Orcas have always been seen as fascinating creatures and following the release of the films, Free Willy, more and more people have taken an interest in them. If you fancy a trip that is certainly going to be like nothing you have experienced before then why not swim with the world’s most intelligent predator in the Arctic Circle. The trips are arranged to allow both boat based viewing and a strictly supervised swimming encounters for the braver, meaning there is something to suit everyone.

With very little light pollution, Norway is the perfect viewing platform for the Northern lights making your Orca experience even more special. The swimming trips are done with snorkels so you do not need any scuba diving experience. As long as you are a confident swimming, medically have no major issues and happy to get in the chilly waters then there is nothing stopping you from taking the plunge.

Usually the boat trips are arranged for a maximum of eight people making your experience very personal and meaning you get the time to ask the questions you want and the one on one time with instructors.

If you are planning a safari trip and have one or two animals in mind that you are desperate to see, then make sure you do your research before booking. Certain wildlife is native to particular areas and often you will find a higher population in one area than another. Also, the time of year you go affects the amount and types of wildlife around as some animals prefer to be out in the hot wet climate whilst others are more active in the cooler, drier months.

Once you have booked your safari, have a chat with your tour guide before going out and explain what you would hope to see. They may know certain places that are popular with your chosen animal.

During the dry season, many animals gather around the watering holes and so you can often see several different types all in one area. This may also allow you to see how they interact with each other.

Every day on a safari is different, so if you do not see what you hoped for the first time, don’t get disheartened and the next trip out may be a totally different experience.

So you’re planning your honeymoon but are torn between going on a hot beach holiday where you can spend your days drinking cocktails and basking in the sun to a safari trip that will be filled with nonstop adventure and over the opportunity to see sights like you have never experienced before.

Well the good news is, you no longer have to choose. Safari beach holidays are becoming increasingly more popular and more and more travel agents are offering them as a package.

A Safari-Beach Honeymoon combines excitement, adventure and relaxation in some of the world’s most stunning bush and beach settings. A few minutes on a safari holiday will stay with you for a lifetime. You may not want to totally give up your time in the sun for a safari holiday so being able to spend time on the beach is a perfect combination of the two.

The dry months (May to October) are a great time for a safari honeymoon in South Africa. The animals are easier to spot as they congregate around the waterholes so this will give you the best opportunity to view them.

Knowing what to pack for a safari holiday can be confusing, especially if this is your first time. There are often strict luggage restrictions on flights in South Africa, so you will need to think carefully about what you do and do not take. With clothing, you need to take light clothes that can be layered and that are all neutral in colour as to blend in with the bush.

Other accessories that you should take are:

Sun cream – the sun can be very fierce in the middle of the day and you need a high factor sun cream and ideally one that will last all day.

Hat and sun glasses – again these will protect you from the sun in terms of the rays. Without sun glasses you may struggle to see the animals properly as the sun may be far too bright and you will end up squinting.

Lip Balm with SPF – This is an absolute must have to avoid chapped lips!

After sun – although you should be very carefully and try and not get burned, it is often inevitable and you will find that you need a good after sun lotion (one that contains Aloe Vera is great) to cool and relieve any pain.

African safari trips can be extortionate and many people simply cannot afford to pay the prices. A safari trip in African including park fees, transport and accommodation, can quickly add up to over £250 per day per person. For couple, you would be expecting to be paying a few thousand pounds for a four day trip!

Many of the safari holiday budget options are very rough and ready, but you can find some safaris that sacrifice some comforts but make them more affordable. Often travel time is longer, for example you can expect to have five hours on the road from Nairobi in a safari-style van as opposed to a 40-minute flight that usually comes with the more luxury safari trips. Although you will spend more time travelling to the location, you can still get nearly two full days in the reserve and the chance to observe wildlife including lions, elephants, cheetah, wildebeest, antelope and many other species.

December and January are the high seasons for a safari in Africa, and therefore this is usually the time of year when prices are the highest. Going slightly later in the season will still give you a fantastic experience but will allow you to save a few pounds.

If you watch people on a safari trip you will often see that they wear light colours and usually the items of clothing are layered, such as tshirts with shirts over the top. The climate can vary in Africa drastically and although during their winter months the weather is usually wet it can also be extremely warm. It is best to avoid bright colours as this can scare some wildlife off. The idea is to blend in to the back ground so you can really see how they behave away from humans in their own environment.

Always be sure to take plenty of sun cream no matter what time or year you go and a decent hat or two to cover your head during the hottest times. Taking a thin water proof jacket is a good idea as when they do have rain fall, it can often be quite torrential.

Many tour operators will be able to give you advice on what clothing to take with you, but if not there are hundreds of websites online that have ideas of what to pack for the time of year you are going.

South Africa is renowned for its safari’s and game reserves, but in order to ensure the safety of the animals and the safety of the people that visit them, there needs to be game rangers. The job of a game ranger is to ensure that the animals are protected from poachers. They do not usually interfere with nature, meaning if an animal attacks another one, they will not step in.

The game ranger is usually given an area of land that he or she is responsible for protecting. They may also have other rangers working with them. They have many responsibilities including ensuring the day to day health and well-being of the game, research and monitoring, game capture and introductions, population management, burning programs, infrastructure and equipment maintenance, public relations, environmental education, and crucially, local community relations, liaison and involvement. They also have a certain amount of administration work to do.

The job is not for the faint hearted but can be extremely rewarding and will open up your eyes to a whole new world.

The salary is not usually particularly high but with the experience you get and the benefits, it is well worth doing if only for a short time.

A safari holiday is a great experience for people of all ages. You can really get a true feel for how these magnificent animals live and interact when in their natural habitat. When you are getting ready for your safari holiday, you may need to spend a little bit of time planning what you will need to take as the list can offer differ quite a bit from your usual holiday abroad.

When going on a safari holiday there are some items that you may want to take with you that will make your safari more enjoyable or more memorable.

Clothing is one of the first things to consider when packing for your safari trip. Depending on where in South Africa you are going and what time of year will help you decide what clothing you will need to take with you. If you are planning on going on safari between April and October then the weather is usually very hot, but also often quite wet. During the evenings and in to the night you can expect the temperature to drop, so pack plenty of layers. The winter months are May thorough to September and during this time you can expect cooler, drier weather. Always try and take clothes to wear on the actual safari that are not too bright, khaki, browns, creams and greens are all good colours to wear.

Why not take a diary with you to keep a little journal of your experiences. At the end of every day, jot down a few notes about what you have done that day and why not take your camera so you can add a few snaps too.

Walking safaris were first done during the 1950’s in Zambia, Africa. They were pioneered by famous environmentalist, Norman Carr and since then have grown in popularity. Many people may not even know that you can do a walking safari and often people think that it would be too dangerous, but many safari tour operators are able to offer this experience in a safe and exciting way.

Walking safaris and driving safaris are worlds apart and although you will not cover as much distance, the experience you will get from a walking safari can be far greater. Walking safari holidays are not about how much you see but rather what you see. Although many animals that are on the safari routes are used to hearing the vehicles coming, they still may act a little different that they do when people arrive by foot. They are less likely to be spooked and feel vulnerable and therefore will usually act more naturally.

Many safari lodges and camps across Africa have seen the interest in walking safaris and have started to add this to their list of experiences. You could even try a bit of both to allow you to cover a greater distance and still get the truly personal experience of doing it on foot.

African is an amazing place to do a spot of bird watching. This can be done as a stand alone safari or as part of another safari trip. Due to the range in the climate across Africa with marsh lands, deserts, forests and wet lands you can see a diverse amount of bird species.

Some tour operators will not always advertise bird watching holidays to Africa but many of them do offer a tailor made service which would allow you to pick this.

If you’re not sure if you would find bird watching interesting then why not combine it will a safari of the big 5 too, allowing you to see a huge range of animals.

Kenya has the second largest amount of bird species so is a good place to go for those wanting to see lots of different birds in one area.

Safari trips in general are not cheap but are worlds apart from your usual beach holiday. Many of the resorts are 4 or 5 star giving you luxury when you are back. Often you will go out on an early morning safari and then have the rest of the day to relax and enjoy your time away.