While the classic safari experience involves some kind of open-top all-terrain vehicle, swapping it for another mode of transport creates a totally new experience.

For example, at Mara Serena Safari Lodge in Kenya, an early-morning hot-air balloon safari over the plains of the Mara could be a contender for any bucket list. “Just speaking about it gives me goosebumps,” said Karin Sieberhagen, Sales and Marketing Manager of Serena Hotels.

The balloon offers guests a rarely seen view of the landscape, with the potential for abundant wildlife sightings, particularly during the migration season. Should that not be enough to entice your clients, the package includes a champagne breakfast – traditionally cooked on the burners of the balloon itself.

Slowly gliding through the air is not the only alternative to a traditional safari. Gemma Campodonico described a South African motorbike safari offered by Famba Famba. The tour, along the Panorama Route in Mpumalanga, includes four- to five-star accommodation and is “far from the rough and tough image of bikers,” she said.