Dave and his wife Jen brought their two girls Melanie and Pamela on safari a couple of months ago.
They Looooved it. Took about 4,302 photos. And went back with stories they will tell for the rest of their lives.
Before they left, I asked Dave and Jen…
What questions should you ask yourself before going on safari?
Here’s what they told me…
If you’re thinking about going on a safari, I can promise you it will be a thrilling, once-in-a-lifetime event. You and your family will create vivid, lasting memories.
The question is, “Will they be great memories or just ‘okay’ memories?”
Believe it or not, some people do not enjoy their safari experience. There was a couple on our safari that did NOT enjoy it.
As thrilling and mind-blowing as a safari might sound you, it’s a good idea to ask yourself these questions before you commit the time and money on a safari vacation.
1. Am I an early riser?
Do you like getting up early? When I say early I mean before the sun comes up. This is an important question. Because, if you associate vacation with sleeping in…as many people do…then a safari vacation might not be for you.
You see, the majestic animals you’ll want to see on your safari are most active at dawn and dusk. It makes sense. It can get awfully hot out there. You’d probably want to hide from the sun too if you were a lion, elephant or hippo!
So, your safari will probably start while it’s still dark.
If you’re not a morning person, that will be challenging for you!
The couple on safari with us grumbled for hours but we did our best to ignore them.
2. Am I a patient person?
Are you the type of person that demands things go exactly as you’d like them to go…at all times…period?
If you are, you might not enjoy a safari as much as you think you will.
The animals don’t live by our schedule. They keep their own. So, there is no guarantee you’ll see what you want on any one safari. Your guide will do everything he can to make sure you see what you see, but he can’t control the animals.
The solution to this problem is to go on several game drives during your trip, not just one. This will dramatically increase your chances of seeing all the animals you dreamed of seeing.
We went on as many game drives as we could. The couple grumblers went on one, complained about it and decided to sleep in the rest of the time. Their loss!
3. Am I good at listening and following directions?
Some people like to be in control of everything when they are on vacation. They like to wander and explore on their own. They like to go “off the beaten path” and spend time alone.
If that’s what you value in a vacation, then a safari might not be for you.
Lions and hippos and rhinos can be dangerous. Hippos kill more humans every year than any other mammal! They may look fat and slow. They are not! So, it’s very important to do exactly as your guide instructs. If he says, “Don’t get out of the safari vehicle,” and you ignore him, you could be literally risking your life.
I was amazed at how close we got to these huge animals! And I was a little scared. I listened to everything our guide told us. And I’m so glad everyone else did too!
Would Dave recommend a safari? Absolutely. But some people would NOT.
However, if you can answer “YES!” to all these questions, we can guarantee that your safari will be a thrilling experience you’ll remember the rest of your life!
For more information on how to have the most thrilling and memorable vacation of your life, contact us and let us build you your ideal safari plan.
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