If you’re currently sitting at home craving for adventure, wishing you’d travelled more, maybe to Victoria Falls, or trekking for gorillas in the Congo, then wish no more! You can now virtually visit some of Africa’s most-loved destinations from the comfort of your home.
Make yourself a Rooibos tea, you can leave your binos where they are, your khaki clothing can stay in the wardrobe too (unless you want to get in the true safari spirit) and get scrolling! Let’s tick off some of those bucket list items – virtually!
Have you ever wanted to embark on a game drive in the wilds of Africa, to traverse the savanna plains in the hope of spotting big game? Well, today you can thanks to SafariLIVE by WildEarth. Monday to Sunday, twice a day at sunrise & sunset safari they broadcast live safaris from two South African private game reserves.
Not only can you watch the safari experience in real-time but you can learn from and interact with expert game rangers in real-time as they embark on the safari with you.
The SafariLIVE experience is so much fun and is thrilling to watch. The team at WildEarth have safari vehicles, guides on foot, drones, balloons and remote cams all searching for the stars of the show; Africa’s wildlife.
Make sure to tune in, here and tell us what you spot!
Cape Town, the city that has it all; pristine white beaches, a gorgeous mountain range not to mention world-rated restaurants and chic bars. While you can’t currently enjoy the fine restaurants and bars you can explore the city!
Using Google Street View by Google Maps you can virtually walk the streets of Bo-Kaap and see the colourful houses, stride the Sea Point Promenade or stroll along Camps Bay.
Robben Island is one of Cape Town’s top attractions – home to the infamous prison where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison, along with over 3,000 political prisoners during their fight to end Apartheid. Today, thousands of people visit the island each year.
Now you can partake in a tour of the island and museum from the comfort of your living room. The virtual tour, while it does not replicate the true experience of seeing Robben Island in reality, it is still very thought-provoking and educational. Explore the island here.
Table mountain is Cape Town’s most well-known attraction. Every visitor to Cape Town wants to get to the top of the mountain either via cableway or hike to enjoy the awe-inspiring views over Cape Town and beyond. What if I told you, you don’t have to hike or take the cableway to reach the top! That’s right you can experience Table Mountain from your computer.
First off, you take the virtual cableway and get 360 views of the entire journey from start to finish. Once at the top you can enjoy this 360 view or use Google Street View to navigate your way around and witness the incredible panoramic views.
Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and one of Africa’s most famous landmarks can be experienced virtually.
Known today as the greatest curtain of falling water in the world, Victoria Falls forms the border between Zambia & Zimbabwe. Aside from being the most majestic site, Victoria Falls offers visitors the opportunity to partake in several activities including bungee jump and paragliding. These activities are sure to get your pulse racing!
Although you can’t do the real thing right now you can get an idea of how exhilarating the falls are and what epic adventures await thanks to these two interactive videos.
There are two types of gorilla found in Central Africa; mountain gorillas which can be seen in the Virunga mountains, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Uganda; Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. The population of mountain gorillas in the wild is approximately 1,004 individuals. Second, Eastern lowland gorillas found in tropical rainforest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The population is under 4,000. Both of these gorilla types have endangered status but populations are slowly increasing thanks to conservation efforts.
Gorilla trekking is one of the most privileged Africa wildlife experiences. A very small number of people trek for gorillas each year in Africa. So, while you wait for that honor you can trek gorillas in the Congo with the BBC. The footage takes you deep into the forest and face to face with gorillas. Check it out below.
If you’re itching for adventure, delve into virtual reality and discover the wonders of Africa. Please leave a comment and tell us which virtual experience you enjoyed most.