Surprising Reasons to Go on an African Safari

If it’s time for you to start planning your next vacation, you have several options from which you can choose, including going on an African safari. For travelers who have never gone on a safari before, it easy to assume this vacation is just like any other. However, nothing could be further from reality, as a safari is a unique experience that is unmatched by any other holiday option.

Before you book your next trip, it’s a good idea to learn about some of the reasons you should go on a safari and a few of the benefits of this type of trip. Here are some surprising reasons to go on an African safari that you should think about when you’re planning your next vacation.

Take the Stress Out of Planning

Planning is the most difficult part of any vacation. With most types of trips, you’ll need to plan out your itinerary step-by-step, including finding and reserving activities. Not so when you choose to go on a safari. After your safari has been booked, the only thing you’ll need to do is make travel arrangements; your safari guide will handle all the rest.

As you might imagine, this removes most of the stress out of planning your trip. All you need to do is spend some time researching safari packages, and you can reserve the holiday that fits you.

Surprisingly Affordable Vacations

When it comes to surprising reasons to go on an African safari, affordability is near the top of the list. Contrary to what you might assume, going on a safari can be an extremely budget friendly, meaning you’ll be able to have a great vacation without having to drain your savings.

You can easily find a variety of budget safaris, all of which will include once in a lifetime experiences. The only real limit is your imagination.

Unforgettable Activities

Although this may not be particularly surprising, one of the best reasons to choose a safari for your next vacation is being able to enjoy unforgettable activities that you wouldn’t be able to find on your typical holiday.

For example, while you can definitely see exotic animals on other vacations, only on an African safari will you be able to experience these animals in their natural habitat. With an African safari, you’ll be able to take part in activities that you may have never dreamed possible.

The Best Pictures

Many people’s favorite thing about going on a vacation is being able to take photographs that they can show off to their friends and family after returning home. If you’re a shutterbug looking for a vacation where you can take the best pictures of your life, there’s no better decision than booking a safari.

The environment in Africa is unlike anywhere else in the world, featuring breathtaking sights that are ideal for photographs. When you’re on safari, you’ll be able to take hundreds of gorgeous pictures that you will always cherish.

Keep in mind these surprising reasons to go on an African safari when you’re planning your next vacation, and when you’re ready, book the affordable, exciting safari that perfectly matches you.

Picking the Right Camera for Safari

Because of the ubiquity of smartphones, virtually everyone is able to take a picture whenever the mood strikes. However, while the camera on your phone is probably good enough for your everyday photography needs, taking pictures on a safari is much different.

On safari, you will see sights that you can’t find anywhere else in the world, and if you want to remember your trip, it’s important that you always have a high-quality camera at the ready. If you’re interested in buying a camera for your safari, there are several factors to consider that will help you pick the device that meets your needs. Here are some tips for purchasing a camera for safari that will let you pick an option that will help you capture the best pictures possible.

Start with Price

When you’re investing in a piece of equipment such as a camera, there are several factors to consider. However, if you’re like the majority of travelers, your biggest concern is probably cost. The great thing about purchasing a camera for safari is that you can easily find a camera that meets your budget as long as you do your research and shop around.

Although you don’t want to spend too much money, you should also make sure that you’re getting a quality option. Look for a mid range camera that will allow you to take excellent pictures without ballooning your travel budget.

Easy to Carry

The main benefit of using your phone to take pictures is that these devices are meant to be ultra-portable, meaning you don’t need to think about how much space they’ll take up in your travel luggage. You should keep this same issue in mind when you’re picking a camera to take with you on your safari.

Packing light is of the utmost importance when going on safari, which means you want to make sure that your camera is portable and doesn’t require excess equipment. For instance, some high-end cameras may require a tripod to be used effectively, which can make it harder for you to pack. When you’re shopping for your camera, try to look for a lightweight option that won’t require you to bring along a large number of accessories.

Ease of Use

When you’re taking photographs on safari, almost nothing is more frustrating than missing the perfect shot because you’re fiddling with the settings of your camera. The ideal camera will allow you to take a high-quality photo at a moment’s notice, which is why you need to think about ease of use when buying your camera.

Although some people prefer to invest in a camera that includes a variety of settings, the much better idea for most is to pick a point in click camera that can be used whenever needed. With an easy to use camera, you’ll never have to worry about missing an animal, sunset, or anything else that you wish to photograph on your trip.

After you’ve done your research, purchasing a camera for safari should be quick and easy. Once you’ve invested in your camera, you should be sure to book a safari that will allow you to photograph some of the world’s most interesting sights.

 

How to Choose Travel Insurance for an African Safari

Preparing for an African safari is a truly exciting experience, particularly if you are going on a safari for the very first time. If you want to make sure that you have the most fun and rewarding vacation possible, there are multiple steps that you need to complete before your departure date, including purchasing the right travel insurance policy.

For vacationers that have never purchased travel insurance. finding the right policy can seem like a daunting task. Luckily, by following a few simple tips, you can find a policy that will fully cover you on your vacation. Here is some advice for choosing travel insurance for an African safari so that you have peace of mind while you’re on your vacation.

Why Travel Insurance Matters

If you’ve never had to purchase travel insurance before, then you probably don’t know why having one of the policies matter. Before we discuss how to choose a travel insurance policy, it’s important to explore why you need this type of insurance in the first place.

An African safari is an extremely safe holiday option. However, as with any international trip, circumstances that you may not expect, such as sudden injury and illness, can easily occur. With a travel insurance policy in place, you’ll be ready for these unexpected circumstances, meaning you can focus on enjoying your vacation.

For example, if you get sick and have the right policy in place, your medical bills should be covered, and your travel back home may be as well. Not only does travel insurance for an African safari keeps you safe, it protects the money you’ve invested in your vacation.

How to Choose a Policy

Now that you know why you absolutely need travel insurance before leaving on your African safari, it’s important to learn how you can easily choose the policy that fits your needs.

First and foremost, you need to make sure that your policy covers medical expenses. Read your policy mostly to make sure that it covers both minor medical incidences and major illnesses and injuries so that you will be fully covered. You may also want a policy that covers medical repatriation, meaning you will be covered if you need emergency medical transportation back home.

Second, you should be positive that your travel insurance policy includes coverage for cancellation and curtailment. Even the most carefully planned safari can run into problems, so it’s important that your insurance covers these unforeseen circumstances. Having this coverage in place will help you avoid losing money if you need to cancel your safari unexpectedly.

Finally, and most importantly, you should make sure that the personal belonging you are bringing with you on your trip is covered. Besides the cost of the trip itself, most people going on safari spend a great deal of money on gear for their trip, including new clothing, medical supplies, and cameras. These items can easily be lost or damaged, so you need to be sure that you are protected.

The easiest way to purchase the right travel insurance for an African safari is to keep these simple facts in mind. Once you have the right policy in place, you’ll be more easily able to enjoy your safari adventure.

Hippo Facts to Know Before an African Safari

Seeing exotic animals in the wild is one of the best reasons to make your next vacation an African safari. While there are a variety of species that you may encounter while traveling through Africa, one of the most interesting is the hippopotamus.

Most people have seen these animals at some point in their life, whether at a zoo or on television. However, encountering a hippo in the wild is a much different experience than viewing these creatures behind glass, making it a smart idea to learn a little more about hippos before your trip. Here are a few interesting hippo facts that you should keep in mind if you plan to see these animals on your African safari.

Hippos Can Be Dangerous

If you’ve ever seen a hippo in a zoo, then you’ve likely only seen these animals floating lazily in the water, possibly leading you to believe that they are gentle creatures. While hippos would prefer not to interact with people, they can be extremely dangerous animals, particularly if they feel threatened.

Hippos are very large and powerful and have been known to attack without unprovoked. What makes hippos more dangerous than other creatures is that that can attack in both the land and the water, meaning you need to be careful if you find yourself near these creatures.

Hippos Are Fast

There are several surprising hippo facts that you should know before leaving on your African safari, but perhaps the most surprising is these large animals can move quickly. Because of their appearance, many travelers assume that hippos are slow, but this is simply not the case.

On land, hippos have been seen running at speeds close to twenty miles per hour, and it’s not unusual for hippos to travel multiple miles a day when searching for food. So, if you find yourself a good distance from a hippo, be prepared, as they may be able to make up the ground much quicker than you might imagine.

Hippos and Water

Hippos and water go hand in hand, making it a good idea to learn about some of the aquatic facts related to these African animals.

First, hippos, while they do venture on land from time to time, will spend the majority of the day in the water. Two-thirds of a hippo’s day—sixteen hours—is spent in the water, and this includes sleeping. While they are sleeping, the will automatically surface for air every five minutes or so and won’t wake up when doing so. Because hippos are pensive to sunlight, they must frequently return to the water to protect their skin.

Second, hippos are actually closely related to whales instead of other land mammals. Studies have shown that whales and hippos once shared a common ancestor, which is likely the reason that hippos are so drawn to water. At one time, it was thought that hippos were related to pigs, but DNA evidence corrected this misconception.

After learning these interesting hippo facts, you’re probably ready to see these animals in their natural habitat, which means you need to start booking your next African safari today.

Factors That Can Impact the Cost of an African Safari

For most travelers, cost is the most important issue when they’re planning their next vacation. Although you want to be sure you’re going to have a great time on your next trip, you also don’t want to have to completely drain your bank account to do so.

If you’ve been thinking about taking a vacation, and are considering an African safari, you need to research a few of the issues that can impact your travel budget.

Take a look at these factors that can influence the cost of an African safari and learn how to plan the affordable, fun vacation that you deserve.

Cost of a Visa

In most cases, your African safari will include stops in multiple countries, which can impact the total cost of your trip due to the need to acquire a visa for every country that you plan to enter. Some of the most popular destinations in Africa require you to have a visa before you will be allowed to enter the country, and these visas can cost as much as $200.

When you’re planning your trip and calculating your budget, research the countries you will visit and your visa requirements so that you can know how much you will spend on this issue.

What Do You Want to Do?

As with most vacations, the biggest factor that will determine the cost of an African safari is what types of activities you wish to enjoy on your trip. While a safari is a surprisingly affordable holiday, some of the most worthwhile activities can add a good deal to your travel budget, meaning you need to give this issue some careful deliberation.

For example, if you want to visit some of the most popular game reserves in Africa, this will add to your travel budget, particularly if you decide to visit more than one reserve. Fortunately, there are a wide range of safaris that you can choose from, which should allow you to find an option that will match your finances.

Think About Travel Arrangements

Another big factor that can influence your final costs for your safari is your travel arrangements once you reach Africa. Once you arrive in a given country, you will have several options for getting around, all of which will have an impact on your budget.

You could, for example, rent a car so that you have the freedom to drive wherever you want. However, this option can get a little pricey based on the length of your trip. If you’re looking to control your costs, you might consider taking advantage of the public transportation options in Africa. Although this might not be a good option for every traveler, it can certainly be a good way to save money on transportation so that you can spend a little more on safari activities.

Research your different transportations options so that you can choose the one you feel most comfortable with, both in terms of cost and safety.

Now that you know some of the factors that can impact the cost of an African safari, you can book an outstanding trip that fits your specific budget.