Tips for an African Safari

Finding the right time and place

Africa’s incredible wildlife is present throughout the year, so you can go on safari in any month, which I have done. What you see and how much you see does however change with the seasons, specifically with the onset of the rains. Broadly speaking the dry months of July to October are the best for big game viewing across eastern and southern Africa. If you’re a birder however the opposite is true, as the rains are when migratory birds are present, so November through to March are excellent months.

Safari experiences

Most big game viewing occurs on game drives in 4x4 vehicles. But did you know there are many more ways to experience African wildlife? For instance, a night drive to see nocturnal species can be very exciting; walking safaris are wonderful to learn about the smaller aspects of the bush – plants, tracks, dung etc; water-based safaris in boats or canoes tend to be more laid back and are fabulous to spot hippos, waterbirds and also elephant; riding safaris offer unique opportunities to get close to plains game like giraffe, zebra and antelope; some countries also offer fantastic snorkelling safaris and scenic hot air balloon safaris. Not all these activities are available in all safari destinations and some may be offered seasonally. So if you’re interested in a specific experience make sure to mention it in your holiday enquiry.

GUIDING

Besides your travelling companions, you will spend most of your holiday with your safari guide, so it’s essential that they have the right skills and personality to deliver an amazing wildlife experience, keep you safe and have fun! Each African country has their own system of guide grading and awarding qualifications; in some there are no formal qualification requirements and the guide training falls to individual companies. I gained my safari guiding qualifications in South Africa and have experienced guide training in other countries too. If you want the best from your safari holiday, ask about the quality of the guides.

CROWD CONTROL

The main decision you need to make to avoid the crowds is whether to go public or private, in a not dissimilar way to choosing a beach for a summer break in the Med. Safari areas fall into public National Parks and Private Concessions, both of which can be great but there are important differences. If you want to beat the lion and leopard jams, then where you stay on safari can be very important. It can also determine what kind of safari activities you can and cannot do.

SOLO SAFARI

Going on safari is a pretty big financial decision, and can be especially steep for solo travellers when many camps charge almost double. But, solo safari travellers don’t have to pay more! I frequently travel solo, so have a ‘heightened’ awareness of which lodges (and there are an increasing number of them) don’t charge single supplements, some all year round and others in the mid or low seasons. Do be mindful that safari camps that waive single supplement charges will often only do so for a limited number of rooms and/or single people, so plan well ahead to secure the best price.

PACKING

As a general rule think less is more! Luggage limits for fly-in safaris are restricted to 15-20kg. You only really need a couple of pairs of cotton shorts and t-shirts and a longer-sleeved shirt and trousers. Most camps have good laundry facilities so there are plenty of opportunities to wash clothes.

Also think layers… If you’re going on safari from June to September these are the winter months and can be a lot colder in the early mornings and at night than you might think. Thin layers that you can dress up or down are ideal.

Safari activities are governed by when the animals are most active, which tends to be early morning and late afternoon. Pack a book/ kindle/ cards or other games for the free time in the middle of the day, as well as your swimming wear for the pool which many lodges have.

Many safaris are in remote locations where power is limited. A few camps have mains electricity (not always reliable) but most are off grid and operate off a generator and or solar power. The charging facilities will vary from camp to camp, so bringing your own power pack is a good idea (as well as one or two spare camera batteries).

If you wear contact lenses, bring a spare pair of glasses in case you get irritation from the dust. You don’t want to be seeing blurry lions!