Picture this: You and five friends sipping a gin and tonic while chatting with a South African safari guide. Or, your five-year-old wakes up on Saturday morning and instead of rushing to turn on cartoons, interacts with new friends from around the world about lion tracks. It’s all possible with andBeyond Connect, a new interactive way for would-be safari-goers to get a taste of travel from home. Experiences include a bookable virtual safari with a ranger, which can include group children’s activities; a new podcast channel, a digital magazine and, of course, the live game drives on Instagram, which have been streamed twice daily for the past month two months.
After booking a private chat with a ranger (for up to six people with most of the $200 price tag going to conservation efforts), guests will be able to mix up a G&T and have a digital sundowner with friends. A knowledgeable ranger will be on-hand to answer questions about animals, the bush, conservation and life as a safari guide.
Kids can sign up for the complimentary Saturday morning group activities where they’ll be able to ask questions and learn about local culture and the wildlife. This digital offering mirrors the WILDchild program andBeyond has at all of its lodges aimed to teach children about conservation in a fun and entertaining way. It also fosters global connections, as children introduce themselves from their homes around the world. The inaugural session had children ranging from ages four to 14 from Johannesburg, Durban, Brooklyn, Indonesia and London.
Podcasts are with andBeyond’s most interesting characters including Les Carlisle, the director of conservation who has been with andBeyond since its inception. He has spearheaded animal translocations around the globe. Also participating is Dr. Tessa Hempson, a young and passionate marine biologist based on Vamizi island off the coast of Mozambique who heads up the Oceans Without Borders initiative.