How to Get the Most Out of Your SafariOnce you have carefully chosen your safari lodge, taking into account the size of the lodge and its location in respect to the good game viewing areas, you will undoubtedly be excited and counting the days until you can depart on your adventure. In order to ensure that you make the most out of the experience, after all the excitement, expense and travel, here is a list of a few essential tips that will help you get the most out of your safari. Head out on Safari activitiesWhile you may be slightly put off by the bright and early safari game drives in the mornings and may want to spend more time having a lie in a relaxing, THE number 1 tip for getting the most out of your safari is to go on each and every one of the safari trips available to you.
The rule of thumb is: Be active when the animals are.
And the best safari is the early morning one. Catch the hunted relaxing near their night's kill. The hunted still wary of nights dangers. This is the time that most animals head for water, and you may still glimps the nocturnal creatures making their way homeward.
Bush walks, morning game drives and evening game drives are all excellent opportunities to leave the lodge and explore the bush – and after all won’t you just hate it if you miss the Leopard sighting or Lion kill one evening if you have selected to stay in and relax that evening?
A safari does require early mornings and occasional late nights but there is plenty of time during the day to relax, have a siesta, read a book or have a swim, because the mid part of the day is when most animals are sheltering from the heat - lost to sight in dense brush, or amongst the trees.Take a good pair of binoculars with you Investing in a good pair of binoculars is essential prior to going on safari and you should always carry them with you, even when you are walking around the lodge. Bird watching is often best around the watering holes and in the trees surrounding your safari lodge and you never know what you might see while sauntering from the swimming pool to your suite. Ask lots of questionsYour tracker and safari guide will be with you for each safari outing to point out the animals and teach you about the African wildlife and your surroundings, but you will certainly learn more and gain a greater understanding of the bush if you ask lots of questions and take an interest in the activities. Take the time to listenTake the time out at different times of the day to sit somewhere quietly in the grounds of the lodge and just listen. The bush is not just made up of wonderful sights but is also home to a wonderful array of bird song, animal calls and rustlings that are worth spending a little time listening too. The sounds of nature are incredibly soothing. Take PhotographsA good camera with a zoom lens is vital on a safari and no matter what type of camera you have you will want to spend some time getting the best photographs to record your experiences and to save the memories so that you can show your friends when you return home.
However; while out on a game drive, make sure that you are not spending the entire game drive experience looking through the lens of your camera. Stop for a while and take the time out to watch, listen and smell. Take it SlowWith the fast pace of today’s life it is easy to fall into the trap of wanting to move on quickly, to go to the next location and to see the next sighting. But remember the African bush does not move to the pace of the city and sometimes the unexpected can happen if you slow down and spend some time simply watching an empty watering hole, or sitting in a bird hide – you never know what animals are just around the corner! | 
Kruger National Park
