Ah the safari. Probably the most thought of tourist
adventure in Africa. It's not just driving around with giant camera lenses or rich westerners spending tens-of-thousands
to liven up their trophy collection either. Safaris can range from the classic game drive through a national park,
to cruising a river hippo-watching, or walking the trail of elephants. It’s
about finding the most authentic African wildlife experience.
As any guide will tell you, game spotting is literally a game. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. I might see lions and leopards where you see nothing more
than a few common impala. Good thing
though is even if you lose, the game is half the fun. And if you sign up for as
many safaris as I did, you’re bound to win at some point. I’ve done my best to
summarize both the safaris and animal encounters I had in Southern Africa.
Grab your binoculars, these sites are not to be
missed.
Kruger National Park- South Africa
Game drive
You can’t go past a Southern Africa experience
without visiting the world renowned Kruger. Regarded as one of the best
places for the big 5 (lion, buffalo, leopard, rhino and elephant)- Kruger certainly delivers. I saw the greatest animal variety here, and was lucky enough to see
some more difficult to find animals like the leopard. It's also very clean, comfortable and easy to access. Kruger is absolutely
fantastic, my only criticism is that everyone knows it. It was the most crowded
and developed of all the parks I visited. The loaded lunch stops, crowds of
tourists and safari traffic jams did detract from the authenticity
of the experience. I wouldn't leave Kruger off any holiday itinerary though.
Animals: 10/10
Experience: 7/10
Overall: 8/10
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| White rhinos are easy to spot in this big 5 paradise |
Hwange National Park- Zimbabwe
Game drive
Hwange is not only the biggest game reserve in
Zimbabwe, it is also the former home to the sadly deceased Cecil the lion. Even though the Cecil glory days are over, Hwange holds some serious
appeal. It was by far the most raw safari of the lot. We didn't see a lot of other tourists, the campsite felt like a part of the park and an awesome lookout offered a place to sit back for hours and watch various animals interact by a water hole. Other than a sleepy cheetah in the grass, I wasn’t overly lucky with
animal sightings here. It was the charm of the safari experience that made it
unforgettable. The passionate but chilled out guides gave us great info about the animals, plant life, traditional practices and hunting problems. They even came and picked us up after
hours for an off-the-books night drive. They promoted the ‘forget your camera, enjoy the
moment’ experience. I don’t have pictures to show how powerful
Hwange is, but without the urgency to take a perfect picture, my time there was actually
much more memorable.
Animals: 7/10
Experience: 9/10
Overall: 9/10
Antelope Park, Zimbabwe
Animal encounter
This private park is popular for voluntourism, lion
walks and elephant rides. Not as authentic as seeing animals in a national
park, it's more for tourists than real game enthusiasts. Here is a great place for a relaxing getaway and good photo ops. This type of animal tourism has it controversies. I for one don't believe elephants are for riding and I don't like
places that offer it. To my understanding the animal treatment in this park is
considered to be very ethical, but it's hard to tell from the surface and the folks at Hwange
weren't overly impressed. It was however one of my favourite
experiences horse riding alongside zebras, wildebeest and
giraffes. Not to mention waking up to wild horses eating the food at our
campsite! The animal encounters were also much cheaper than at the more popular
Victoria Falls further up in Zimbabwe.
Animals: 4/10
Experience: 8/10
Overall: 6/10
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| Watching wildlife is more fun on horseback |
Chobe National Park, Botswana
River safari
If you like hippos, the Chobe River by boat is your
calling. You can do classic game rivers in Chobe National Park, but my aim was to try every
type of safari experience so I had to sneak in a river trip. This was great to
see water life like crocodiles and hippos, as well as buffalo, elephants and
bird life alongside the edges of the river. Although after about the 100th or so hippo it did stop being as exciting. It was a relaxing afternoon of sitting back and watching for game, followed by a stunning sunset. I liked doing this in addition to game drives for different scenery and animals. It is worth noting that it was almost unbearably hot under the searing sun. Definitely
worth it to see all those slightly terrifying but equally as cute hippos. Just don't forget the sunscreen.
Animals: 6/10
Experience: 6/10
Overall: 6/10
 |
| Hippo lovers will be in heaven on the Chobe River |
Okavango Delta, Botswana
By foot the sprawling ecosystems of the delta were
an absolute adventure to explore. It’s a surreal experience peering over hills and through
trees to see an elephant from eye level without the protection of a car. The delta is one of the most
peaceful places I’d ever been and even though it’s not the best way to see lots
of animals, it was a lot of fun. The guides were great at explaining the
landscape and keeping us from getting too close to wildlife or lost. I took a flight over the delta to get a better feel for the ecosystems and animal
life overall- this is a great option if (unlike me) you have a strong stomach
for rocky flights. I preferred the walking.
Animals: 5/10
Experience: 8/10
Overall: 7/10
 |
| Watching wild elephants on foot |
Tofo Beach, Mozambique
Ocean Safari
I've written about how beach life defines tourism in Mozambique, and this is no exception. Dive schools in Tofo
take boats out to sea every day and comb sections of the ocean on the lookout
for sea life. When they find something exciting, tourists jump in and snorkel to get the best view.
Whale sharks and manta rays are the prime target of these trips. I didn't see
either when I went, but was lucky enough to see humpback whales, including a
mother feeding her young. Each trip takes a couple of hours but, like any
safari, holds no guarantee of seeing life. Guides will remind you it's not a
zoo and they can't plan what sea life you may or may not see. It's a bit of a
gamble and two hours in ocean waves could be a bit much for some. It is also a lot of fun though. Water resistant sunscreen is essential.
Animals: 6/10
Experience: 7/10
Overall: 7/10
 |
| So much life to find in the beaches around Tofo |
Etosha National Park, Namibia
Game drive
Etosha is the perfect combination of animal life, serenity,
intriguing landscape and exciting adventure. I’m a huge lover of arid terrain
so Namibia’s deserts really appealed to me. The wildlife was also diverse and easy to find. Not a lot of moments can top
watching baby lion cubs playing at the foot of a tree. The park was huge,
unique and endlessly open of opportunities. I’d go back and explore this place
for weeks. Of course I’m going to recommend that if you have the chance, go to
every safari on the continent twice over. However, for an overall experience I
can’t speak more highly of Etosha. Vast and open,
popular and comfortable, while still feeling secluded and authentic. Do not miss.
Animals: 9/10
Experience: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
 |
| Wilderbeest in action running through Etosha |
Lion Park, South Africa
Animal encounter
Conveniently located in Johannesburg, the Lion Park is a fun tourist attraction, but far from any kind of national park or sanctuary. Here you can get close up views of animals including lions, cheetahs, hyenas and zebras. The park offers game drives, feeding tours and animal interaction and play at very affordable rates. While the animals are not
living in the wild, last year the death of a tourist who left her car window down while driving in the
park is a tragic reminder to always exercise caution around lions. The Lion
Park, and other similar parks in Africa, receive a lot of criticism from animal
activists. Basically, to meet the demands of lion tourism,
many adult lions are sifted into the canned hunting industry after they have
reached their cuteness expiry date. You can read or watch the work of Blood Lions in uncovering the nasty secrets
of lion tourism, but it will put you off places like this. I don't know of this parks involment in feeding canned hunting, and had no luck getting information from them. I did have a great
day in the park and got some cool pictures, but I rate this place the lowest
because of the potentially sketchy animal practices.
Animals: 5/10
Experience: 6/10
Overall: 4/10
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| Cubs are tame enough to play with in the Lion Park |
Otjitotongwe Cheetah Guest Farm, Namibia
Animal encounter
Unless you’re
driving really early or late at night on a safari, you’re unlikely to see more
than a rare sleepy cheetah in the shade. There were no shortage of cool
cheetah sightings in Otjitotongwe Farm, but it’s not exactly seeing animals in
their natural element. The farm offers daily interactions with three cheetahs
tamed by the friendly family owners. Like the Lion Park, Otjitotongwe is a
prime place for getting close to big cats, as well as getting that post-card
worthy animal photo. It was less commercial than the lion park and the family
are very passionate about caring for the cats, but it still receives some criticism for its practices. After
playing with cheetahs, visitors are driven through the wild section of the park
and watch the un-tame cheetahs leap for fresh meat thrown from the car. It’s exciting
to watch them so close and this is a prime time for perfect photos. The farm
also offers a big outdoor swimming pool which you will be very grateful for
after enduring a long day in Namibia’s relentless heat. I wouldn’t miss this
place if you’re a big-cat enthusiast like I am, but I certainly wouldn’t
recommend it more than going to an actual national park and searching for a
wild cheetahs.
Animals: 6/10
Experience: 7/10
Overall: 7/10
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| Up close and personal with Cheetahs |
Based in Johannesburg, I spent 5 months living, studying and exploring Southern Africa. Most of my animal experiences were through overlanding with acacia, with some solo and group travel on the side.
I've written a lot about my favourite places in Africa. You can check out my other posts on your right or follow my past and upcoming Asian adventure on my other blog ditchedinasia.
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