What Activities Make for a Truly Unique Safari?

A safari is one of the most interesting, exciting vacation choices in the entire world. If you’re like many travelers, however, it’s the activities, not the destination, that make or break a trip. Before you book your next African safari, you need to learn about a few of the unique activities that you could choose for a once in a lifetime trip. Here are some unique safari activities that you can choose for your holiday so that you have the most memorable, fun trip of your entire life.

Experience Africa on Foot

When you book your safari, you’ll be able to choose several ways to see Africa. For the most unforgettable experience possible, however, you should consider booking a walking safari. Seeing Africa on foot is a unique experience that you’re guaranteed to enjoy. On foot, you’ll be immerse yourself in the gorgeous African scenery, and you’ll feel like you’re on an actual adventure. If you don’t mind a little physical exertion, a walking safari is the perfect choice for your next holiday.

Spend Some Time on the Water

While there are several unique safari activities that you could choose, one of your best options is going on a canoe ride. Africa is well-known for its beautiful waterways, and regardless of which countries you visit, you should be able to spend some time enjoying the water. A canoe ride is a particularly great choice if you’re able to boat past a watering spot, as you may be able to see exotic animals up close and in person.

Hit the Skies in a Balloon

Because there is so much natural beauty in Africa, it can seem like there’s no way to enjoy it all. Fortunately, if you want a bird’s eye view of one of the most gorgeous locations in the entire world, you can take to the skies in a hot air balloon. A balloon ride is a thrilling safari activity that too many travelers overlook. From inside of the balloon, you’ll have a breathtaking view that stretches in every direction, allowing you to fully appreciate the scenery that can only be found in Africa.

If you decide to take a balloon ride, make sure you bring along your camera, as there will be plenty of opportunities for taking photographs.

Plan a Horse Ride

If riding horses is one of your favorite activities back home, then you should take part in your hobby in a new setting by booking a horseback ride for your safari. Going on a horseback ride in Africa is a one of a kind experience, both because of the scenery and the possibility that you’ll encounter other animals such as zebras. Even if you’re a novice rider, you should still have a great time viewing Africa from the back of a horse. Make sure, however, that you have an experienced guide with you so that your ride is as fun and safe as possible.

If you’re thinking about going on a safari, there are several excellent activities you could choose. Book one of these unique safari activities and you’re guaranteed the trip of your life.

Places to Visit on Your Kenya Safari

When you’re planning your African safari, one of the best places to take your trip is the nation of Kenya. Known as the gateway to Eastern Africa, Kenya is a brilliant country with plenty of diversity in its landscapes and wildlife. A safari adventure here will be a trip that you’ll never forget.

If you want to see the best Kenya has to offer, you need to make sure your safari takes you to the right locations. Whether you love wildlife, thrilling adventure or beautiful natural landscapes, Kenya has plenty to offer. Take a look at the best places to visit in Kenya and discover the adventure this great country can offer.

Mount Kilimanjaro

If you’re looking for snow in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro is one of the few places you’ll find it. Mount Kilimanjaro is a massive mountain that offers breathtaking views of the surrounding area. If hiking isn’t your thing, you can still enjoy night drives and safaris around the base where you can find massive bull elephants in their natural habitat. If you’re looking for a place to rest in between your safari outings, Mount Kilimanjaro is home to quite a few camps and lodges that offer scenic views of the mountain.

Mount Kenya

The other mountain on our list is Mount Kenya in Laikipia. A national park here was created just a few years ago where you can find a remarkably well-preserved countryside that a huge number of species call home including zebras, monkeys and even ostriches. There are also numerous private ranches around that allow free reign, so you can enjoy a safari without the limitations imposed by national parks.

Samburu

Most of the land around Samburu is a dried field of lava, but the Ewaso Nyiro River has created a beautiful oasis in the center. If the idea of a beautiful oasis is drawing you in, you’re not the only one. Numerous species of wildlife flock to this oasis all the time, and others have decided to settle there permanently. If you’re looking to catch a glimpse of the fast and elusive leopard, Samburu is the best place to go. The draw of the oasis plus the skills of a trained Maasai tracker will greatly increase your chances of spotting the smallest of the big cats.

Masai Mara

One of the most popular spots in a Kenya safari tour is Masai Mara. Here, you’ll find beautiful grassland with dense trees in several spots alongside the Mara River. Numerous species of wildlife roam this area including hippos, giraffes, zebras and more. The most interesting feature of this area is the available method of transportation. You can enjoy your Kenya safari tour via hot air balloon rather than in a ground vehicle. This allows safe low-level views of the wildlife while traveling at a speed that makes it easy to snap pictures and keep track of everything.

Nairobi

If you want to move on from Kenya during your African safari, Nairobi is where you need to go. This is the gateway to East Africa allowing you to explore other countries like Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. You can find rainforests here with elephants and gorillas.

If you’re ready for adventure, book your Kenya safari tour today. You’ll be in for a thrilling trip that you’ll never forget.

Jill Liphart for Roho Ya Chui

Magic Masai Mara, Kenya

The Maasai Mara in the south-west of Kenya is contiguous plain with the Serengeti in Tanzania and is part of the greater Mara ecosystem.  The Maasai Mara National Reserve (MMNR) is a small fraction of this ecosystem, but fraction is kind of relative as the MMNR still measures 1500 square kilometres. The landscape is dominated by open grasslands with numerous seasonal creeks and the famous acacia trees in some areas.

If you can remember the 1980’s movie “Out of Africa” with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford that plays in the Masai Mara for the most part, this is exactly the landscape you will find when visiting today. And yes, it is even much more impressive when you are there in person as compared to the film.

The Mara is mainly at an altitude of 1600 meters where you have the rain season from November till May and the dry season from June till November. This climate change is also responsible for what is known as the great migration, where over 1.5 million wildebeest arrive in July and leave again in November, one of the most impressive spectacles repeating itself on earth annually and the perfect background for stunning wildlife photography and cinematography.

This makes the Mara to one of the finest wildlife destinations where you almost have the guarantee to see the big five but also cheetah, hyena, jackal, hippo, crocodile and for sure vulture whenever there was a kill.

Vultures are one of the easiest and safest ways to find kills with sometimes even some lions around still eating, as the birds are waiting in the trees till the lions or other predators have finished their meal and leave the rest of the kill for them.

If you are lucky you can even see some rhinos that are slowly coming back to this part of Africa.

There are many lodges and camps to be found and you have a rich choice from very luxurious places to ones where you stay as close as possible to the animals and the nature, the tented camps, that do actually not lack too much luxury as well. We were staying in the Sand River Camp as well as the Elephant Pepper Camp and I can recommend both as being extremely friendly, authentic and as close to nature as possible, while offering all you need to feel perfect and rest between the numerous game drives.

There is nothing like the Mara morning sky before sunrise, these are colours that cannot be described, you have to see and feel them yourself.

This scenery evolves during the early morning hours, when you can find all kind of animals out on the grasslands like these zebras that enjoyed the green and did not seem to be scared about predators.

But this can fool you as predators are always around, like this young male lion we found nearby sleeping in the morning sun. This male was approximately 4 to 5 years old and you can see this by the colour of the nose that is still pink but starts already getting black around the corners.

He will be grown up with 5 to 6 years, but he is already a perfect killing machine at this age. He was roaring during the previous night in our camp close to our tent and I can tell you this sound goes through and through – you will never forget that!

But now he sometimes is still playful at least if he is no longer hungry as he showed when welcoming his brother a few minutes later.

You want to have adventures like this in magnificent landscape and stunning places? You want to photograph all this or take videos and want to get guidance for how to do this best and in an optimal way? Well then join me on one of the many safaris organized by Roho Ya Chui and you will have the adventure of your lifetime that you will never forget!

Peter Tomsu for Roho Ya Chui, Travel Africa

 

 

Peter’s African Safari Travel Diary

Some who have read my previous travel diary blog posts may ask why this continues with the 7^th day of our adventure trip to Tanzania and Kenia and one day is missing. Well easy answer I unfortunately got sick on day 6 and was pretty much out of order and definitely not up to photograph, but the good news is that on our 7^th day I had already recovered and so this post is from our last, but also one of the most beautiful days.

We meanwhile had arrived at the Sand River Mara camp that takes its name from the Sand River Masai Mara. This camp replicates very nicely the heydays of exclusive permanent tented camps that were so popular in the 1920s.

On our morning game drive we immediately found a group of vultures, that is always a sign of some kill around and then very likely to still see some lions there. This time we were not so lucky, as the lions were already gone, but this could not minimize our enthusiasm to find some great sights.

Soon we were lucky to see a rhino that was grazing in the morning sun and started to move away as it recognized our approach. Nevertheless we got some stunning shots.

On that same location we found a group of zebras peacefully taking their breakfast from the juicy greens of the Masai Mara.

But then we were lucky as our guide spotted a young male lion resting in the upcoming sun and obviously cleaning his claws from his last kill. We had heard this lion roaring close at the camp last night and this sound will be unforgettable to me as it was pretty intense, just like he would stand besides me.

Our guide gave us some brief update on how to read the age of lions and this one he estimated to be around 4 years as he still had a pink nose but already starting to get black. Male lions are fully grown up with 5 to 6 years and then they in most cases start looking for their own territory. But this one was still playful and after a while he started walking in order to find his brother that was away only a few hundred meters.  The two immediately started rubbing their heads together, that means a very warm welcome.

These are just touching scenes, especially if you are lucky to be as close as we were. The lions were completely quiet and did feel save in our presence. Driving on we found another group of vultures around a left over kill from last night.

A herd of wildebeest was crossing our road and this was already kind of a little migration. What I learned that there is not just one migration, but migration is an on-going thing as the animals try to follow the greens and water all the year in the Serengeti and the Masai Mara (the northern part of the Serengeti).

We headed to our last camp later this afternoon, the Elephant Pepper Camp located in the Mara North Conservancy. The speciality about this camp is that it is designed in a way that it can be completely removed to leave a virgin site once this is desired. We had a very restful night and next morning was our day of departure via Nairobi that is a 50min flight away from this camp.

A last sunrise, well I think you can tell I love to photograph sunrises and the light is always very special in Africa!

And a farewell photo of our small group Peter, Ute and Joel from left to right. We have had a stunning and beautiful week and were all looking forward to another experience like this as soon as possible.

If you would like more information on planning your African safari vacation, visit our safari tours page or contact a representative with Roho Ya Chui today.

Peter Tomsu for Roho Ya Chui, Travel Africa