CHOOSING A SAFARI COMPANY: QUESTIONS TO ASK

Karibu

It is always fun talking to you, our readers, but it has been especially so over the last couple of years. I love hearing what Africa means to you and how much you are looking forward to getting back.

SHADOW BOXING

Whether or not you are a photographer, there is much to be gained from spending time watching and studying animal behaviour

TIME WITH ELEPHANTS

I often say that elephants are just like humans, but even more so.

MOMENTS IN TIME

Over the years that I have worked as a wildlife photographer, nature has taught me that being prepared and willing to photograph the unexpected can be very rewarding.

WHY DO WE LOVE WILDLIFE?

What keeps us returning, time and again, to Africa in search of animals? What drives our desire to see all the more elusive species?

PLANNING

Laying foundations: A southern masked weaver making final preparations before the kids arrive.

THE STARTING POINT

What sort of safari is for you? We look at the questions you should think about before you book

WHAT ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT?

There’s more to be gained than lost, but you should make sensible choices, says Emma Gregg

COUNTING CARBON

Suggestions for ways that can reduce your overall carbon footprint include:

HOW BEST TO BOOK?

As a prospective safari-goer, how do you decide whether to organise it on your own or book through an operator?

Why use a specialist operator?

The most important reason to use a specialist operator is the expert advice that is freely available from them. This takes two parts.

TIME FOR STABILITY

Building confidence will help travel, says Kate Kenward

GOING SOLO

Some people opt to organise a safari themselves. How might this work for you and what are the challenges? Travel Africa reader Anne Wilkinson shares her experience

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME FOR GAME VIEWING?

Does it really matter which season you travel in? How do the seasons influence your wildlife watching experience?

AMBOSELI THROUGH THE SEASONS

Amboseli National Park in Kenya experiences the striking seasonal variations you’ll encounter in many of Africa’s parks and reserves. How does it influence your wildlife watching?

SAFARIS FOR ALL

There’s no reason why you shouldn’t feel you can’t enjoy a wildlife-watching holiday in Africa – no matter your circumstance. Companies are increasingly geared up to cater for all niche requirements

MIX IT UP!

Most safaris are vehicle-based, traditionally with two game drives per day. But there are a host of other ways to experience wildlife, and combining several of these activities will give you a broader perspective and appreciation for the wilderness

I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW…

Don’t get caught out peering quizzically into the trees when others are admiring a lounging leopard

CHOOSING A FIELD GUIDE

Looking for reference material to help you identify and learn more about the animals you spot? We sought the advice of Martin Mbewe Sekelani, senior guide and safari manager at Kafunta Safaris in Zambia

PACK LIKE A PRO

THE EXPERT’S GUIDE TO WHAT TO TAKE ON SAFARI

WHERE?

On the way: Meerkat adult babysitting two one-month old pups in the Kalahari, Botswana

THE B!G PICTURE: UNDERSTANDING A DESTINATION

East and southern Africa’s main safari destinations all offer an enticing range of parks and reserves, together with nonwildlife activities such as beaches and cultural sites.

LAND OF PLENTY

SOUTH AFRICA

A WILD KINGDOM

Eswatini is a small and compact kingdom

DESERT- ADAPTED DIVERSITY

NAMIBIA

BOUNDLESS CONTRASTS

BOTSWANA

DIVERSE HABITATS

Zimbabwe ranks among the most alluring of safari destinations.

A COMPACT LITTLE GEM

Malawi is an emergent safari destination

RUGGED BUSH AND MARINE MEGAFAUNA

Mozambique is renowned for its gorgeous beaches and diverse marine fauna, but it also offers some intriguing off-the-beaten-track safari opportunities

BIG PARKS, BIG GAME

ZAMBIA

AN ABUNDANCE OF RICHES

Serengeti, Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar, Ngorongoro Crater, Gombe, Selous, Lake Victoria… no other country hosts quite so many African travel icons as Tanzania

A PLACE LIKE NOWHERE ELSE

Vastly different to any destination on mainland Africa, Madagascar is an immense Indian Ocean island renowned for its endemic flora and flora, which includes more than 100 types of loveable lemur, and even more unique bird species

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

KENYA, the original home of safari

GORILLAS… AND THEN SOME!

Rwanda is often sold as a one-trick gorilla-tracking destination and tagged onto to a longer safari elsewhere in Africa, but its trio of complementary national parks more than justify extended exploration

NOT A WILDLIFE DESTINATION? THINK AGAIN

WEST AFRICA

UNIQUE WILDLIFE, HITTING THE HEIGHTS

Best known for the ancient architecture along its northern historic circuit, Ethiopia is an underrated and unique wildlife destination whose long list of endemics includes Ethiopian wolf, Walia ibex, gelada monkey and a couple of dozen bird species

SMALL, BUT PACKS A BIG PUNCH

Uganda is Africa’s most experientially diverse safari destination.

THE NEXT FRONTIER

Seldom do we look too far north for our safari kick, but there’s some intriguing work going on to protect the Sahel’s wildlife that’s worth checking out

IDEAS BANK: GREAT WILDLIFE PARKS

LISTINGS

GETTING INTO THE HABITAT

Wildlife favours particular ecosystems, be it because they provide more suitable food or make it easier for the animals to protect themselves from predation. This influences what we can see and how easy the viewing can be.

DEEP IMPACT

Some parks resonate because of something deeper than the safari experience itself. Often these are smaller parks that are being revived or are particularly important to local communities, and where visitors know their stay has far-reaching benefits

A SERIES OF FORTUNATE EVENTS

So, you’ve ticked off your species top ten, but what about being at a wildlife ‘happening’? This is real bucket list territory – aspirational, dramatic, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, impressive because of their sheer scale or, just as legitimately, an incredible intimacy. Here’s our pick of the animal equivalents of Woodstock…

ASPIRATIONAL BIRD SIGHTINGS

Africa’s bird diversity is immense, with the continent home to about 2,445 species (depending on taxonomy) and a high rate of endemism. Wonderful birding experiences await wherever you go, but here are a few that are particularly worth seeking out

SAFARI MISSION IMPOSSIBLE?

Whether it’s a Pel’s fishing-owl or a pangolin, you’re not alone. It seems everyone has a bucket-list species that escapes them, even after years of determined searching

YOUR ELUSIVE ELEVEN

A wildlife sighting holy grail. We’ve all got one. We asked which animals have eluded you. Here are a few suggestions to aid your search. Good luck!

THE SAFARI EXPERIENCE

Golden moments

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

As much as we might like it to be, watching wildlife is not always plain sailing. As guests in their domain, we need to fit in with the animals. To stand a chance of finding them, we need to know where and when to look.

GETTING BUSH-READY

The quicker you understand and familiarise yourself with your new environment, the more you will absorb and appreciate throughout your time on safari

WHY LISTENING IS IMPORTANT

Humans are very visual creatures and, generally, we let our eyes be the guide

WHERE TO LOOK?

You’re heading out on your game drive, camera and binoculars at the ready. But how do you find the wildlife? Here are a few tips to boost your chances

BEST BEHAVIOUR

Whether you choose to go on a self-drive safari or with a qualified guide, having even a basic knowledge of animal behaviour can open up a world of exciting encounters

Watch wildlife like an artist

When you have a pencil or brush in your hand, you tend to look at a subject in much more detail, paying greater attention to shape, colour and movement

LESSONS FROM BEHIND THE LENS

We’re all indebted to the filmmakers that spend considerable time and effort creating the spectacular documentaries that bring the majesty of the natural world into our living rooms. But what can we learn from them that might enrich our own wildlife-watching experience on safari?

PRETEND YOU’RE ON A GAME COUNT

Each October, every waterhole in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park is monitored for 24 hours and every animal spotted is recorded.

DOWNTIME? WHAT DOWNTIME?

Your wildlife experience needn’t be confined to your game drives. In fact, there’s abundant opportunities right on your doorstep. Literally

ATTENTION TO DETAIL

Wildlife comes in all sizes and forms, and some memorable sightings can be had right in camp – sometimes without you even leaving your room!

ANGLE FINDER

Take a hike, launch a canoe, stand silently in a waterlevel hide, take to the skies, or lie on your stomach...

HiDE OR SEEK?

Why race around looking for animals, when you can stay put and let them come to you?

HiDES TO SEEK

Hides come in all shapes and sizes. They might be submerged or in trees, rustic or high-tech, sparsely equipped or full of creature comforts.

STICKY SUBJECT

Once you have found something interesting, it’s worth staying with it. Reader John Lehr describes his full day following a leopard

PICTURE THE MOMENTS

Professional wildlife photographers spend more time in the bush than most. So what advice would they give us safarigoers looking to enjoy great wildlife sightings

BECOMING A GUIDE

What makes a guide qualified to lead tourists on safari? And how can you be sure your guides really know their stuff and will keep you safe?

THE POWER OF THE STORY

Pyramids of Life is the annual three-week refresher

HOW GUIDES HELP

Some guides operate in areas of particular specialty which require additional expertise and experience.

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR GUIDE

Relationships are two-way affairs and your guide will feed off you too. There are things you can do to help him or her to make your safari experience as successful as possible

GUIDING ST★RS

We asked you to give a shout-out to the guides who have enriched your safaris

CONFESSIONS OF A SAFARI GUIDE

Most of us will probably admit that, at some point, we’ve wondered what it must be like to have that ‘dream job’ of a safari guide, living out in the wilderness among all that wildlife. But what is it really like?

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SAFARI GUIDE

Guides will tell you that no two days are the same on safari. But to get a feel for their daily routine, we asked Miraji Gwau of Lemala Safaris in Tanzania to describe a typical day at work

YOUR WILDLIFE-WATCHING HIGHLIGHTS

We asked for your most memorable sightings. And now we are even more desperate to get back on safari!

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LOOK FOR DETAILS

We often shoot images that are the same as many others out there

CONSERVATION

TRAVEL MATTERS • ETHICAL INTERACTIONS • GREAT PROTECTORS

WHY TOURISM IS VITAL FOR CONSERVATION

You travel a long way to watch wildlife in the wild. It’s good to know the impact of your trip runs deep

ETHICAL ENGAGEMENT

Enthusiastic wildlife-loving tourists are often keen to get as close to animals as possible, whether for the thrill of the intimate experience or to learn more about conservation. But it’s important to understand the impact of your participation before you get involved, says Ian Michler

THE GREAT PROTECTORS

How do those working to conserve wildlife feel about their work and the animals they spend so much time with?