The Best of South Africa Safaris
Posted on Thursday, February 24th, 2011
South Africa is the best known and most visited country in southern Africa for westerners from the UK. There’s good reason for that; it’s probably most like our own country, and many Brits have relations living in South Africa. That in itself is a good reason for a visit, especially because like many others I know people who have both moved there and moved back over the course of their lives, myself included. There are plenty of people speaking English and there is a lot to do in South Africa, between the amazing countryside with numerous natural landmarks, excellent food & wine culture, and vibrant cities.
Not least of these many options is a South African safari. Because the country is so popular, you may find the safari routes slightly more crowded in high season, but I promise you it’s worth it, especially if you choose the private reserves and are treated to your own safari tours. Public reserves are open to anyone and thus somewhat cheaper for the average traveller, as they can drive themselves through and stay at the cheaper lodges within the public parks. This is great for those of us who are more independent minded or who have been to South Africa before, because you can go off and do your own thing as soon as you’ve arrived.
For the luxury traveller, however, who has gone all the way from the UK down to South Africa, it seems pretty unlikely that you’ll really want to spend your two week holiday of a lifetime driving yourself through the wilderness. You might not even see any of the ‘big five’ especially in high season. Going to a private game reserve often guarantees you an experienced tracker and a specific section of the reserve in which to go on game drives. While success is never guaranteed, there is a lot more appeal to a quieter game drive, at one with nature, than one you go on yourself surrounded by heaps of other jeeps. The private reserves can be within the larger context of the national parks, with for example the Sabi Sand Game Reserve in the Kruger. The Lion Sands Ivory Lodge is one of these lodges which takes visitors on game drives through the reserve.
So what’s to see on a South Africa safari? For one thing, it has all the ‘big five’, giving you at least the chance that you’ll be lucky enough to spot them. The country has also been working very hard to conserve their wilderness and wildlife, with conservation programs in place for over a hundred years. Even when things go wrong, or poachers are on the rise, we can trust in the many good-hearted South Africans to do their best at preserving what is fabulous for the rest of us. It’s a lot easier to be a responsible traveller in South Africa than it is in much of the rest of Africa.
So, what do you have to say about my favourite country? Let me know in the comments your tips, tricks, and great ideas for a South African safari.
