If you're thinking about enjoying a safari in East Africa, here are a few tips to help you choose. Every safari is different, and it is important to know which best suits your tastes and needs.
East Africa is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful regions on the planet, with vast protected areas where animals roam freely. Seeing the local wildlife up close is a magnificent, unforgettable experience. And we know that once you have done it, you start thinking about the next safari, no matter how many safaris you have been on before.
What daily life on safari is like
Let’s look at some typical daily schedules for going on safari in Africa and how the day is organized in a national park or reserve when we go out to observe animals.
Safari in the early morning
It is an excellent time for photography: clear light casts long shadows, creating ideal conditions for good pictures.
Early in the morning, temperatures are cool and the chances of seeing active animals are good. These morning safaris usually last between two and four hours. A light breakfast of coffee, biscuits and pastries is followed by an immediate departure in the vehicle that will take us through the park or reserve. Have everything ready the night before (cameras, batteries, filters…) so you can set off and enjoy nature.
Midday on a safari in Africa
After returning from our first outing of the day, breakfast awaits at our lodge or equipped campsite. During the hottest hours, when the sun is directly overhead, we rest and enjoy some free time. It is a chance to use the pool, review our photographs and relax until lunch.
From 16:00 we can start preparing for the next outing or game drive, with all our equipment ready and in perfect working order. It would be unforgivable to realise we had forgotten something once we were out on the savannah.
African Safari in the afternoon
As the sun's heat begins to fade, the animals leave their shaded resting places and activity gradually resumes. Sunset approaches, reddish colours flood the African plains and with them the chance to focus our cameras on beautiful animals. The evening light once again helps us capture great photographs. At nightfall, it is time to return to base.
Go on a night safari?
When night falls, we can enjoy a well-deserved shower, then a drink while we wait for dinner. This is the time to share the day’s anecdotes, swap stories around the fire and linger in conversation beneath the starry skies of Africa.
Some reserves and parks offer an additional night safari.
Safari in 4×4 or safari by truck?
There are two clear alternatives in your means of transport for a safari. One option is a 4×4; the other, more recent option uses a specially adapted truck. Which is best for a safari?
Travelling by truck for a safari means travelling with 15–20 people, sharing their company 24 hours a day. The vehicle is usually self-sufficient, carrying accommodation, food and drinks for everyone. This is clearly a group trip in which the guide plays a key role. Being willing to share and participate will make it a very positive experience.
The alternative to the truck is no other than the 4×4 vehicles, allowing travel in a smaller group. Their size and versatility offer greater independence and flexibility when plans change, while rough roads are less troublesome and uncomfortable.
A small group is quieter and more likely to go unnoticed by animals. You are also less likely to have a fellow traveller suddenly step in front of your lens.
A truck, on the other hand, offers an elevated viewpoint that can be excellent for photography in certain safari situations.
What to see on safari: The Big Five
We go on safari to see animals roaming freely in their natural habitat. Yet a kind of ranking has emerged, with the chance of seeing the Big Five determining the top places. Which animals are the Big Five?
The Big Five of Africa are the following species: leopard, lion, elephant, buffalo and rhinoceros. If you go on safari and manage to capture photographs of the Big Five you can consider yourself lucky.
Accommodation on safari
Camping is often an option when there are no reasonable accommodation alternatives, while nature reserves offer a wide range of lodges and tented camps. Although the absence of walls on the savannah can feel daunting, camping here may have more to do with budget than adventure.
Meeting local people on an African safari
A safari is, by definition, a journey through protected areas with little or no human presence, so extended encounters with local people are uncommon. In Maasai areas, for example, contact rarely goes beyond entering a village and watching traditional dances.
This reality can be somewhat disappointing, especially if there have been previous experiences in West Africa. And this happens so much in Kenya as in Tanzania, whether on an adventure trip or a luxury safari. We recommend combining your safari with a visit to the Indian Ocean coast, where Swahili culture predominates.
Our safaris
All that remains is to invite you to browse our range of safaris in Africa that you will find on our website.
Kenya vs. Tanzania
Kenya or Tanzania? Which destination do I choose for my next safari?
A common question among travellers planning an African safari, with several answers, advantages and drawbacks.