of one of the iconic hotels of Australia, Southern Ocean Lodge, after the bushfires of 2020. There is no better time to visit and experience the rejuvenation of this incredible island first hand.

18/10/2023

Locally known as “Mosi-Oa-Tunya”, The Smoke that Thunders, Victoria Falls is perhaps the best named waterfall in the world. In March, when the Zambezi River is at its highest, the noise produced by 10 million litres of water falling 108m, crashing into the chasm below is almost deafening. The incredible downward pressure forces water spray up, creating the “smoke”.

This “smoke” plays a key part in a natural phenomenon that occurs between Feb-Aug during the full moon. Light from the moon and water droplets from the spray refract to create a bright lunar rainbow. Magical.

In 1855 David Livingstone was exploring the Zambezi River and, upon seeing the waterfall for the first time announced, “It has never been seen before by European eyes, but scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight”. In honour of his then Queen, named it “Victoria Falls” and the island from which he stood is now known as Livingstone Island.

From the Zambian side of the Zambezi River, Livingstone Island can be visited for an experience found no-where else on earth. A short walk from the island, on the very edge of the Victoria Falls, is the devil’s pool. A deep, natural pool to swim in with views over the gorge and (for the brave) to peer over. This is only possible when the water level is lower between mid-August to mid-January, for good reason!

By October, what was the world’s largest sheet of falling water, is reduced to a 1700m face of bare rock interspersed with trickles of water. This is however the best time to experience white water rafting down the full 19 rapids, starting from the boiling pot, situated directly under the Victoria Falls.

This incredible waterfall has many characteristics, living up to its status as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World ✨

12/10/2023

The Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana.

Pronounced “Ma-Ka-di-ka-di”, this vast, arid area of natural beauty lies off the typical tourist trail in Botswana.

Dotted with palm and baobab trees, only a short flight from the Okavango Delta, yet feels another world. With few people, unique wildlife and endless starry night skies, The Makgadikgadi Pans is one of the best hidden experiences in Southern Africa.

Did you know…

1. Zebra Migration: Between November – March impressive herds enjoy the lush grasses before migrating north to the Okavango Delta

2. Flamingo breeding season: November – April. The salt pan is the most important breeding site for both lesser and greater flamingo in the region.

3. The lesser seen bat eared fox, aardwolf, brown hyena and aardvark are all active at nights on the pans.

4. Ever met a meerkat? These colourful characters have been habituated sensitively over time enabling unique interactions and insights into the family orientated way of life.

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03/10/2023

Our planet is blessed with many beautiful, wildlife rich islands that have been embraced by people far beyond their shorelines: The Maldives, Barbados, Bali and even the remote Galapagos. We know and love them too!

However, there are also islands we are proud to have supported over the years that lie refreshingly under the radar, away from the crowds. Each are dedicated to the protection of their natural environment, offer front row seats over clear marine rich waters and provide a deep sense of place. Requiring an element of patience and adventurous spirit to reach, on arrival visitors are rewarded tenfold.

To read the full article, click the link in our bio. Enjoy!

22/09/2023

World Rhino Day: No-one in the world needs a rhino horn, except a rhino.

The daily dedication given by those protecting the species is humbling.

Did you know that, by visiting reserves and conservancies in Africa providing a safe haven for rhino, tourism directly contributes towards the protection of the species for the future. How? Nightly conservation levies that every person pays on top of their camp / lodge costs provides a steady source of income which goes directly to the anti-poaching units and conservation teams in the area.

In addition, when travelling with Exceptional Travel, you contribute further through our travel partnership with , a charity committed to advancing conservation through Africa.

Quote by at the Tusk Conservation Awards 2016 “What survives now is just a fragment of what there was. But how precious it is. What a vision it gives us of humanity’s past; of the world’s past. And how crucial it is that it has to be protected, and should remain”.

Let us celebrate these majestic creatures on this

20/09/2023

Mid-September welcomes a new season to the Eastern Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. Autumn has arrived and with it, beautiful sunny days with clear skies following the summer monsoon rains, an ideal time to explore the country. With hundred of kilometres of trails, you can follow in the footsteps of pilgrims and merchants from centuries past. With hikes for all abilities; along riverbanks, through temple studded valleys, over snowcapped mountain passes, and moss lined pine tree forests, you can enjoy quiet afternoon strolls or multi-day hikes.

The autumn season also sees the arrival of 50 species of migratory birds from northern Tibet and Mongolia, including the rare, black-necked cranes. To celebrate their arrival, the town of Gangtey holds a colourful festival with music and dancing, welcoming them back to their autumnal home.

From the well-known Paro Taktsang (better known as Tiger’s Nest), a cliffside monastery in Paro, to the many village temples, Bhutan’s deep spirituality can be felt throughout the country. Autumn also happens to be a season filled with festivals. One of the larger festivals is the 5 day Jambay Lhakhang Drup, in late October. Mesmerising fire blessings, drum beats and sacred naked dances at midnight are some of the highlights.

And, as final note, did you know that Bhutan only opened to tourism in 1974 and is one of the only carbon-negative countries on earth? Their daily tourism levy ensures that tourists can travel through the country, knowing they are leaving positive impacts on the communities and eco-system for the future.

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12/09/2023

A city on Vietnam’s central coast, Hoi An could well be described as the Venice of Asia.

A UNESCO heritage site, it’s well-preserved Ancient Town is filled with a myriad of canals, beautiful small alleys, bridges and outdoor cafes. Painted in the colour yellow to symbolise royalty, luck, pride and prosperity, the people you meet here are friendly, polite and sincere.

One of our favourite past times is to roam the narrow lanes, admiring the 19th Century Chinese-style architecture, enjoying a coffee or two in one of the many local café’s, watching a kaleidoscope of people go by.

📸 image 6 credit

05/09/2023

Todays is the perfect opportunity to put a spotlight on our sensational conservation charity partner, , and their dedicated team.
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Established in response to the poaching crisis in the 1980's, Tusk provides essential funding to pioneering conservation initiatives across more than 20 African countries, increasing vital protection for over 70 million hectares of land and more than 40 different threatened species.
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By partnering with Africa’s leading and emerging conservationists, invests in their in-depth knowledge and expertise to allow sustainable, scalable solutions for future generations.
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As longstanding friends to the charity, Exceptional Travel has supported Tusk for over a decade on the Lewa Safari Marathon in Kenya. Today, we are pioneering a long term partnership where travel directly supports the future protection of nature, wildlife and local communities in Tusk supported areas.
What does this mean to you, our international travellers? When you travel with us, not only do you make a positive impact on the destinations you visit using our wide-reaching responsible partnerships, but you also directly contribute to the future sustainability of Tusk and its conservation partners as we donate 5% of our annual profits to support Tusk’s mission.

We are proud to be a travel partner to Tusk, enabling us to further our contribution to the charity and help strengthen their impact throughout Africa.

If you are interested in learning more, click the link in our bio.

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30/08/2023

Cusco, the capital of the vast Inca Empire, and the most important colonial centre in the Andes. Sitting 11,150ft above sea level, Cusco is one of the continents most striking cities and the gateway all the “must do’s” of Peru. From being the starting point for hikes to Machu Picchu to the springboard into adventures found within the Sacred Valleys spectacular scenery, sacred ruins and ancient communities.

The city’s history openly celebrates its history with both archaeological remains and Spanish colonial architecture entwined together. Winding cobbled streets and open squares are home to bustling local markets, hidden textile boutiques, gastronomic excellence, art galleries and museums, all against the backdrop of Inca and colonial monuments.

From Cusco we can introduce you to the best guides to peel back the layers of the area as you hike, cycle, horse ride or kayak around this breathtakingly beautiful part of the Andes.

And, at the end of a busy day, our friends at one of our favourite boutique hotels, such as , can restore your legs and minds in their spa, or bar, within the strikingly restored 16th century manor house filled with colonial furnishings and original murals.

Cusco is a truly special city, high up, beyond the clouds.

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12/07/2023

Observing whilst being unobserved.

Hides are a fantastic addition to a safari experience. Whether in camp or in the bush, at crocodile or giraffe eye level, hides enable you to sit in quiet exhilaration watching wildlife in its natural state, completely undetected, at a stone's throw away.

The opportunity to capture that photograph you could have only dream of, or simply watch, binoculars (or G&T!) in hand, as you begin to identify individual characteristics of certain animals, their family make up and playful demeanours.

We hope you enjoy our newest blog "Observing whilst being unobserved" in our bio for more on our take on safari hides.

28/06/2023

What dreams are made of…

Innovative Kenyan thinking has created this wonderful star bed where, if it gets a little chilly or starts to rain, you simply pick your bed up and roll it back under the thatching. Simple!

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Tuesday	9am - 5:30pm
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Videos

The funkiest Praying Mantis in the world ever?! He/she had been throwing moves to our music for a while (it hasn’t been added in for effect) and clearly thrived off an audience 😂 James Brown, a legend transcending the species 🕺🏽 . . . . . #comedywildlife #jamesbrown #dancelikenooneiswatching #comedywildlifephotographyawards #bbcwildlife #wildlifelovers #naturelovers #prayingmantis #prayingmantisofinstagram #naturalworld #travelgram #corfu #wildlifevideos #funnywildlife #dancinganimals #insectsofinstagram

Elephants Bath Time, Botswana

She's no Spielberg but we thought we'd share this short video Susanna recently took while enjoying sundowners in the Khwai Community Area (adjacent to Northern Moremi Game Reserve). With no one else around, the guests of Khwai Tented Camp, Okavango Delta, Botswana, enjoyed watching elephants bath time almost (not quite...) forgetting to drink their G&T! #Photoshoottrophy #Experiencebotswana #takemethere #LostinBots Botswana Tourism

Toby takes one for the team

As specialists we like to go above and beyond for our guests, travelling to the destinations we feature to ensure you stay in the best lodges, have the best guides and enjoy the best cuisine. Talking of which - we've just found this gem of Founder and MD Toby in the archives.. 'Well, you can live on it,............'