Guests travel between game lodges in a private nine-person plane, saving hours that can be spent on ... [+]
If you’re tight on vacation time but not vacation budget, consider booking a safari by sky for your next getaway. Offered by luxury safari lodge operator Elewana, sky safaris are designed to maximize wildlife viewing while minimizing time spent in transport between safari lodges and reserves.
“The benefits of flying on a SkySafari is that you’re on a private plane. You save time by not having to wait to check-in, wait to get on the plane, wait to get off the plane, or wait for your luggage,” says Mia Lawson, general manager for SkySafaris in eastern Africa.
Elewana Sand River - Picnic Luncheon (c) SilverlessBy flying instead of driving or taking commercial ... [+]
Flights between lodges take anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes, unlike drives, which can take up entire afternoons. By minimizing travel time, guests can fit in more wildlife viewing at each park. The eight-day Kenya Classic itinerary includes more than ten safaris in addition to bush breakfasts and evening "sundowner" happy hours in the field. According to Lawson, it would take more than 30 hours to drive the same route. By using SkySafari for the same route, guests spend just over four hours in transit, freeing up additional time for activities like nature walks and birdwatching tours. Lawson has calculated that flying privately saves about 14 hours over taking scheduled flights, which often require guests to make connections or repeatedly drop off and pick up their luggage, adding hours to each airport visit.
Guests stay in tented safari camps and lodges throughout the trips, like this one, the Elewana ... [+]
SkySafaris are luxury experiences, hosting guests at five-star safari camps and boutique hotels. The focus on luxury extends to the planes, which are executive-class Cessna caravans specially designed for the experience. Oversized leather seats ensure guests are comfortable during their quick journeys, and a seat next to the pilot is available for guests who want a front-row view of the terrain. Each plan holds no more than nine people, and it’s often possible to spot animals during the flights. “When you fly over the parks, you can see wildlife from the plane. And if you fly over Lake Natron [in Tanzania], you’ll see Lengai, an active volcano,” adds Lawson. Guests can upgrade their experiences with more luxurious sleeping arrangements, visits to private beaches or “starbed” evenings, which allow guests to sleep outdoors under the night sky (mosquito nets provided, of course.)
At Elewana's Loisaba Tented Camp, guests can choose to sleep under the stars on a specialty starbed
Though flying across the countries raises concerns about the guests' carbon footprints and co2 emissions, Lawson says that SkySafari takes environmental responsibility seriously. "Our camps are all on solar power. We use no plastic bottles and we don't have plastic straws. We also give back to the community through the Land and Life Foundation," Lawson says. Elewana is a major contributor to the Kenya-based non-profit, which works to protect wildlife habitats and species, educate locals and visitors about conservation, and create economic benefits tied to tourism for Kenyans and others living near safari destinations. On the ground, Elewana uses local guides for all walking tours on the itinerary and guests are invited to visit local schools and organizations supported by the Land and Life Foundation.
For a more adventurous experience, guests can opt to do horseback safaris
SkySafari trips are low impact as most wildlife viewing is from a safari vehicle. Guests that want to break a sweat can choose to take on more adventurous activities in their free time, like mountain biking or river rafting through Loisaba Conservancy in Kenya or hiking or horseback riding along the edge of Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. Lawson says that SkySafari guests are usually couples, but that they also see multi-generational family groups who often book the entire nine-person plane for private trips.
Alkaline Ngorongoro Crater lake populated by lesser flamingos, Phoenicopterus minor, Ngorongoro ... [+]
The Kenya Classic tour starts at just under $6,000 per person with pricing for children starting around $1,500. Trips have fixed departures throughout the year, running during both rainy and dry seasons. SkySafari operates in both Kenya and Tanzania and does not include park fees ($424 to $638 per person, per tour) in the tour cost. Travelers with deeper pockets can add additional days on to their safaris, though vacationers seeking the ultimate in private jet exploration may want to instead consider the “Around the World” wildlife safari from luxury travel planners Abercrombie & Kent. Their 25-day tour takes guests on safari in multiple countries including Japan, China, India, Madagascar and several more. That tour, however, will set each guest back more than $139,000 a person – by that metric, SkySafari seems like a steal.
