If you are considering going on an African safari, you'll have questions. Everything from where and when to go, what you'll see, and what you should pack. No worries. These posts can help.
I love safaris. They are one of the reasons I’m an Africa specialist here at Adventure Life. My love for African safaris goes back before I ever had the chance to visit the continent, when I knew little and had zero experience. Marlin Perkins was my guide as reruns of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom played on the family TV.
Back then, I couldn’t tell you the difference between East African and Southern African safaris. Why are leopards so shy in the Serengeti but easy to spot in Sabi Sand? And if I was going to see baboons and vervet monkeys, why can’t I see chimpanzees and gorillas, too?
Well, the continent of Africa is huge, the second largest on the planet with an amazing array of wildlife living in many diverse habitats. You have the rainforests of Uganda, the Okavango Delta in Botswana, and the Namib Desert in Namibia. And yes, there are even quite a lot of differences between the savannah grasslands of the Serengeti and the savannah woodlands of the Greater Kruger area. So before you pack your gear and head for that flight, we’ve got some questions.
What do you hope to see on your safari?
Yes, you’ll see some amazing landscapes and wonderful wildlife. But let’s be specific. Are you a big cat person? Do lions and cheetahs mesmerize you with their feline hunting skills? Or are you a fan of elephants? Would you prefer to see herds of pachyderms marching across the plains while you are huddling in a blind next to a borehole? And don’t neglect the antelopes. Personally, a Sable is one of the most beautiful creatures I’ve ever seen. Elephant (photo from a partially submerged photographic hide) (Jason Maynard)Sable Antelope (male) standing proud (Jason Maynard)
And while you are out and about, do you want to experience some of the local cultures, more than just the folks working at the lodge? If so, don’t miss a chance to visit a village near where you are on safari. Or go to a local school and engage with the children. If you have any inkling of interest in the wonderful people (over 3,000 tribes!) living across the magnificent continent of Africa, I strongly encourage you to make at least one cultural visit.
But beware! Some wishes can get complicated. Are your top two animals you wish to see gorillas and cheetahs? Well, you will need to do a multi-country safari, as cheetahs don’t live in the areas where gorillas are found. Does the thought of crossing the border of some foreign country sound difficult? Fret not, dear traveler. Many safari goers cross borders on a single trip to Africa. There are 48 countries on the continent and another six island nations surrounding it. So we can get you from gorillas to cheetahs. All it takes is proper planning.
When to Go on Safari?
This is another question where it can get a bit tricky. Different parts of the continent are better for safari at different times of the year. If fact, some safari camps close during the off-season, packing up and leaving the area until the next season begins. While other parts of the safari circuit are open for “green season” visits.
Let me explain. For most, the best time to visit a safari location is during the dry season, which can vary due to the different climates and topography. With limited water, animals will congregate near available watering holes. This concentrates the game, making it easier to spot wildlife (both herbivores and carnivores). However, during the green season (when the grasses are growing and making the animals more spread out and harder to spot), you can experience a different sort of safari, one where you see far fewer (if any) other safari-goers while you are out in the bush. As an added bonus, the green season usually contains the calving season. Yes, baby animals are very cute, but please know that baby prey animals also attract predators. You’ve been warned. Rain, elephants, and a strange sky in Zimbabwe (Jason Maynard)
Your best bet is a conversation with a specialist to talk about what you want from a safari, when you have free time available to travel, and what countries/parks meet those requirements.
And Finally, traveling Companions
Who are you traveling with? A couple on a honeymoon? A group of friends? A multi-generational family safari? Or a solo traveler? A safari—done the right way—can work for all these people.
The right group tour (at the right time in the right country) can give a solo traveler (or a couple on a budget) a wonderful experience. You need to be flexible with your dates to fit in with the group schedule, but you can see some incredible animals and meet some new friends.
Kids on safari? Yes! With the right preparations, you can have a super fun safari experience with kids. Load up the entire clan and head to the Serengeti and the cousins can head out one morning looking for painted dogs while the grandparents go looking for lions. The parents might want to stay by the lodge pool that morning, saving themselves for the afternoon safari game drive.
And for everyone—couples, kids, solo travelers—consider the classic “Bush & Beach” experience. After the safari is done, head to the water for some relaxation on the shores. You have a wide range of options for a beach destination: Zanzibar, Mozambique, Lake Malawi, one of the many beaches in South Africa, or even something further afield like the Seychelles, Maldives, or Madagascar.
Our agent Jessica was very helpful with the whole process and always responded in a timely way to all of our questions.
K Van
1 day ago
Chern was very patient snd helpful.
CaBaba
2 days ago
Cruse ship was great. Fantastic food and service. Cruise itinary got changed so not what we expected, but not an major issue. Japan portion was great. Drivers/guides arranged by 80 Days were great. Hotels were mostly ok. Did not know that most hotels outside of major cities do not allow shoes to be worn in the hotel. again a minor inconvenience. Overall a great trip. Adventure Life communications were timely and much appreciated as far as changes/requests.
Peter Goff
3 days ago
We were a group of three that initiated our research by independently searching for the best agency to help us in the somewhat complex experience of traveling to the Galapagos. We chose adventure life because they were the most responsive in the website provided the most comprehensive overview of the trip. Their reviews were also very good.
Adventure, life splits up its booking process in two parts. First Jeff, the booking agent helped us decide which experience best suited are interests. We chose a small 14 to 16 group sized yacht. Once the booking was made with Jeff, we were handed off to Coleene, who oversaw the complex process of assembling all of the necessary documents and making sure we had everything we needed to make the trip go smoothly. The adventure, life website, then becomes your personal place of reference for all things related to your trip from door to door. It’s a lot of information to assemble, especially for three travelers, but the website makes it easy and Colleen‘s gentle reminders kept us on track. In all, from the beginning, we had four months from the time we started our research till the time we departed. We felt that was, a good amount of preparation time and don’t think it would be wise to do it in less than four months. Mostly because I think you have more options with that amount of time. There were others on our trip that took six months and more from the time they started planning.
The trip itself was outstanding. We ended up on an excellent yacht (Galapagos Angel II) with a great group of guests that we were able to connect with and put together a really nice google photos album to share.
Jed
1 week ago
Mary was very helpful. Quick to reply with helpful information and closure on arrangements.