FAQ’S (Frequently asked
questions)
When planning a safari, it’s likely that you’ll
already have a sense of why you wish to visit Africa. Your motivation
will focus on wildlife, birds, apes, primates, fishing, culture,
history and beaches. One may dominate or you may be interested
in purely a classic safari or you might give equal priority to
enjoy two or more.
My goal is merely to point you in the right
direction when choosing a safari.
Q. When should I go?
A. Depending on which country
and what you wish to see, the ideal time to do a safari would
be in the winter months of dryer months of the year. This is
because the dryer months offer better game viewing. Vegetation
is more sparse and it’s easier to locate the animals. Rivers
have all but dried up and all the animals including predators,
converge where the last remaining water is.
Once
again, please feel free to check with me when each country’s
dry months
occur.
Q. How long do I want to go for?
A. The time spent on safari is
often guided by your budget. How long do you intend being away,
distances travelled (from where you will be coming) and what
type of safari you have chosen – e.g. a horse riding
safari will require a minimum of 7 nights, a gorilla safari
a minimum of four nights. Ideally on any safari, 3 nights would
be the minimum in one place.
Q. What is my budget?
A. Your budget won’t preclude
you from visiting Africa, it will simply dictate how you experience
the country of your choice. Your budget will determine the
range of
accommodation and mode of transportation. e.g. – drive
or fly-in.
Q. Do I want to travel independently or with an
organized tour?
A. It is possible to organize
one’s safari on your own. The web has made this much
easier to do, however with an organized tour or safari, it
puts control in the hands of the operator and assuming
the brief is detailed, there should be less chance of
your expectations not being met. All the logistics,
(airport transfers, park fees, guided walks, private charters,
lunch boxes, etc) from the moment you arrive till you depart will
have been taken care of.
Q. Who
am I travelling with?
A. Do you wish to travel alone,
with your partner, family or a group of friends? Group dynamics
are always very important when considering such a trip. Personalities
and fitness levels, especially when doing gorilla trekking
or climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, can help pin down certain aspects
of your trip (i.e. – which gorilla family does one choose
or who would you climb with?)
Q. Does my chosen destination only cater for
media magnates & trust-fund babes, or
are there budget options too?
A. Whist many lodges throughout
Africa do cater for the “upper-end” of the market,
there are definitely lodges which are more affordable to all.
Generally, if you choose to visit a lodge in a remote part
of a country, where road access is limited and air travel is
essential, your safari will become more costly due to its remote
location. Within South Africa, there are many fantastic affordable
lodges which offer great game viewing experience. (i.e. – the
Kruger or
Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Parks)
Also remember, the “green
season” offers some fantastic deals which are not to be
missed.
Q. Do I need a visa?
A. All international visitors
to Africa will require a valid passport and depending on the
country, an entry visa. Passports must be valid (for six month
after date of travel) and have a minimum of three blank visa
pages. (No endorsement pages)
Q. Are there any health hazards?
A. As a traveller in Africa, one
should always pre check what is required in each
country; e.g. will you be travelling into
a malaria area? Do you require a Yellow Fever inoculation.? Certain
countries will require additional inoculations, please check what
is required. Depending on the time of year, malaria prophylaxis
might be needed.
Q. Should I stay
in a national park or private reserve / concession?
A. Whilst I would always tend
to recommend a private game reserve or concession for an overall
better game viewing experience, (most private reserves offer
night drives) national parks in many countries offer some phenomenal
animal encounters.
Budget depending, a private reserve
would be my first choice.
Q. What are the camps like?
A. Once again, this depends entirely
on where you choose to go. No two lodges are built the same
and each will offer a unique setting, whether on a river or
lake, a
gorge, the edge of a mahogany forest or savannah
grassland, the lodge will offer unforgettable views and great service.
Descriptions
of each destination / lodge will be included in each itinerary.
Q. Are
children welcome
A. These days, children are welcome
at almost all lodges. Certain lodges cater
specifically for children, whilst others have
age limits. Make sure you enquire
before you book as to what children can take part in. Some lodges
cater just for children – these would be the ideal.
Q. If
the camps are so remote, how does one get there?
A. Air transfers (charters) are
the easiest, quickest and most common form of transport into
and out of remote destinations. Because of their remoteness,
air transfers can push the price up of the over all journey.
Some countries offer explicitly ‘private” charters, whilst some
(like Botswana & Namibia)
will offer you a seat rate on a group charter. This helps with
keeping the costs to a minimum. Driving can also be an option,
but prepare yourself for a very long day on the road. I would not
suggest a long road trip during the summer months, as most safari
vehicles (4 x 4) do not have aircon!
Q. How
do I choose which camps to visit?
A. Careful planning and basically
finding a camp or country which suites your budget, expectations
and holiday requirements.
Q. What are mobile
safaris?
A. Mobile safaris are safaris
exactly what the name depicts – they are movable. As
one moves from area to area, or region to region,
so does the entire camp. Each day or thereafter, the camp is broken down, moved
and re set-up at a new location prior to your arrival. The daily program runs
exactly as it would in a fixed lodge, with one’s accommodation
and dining in tents.
Q. Do different lodges / areas provide different
activities?
A. Absolutely – and one
needs to make sure that the lodge you have chosen offers what
one is expecting e.g. walking safaris, night drives, children’s
activities,
diving, photographic hides, etc
Q. What are the conservation
ethics and benefits of the chosen lodge and do they support the
local community?
A. I am a firm supporter of lodges
/ camps & companies who adhere to the “ecotourism” ideology
of responsible and low impact travel from both the traveller
and myself, the operator. Eco tourism must involve the local
communities in a variety of aspects with regard wildlife and
its sustainability. |
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“I really enjoyed the trip to Uganda and must say that driving by road to Bwindi and back added a lot of value. I felt the sense of seeing the real Uganda which is a vibrant, green and gorgeous country. Interacting with locals showed a great sense of pride in their skills and knowledge and our guide on the Shoebill expedition was great. Joseph our guide was a great asset and his dry sense of humour added much value to our journey. The lodges were of good quality and your guidance in terms of areas to visit was superb. Your knowledge and interest in the local community through your tree planting and school donation activities added a totally different angle to the trip. I must say that besides the interaction with the Gorillas, the tree planting and book donation at the schools we visited was the highlight. That is of course just above the great company of my fellow travellers, yourself included!
I am of course finding it difficult to tell people about the experience with the gorillas. It was the quickest hour of my life and all I can say to prospective trekkers is DO IT. You have to experience it. Thank you for the big role you played in making this the best trip of my not so short life!
”
Lieze Kotze, RSA |
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Africa is a continent of exceptional diversity
and beauty. From pristine beaches, to expansive savannah grasslands,
rain forests and deserts. Natural Wonders of the World and
exceptional mountain ranges.
Consider a tailor-made safari with XA! nini African Wildlife
Safaris to Africa. It’s a once in a lifetime journey
you’ll never forget. |
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PLANT A TREE
Between 1990 & 2010,
Uganda lost 26.3% of its
remaining rainforest cover.
Read more...
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"Everyone we talked to prior to our trip told us that going to Africa would be a “trip of a lifetime – one that we’d never forget”. They were absolutely right – it was just flat awesome. We met more wonderful local people, stayed in shockingly elaborate “tents”, saw more amazing animals, ate more delicious meals and made more fond memories that we ever imagined would be possible. It’s not something you can explain - everyone needs to experience it for themselves. The locations and safari camps that you selected provided a perfect variety of locals, terrain and animals for the ten of us. Your idea of “winding down” for a week in Cape Town before heading back to civilization was brilliant!
We can’t thank you enough for all of the time you spent to develop such a wonderful itinerary and how impressed we were with all of your attention to detail. It was great that you took the time out of your busy schedule to meet us all in the beginning of the trip. It truly was a trip of a lifetime"
Lance & Shannon Shafer, Long Beach, California USA |
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