Classic Escapes

27/11/2023

In the spirit of gratitude, we find ourselves reflecting on the incredible journey we've embarked on together in adventure, conservation and community empowerment. Each step is not only a testament to our shared passion for Africa, but also a celebration of the positive impact we collectively create.

Traveling with Classic Escapes goes beyond 'feeling good' in the moment. It extends to the heartwarming, soul-happy knowledge that your journey has supported communities and protected wildlife in the region you've explored.

Of course - we make sure you have an unforgettable time doing it!

This week, we wanted to share our progress towards achieving our Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG)! We couldn't do it without you and our incredible partners - we are so very grateful.

In 2020, we set out to raise:
1 Million USD for conservation and sustainability in Africa by 2030.

We are now 31.8% of the way there!
And we wouldn't be here without you, fellow traveller.

Imagery courtesy of: Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, &Beyond, Singita, Great Plains, Tanda Tula

31/10/2023

Planning a holiday is good for your health
"Thinking about the future can make you feel better in the present." ~ VICE

In fact, a study in 2010* found that people with a planned vacation coming up were happier and less stressed than those with no plans to travel. The researchers attributed this to anticipatory joy driving present joy.

We can all benefit from planning ahead. After all, planning ahead is the start of the next great adventure...

With this in mind, we have put together a few travel inspiration ideas for a dopamine boost today. Picture yourself on your next vacation, dream of a holiday that will make you smile, and let us make it your reality!

Imagery courtesy of: Tanda Tula, Chad Cocking, Chem Chem Safaris, Legendary Expeditions, Marataba, Angama Mara, & Kamba.

06/10/2023

OUR LOVE FOR KWANDWE

We recently shared a few of our favourite things about Kwandwe Private Game Reserve in South Africa's Eastern Cape.

As custodians of an incredible 22,000 hectares of wilderness home to thousands of animals and wildlife, Kwandwe is best known and trusted for their authentic, diverse safari experiences and quality guiding.

Kwandwe is contributing sustainably to the environment, protecting the incredible biodiversity of their region, and positively impacting the surrounding communities - all the while continuously delivering the memorable safari experiences to cherish for a lifetime. Kwandwe Private Game Reserve

24/05/2021

The world around us has changed, but our desire to explore and connect is timeless.

We believe to travel is one’s expression of a deep desire to feel connected and, at the same time, to transcend one's worldly experience. Change can be good. It may not be a future we imagined, but opportunities to travel, to discover, and to find soulful connections are out there waiting for us...
📷 The Safari Collection

05/07/2019

Caroline has just returned home in Cape Town after a week exploring Mana Pools, one of the highlights being a ‘bush’ breakfast with feet dipped in the Zambezi River!

Read more here: http://www.classic-escapes.com/blog-post/mad-about-mana

27/06/2019

It’s moments like these that we live for.

Be present

Connect..
📍
📷 .holifield ..

03/06/2019

Our dearest clients, Drew and Alicia, are leaving Mara River Tented Camp in the Lamai region of the Serengeti in Tanzania and heading for Serengeti Camp in the Grumeti region today. They’ve shared a few of the epic moments they’ve explored so far. Incredible! . .
.holifield with
・・・
The Mara River of Tanzania, the most dangerous river crossing in the Serengeti. Today we were super fortunate to witness two river crossings and a couple of crocodile kills 😬😬😬

22/05/2019

With Cape Town as our home, we are so fortunate that we’re able to explore incredible tracts of open wilderness and wildlife destinations north of us.

But if you cast your eyes south, far, far down south, the opportunity to experience one of the most pristine and remote regions on this planet awaits.

Antarctica is truly Earth’s final frontier, spanning almost 5.5 million square miles of ice-covered land mass without any permanent inhabitants. In the past, this majestic destination was only reachable via long cruising expeditions or spartan airplanes, but today, intrepid travelers can explore the world’s southernmost continent without sacrificing the comforts that one may expect from a high-end African safari. You will also be one of the lucky few to watch the majestic Emperor penguins and their chicks in their natural environment.

These otherworldly trips to the “White Desert” depart from Cape Town and range from 48 hours, 5 days or 8 days and are available between November and January annually – it’s the only time of year this region experiences daylight!

This is a definite bucket list experience for many and the perfect combination with an iconic safari region. Your ideal itinerary would be 4 nights on safari with Singita in the Kruger National Park, 2 nights in Cape Town and 5 nights on Antarctica – enjoy!

07/05/2019

JINJA: Adrenalin capital! We stayed on a lush, tropical private island midstream in the mighty Nile, surrounded by the deafening rapids iconic for this region. So deafening that you may just need earplugs to sleep! Kayaking, river rafting, boat cruises, island walks, horse riding are just some of the adventures to choose from. Sunset on the first evening was simply breathtaking!africa

bayly

04/05/2019

KIDEPO VALLEY, UGANDA: This beautiful reserve is very Serengeti-like. It is an epically beautiful region with lots of general game activity as you venture through the plains. High concentrations of waterbuck and lots of elephant and buffalo. The hike to reach the Ik tribe in the Morungole mountains in the far east is quite an experience and definitely worth the trip in itself.africa

bayly
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02/05/2019

MURCHISON FALLS, UGANDA: Hiking to the falls and exploring the 'Delta of the Nile' - a beautiful stretch of the Nile River where the only sign of human activity are a few local fisherman! The birdlife is abundant - herons, kingfishers and fish eagles amongst many others. Fall asleep to the sounds of the hippos grunting as they emerge from the water.


bayly

@ Murchison Falls National Park

18/04/2019

10/04/2019

The namesake of the national park - Murchison Falls. Shear power. Water driven from the course of the Nile River, Lake Victoria, is funneled through this cliff and driven towards Lake Albert.

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10/04/2019

Waking up on the banks of the great Nile River with a spectacular sunrise

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10/04/2019

And we’re off! But first, a spot of market shopping on the outskirts of Kampala.

📍Kampala, Uganda

10/04/2019

Welcome to Uganda! Natalie arrived in Entebbe today, and tomorrow she’s off to Murchison Falls to explore the ‘Delta of the Nile’ and the ‘strongest body of falling water’. @ Entebbe

08/02/2019

Imagine an island escape off the coast of West Africa and the first image that springs to mind is the precipitous mountains plunging into sparkling blue ocean, forested slopes leading to secret coves and deep-sea channels teeming with game-fish? Welcome to Praia Sundy, a new approach to African island escapes...
📍Sundy Praia - São Tomé & Principe..
📷 Scott Ramsay..

06/02/2019

An African safari is best experienced as a combination of elements, ‘a safari and...’ - The Kruger National Park and Cape Town paired with a private island atop the azure waters of the Indian Ocean..
Ellerman House, Cape Town, South Africa
Singita Ebony Lodge, Sabi Sand, South Africa
Azura Benguerra, Bazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique..
https://bit.ly/2SaZnI3..

21/12/2018

May the holidays fill your home with joy, your heart with love and your life with laughter. May the yearning for travel never end.

23/09/2018

Transit day in Kenya. Departed Samburu district and on our way to Laikipia.

23/09/2018

Slowly making our way through Kenya.

22/09/2018

Shades of Samburu. The Samburu Tribe are by far the most decorative in Kenya. Caroline is loving her week exploring far reaches of one of our favorite African countries.

19/09/2018

After a very successful morning watching a herd of grazing elephants casually move past us, tracking a resident female leopard and watching her stalk her prey and gazing over a watering hole while a Saddle-billed Stalk was fishing for catfish, we rolled on into breakfast set up along the shady banks of the dry river bed, complete with mimosas and freshly brewed coffee over the coals...
@ Tanda Tula Safari Camp

10/07/2018

Tanzania’s Chem Chem private concession stretches across 50,000 acres of pristine wilderness connecting the immense savannahs of Tarangire National Park and the bird-rich waters of Lake Manyara, where dense palm forests meet lush grasslands rolling down to the lakeshore. Privately owned and managed by Fabia Bausche and Nicolas Negre, the dream for Chem Chem was to rebuild this corridor, restore the habitat after overuse from agriculture and grazing, and work with park authorities to curb once-rampant poaching.

By supporting Chem Chem, you are directly supporting a very important conservation and community project. This is a wonderful balance that needs to remain intact if we want animals to continue to have a peaceful place on our planet.

Today, this is a place where time, beauty, and pleasure know no boundaries – the perfect African safari.

18/06/2018

We adore this short film (4 minutes) put together by our friends and partners throughout Zimbabwe - just a little more inspiration for your next Zimbabwean safari!



https://vimeo.com/272933858

This video is a wonderful example of Collaborative Destination Marketing and Brand building. 21 Zimbabwean Tourism Operators, large and small, across the sector,…

28/05/2018

'The idea of a trip through Namibia often conjures images of rusty red tinted sand dunes stretching for miles, the shipwreck strewn Skeleton Coast, the seemingly empty and desolate Damaraland and the oasis that is the Etosha.'

'Scenically nestling in the valley where the two tributaries of the Hoanib River meet, the Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp offers guests a surprisingly rich diversity of wildlife in a stark, yet beautiful, landscape.'

http://www.classic-escapes.com/blog-post/the-haunting-beauty-of-namibias-hoanib

16/04/2018

Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, is a popular gateway for international travelers accessing the East African safari circuit, heading to iconic destinations like the Serengeti, Masaai Mara and the Ngorongoro Crater.

Travelers would be mistaken to leave this capital unexplored, as it has proven time and time again to be one of the African continent’s most dynamic cities.

We’ve penned a few of our favourite experiences for you while in Nairobi for a night or two on your next trip.

http://www.classic-escapes.com/blog-post/spotlight-on-kenya-48-hours-in-nairobi

09/03/2018

We've been anticipating the opening of this lodge for quite some time, and it most certainly has not disappointed!

Bumi Hills Safari Lodge is located on a private concession, an extensive wildlife conservation area, bordering the north east of the Matusadona National Park in northern Zimbabwe. Perched atop a hill, the views across Lake Kariba and over the Zambezi escarpment are simply spectacular.

An invitation was extended to spend the weekend with the African Bushcamps family – Natalie couldn’t resist and jumped at the opportunity to experience the fresh, new Bumi Hills and explore the region.

Read Natalie’s blog about her trip. It’s such great value, an incredible destination and it’s so easy to combine with the likes of Victoria Falls and Hwange National Park, amongst many other options.

http://www.classic-escapes.com/blog-post/the-wonderful-world-of-lake-kariba

Custom designed luxury African and South African holiday tours and itineraries, catering for that personal holiday, romantic honeymoon or corporate retreats.

26/02/2018

Meaning ‘suspended in mid-air’ in Swahili, Angama Mara is located high above the floor of Kenya’s The Great Rift Valley, overlooking the awe-inspiring Maasai Mara National Reserve, in the same spot where many scenes from the the much beloved biopic, Out of Africa, was filmed.

31/01/2018

We’re thrilled to partner with an incredible organisation like Pebbles Project, supporting the critically important work they do. Based at Villiera Wines in South Africa’s Cape Winelands, we hit the road yesterday and met with the team. They invited us to spend time with the teachers, nurses and carers, view the mobile libraries (toys and books), classrooms and technology centres and get intimately acquainted with the plethora of projects that are ongoing and in the pipeline.

At the end of 2017, Classic Escapes together with Uthando sponsored 140 learners through the Sponsor A School Pack programme – a backpack complete with basic school uniform, shoes, socks and a complete stationery set to start the 2018 school year on the right path.

Please do reach out to us if you’d like to get involved – we’d be delighted to make the necessary arrangements.