by Lauren Kroger, Luxury Travel Advisor

Imagine a throng of wildebeest, zebra, and Thomson’s gazelle catapulting themselves down the steep banks of the Mara River. They’re exhausted from their journey, kicking up the dust as they run, but you can still see crocodiles snapping their jaws at the many hooves through the haze. Beneath you, the ground vibrates. Your excitement is visceral, born from a natural phenomenon as old as life itself.  

Eighteen months and what feels like a lifetime ago, I suggested a client avoid this very scene. A Great Migration river crossing is a coveted experience for safari-goers and conservationists alike, but it has one crucial drawback: In every daydream, we omit the reality of a long line of safari vehicles interrupting the view. Crowding in Kenya’s Masai Mara and Tanzania’s Northern Serengeti during the Great Migration means that it is sometimes worth considering a more exclusive safari experience. Until now, that is.  

We like to say that safari is rarely the “once in a lifetime” experience our friends and clients imagine. This is because, as every safari-goer knows, Africa seeps into travelers’ bones in the most unique and unequivocal way. It’s a wildly diverse continent of 54 countries, and there’s always a reason to return. This year, however, we’ve found the perfect application for the phrase “once in a lifetime:” The Great Migration, minus the crowds.  

As of this month, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Zambia have reopened their borders to tourists. Americans are welcome. With many of this year’s bookings rescheduled for 2021, intrepid travelers will now have the wide-open plains of the world’s most prolific wildlife destinations largely to themselves. This week, we’ve been connecting with many of our closest industry partners as they prepare for guests and make their own journeys back into the wild. Through them, we were among the first to celebrate the birth of a critically endangered black rhino calf in Tanzania and we watched in awe as safari vehicles searched – once more – for the road amid overgrown grass. For a destination whose communities and conservation efforts depend so wholly on tourism, these first-hand accounts of relative normalcy fill us with hope and joy. They also arm us with the knowledge and confidence to guide you back into responsible travel, whenever you’re ready. After all, safari was designed for social distancing in wide-open spaces.  

This year reminded us of the importance of real, raw, and remote travel experiences. In Africa, the pursuit of the Three R’s will far outlive this global crisis. Whether a long-haul flight is in your near or distant future, you can be sure there’s a gin and tonic waiting for you somewhere beneath an acacia tree and an endlessly star-studded sky.