My top safari tip in two words? Easy. Take binoculars. I’ve been using my extra eyes for so long that I consider them a part of my anatomy (and, frankly, more valuable than many other parts), so I’m amazed when they don’t make someone’s packing list, despite the fortune spent on cameras. Do they realise what they’re missing?
First up, ‘bins’ are not only for bird nerds. They will improve – nay, transform – your view of anything they alight on, from elephant to elephant shrew. Sightings on safari are often more distant than TV might suggest. Binoculars will turn a distant rustle in the long grass into a large spotted cat with a tattered left ear, or a lump in a tree into an indignant owl with surprisingly pink eyelids.