Types Of Safaris
Types Of Safaris
Lodge Safaris
Lodge Safaris Are Simply Safaris Using Lodges Or Camps For Accommodation. Some Safaris Mix Lodges With Fixed Tented Camps, Or Camps With Chalets Or Bungalows, Providing A Greater Range Of Experience For Their Guests.
Mobile Tented Camp Safaris
Private And Group Mobile Tented Camp Safaris Are, In My Opinion, One Of The Best Ways To Experience The Bush And A Great Way Of Getting Off The Beaten Track.
Having Hippo Grazing By Your Tent At Night Or Elephant Walking Through Your Camp By Day Is An Experience Not To Be Missed! When Under The Guidance Of A Professional Guide, This Is Not As Dangerous As It Might Sound. Animals Will Almost Never Try To Enter A Closed Tent Unless Tempted By The Smell Of Food. If You Keep The Tent Flaps Closed At Night, You Are Generally Just As Safe As If You Were Staying In A Bungalow Or Chalet. So Why Not Go Where The Excitement Is! Tanzania, Zimbabwe And Botswana Are Excellent Coun¬tries For Mobile Tented Safaris; Kenya And Zambia Are Also Good Destinations For This Type Of Safari. Mobile Tented Safaris Range From Deluxe To First Class, Midrange And Budget (Participation) Safaris.
Deluxe Mobile Tented Camp Safaris
Deluxe Mobile Tented Camp Safaris Are The Epitome Of Mobile Safaris. Each Tent Has A Private Bush (Bucket) Shower And Toilet Tent. Food And Service Are Excellent. Camp Atten¬dants Take Care Of Everything, Including Bringing Hot Water For Your Shower. Camp Is Usually Set In Remote Areas Of Parks And Reserves, Providing A True Out Of Africa Experience.
These Are Similar To Deluxe Safaris Except That The Tents Are A Little Smaller, Yet Very Comfortable; Less Expensive Table¬ware May Be Used, There Are Not Quite As Many Staff, And There Is A Separate Bush Shower (Hot Water) And Toilet Tent For One Or Two Sleeping Tents.
Midrange Mobile Tented Camp Safaris
Comfortable (And Less Expensive) Midrange Mobile Tented Safaris Are Available In A Number Of Countries. Like Deluxe And First-Class Mobile Tented Safaris, Camp Staff Take Care Of All The Chores. The Difference Is That The Tents Are A Bit Smaller But Are Still Large Enough In Which To Stand. The Food And Service Is Very Good, And Guests From One To Three Sleeping Tents May Share One Toilet Tent And One Shower Tent With (Hot Water) Facilities. For A Party Of Four, The Cost Is Usually Under $250 Per Person Per Day.
Participation Mobile Tented Camp Safaris
On Participation Mobile Tented Safaris, Participants Are Required To Help With Some Or All Of The Camp Chores. Park Campsites With Basic (If Any) Facilities Are Often Used.
The Advantage Is Price. Participation Camping Safaris Are Almost Always Less Expensive Than Lodge Safaris. However, These Are Recommended Only For Hardy Travelers With Previous Camping Experience. Most Participants Are Under Forty-Five Years Of Age. Hot Showers Are Usually Available Most Nights, But Not All.
Overland Safaris
Overland Safaris Cover Several Countries And Last From Two-Nine Months. Participants Usually Take Care Of All The Chores And Sleep In Small Pup Tents. As Many Of These Safaris Originate In Europe Where They Load Up With Supplies, Only A Small Amount Of The Money Spent For The Safari Reaches The Local People. This Places This Type Of Safari Very Low On The Ecotourism Scale.
Driving Safaris
Driving Safaris Are Simply Safaris In Which Guests Are Driven By Their Driver/Guide From Reserve To Reserve. These Are Usually Less Expensive Than Flying Safaris. However, Safariers Should Take In Account The Amount Of Time It Takes To Get From Reserve To Reserve And Whether Or Not There Will Be Something In Route That Will Be Of Interest To Them, And Compare That To The Cost Of Doing Some Or All Flying On Their Itinerary.Flying Safaris
Flying Safaris Are Safaris In Which Guests Are Flown To Or Near The Wildlife Reserves To Be Visited. They Are Then Usually Picked Up At The Airport Or Airstrip Upon Arrival And Driven Totheir Camp Or Lodge. Guides And Vehicles Are Based At The Camps And Lodges At Which They Will Be Staying.
This Type Of Safari Is Very Popular In Zimbabwe, Zambia And Botswana, And Is Taken By Many Travelers To Kenya And Tanzania. Time That Would Normally Be Spent On The Road Driving Between The Parks And Reserves May Instead Be Spent Game Viewing — The Primary Reason Why Most People Travel To Africa In The First Place! Many Safaris In Kenya And Tanzania Include Some Driving And Some Flying.
Group Safaris
Group Safaris Are In Many Cases A More Cost-Effective Way Of Experiencing The Bush Than Private Safaris (See Below). The Key For Group Safaris In Africa Is To Be Sure The Group Size Is Small. Group Size Should Be Preferably Limited, In My Opinion, To 12 Or Less Passengers (Eight Is Preferable) - And Never Over 16. Large Group Tours May Be Fine For Europe Or Asia, But Have No Place In The Bush!
Private Safaris
For Those Who Wish To Avoid Groups, A Private Safari Is Highly Recommended For Several Reasons. An Itinerary Can Be Specially Designed According To The Kind Of Experience You Want, Visiting The Parks And Reserves You Wish To See Most, And Traveling On Dates That Suit You Best. You May Spend Your Time Doing What You Wish To Do Rather Than Having To Compromise With The Group.
What Few People Realize Is That, In Many Cases, A Private Safari Need Not Cost More Than One With A Large Group. In Fact, I Have Sent Many Couples And Small Groups On Private Safaris For Not Much More (And Sometimes Less) Than Group Departures With Leading Tour Operators Offering The Same Or Similar Itinerary. If You Find This Difficult To Believe, Call Or Write Me With What You Have In Mind, And I'll Be Happy To Send You An Itinerary.
Self-Drive Safaris
In Africa, Self-Drive Safaris Are A Viable Option For General Sightseeing In Countries Such As South Africa That Have Excel¬lent Road Systems. However, Self-Drive Safaris Into Wildlife Parks And Reserves Are, In General, Not A Good Idea For Several Reasons.
One Major Disadvantage Of A Self-Drive Safari Is That One Misses The Information And Experience A Driver/Guide Can Provide. A Good Guide Is Also An Excellent Game Spotter And Knows When And Where To Look For The Animals You Wish To See Most. He Can Communicate With Other Guides To Find Out Where The Wildlife Has Most Recently Been Seen. This Also Leaves You Free To Concentrate On Photography And Game Viewing Instead Of The Road And Eliminates The Anxiety Of Perhaps Getting Lost.
Self-Drive Safaris, Especially Ones Requiring Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicles, Are Most Often More Expensive Than Joining A Group Safari. Petrol Is Generally Several Times The Cost Of What It Is In The U.S.A. Or Canada. Vehicle Rental Costs Are High, Especially Since Most Have High Mileage Charges Over And Above The Daily Rental Rate.
Finally, Self-Drive Safaris By People Without Extensive Experience In The Bush Can Be Dangerous. Lack Of Knowledge Of Wildlife And The Bush Can Result In Life-Threatening Situations. For Instance, If A Lion Sees You Out Of Your Vehicle Changing A Tire, It May Very Well Attack.
Carnet De Passage Is Required By Most Countries To Take Your Own Vehicle Across Borders Without Paying Import Duty Or Leaving A Deposit With Customs; A Carnet Must Be Purchased Before Arrival.
I Suggest You Get An International Driver's License From Your Automobile Association, As It Is Required By Most Of The Countries Covered In This Book. Contact The Tourist Offices, Consulates, Or Embassies Of The Countries In Which You Wish To Drive For Any Additional Requirements.