What is a Safari?
What is a Safari?
A safari is an exciting and adventurous way of experiencing the ‘real Africa’ by viewing wildlife in their natural habitat. It offers an authentic African experience through various modes of travel, including walking through the wilderness, driving in 4×4 vehicles, or flying in light aircraft. The primary goal of a safari tour is to allow you to get intimate with the landscape and scenery.
Overland tours are often challenging and require a youthful spirit and open mind to fully appreciate the adventure. Safari vehicles are custom-built to traverse remote parts of Africa, often on long, bumpy roads, while allowing you to view wildlife safely and comfortably. For travelers unable to journey by road, scheduled flights offer an alternative means to enjoy the safari experience.
Why Go on Safari?
A safari allows you to slow down and reconnect with nature, experience wildlife in their natural environment, engage with local cultures, and partake in adventurous outdoor activities. Safari accommodations vary widely, from basic two-man tents to tented camps and luxury lodges with en suite bathrooms, ensuring options for every preference and budget.
Types of Safaris
A safari offers the opportunity to observe and photograph wildlife, with various specialized forms catering to different interests and budgets. These include migration safaris, birding safaris, medical safaris, hiking safaris, culinary safaris, family safaris, horseback safaris, and photographic safaris. Safari tours can range in length from a couple of days to longer overland trips lasting one to two months and spanning multiple countries.
What is a Camping Safari?
A camping safari is ideal for travelers seeking a hands-on experience with nature. You’ll set up your campsite or help build a campfire amidst breathtaking landscapes. During an African camping safari, you will stay in large dome canvas tents, spacious enough for two adults and your luggage. Most camping safaris include a sleeping mat, and you can hire a sleeping bag, pillow, and towel at an extra cost to avoid packing bulky luggage. African campsites are basic yet comfortable, with warm showers and flushing toilets, though some may have natural ablutions.
What is a Lodge Safari?
Lodge safaris offer greater comfort and shorter travel times to wildlife areas. Lodges are typically located inside or near national parks and wildlife reserves, allowing easy access to game viewing. They vary in quality to accommodate different budgets and levels of comfort. Lodges can be reached by air or land transfers, maximizing your time and experience.
What is a Mobile Tented Safari?
Mobile tented safaris are designed to minimize environmental impact. Tents are set up and dismantled as you move, ensuring only footprints are left behind. Guides drive support vehicles ahead of travelers to set up the camp, so everything is ready upon your arrival. You will sleep on stretcher beds with a sleeping bag and pillow provided, and bucket showers with heated water are available for freshening up.
What is a Luxury Tented Camp?
Luxury tented camps offer spacious tents with beds and high-quality linens. Resident chefs prepare meals, and a designated guide organizes and maintains the campsite. Some camps are permanent but seasonally erected in wildlife-dense areas for optimal game viewing. These tents are dismantled and moved to new locations once the season ends.
What is a Typical Day on Safari?
A typical safari day starts early with a hot beverage and light breakfast before heading out on a morning game drive. These drives can last two to three hours, allowing ample time to explore before returning to camp for lunch or enjoying a picnic in the bush. Afternoon activities may include another game drive or activities such as canoeing, visiting a Maasai village, birdwatching, or white water rafting. Dinner is a time to relax, chat with fellow travelers over drinks, and enjoy a crackling fire. Early nights are encouraged to ensure you’re refreshed for another day of adventure.
What is the Best Time to Go on Safari?
The best time for a safari varies by season and destination:
- June to October: This period offers the best game viewing across East Africa, with herds grazing on the dry savannah during the day and gathering at watering holes and riverbeds at sunset. This is also the best time to witness the wildebeest migration in the Masai Mara Game Reserve, a spectacular phenomenon worth the trip.
- November to March: During these summer months, the bush transforms with lush green vegetation, and the African sky provides a dramatic backdrop of thunderstorm clouds. This season is ideal for observing young grazers and intensified predator action. It’s also the most popular time for birding enthusiasts as large flocks of migratory birds return south.
Each season offers unique experiences, ensuring that a safari can be an unforgettable adventure year-round.