5 tips to help you improve your African Safari game

So, you wanna go wild?  You’ll need these top tips for safari-ing, Africa style.

Manage your expectations

My #1 piece of advice to ensure you have an unforgettable experience is not to go in with massive expectations of seeing the Big 5. If you want to see all the animals in the space of an hour you’re probably better off going to the zoo. From the King of the Jungle to a colourful lizard, a stunning flower or an interesting bird doing it’s thang in the trees above you, or even something as little as animal tracks in the sand – it should all be exciting and appreciated the same.

Be respectful

Keep your noise levels to a minimum out of respect for nature but also your fellow travellers. Be patient, it may take a while to spot something amazing and don’t call out to the animals or try to get their attention. As much as you think they’re going to respond well to your repeated ‘HEY BUDDY!’ in that high pitched voice your dog loves so much, they’re probably just going to give you the stink eye and walk away.

Timing is everything

Whether you’re in Botswana, Namibia, the Kruger National Park (South Africa) or wherever you’ve chosen to go on a safari, the middle of the day can be quite warm and if it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for them too – most animals will be hanging out in the shade or the bushes and tall grass. Early morning or late afternoon is the best game-viewing times. An evening safari can be pretty spesh too, ask the ranger to stop and switch off the engine of your car, then listen to the silence and look up at the sky – you will see so many stars, may even catch a shooting star or two – truly good for the soul.

Guided or Solo?

You can chose to either go on a guided safari or there are trails you can drive yourself. My advice is to go guided, leave the flying solo to Jason Derulo. The guides are good at what they do and they’ll spot things you never would. I cry a little inside when I think about how many leopards or cheetahs I drove past on solo missions because I didn’t know where or what to look for. Let your guide know you’re keen to hear about the less obvious things, they’ll appreciate your interest! I learned how far you can spit Impala poop – yes I said poop. It’s a real thing in South Africa! You’ll just have to go there to find out  😉

#livelastminute in the moment

Let your guide know when you want to take a photo of something special. They’ll try to put your car into position for the best shot and always ask before taking pics using the flash at night, you might spook the animals and no one likes an unexpected flash, cough Lenny Kravitz. 😉 Try to keep your fellow safari goers in mind when asking to stop for a photo as well, unless you’re in a car full of avid photographers, they’re probably not going to want to stop for every flower along the way. Calling for too many stops will make you like that guy who always calls bathroom break on a road trip – don’t be that guy.

As much as we LOVE taking photos and you’ll get some really amazing shots, it’s so easy these days to get photo obsessed and spend most of your time seeing the stunning wildlife through your lens. Animals in the wild are unpredictable, they can be in the perfect position one minute and then gone the next. You will always have access to photos of the wildlife but you’ll only BE there once. Take the time to enjoy what you’re seeing, feeling, hearing and smelling – be present in the moment.

What to bring

• Bug spray – need I say more? Unless you want to become a mosquito pin cushion, stock up.
• Dress wisely – be sure to bring a jumper, the weather can be unpredictable and there’s nothing worse than freezing your buns off and wishing you’d taken mums lifelong advice to ‘ALWAYS BRING A JUMPER!’.
• Wear comfy clothes and probably stay away from bright colours and things that will make you stand out and look like the ultimate tourist.
• Less is more – you only need to take the essentials
• Binoculars – no they’re not just for old people. Take some, you’ll thank me later.

Have you ever been on a Safari? Let us know in the comments!

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