At present the word safari appears in many contexts. We see it used for a city walk, a tour of several vineyards or even a food walk to try tapas at different restaurants. All of these are given the word safari, which can cause confusion. Urban safari, food safari, safaris here, there and everywhere.
What does safari mean? The word comes from Swahili, and means travel.
Like geyser and tsunami, safari is a word adopted around the world. It also means an expedition into the natural world, usually in Africa, to observe local wildlife and plants. And to ‘shoot photographs’.
To help you make the most of a safari trip, here are some basic rules of behaviour and codes of conduct.
20 basic safari guidelines and recommendations
- Respect the tranquillity and rhythm of wildlife, because this is their home.
The king of the jungle | Photo © Pilar García - Beware of animals. Remember that they are wild animals And they're unpredictable.
Take care around animals | Photo © Àlex Póo - Don't freak out. animals making loud noises or sudden movements.
- Do not feed animals. That would alter their diet and eventually lead to dependence on humans.
- A safari is better at Silence. Noise scares wildlife and will probably annoy your fellow passengers in the 4×4, or your canoe companions in the Okavango.
Wildlife in Namibia | Photo © Yolanda Ferrando - With information Better still, researching the park, wildlife, plants, birds and other species beforehand will help us enjoy the safari more.
- You must stay in the vehicle at all times, unless the guide says otherwise or we reach a designated picnic or stopping area.
- Drive at the safe speed, calmly and at a moderate pace. If our driver goes too fast, we can ask them to slow down.
Samburu Nature Reserve, Kenya | © Oscar Mata - Do not leave behind the roads or tracks, to avoid damaging the habitat we visit.
- Respecting a minimum distance from the animals being observed (20 metres is a good distance) and move our vehicle aside to let others pass.
- If there is more than 3 vehicles watching a scene, we wait. Otherwise, we will photograph a bewildered lion surrounded by 15 vehicles.
- Do not take part in activities that harm animals and wildlife, such as walking with lions.
- Rubbish? No thanks! We leave no trace of our visit.
Safari in Tanzania Ignasi Rovira - Never light a fire or burn anything.
- Review the equipment that we take to enjoy the safari.
- Camera, batteries, memory cards, binoculars, etc.
- Water, sunglasses, hat or cap, sun cream.
- Comfortable and suitable clothing to the temperature of the site.
- Avoid strongly scented creams and perfumes, which can scare animals away.
- Nor take anything park or reserve.
- Nor running. In an unexpected encounter with a wild animal, it's better to stay still.
- Do not come between a hippopotamus and the water. It is the animal responsible for the most fatalities. Very dangerous.
- Watch out for the baboons. They may harass or attack travellers for food.
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Finally, 10 out of 10 safari experts recommend enjoying the experience and the encounter with African nature.
We believe these tips will be useful and help you with the choosing your next safari in Africa.
Upcoming safaris in Tanzania
Tanzania✔️ Departures MAY to NOV 2024
✔️ Price from 4450€
✔️ Departures JUN to NOV 2024
✔️ Price from 2995€
Upcoming Uganda safaris
✔️ Departures APR to DEC 2024
✔️ Price from 3195€
