Safari in Africa

The word safari originates from the Swahili language and means 'journey'. The term was originally used for hunting expeditions but nowadays a safari means an excursion or trip to spot wild animals. Although the term is also used in other parts of the world when relating to an expedition to search for animals, people often tend to associate it with an image of Africa and the endless savanna, herds of zebras, wildebeest, lions, giraffe and elephants.

The big five

A term that's often used in relation to a safari is 'big five'. It is used to indicate a group of animals consisting of: the elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard and the rhino. This term also originates from hunting; these five animals were considered to be the five most dangerous animals to hunt (and therefore were the most prized trophies for a hunter). So the size or popularity of the animal itself has nothing to do with it. The zebra and giraffe are also a popular subject for photographs because they are easy to spot but they are not part of the big five. The hippopotamus, despite being very dangerous and quite large, is not a member of the big five because it was considered to be relatively easy prey.

Don't forget the other wildlife

Although it is an awesome sight to see the big five, it can be difficult to find them. Especially the timid leopard and the rare black rhino can pose a challenge. Therefore don't forget to enjoy the other animals, birds, plants and trees that each have a certain beauty and are present in a wide variety of species. The common impalas (in South Africa) or gazelles (in eastern Africa) are often underappreciated because there are so many and they are easy to spot, even though they are truly magnificent animals. Birds too are often overlooked even though Africa has an abundance of species. If you appreciate these 'small' things too there is always something new to look at while searching for the big five in Africa.

Different kinds of safari

There are many different kinds of safaris. The most well known way to search for wildlife is by (open) car but you can also go by boat, on foot, on horseback or even on an elephant. The places you stay at while on safari can vary from basic to pure luxury and everything in between. Depending on your budget and your chosen destination you could choose luxury lodges, simple guesthouses or camping. You can decide to join a group tour or to head out into the bush on your own. Many safaris are under the supervision of a guide but in some parks it is possible to search for animals on your own in a rental car. The South African Kruger Park is a good example. The benefit of having a guide is that they often know where to find the animals and have all kinds of information about the habits and behavior of the animals. But it still is a lot of fun to go out there on your own and try to spot the animals. For other forms of safaris then by car a guide is often required as a safety precaution.

Sources: www.todio.nl