It is a well known fact at Once in a Lifetime Holidays that I love safari, particularly if it is a safari in South Africa. There is an old African saying “The only man I envy is the one who has not yet been to Africa – for he has so much to look forward to” and with this I wholeheartedly agree. Four years ago I had never visited South Africa and if I am honest, I wasn’t particularly looking forward to the safari part of my trip, after all, I have been to many safari parks in the UK and I’d seen rhino’s and elephants before, so what was going to be so different? How wrong could I have been! If you haven’t been on a safari before you really must try it, and that is where we are here to help.
Tips for Planning the perfect safari
For a start, you need to really think about what you want from your trip. To say you want to go on a Safari is like saying you want to stay in a hotel !
What time of the year do you want to travel?
Remember that our summertime is winter is Southern Africa so ,although it is still warm for us, the weather maybe not what you are expecting. The best time to go on safari is during the dry season. This is the time of year when the grass is lower and animals are venturing out to find water. The month to visit depends on the area and country that you intending to travel . However, the wet season also has its plus points, many babies are born, flowers are blooming, birds are migrating and you can get some great deals on accommodation. There is no right or wrong time to travel.
What animals do you want to see?
Most people will say The BIG 5 – leopard, elephant, lion, buffalo and rhino but if you are lucky enough to see them ,what else are you interested to see? It may be birds, giraffe or wild dogs, all are more likely to be spotted in some areas rather than others. I know that when I was in The Kruger National Park I had an ‘Eye Spy”style book (if you remember those books) of animals in The Kruger and our amazing guide would drive us around trying to spot what we wanted to see. Remember, these are wild animals and not in a safari park so there are no guarantees of sightings however there is so much more to learn about the bush and animals are only a part of the safari experience.
Will you be taking children with you?
Think about whether you want to travel to a malaria free area or not as that will limit your choices, certain lodges cater for children better than others. Some offer creche facilities and mini ranger experiences for younger children while you go on the game drive and others allow older children, usually over 7 or 8 years old to go out on the game drives. Some properties do have family units and game drives can be arranged just for your family unit.
What else do you want to do on your holiday?
A safari stay will usually be around 3 or 4 nights but what do you want to do during the rest of your stay? Popular options are a city or beach stay but there are many other options that you can consider such as adventure bungee jumping and shark cage diving, visiting the world’s 3rd largest canyon or panning for gold in Gold Rush Country
The best known area in South Africa is The Kruger National Park. This is a vast area the size of Wales. There are entry gates and you can actually take tour own car and do your own tour as long as you keep to the road. You can download an app which the park rangers update to where an animal has been spotted. I wouldn’t really recommend doing it this way as firstly you miss the thrill of driving offered with an experienced guide and secondly everyone else sees the app and there can be quite a few cars around the said spotted animal.
You can also take a day trip from Cape Town to a game reserve. Unless you have limited time , I wouldn’t recommend this either. You will probably see the big 5 (plus a coach full of excited cruise ship passengers on a tour) but to be honest it’s not the memorable experience you have dreamed of.
Hotels near the entry gates to the Kruger National Park, these are great if you are on a budget. The hotels are clean and comfortable and a good choice if you don’t want a full on safari, the park guides pick you up from your hotel in a 4×4 and then drive to the gate and start your Safari
However ,my choice of accommodation would definitely be a Private Game Reserve. These are reserves that are privately owned and consist of usually a couple of hotels . The reserve is privately managed but , in the case of the Kruger National Park, the animals are free to wander throughout from the National Park as there are no fences. The advantage of staying on a Private Reserve is that your guide is able to drive the 4×4 wherever you want to go and you will be the only vehicle near the animal or bird so up close in totally tranquility.
You are assigned the same guide for the whole of your stay. To become a guide they need to study for 7 years, so what they don’t know about the bush isn’t worth knowing! The Guide will pick you up from the main lodge just before sunrise and you can snuggle in the 4×4 under blankets with hot water bottles ready for the incredible sunrise and the animals awakening. After an exhilarating morning you return for your breakfast and are free to enjoy your day, sit by the pool, take a boat trip,or a walking safari to learn more about the flora and fauna of the bush or maybe a pampering spa day, there is nothing quite like having a massage overlooking the watering hole,the lodges have amazing facilities.
At around 3pm it’s time to get out your safari outfit once more for another trip with your guide, ending in the ultimate african experience, Sundowners drinking a gin and tonic or a chilled glass of wine from the back of the 4×4. I will never forget standing on a hill with a G&T in hand, the sun setting and giraffes and elephants in my line of sight, no sound except the sounds of a lion roar in the distance and the scent of flowers filling the air. In the evening the lodge serve drinks around the fire and then follow a path of twinkling lights to the Boma, a fire pit and barbecue accompanied by traditional African songs and dance and stargazing.
A safari makes you forget the stresses of home and gives time to connect with nature making memories to last a lifetime!
Let us help you plan your next safari holiday and get in touch
