The Well Rounded Woman … Goes on Safari

As a long-time Discovery Channel devotee, the Well Rounded Woman has often dreamt about going into the wild and seeing exotic creatures in their native habitats—ideally without sacrificing any of her own creature comforts. It’s difficult to say where this desire sprang from. I’d like to think she was moved by the heroic endeavors of women like Dian Fossey and Jane Goodall; though it was, more likely, the animal attraction she felt for Tarzan in her pre-pubescent years. In any event, she is finally ready to channel her inner adventurer, don a pith helmet, and hit the trail …

Into Africa
Isolated camps are now commonplace on Africa’s southern safari circuit. Yet few are as stylish as Nxabega, a private 17,300-acre wildlife concession that borders Botswana’s fabled Okavango Delta. The area is rife with zebras, lions, cheetahs, and hippos. And Nxabega’s unique location lets the Well Rounded Woman see them from many different vantage points. She can, for instance, indulge her fauna fantasies by poling through papyrus-edged channels in a traditional mokoro canoe, taking a naturalist-led bush walk, or hopping into a Land Rover for an adrenaline-fueled game drive.

Of course, simply sleeping here seems like an adventure thanks to nine classic tents classy enough to make Out of Africa author Karen Blixen blush. All boast en-suite bathrooms and elevated porches, so the comfort quotient is high. Better yet, the decor (think kudu-covered headboards, white linens, ostrich egg chandeliers, and hide rugs) strikes just the right balance between taste and testosterone. The thatched main lodge, housing a restful bar, a library, and a dining room that specializes in Pan-African cuisine, is equally enticing. All-inclusive rates start at $770 per night for two guests sharing.

A Passage to India
When she has a burning desire to see Bengal tigers (or leopards or gazelles or hyenas or crocs …) our intrepid animal lover prefers to visit Aman-i-Khás: an ultra-lux wilderness resort in southeast Rajasthan on the edge of Ranthambhore National Park. Once a Maharajah’s private hunting ground, the park still reports India’s most frequent tiger sightings and open four-wheel drive expeditions into it run twice daily. The camel safaris organized around the park sound tempting, too. But truth be told the Well Rounded Woman can see where some wild things are without ever leaving camp.