Watching a powerful lion strut across the savanna, tail twitching in the breeze. Or perhaps a graceful giraffe leaning its long neck down to sip from a watering hole. Or being hypnotized by the dazzling black and white stripes of a herd of zebras.
Taking an African Safari will be a bucket list travel adventure where you will see incredible sights you couldn’t find anywhere else in the world. In order to make the most of your next safari adventure, here are some clever insider tips to keep in mind.
Before you book your safari trip, make sure that you do your research and choose the right time of year to visit. The time of year you visit will make a big difference on the wildlife that you see. For example, if you visit the Maasai Mara in July and August you will be able to see the stunning wildebeest migration.
You might get an auditory clue of when a large predator such as a lion is nearby, before the animal saunters into view. Often the monkeys and birds will start to chatter and yelp when there is a large cat on the prowl in the area. If you notice a sudden increase in the amount of noise, you’ll know to watch out for a beast nearby.
Another trick for finding large cats is to look for the shady spots under trees and large termite mounds. When the hot afternoon sun starts to beat down on the African plains, many large cats will head for the shade. You might find them there napping to escape the heat.
Although the temperature is hot, you will want to wear long pants and shirts to protect your skin from the sun and the mosquitos. You’ll also want to wear closed shoes, socks and plenty of insect repellant. There are long pants and shirts in lightweight fabrics such as khaki and sports fabrics that will keep you protected without being too warm. If you are travelling in Zambia and Tanzania, avoid wearing blue or black clothing as these colours are known to attract tsetse flies.
Some African Safari trips will take you to visit some of the local tribes to learn about their traditional way of living. However, make sure that the people you are visiting are being treated fairly and that you are not contributing to their exploitation. Do some research to find out if the tribe is happy to have tourists in their village and find out where the money from your visit goes. Choose a tour company that works with the village, rather than exploiting them. To learn more about this, check out this blog post.
Keep these insider tips in mind so that you can have a better time on your next safari adventure!