They say March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. This year, March has come in like a lion and gone out like some kind of lion-velociraptor hybrid. With a bunch of late-season storms walloping parts of the U.S. and others shivering through an extended cold spell, it’s easy to forget that spring has officially arrived. While you’re waiting for the weather to catch up with the season, close out March in Africa, where more manageable climates, majestic beasts, arid deserts, and stunning architecture await those with an adventurous spirit.
It may be spring in the U.S., but it’s fall in southern Africa, making it the ideal time to sneak off on a safari. March brings mild weather and features fewer crowds, so low hotel rates and vacation packages are abundant in popular spots such as Kenya and South Africa.
If you would like to take the March adage literally, book an African safari to get unreal views of the continent’s indigenous wildlife. Lion World Tours offers a nine-day package that includes stays in luxury hotels in Cape Town and Johannesburg (where temperatures will pleasantly remain in the 70s), airfare, and an open-game drive to get up close with lions, rhinos, and buffaloes (oh my!) (starting at $2,499). Adventure packages to Kenya are also worth the cost if you’re hoping to snap shots of Africa’s “Big Five” animals (lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and buffaloes). A 15-night package to track apes, gorillas, and other primates is selling for a bananas $1,395.
Of course, a continent as massive as Africa is blossoming with diverse offerings, which is good news for those who don’t want to be around any animals larger than a house cat. Those with an expert palate can partake in tours of South Africa’s wine region – fall is when the region’s wine harvest takes place.
The continent is split by the equator, so though it is fall in southern spots, it’s spring in North African cultural destinations Morocco. If the only exploration you want to do is through the Marrakech marketplace, take a 14-night trip to Morocco. Highlights include a desert tour, cooking class, and a camel ride (starting at $1,332, but does not include international airfare).
When you’re laboring through a frigid commute and seemingly unending winter, it may be worth your while to answer the call of Africa’s wild.
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