Travel for Two: Plug Into Africa’s Amazing Wildlife Instead of All That Tech

Quietness reigns across Africa's savannas, and without the constant interruption of Wi-Fi and its blips and bleeps, scenery and glimpses of wildlife, such as this bull elephant in Kenya's Masai Mara, are unmarred. Mary Ann Anderson/TNS

By Mary Ann Anderson Tribune News Service

One of the most remarkable facets of the African bush is its utter quiet — or so you might think. Stand completely still for a moment, and then little by little, sound by sound, you realize that it is not really quiet at all.

Like a perfectly composed symphony of nature, the bush comes alive with myriad yet distinct echoes: fish eagles and go-away birds shrieking in the distance, hyenas enthusiastically whooping at some secret discovery, a pair of lions roaring in perfect harmony, voices of bull elephants rumbling their guttural songs, the soft fwip-fwipping of crocodiles diving for some underwater treasure and, perhaps the very best of all, the powerful whisper of the wind sighing across the savanna.

Therein lies part of the reason why you should take a romantic sojourn to Africa on safari: to experience its sounds heard nowhere else on Earth, its colors found on no artist’s palette, and its soul-changing natural wonders — its mountains, wildlife and culture — uniquely singular to the continent.

As it is, we keep maddening schedules complemented by our reliance on all the latest technological gizmos, gadgets and contraptions and all connected by the manmade miracle of Wi-Fi. But what if you didn’t have Wi-Fi for a week or two? What if the two of you just unplugged on safari and let go and allowed yourself without any unnecessary distractions to absorb the Mother Earth that is Africa?

Elizabeth Gordon, co-founder and CEO of Extraordinary Journeys, a bespoke luxury safari company, offers a few recommendations for Wi-Fi-free camps and lodges so you’re able to treat yourself to digital detox by disconnecting from electronics and reconnecting with the one you love.

Kenya

There’s no Wi-Fi at Serian Mara Camp, a true barefoot luxury camp in the Mara North concession in the Masai Mara. This beautiful, comfortable camp has strong ties with the local community and conservation efforts, thanks to the leadership of Alex Walker, its fourth-generation Kenyan owner. Given the prolific year-round wildlife in the area, you have exclusive access to your own game drive vehicles to take in the action whenever you please. Just across the Mara River is the more exclusive Serian Ngare with just four luxury tents, also sans Wi-Fi.

Serian Nkorombo is ideally located on a private site along the Mara River and is the perfect perch for witnessing the Great Wildebeest Migration. This is Walker’s simplest, most rustic camp and ideal for couples looking for an easy, unobstructed encounter with some of Africa’s most amazing wildlife. Here, meals are cooked over an open fire and served under a starlit sky.

The only sounds you’ll hear on an unplugged, unconnected African safari are that of wildlife grunting, snorting, munching, barking and roaring — and not the chirping of a cellphone. A trio of Grevy’s zebra feed on Kenya’s sweet grasses, with no sounds except the wind. Mary Ann Anderson/TNS

Tanzania

For a front-row seat to the Great Wildebeest Migration, Extraordinary Journeys is an aficionado of Serian’s Serengeti Mobile Camp: North and South. These camps move with the wildlife to ensure you have unparalleled access to game viewing. To make your unplugged safari even more peaceful, try the unique experience of a bush bath at sunset for spectacular views while getting sudsy.

Serian Kusini Camp is situated toward the southern Serengeti. The camp offers easy access to the Ngorongoro Conservation and Ndutu areas, meaning that from Kusini you can combine multiple wildlife-dense areas where you’re apt to find cheetah, honey badger, golden-backed jackal and hyena, a parade of predators, and millions of wildebeest and zebra following the seasonal rains and growth of sweet savanna grasses.

Another wireless camp is Greystoke Mahale, in the jungle setting on the shore of Lake Tanganyika. Home to the largest remaining chimpanzee population in the world at Mahale Mountains National Park, Greystoke Mahale is a wonderful home base for chimp trekking, kayaking, swimming, snorkeling and fishing without all those blips and beeps of the internet.

Botswana

Extraordinary Journeys notes that African Bush Camp Co. does not have Wi-Fi in any of its camps. With six camps in Botswana, nine in Zimbabwe and two in Zambia, the focus is on the romance of Africa, the adventure of it and the authentic safari experience. There are no plans to offer Wi-Fi. Safaris are bespoke and are easily tailored to what you want to see and experience.

Shinde is one of Extraordinary Journeys’ all-time favorite down-to-earth camps in the Okavango Delta and is highly recommended. It’s a great option for those who want to see and do all that the verdant delta has to offer. Situated in a private concession, Shinde offers day and night game drives, boating, walking safaris and mokoro rides. A mokoro can be compared to a dugout canoe and is called the quintessential Okavango Delta experience. While there is Wi-Fi, it is limited, so while you’re there, just think of it as nonexistent.

The Makgadikgadi Desert is in stark contrast to the lush, riverside camps in the Okavango and Linyanti regions. Extraordinary Journeys says that Natural Selection has three camps here that you will love. Jack’s Camp provides the ultimate experience of all the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans have to offer, as it’s the original camp in the area and the most spectacular of the three. San Camp is similar to Jack’s Camp, but some couples prefer the lighter color palette and more open feel of this camp. And then Camp Kalahari is the less expensive option for a stay in the Salt Pans, coming in at nearly half-price of other properties in the area.

Zimbabwe

If you love elephants, look no further than African Bush Camps’ Somalisa Camp, home to resident herds of these gentle giants. Extraordinary Journeys enjoys the understated elegance of this classic bush camp at Hwange National Park. Somalisa Camp also has after-hours access to Hwange National Park for night drives and bush walks in solitude. Expect plenty of wildlife, elephants and zebra included. Zambezi Expeditions is the original of the African Bush Camps portfolio in Mana Pools National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and has just six tents set along the riverside on the open flood plains, while Nyamatusi Camp is the newest property of African Bush Camps. Nyamatusi is set along the banks of the Zambezi River and bespeaks of the old-world, pristine Africa with a few fancy touches like air conditioning and private plunge pools. Only open in the dry and shoulder seasons from April through November, Kanga Camp, also in the African Bush Camps portfolio, is set apart from the Zambezi and the usual riverside camps in Mana Pools National Park. Its hyperactive watering pool is an oasis for a thrilling array of wildlife, including crocodiles, hippos and elephants.

Zambia

The Bush Camp Co. offers a rustic, charming escape from the grind of 21st century life. Five Wi-Fi-free camps dot the Luangwa and Kapamba Rivers in South Luangwa National Park, offering ample opportunities for walking safaris or less-physical game drives, water safaris and birdwatching. The atmosphere is peaceful, especially the walks with the best of guides, where you’re likely to come face to face with spectacular wildlife in the remote setting of the South Luangwa.

For a simple-yet-stylish safari, Extraordinary Journeys suggests Robin Pope Safaris and their camps throughout Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe. Generally there is no internet at the camps though one or two properties may offer limited access. Robin Pope Safaris, renowned for their walking safaris, takes you into the remote wilderness of Africa, to the rawness of the earth, complete with golden sunsets and a dazzling array of birdlife and the creatures you envisage, among them elephant and lion.

North Luangwa is probably the most remote and untouched area of Africa. With essentially no cars, this is an area that is pretty much unexplored. Only a few camps are in the entire area, two of which are owned by Remote Africa Safaris: Mwaleshi Camp with its four thatched chalets and on the scenic bend of the Mwaleshi River, and then Takwela Camp with its two chalets perched at the confluence of the Mwaleshi and Luangwa rivers. Expect hippos at Takwela, lots of them, but no Wi-Fi.

Now put down the phone, step back away from Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and enjoy the quiet adventure of Africa as it is supposed to be.

If You Go

Extraordinary Journeys, founded by mother-daughter team of Marcia Gordon and Elizabeth Gordon, creates one-of-a-kind safari experiences throughout Africa and at all of the camps and lodges mentioned here. Visit www.extraordinaryjourneys.com or call 212-226-7331.

For more information, contact Serian Camps at www.serian.com, Greystoke Mahale at www.nomad-tanzania.com, African Bush Camps at www.africanbushcamps.com, Shinde at www.kerdowneybotswana.com, Natural Selection at www.naturalselection.com, Bush Camp Co. at www.bushcampcompany.com and Remote Africa Safaris at www.remoteafrica.com.

(Travel for Two gives you inspiration for selecting the perfect destination for your romantic journey. )

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