Why go on safari?
The term safari is a term many only dream about, a bucket list item, an unreachable goal, why? An African adventure into a beautiful wonderland, untouched and remote. A land filled with towering trees and mountainous outcrops and an abundance of wildlife. An opportunity to reconnect with the long forgotten wild, to witness the cycle of life and all the splendour mother nature has to offer. These are just a few elements of a safari, leaving our comfort zone and embarking on a journey that will take us into the life of Africa’s kings and queens. Seeing Africa’s true icons roam their natural surroundings. A journey that leaves our mouths dry and our eyes widened. Opening our minds to the great majesty the fauna and flora the land has to offer. As the elephant gnaws on the freshly fallen marula and the leopard surveys his territory from the comfort of his fig tree, a spark will ignite within you.
So, whether you are seeking that iconic photo of the sunset casting its blanket rays over the vast mopani covered land or you are desirous to fill your mind with knowledge of the behavior of lions or simply just to marvel at the lanky yet elegant giraffes, it’s all here, it’s all in an African safari. The possibilities are endless, who knows what each day may hold. You could find yourself following the tracks of the docile white rhinoceros or photographing a leopard whilst he sits in your shadow. Being on safari in Africa isn’t only restrictive to the great animal sightings, our vast areas of untouched wilderness offer spectacles of nature, varying from fig tree clustered riverines to goliath granite outcrops, open plains scattered with termite mounds and white washed sodic sites. For the wildlife enthusiasts, the winter season is best suited to a safari.
The bush is dry, water is scarce and animals flock to the last drops of water that are sparsely spread in the slowly disappearing catfish filled mud wallows. For the landscape junkies that want to feel Africa in their veins and see it in all its might, then the warm summer days offer flowering wild fox gloves and luscious red bush willows covering the landscape in a blanket of greens that leave the eyes fixated on the best artist of all, mother nature in all her glory. And when the days on safari come to a close you will truly realize what the term ‘the city that never sleeps’ really means. Hunkering down around the nights camp fire, glowing ambers and darkness fills your eyes, whilst your ears are filled with fiery necked night jars singing along to the chorus of the giggling hyenas.
The connection is surreal, it slowly becomes an addiction that can never be fully satiated, an addiction that will never leave you, an addiction to Africa. A place that talks to your inner adventurer and explorer, where you get to be spectator to mother nature’s most prestigious show, out in the grassland and bushveld of Africa. Explore Africa with experienced guides and photographic mentors that will grant you that perfect opportunity for million dollar pictures and a once in lifetime experience. It’s all found here, from 5 star accommodation to sleeping out under a sky dotted with a million stars.
Author info: By Mohammed Kathrada