Tanzania – The Wild and the Luxurious
There are few adventures in life as exhilarating and yet as accessible as going on a safari to Africa to watch its magnificent fauna up close with no TV screen in between.
But if you think about it, taking a bunch of city dwellers into the African wilderness while providing them with plenty of comfort that they’re used to and making them feel like they’re actually on vacation, is quite an art.
One company that specializes in this art, and has indeed excelled in it, is Firelight Safaris Tanzania. As the name suggests, Firelight is based in Tanzania. You may not know this, but Tanzania is possibly the best safari destination in all of Africa, with a whopping 16 national parks, huge numbers of animal and bird species, in addition to having the tallest mountain and the deepest lake of Africa and being home to the Great Migration of the wildebeest.
Firelight Safaris makes the best of their location – their itineraries all involve visits to multiple national parks, exposing you to an astounding variety of wild animals. Depending on the type of your trip, you’ll get to see elephants, lions, leopards, hippos, chimps, crocodiles, cape buffalo etc etc – you name it. You’ll spend the nights in comfortable tented camps or lodges. Don’t let either word scare you: “camps” have interior décor, proper beds and even en suite bathrooms, while a “lodge” is essentially safari lingo for a full-blown hotel. Expect wonderful catering and friendly helpful staff in either case. Remember what I said about the art of providing plenty of comfort in the last place you’d expect it? That’s what Firelight does.
A particular highlight of Firelight Safaris is their Lupita Island Resort – a little piece of paradise separated from the rest of the world by the waters of Lake Tanganyika. The entire island belongs to the resort. Staying there is almost like having a whole island to yourself, sharing it only with the few other guests who happen to be there. If the camps and lodges are comfy and nice, then Lupita Island is outright luxurious. It is the final stop of many of Firelight’s pre-planned itineraries and deservedly so – it’s hard to imagine a better place to relax and wind down after days of thrilling yet tiring game drives.
If you haven’t already, go visit Firelight Safaris’ website, and if nothing else, have a look at the photos – these alone will make you want to book a trip right away.