A safari is educational, mesmerizing and thrilling. The excitement is unique. You get a fusion of feelings from a sense of adventure to the stirring anticipation of wildlife sightings. We’re finally on the road and an experience unlike any other has begun.
There are different criteria for measuring a successful safari. Some say that spotting the BIG 5 is the ultimate qualifier others feel that seeing a kill from the stalking to the eating is special while for some spotting of rare animals or witnessing an unusual wildlife occurrence is what they would rate as having had a successful safari.
Staying in the bush is like living in the wilderness. There are various types of accommodation, for different areas and times of the year. With a wide variety of choices, the experiences for each one are also different. We need to ask ourselves in what kind of an environment would we feel most comfortable. An electrically fenced property with brick walls or in a canvas tent out in the open or a mix of both brick and canvas but in a fenced area?
Lodges are different from camps. Lodges are made of brick walls and are generally larger than camps. Most will have a swimming pool, a restaurant, a bar, a gym and a curio/handy shop. There are categories here and depending on your requirement and budget, a lodge is recommended.
The food surprisingly, will be another memory that you will take home from your safari.
What you are served will depend on the choice of property that is selected i.e. luxury or budget. However, let me add here that even budget hotels offer a spread that will surpass international standards in a similar category.
Your own meal preference or restrictions on certain foods will also determine where you stay and what you eat. You may inform us in advance of any special request or dietary restriction and this will be catered for while you are on safari. Also, all the meat served is halal.
The day starts by 06.00, and before your early morning game drive tea coffee, hot chocolate and biscuits are served. You get back by 09.00 and then indulge in a full English breakfast that will include beans, potatoes, pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausages, cereals, bread, butter, jam, tea, coffee, fruit juices and a variety of fresh fruits.
When we think of a safari, scenes from Nat Geo Wild or Big Cat Diary flashes through our mind. If we visualize further, we may imagine a painted or pierced face, women with beaded necklaces dancing in grass skirts or some men carrying a spear while others are beating drums and children playing with monkeys and so on. It’s a surprise when you realize that the culture and the people of Africa are what you remember more than the animals that you would have seen while on your safari.
Truly, it is not only our experience but also the feedback and comments of our clients that endorse how the men, women and children that they met and interacted with, made their safari special.
There is no continent more blessed with striking beauty and diversity than the African Motherland. A welcoming smile, genuine warmth, a hearty laugh and the love of life makes a meeting unforgettable.
Shopping for local arts and crafts is an entertaining exercise. The products on display cater mainly for tourists and bargaining for a good price is part of the shopping process. There are curio shops at the lodges/camps, in Nairobi city, on the way to the various parks and at most of the park gates. The shops in the city or those in the traditional outdoor markets specialize in a particular type of handicraft i.e. baskets and bags, wood carvings of animals or thin elongated human figurines, stone carvings, textiles, masks, key chains, wooden spoons and bowls, Masai shields and spears, beaded jewelry, musical instruments etc.