What do you like most about the safari experience?
Oct 28th, 2009, 10:22 AM
#21
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<i>I could sit with my binoculars and observe the elephants and other animals coming down to the river to drink and dine on the nearby trees and shrubs. I actually enjoyed this more than riding around in the vehicles.</i>
I find that the more safaris I take, the more I enjoy doing just that. We tend to go on less game drives with each trip. I've even coined the term Game Sit™. You're just more evolved, that's all!
The best part of going on safari is waking up to the sound of hippos
I find that the more safaris I take, the more I enjoy doing just that. We tend to go on less game drives with each trip. I've even coined the term Game Sit™. You're just more evolved, that's all!
The best part of going on safari is waking up to the sound of hippos
Oct 28th, 2009, 02:00 PM
#23
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As Patty says - GameSit (love it )... some have wondered why I don't go out on morning game drives or even all that are offered. Because some people can become animaled-out, though thankfully I haven't even from my very first safari 14/yrs ago.
I simply prefer being able to do what I want and when... whether it's game viewing, walking, wonderful meals, bending my elbow, enjoying a bath, washing my hair, reading a book or catching up with friends. Much as if I were at home!!!! Which is how I feel when in Afree-kah!
Over the years, the many guides have been surprised at first when I've said "no morning or afternoon game drive" but I can assure you they appreciate the break.
)... some have wondered why I don't go out on morning game drives or even all that are offered. Because some people can become animaled-out, though thankfully I haven't even from my very first safari 14/yrs ago. I simply prefer being able to do what I want and when... whether it's game viewing, walking, wonderful meals, bending my elbow, enjoying a bath, washing my hair, reading a book or catching up with friends. Much as if I were at home!!!! Which is how I feel when in Afree-kah!
Over the years, the many guides have been surprised at first when I've said "no morning or afternoon game drive" but I can assure you they appreciate the break.
Oct 28th, 2009, 06:07 PM
#24
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Ah HA! Shelley has managed to plumb the darkest secrets of AFrica posters. We sometimes get bored on game drives!
Sandi, your confession reminded me of the famous Bette Davis movie line. Revised: "I'd love ta go on a game drive with ya, but I've just washed my hair."
I confess after 5 camps in Botswana, three days each (so that makes 30 game drives if you don't count a couple of night drives), I missed one the last day so I could sleep in.
Patty, as I've said before, you can make millions marketing GameSit® trips. Think of the money you'll save setting up camps. No pesky ranger salaries, no vehicle mechanics, no petrol to buy. Just a few more chairs (the ones with cup holders for my all-day sundowners) and complimentary binoculars and Voila! Sign me up as an investor.
Sandi, your confession reminded me of the famous Bette Davis movie line. Revised: "I'd love ta go on a game drive with ya, but I've just washed my hair."
I confess after 5 camps in Botswana, three days each (so that makes 30 game drives if you don't count a couple of night drives), I missed one the last day so I could sleep in.
Patty, as I've said before, you can make millions marketing GameSit® trips. Think of the money you'll save setting up camps. No pesky ranger salaries, no vehicle mechanics, no petrol to buy. Just a few more chairs (the ones with cup holders for my all-day sundowners) and complimentary binoculars and Voila! Sign me up as an investor.
Oct 28th, 2009, 07:09 PM
#25
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My safari, my FIRST safari, was all I ever dreamed it could be, and more, because in my dreams i just saw animals. On safari I began to learn so much about them.
Just sitting and watching eles drink water was amazing to me. Their lumbering gait, and the little ones "running' to catch up with the herd.
Watching two impala going at each other with their horns...
The smell of the African sage..
The beautiful birds...
The sounds...
The wonderful guides.
Oh it is magical, and I dream of returning.
amy
Just sitting and watching eles drink water was amazing to me. Their lumbering gait, and the little ones "running' to catch up with the herd.
Watching two impala going at each other with their horns...
The smell of the African sage..
The beautiful birds...
The sounds...
The wonderful guides.
Oh it is magical, and I dream of returning.
amy
Oct 29th, 2009, 03:37 AM
#26
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I can certainly understand how people can be animalled out. This hasn't happened to me yet but we all have different interests, priorities and thresholds.
When we did a 9 week trip in 2004, we had about 5 weeks of continuous safari and I could have happily done another 5 weeks, game drives (or walks or mekoro trips) every morning and afternoon. I loved it!
But I have a friend, a keen traveller, who says "once you've seen one elephant backside you've seen them all"! GASP! But each to their own. He prefers East Asia and loves temples, street markets and other attractions. I like those too but am happier on wildlife safaris!
When we did a 9 week trip in 2004, we had about 5 weeks of continuous safari and I could have happily done another 5 weeks, game drives (or walks or mekoro trips) every morning and afternoon. I loved it!
But I have a friend, a keen traveller, who says "once you've seen one elephant backside you've seen them all"! GASP! But each to their own. He prefers East Asia and loves temples, street markets and other attractions. I like those too but am happier on wildlife safaris!
Oct 29th, 2009, 03:50 AM
#27
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I am so relieved. After reading all of the glowing reports of most posters on this board regarding their safari experiences, I was actually starting to feel that there was something wrong with me that I did not "get it". The reason I posted my question was because I felt I was missing something and i wanted to find out what it was that I did not get. Well it's great to know there are others out there who like the safari experience, but would just as soon skip a game drive to wash their hair (I confess now that I did this instead of one of the game drives) or who would just as soon game sit as go out in a vehicle. You guys are great. My faith in my own judgement has been restored. Thanks.
Oct 29th, 2009, 06:45 AM
#28
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It takes all kinds. If my vehicle-mates all decided to stay behind and wash their hair, that would be fine with me. Maybe I'd end up in a private vehicle, then.
If every traveler wanted to do nothing but safaris, the price would be driven up beyond the reach of the rest of us. A variety of interests serves us all.
One of the strengths of Africa (at least the parts that most of us visit) is that it is multifaceted. The wildlife is its big draw, but the people are wonderful, their culture is fascinating, the scenery is beautiful, the food is fresh and delicious, there are world renowned cities with unique museums, there are mountains to climb, rivers to paddle, rapids to shoot, bridges to bungee-jump, both short and long hikes, or you can just escape into the wilderness.
If every traveler wanted to do nothing but safaris, the price would be driven up beyond the reach of the rest of us. A variety of interests serves us all.
One of the strengths of Africa (at least the parts that most of us visit) is that it is multifaceted. The wildlife is its big draw, but the people are wonderful, their culture is fascinating, the scenery is beautiful, the food is fresh and delicious, there are world renowned cities with unique museums, there are mountains to climb, rivers to paddle, rapids to shoot, bridges to bungee-jump, both short and long hikes, or you can just escape into the wilderness.
Oct 29th, 2009, 07:26 AM
#31
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Shelleyk,
No doubt we all have a variety of interests. Though a safari is influenced by more than just 'seeing' the animals. I have been fortunate enough to go on a number of safaris and work in the industry.
You mention that you are a keen walker, there are plenty of safaris that will offer both canoeing and a walking/hiking experience. Though the number of animals you will see are not as great.
In addition, I would be interested to hear about the quality of your guides. I admit, parking up and just watching can be a little boring. If you guide brings the subject alive, it becomes a whole new world.
No doubt we all have a variety of interests. Though a safari is influenced by more than just 'seeing' the animals. I have been fortunate enough to go on a number of safaris and work in the industry.
You mention that you are a keen walker, there are plenty of safaris that will offer both canoeing and a walking/hiking experience. Though the number of animals you will see are not as great.
In addition, I would be interested to hear about the quality of your guides. I admit, parking up and just watching can be a little boring. If you guide brings the subject alive, it becomes a whole new world.
Oct 29th, 2009, 08:56 AM
#32
I like to quietly watch the animals whether from vehicle, on foot or even from a chair with a glass of wine in my hand. I like the sounds and the smells. I have always enjoyed the company of my guides. I find the entire experience rejuvenating (except the tsetse bites!). I only wish there was a way to get more exercise on safari. Normally I get up and go for a run every morning, but I am not--no way--doing that on safari. Don't want anything running after me.
We're all different and our holidays should be a pleasure. Don't worry if you didn't love it.
We're all different and our holidays should be a pleasure. Don't worry if you didn't love it.
Oct 29th, 2009, 03:55 PM
#33
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Last year in Tanzania, one of our group was a triathlon athlete. She went out at a couple of the campswith an armed Masai warrior. I'm not sure if she ran, or if they just "power-walked." She thought it was a fantastic experience! She was also able to do some mountain biking at Maramboi Camp along the eastern shore of Lake Manyara.
Oct 29th, 2009, 06:01 PM
#34
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ooooh, daybeds, you are a genius Patty. And an ocassional foot massage while peering thru binocs.
Seriously Shelley, I'll bet you might be more sold if you went to certain lodges in Botswana and had experienced more walking, canoeing, or chasing a pack of pack of wild dogs on a hunt. I'm just guessing you didn't have an ideal experience or you'd be more sold. I like old churches, local markets, Asian temples, the French Riviera, Indian culture, and I love all museumns. But nothing quite beats a lion kill or an elephant swimming across the Zambezi.
Seriously Shelley, I'll bet you might be more sold if you went to certain lodges in Botswana and had experienced more walking, canoeing, or chasing a pack of pack of wild dogs on a hunt. I'm just guessing you didn't have an ideal experience or you'd be more sold. I like old churches, local markets, Asian temples, the French Riviera, Indian culture, and I love all museumns. But nothing quite beats a lion kill or an elephant swimming across the Zambezi.
Oct 30th, 2009, 05:59 AM
#35
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lbj2-We had three different guides on three different days. I have no basis of comparison, as this was our first safari experience, but I would say compared to each other one guide was pretty bad, one was ok and one was very good. The one I considered bad said his specialty was walking safaris, so he stopped quite a lot to show us elephant and rhino tracks in the road, trees pushed over by the elephants, as well as rhino dung. As a matter of fact, we got a 5 minute talk on the difference between black rhino dung and white rhino dung, including visuals. I must say, examining rhino dung did not posiviely contribute to my safari experience, although others might find it interesting.. In addition, more game was spotted by my DH and 2 other people in our vehicle than by the guide, but they were up higher and had a better view than the guide/driver. The other 2 guides were much better at spotting game. As I said before, we did see many hundreds of animals, we got some good background on the animals from the guides, and we got some great photos, so I guess i have no right to complain about the guides. I think it is just me. I found the experience to be too much of the same thing after the first couple of hours.
Oct 31st, 2009, 02:04 AM
#36
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Reliving it for as long as possible! What a sensational question and what a fabulous range of responses to dwell over. We have just returned from San Francisco and New York and Washington DC and New Hampshire but I am not feeling the same as I did after our Tanzanian safari last year. I am back here on this forum for a start!
Oct 31st, 2009, 04:13 AM
#37
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Hi Shelley,
A safari is medicine for me ,is a cure for my soul. This feeling is not easy to explain but....
If you like umbrella acacia , baobad or sycamore trees,
if you like the color of the mopane leaf or the little bee eater,
if you like the sound of lions roaring or frogs singing at night,
if you like the smell of rain and the cool wind touching your face,
if you like to watch slender mongooses playing or red lewche fighting,
if you like to go away from roads ,electric lines or four story buildings,
if you like open spaces or the feel of sand dunes under you feet,
if you do not mind flying termites inside your tent or ciccadas in your wine glass,
if you do not need to see lions,leopards ,cheetahs or wild dogs to enjoy your drive,
if you like all those things.... then a safari is the ultimate experience and 4 hours out in the bush are better than 2 and 14 days are better than 7.
If you like wildebeest,baboons,warthogs,marabou storks and hyenas ..... then you have a problem ,you have African addiction and, if you are not in Africa ,you will need your daily African dose.... either visiting this forum,retouching a bunch of old pictures or reading the blog of a wildlife guide.
But you should give it another chance Shelley.... try to see a Rhino in the Ngorongoro Crater,and orix in the Namib Desert, a journey of giraffes in the Okavango and a crossing in the Mara.
Paco
A safari is medicine for me ,is a cure for my soul. This feeling is not easy to explain but....
If you like umbrella acacia , baobad or sycamore trees,
if you like the color of the mopane leaf or the little bee eater,
if you like the sound of lions roaring or frogs singing at night,
if you like the smell of rain and the cool wind touching your face,
if you like to watch slender mongooses playing or red lewche fighting,
if you like to go away from roads ,electric lines or four story buildings,
if you like open spaces or the feel of sand dunes under you feet,
if you do not mind flying termites inside your tent or ciccadas in your wine glass,
if you do not need to see lions,leopards ,cheetahs or wild dogs to enjoy your drive,
if you like all those things.... then a safari is the ultimate experience and 4 hours out in the bush are better than 2 and 14 days are better than 7.
If you like wildebeest,baboons,warthogs,marabou storks and hyenas ..... then you have a problem ,you have African addiction and, if you are not in Africa ,you will need your daily African dose.... either visiting this forum,retouching a bunch of old pictures or reading the blog of a wildlife guide.
But you should give it another chance Shelley.... try to see a Rhino in the Ngorongoro Crater,and orix in the Namib Desert, a journey of giraffes in the Okavango and a crossing in the Mara.
Paco
Oct 31st, 2009, 02:40 PM
#38
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Paco, you capture very well how I feel but I realise that for some people the experience doesn't capture their soul. This isn't to say that they don't have a soul, more that the strings therein vibrate to a different music. Perhaps the experience Shelley was looking for may have been found in a different type of safari somewhere else in Africa but perhaps not.
I also re visit and re touch old photos, ones I've seen many times before take on a different meaning each time I open them up.
I also re visit and re touch old photos, ones I've seen many times before take on a different meaning each time I open them up.
Oct 31st, 2009, 04:59 PM
#39
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Shelley, I was wondering why you did a safari in the first place. For many of us our first time was a lifelong dream. Amd many of us are lifelong animal/wildlife lovers.
Did you go just to go to Africa in general, was it a "notch" on your travel list, or had you always wanted to do a safari, or see the Big 5 in person?
Did you go just to go to Africa in general, was it a "notch" on your travel list, or had you always wanted to do a safari, or see the Big 5 in person?
Nov 1st, 2009, 04:43 AM
#40
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LAleslie-I have been travelling extensively for the last 20 years, both independently and on tours, 2-3 foreign trips per year. As I travelled, I found that I was most interested in the architecture, culture and scenery of the country I was visiting.
This is not to say I do not appreciate wildlife. In the US, until two years ago, we camped almost every summer for 2 weeks in a pop up camper. We have visited most of the US national parks (not camping) where I enjoyed seeing the wildlife (bears in Yellowstone and Glacier) as well as the beautiful scenery. I live in an area where we have deer in our backyard at times, so it's not that I do not appreciate wildlife, but that was not the main objective of this trip.
First, South Africa was never at the top of my wish list or I would have visited the country before 2009. Second, I did not know if I would enjoy a trip that was all safari, so I chose a 13 day tour that included 4 days in Capetown, one day in Hluhluwe Game Reserve, one day in Swaziland, 2 days in Kruger and 2 days in Johanesburg. We flew from Capetown to Durban. All the rest of the travel, from one place to the other, was by bus, thus I got a good overview of what South Africa looks like. The scenery was beautiful, the stops between major destinations were interesting, we got to meet some local people, see a local school, visit 2 townships as well as have 17 hours on safari, with the oportunity for people to have 6 more hours on safari if they desired. All in all, the trip was what I had anticipated, but the safari experience was not the high point of the trip. I am glad I experienced it, but as I said, to me it was less interesting than some of the other things we did, including visiting Kirstenbach Gardens in Capetown. I am sure there are some readers who are thinking, how can one compare seeing finbush and blooming protea to seeing elephants. But I enjoyed both experiences equally, although in different ways.
This is not to say I do not appreciate wildlife. In the US, until two years ago, we camped almost every summer for 2 weeks in a pop up camper. We have visited most of the US national parks (not camping) where I enjoyed seeing the wildlife (bears in Yellowstone and Glacier) as well as the beautiful scenery. I live in an area where we have deer in our backyard at times, so it's not that I do not appreciate wildlife, but that was not the main objective of this trip.
First, South Africa was never at the top of my wish list or I would have visited the country before 2009. Second, I did not know if I would enjoy a trip that was all safari, so I chose a 13 day tour that included 4 days in Capetown, one day in Hluhluwe Game Reserve, one day in Swaziland, 2 days in Kruger and 2 days in Johanesburg. We flew from Capetown to Durban. All the rest of the travel, from one place to the other, was by bus, thus I got a good overview of what South Africa looks like. The scenery was beautiful, the stops between major destinations were interesting, we got to meet some local people, see a local school, visit 2 townships as well as have 17 hours on safari, with the oportunity for people to have 6 more hours on safari if they desired. All in all, the trip was what I had anticipated, but the safari experience was not the high point of the trip. I am glad I experienced it, but as I said, to me it was less interesting than some of the other things we did, including visiting Kirstenbach Gardens in Capetown. I am sure there are some readers who are thinking, how can one compare seeing finbush and blooming protea to seeing elephants. But I enjoyed both experiences equally, although in different ways.
