What to Expect on Luxury African Safari Tours

A couple years ago we went on a couple Luxury African Safari Tours and they were the best experiences of my life. My family had wanted to go on a trip like this for a while and my parents decided that we all had the time to go. More and more people are opting to go on luxury safari tours, because they are not much more expensive than any safari trip. Read on to find out what to expect on your luxury safari tour.

Things to Expect on African Safari Tours

Long Game Drives

Most places will take you on two different game drives during the day. Usually, they’ll take you on one early in the morning and again in the evening time. The drives are usually about 4 hours and you’ll spend them searching for interesting wildlife sightings.

Rangers communicate with each other over walkie talkie so that they know if there’s an animal hunting or a rare animal sighting. We saw everything from lions chowing down on Cape buffalos to rhinos fighting by the riverside. Each drive is unique and special.

Knowledgeable Guides

It’s very hard to become a safari ranger. There are different standards and requirements in the various African countries, but they are all required to meet those standards. Our guides all loved wildlife and felt thrilled to share their knowledge with the rest of us. You can ask them questions about all the animals you’re seeing and they usually know the answers. It’s so fun to learn new things from them. 

Mid-Day Breaks

In most of the countries you’ll visit, the days can get really hot. We visited South Africa in the winter time and yet by mid-day the temperature was often in the 80s. During the middle of the day, the rangers will take you back to your lodging to rest. I usually ate lunch, worked out, or used the pool to relax.

Sundown Drinks

My favorite part of the safari was stopping for a drink at sundown. They call this ritual a “sundowner” and the rangers will stop a game drive to prepare snacks and drinks. Usually, they will find a really unique spot that is safe from wild animals to stop and watch the colors change. There’s nothing quite like watching the sun go down over the range.

Plenty of Food

One thing that I’ll remember from our safari trip was how much food we ate. Luxury African safari tours will all make sure that you are well fed. They would feed us a large breakfast in the morning, then they’d give us snacks on the drive, we’d get back to a huge lunch, eat more snacks at sundown, and have a huge dinner when we got home. They are constantly giving you food, so you’ll never worry about feeling hungry. We ate so well the entire time.

Small Charter Planes

It’s often hard to get to the safari areas and you’ll have to take a small plane to get there, because the airports are small. Most of the airports out in the safari are made up of one small building and one runway. This means that you have to get weighed before you take the flights and pack lightly. They don’t have space for extra luggage or people! It’s quite a fun experience if you aren’t afraid of flying.

Changing Weather

Whether you’re going in the summer or the winter, expect the weather to change throughout the day. When we would leave for our drives in the morning, I would need a blanket, a jacket, and a hot drink. However, by the time the drive was ending, I would be sweating and only dressed in a tank top and hiking pants. It’s so important to pack layers, because the weather will change as you drive. This way you’ll be prepared for anything.

Unforgettable Animal Views

There is truly nothing like watching the animals out in wildlife. It’s majestic and enchanting to watch them in their natural habitats. You’ll see things that you never imagined. I could go on safari a million more times, because each experience is different from the last. It’s something you’ll truly never forget. 

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