An African safari is a bucket list trip that will meet any expectations you set for it. It’s one of those experiences that will, at the risk of sounding cheesy, move you.
It only took one at Kruger National Park in South Africa to give us the safari bug, and it’s that trip that we hold high on a pedestal as one of our top travel experiences.
No matter where you go on your African safari, it’s likely that you’ll have some thoughts about the whole thing. Here are a few that should illuminate what an African safari is really like, with hyperbole and silliness included.
What is it like to go on an African safari?
An African safari is the ultimate adventure. Whether you’re riding in a truck through vast savannahs or navigating jungles, what you’ll witness there can change you.
For those coming from the United States, there’s just nothing like it there. You may think you’ve seen cool wildlife because you’ve been to national parks like Yellowstone or Denali, but you truly have no idea.
These are lions, elephants, and giraffes against golden sunsets (and sunrises), with nights that echo with wildlife calls.
Let’s get into a few things that might run through your mind on an African safari.
Why am I up so early?
If you’re staying in a safari lodge with game drives included in your stay, you’ll probably have the option for game viewing at sunrise and sunset. They’ll give you a wake-up call regardless because they really want you out there in the morning. Don’t ignore them.
You’ll probably get some tea or coffee and biscuits to wake you up a bit for what you’ll see next.
Oh, this is why I’m up so early.
You’ll soon figure out why it’s so important to do the early morning game drives. It’s the best chance to see wildlife, especially the big cats, who may be lounging about after a night of hunting.
In any season, the mornings are cooler, as well. That means the animals may be more active than they would be during the afternoon, which is better suited for a bushwalk.
Whoa! What?? *Expletives*
When we went on our first safari, I figured it would take a while for us to see some action. Maybe we’d hear something first, or see something of less significance, like an antelope, or what I like to refer to as Africa’s safari deer.
With a great guide and a little bit of luck, it shouldn’t take long for you to see things that will blow your favorite zoo memories out of the water. It wouldn’t hurt to go during the dry, winter season when there are fewer places for the animals to hide, by the way.
The first animals we came across on our very first game drive were a pride of lions. I was like, “Do we just pack it in now? Does it get better than this?” It was incredible, and yes, it did get better.
I’m close enough to rub that big kitty’s belly. Should I?
Unless you’re a person lacking common sense, you know that you shouldn’t exit your safari vehicle at any time and listen to what your guide is telling you. You don’t want to traumatize the rest of your crew, either, as they’d have to witness you being eaten.
Don’t steal their joy.
Why didn’t my childhood trips include family safari holidays?
OK, so it’s more expensive than the Wisconsin Dells, my third-favorite place on earth after Pequod’s in Chicago and an African safari.
Note: Don’t come at me on that unless you’ve had some Mike’s Hard Lemonades before riding the Congo Bongo at Noah’s Ark. Midwesterners, you’ll know what I’m talking about.
Alongside the honeymooners, we were sharing the lodge with several families, all having their magical South African safari times.
I promise to show my (fur) child, Kimmy Kibbler, all that the world has to offer. That’s just as soon as she gets her shit together and stops freaking out over anything on wheels, crunchy leaves, and shadows (particularly her own).
There also seems to be a phantom that follows her wherever she goes, because she’s always looking behind her. That’s a decent habit on a game drive, I guess.
Zebras have some serious camouflage game.
I thought we’d see loads of zebras on safari, as they seem like wild horses to me, just striped. They’re actually quite skittish.
Fun fact: Did you know a zebra’s skin is black, and the white stripes are actually areas on their skin that lack pigmentation? Take that on your next safari.
How do I bottle the passion birders feel about spotting a new bird?
I hope you have some birders on your safari. They’re so intense, in the best way. A safari, for them, is literally for the birds.
They’ll nod in appreciation over a herd of elephants, but they will completely lose it over seeing some lilac-breasted roller sitting in a tree.
Having someone with eagle eyes like Brian in your jeep will make you all kinds of birder friends. They will pat him on the back, distribute high-fives, and may even send a drink over later.
This is less impressive when you realize drinks are included in the price of your room rate, but it’s still fun to get kudos over spotting that kori bustard prancing in the bush.
I looked those birds up, by the way, because I’m not one of them but want to impress them.
My husband has some serious animal-spotting skills.
Brian had gotten LASIK eye surgery prior to our South Africa honeymoon — on a two-for-one deal, by the way — so I give a lot of credit to his laser eyes. His animal-spotting skills were truly stellar.
He was on par with our guide most of the time for seeing things before they were revealed to the rest of the group. That put me in the enviable position of saying, “Wait, where?” every time he tried to point something out to me.
It’s a fun thing we do whenever we’re anywhere with potential wildlife, e.g. kangaroo-spotting in Australia. I’ll point in the distance, and he’ll have to move my hand at least three to eight times to the right spot before I see what he’s seeing.
Sometimes I pretend to see what he’s seeing to ease the tension.
READ MORE: Are you one-half of a traveling couple? Check out these tips for surviving your next couples trip.
So basically, all leopards are f*ck boys.
If you’re lucky, you’ll see one of Africa’s big cats on a hunt. If you’re REALLY lucky, you’ll get to see animals mating.
We witnessed a leopard love affair from start to finish, the finish not being a long cuddle session, but a sad lady leopard staring off into the distance in disappointment. It all happens very quickly, but repeatedly.
The Internet tells me that leopards, like lions, can mate every 15 minutes for up to five days. This means that they can mate more than 250 times over those five days if they stick to that schedule.
Poachers are the worst.
We were fortunate enough to see a black rhino on our safari, which led to our guide telling us about efforts to curb rhino poaching across the continent.
Note: According to the conservation group Save the Rhino International, poaching deaths have decreased in recent years, but not enough to signal a positive outlook for the species.
Over the last 10 years, thousands of African rhinos have been killed by poachers for their horns. It’s a situation exacerbated by inconsistent laws and lax enforcement of existing laws around the world related to the sale and resale of rhino horns.
Chinese officials, for example, have recently wavered on whether they should lift a decades-long ban on the sale of rhino horns, citing its medicinal properties. (There aren’t any studies that suggest this is even remotely true.)
More typically, rhino horns are purchased in countries like China and Vietnam as a status symbol or a decorative piece. The problem has even led some scientists to create synthetic rhino horns to flood the market.
That’s dumb.
How about people just get it through their skulls that there’s a limited supply of all living things on Earth? Look beyond your immediate wants and focus on the planet’s needs.
If you’re like to do more, a donation to Save the Rhino International is a great start!
Elephant babies are the cutest.
On a lighter note, elephant babies are adorable. They are curious and playful and will get too close to your vehicle, leading to potentially complicated situations.
Should we be that close to that elephant?
African safaris aren’t inherently dangerous, but there is some risk involved when you’re around unpredictable wildlife. Most reputable safaris have strict safety protocols to protect guests and wildlife alike, and guides are well-trained in emergency responses.
Not that you’re feeling comfortable, you’ll probably come upon at least one elephant herd while you’re on your safari. If you have trust issues, you may be questioning your guide as to why you’re getting that close to that herd.
Safari guides know what they’re doing, I assume, so enjoy the moment, watch those baby elephants frolicking, and don’t do anything dumb. That includes making loud noises or stepping out of the vehicle for a closer look. You’re in their house now.
What does it mean when an elephant starts flapping its ears?
An elephant flaps its ears to stay cool, to express happiness, or even to express excitement. It may look a little alarming, but unless it turns to you and starts stomping around, you’re probably good.
It’s stomping now.
If an elephant starts stomping around and kicking up dust, that’s a warning sign. Remember the ear flapping? If that’s stopped, and the ears are now held out as if in a posturing pose, that’s an additional warning.
If it’s doing all of the above, and throwing in a good trumpeting for good measure, you need to hightail it out of there, because that thing is going to charge.
This is when your guide reverses the heck out of there, and you are awash in vibes that scream, “It’s so good to be alive!”
These guides don’t get paid enough.
Small group guides in South Africa, where the pay is usually a bit higher, make the equivalent of up to $50 per day. In the less-traveled safari locations, they can be paid much less.
That means the tracker who usually rides alongside them is probably paid even less than that.
I know you’ve already shelled out quite a bit of cash for the whole experience. The average African safari cost per person is around $200/per night if we’re talking a budget safari. African safari trips cost around $350/night for mid-range options.
You should still make sure you budget some tip money for your safari guides.
At a minimum, tip a safari guide $10 per day; tip your tracker at least $5 per day. You can give them this as a cumulative tip at the end of your trip. They’re giving you a bucket list experience, so show them your appreciation.
If you believe they should just be paid what the experience is worth from the get-go, rather than having tips fall on you, you’re probably not tipping in restaurants, too. In that case, you shouldn’t be on a safari OR eating out anywhere where tips are expected.
I’m talking about the United States, naturally. As the child of a career server, I really don’t care what you think about tipping culture there as some defense of being cheap when the bill comes.
I can’t stop staring.
Your guide will read the jeep as far as how long to stay in certain positions when they come across something awesome.
If you’ve driven across a fresh kill, it may not be the most pleasant thing you’ve ever seen (or smelled), but you will not be able to look away.
It’s like the gapers’ delay when there’s an accident on Chicago’s highways, or when you’re playing the game, “Is she his daughter or his wife?” game in Las Vegas.
You just won’t be able to stop staring.
You’ll think you’ve seen it all while you’re on safari, but then you’ll come upon something else that will overload your senses. For birders, it may be something rare out of their little bird books. I don’t know.
Zoos are ruined for me.
I remember the first time we went to the San Diego Zoo after our honeymoon, and it was just weird. Now, the San Diego Zoo is arguably the best zoo in the world with all kinds of conservation efforts underway that make it more awesome.
Nearly 200 rhinos have been born at their partner location, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
It isn’t lost on me that for a lot of people, they won’t ever be able to see these animals in the wild, and a zoo is the closest they’ll get to that. If it’s a reputable place, it can lead to an appreciation for animals and allow for research that couldn’t happen otherwise.
Experiencing Africa and seeing its best national parks also leaves one feeling conflicted about zoos. For every San Diego Zoo, a place that at least appears to be doing its best to keep its captive animals happy and healthy, there’s a place that’s only in it for the profits.
Fun fact: That lion isn’t pacing in its enclosure because it’s trying to size you up. It’s depressed.
For every wide-eyed kid at the zoo, there are several, including some adults, who bang on the glass or even get themselves trapped inside the enclosures.
To that last bit, if they choose to go inside the exhibit to get that selfie, why are we even rescuing these people?
READ MORE: Want to be less of a jerk when you’re taking pictures in the wild? I have a guide for that.
I still go to zoos. I try to be more thoughtful about the kinds of places I support, though, as there are many out there that don’t deserve my (or your) business.
Why’d the giraffe cross the road?
I imagine it’s because we put a road in their house and they’re just trying to get to the other side for some leaf-munching.
There will be no shortage of giraffes crossing the road while you’re on safari. Do a search on YouTube and you will find dozens of videos of giraffes just moseying across the road.
They will be in no hurry, and it’ll be a beautiful sight, especially if you and your guide are indulging in some walking safaris.
They weren’t kidding about those African sunsets.
Whether you’re on your evening game drives or back at your lodging (or your campsite, if you’re into that sort of thing), you will not be able to miss the classic African sunset.
Yes, the sun sets in the west, but the African sunset will happen all around you. You won’t need any filters on the colors you see.
When can I go on another African safari?
The only con I can think of regarding African safaris is that you’ll have the bug now. East Africa’s Kenya and the Maasai Mara (Masai Mara), the Okavango Delta in southern Africa’s Botswana, and Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park are all on our list.
Whether you’re going to another destination after your safari or heading back home, you will enter into a period of safari withdrawal. Sadness at the end of a safari can only be fixed with one thing: plans to take more safari tours in the future.
Is an African safari worth it?
An African wildlife safari is worth every effort and the expense, if only to feel an unmatched connection to the wild. We saw leopards mating, for Pete’s sake. It doesn’t get much wilder than that.
That kind of thing could become your whole identity if you’re not careful, though, so try to temper that enthusiasm when you’re back home. You don’t want to make everyone too jealous.
Love wildlife? Consider these destinations:
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- Navigate Custer State Park’s Wildlife Loop
- A Review of Denali’s Top Wilderness Tour
- A Guide to the Best of Denali National Park
- What to Expect on a Cape Town Itinerary
Need ideas for your bucket list? Here are a few:
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- An Epic Itinerary for Trips to Oahu
- Glacier National Park: The Time Is Now!
- A Thailand Guide to Mysterious Sukhothai
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