Planning and Preparing for an African Safari

When planning and preparing for an African Safari there is so much to ponder about and the trip can be very tricky and daunting if not well prepared. We have highlighted a few of the things to keep in mind as you prepare for your safari adventure.

An African Safari is an authentic vacation for anyone seeking extraordinary safari experience. A large number of safaris can be customized to suit your requirements in order to get value for your money and get the utmost experience out of it. Nowadays, travelers tour the destinations to get the first hand experience, take photos as well as memorable experiences.

Many adventure seekers go to an African safari in search of the big five of Africa which includes; elephants, buffalo, leopards, lions, and rhinoceroses. Others tour for bird watching and other specific interests. The opportunity to get close to the wild animals in their natural setting is a once in a lifetime experience. Safaris can be physically demanding and exhausting, and you may not see all the wild animals you anticipated to see as the wild animals are not caged in a zoo. Thus you have to combine difference destinations to see of most of the animals.

Types of safaris
One has to take into consideration the type of safari. The major types of safari are, scheduled safaris or group safari where one can join other travelers and tailor made safari which is packaged to suit your personal budget. A safari cost is determined by the vacation destination as well as nature of holiday accommodation to use. The duration of safari is also a determinant on the safari cost as well as the season that one selects to travel. Safaris range from budget to luxury; one can possibly opt to go for a road trip safari or a flying safari package.

Where and When to go
Planning where and when to go to Africa will be determined by what you would like to see and do. Each country and holiday destination in Africa is different from the other. It is impossible to tour all the tourist attractions with limited time. One has to choose carefully on the interests and destinations that would offer the utmost experience. The ideal and best known destinations in Africa for safaris are East and Southern Africa, which provide vast plains and roaming packs of extraordinary beasts.
However the best time to travel to Africa depends on your specific destination. The appropriate time to visit is during the dry season, which corresponds with other parts of the words winter.

Passport
You will require a passport to enter into any country in Africa. The passport ought to be valid for at least 6 months after the end date of your holiday. As majority of African nations require visas for most nationalities, it is recommended that you ensure you have one blank page for every country to be toured. Therefore if the passport is getting full and you are preparing for a big overland safari, it would be a good time to renew.

Visas and Travel Insurance
It is recommended seek advice from your travel agent or verify with the embassy of the country (or countries) to be toured if your nationality requires a visa. In a number of countries one is able to obtain a visa on entry, however this is not the case for all nationalities, therefore it is advisable to find out and apply well in advance.

Sometimes it is highly recommended to insure yourself while on a holiday, having an emergency evacuation cover is essential. Cover against lost luggage, petty theft, and other unforeseeable circumstances are necessary.

Book Flights, Safari/Tour, Accommodation and Airport transfers
It is advisable to verify if everything is available before making a progress in your bookings. Verify if the flights are available on your interested season of travel. Confirm with your agent if the type of holiday accommodation is available. Check inclusions and exclusions. This is done in advance to avoid any disappointments on the day of arrival. Additionally it is advisable to ensure you have made reservations of the airport transfers if traveling to a new destination

Money and language
Check out what type of currencies is used in your choice of destination. Are ATM and credit card facilities available in your destination? Ensure you have enough cash to keep you going for the first few days – US dollars are still the currency of choice throughout most of Africa Countries.

If you are not able to speak English or a Language known by the locals it is usually advisable to request for a guide whom you will be able to communicate with.