Hello friends! As you may have seen from our latest articles or Instagram highlights we went on our first safari. This took place in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania over the 2023 winter holiday. This kind of adventure has been on our bucket list, well . . . forever! We learned so much along the way and want to share our 7 safari tips you wish you knew before booking.
We started researching with an amazing travel agency that helped us get very prepared for the maiden voyage. However, if we had known these 7 tips well before booking it would have made our experience even more comfortable. Something to note is that these tips relate to our time in the Serengeti. However, we believe they will be helpful no matter where you safari in Africa.
*If you missed our ‘5 Star in the Serengeti‘ article detailing our adventure, check it out here. But without further ado, let’s talk safari tips!
7 Safari Tips You Wish You Knew
1. The Difference Between a Safari and a Game Drive
Safari
There is a big difference between a safari and a game drive. Both of which you will likely experience on your adventure. A safari is an extended drive between camps, they feel like roadtrips. These camps are your retreats where you eat, sleep and rest between seeing the animals. Safari treks are long as the lodges are very spread out in secluded areas of the Serengeti. They are situated this way to not interfere with the central lands where the animals live. Sometimes water and snacks are not provided during safaris so plan accordingly.
During these drives, you are still adventuring to see animals which adds to the time in the jeep. Our longest safari was about 7 hours from one side of the Serengeti to the other. It is a good idea to book more than one camp as they all have something different and special to offer. The amenities, design, food and views will differ which adds to the fun. Safaris are usually driven in closed SUVs so you are protected against the elements during the duration on dusty roads. Parts of the drives can be very bumpy adding tension to the body. It does not hurt to have a day or two between safaris for game drive and chill time at the resorts. Pro tip ~ try to stretch before and after these long excursions!
Game Drives
Game drives are shorter adventures where you leave and come back to your camp. These can range anywhere between 2-5 hours depending on your desire. The time of day and how much stopping you do to see the wildlife are the variables. Your camp will provide provisions to make your game drives magical like snacks, cold drinks (including your choice of alcohol) and binoculars. You will likely be assigned to the same guide / driver during these excursions. This allows you the chance to develop a relationship with them and ask all the questions you can think of. The drivers are highly educated on the terrain and animals, there wasn’t one question our guides couldn’t answer.
We recommend requesting an open-air safari jeep as there are no windows between you and the animals. This puts you in the action! It is important to point out you can customize this experience quite a bit. Tell your camp how many game drives you want in a day and what you hope to see. Let them know what you want to eat and if you want lunch in the field or back at camp. Your guides love making your safari dreams come to life, so don’t be shy!
2. Dust
Yes, the dust stands alone. Being dusty gals who spend much time in the desert, we did not think much of it. We of course wore bandanas around our necks and thought that would suffice. The Serengeti is a semi-desert arid land. You may be in the closed safari jeeps, but our game drives were in beautiful open-air vehicles. With that said there is a continuous amount and dust you are breathing in all day.
By day two Rachel and I felt like were getting head colds. Thank goodness we didn’t, but our sinuses were properly filled with dust which made us more uncomfortable than we would have liked. We suggest a bandana plus packing an antihistamine and nasal spray just in case. We added this to our pack list below. The last thing you want is to not feel 100% on such a special trip!
3. Al Fresco Toilets
Yes, you guessed it, al fresco toilets! The wonderful thing about the Serengeti is there is minimal tampering with nature. So of course there are no bathrooms or portapotties strewn about the lands. Depending on how long your safaris and game drives are (and how much you drink) you will likely need to step out to water the grass. Just making you aware. Unlike a hike, you cannot leave toilet paper behind. We also voyaged in the neighboring Ngorongoro Crater which did not allow al fresco toilets. They did have centralized restrooms and picnic tables for lunch which felt luxurious!
4. Schedule
Personalizing your schedule while booking your safari based on your desires is SO important. This is something we wish we would have known before. To begin, the camps are stunning architectural masterpieces. They are almost as breathtaking as the animals. You will want downtime to hang at the lodges & enjoy the amenities. You can soak in the tub, take a dip in the pool and enjoy spa services.
We suggest planning no less than 2 days per lodge and allowing yourself half days to relax at camp. Much of our time was spent with the animals and driving, which is not a complaint. However, this didn’t leave us with as much time as we would have liked to immerse in the majestic camps. Take into consideration your age, what kind of shape you are in and your appetite for being in SUVs. Don’t forget about the bumpy dirt roads when planning your itinerary.
5. Dress in Layers
Just as our parents always advised, dress in layers! There is plenty of room in the safari vehicles, so pack a backpack with essentials you may need throughout the day. The mornings have a chill, the days are hot and when the sun goes down you will likely be reaching for your jacket. We suggest wearing / packing shorts, a tank top, pants, a long sleeve, a jacket or hoody, a baseball cap or wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen, bandana or neck gaiter, nasal spray, bug repellent, chapstick and binoculars.
Your driver will have a pair of binocs, but if you have your own you will not have to share with everyone in your truck. Also, you can wear flip-flops and bring shoes, or vice versa. Since you are in the vehicle the entire time flip flops are nice to have especially when it’s hot. If there are particular snacks or drinks you prefer that the lodge may not have, pack those too. All these items are listed in our pack list below.
6. The Big 5
Ahh, the coveted Big 5! You will hear this term quite a bit as you gear up for your adventure. It originated back in the day as these five animals were the most difficult to hunt. These dangerous large mammals became the most sought-after in Africa and a rite of passage (and trophy) for seasoned hunting pros. Let’s not get into hunting politics here 🙂.
The Big 5 are lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and the African buffalo. We saw all except the rhino in the Serengeti as they do not live in the region we traversed. After the Serengeti, we voyaged to the Ngorongoro Crater for a change of landscape. Here we scouted the black rhino which we ecstatically found! I say this to point out that if your dream is to see the Big 5, make sure your itinerary is conducive to your goals. Talk to your travel team as they are the experts. To safari goers, this is the trophy ~ seeing the Big 5!
7. Pack List
Well our 7 tips you wish you knew before booking a safari would not be complete without a pack list! Your travel team will give you a suggested list, and we are here to customize it to make you even more comfortable (and stylish lol). For the bush planes, there are weight limits of around 20kg per person. This is total, between your luggage and personal items. You will be advised to pack in neutral colors like beiges, muted greens, grays and browns. Blending into the environment as much as possible is the goal so you don’t draw attention to yourself. Sorry, leave your neon beanies at home 🙆🏽♀️.
Please note, you don’t have to go nuts and buy a whole new ‘safari wardrobe’. You likely have some of these tones and options at home. The goal is comfort and as breathable as possible. Many resorts will even do your laundry, leaving you less to pack. Rach and I are minimalists who believe in buying things we love that are timeless and work in many environments. We went through our closets to see what would work and then supplemented with some of these great finds below.
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning that if you click through & make a purchase, we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Main Items
- Duffle Bag – if your adventure requires flying on small bush planes you will be advised to pack a ‘soft duffle’. This is opposed to a hard shell suitcase and it helps to pack the cabins and SUV trunks with efficiency. We love this duffle for a feminine touch and we’ve traveled the world with this gem! This one is a little more masculine, they both fit plenty and have wheels!
- Lightweight Backpack – 20L, 30L. We have trekked around the world with this 30L option, it is very sturdy, well-priced and holds SO much!
- Shorts – yes to a comfy short, these are great for women and these for men.
- Breathable Trek Pants – we like these for women and these for men.
- Lightweight Long Sleeve – these shirts were fantastic and lightweight, plus have UPF sun protection – women’s, men’s.
- Jackets – nothing wrong with a Colombia puffer – women’s, men’s.
- Hiking Boots – we love a hiking boot that supports the ankle, these are great for women, these for men. Both are stylish, lightweight and can double as your ‘travel trainers’.
Accessories
- Bandana / Neck Gaiter – these are breathable and lightweight.
- Baseball Cap – nothing like a neutral cap that goes with everything!
- Wide Brim Hat – we can’t live without our Stetsons, women’s (this one is crushable!), men’s.
- Insect Repellent – we usually avoid chemtrails, but there are African mosquitos after all. This cream worked very well.
- Binocs – we think you will enjoy having your own pair! We love the size and color of this pair.
- Collapsable Lightweight Duffle – we love these bags, ideal for when you have acquired a bit more than your suitcase allows for while traveling, the best thing is they take up no space when stored.
- Other – sunscreen, chapstick, nasal spray, antihistamine, any particular snacks you love.
Safe Travels Adventurers
So there you have it, as you can see we learned so much! Embarking on our first safari in the Serengeti was a dream come true. We are thrilled to share these valuable insights with you. Booking with an excellent travel agency sets the stage for an unforgettable adventure. We want you to know these 7 safari tips well in advance to elevate your experience even further.
While these tips are rooted in our Serengeti escapade, we believe they transcend geographical boundaries, making them universally helpful for any safari endeavor. We hope they empower you to embark on your African adventure with confidence while fully immersing yourself in the wonders of the wild.
Safe travels, adventurers! And of course, if any questions come up, you know where to find us 😎.
xoxo, Bekah
PS ~ We began this East Africa adventure trekking with the mountain gorillas in Uganda, read the full scoop here!
