10 Things You Need to Know Before Your First African Safari
Looking for an amazing trip to add to your travel bucket list?! I cannot recommend going on an African safari enough! Here are 10 tips to help you make this trip a reality!
I want you to have the best experience possible on your safari! Here are some of my simple tips to make your trip extra special.
1. Talk to your guide
Don’t be afraid to ask questions! These safari drives are full of so much information and they are eager to share with you. Ask about the animals, terrain, food, etc. and your driver will be able to teach you a lot.
2. Bring binoculars
We brought some cheap binoculars from Amazon and they worked great! It helped us to be able to better see animals at a distance. Or bring a camera with a big lens to be able to get a deep zoom.
3. Don’t come with a checklist of what you “have” to see
Try not to set expectations for what animals you will see on your safari. No matter what you get to see, it will be amazing. We got to see so many animals that were unexpected and wonderful! You will travel dirt roads that will take you to some amazing sites.
4. Plan on tipping
Here are some of the people that you should expect to tip on your trip:
Tracker: this is the person who sits on the front of your car and tracks the animal prints for you to follow. It is recommended to tip them $5/person/day.
Driver: the person who drives your safari. It is recommended to tip them $20/day.
Staff at camp: $5-10/day
Driver from airport to camp: pay varies.
People who help with your bags
I recommend planning your tips ahead of time so you can set aside envelopes of cash for tips. Bring more cash than you’d think!
5. Safety
While on your safari ride, trust your guide!!! He knows how to read the animals better than we do.
Do not get out of the vehicle or stand up unless explicitly told by your guide.
6. Packing for your safari drives
Bring a small bag that you can use as a day pack for your safari drive. I brought this crossbody bag from Walker Family Goods! It’s perfect for carrying a light jacket, water bottle, beanie, buff, and sunglasses.
7. Pack light
Pack a lot of different light layers
Don't bring anything that requires hand washing or dry cleaning
Some camps will offer laundry services! This is so nice because you can rewear a lot of your clothes.
One of my next blog posts will be all about this!
8. Bring meds and get vaccines ahead of time
You will be completely remote. You will not have access to stores. Because of this, I brought basic medicines that we might need like ibuprofen, antibiotic cream, band aids, antacids, etc.
We also got a Z pack ahead of time in case of emergencies.
Different areas recommend different vaccines. We got typhoid vaccines and took malaria pills before the trip.
9. Be prepared for very early mornings
We had a 5:30 am wake up call and had to leave by 6 am.
It wasn’t terrible, but it’s good to be mentally prepared for the early mornings.
You will have free time in the afternoons, so you could take a nap then if needed.
10. Take pictures and enjoy the sites
I only brought my phone, and it took great pictures! Someone else in our group brought their nice camera, and they got even better shots! But a phone is sufficient if you don’t have a camera.
Take time to put your phone down and really enjoy the moment! This is such a special experience, so take time to immerse yourself in your surroundings.