| Hello fellow traveller, It’s Abi from Bradt and let's get started! It's back to school week here in the UK and that always brings with it a sense of fresh starts and a focus on study. Well, that and quieter, cheaper travel abroad for those without school age children. Here in the Bradt offices, colleagues are off to a great academic start, with an impressive number of people shortlisted for this year's Travel Media Awards. 🥳 🥳 Take a look at the talented bunch: National Consumer Feature of the Year: Adrian Phillips - Bradt MD Guide of the Year: Heritage Weekends by Neil and Helen Matthews - Bradt authors Sustainability Travel Writer of the Year: Holly Tuppen - Co-author of Bradt's Slow Travel Family Breaks Sustainability Travel Writer of the Year, Sustainability Travel Feature of the Year and Photography Award: Phoebe Smith - Author of Bradt's Wilderness Weekends, Britain's Best Small Hills and The Wilderness Cookbook National Consumer Feature of the Year and Sustainability Travel Feature of the Year: Emma Gibbs - Bradt editor and author of upcoming title 'North West Scotland (Slow Travel)' Young Writer of the Year: Anna Richards - Author of upcoming Bradt title 'Paddling France' Breaking Travel News and Consumer Writer of the Year: Greg Dickinson - Ex-Bradt editor Well done to all! See the full list of nominations here. Catch you next week, Cheers, Abi The Best Safaris in Africa Have you seen our guide to the best safaris in Africa yet? Ad 3) The Big Five in Sabi Sands, South Africa Leave the crowds behind and search for the Big Five in this less well known slice of South Africa. Sharing an unfenced border with Kruger National Park to the east, Sabi Sands is a private reserve in South Africa. Leopards thrive here. In fact, it’s rare not to see one during your stay. This is also one of the best locations in Africa for spotting the rest of the Big Five: lion, elephant, rhino and buffalo. Because Sabi Sands is private, you’ll see far fewer vehicles than in the main Kruger National Park, making the whole experience feel wilder and more exclusive. You can also extend your wildlife drives after dark to search for nocturnal creatures like genets, porcupines and African hares. You can include a safari in Sabi Sands Game Reserve on a trip crafted by Audley’s team of safari specialists. Their 13-day Cape Town, Kruger & Victoria Falls itinerary, including a three-night safari with expert guides, meals and activities, starts from £7,050 per person. Find the full details here. 4) Hiking the Bale Mountains in Ethiopia 400 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa is one of the most remarkable national parks on the continent and a tentative UNESCO World Heritage Site. Within the 2,150 square kilometres of Bale Mountains National Park, you will find five distinct habitats with some of the highest rates of animal endemism in the world. Although a dirt road traverses the park, the best way to experience the Bale Mountains, one of the world’s best African safaris, is on foot or on horseback. As you enter the Gaysay Grasslands, prepare to see some of the 300 species of birds that make the park one of the most important birding destinations on the continent. The safari combines well with a visit to the indigenous tribes of the Omo Valley or a flight to the north to see the famous rock-hewn churches of Lalibela. Awaze Tours organises trekking safaris throughout the year. Safaris range in duration from a few days to ten and prices for a seven-day/six-night trekking safari start at approximately £670 per person, with horses carrying all supplies. Find more by following this link. New & Upcoming Titles Call of the Kingfisher Walking the Wharfe 52 Wildlife Weekends Gascony & The Pyrenees The Bradt Guide to Armenia The Slow Travel Bradt Guide to Cornwall & The Isles of Scilly The Slow Travel Guide to Suffolk Useful Tools & Talks Author and southern Africa wildlife expert Mike Unwin will soon be running a talk on how to put together a DIY safari. Submit your questions in advance by hitting reply to this email. Authors and historians Neil and Helen Matthews will be taking questions for an upcoming talk on their Heritage Weekends title. Hit reply with any questions you have. It's always a good time to join our Travel Club for exclusive material from authors, behind the scenes access and big discounts on our books. | 