For all of our ways of dividing the world up into categories, there is one clear one we can see: Those who have been lucky enough to be on safari in Africa, and those who are missing out. A truly unforgettable experience, whilst it has similarities in some ways to other experiences around the world, it cannot be really explained to those who haven’t experienced it.
And yet, we’ll give it a go!
The Wake Up Call
Early mornings are often dreaded in our regular lives. On safari though, that dread becomes anticipation. You wake up refreshed and ready after a good night’s sleep, and most importantly, you are keen to get out of bed. Whilst the bed might be seductive, the real action is taking place outside.
The accommodation you choose to stay at will change your morning experience. For some, they will awake to the gentle flap of comfortable canvas tents and the sound of bird calls. For others, cocooned in their glass and stone villas, it might be the excitement in the air or the gentle sound of a coffee pot being placed on your front doorstep. From here, the routine largely converges. It’s a visit to the bathroom, and then a stop to take in the view of outside. Sometimes that happens at the same time, a so called “loo with a view”. That view, of the natural world and without human intrusion, reminds you of where you are. Most importantly, that view brings with it a sense of promise. You are on safari, and today will be an adventure.
Of course, if you are doing a hot air balloon ride you will have been awake for several hours, making your way through the darkness to the balloon launching point. No doubt by now you have already spotted a few secretive animals making their way across the plains, and you might even already be airborne.
Starting at the lodge however, you wander your way to the main lodge area where you grab any pre-safari nibbles to go with your preferred choice of drink. It isn’t strictly necessary but never skipped, as it is usually warm from the oven and irresistible. Hastily wiping your mouth on a napkin and taking last sips, you grab your gear and head out on the vehicle.
The Morning Safari
So begins the morning. The air is usually quite crisp, so warm hats and a blanket are thrown on. Depending on the season you might also find hot bottles given to you as well, making each seat a little cosy pocket amongst the chilly wind. Cameras are prepared before you leave, as you never know what you see and when you might see it. Early mornings allow you to spot animals that have been active overnight before they drift off to sleep. You might spot the serval hunting in the early morning light, or catch lions on the move before they inevitably turn into tan coloured nap machines for most of the day. After all, the real sighting is not whether to see lions, but to see them upright.
It isn’t too uncommon to only drive one minute from camp to suddenly be amongst a pride of lions or herd of elephants. And in that surprise is the beauty of a safari, the special sauce of what makes it stand apart from other experiences around the world. On safari you aren’t driving to go see something, you are driving to discover something to see. Each drive is different, and the variety of animal life you can come across is astounding. You might find yourself surrounded by hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, or in close quarters with some chittering dwarf mongoose. You might be face to face with a rhinoceros as it makes its territorial rounds, or tracing the shadow of a leopard through the grass. This day on safari is yours, and yours alone. It will never be repeated, and the combination of animals you see (and how you see them) will be unique to you and your viewing partners.
After a brief stop to stretch the legs, visit the bush toilet and drink/snack some more, you continue on the drive. Blankets are slowly removed, hot water bottles stowed, hats pocketed. The sun makes itself known, casting light into the darker shadows and revealing the events of the previous night. Some animals have had a good night, others their last.
A Day at Liberty
Eventually you head back to camp to have a proper breakfast and discuss the morning’s drive. It might be conversations about animal behaviour with your guide, or swapping sighting stories with fellow guests. Age is irrelevant on safari, as the experience is the great unifier. Kids marvel at the world, and adults show the same level of enthusiasm for their day. In some ways, it is as though the safari strips away the cool exterior that we develop as we age, revealing the childish joy buried underneath.
The main part of the day is spent in relaxation, unless you choose otherwise. You might prefer a walk to take in the environment from a different perspective, or you might even choose to pack a lunch and head out for the full day. If not, you can relax, and read, and chat, and journal, and swim, and go through photos, and watch animals wander from your room or watch animals wander from the bar, and sleep, and have grand life discussions, and squeeze in a delicious lunch because you don’t want to miss out, and decide that today is the day you learn how to play chess, and rest some more.
Sundowners and Sunset
The afternoon drive is almost the perfect mirror of the morning. You start out in the golden rays of early afternoon and head out to see which animals want to be social. As the sun languidly drops down you stop for a tradition, the Sundowner. It’s more than an excuse for a drink, although as excuses go it’s a good one. It’s really a chance to give a toast to the surroundings, to this place called Africa. It’s a chance to stop for a moment and appreciate where you are, and who you are with. Rather than looking forward to a safari, or looking back over photos, this sundowner gives you a chance to appreciate the day that was, as it is happening. There is no sunset like an African sunset, the dust kicking off a firestorm of colour that resonates across the plains. You might hear the distant roar of a lion, or the alarm call of baboons. This is the element of a safari that is immeasurable. The smells, the sounds and the colours all can’t be communicated to those who haven’t had it seep into their souls.
The evening goes past smoothly. Hopefully you see some more sightings before arriving back at camp, but if you don’t no-one is ever unhappy. As the sun disappears you are instead greeted by the warmth of the local staff, with big smiles and a genuine vitality. In case you weren’t bursting, dinner is served in all its glory, be it a multi-course meal or a barbecue in the outdoor boma. Full, warm and genuinely content, everyone begins to make their way to bed, escorted to their rooms by the staff in case of animal movements in the camp. The last thing you need after 4 courses and a few glasses of wine is a face-to-face encounter with an elephant.
Back in the room, or villa, or tent, weary heads hit the pillow. Sounds of the savannah drift through from outside, like the mournful whoop of a hyena. And as you sleep, the drama continues without you, ready to be revealed the next morning.
