How to choose the perfect safari (for you)

One of the questions you have asked me the most is how to choose the perfect safari. As you can imagine not all safaris are the same and it is not so easy to find the perfect safari. In fact there is a safari for each type of traveler, so it is important that before you start planning your trip you decide what type of traveler you are (and therefore what budget do you have).

With this post I hope I can solve your doubts and help you plan the perfect safari, so let's get started!

Types of safaris:

According to the type of accommodation:

Tent safari (Tented camp)

Surely the type of safari that comes to mind first, being one of the most classic options. The idea of ​​a camp in the middle of the African savannah transports us to the films and documentaries in which the explorers camped for weeks in canvas tents in the middle of nature. Currently it is possible to stay in camps of this type, ranging from super luxury to something simpler African camping type, but all with a unique personality without a doubt.

We wanted to enjoy the experience and chose a mid / high range camp that met all our expectations.. In our case we did the safari in the Masai Mara reserve in Kenya and stayed in the Fairmont Masai Mara.

As usual the rooms in most of these types of accommodation are large tents, with rooms that include a bed, private bathroom with running water (and sometimes a bathtub) and furniture inside the store.

Other Canvas Room Camp Options, of different prices and in different regions of Africa they are: Wilderness Camp Sagana (cheaper and camping style), Mara Intrepids Tented Camp O Olare Mara Kempinskin a Kenya; Auas Safari Lodge O Daan Viljoen Game Lodge and Namibia; Southern Sands Eco Lodge O Ximongwe Safari Camp or in South Africa.

All of them are unique and are in super special locations so you can enjoy the natural beauty of Africa..

Safari en Lodges o bungalows

If yours is not the canvas stores and you are looking for something more similar to a hotel complex or resort, You will find many options where you can enjoy a safari experience while sleeping peacefully in a bungalow or in a room with solid walls.

In standard accommodations lodges the rooms are usually solid constructions, wooden or stone bungalows that make them integrate perfectly with the environment and do not visually impact the nature reserves.

Son the most luxurious and comfortable accommodation that you can find while on safari and many of them have a pool.

Some examples to give you an idea of ​​what to expect in this type of accommodation are: Lion Sands Ivory Lodge , Royal Malewane , Leopard Hills Private Game Reserve, Nkorho Bush Lodge in South Africa.

Some accommodations of this type will give you the opportunity to travel between several of their camps., spending one or a couple of nights in each of them, so you can explore different areas.

Safari sleeping in a tree house

Who doesn't like to sleep under the stars? Although this option is not for everyone, I must admit that the idea of ​​sleeping observing the constellations in the middle of nature sounds like something magical that I would not mind trying in a place like Africa

Most of this type of accommodation offer the option of sleeping in them for one night., starting your stay before sunset and ending early in the morning when you are picked up for your first “game drive” or safari of the day.

In in South Africa you can live this experience in Lion Sands River Lodge and Ivory Lodge in South Africa.

According to the type of experience you are looking for:

Safari organized by the accommodation

Many of the accommodations offer the full board package + 2 game drives or jeep departures per day of stay. It is the option that we chose since after making numbers it was the option that most convinced us. In our case it was great since we only shared the jeep with another couple for a day and a half and the rest of the days we were alone!. Furthermore, our guide knew a lot about the flora and fauna of the area and made the experience even better with all his explanations and enthusiasm..

Family safaris

Most reservations do not accept children under the age of 6 years. The reason I have found in reservations with this restriction is that some of the predatory animals are especially attracted to the crying of children. Another point to keep in mind when planning a safari with children is that “game drives” or jeep outings usually last a few 3-4 hours as a general rule.

However family safaris are very popular in some places like Kenya and South Africa. In these countries you will find more easily options to travel with young children so that you all have a beautiful experience together.

Safari cultural

If you are interested in learning about how the locals live and experiencing it in first person, this type of safaris is for you. Even if you decide to stay in another type of reservation you can choose to spend a night with a local tribe near your base camp.

In Kenya I recommend visiting a Masai community as an optional activity one of the days if you have time. We could not do it but we were left wanting, and several traveling companions who could do it recommended it to us.

Safari a pie

Many of the accommodations offer the option of a walking safari, a great way to feel the nature and animal life of the area from even closer. We had the opportunity to do it a couple of times: one to get closer to the white rhinos of the Masai Mara nature reserve in Kenya, the other for a little walk at sunset in a beautiful valley. Both were unique experiences that we will not easily forget..

However, It is not a recommended experience if you do not feel adventurous or you are suspicious of getting too close to animals.

Group safari for those traveling alone

Didn't you just dare to go on safari because you have no one to go with? There are hundreds of online websites that organize small group trips to Africa for travelers like you: by ages, for women, mixed, etc. It's a great opportunity to meet new people while living the African dream, without worrying about anything but enjoying the experience to the fullest.

If you do not know which companies offer these services and you are interested write me privately and I will give you some options.

Safari for free

Are none of the above options for you?, Do you prefer to organize your own safari?

The option to organize your own safari for free is possible in places like Botswana or Kruger National Park in South Africa. This type of safaris will allow you to have more privacy, as well as deciding the rhythm of your days and excursions.

Sounds difficult?, Well it's not!

You just need to rent a jeep from a transport company in the country (you will find many with a simple internet search), and don't forget your driving license. I recommend that you ask for a budget in several companies for the days you have in mind and do not forget to ask the price of the entrance fees to the nature reserves (per person and day!).

We have not tried it yet, since we were looking for total relaxation, as well as making the departures with a guide so that he could explain everything we were seeing. However, it is an option that we really want to do in the future.

Key points to consider when choosing your safari:

Camp aesthetics

While some people prefer more minimalist camps, others prefer more luxurious ones. Here everything depends on personal preferences. We opted for a more classic style camp.

When they are looking at photos of the camps that you like online, don't forget to look at the common areas, since you will spend much of your time in them! Another important point to keep in mind is if your room has a private area such as a small terrace or not..

In many cases, you will not have WiFi in the rooms, so you will have to go to the common areas if you want to use it.

Service in the camps and safaris

Usually, most camps offer exceptional and personalized service, since the number of travelers is usually quite small. However, I recommend that you always read the options of other camping travelers that you are considering (both on booking websites and on different blogs), to avoid taking surprises once you are at your destination.

Going on Safari is an experience that many are only lucky to live once in a lifetime, so when choosing the perfect safari, It is best to ensure that the chosen camp will meet all your expectations.

“Game Drives” or outings with the jeep

When we talk about safaris in Africa, “the 5 big” (“Big Five” in English) It is usually what we are all looking for. In case you haven't read my other posts about Kenya, I remind you that they are: the lion, the leopard, African elephant, rhino and cape buffalo; and that they are well known for being the most difficult animals to see and therefore to hunt in the past.

Many of the camps offer information on their web pages about which animals you can see if you stay with them., so it is something important to keep in mind when deciding where to stay.

Type of accommodation offered by the camp

As we have seen there are a multitude of options for all tastes and types of traveler. Now it's up to you to decide which is the most suitable for you.

Do you want to sleep in a camp with canvas tents?, Looking for a camp with a pool?, Or maybe with an outdoor shower or bathtub?…

The price of the camp is going to be a key factor when deciding the type of camp for your trip, so you will have to decide what is your budget for this trip and how are you going to divide it.

If your safari idea is to spend as much time as possible exploring, maybe it doesn't make much sense to stay in a super luxury camp. But if instead you are planning a more relaxed trip and want to spend more time in one place, perhaps your best option to choose your perfect safari is to consider staying in a comfortable camp, with good food and well equipped.

Conservation of nature reserves

As soon as you step on the African savana for the first time you will realize that a safari is much more than going on vacation. Disconnecting from everything while you are in the middle of nature and wild animals will remind you of how wonderful our planet is and how lucky we are to be able to enjoy it..

So that others behind us can enjoy it in the same way, it is very important that these natural habitats are preserved. Therefore, it is important that you also consider whether or not the different camps on your list help to conserve these nature reserves and how they do it..

Price of the different types of safari

Whatever option you choose for your safari, You have to keep in mind that it is not a cheap experience.

The all-inclusive camps (accommodation, food, soft drinks and game drives) at first glance they may seem too expensive, but when you do the math and add all the extras like meals, tickets to reservations per day, car rental and / or guide, drinks, transport to camp, etc to the most basic camps; the final price is usually high in all cases.

To choose the perfect safari you must also take into account that depending on the time of year in which you make your safari, the cheapest campsites can be full. If you manage to reserve a place in one of them, the common areas and the jeeps may be at their maximum capacity.. Make sure to check on the website of the different camps the maximum number of people that take jeep in each game drive, so you don't go with expectations other than reality.

If you want to know more about how much a safari can cost you, I recommend that you read this post.

---

Other related posts:

· What to put in your suitcase for a safari

·Kenya itinerary in 2 weeks, with safari and beach

·Climb Mount Kenya (Mt. Kenya)

 

And in case you still need more inspiration on what to take on safari: