![]() ![]() In the past decade or so, some of the most glamorous camps have added exclusive-use villas serviced by private chefs, dedicated guides and vehicles. There is also the possibility of mobile tented camps, or even pop-up tents on walking safaris led by private guides and trackers. Safari options tend to be built lodges (bonafide buildings of stone, timber, or concrete structures) or tented camps under canvas. But a good way to check on the ethics of lodges and operators is by requesting published reports on their work and sustainability policies to gauge their meaningful engagement in local culture, livelihood and community. Getty Images Sustainability and conservationįortunately, the safari field is populated with largely excellent, responsible operators and impressive lodge owners committed to sustainable travel and cultural integrity, and extending their conservation footprint to guard against poaching and the effects of climate change – the likes of Expert Africa, Aardvark Safaris, The Explorations Company and Journeys By Design. Most of the major lodge players have extensive conservation foundations and philanthropic wings to their businesses. Is it important to have the best guides in Africa and to sate your thirst for knowledge? Or is the focus sumptuous lodges and a soft landing, as much as wildlife? Will the safari be combined with Robinson Crusoe-style beach-time, or an epicurean road trip? Or is the dream to drill down into the different habitats of a single country, with a camp in each region? Do you crave the bloody drama of the great migration that passes through the Serengeti and Mara ecosystems every July and August? Or is the answer a long chopper ride far away from CB radios and mobile reception, in a pop-up tent with a private guide? Is your ideal of wilderness the brutal expanse of the Kalahari? Or is the ideal landscape a watery delta, deep jungle, dense bush or grassy savannah? ![]() Write down the wish list and get as specific as possible. Is it a classic Big Five East African safari you’re seeking (‘big five’ refers to the term coined by hunters to describe lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant and buffalo)? Or something wilder and more undefinable? Ask yourself what you are seeking from the trip, and how you want to feel. Before interrogating an operator, or going down a Google rabbit hole, it can be helpful to start with vision-boarding the basics. The biggest destinations in terms of infrastructure, variety of parks, breadth of lodges and big-five habitats, are South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Where to start when booking your first safariįor first-timers, starting to plan a safari may feel overwhelming, because of the sheer amount of choice.
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