{"id":31389,"date":"2019-01-09T06:00:19","date_gmt":"2019-01-09T14:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/?p=30856"},"modified":"2025-08-16T13:31:19","modified_gmt":"2025-08-16T20:31:19","slug":"safari-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/safari-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"11 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOUR FIRST SAFARI"},"content":{"rendered":"

So you\u2019ve finally booked that safari trip you have been dreaming of since your teens (that was certainly the case for me!). Whether it\u2019s your honeymoon, annual holiday, a girls getaway<\/a> or the next item to tick off your bucket list, a safari is such a unique trip. To ensure you make the most of it, here are 11-what-to-know before your first safari.<\/p>\n

\"What<\/p>\n

1) KHAKI<\/h3>\n

Ever wondered why everyone ever pictured on safari is dressed in khaki? Turns out it\u2019s not just for the Tarzan-aesthetic but in fact recommended by your safari guide.<\/p>\n

Khaki, greens, browns, and greys are the go-to colours for the bush and help you blend in with your surroundings so as not to disturb the wildlife (and attract more sightings). This is a MUST if you are on foot as any bright colours will scare away all animals, which is the whole reason you came on safari right?!<\/p>\n

That being said, when in your safari jeep you can tend to get away without dressing like a Wild Thornberry as animals perceive the vehicle as one being rather than lots of humans.<\/p>\n

\"What<\/p>\n

2) DO NOT MISS A WALKING SAFARI<\/h3>\n

Without a doubt, this was the best part of my safari trip. Getting on foot opens a whole new world up and instead of being a spectator in the jeep, you suddenly become part of the drama.<\/p>\n

Of the three walking safaris we took, one included being surrounded by two elephant herds, the next lead us to a rare sighting of a leopard after tracking a hyena pack, and the third walk had us trekking barefoot through a river with crocodiles and hippos.<\/p>\n

All of which were accompanied by two guides, their guns and a strong set of rules that must be followed. 1. Never run. 2. Always follow the guide\u2019s instruction. 3. Walk in a single file line. 4. No talking while walking.<\/p>\n

\"What<\/p>\n

3) BINNY = BINOCULARS<\/h3>\n

This may have just been in South Africa but all the locals, guides and South African residents referred to their binoculars as \u2018binnies.\u2019 And what\u2019s more, this item is a necessity. Lions won\u2019t just be parading up to your jeep, you\u2019re going to need to track them down in the far distance.<\/p>\n

I arranged my safari trip very last minute so borrowed binoculars from my parents (as well as the ultimate khaki safari hat, thanks Dad). But if you are into your wildlife or have been saving for this trip forever, consider investing in a decent pair as you wouldn\u2019t want cheap blurry binoculars to prevent a rare leopard sighting.<\/p>\n

\"What<\/p>\n

4) BRING A JUMPER<\/h3>\n

Early starts to spot animals mean you will be up and out before sunrise and although you may be in a hot continent, it surprised me just how cold it was before the sun came up.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m a cold-blooded human and needed a t-shirt, fleece, jacket, and blanket in the morning while my warm-blooded travel partner survived perfectly with just a jumper (Side note: I was freezing on the beach in Australia in the height of summer, drama Queen).<\/p>\n

\"What<\/p>\n

5) IT TAKES TIME<\/h3>\n

Thankfully you\u2019re on safari and not at the zoo. This does mean that you will have to be patient and keep your eyes peeled for animals.<\/p>\n

Depending on where you go on safari will also affect how often and what your sightings are. We opted for the far North of Kruger National Park in South Africa and did not see a single tourist, but it also meant sometimes we had to wait longer to spot that elephant footprint and thus the herd.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve also heard of the opposite, where animal sightings are like trips to the zoo which also includes traffic jams of tourists queuing for their turn.<\/p>\n

\"What<\/p>\n

6) SAY YES TO YOUR GUIDE<\/h3>\n

For each game drive or walking safari you do, you will have a guide. At our lodge<\/a>, we were assigned the same guide for the duration of our trip which meant he got to know us and could tailor our experiences.<\/p>\n

On our penultimate evening, our guide asked if we wanted to go for a walk by the river in the morning. Slightly exhausted by this point of the trip we could have easily opted to sit down in the jeep for our final morning but, ever the enthusiasts we agreed and ended up knee deep with crocodiles \u2013 an experience we would have never had in the car.<\/p>\n

So if your guide has a wacky plan or asks if you are interested in a sunset hike always say yes (otherwise you may as well be watching David Attenborough on your sofa)!<\/p>\n

\"What<\/p>\n

7) ZOOM LENS<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re reading this we can assume you are into photography, whether it is snaps for your social media, or you enjoy it on a more professional level having a good lens is key for a safari.<\/p>\n

Thankfully my wildlife-nerd-Dad came to the rescue with this one. Again, because we had booked the safari so last minute we hadn\u2019t even considered zoom lenses until my Dad mentioned we could borrow his, what a life saver.<\/p>\n

A zoom lens enabled us to capture truly amazing moments which we couldn\u2019t have done on our regular (20 mm \u2013 55mm) lens or phone. We used a 55 – 250 mm lens which was perfect for snapping animals in the distance but not too bulky when on foot. There were some rather hysterical members in our safari group who\u2019s super-duper-zoom lens could almost tickle the animals yet their photos weren\u2019t leaps ahead of ours.<\/p>\n

When justifying spending money on a zoom lens, just think how much money you\u2019ve spent on the safari trip itself. It seems silly not to bring home the memories.<\/p>\n

\"What<\/p>\n

8) IT\u2019S NOT A HOLIDAY<\/h3>\n

I said a similar thing about skiing<\/a>. For me a holiday = relaxing. A safari, like skiing, is not relaxing in the slightest. Sure, you can make it relaxing and opt out of a morning walk or choose to stay in for the evening game drive but where\u2019s the adventure in that?<\/p>\n

If you do a safari properly there will be a 5 am wake-up call, at least 6 hours spent in the bush and little time for chilling. Although some days will be spent sitting in the jeep for a lengthy duration, your eyes will be forever scanning the bush and heart racing when you spot an animal which means no time to nod off in the car. By the end of the day, you will roll into bed excited by the prospect of the next early morning alarm.<\/p>\n

\"What<\/p>\n

9) FOLLOW THE RULES<\/h3>\n

Your guide will explain the basics like don\u2019t jump out the jeep, don\u2019t try to touch the animals, don\u2019t litter etc, so do yourself a favor and follow these rules for the sake of your life and the animals.<\/p>\n

While on walking safari this is even more paramount! I\u2019ve heard horror stories about people \u2018doing it for the photo,\u2019 hanging out the side of the jeep next to a pack of lions. Don\u2019t be that guy.<\/p>\n

\"What<\/p>\n

10) CHOOSE YOUR ACCOMMODATION WISELY<\/h3>\n

Whether you go to Tanzania, South Africa or Sri Lanka there are going to be a variety of accommodation options for you. These will range from basic campsites to glamping to luxury honeymoon lodges.<\/p>\n

While one may assume spending big bucks means you will have a better experience, often those in the campsites have far more interaction with wildlife than the honeymooners. If you are sleeping in the heart of the bush, you are far more likely to find a giraffe nibbling your toes at breakfast than the honeymooners who opted for seclusion!<\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, if you have an option to choose your room\/tent\/spot make sure you choose one on the edge of the resort to increase your chance of accommodation animal sightings. As a rule of thumb, where there are fewer people there is more wildlife (this can also be applied to water if your accommodation has a pool, and you may find a thirsty elephant poking around the sun loungers!)<\/p>\n

\"What<\/p>\n

11) ASK SILLY QUESTIONS<\/h3>\n

If you are the only person in your group who doesn\u2019t know the difference between a baboon and a vervet monkey, ask your guide! Otherwise, you will spend the whole week sitting silently nodding your head, pointing your binoculars at the sky because you can\u2019t remember whether baboons run away from or towards their tree when a jeep approaches.<\/p>\n

If I hadn\u2019t of asked what that lump in the tree was, we would have never stopped to examine and come to realise it was the lesser-spotted-rainbow-owl (Pel\u2019s Fishing Owl). This was an incredibly rare sighting in Kruger National Park and our South African bird-enthusiast friends were buzzing to record it in their birding notepad.<\/p>\n

\"What<\/p>\n

12) BONUS TIP: CHECK THE SEASONS<\/h3>\n

We went on a last minute safari in Kruger National Park<\/a> South Africa during October which was the end of winter and noticed a lack of greenery. What would normally be a bustling water hole was instead a dried up sand patch. That\u2019s not to say we saw less wildlife! If anything, Winter means less foliage so it is easier to sight animals, while Summer is greener, so it can be harder to spot animals but visually gorgeous.<\/p>\n

In winter, the guides can confidently take you to known animal hang out spots (for predator and prey) yet during the rainy summer, the animals tend to be more widespread as their food options increase.<\/p>\n

The time of year will also impact how many other tourists you see on safari. If you are going to a public national park, opting for either side of peak season shouldn\u2019t lessen your chance of witnessing wildlife but should increase your enjoyment. I\u2019ve heard many horror stories of jeep-loads of tourists queuing to sight an elephant, with traffic jams around the water hole. You check the local season before you go!<\/p>\n

\"What<\/p>\n

Going on safari is truly incredible and totally considered to be a once in a lifetime trip (that hopefully, you can take again and again!).<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve never been on safari before why not join We Are Travel Girls Getaway in Malaw<\/a>i? This October we are taking a group on game drives in Liwonde National Park, riverboat safari spotting elephants and taking part in a community project around Lake Malawi.<\/p>\n

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Have you ever been on a safari? If you have any questions about the destination please leave these in the comments below. <\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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Our Top Places To Stay In Kruger National Park, South Africa<\/em><\/h4>\n