Fancy a walk on the wild side?

 

All the older generation became intrigued by the movie Born Free featuring the tame lioness Elsa and more recently various documentaries featuring African game parks and the exotic animal and bird migrations have captured the imagination of young and old alike.

Since 2005 a Mangawhai couple have been conducting safaris to a number of African areas and game parks giving unique opportunities for the ‘man in the street’ to see wildlife at its natural best.

Mangawhai born and bred, Tasha Wintle was on her big OE and keen for adventure when she applied and was accepted as a tour guide in Africa. It was here she met and later married Kenyan-born Karoma Kimani. Now with their home base in Mangawhai the couple run ‘The African Touch’ safari tours.

“We started in 2005 taking mainly all Mangawhai locals and have taken quite a few more from Mangawhai since then,” says Tasha. “We have also had a number return to do a different tour.”

There are five different tour options covering several African countries, from climbing Mt Kilimanjaro to trekking to the home of the mountain gorillas and game parks where visitors can get up close and personal with some amazing animals, birds and wildlife and even the Masai Mara migrations. Some of the animals are cute and cuddly while others can be big and scary but “health and safety are paramount” the couple agree. There is also the opportunity to mix with the local people in their natural habitat and see, first hand, how others live in different cultures. 

Tour group sizes vary as does accommodation from basic camping to glamping in luxury lodges, but all needs are catered for. Overland tours in purpose-built safe, reliable vehicles and with tour leader Karoma in charge, visitors are getting a tour from a man on his home turf and a personal touch from the people who own the company – the real thing with all local knowledge. 

 While Karoma is away for several months at a time on tour, with three sons at school in Mangawhai Tasha attends to matters on the home front but has been an integral part of the business from the outset and can answer any and all questions potential travellers might have. 

“The average age of our tourists is 60,” says Tasha “and many are motorhome people looking for a new adventure where someone else takes the wheel and they can see the sights. The camaraderie among the travellers makes for a lot of fun also.”

On the local scene, this year ‘The African Touch’ are among the sponsors of Mangawhai Beach School Ag & Gala Day on Labour Weekend Saturday and will have an information booth set up for those who may be interested in stepping outside their comfort zone and trying an excursion with a difference. 

 For more info see advertisement this page or africantouch.nz