Game Viewing
Game viewing from the vehicle is one of the core activities of a wildlife safari. Drives are conducted in the morning and evening, but depending on time of year and weather conditions may extend throughout the day. It is often best to head out for a game drive very early after a quick cup of coffee and a muffin, returning later for a leisurely breakfast. Alternatively a camp breakfast could be followed by a long morning game scouting drive with a picnic carried along and eaten whenever the opportunity presents itself. Evening game drives are generally very rewarding, and it is during these times that we expect the best light for photography and enjoying the ever magnificent African bush scenery.
Walking
Short nature walks and some longer hikes are often possible from our mobile camps or specific lodges and camps, depending on their location. Please see the walking section of my website to get a broader perspective on walking activity options.
Time spent on foot in the bush provides an important contrast to the perspective that you gain when riding in the vehilce and obsering the bigger animals. Birds, plants and insects suddenly draw attention to themselves, and the minutiae or life is revealed. Most safaris that I design allow for at least a short nature walk in an effort to broaden your safari experience.
Fly Camping
At some camps that I regularly take my guests, to Fly Camping is a commonly available option. Camps such as Oliver’s Camp, Sayari, Greystoke and Chada offer one, two or three nights (and sometimes longer) out in a very light camp in which tents are made of mosquito netting and equipment is kept to a minimum in an effort to achieve true mobility (meaning that the camp can be moved every day if necessary). This kind of experience is not for the faint hearted as it brings the visitor into very close contact with nature – you are unable to distance yourself from the sounds and smells of the African Bush in such a camp and the sensory thrill of a night spent thus is at the very least memorable!
Eating
A central activity to any safari and one which can enrich your holiday tremendously. A tasty, freshly prepared meal at the end of a long hot day out game viewing always goes down well, while a spread of salads, snacks and fruit laid out under an acacia tree in the bush provides a perfect midday picnic. Breakfast as the light breaks over the eastern horizon and the sprufowl start to call is unforgettable, and a full brunch after a morning out tracking a lion pride is probably one of the best meals you will ever eat!
Resting
Given all the multifarious activites on offer during a safari, you would wonder when there is time to rest, but in fact some of the real quality time to be had on safari is the down-time periods between game drives, meals, boat trips and walks. Since we often head out very early in the morning, an afternoon siesta is a welcome and frankly necessary part of the day when in camp. If not sleeping, you will find a few hours spent watching the world go by form the privacy of your own tent chair to be one of the purest forms of true relaxation in today’s hectic world. The quiet sounds and rhythms of the African Bush are best observed and absorbed in this way, and it is not surprise when clients tell me that their favourite part of their safari was a particular afternoon spent simply doing nothing!
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