African Safari Experience

Safaris in Africa can either be enjoyed during the game drives, hiking or nature walks as you experience wildlife in their habitant, scenic views, community visits, etc. During your safari, in Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania, you are able to visit different parks as well as game reserves. The only difference in each safari is the accommodation, which is usually classified into budget, midrange and luxury. Your safari with us will take you to the most charming places e.g Bwindi impenetrable forest national park in Uganda, best spot in East Africa for the mountain gorillas. Furthermore, the park hosts the highest population of gorillas in the whole world making it a must visit. It is as well among the three countries in the world where gorilla trekking can be done. Masai Mara, the most popular park in Kenya, the best place to see the Big 5. Serengeti, the famous park in the Tanzania and probably all over Africa, famous for the wildebeest migration. Volcanoes national park in Rwanda is also famous for gorilla trekking however does not take a lot of time trekking since the forest is not that big compared to Bwindi. In conclusion, all countries have their charm although some countries are more affordable and accessible.

Above all, if you want to experience an African safari, you have to depend on a tour operator. Your trusted tour operator will have to arrange for everything including accommodation and meals for the whole duration of your safari. The good thing is, you can always tell them what you want to experience, what you want to see and where you want to go, such that they can design an itinerary that fits your liking. However, you have to make sure that your recommended tour operator is fully registered by the government plus other tourism board companies. This is all done in order to avoid scams or frauds that most tourists have fallen victims to.

Forms of African safaris

African safaris can be enjoyed in different forms and below are the most common ones.

Games drives

Our safari to Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda will take you to different savannah parks where you are able to spot animals while in the vehicle. This is basically done in the a 4×4 wheel drive land cruiser or tourist vehicle with a pop-up roof top where you can clearly spot animals even from a far distance. Surely, it is amazing to spot different animals in their natural habitat without being caged and the time it takes, distance, the dust, the African bad roads, all adds on the adventure. During your safari, you are free to opt for any of the drive since most parks have got morning, evening and night game drives giving you higher chances of seeing wildlife at different times. During the morning and evening hours, animals are most active and playful thereby giving you interesting scenes of animals interacting with each other. On the other hand, the night game drives, takes you in search for the nocturnal animals not easily spotted during the day times. The mornings are the best opportunity to follow fresh tracks and see wildlife, as some of the nocturnal animals are still active and drives take 3-4 hours.

While here, you are guided by an experienced armed game ranger since they are well versed with the park terrains and tracks, they exactly know the best spots for wildlife especially the cats as well as for safety reasons. Animals to spot during the game drives include; lions, leopards, elephants, warthogs, cheetahs, buffalos, jackals, giraffes, wildebeest, zebras, hippos, serval cats, civets, rhinos, different antelopes, etc. Besides, you can also opt to drive by yourself whereby you just hire a vehicle or by our guide/driver depending on your interest. However, there are rules and regulations that have to be followed during your game drives. These include; no car hooting while in the park, voices should be kept low, no littering in the park, no driving off track, etc. A penalty is given just in case these rules are broken therefore you have to follow the ranger/driver’s instructions while here. Note that, some parks are much bigger so you have to drive farther and the search for wildlife usually takes longer. Finally, don’t forget to take photos and videos to take back home for memories.

Walking safaris

This safari involves following different trails together with your assigned qualified game ranger/guide leading you to the best spots in the park to see wildlife or picturesque views. Here, parks have also got walking safaris options i.e morning and evening depending on your time of stay or visit. In both options you are able to view wildlife like zebras, buffalos, monkeys, etc at a closer view as well as come across different birds, butterflies and tree species. During this safari follow the ranger/guides instructions and always keep truck with the group to avoid different circumstances that may come up. Otherwise, don’t forget to carry binoculars for viewing distance attractions, drinking water for hydration, cameras for videos and photos for memories, etc.

Hiking safaris

Hiking is usually down in mountainous parks as well as forested parks whereby you follow different trails to your destinations. Our safaris have got national parks where you are able to do your hiking e.g Mount Rwenzori in Uganda, hiking up to Margherita peak, Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, hiking to Uhuru peak, etc. You can as well hike while doing your gorilla trekking for example in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park since it is a rift valley. Hiking also needs you to be guide by a well experienced ranger in your selected groups whereby he/she leads you to different trails to your assigned destination. However, this activity needs a person with a physical fitness, good health and has to be among the age limit needed for this activity. These hiking safaris are mostly done in the morning hours due to different reasons e.g the weather tends to be cool in the morning, you have enough light in case one gets lost, avoid congestion in one place, etc. The time taken while hiking depends on the trail used or the location of a particular attraction. For example, hiking in Bwindi while doing your gorilla trekking depends on the movements of the gorillas, where they spent their night, the sector you are trekking since they are located in different directions of the park, etc.

Required for your African safari

Wildlife guide books

Some lodges have a library but these are limited and so it is useful to bring your own books/novels for siesta hours. Having your own wildlife reference books too will mean you can also read up about more facts on the animals you have seen during your drive. Bird books in particular, if you are an avid birder, are especially good to have, as not every bird will be identified by your ranger along the way, so you can quietly look up anything you have seen and identify it yourself.

Cameras

• Taking photographs on a safari is a must, so don’t forget your camera, lens, and memory cards. Most lodges will have curio shops that will sell most types of batteries so if you run out, it’s not serious, but prices may be high. If you have a video camera, it may be a good idea to take a spare battery for this as well.

Dress code

• The dress code on safari is very relaxed, so there is no need to even consider packing dinner jackets, ties, formal shirts or cocktail dresses for your time on safari. Shorts/t-shirts are ideal for walks and the warm midday periods, but long trousers and long-sleeved shirts are a good idea to wear in the evenings to protect yourself from mosquito bites.
• Try to take neutral coloured, try to avoid taking anything white because dust will soon turn your pristine white t-shirt into a not-so-attractive dirty colour, and secondly white does attract bugs at night. Camouflage printed clothing is ok for the bush but please do not wear in towns or when crossing borders.
• If you are going on safari during a known rainy season, a waterproof jacket is obviously a good idea. You also need a hat, scarf and gloves, as it can be extremely cold when the sun goes down in the evenings, and when you first set off on the morning game drive.
• Comfortable walking shoes, trainers or hiking boots are advisable if you want to go on a bush walk – otherwise sandals are ideal to wear at meal times and around the lodge area.
• A sun hat or baseball cap, or anything really to keep the sun off your head, is a good idea to stop sunstroke when out on game drives, and also will help to shade your eyes from the sun. A good pair of sunglasses will also help you to scan the landscape for the wildlife without squinting into the sunlight.

Binoculars

• Binoculars, the ranger/driver will tend to have a pair of these always to hand, but on a sharing basis, so if you are not the sharing kind of person, better to have your own pair to use all the time.

Insect repellents

• Even in malaria-free areas, there are still nasty bugs about that can give you a nasty bite so do take some strong insect repellent with you. Some lodges will supply this in the rooms, but better to be safe than sorry and pack your own just in case.

First Aid kit

• It is always a good idea to pack your own first aid kit like plasters, antiseptic cream/wipes, antihistamine tablets, painkillers, etc. If you wear daily disposable contact lenses it is advisable to bring more than you think you will need, as you may want to take the lenses out in between game drives if you get too much dust in your eyes.

Best time for an African safari

Most of the countries included in our safaris are located near the equator and has several geographic regions meaning you can visit them throughout the year. In fact, the climate and weather conditions in Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania allows you to observe animal life almost all year round. In any case, some rain seasons rarely prevents tourists from enjoying a safari since the season has many advantages, the key ones being the absence of crowds of tourists on popular trails in the parks as well as lower hotel prices. In conclusion, tourists who go on a safari have a unique opportunity to observe all those spectacular environments that are teeming with life. Therefore, book with Ram Safaris and we shall design you the best safari ever with great African memories.