5 Things You Should Know About An African Walking Safari
There is little doubt that if you want to really experience Africa in all it’s glory on safari then an African walking safari really is the only way to go.
However, it’s not just a matter of boarding a plane and heading to Africa and simply disappearing into the bush as you would in normal circumstances. Do this and it could very well be the last anyone ever sees of you!
An African walking safari requires a little preparation and knowledge of what to expect with safety being of the utmost consideration. Several countries offer professional walking safari excursions which are well supervised. They include South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and southern Tanzania.
Walking Safari Safety
Let’s take a look at some of the per-requisites of an African walking safari. These are important and can be the difference between an enjoyable vacation or a nightmare experience.
1. Make sure your walking safari is well supervised. In other words, your guides or rangers should be qualified and certified instructors.
2. Your guides should also have plenty of experience in conducting walking safaris. Better still, if they are locals with a great knowledge of the African landscape, then this is a bonus.
3. Each safari should begin with some sort of demonstration pointing out several facets of the upcoming walk. While the African wildlife is a big attraction for visitors in reality, on a African walking safari, you really don’t want to be meeting up with most of them. A walking safari is about enjoying the experience and taking in the flora the landscape has on offer. This is why your guides are of the utmost importance.
4. Make sure you’re well equipped. Clothing should be appropriate. Heavy clothing or footwear should be avoided while you should have accessories such as repellent and sunscreen in your backpack.
5. You should be of reasonable fitness or at least well prepared physically for the experience. Some walking safaris can take you long distances and really, if this is the case and your fitness levels are non-existent, then give some thought to whether this is really what you want to do.
Recommended Walking Safaris
South Africa offers a couple of excellent walking safaris. They include the Ngala walking safari in Kruger National park and the Phinda walking safari.
Both offer just about everything Africa has to offer and are worth checking out with your local travel agent. A African walking safari could just about top any vacation you’ve ever taken but just heed the preparation tips in this article.