Читать книгу Africa's Top Wildlife Countries - Mark W. Nolting - Страница 8
ОглавлениеThere are few experiences that conjure up images of romance, unparalleled beauty and a vast sense of thrilling adventure as a safari to Africa. And for those travelers who have journeyed to the continent and have savored her sweeping landscapes, wild places, exhilarating wildlife, sheer tranquility and jaw-dropping sense of adventure, Africa beguilingly beckons one to return again and again. Like a passionate love affair, a safari enthralls, excites, bewilders and enchants. The urge to experience the same, and more, is nestled increasingly firmer into the traveler’s conscience.
At our deepest roots, the African continent communicates with our souls. Travelers return home, not only with exciting stories and adventures to share with friends and family, but with a better understanding of our inherent connection with nature; a feeling of having belonged, a sense of awe and a broader world view from having experienced nature in the raw.
It is a life changing experience to feel part of an environment where wild animals roam free as they have done from the dawn of time—before our modern human culture emerged to populate the planet and lost the integral connection to the natural world. Elephants, lions, hyenas, leopards, cheetahs, a massive variety of antelope and gazelles, giraffes, rhinos, hippos and buffalos, sometimes encountered in massive groups—once these fascinating animals are encountered in the wild, they are never forgotten.
Along with classic sightings of spectacular wildlife on open savannah plains and in deep green forests, the continent also boasts tropical islands, genuine traditional cultures and no less than 129 World Heritage Sites, each and every one representing Africa’s unique natural and cultural heritage. Some of the planet’s most iconic and inspiring sites are found in Africa, from snowcapped Mt. Kilimanjaro and Cape Town’s Robben Island, to the cascade of thunderous water surging over the Victoria Falls. Many of these break records; the Okavango is the world’s largest inland delta, the Namib is the world’s oldest desert and the Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera. Africa also hosts one of the Earth’s last and largest, massive animal migrations.
African elephants are the largest land mammals
Leopard are considered one of the “Big Five”
And it’s huge. Covering more than 20% of the planet’s land surface, this is the second largest continent in the world; it is more than 3 times the size of the United States; larger, in fact, than Europe, the United States and China combined.
Amid all this, fabulous accommodations are found, ranging from pleasantly comfortable to magnificent opulence, ensuring that Africa is, and firmly remains, an extremely inviting destination to the most discerning traveler.
The time to visit Africa is now. Although there is a wide network of large wildlife reserves, Africa’s increasing human population does pose a threat to natural habitats, along with the splendid wildlife they contain. As cities grow, people expand into previously untamed areas. More and more water from the Mara River, Ruaha and Rufiji Rivers in East Africa is being used for cultivation—water and land that wild animals depend on to survive.
Only viable ecotourism initiatives, those where local communities reap benefits from foreign income generated by lodges and entry fees to parks, can provide an alternative to sensitive issues such as poaching, the growing of subsistence crops on marginal land, or selling out to multinational companies that transform entire landscapes into sterile mono-cultures. Most of Africa’s people cherish their rich cultural background, yet they also yearn for material development. The challenge is to make room for both. Many of the localities featured in this book will provide you with an opportunity to see wildlife in abundance and also to meet people whose ancestors have been coexisting with nature for thousands of years. But the pressure is on, and the time to go is now, while Africa can still deliver all that it promises!
Africa’s Top Wildlife Countries highlights and compares wildlife reserves and other major attractions in the best game viewing countries.
This book will enable you to easily plan your adventure of a lifetime. It is based on more than 30 years of my own, personal and first-hand travel experience in Africa, on trip reports from my staff and literally thousands of clients we have sent on safari. This guidebook is designed to help you decide the best place or places to go in Africa and to do what personally interests you most in a manner of travel that suits you.
There are literally thousands of safari camps and lodges listed on the Internet, so it’s understandable that one gets confused. Which to choose? Are they all just pretty pictures? Are they all as good as they say they are? This book has plowed through that expansive list and has dramatically cut it to include only those properties that genuinely offer the best safari experience. The accommodations in this book have all been personally visited, inspected and lauded as the top properties for the discerning traveler. Furthermore, this book offers ratings for each individual property according to the quality of the sum equal: accommodations, food and service.
Using the easy-to-read When’s The Best Time To Go For Game Viewing chart (see page 13), you can conveniently choose the specific reserves and country(ies) to visit that are most suited to your personal preferences and expectations. From the What Wildlife Is Best Seen Where chart (see page 19), you can easily locate the major reserves that have an abundance of the animals you wish to see most. From the Safari Activities chart (see page 17), you can choose the reserves that offer the safari options that interest you most. From the Temperature and Rainfall charts (see pages 20–21), you can decide how best to dress for safari and have an idea of what weather to expect.
In our Safari Resource Directory section—at the back of the book—you will find Safari Tips, Photography Tips, Packing Lists and What to Wear and Take, and a Visa/Vaccination chart to better prepare you and to enhance your enjoyment while on safari.
The Safari Glossary (see pages 491–493) contains words commonly used on safari and defines words used throughout the book. English is the major language in most of the countries covered in this guide, so language is, in fact, not a problem for English-speaking visitors.
The Suggested Reading List (see pages 471–473) includes publications on the wildlife, cultures, landscapes and history of sub-Saharan Africa.
The nine top safari countries are divided between Southern Africa and East Africa, and, in general, appear in their order of desirability as safari destinations. The most important safari countries are Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa in Southern Africa and Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda in East Africa. Following these are three separate chapters that include highlights of Madagascar, Mozambique and Ethiopia.
If you have any queries, or are looking for advice, please call us at the Africa Adventure Company (toll-free 1-800-882-9453 in the United States and Canada or 954-491-8877 from other countries) or email us (safari@AfricanAdventure.com) to chat to us, or visit us on our website www.AfricanAdventure.com and complete a safari questionnaire. We will be happy to match the experience you are looking for with fabulous safari program options—putting you on track to experience the safari of a lifetime!
Without doubt, the first question almost everyone always asks me is, when? When is the best time to go?
The When’s The Best Time To Go For Game Viewing chart (opposite) reveals, at a glance, the best time to travel to the country or reserve of your choice and to see the greatest numbers or concentrations of large mammals. Alternatively, the chart shows the best places to go in the month(s) in which you are planning to take your vacation. In other words, how to be in the right place at the right time!
For example, your vacation is in February and your primary interest is game viewing on a photographic safari. Find the countries on the chart in which game viewing is “excellent” or “good” in February. Turn to the respective country chapters for additional information and choose the ones that intrigue you the most. In this example, for instance, northern Tanzania would be an excellent choice. Use this chart as a general guideline because conditions vary from year to year. Timing can make a world of difference!
In most cases, the best game viewing, as exhibited on the chart, also corresponds to the dry season. Wildlife concentrates around waterholes and rivers, and the vegetation is less dense than in the wet season, making game easier to find. Generally speaking, wildlife is best seen (game is most concentrated) in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda mid-December to March and June to mid-November, while the best game viewing in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia and South Africa is June to October. Game viewing in Madagascar is best September to December. Good game viewing in Botswana, top private reserves in South Africa, northern Tanzania and parts of Kenya can be found year-round.
Zebra family, Mombo Camp, Botswana
There are, however, parks and reserves that are actually better outside of the dry season. In Botswana, the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Makgadikgadi Pans National Park and Nxai Pan National Park, as well as several concession areas in the Okavango Delta are better in the green season, November to April. In the Okavango Delta, water levels have most often receded by November, exposing large floodplains of fresh grass that attracts antelope from the surrounding woodlands that in turn attract lion, leopard and other carnivores out into the open. And as the camp rates in the Okavango Delta at this time are significantly lower than during high season, there is an additional attraction for visitors who cannot afford or prefer not to pay high season rates; or those who simply prefer being able to stay longer in the bush.
Many travelers are now, in fact, discovering that traveling during low season actually suits their interests much better than during the infinitely more crowded and more expensive high season. During the low season, the land is often luxuriously green and the air clear. The rainy season for the top wildlife countries usually involves occasional thundershowers followed by clear skies, rather than continuous downpours for days on end. People interested in scenery, or who have dust allergies may want to plan their visits shortly after the rains are predicted to have started or soon after the rains are predicted to have stopped. Game may be a bit more difficult to find, but there are usually fewer travelers in the parks and reserves, which adds to the overall quality of the safari.
Many camps and lodges offer low-season rates, making travel during those times economically attractive. For most camps and lodges in Kenya and Tanzania the low season falls in April and May (except for Easter), while in Botswana the “Green Season” (offering the lowest rates) is generally November to March (except for the Christmas/New Year’s period), while the low season is April through May or June. South Africa’s high season for hotels in Cape Town along with the Garden Route and certain safari camps and lodges generally fall between late October and April, most camps and lodges maintain the same year-round rates.
Reaching camps and lodges in the Okavango Delta entails exhilarating flights above this vast, watery wilderness, Botswana
Game viewing by horseback at ol Donyo Lodge, Kenya
Another advantage of traveling during the low season, especially if you visit the more popular parks and reserves in Kenya and Tanzania, is that there will be fewer tourists. In fact, one of my favorite times to visit this part of Africa is in November.
The best “Green Season” parks and reserves to visit in Southern Africa (December to March) are the Okavango Delta, Moremi, Savute, Central Kalahari, Makgadikgadi, Nxai Pans (Botswana), Hwange (Zimbabwe), all regions of Namibia (except Etosha), and the private reserves near the Kruger National Park and the Cape Provinces in South Africa, and for East Africa (April, May and November) the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater (Tanzania), and the Maasai Mara (Kenya).
In summary, the best time for you to go may be a combination of the best time to see the wildlife that interests you most (large mammals vs. birds), the relative costs involved (low or high season), and when you can get vacation time.
The Temperature and Rainfall Charts (see pages 20–21) indicate the average high and low temperatures, along with average rainfall for each month of the year for a number of locations. Keep in mind that these are average temperatures; you should expect variations of at least 7 to 10°F (5 to 7°C) from the averages listed on the chart. Also keep in mind that at higher altitudes you should expect cooler temperatures. This is why many parks and reserves in Africa can be warm during the day and cool to cold at night. The most common packing mistake safariers make is not bringing enough warm layers of clothing!
Even though midday temperatures may be high, humidity levels are usually low as most reserves are located in semi-arid regions and/or at altitudes over 3,300 feet (1,000 m) above sea level.
What is it like to be on Safari?
So what is it really like to be on safari? And what is a typical day on safari?
A typical safari itinerary offers visitors two or three activities per day. These usually consist of morning and afternoon game drives operated by your guide in four-wheel-drive (4wd) vehicles or minivans in order to explore the bush and search for interesting animals. Most drives last anywhere from 2 to 5 hours, during the early morning hours before breakfast and in the late afternoon and early evenings—when the wildlife is most active. Travelers who prefer to book a private vehicle and guide have the freedom to take a packed lunch and stay out all day on safari, exploring areas that are either too far for a shorter game drive or taking advantage of the quietude during times when other visitors are back at camp for breakfast, lunch and leisure time.
Midday activities might include spending time in a “hide” observing wildlife coming to a waterhole or river, or visiting a local village or school. Or, of course, if you prefer to relax, you can opt to laze around the swimming pool, take a siesta (nap) or take time to write about your experiences in your journal while watching the birds and game as they pass by your tent or lodge.
At the end of an exhilarating day, guests return to the lodge or camp where they can revel in the day’s adventures over a refreshing drink in time to sit down to a sumptuous European or Pan-African dinner meal before retiring at night. There is nothing like falling asleep to the sounds of the African night!
There are a huge number of safari lodges and camps that range from being comfortable to extremely luxurious with private swimming pools and butler service. The kind and quality of experience you may have on safari vary greatly from country to country, and even from park to park within the same country. For instance, going on safari in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda is generally quite different from going on safari in Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia and South Africa.
Observing wild animals from a vehicle anywhere in Africa is a spectacular experience. However, a growing number of travelers expect more from a safari than watching animals alone. This can be accomplished by choosing a safari itinerary that includes those parks and reserves that allow you to participate in activities in which you can engage more with the environment, such as walking, boating, canoeing and horseback riding. Opting for smaller unfenced camps and lodges where wildlife roams freely about the grounds also adds to your safari experience.
Special visitors at Somalisa Camp’s pool, Hwange, Zimbabwe
Depending on which park or reserve you choose, safari activities other than day and night game drives might include escorted walks, boating, canoeing, kayaking, white-water rafting, ballooning, hiking, mountain climbing, fishing or horseback riding—the options are virtually endless. See “Safari Activities” (pages 37–47) and the Safari Activities Chart (page 17).
In terms of the long-term future of Africa’s wildlife reserves, it is important to consider selecting a destination from which local people benefit in tangible ways. To be guided by or to meet people from various cultures and to learn about their customs will greatly enhance your trip to Africa.
Another excellent way to get more out of your adventure is to have a private safari arranged for you. A private safari is a highly personal affair that has one great advantage: not having to bow to the wishes of other guests or to adhere to a set daily itinerary. Instead, you are able to inform your guide what specific interests you have and explore them, spending as much time with any particular animal you come across and generally take things at a pace that suits you.
In most cases, at an extra charge, you can book a private vehicle for your party when on safari. I highly recommend this option as it allows you greater flexibility as to how you spend your time.
Witness the thrill of the Great Migration along the Mara River
Climate
The dry season is generally the best time to game view, and the rates in the safari camps and lodges are correspondingly higher during those periods.
The weather and seasonal rates in the chart below are representative of most of Southern Africa—Botswana, Mozambique, northeastern Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the eastern part of South Africa. Most of Namibia experiences much lower rainfall.
The weather and seasonal rates in the chart below are generally representative of most of East Africa except for Southern Tanzania (Ruaha and the Selous); Rwanda is cooler, and Uganda and Rwanda receive more rainfall.
Average monthy temperatures min/max in Fahrenheit (white) and Celcius (fawn) for some main cities and wildlife reserves. Actual temperatures may vary more than 10°F (7°F) from the averages below.
Rainfall is seasonal over most of Africa, even at the equator where there are two dry and two wet seasons each year. The East African highlands (including Nairobi and the Serengeti-Mara) receive the highest rainfall between March and May (6.2 inches/160 mm per month) with another peak in October to November (4.5 inches/115 mm per month). In much of Southern Africa, there is virtually no rain between May and September, with a monthly average of around 3.5 inches/90 mm in the wet summer (November to March); the southwestern Cape experiences a reverse pattern with an average of 3.3 inches/85 mm per month between May and August. Namibia’s desert coast receives so little rain in any month it is difficult to measure.
Many prospective travelers to Africa are slightly concerned about having to “rough it” on safari, but nothing could be further from the truth. All the top parks and reserves covered in this guide offer accommodations that range from opulent to very comfortable—classified as PREMIUM, CLASSIC or VINTAGE by our grading system. All camps and lodges in this book feature en suite bathrooms and every establishment serves excellent food and are sensitive to cater to the discerning traveler’s needs.
Other first-time, would-be safari travelers might be somewhat worried about mosquitoes and other insects, or indeed fear the idea of encountering snakes or other critters. Most of them return back home pleasantly surprised, having experienced first-hand that insects or snakes are generally less often seen than in their own neighborhoods.
The fact is that most safaris don’t take place in the jungle, but on open savannah during the dry season, when insect populations are at a minimum. In addition, the best time to go on safari, in most countries, is during their wintertime when insect levels are low and many snakes hibernate. Also, many parks are located more than 3,000 feet (915 m) in altitude, resulting in cool to cold nights, further reducing the presence of any pests. In any case, except for walking safaris, most all of your time in the bush will be spent in a vehicle or boat. Although some vaccinations are recommended, the only vaccination that is required for travel to some countries is yellow fever.
LANGUAGE
English is widely spoken in all the countries featured in this book. Words and phrases in Kiswahili (Kenya, Tanzania), Shona (Zimbabwe), Setswana (Botswana) and Zulu (Southern Africa) and French (Madagascar) can be found on pages 477–490. Your guide will love it if you start naming the animals you spot in his native language!
Every day on safari is an adventure
Multi-generation family safaris—a memorable way to experience Africa
GREEN TRAVEL
Travelers are becoming more and more interested in visiting properties that protect the environment as well as ensure that the local people benefit from their visits. Green travel has a very low impact on the environment; only photos are taken and only footprints are left behind. True ecotourism ensures that the local people, who live adjacent to parks and reserves, benefit directly from tourism in such a way that they have a positive incentive to preserve wildlife and the environment.
A safari that includes visits to the right camps and lodges is in itself a contribution toward the preservation of wildlife and wildlife areas. The economic benefits are an incentive for local people to help protect their environment. This in turn helps ensure these areas will remain intact for generations to come. Choosing the appropriate safari might well be one of the best donations to the “Green” movement you could possibly make.
SECURITY
For the first time in the more than 30 years that I have been in the safari business, I have seen a trend where many people choose to vacation in Africa as opposed to traveling to Europe or many other parts of the world, which are less safe nowadays than ever before. Since safaris take place in remote, virtually unpopulated areas, these locations simply do not feature on the world’s political map. In addition, you will be in the caring hands of professional lodge and camp staff and guides, all of whom are in frequent contact with each other and their offices by radio and/or cell phone for your entire stay. Please keep in mind that the people of the African countries covered in this guide welcome tourists with open arms. So relax, and go enjoy the adventure!
An African safari may include a variety of accommodations, including venues in major cities, which generally serve as gateways to national parks and reserves. When it comes to safari camps and lodges, there is a wide diversity of comfort and style, varying in range from simple, rustic bungalows to extravagantly indulgent suites with private swimming pools. Options include hotels, lodges, small camps with chalets or bungalows, houseboats, villas, permanent tented camps, seasonal mobile tented camps and private mobile tented camps.
An important factor to bear in mind when choosing accommodations or a tour is the size of the lodges or camps. In general, guests receive more personal attention at smaller camps and lodges than at larger ones. Large properties tend to stick to a set schedule, while smaller properties are often more willing to amend their schedules according to the preferences of their guests. However, larger accommodations tend to be less expensive.
Many larger lodges and permanent tented camps (especially in East Africa) are surrounded by electrical fences, allowing guests to move about as they please with little chance of bumping into potentially dangerous, free roaming wild animals such as elephant or buffalo during nighttime. Travelers (including myself) who enjoy having wildlife roaming about camp should rather choose properties that are unfenced; these lodges and camps are ideally suited to those who prefer to feel intimately part of the natural environment.
In my opinion the most important element in choosing your safari accommodation is location, location, location. Good game viewing can vary quite dramatically from one property to the next—even from properties literally just several miles (kilometers) apart.
Descriptions of most properties are easy to find on the Web. The discerning reader, however, should look for sites where independent experts have written up the hotels, safari camps and lodges—and not the properties themselves. I invite you to visit our website www.AfricanAdventure.com and simply type in the name of the properties in the “Search Key Words” field for more detailed descriptions, and check out our clients’ trip reports with their own unbiased descriptions of their safaris, the accommodations and game viewing experiences.
Little Tubu in Botswana’s Okavango Delta
Safari camps can range from basic to luxurious, such as Singita Mara River Tented Camp
Hotels and Hotel Classifications
Many African cities have 4- and 5-star (first class and deluxe) hotels that are comparable to lodging anywhere in the world, with air-conditioning, swimming pools, one or more excellent restaurants and bars, and superb service.
Hotels in this book have been categorized as Deluxe, First Class and Tourist Class. All properties have en suite bathrooms with hot and cold running water showers, flush toilets and air-conditioning unless otherwise stated in the respective descriptions.
DELUXE
An excellent hotel, rooms with air-conditioning, one or more restaurants that serve very good food, and that feature a swimming pool, bars, lounges, room service—all the amenities of a four- or five-star international hotel.
FIRST CLASS
A very comfortable hotel, with air-conditioning, at least one restaurant and bar, and most with a swimming pool.
TOURIST CLASS
A comfortable hotel with simple rooms, most with air-conditioning, a restaurant and bar, and most with a swimming pool.
Lodges and Camps
Properties that range from comfortable to deluxe (many have swimming pools) are located in or near most parks and reserves. Many lodges and camps are located in wildlife areas 3,000 feet (915 m) or more above sea level, so air-conditioning often is not necessary.
Lodges are simply “hotels in the bush.” Most lodges are constructed with concrete and mortar and are fenced, keeping wild animals from entering the premises and thus creating “a human island” within a wild area.
There tends to be some confusion over the term “camp.” A camp doesn’t necessarily mean it is comprised of actual tents; instead it refers to a variety of lodgings, including tents, chalets and bungalows that are located in a remote location. Camps range from very basic to extremely plush. Premium camps often have better service and food, and most offer a more genuine safari atmosphere than large lodges and hotels.
Permanent tented camps, sometimes called “fixed tented camps,” remain in one location without being taken down or that are moved to a different area. Tents are normally very spacious, with lovely en suite bathrooms and set on raised decks. More often than not these camps are unfenced, allowing for free movement of game and a genuine bush experience. To lie in bed at night and listen to elephants feeding off the trees on the other side of your tent’s canvas wall, or hear the footsteps of an animal moving through the darkness nearby is an experience you are not likely to forget.
Seasonal mobile tented camps move from one area to the next by following migratory wildlife patterns; they are generally dismantled after a short few months before moving on. Tents are normally pitched on the ground, instead of being on decks, and offer en suite flush toilets along with safari (bucket) showers where hot water is brought to your tent on request. Seasonal camps are not marked on the maps in this guide as their locations change all the time.
Mobile Tented Camps are set up in a campsite for a party of guests and then taken down after they leave. Deluxe and First Class Mobile Tented Camps have en suite safari showers and either flush or pit toilets, while lower categories have separate shower and toilet facilities.
Lodge and Camp Classifications
Lodges and tented camps are classified as PREMIUM, CLASSIC, VINTAGE and ADVENTURER, based on facilities, food and service, and management. Please keep in mind that a lower level camp may actually provide you the best safari experience to fit your personal interests. For instance, two of my favorite camps are Tafika Camp in South Luangwa National Park in Zambia and Vundu Camp in Mana Pools, Zimbabwe—both of which fall into the VINTAGE category.
Please note that, as with hotels, all accommodations have en suite flush toilets and hot and cold running water showers, unless stated otherwise.
PREMIUM
An extremely luxurious lodge or permanent tented camp (five-star) with superb cuisine and excellent service, swimming pool and, many of them, with a private “plunge” pool (small swimming pool) for each chalet or tent. Lodges and chalets are air-conditioned, while the tents may be air-conditioned or fan-cooled.
CLASSIC
A deluxe lodge or tented camp, almost all with swimming pool, excellent food and service, large nicely appointed rooms or tents with comfortable beds and tasteful decor; most of the lodges have air-conditioning and the tents are usually fan-cooled.
VINTAGE
A lodge or tented camp with very good food and service, many of which have a swimming pool. The rooms/tents are of good size but perhaps not as large as CLASSIC properties.
ADVENTURER
A basic lodge or camp with good food and service, most with fan-cooled rooms.
Tafika Camp’s vintage charm, South Luangwa, Zambia
The top hotels, lodges, camps and restaurants feature excellent cuisine, along with delightful and interesting local dishes. Many of the more expensive properties produce a combination of “Pan-African cuisine,” consisting of innovative recipes and ingredients from across the continent, along with international fare. Restaurants serving cuisine from all over the world may be found in the larger cities in Africa.
Most international travelers are impressed with the quality of the food and drink served on their safari. Meals are generally offered three times a day, along with afternoon tea and bar snacks before dinner.
Generally, guests are woken up by a friendly camp guide serving tea and coffee, along with rusks (hard-baked biscuit-type bread) or muffins and cereal first thing in the morning before a game drive. Some properties will serve a full breakfast, especially in the African winter, before the morning game drive. Guests return for either brunch or lunch. Afternoon tea, coffee, cake and biscuits (cookies) are served around 3:30 p.m. before another game activity, which often includes “sundowner” drinks and snacks before returning to the camp/lodge for a scrumptious dinner.
Bush bar, Vumbura Plains, Botswana
Open vehicle game drives bring you close to the excitement
Generally speaking, visitors to Africa arrive by international flight and are met by the tour guide or safari representative. From here, they are either transferred to their hotel (depending on time of arrival) or are driven or flown to their first safari lodge or camp.
With driving safaris, travelers are driven from reserve to reserve by their driver/guide, who also takes you on game drives within the reserves.
With flying safaris, your guides are normally based at the camp or lodge and will meet you upon arrival in the bush. The short drive from the airstrip or park gate is a game drive in itself and allows visitors an excellent impression of what is soon to follow. Upon arrival at your lodgings, you will be informed of the upcoming activities before being escorted to your room or tent and afforded some time to settle in. Depending on your time of arrival, you may then be invited to sit down to lunch prior to your first game activity.
Specialist Guided Safaris
A specialist guided safari entails being guided throughout your safari by a seasoned naturalist who has extensive knowledge, experience and excels at communication skills—one of the top guides in Africa.
The levels of guiding vary and the significance of a good guide cannot be underestimated. A maxim in the Safari Industry says that “an excellent guide will take your safari to the next level, and make it spectacular.” Using enthusiasm, insight, knowledge, and patience, an expert guide will transform your safari to the unparalleled trip of a lifetime.
Maasai Giraffe, Maasai Mara, Kenya
Your safari guide will spend anywhere from 8 to 15 hours with you every day. He or she will become your protector, teacher, fireside storyteller, companion, and most of all, trusted friend. It is very easy for any guide to point out the animals, however, an outstanding guide will reveal to you the extraordinary spirit of Africa, her amazing creatures and all it has to offer.
Some specialist guides are great overall naturalists, while others may be experts in their own particular field; they may excel at knowledge about elephants, predators, herbivores, birds, botany, nature photography, anthropology or archaeology.
If the budget permits, it is a great idea for travelers to be accompanied by a specialist guide, especially if you are flying from one camp to another as it adds continuity of a consistent high level of guiding throughout the safari. These specialized guides are generally much more experienced than guides based at the safari camps and lodges themselves, and are in most cases very entertaining as well.
Honeymoon Safaris
There is no more romantic setting for a honeymoon than an African safari. Most honeymooners begin with a few days to relax after the wedding in a five-star hotel or beach resort before jetting off on safari.
The types of accommodation on honeymoon safaris varies, like all safaris; whether plush or rustic, the choice is up to you. Most camps and small lodges offer a “honeymoon tent” or “honeymoon suite” to ensure that newlyweds enjoy a maximum level of privacy.
Booking a private vehicle and guide, and spending at least a few nights in a tented camp, is surely the dream of any couple going on a honeymoon safari. The romantic ambiance, paraffin lamps and charming camp settings in the middle of the unfenced bush is a breathtaking experience.
A romantic dinner for honeymooners
Family Safaris
For families, a safari can offer an incredible way to spend time together in a setting that differs completely from the home environment. For children, being in the middle of the bush where they may see wild animals and feeling part of nature, is an extraordinary experience that can lead to life-changing attitudes.
In most cases, the best option for families is to book a private safari, including your own vehicle(s) and guide(s). You may travel at your own pace and choose those camps and lodges that offer kids amenities like swimming pools, which ensure some playtime as well as help them burn off some of that endless energy they seem to possess. In addition, visits to local schools and villages can provide valuable insights into how children of their own age live in the countries you are visiting—and will hopefully make them more thankful for what they have!
Most guides, camp and lodge staff love having children visit, and they go out of their way to make kids and the parents feel welcome. Be sure to plan into your trips some activities that your children enjoy.
Many camps and lodges have special children’s programs where they are cared for and taken on their own adventures, allowing the parents to go on game drives by themselves or giving the children the opportunity to participate in other activities.
Many of the smaller camps and lodges in Africa have minimum age restrictions (usually ranging from 6 to 16 years of age), while most of the larger camps and lodges have no restrictions at all. Some camps and lodges have minimum age restrictions (12 or 16 years old) for activities offered, such as walks in the bush with professional guides and canoeing. Or there might be a minimum age restriction of 6 for game drives. However, if, for instance, your family or group takes over the entire lodge, camp or canoe safari departure, or if you do a private mobile safari, you can, in many instances, get around the minimum age requirements. As some safari camps and lodges cater to a maximum of 6 to 20 guests, taking over a camp may be easier than you think. Just try to book your safari well in advance to ensure availability.
The Maloon Family on safari
Should you be concerned about your children contracting malaria, and prefer to travel only to malaria-free areas, you may want to consider traveling to South Africa and visit reserves such as Madikwe, Tswalu, Kwandwe or Shamwari. However, please bear in mind that malarial prophylaxes are available for children and adults alike.
Why we love Africa
For nature lovers, there is no better family vacation destination than Africa. Our kids each took their first trip to Africa when they were around 5 years old. They are now 20, 18 and 17 and we still travel to Africa at least once every other year; every year if we are lucky.
We try to explore different areas, but sometimes cannot resist returning to the very lodges we have fallen in love with. As a result, we have come to know our specialist guide Nic Polenakis well, and have become firm friends. We’ve even visited him in his home town of Bulawayo, in Zimbabwe, and learned what it’s like to live there. He gets as excited as our kids when we come across a great sighting.
Our daughter Madeline, who is now 20, took her first trip to Africa when she was just 4 ½. She always says that although she first thought of Africa as an exciting new adventure, she now feels it’s like a second home. She started taking pictures as soon as we handed her a camera and is now an excellent photographer.
Sean our youngest son says he loves the serenity of Africa, including the fresh air, big sky and seeing nothing but wilderness. The African wilderness is usually serene but it can become explosive in a heartbeat. Action is always right around the corner. We have seen a lot of amazing hunts, chases, fights and other animal interactions. Our other son, Jack says he would much rather watch the ever-changing African scene than watch TV or play video games.
The staff at every lodge and tented camp we’ve ever stayed at has always been friendly and very helpful. They have also gone to great lengths to make sure the kids are entertained.
We are currently planning our 19th trip to Africa. The past 16 (since 1993) have been with the Africa Adventure Company. These trips give our family much needed bonding time in an environment we all love.
—Madeline, Jack, Sean, Wendy and Mike Maloon
Top safari guides know exactly what guests most want to photograph
Photographic (Photo) Safaris
The term “photo safari” generally means any kind of safari that does not involve hunting.
In its strictest sense, a photo safari is a safari during which you are escorted by a professional wildlife photographer. These safaris are mainly about learning wildlife photography and getting the best photos possible. These are recommended only for the serious shutterbug.
The best option by far for the serious photographer is to have a private vehicle and guide. A request can be made to be booked with the best photographer/guide at a camp as that will add greatly to the quality of your experience. Group safaris generally move too quickly from place to place, allowing insufficient time to get the best shots.
For anyone interested in learning more about wildlife photography, please turn to pages 453–455 and refer to the “Photographic Tips” section of the Resource Directory.
Cultural Safaris
As the world becomes more modernized, the opportunity to go “back in time” in order to visit remote tribes is becoming rarer by the day.
Some of the safaris I personally treasure the most are ones I have taken “off the map”; visiting remote, “primitive” tribes that have had little interaction with the western world.
You can either focus your entire trip on culture, or include cultural visits and interaction ranging from a few hours to several days to a wildlife safari.
Tall, slim and slender, the Maasai (Kenya and Tanzania) and Samburu (Kenya) are nomadic cattle and goat herders, and for them cattle is the most important social, economic, and political factor. Cattle are a sign of wealth and social standing, as well as a food source from a mixture of milk and blood tapped from a cow’s jugular vein. The traditional homeland of the Maasai is southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. Since these areas are home to some of the most visited game parks and reserves in Africa, the Maasai are therefore the most frequently encountered by visiting tourists. Considering this exposure to western tourists, they still maintain remarkable facets of their original cultural identity.
The Samburu are closely related to the Maasai and, speaking the same language (Maa), they follow many similar traditions. With their traditional homeland around Maralal in north central Kenya, the majority of Samburu are tucked well away from the main areas of tourist and government influence. Like the Maasai, their morani (warriors) opt to drape themselves with red blankets and use red ochre to decorate their heads; the women wear beaded jewelry. They also tend cattle and goats, but it is cattle at the center of Samburu social, political, and economic life. The Samburu are still nomadic people and when pasture becomes scarce in this semi-arid land, they pack up their manyattas (small settlements) on camels and move to better pastures.
An ideal safari combines game viewing with cultural experiences
Bushmen/San/Khoisan (Tanzania, Botswana and Namibia) are short in stature and of a yellowish/brown color, often living a hunting/gathering lifestyle. Their language contains a variety of distinct clicks. These are the very earliest of cultures of Africa, responsible for the ancient rock paintings found in the Kalahari and south.
The Himba inhabit the Kaokoland area of Namibia. They are truly striking people to look at, as both men and women cover their bodies with a mixture of rancid butter, ash and ochre to protect them from the sun and give them their “signature” deep red color.
Located in southern Ethiopia, the Omo River Valley is home to some of the most primitive tribes on Earth. Mursi and Surma women practice some of the most profound forms of body adornment in the world today—inserting a seven inch diameter clay plate into their lower lips. Both men and women of the agro-pastoralist Hamar Koke tribe are stunningly beautiful with their long braided hair. The Karo are known for their exceptional face and body painting and for their dances and ceremonies. The Dassanech are pastoralists, and also practice flood retreat cultivation on the vast expanses of the Omo Delta in southern Ethiopia. Many of the Dassanech men are spectacularly scarified—depicting the number of enemies killed in battle.
If this cultural element of travel interests you, my advice is to go now as with the onset of time and increasing technology, this type of experience may soon vanish altogether.
Himba women use ash and ocre to protect them from the sun
African wild dog in Botswana’s Okavango Delta
Africa can be experienced in many exciting ways. What follows are a number of types of safari activities. For additional information, refer to the country or countries mentioned.
Game Drives
The type of vehicle used on game drives varies from country to country.
Open vehicles usually have 2 or 3 rows of elevated seats behind the driver’s seat. There are no side windows or permanent roof, which provides you with unobstructed views in all directions and a feeling of being part of the environment. This is the type of vehicle most often used for viewing wildlife by safari camps in Southern Africa. Open vehicles are used in Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and in private reserves in South Africa.
Open-sided vehicles are open vehicles with roofs—often made of canvas, and are used in camps in southern Tanzania, and some camps that cater to flying safaris in northern Tanzania, Kenya, and Namibia. Open-sided vehicles are not allowed in Kenya and Tanzania on driving safaris where you are driving from park to park.
In four wheel drive (4wd) vehicles with roof hatches or pop-top roofs, guests may look through the windows or stand up through the roof for game viewing and photography. Ensuring that window seats are guaranteed for every passenger (a maximum of 6 or 7 passengers) is imperative. These vehicles are primarily used in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Roof-hatch vehicles in these countries are generally more practical than open vehicles, because reserves in these countries usually get some rainfall in each month of the year. On driving safaris in Eastern and Southern Africa, roof-hatch vehicles are often preferred because they offer more protection from rain, sun, wind and dust.
Wildlife viewing, and especially photography, is more difficult where closed vehicles are required (e.g., in national parks in South Africa).
Classic game viewing vehicle, Sala’s Camp, Kenya
Night Game Drives
Many African animals, including most of the big cats, are more active after dark, and night game drives open up a whole new world of adventure. Much of the actual hunting by lion and leopard happens after nightfall; therefore, night drives probably provide your best chance to observe these powerful cats feeding or even making a kill. Vehicles are typically driven by your guide, and an assistant (tracker) handles a powerful spotlight. By driving slowly and shining the beam into the surrounding bush, the eyes of animals are reflected back, and it is then possible to stop and take a closer look. When an infra-red filter is used on the beam, most animals behave in a completely natural manner (providing the occupants of the vehicle keep quiet and still) and marvelous scenes can unfold.
Leopard, lion, hyena, bushbabies, porcupine, aardvark, genets, civets and honey badgers would be among the highlights of a night game drive, with nocturnal birds, such as owls and nightjars, adding to the experience. Night drives are conducted in national parks in Zimbabwe and Zambia, and in private concessions or private reserves in Botswana, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Namibia, Tanzania, and South Africa.
Leopard spotted during a night game drive
Guided Walks
Guided walks truly allow the traveler to connect to nature. Suddenly your senses come alive; every sight, sound and smell becomes intensely meaningful. Could that flash of bronze in the dense brush ahead be a lion? How long ago were these rhino tracks left behind? Can that herd of elephant ahead see or smell us approaching?
Accompanied by an armed wildlife expert or professional guide, guided walks last anywhere from a few hours to several days. The bush can be examined up close and at a slower pace, allowing for more attention to its fascinating detail than a safari solely by vehicle. Participants can often approach game quite closely, depending on the direction of the wind and the cover available.
The excitement of tracking rhino and lion on foot is beyond words. It must be said that guides do not usually bring guests closer to wildlife than is comfortable for both guest and animal; it follows that this also helps ensure the walkers’ safety.
Zimbabwe, followed by Zambia are the best known for guided walking safaris. Walking is also available in some parts of Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and South Africa.
Zimbabwe offers the ultimate walking safaris
Boat/Canoe/Kayak/Mokoro Excursions
Wildlife viewing by boat, canoe, kayak or mokoro (dugout canoe) from rivers or lakes often allows you to approach close to wildlife. Game viewing and birdwatching by boat is available in:
BOTSWANA: Chobe National Park, Linyanti, Selinda, Kwando and the Okavango Delta.
ZIMBABWE: Mana Pools National Park, on the Zambezi River upstream from Victoria Falls and Matusadona National Park.
ZAMBIA: Lower Zambezi National Park, Kafue National Park and upstream from Victoria Falls.
TANZANIA: On the Rufiji River and some lakes in the Selous Game Reserve.
UGANDA: On the Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park, on the Victoria Nile in Murchison Falls National Park.
Canoe excursions are, in my opinion, one of the most exciting ways of experiencing the bush. Paddling or silently drifting past herds of elephant frolicking on the river’s edge, and watching herds of buffalo and other game cross the river channels right in front of you are some of the highlights you may encounter.
Canoe excursions are operated along the Zambezi River below Kariba Dam on both the Zimbabwe and Zambia sides of the river. Wildlife is most prolific in the area along Mana Pools National Park (Zimbabwe) and Lower Zambezi National Park (Zambia). Of all African adventures, this is definitely one of my favorites. Motorboats are not allowed along Mana Pools National Park; however, they are allowed along the Lower Zambezi National Park. Mana Pools is, in my opinion, by far the best place in Africa (if not the world) for canoe excursions. Trips typically last anywhere from a few hours to 3 days.
Exploring the Okavango Delta by mokoro
Balloon safari above the Namib Desert, Namibia
Mokoro excursions, ranging from a few hours to several days in length, are available in the Okavango Delta (Botswana). A mokoro is a flat-bottomed, dugout canoe that is traditionally used in the watery wilderness of the Okavango Delta, allowing you to experience the beauty and tranquility of this spectacular wetland. Experienced polers pilot the mokoro through channels of papyrus and floating fields of water lilies, each with 1 or 2 passengers aboard.
Ballooning
Viewing game from the perfect lofted vantage point as you drift virtually silently across the African plains is a highlight for many safariers and serves as a memorable experience of your trip to Africa.
Hot-air ballooning is available in Kenya in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Serengeti National Park and Tarangire National Park in Tanzania, Kafue in Zambia, near Namib-Naukluft National Park in Namibia and in Botswana’s Okavango Delta.
Gorilla Trekking
Gorilla trekking must be one of the most exciting adventures you could possibly experience in Africa. It certainly ranks as one of the most sensational things I have done in my life.
Now numbering a mere 800 individuals, mountain gorillas live in the cool, forested heights of the Virunga Volcanoes, which straddle three countries—Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is the region where renowned, but controversial primatologist Dian Fossey undertook her studies of these gentle giants. Owing to the valuable foreign currency that these great apes attract, the respective governments of Rwanda and Uganda have gone to great efforts to conserve the remaining gorillas and as such opportunities to view them in the wild are extremely good. Correspondingly, security for tourists traveling to these areas is superb.
About 19 miles (30 km) to the north of the Virunga Mountains lies Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, which provides a refuge for 300+ mountain gorillas.
Gorillas are perhaps the most charismatic of all animals, and a close encounter with a free-ranging family in their forest home will never be forgotten. A typical experience involves an uphill hike through thick vegetation in the company of a park ranger, trackers, porters and 2 armed guards. Habituated family groups are located, and you’ll be allowed to stay with the group and observe their natural behavior in the middle of the jungle for approximately 1 hour. To bear silent witness to these iconic African animals is a thrilling and highly emotive experience.
Selected families of great apes are accustomed to visits from humans, allowing for incredibly close encounters and wonderful photo opportunities
Groups are led through cool, mountain forests to spend time with gorilla families
Due to the threat of gorillas contracting potentially fatal human diseases, visitors are encouraged to keep at least 22 feet (7m) from them. The maximum group size is limited to 8 trekkers and gorilla visits are limited to 60 minutes. Given the physical exertion required, gorilla trekking is recommended only for safariers in reasonably good hiking condition. Stretchers are, in fact, available at some lodges to carry elderly or handicapped individuals who cannot make the trek without assistance. A large and growing number of people have been inspired to visit these peaceful relatives of mankind, and permits are at a premium in terms of both cost and availability.
Mountain gorillas are currently best seen in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Uganda) and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Permit fees, which provides funds for conservation, are as of this writing $1,500.00 per visit at Volcanoes National Park and $600.00 per visit in Bwindi. The minimum age for trekking is 15. Permits for gorilla trekking are limited and gorilla safaris should be booked very far (a year if possible) in advance!
Chimpanzee Trekking
Chimpanzee trekking, like gorilla trekking, is an incredible experience. Chimp trekking is best in Mahale Mountains National Park (Tanzania) and Kibale Forest National Park (Uganda).
It is difficult to imagine that prior to Jane Goodall’s studies of chimpanzees in the Gombe Stream during the 1950s, little was actually known about these interesting primates. Like Dian Fossey and Beiruté Galdikas, Goodall was a prodigy of Kenyan paleoanthropologist and archeologist Louis Leakey, who funded and helped facilitate the important long-term field studies of respectively chimpanzees, mountain gorillas and orangutans during the 1960s. Goodall discovered the use of tools among chimps, and observed and recorded social behavior and gestures to indicate that these incredible animals possess high intelligence and perform in social family groups that closely resemble our own human traits. As with gorilla tracking, to be able to sit with these incredible primates in their own unique, wild habitat is both a humbling and truly exhilarating experience.
White-Water Rafting
The Zambezi River, dividing Zambia with Zimbabwe below Victoria Falls is one of the most challenging rivers in the world for experienced white-water enthusiasts and newcomers alike. Some rapids are “Class Five”—the highest class runnable. Zambia and Zimbabwe offer half-day and full-day trips. Jinja (Uganda) also has Class Five white-water rafting and also offers kayaking on the River Nile. The minimum age to participate is 15. No previous experience is required. Just hang on and have the time of your life! Half-day rafting and boogie boarding combinations are also offered on the Zambezi River (Zimbabwe).
Walking with Elephants
Getting “up close and personal” with these amazingly intelligent mammals is something never to be forgotten. Elephant experiences are offered at Abu’s Camp and near Stanley’s Camp in the Okavango Delta (Botswana), the Kapama Game Reserve (South Africa), near Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) and Livingstone (Zambia).
Horseback Riding
Game viewing by horseback is yet another intriguing way to experience the bush. If you are an avid horseman or woman, trips lasting anywhere from 5 to 10 days in length are conducted in the Okavango Delta (Botswana). Horseback riding is also offered for several days in length in Botswana’s Tuli Block and in Kenya at ol Donyo Lodge and on the Mara plains. Please note that these safaris are for experienced riders who are able to canter and who would enjoy spending 6 or more hours in the saddle each day. Amateur riders or serious riders with less time to spend in the saddle can opt for either half- or full-day horseback riding at Victoria Falls (Zambia and Zimbabwe), the Tuli Block (Botswana), ol Donyo Lodge, Ol Lentille, Loisaba and Borana (Kenya).
Train Safaris
Two of the most luxurious trains in the world, Rovos Rail and the Blue Train, operate primarily in South Africa, but also offer some excursions in Namibia, Zimbabwe and Tanzania. See the chapter on South Africa for details.
White water rafting on the Zambezi River
Walking with elephants at Abu Camp
Camel Safaris
Camel safaris allow access to remote desert areas that, in many cases, are difficult for 4wd vehicles to reach. Although guests do some riding, these multi-day trips consist largely of walking while escorted by Samburu or other tribesmen. Nights are spent in fly camps. Camel excursions for a few hours in length are available from a number of safari camps and lodges in the Laikipia and Samburu areas of northern Kenya.
Mountain Biking
Ever thought of game viewing by mountain bike? Well then pack your bags and head for Mashatu Game Reserve in eastern Botswana, where your guide rides ahead of you with a rifle strapped on his back as he leads you through the bush inhabited by elephant and lots of other big game. Mountain biking in the bush is also available from Tafika Lodge (South Luangwa, Zambia), near Lake Manyara National Park (Tanzania), and from some properties in Laikipia (Kenya).
Mountain Climbing
Africa boasts a range of mountains that provide a real challenge to both the tenderfoot and the expert alike. Mt. Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), 19,340 feet (5,895 m) in altitude, is the highest mountain in Africa, followed by Mt. Kenya at 17,058 feet (5,199 m). Both of these mountains lie within a few degrees of the equator yet are usually snowcapped year-round. Hiking through fascinating and unique Afro-alpine vegetation found on all of these mountains gives you the feeling of being on another planet. With more than 30,000 climbers a year, Mt. Kilimanjaro is by far the most popular of the two.
Scuba Diving and Snorkeling
Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa and Mozambique offer excellent coral reef diving in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. The Malindi-Watamu Marine National Reserve is probably Kenya’s prime location, while in Tanzania your best bets are the Pemba and Mnemba islands. Both the Quirimbas Archipelago and the Bazaruto Archipelago in Mozambique are fabulous to practice these aquatic activities, along with whale shark diving along the coast. The southern Cape offers the ultimate underwater thrill of cage diving with great white sharks!
The colorful lilac-breasted roller (LBR) is a favorite among safariers
Fishing
Africa offers some great fishing—from excellent deep-sea fishing off the continent’s east coast to the great inland lakes that boast some of the largest freshwater fish in the world.
The best areas for deep-sea fishing are found off the coast of Kenya and Tanzania and in the Mozambique Channel, where blue, black and striped marlin, yellowfin tuna, sailfish, wahoo, kingfish, barracuda and other species may be caught by day and broadbill swordfish by night. The best fishing season for the coast of Kenya and northern Tanzania is October to March, when the pelagic fish are biting.
Freshwater fishing for tigerfish (great fighters) or Nile Perch (sometimes weighing more than 100 lbs/45 kg) as well as other species across the continent can be very rewarding. While fishing, it’s possible to see an elephant cross a channel or hear hippo grunting while watching a variety of kingfishers and herons fly by—adding another dimension to the sport that can be found nowhere else in the world!
Nile Perch, the largest freshwater species in Africa, can attain a weight of well over 200 pounds (90 kg). These giants, like huge bass, are fished for in a similar way and fight in a similar style. They will jump, run and fight in the most spectacular manner, and can be found in many large lakes including Lake Victoria (Kenya/Tanzania/Uganda), Lake Tanganyika (Tanzania) and Murchison Falls National Park (Uganda).
Possibly the best freshwater fighting fish in the world is the tigerfish, with its high-speed strike and the manner in which it leaps and jumps out of the water when hooked. Classic places for tigerfishing (and game viewing at the same time) are on the mighty Zambezi River along Lower Zambezi National Park (Zambia), and along Mana Pools National Park (Zimbabwe) and Matusadona National Park (Zimbabwe) on Lake Kariba. Other great spots include the Okavango Delta and the Chobe River in Botswana.
Birdwatching
If you’re not already a keen birdwatcher, there is a good chance that you will be before the end of your safari. Birdwatching in Africa is almost beyond belief. Some countries have recorded more than 1,000 different species, while certain reserves have recorded more than 500. The strident, sometimes beautiful calls of many birds will form a continual “soundtrack” to your African safari, adding to the pristine natural atmosphere and provide you with tangible lasting memories.
The wonderful thing about birds is that they abound just about everywhere, all the time. The immediate environment around camps and lodges are excellent localities for birdwatching, because many species have become quite habituated to the presence of people. Indeed, many birds will flock to the scene if you simply sit quietly on your veranda. Game drives are constantly punctuated by observations of birds of prey or stunningly colored smaller species as well as, if you take the time, numerous so-called LBJs (Little Brown Jobs).
Most reserves in Africa are very simply a slice of heaven for birdwatchers. Interestingly, the best times for birdwatching are often the very opposite to that for big game viewing. Birdwatching, however, is good year-round in many regions. For illustrations of many of the birds as well as mammals you are likely to see on safari I suggest you pick up a copy of the African Safari Field Guide (Global Travel Publishers) to take with you on safari.
Star Gazing
Africa’s big sky country and vast wild areas offer breathtaking views of the clear night sky. A cloudless night provides a glorious opportunity to become familiar with various interesting constellations and noteworthy stars, along with up to five planets. One or more of the planets, Venus, Jupiter or Mars, will be visible at any given time. The Milky Way is quite astounding when viewed through binoculars! Sitting under a canopy of stars and pondering life is one of the most tranquil ways to spend a night in the bush. Stargazing apps are available for the iPad and other tablets—be sure to bring yours along!
Other Types of Safaris
Additional options for the special-interest traveler include anthropology, archaeology, art and backpacking. Please get in touch with us if you have any specific interest you would like to pursue.
Africa has the most spectacular and abundant variety of large mammals on Earth. Although the populations of many species have declined in the past few decades, and some are endangered, there are still large and thriving populations in vast areas of wilderness, within a network of huge national parks and other protected areas.
The very best of these wildlife areas are featured later in this book, along with the best places to stay for optimal experiences. Larger mammals are most often best watched from inside a safari vehicle, as the majority of animals in national parks regard this as non-threatening. It is very exciting to track large animals on foot, under the expertise of a skilled guide, but the goal of this activity is to experience all the elements rather than to get as close as possible to wildlife, although in some reserves, with the right guides, close approaches to wildlife on foot are possible.
Sensitivity is paramount with all wildlife watching to ensure that animals are not unduly disturbed, threatened or forced to behave in an unnatural way. Virtually every instance of a large mammal harming a human is a result of not allowing space for an animal to retreat. One of the most productive and exciting situations in which to watch mammals is at a waterhole; it is here that various species come together and where predators frequently lie in wait to ambush their prey.
Featured here are short profiles of the most charismatic African mammals—the 20 species that most travelers want to see, including the fabled “Big Five” (elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and buffalo). The latest population estimate is provided for each, based on data from the I.U.C.N. Red List of Threatened Species, and a list of the reserves that regularly provide the best viewing opportunities is also given. Of course, in addition to these iconic animals, there are a host of smaller, but no less fascinating mammals, birds and reptiles that make each and every safari a revelation.
With the exception of lion, elephant, giraffe, buffalo, spotted hyena, wildebeest and zebra, which you are likely to see in virtually all of the safari destinations featured in this book, a short list of reserves is provided where chances of seeing these mammals are highly predictable and that offer good photographic opportunities of each iconic species. These lists are by no means comprehensive, however; many of these charismatic mammals may be found in several other parks and reserves.
LION
Top of almost everyone’s safari wish list, the lion is the only truly social member of the cat family. Prides typically consist of related females and their offspring and are usually lorded over by a pair or trio of adult males (often brothers). The males defend a territory larger in size than the home range of the lionesses and may then engage with 2 or more prides. Zebra, wildebeest and warthog are the preferred prey, but some prides favor hunting buffalo or giraffe. The lion’s historical range in Africa has contracted by about two-thirds, and they are now largely confined to the more extensive national parks and protected areas with a total population of fewer than 30,000 individuals.
LEOPARD
The most adaptable of Africa’s large cats and able to survive in virtually any habitat, the leopard may be found in close proximity to human settlements, even on the outskirts of large cities. Leopards are solitary, and in typical cat fashion, come together only to mate. Individuals live within home ranges in which they advertise their presence through calling and scent marking. Prime habitat often includes rocky outcrops or well-wooded drainage lines that provide ambush opportunities as well as den sites. Leopards are opportunists, feeding on a wide range of prey from winged termites, rodents and stranded catfish, to duiker, warthog, bushbuck, impala and young zebra. Although they tend to be most active at night, leopards are not strictly nocturnal. As with other big cats, the leopard is declining in numbers with fewer than 25,000 thought to survive. Best viewing: Private reserves adjacent to Kruger, Phinda, South Luangwa, Lower Zambezi, Okavango, Tuli, Tarangire, Serengeti, Maasai Mara, and Samburu.
CHEETAH
Cheetah are the fastest land mammal with a top speed of 60 miles (100 km) per hour. These lithe cats favor open habitats where gazelle, medium-sized antelope and hares are among their prey. Female cheetah are solitary and raise litters of 2 to 4 cubs every second year. Males are territorial and occupy large areas in which they have mating opportunities with a number of females. Cheetah are readily distinguished from similarly-sized leopards by their proportionately longer legs, single coin-like spots, and distinctive black “tear marks” running from the eyes to the mouth. The total population of cheetah has halved since 1975, with latest research indicating that only about 7,000 individuals remain. Best viewing: Serengeti, Maasai Mara, Okavango, Moremi, Central Kalahari, Malilangwe, Kafue, and Phinda.
SPOTTED HYENA
Often regarded as a lowly scavenger, the spotted hyena is actually an efficient predator with highly advanced social behavior. Hyenas live in clans of up to 30 individuals, led by a dominant female. A communal den is the center of clan life, with pups of all ages socializing. Hyenas are most active after dark but are frequently encountered during the early morning and late afternoon. The hunting procedure of the clan is to run down prey until it becomes exhausted, usually selecting lame or young herbivores. In addition, hyenas frequently rob cheetah and leopard of their prey and may even challenge lions. Due to its ghostly whooping call and secretive nocturnal ways, the hyena is regarded with superstition in many African societies.
AFRICAN WILD DOG
This unique, sociable carnivore lives in packs averaging ten adults and their offspring. The “alpha” female is the only pack member that gives birth, but all help to feed and safeguard her litter of up to 16 pups. Few predators are as efficient as the wild dog, which enjoys a hunting success rate of around 80%, due to pack cooperation and individual stamina. Impala are the most frequent prey species over much of the dogs’ range. This is one of Africa’s most persecuted and endangered large mammals with fewer than 5,000 individuals surviving. Best viewing: Mana Pools, Okavango, Moremi, Linyanti, Tswalu, and Selous.
MEERKAT
With its distinctive habit of standing on its hind legs, the meerkat resembles a little person and few animals have a higher “cuteness” rating. The highly popular animated movie The Lion King had a meerkat as one of the main characters and this has stimulated great interest in these small carnivores. Meerkats are predators belonging to the mongoose family, and live in family units known as “mobs” or “gangs” of about 20 individuals. The diet includes geckos, beetles, spiders and venomous scorpions. No surveys of overall numbers have been attempted, but meerkats are common throughout the Kalahari as well as parts of Namibia and South Africa. Best viewing: Makgadikgadi, Nxai Pan, Central Kalahari, and Tswalu.
AFRICAN ELEPHANT
African elephants are the largest land mammals and consume more than 600 pounds (272 kg) of leaves, grass, pods, bark and roots each day. In this way, elephants break down plant material, but also promote regeneration through seed dispersal and soil fertilization. Along with the tiny, but equally impactful termites, elephants are the “landscape gardeners” of Africa. Elephants live in family groups led by a dominant matriarch, which comprise related “sisters”, “aunts” and their offspring. Adult males and “teenagers” aged 12 and older typically range in pairs, threesomes or groups of a dozen or more. Cows give birth to a single calf once every 4 or 5 years, and may live for up to 60 years. The latest estimates conducted by the IUCN put the total number of elephants at around 400,000 and declining, due to a surge in poaching for ivory.
HIPPOPOTAMUS
Hippos once occupied almost every river system in Africa from the southern Cape to the Nile Delta in Egypt, but are now largely restricted to wildlife reserves. Hippos require deep water in which to submerge their huge bodies. They leave their aquatic refuge at sunset to consume up to 130 pounds (60 kg) of grass per night. Adult females with their offspring form the foundation of social units called “pods,” and occupy a home range on a stretch of river or lake. Mature males hold dominance in a restricted range, and fierce, bloody clashes between rivals are common. The total population is estimated at around 140,000. Best viewing: Mana Pools, South Luangwa, Lower Zambezi, Okavango, Moremi, Linyanti, Selous, Queen Elizabeth, and Murchison Falls.
BLACK RHINOCEROS
The black rhino is somewhat smaller than the white rhino, although there is no actual difference in the skin color between the two species as soil pigments determine this. With its prehensile upper lip, this is a browser of herbs, low woody shrubs, and tree foliage. Reputed to be short-tempered, the black rhino has poor eyesight and may charge as a first means of defense; trackers require great skill and patience to approach them. Mostly solitary, they live in established territories, but may share overlapping ranges and water holes without serious confrontation. Home ranges never extend more than 15 miles (24 km) from a permanent supply of water and are crisscrossed by frequently used trails, marked by both sexes with dung middens. Poaching has devastated the black rhino population, from an estimated 60,000 individuals in 1970 to fewer than 5,000 today. Best viewing: Malilangwe, Ngorongoro, Laikipia, Maasai Mara, Etosha, Ongava, and Onguma.
WHITE RHINOCEROS
Second in size only to the elephant, this is an animal of open country where it grazes on short grass. Adult females are often accompanied by their most recent offspring. Males occupy well-patrolled territories with numerous conspicuous dung middens. Adult rhinos have no enemies other than man. White rhinos were close to extinction at the start of the twentieth century with only about 30 individuals left when South Africa’s Umfolozi Game Reserve was created in 1897. The population recovered in the 1960s when translocations to other protected areas were implemented, but poaching has increased sharply in the past few years as the demand for horn in the Far East has increased such that it is once again critically endangered. Fewer than 20,000 survive with around 2,000 having been poached every year since 2010 in its South African stronghold. Best viewing: Private reserves adjacent to Kruger, Phinda, Kwandwe, Tswalu, Etosha, Ongava, Onguma, Malilangwe, and Laikipia (northern race).
GIRAFFE
At an average height of around 18 feet (5 m), giraffe are the tallest of all animals. Females live apart from males in large home ranges. A single calf is born and although mothers put up a stern defense against predators, less than a quarter of young survive their first year. Lions are capable of toppling adults. Giraffe are selective browsers, favoring various species of acacia. There are seven geographically distinct races, each with a distinctive coat pattern and geographic range; some authors now regard these are different species. According to recent estimates by the IUCN, giraffes have seen a 38% decline in their numbers since 1985, falling from about 157,000 to 97,500 today.
AFRICAN BUFFALO
A member of Africa’s “Big Five,” buffalo are widespread and common in savannah, woodland and forest environments. Due to possible disease transmission to domestic cattle, few now survive beyond the borders of protected areas. Herds typically number several hundred, but sometimes more than 1,000. Several adult bulls accompany the breeding herd but old bulls, past their prime, live in small bachelor groups. Some lion prides specialize in hunting these big bovines. By browsing grasses and trampling rank grass underfoot, buffalo open up areas for other herbivores such as wildebeest and zebra. The current population is estimated at around 900,000, all confined to protected areas.
ZEBRA
Few animals are as synonymous with the African continent as the zebra—the only wild member of the horse family south of the Sahara. There are three distinct species—plains, mountain and the endangered Grevy’s. The function of the unique, black-and-white striped coat has been shown to deter blood-sucking flies. Zebras are grazers, favoring short coarse grasses. They live in family groups, usually consisting of between four and eight mares, led by a dominant stallion. Zebras feature frequently in the diet of lion and hyena, with youngsters being particularly susceptible. The overall population of plain’s zebra is thought to be in the region 500,000, but there are fewer than 30,000 mountain zebras and just 2,500 Grevy’s.
WILDEBEEST
Wildebeest are highly gregarious, forming herds of between ten and many thousands. The annual migration of wildebeest across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem in response to rainfall involves more than one million wildebeest, and the dramatic river crossings of the herds are among the most spectacular natural events in the world. Wildebeest favor open country, with short, nutritious grass as their required food. Optimum grazing conditions are created by fire, which removes moribund grass growth, and rain, which stimulates new growth. Females synchronize the birth of their single calves to reduce the impact of predators. The current population is estimated at about 1.5 million, with 70% of these being the white-bearded Serengeti race; the other regional subspecies are confined to smaller areas and no longer able to undertake extensive seasonal movements.
ORYX
With its lance-like horns, the oryx is a regal, powerfully-built antelope of deserts and semi-arid savannah. In order to survive extreme temperatures, the antelope’s blood is passed through a network of veins along its nasal passage, before entering the brain, in a system not unlike that of a car radiator. Oryx are gregarious and typically form herds of up to 30 individuals. Rivalry between neighboring males may lead to intense clashes. Current populations are estimated at 370,000 southern oryx (gemsbok), 50,000 beisa oryx and 17,000 fringe-eared oryx. Best viewing: Namib-Naukluft, Damaraland, Etosha, Ongava, Onguma, Kwandwe and Tswalu (for gemsbok), Central Kalahari, Samburu, Laikipia and Tsavo (for Beisa), Tarangire, and Ruaha (fringe-eared).
SABLE ANTELOPE
Male sable are jet black and, with their sweeping horns and long manes, are one of the most impressive of African antelope. They favor open woodland, living in small herds consisting of numerous chestnut-colored adult females and subadults with a single dominant bull that is never far from his harem. Tall, leafy grasses are the preferred diet. The curved horns are formidable weapons and predators, including lions, generally avoid the well-armed bulls. The current population is estimated at around 75,000 individuals. Best viewing: Hwange, Matobo, Malilangwe, Linyanti, Tswalu, and Kafue.
MOUNTAIN GORILLA
Gorillas are the largest of the apes—ground-dwelling and herbivorous residents of evergreen forest. Mountain gorillas are among the world’s most critically endangered mammals, surviving only on the high-forested slopes of the Virunga Mountains and the lower elevation forests of western Uganda. Gorillas live in troops led by a dominant adult male (silverback), whose massive size inspires respect and confidence among the family members. Observing gorillas in their natural habitat is not only one of the most enthralling wildlife experiences imaginable, it also provides a means of ensuring the conservation of gorilla habitat since local communities and national governments derive tangible economic benefits from tourism. Total population is about 880 individuals. Best viewing: Volcanoes and Bwindi.
CHIMPANZEE
Chimpanzees are the closest relatives of humans and these intelligent primates are fascinating to observe. Chimps live in groups of up to ten but group size may be much larger depending upon food resources. Mature males spend their whole life in an ancestral home range; unlike many other species, it is the female offspring that eventually move to neighboring groups. Forest is the preferred habitat but they may also be seen on the fringe of savannah in riverine forest. Chimps are omnivorous, feeding on fruit as well as insects, bird eggs and nestlings, and even monkeys. Social grooming maintains the hierarchy among adults. The total population (of four geographic races) is estimated to be about 350,000, of which some 8,000 occur in Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania. Best viewing: Kibale, Mahale, and Nyungwe.
Cost of a Safari
When first-time travelers to Africa start looking at safari itineraries, they are often taken a little aback by the “expense.” However, they soon realize that most safari itineraries are all inclusive of accommodation in safari camps and lodges plus three meals a day and game activities. Also included are road and charter flight transfers, taxes, park fees and in some cases, laundry and drinks. I like to compare this to a ski vacation, where the accommodation and flights are booked in advance and may seem quite reasonable, but once you add up the credit card bills that follow for the ski lift tickets, rental car, ski rentals and all your meals, you have a fair comparison with the relative cost of a safari.
The cost per day is mostly dependent upon the level of comfort you choose on your travels, such as more lavish types of accommodation, the remoteness of the destination, the type of transportation used, the quality of the guides, whether you’re on a private safari or on a group tour, and the individual countries you choose. Deluxe accommodations and transportation are normally more expensive in countries off the beaten track than in the more popular tourism spots.
For example, PREMIUM safari camps in Botswana tend to be more expensive than PREMIUM lodges in Kenya or Tanzania. Camps in Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe cater to smaller groups and are generally situated in more remote locations. Since charter aircraft are often used to reach them, safaris to these areas are more expensive than, for example, a trip where one is driven to safari lodges.
As in Europe and other parts of the world, general-interest tours cost less than tours with more unique itineraries. Getting off the beaten track may dip a bit more into the wallet, but many travelers find the expense well worth it.
When comparing safaris, it is important to note what is included and what is not. Some companies use what I consider a sales ploy by quoting a relatively attractive price in their brochures or on the Internet, and then separately listing charter flight costs and park fees, which can increase the overall cost of the safari by another 30%. Buyers beware! Most often, if you add up all these extra costs, you may find that they are, in fact, not offering value for money compared to safaris offered by other companies.
Be sure to note if taxes and breakfast are included when comparing costs for hotels, since most rates advertised on the Internet do not include either. This again can easily make a difference of 20 to 35% on the price. Also keep in mind that the advertised cost of accommodations at some safari camps or lodges often does not include game drives and other activities and park fees—only room and board, while others may be more comprehensive in what they include.
To obtain a good idea of the cost of safaris, I recommend that you visit the website www.AfricanAdventure.com.
Conservation in Africa and UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Africa is a vast continent that still boasts seemingly endless areas of wilderness that supports a wide diversity of magnificent flora and fauna. And yet this pristine reminder of the Earth’s natural world is incredibly fragile. Population numbers are globally on the rise, cities and towns are growing and the need for agricultural land, water and dwellings are increasing by the day. Our planet is at risk of becoming stifled, and wild areas may well have to make way to satiate human requirements. Through the concentrated efforts of conservation agencies, individual people and government-backed initiatives, these areas have thankfully procured a vast amount of protection, which is an incredibly important aspect of the overall health of our planet and, ultimately, ourselves. But unless these conservation efforts are maintained, the hard truth is that many areas will be developed and a vast number of animal species may well disappear forever. A prime example are Africa’s rhino population and the mountain gorilla; both of which form an integral part of nature and the environment. You, as a traveler to Africa, are a direct contributor to these all-important conservation strategies since safari revenues are plowed back into the protection of national parks and reserves—benefitting the very animals that depend upon it.
For more information on specific conservation programs or how you can help, please refer to the Conservation in Africa section on pages 456–457.
Of equal significance is the preservation and protection of landmarks that are recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites, many of which are dotted across the continent. For a full list of Africa’s World Heritage Sites, please turn to page 458.
