Anyone in here been in a safari ? What did you think to it ?

[Stuckinthemiddlewithyouuhoh]

Thinking of booking one

We did one last Christmas in Sabi Sands in South Africa. By far the best holiday of my life.

I did one a couple of weeks ago in South Africa, had an amazing time. I would definitely recommend.

I did one in Kenya combined with a week on the beach and had a great time. Breakfast room got raided by a troupe of monkeys at one point.

Yes I’ve been to a few and loved them. I’d recommend going to a private safari with accommodation where they can take you out at good times and it feels a bit less touristy. The main parks can get quite crowded and then you’re just following other safari groups round tracks.

It’s amazing but 3/4 nights is enough IME

Absolutely incredible. Have been lucky enough to go three times and each one has had a lasting effect on my life.

Best holiday I’ve ever had and I’ve been lucky enough to have many, varied experiences all over the world. Would not hesitate to recommend.

Check what the vehicles will be that you’d be going out in, and also the times of the game drives. Normally (very) early morning then back for breakfast, and out again late afternoon/sunset. So the middle of the day is fairly free - what is important to you - Swimming pool, hides, other activities?

Yes it was incredible.

Going against the grain here…

We did Madikwe in South Africa. Maybe 4 nights.

I didn’t Get It. You’ve seen one rhino, you’ve seen them all. Endless zebras and giraffes and elephants. We did get about 5 metres from a roaring lion and that was remarkable but, IDK, it just didn’t feel real and so thus not awe inspiring?

I’m aware it could just be me being a miserable cow though!

My friend said the same thing!

We did Madikwe and Pilansberg, 4 days each back to back. It was fab . I loved it. My animal mad then 7 year old loved it. DH and 13yo also very much enjoyed too.

Great taste in friends 😉

Paid a fortune to sit in a cage on the back of a jeep 1997, serengeti. When we pulled back into base the chinese tour group took photos of us and made monkey noises and pushed bananas through the bars

The scenery was ok

Been twice - Tanzania (+ Zanzibar if you want a beach break) more than 20 years ago and Namibia more recently. Namibia was amazing - we saw 25+ species (inc wild dogs, jackals, ibex, rhinos, warthogs, giraffes, zebras, hartebeest, kudu, wildebeest and a lot of elephants) and got really close to leopards, lions and cheetahs. We also saw a ghost town and some amazing scenery. We went with a local company called Mannor Safaris

Private game reserve in SA.
Absolutely incredible.

Saw tonnes of baby rhinos 🥰 a range of big 5 going abiut their business including an old giraffe fighting off a lion and elephants on a stampede.
We watched also family of lions and cubs play at a water hole as the sunset which was magical!

Truly incredible holiday i cant wait to take my kids!!!

We did the Masai Mara in the late 80’s it was incredible.

Looking at taking DD to South Africa in the future.

Have been to Madikwe 3 times. We love, love, love it! Such a moment of peace in busy lives and found the immersion in nature incredible. Can't wait to save up and go again!

I've been to Kenya (Masi Mara) and Botswana (Chobe and the Okavango Delta). Absolutely amazing but costs a fortune!

It’s the best thing I have ever done in my life.
Utterly awe inspiring.
i went Kruger in SA, Hwange in Zimbabwe , Chobe and the Okavango Delta in Botswana .. Botswana was the best.

It was the best holiday we ever had, even though it was 10 years ago. But they are not cheap, and you need to pay the absolute maximum you can afford - this means that you have access to the best drivers and guides, plus you want to be no more than 6 guests to a (roof-free) vehicle, so that you have the best viewing opportunities. Some companies pack in too many people.
I would recommend Aardvark Safaris, who will discuss everything with you and tailor to your requirements.

Thank you for the replies, I'm going to look into this, it sounds great , ideally I want 4 days safari then onto the beach thinking either dianii or zanzibar

It was INCEDIBLE, we went to Botswana and Zimbabwe, we went to Mauritius after which i liked but didn't love, I think largely because very few things can compare to the safari experience.

I agree - a safari is a life changing experience.
And 3-4 days is the max you can comfortably do.

First went with my partner (now DH) to Kenya Masai Mara and saw the migration in 2002 and onto Diani. Dreamt of returning to Africa for another Safari ever since.

Finally able to afford to take our young adult children last August to Southern Tanzania and onto Zanzibar.

Agree - spend as much as you can for exclusivity.

Stay in accommodation on a national park, you drive out at sunrise and get the best quiet time in the park, then the ‘out of towners’ arrive mid morning in overly stuffed mini vans and you can avoid them!
I’m British, but briefly lived in West Africa as a teenager, which I loved. Personally I lost my heart to Tanzania, it was full of friendly, welcoming people with great humour and pride in their beautiful country.

If you go, buy a decent camera! And don’t forget to pack the battery chargers! And check you have an SD card! (All things that happened to us or people we know!)

I did 11 weeks overland from Nairobi to Cape Town, so did various safaris, including Ugandan mountains for gorillas, Ngorogoro Crater, Lake Nakuru, Serengeti, somewhere in Malawi, Okovango Crater, which included a walking safari, during which I trod on a live snake (suspect it was dying, though.) Sossusvlei. Others I can't remember the names of just now. Woke up to hippo footprints right next to the tent somewhere on the Caprivi Strip. I mostly camped, but you can use hotels.

I loved it, but I'm happy to spot wildlife here, too, and can name lots of wild flowers and birds and so on here. If it doesn't interest you, don't do it.

But if you do, it's fab.