TIPS FOR A FIRST SAFARI
What to expect and experience during your sojourn in Africa
When I was a child growing up in a small, rural town in Georgia, I was an addict of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ “Tarzan of the Apes” series of books in that they opened the door to my love affair with Africa.
On the rare occasion that we would journey from my hometown to the Georgia coast for a day at the beach, I would sit in the sand and stare wistfully across the Atlantic. Africa lay on the other side of that great expanse of ocean, and my heart and soul longed to explore it.
Decades would pass before I first journeyed to the Dark Continent, which I would find inexplicably nicknamed since the African sun blazes incessantly. For that initial sojourn, I traveled to Kenya. No one had forewarned me about the bazillion bugs I would have to sidestep, that dust is omnipresent and the incredible heat of the day quickly dissipates as sundown brings bonechilling cold.
And no one told me that time, normally measured in minutes and hours, does not exist in Africa. Almost the entire continent moves at its own pace, where punctuality is not a concern.
Most of all, no one told me that I would come to love Africa so much — its wildlife, its people, and its colors and aromas — that I long to return to it every single day of my life and dream of it almost as often.
Since that first trip, I’ve traveled to Africa several times and have been on dozens of game drives in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and South Africa. I’ve learned a trick or two about going on safari, things that I wish someone had told me before I ever set foot in Nairobi on that first sojourn there so many years ago.
My advice: Take the time to immerse yourself in one country instead of trying to cram in two, three or more countries into one trip simply to get a passport stamp. For culture and wildlife, for example, South Africa and Kenya may be the better choices, while Uganda and Rwanda and their golden opportunities for gorilla trekking may appeal to the more adventure-minded traveler.
Even if you’re in Africa for a month, let one bag, a small collapsible duffel, do it all. You can always wash out clothes and wear them again. The first trip to Kenya, I took the biggest suitcase I had, only to learn the bush planes allow only 33 pounds of luggage. Bags are weighed, so don’t think you can get away with more than the allowance.
The sun is brutal, and a good widebrimmed hat and sunscreen are essential for protection. No one wears a pith helmet, and neither should you.
Game drives are nearly always dusty, so leave the good clothes, particularly the white ones, at home. No need to dress for dinner, even in high-end camps. Comfort is key, as you’ll be climbing in and out of safari vehicles many times over. Everything will get dirty and wrinkled, but no one cares.
Mornings and early evenings are cool to downright cold for game drives. Take a light windproof jacket, maybe even fleece-lined. Because of high elevations, some parts of Africa are much colder than you realize.
Take a good camera with the best long-range lens available, even if you must borrow or rent one. Don’t rely on your phone’s camera. While the game trackers often can get unnervingly close to wildlife, sometimes great shots are flat-out impossible without long-range lenses.
You will not see the Big Five of Cape buffalo, rhino, elephant, lion and leopard every day. These are not safari parks.
The stronger animals — the lions, hyenas, leopards and cheetahs — feast upon weaker game including gazelles, warthogs and zebra. Kills happen, and likely you will see one. It’s just the circle of life, and game trackers will not “save” an animal. Just look away.
If possible, take at least one safari by hot air balloon. Seeing giraffe or zebra scurrying across the savanna hundreds of feet below and kicking up dust is a thrill that you cannot even begin to imagine.
Days start early, before sunrise. Go on every single game drive that you can, or chance missing something magical and wonderful that you may never get a chance to see again.
Check the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for information about country-specific immunizations, including yellow fever. If you can’t provide proof of immunizations in some countries, you may be denied entry. And anti-malarials are recommended in some regions. I know several people who didn’t take anti-malarials because of the side effects of crazy, vivid dreams and sleeplessness, only to end up with malaria. People die from it every single day. Don’t be one of them.
Check with a country’s embassy beforehand to determine if you need a visa. If you do, try to obtain it beforehand, or you may face absurdly long, cash-only queues in steamy airports.
Travel insurance is an excellent idea. No matter how good your medical insurance is at home, it probably does not cover sickness and accidents outside of the U.S.
Pack a small flashlight. Power outages happen frequently, and electricity is often turned off purposefully at night. In a pinch, phone flashlights are OK, but a flashlight is better.
Most countries in Africa run 220 to 240 voltage, so converters or adapters are necessary.
Take medication or a first-aid kit tailored to your specific needs, including those for anti-diarrheals, antibiotics and anti-motion sickness. And take enough prescription medications for at least three or four days after your trip ends. Flights get delayed. Storms interrupt airport operations. Don’t take chances on not having enough lifesaving prescription medication with you.
While you may love your travel agent, consider booking with a safarionly tour operator. Many U.S.-based operators are either from Africa, have lived in Africa or have traveled extensively throughout the continent. They sell what they know.
Roads and even highways are often unpaved and rutted and can get bumpy. Plus, flat tires happen often in the blistering heat. These things are to be expected.
Just because a lodge has internet capabilities doesn’t mean it will always work. That said, tell your loved ones at home that you’ll be in touch when you’re in touch and not to worry. Besides, you’ll be having the time of your life and won’t even care about back home.