Recently, a friend returned from her dream trip to South Africa. Excited for her, I shared memories of my two trips to Africa years ago. The trips were with my fellow adventurer, my sister Betsy. The first trip was a safari offered by our favorite trip provider, Wilderness Travel, out of Berkeley, California.
The word safari brings to mind images of exploration through the wilds of Africa. The word "safari" is Semitic in origin and historically is tied to travel. One cannot help but think of the great white hunters of legend and their trophies. Mercifully, today, cameras rather than guns do the shooting, and our trophies are treasured photos of the beautiful and very wild animals and birds of Africa.
We started in Tanzania, followed the migrating wildlife of the Tarangire National Park, stayed at the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater, and then went on to the legendary Serengeti. Accompanied by accomplished guides, we enjoyed bush walks and game drives and visited a Maasai village while staying at private camps in tents. To see Africa is to commit yourself to spending every minute you can out in the open. The optimum times are daybreak and sunset, so your days are planned accordingly. What is a typical safari day? There isn't one. Expect the unexpected. It can be animals, an encounter with the amazing African people, a sunset, or a nighttime sky like none you have ever seen before.
Our accommodations ranged from lodges to more primitive private camps. The lodges offer hot water, electricity, and other amenities. The private camps have a primitive charm, but you need to be prepared for adjustments in your routine. The advantage is one's ability to go off-road and even explore by foot (with an armed escort). A private camp may have uninvited but not threatening visitors. One afternoon, we were surprised by a herd of elephants grazing just outside our tent. Being “under canvas” is a fantasy experience. We hardly roughed it with comfortable beds, down quilts and our private bathroom. At the end of each day, a tank at each tent was filled with hot water, allowing us to rinse off the African dust of the day.
The goal on safari is to find and view as many animals and birds as possible. Traditionally, a great safari day is to see the Big Five: lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and water buffalo. We treasured a double or a triple photo opportunity – seeing multiple animals in one habitat. It might include ostrich, zebra, wildebeest, warthog, elephant or giraffe.
We hardly starved. An early breakfast, a midmorning, and midafternoon tea sustained us between our many coursed lunches and dinners with wine. At day's end, we traveled back to camp, showered, and gathered for sundowners (safari for cocktail hour), sharing tales of our adventures and sightings of the day.
Our African safari was the ultimate camping experience for grown-ups. We had wonderful and patient leaders, elegant, fierce, and entertaining animals, and all on the most amazing stage imaginable.