Unique is perhaps the most over-used adjective in the safari vocabulary. Often used to describe shared camps, scheduled itineraries and upmarket package holidays, unique is a word whose actual meaning has been worn out through its over-use in glossy brochures and websites.
When we say our safaris are unique, we use the word mindfully and with confidence. That is because no two Bushbuck safaris are ever the same. Our one-off safaris match our clients’ dreams and expectations with the very best that Africa has to offer. By best, however, we don’t mean the most expensive. All our itineraries are personally designed and seamlessly delivered, but at a comparable cost to an off-the-peg trip.
There are no set itineraries, busy camps or over-crowded game reserves. Nor are we in the business of filling lodges. There are no square pegs and round holes here because when we work with a client, we listen very carefully indeed. It’s not always about destinations and wildlife, it’s also about how a safari should feel. Every client, or party of clients, is different, with their own specific set of criteria. We translate these into reality. Yet a safari with Bushbuck will cost no more, and sometimes less, than booking direct.
Bushbuck Safaris is a small family company, established in 1984 when we started working with the legendary African private guides of the age. Since then, we have been exploring and finding even more of the very best people and places in Africa, regularly discovering new hidden gems. We are continually building and enhancing our personal knowledge of specific countries, wildlife areas, guides, operators, camps, lodges and retreats. This gives us the knowledge and practical experience to design and organise an itinerary which is breathtakingly memorable and truly life enhancing.
The ultimate safari experience, private guided safaris offer the freedom to decide how you want to explore, not restricted by the interests or timetables of others. Bushbuck has been working with the leading private guides in Africa since the 1980s and, through our unrivalled network, we are able to match the best guide for each client. There are no set itineraries and, ultimately, no limits.
Ideal for multi-generational families or a party of friends, you will enjoy your own camp or a small owner-operated camp for your exclusive use together with your expert guide and professional support team. Whatever your interests, or appetite for adventure, the private guided safari allows you to dictate the agenda and the pace.
In fact, 75% of our clients come to us by referral and many return year after year. In fact, several clients have taken their 14th/15th safari with Bushbuck. They value our outstanding knowledge and experience, trusting us to deliver an unrivalled and unique safari each time.
To discuss your requirements please complete the contact form or call us on +44 (0) 1669 630 386
Given that every Bushbuck safari is unique, there is no such thing as an example itinerary. But we can tell you about some of the safaris our clients have taken. The following are genuine case studies which demonstrate the added value Bushbuck brings.
For my 80th birthday I want to take my children and grandchildren on safari. To get away from it all, away from signal and internet.
We would like to do a walking safari but not a regular safari, nothing we would find in a brochure, something totally off the beaten track.
We were asked by a UK landscape photographer to create a safari in Namibia; an inspiring destination for anyone but particularly exciting for those with an interest in photography.
The brief came from a Swiss client who has been on 14 safaris with Bushbuck since 1990. ‘Boo, do you know anything about Sao Tome and Principe Islands?'
Long-standing clients of ours from Los Angeles, this couple had taken their first safari with Bushbuck in the 1980s. Now in their eighties, only the best will do.
We would like to spend some time on safari on our honeymoon and then to the beach but have a limited budget.
There are literally no limits when it comes to choosing your safari destination or destinations. Bushbuck frequently conducts fact-finding trips to new areas, sometimes at the request of a specific client. To give you inspiration, however, and ideas of where you might like to consider going, here are the countries our clients most regularly visit. The usual stay in any one camp or lodge is 3 -5 days so a combination of destinations and countries is easily managed, with seamless transfers by vehicle or light aircraft.
Botswana is a veritable Land of Plenty but also a country of contrasts: from the lush greens and blues of the Okavango Delta, with its thick vegetation and gleamingly healthy wildlife, to the haunting and eerie Kalahari desert, home to bushmen.
Read moreKenya has a touch of safari magic which is difficult to replicate anywhere else on the continent. The people are welcoming, the wildlife is exhilarating and the atmosphere electric.
Read moreMozambique has a never-ending eastern coastline and along this sit a number of archipelagos which epitomise the Indian Ocean ideal of white sand beaches and glistening turquoise seas.
Read moreNamibia certainly does not do anything by halves. The skies are starrier, animals' stranger and the landscapes more dramatic than anywhere else in Africa.
Read moreRwanda is an astonishing country. The scenery is beautiful, the primate viewing exceptional and the cities pristine.
Read moreOfficially named Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, this archipelago is located in the Gulf of Guinea approximately 180 miles off the West African coast.
Read moreThe name is synonymous with the world’s most beautiful islands, each located in the perfect azure of the Indian Ocean. Few places in the world compare to the Seychelles as a beach destination.
Read moreA country with outstanding wildlife areas and the bright lights of cosmopolitan Cape Town, South Africa is perhaps the most diverse destination on the continent.
Read moreTanzania is home to some of the best wildlife viewing areas on the continent. With the Great Wildebeest Migration and the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania is truly a phenomenal destination.
Read moreKnown as the “Pearl of Africa”, Uganda is captivatingly beautiful. With so many ways to explore via canoe, on foot or by vehicle, Uganda is an adventurers' paradise.
Read moreZimbabwe offers off the beaten track adventure, with some of the very best wildlife viewing in Africa and for an unbeatable price.
Read moreZambia is raw and authentic no-fuss Africa like nowhere else. The parks are bushy, wild and exciting, whilst the rivers winding and mighty.
Read moreThe Zanzibar Archipelago is a stone’s throw away from mainland Tanzania and is home to East Africa’s finest beaches and quirky boutique hotels.
Read moreAlthough safaris uplift the soul and refresh the spirits, they are, by their very nature, fairly active. So, many of our clients opt for a few days on the beach at the beginning or end of a safari.
Read moreIt is truly awe inspiring to see the vast, arid, dramatic landscapes of Namibia. Memories of the Namibian desert stay with people for a lifetime; it is as inspiring as it is unforgettable.
Read moreIn the Great Migration the key players are the wildebeest - 1.5 million of them - accompanied by 200,000 zebras. For them, every year is an endless journey, chasing the rains in a race for life.
Read moreA honeymoon safari requires a delicate touch. While making memories and experiencing everything a safari has to offer, it also needs to include privacy and time alone.
Read moreFor the enthusiast, a birding safari provides a wonderful opportunity to build on and enhance the knowledge of even the most experienced twitcher.
Read moreA private guided boating safari adds much to an African safari holiday and a bespoke itinerary, providing excellent game viewing opportunities.
Read moreBotswana is a veritable Land of Plenty but also a country of contrasts: from the lush greens and blues of the Okavango Delta, with its thick vegetation and gleamingly healthy wildlife, to the haunting...
Kenya has a touch of safari magic which is difficult to replicate anywhere else on the continent. The people are welcoming, the wildlife is exhilarating and the atmosphere electric.
Mozambique has a never-ending eastern coastline and along this sit a number of archipelagos which epitomise the Indian Ocean ideal of white sand beaches and glistening turquoise seas.
Namibia certainly does not do anything by halves. The skies are starrier, animals' stranger and the landscapes more dramatic than anywhere else in Africa.
Rwanda is an astonishing country. The scenery is beautiful, the primate viewing exceptional and the cities pristine.
Officially named Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, this archipelago is located in the Gulf of Guinea approximately 180 miles off the West African coast.
The name is synonymous with the world’s most beautiful islands, each located in the perfect azure of the Indian Ocean. Few places in the world compare to the Seychelles as a beach destination.
A country with outstanding wildlife areas and the bright lights of cosmopolitan Cape Town, South Africa is perhaps the most diverse destination on the continent.
Tanzania is home to some of the best wildlife viewing areas on the continent. With the Great Wildebeest Migration and the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania is truly a phenomenal destination.
Known as the “Pearl of Africa”, Uganda is captivatingly beautiful. With so many ways to explore via canoe, on foot or by vehicle, Uganda is an adventurers' paradise.
Zimbabwe offers off the beaten track adventure, with some of the very best wildlife viewing in Africa and for an unbeatable price.
Zambia is raw and authentic no-fuss Africa like nowhere else. The parks are bushy, wild and exciting, whilst the rivers winding and mighty.
The Zanzibar Archipelago is a stone’s throw away from mainland Tanzania and is home to East Africa’s finest beaches and quirky boutique hotels.
Although safaris uplift the soul and refresh the spirits, they are, by their very nature, fairly active. So, many of our clients opt for a few days on the beach at the beginning or...
It is truly awe inspiring to see the vast, arid, dramatic landscapes of Namibia. Memories of the Namibian desert stay with people for a lifetime; it is as inspiring as it is unforgettable.
In the Great Migration the key players are the wildebeest - 1.5 million of them - accompanied by 200,000 zebras. For them, every year is an endless journey, chasing the rains in a race...
A honeymoon safari requires a delicate touch. While making memories and experiencing everything a safari has to offer, it also needs to include privacy and time alone.
For the enthusiast, a birding safari provides a wonderful opportunity to build on and enhance the knowledge of even the most experienced twitcher.
A private guided boating safari adds much to an African safari holiday and a bespoke itinerary, providing excellent game viewing opportunities.
Mountain bikes bring a new spin to safaris. Travelling on a bike is practically silent and so you see animals undisturbed, in the same way you would do on a walking safari. Both are...
There are around 800 mountain gorillas remaining in the mountains of Rwanda and Uganda. For those wishing to see gorillas in their native habitat, this is the ultimate African safari holiday.
Our safaris deliver more than just an unforgettable experience. Responsible tourism is a driving motivation for Bushbuck and every safari supports ethical operators who contribute towards long-lasting projects which make positive impacts, generate economic benefits for local people and sustain indigenous wildlife. Travelling with Bushbuck ensures the continuation of this valuable work.
Our private guides are all members of the Safari Guides Company (SGC), formed in 1984 by Bushbuck’s co-founder, Mike Shirley-Beavan. An invitation-only organisation, the SGC selects leading independent guides with a proven track record in their field. All have proven strong links to communities and conservation. The vetting process is rigorous and only the top ethical guides are selected.
Regular blog articles on a range of topics relating to Africa; from current issues and opinions on the safari industry to accounts of personal adventures.
Friday November 4, 2022
Summer is coming to an end, but that doesn’t mean the fun has to stop. If you’re itching to get away to avoid the short days, long nights and chilly drizzle which sits miserably on the horizon, then lucky you – a winter African safari is always incredible.
Thursday April 28, 2022
It goes without saying that Africa is a huge continent, which means deciding on a wildlife reserve to visit can be daunting. So I have put together a little guide to my favourite parks across the continent, which could help pinpoint the one that is just right for you.
Monday November 9, 2020
There has always been something quintessentially elegant about safaris. Ever since the era of the pioneering Edwardian travellers, when canvas tents with leather trunks, porcelain basins and brass lamps were set up in remote areas of the bush, the safari experience has been enhanced by the visual and textural quality of its immediate surroundings.
Monday October 21, 2019
The unintentional effect of popular wildlife documentaries has been to raise people’s expectations on safari to unrealistic levels. It's not all drama and crisis in the bush. Sometimes the real joy is experiencing Africa at peace.
Thursday September 26, 2019
If climbing Kilimanjaro is on your personal bucket list, you will know of its outstanding beauty. You will also be aware of its challenges. So what are the secrets of a successful - and enjoyable - climb?
Thursday April 18, 2019
Botswana is set for its busiest peak season on record but there is no cause for alarm: it may be busy but it's certainly not crowded.