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From exploring untamed wilderness to engaging local communities and cultures, the rewards of urban and safari travel in Africa are as broad as the continent itself.  But there are other ways to experience them.Timeless Africa Safaris, a Cape Town, South Africa-based boutique travel operator specializing in tailor-made luxury adventures across Africa, has made a specialty of designing travel sabbaticals for travelers who have time, curiosity, and passion to spare.

Drawing upon 20-plus years of on-the-ground expertise in sabbatical planning, Timeless Africa Safaris brings a focused-yet-creative approach to understanding the individual needs, interests, and desires of its guests. Some travelers just want to kick back and relax on sabbatical; others to “give back” by supporting preservation of wildlife and local communities; and still others to revel in wonder and discovery, gain new skills, or throw themselves into adventures from tracking gorillas, to sleeping in the Kalahari’s salt pan with the San Bushmen, to training for a Marathon with a Kenyan runner.

“A travel sabbatical should be as unique as the individual,” notes Marco van Embden, Founder of Timeless Africa Safaris and lifelong traveler who has combed Africa for memorable experiences from Cape Town to the Congo. “It can be intimating for many to sift through options and match them to their calendar and budget. But, well thought out and planned, a sabbatical will be the trip of a lifetime.”

Take the Sabbatical Questionnaire here.

Travel sabbaticals coordinated by the Sabbatical Specialists of Timeless Africa Safaris may last for a month – a mini sabbatical – to two years, a whopping super sabbatical. Either way, plenty of time off from a regular routine to learn, contemplate, gain perspective, gather strength, do some good, and recharge before returning rejuvenated.

If you think you’ll never have time for a sabbatical, think again. According to Project: Time Off of the U.S. Travel Association, 52% of U.S. workers finished 2018 with unused time off. Considering most people spend decades learning, and decades more working toward ever-elusive retirement, setting aside a few weeks or even years for a travel sabbatical along the way is well deserved and much needed.

So – what type of travel sabbatical is right for you? Here is some inspiration and questions to ask to find out:

  • What Should One Consider for a Travel Sabbatical? Go broad, with a list of the amazing places you’ve always wanted to visit but have never had the time. Jot down hopes, goals, and what you’d like to achieve over weeks or months of travel. Consider your time frame, and family and work commitments that may limit it. Set a budget and figure what, if any, ways you’ll have to trim your lifestyle to meet it. All set? Good! Now reach out to a Sabbatical Specialist at Timeless Africa Safaris to match your wish list to your time and budget.
  • Should One Volunteer? It’s important to remember that sabbatical-goers don’t necessarily have to “rough it” to “give back,” as there are many high-end travel options that support wildlife and local communities. Timeless Africa Safaris works exclusively with eco-minded lodges whose cost of accommodation and park fees create employment and fund conservation. Travelers desiring hands-on experiences that do good have many options: From tagging rhinos and tracking cheetah, to planting organic gardens in townships and helping build a local school, library, or community center.
  • How Long Should One Travel on Sabbatical? Short answer: As long as possible. Long answer: Get out there and seize the opportunity to see and experience as much as you can, cause who knows what the future holds. In general, mini-sabbaticals arranged through Timeless Africa Safaris average one month, while a super-sabbatical can last up to two years.
  • Will it Cost More to Plan a Sabbatical with a Tour Operator? Nope. Timeless Africa Safaris specializes in seeking out the best rates and deals, leveraging its wide network of travel providers to secure offers that are unavailable to the public. The ideal sabbatical mixes budget-stretching accommodations and activities with touches of luxury and opportunities to give back. There is no additional charge for the planning, as the company makes its income through commissions as per industry standards.
  • How Best to Get Started and Stay Focused? With Timeless Africa Safaris’ thoughtful Sabbatical Questionnaire. Compiled by the same professionals that plan and book guest travel, the Questionnaire is a great starting point to gain perspective on the type of traveler you are, what you hope to get out of an extended travel sabbatical, what you really want to do over your time away, and how capable you’ll be at doing it.