It is well known that South Africa is one of the best locations for any type of safari holiday. This is mostly due to the diverse climate and huge range of wildlife that inhabit the areas. The weather in South Africa means that bushes, trees and grass thrive when needed and provide plenty of food for the wildlife. If you want to book a safari holiday then you will need to consider your travel arrangements. This is not only how you will get to and from the safari resort but also how you wish to travel around when on a safari. There ae a number of different types of safari holidays such as self-drive, guided tour, trekking safari and even hot air balloon safari trips.  

Many places in Africa are only accessible by a small plane, car or by boat and so it may mean you need to take a few short journeys when you arrive in Africa to get to your final destination where your safari resort is.

If you fancy a challenge and are not afraid of a bit of hard work, then a walking or biking safari may be the one for you. If you are looking for something a little more relaxing then taking a guided tour bus or jeep may be the best option.

A safari in South Africa is an amazing experience and one that you only do once in your life time, so take time to plan it carefully.  

When packing for a safari trip you need to think carefully about what clothing you are going to take with you. Depending on where in South Africa you are going and what time of year will help you decide what clothing to pack.

You ideally want to wear layers of clothing allowing you to remove them and add them as you get too warm or too cool. You should also ensure that you avoid wearing bright colours as you want to try and blend in with your surroundings as much as possible and so not to scare off the wildlife.

Always be sure to take plenty of sun cream no matter what time or year you go as the sun can be quite fierce and if you are out all day it is easy to get burnt without really realising it until it is too late. A decent sun hat or cap is essential to cover your head during the hottest times. Being exposed to the heat for too long can make you feel very unwell and result in sun stroke. This is a serious condition which can make you ill and may mean you have to abandon the rest of your trip.  Taking a thin water proof jacket is a good idea during the summer months in South Africa when rainfall is high and it can often be quite torrential.

The beauty of a safari holiday is that you can often have the option of tailoring it to what you and your family or friends want to do. Some safari holiday packages have set itineraries that are followed, but if this is not for you then you can opt to book with a company that will let you design the holiday yourself.

Many companies will first need to find out a few things about you and the party you are travelling with. This often includes the size of the party, ages of the people and also if anyone has any medical conditions that may make certain activities unsuitable. Once they have this information they can then start to sort out a list of options for the safari trip that you may want to include. The package may be able to be tailored to suit your budget, allow you to add and remove parts of the trip where you want to.  

When searching online, there are some great websites that will ask you a series of questions and based on your answers build a safari holiday package for you. This can be great if you have an idea of where you want to go but not sure exactly what you want to do.

When booking a safari holiday one of the first choices you will need to make is whether you want to do a group tour safari holiday or an independent one? There are pros and cons to both and it really comes down to what sort of experience you are after.

If you are happy to go it alone (or with your immediate family) and like the idea of being responsible for the safari in terms of how long you are out for, what times you go and where you go then a self-drive safari is probably the best option. All you need to do is hire a car and book yourself into one of the many self-drive safari resorts. These designated areas are protected and monitored by rangers, so although you are out on your own you still have the comfort of knowing there are people who are looking out for your safety and wellbeing.

If you do a group tour the cost is often higher but all of the logistics are taken care of for you. You will follow an itinerary that has been put in place and have scheduled timings for the trip. The guide who take you will have a wealth of knowledge and experience that often allows them to take you to the best spots to see the wildlife.

When going on a safari holiday, you will quickly realise it is quite different to any sort of holiday you may have been on before. You will often leave all your glam clothes and make up behind and opt for comfortable clothing that weighs as little as possible due to the tight weight restrictions on the smaller airlines.

Below are a few examples of some of the accessories and items you may wish to take with you on your safari trip:

• Back pack – This fairly standard item may be one of the ones you get the most use out of. Be sure to pick a high-quality waterproof backpack that has a number of compartments and well-lined straps. Make sure that it is comfortable and durable as you may be wearing it quite a bit.
• Binoculars – Taking some binoculars with you will allow you to see some of the magnificent wildlife that you may be too far away to notice. You can get a close look at the animals and observe as they go about their day without disturbing them.
• Medical kit – these types of things often get forgotten as they may not be the first thing on your list when packing, but having a good medical kit can help to sort out any bouts of illness or cuts etc quickly.

Some people may think that a safari holiday is only for those that love adventure, don’t mind getting mucky and have a passion for exploring and therefore that this type of trip isn’t for them. They may imagine it to be tiring, lots of travelling and time stuck in a vehicle but this is not the way a safari trip has to be and you may be surprised at the different types on offer. There are of course safari holidays that do involve hours of driving where the conditions are often extremely hot and dusty but there are also a good number of safari trips you can go on that will allow you to get a taster of the experience without having to endure the long days. These can be perfect for a first time safari or if you ae planning on going on one with children who may not be able to manage the early mornings and long days.

If you are not sure if a safari holiday is right for you, then book a mini safari trip to go on whilst on your holiday to try it out first. If you like it then you can always book to go on a full safari experience for your next getaway. Many resorts now offer discounted prices for day safari trips that can be added in to your relaxing holiday allowing you to enjoy the best of both worlds.

A safari holiday is a dream for many people. Getting to be up close to some of the world’s most magnificent animals and seeing how they interact with each other and their surroundings can be breath taking. Some people like to be able to pamper themselves a bit when on holiday, having the time to do their make up, applying the fake tan before jetting off and seeing their favourite stylist to give their hair a treatment or colour. When on a safari holiday you may struggle to maintain your beauty regime as you usually would at home, but there are plenty of natural ingredients that you can use that often do the same job.

Sugar, for example, is a perfect exfoliator and is easily accessible when on holiday. The gritty texture often works better than some off the shelf products. If you are considering a spray tan before a safari trip then you may want to think again. The majority of the time you may have to stay covered up and during the warmer months you will find you sweat a lot which often means fake tan will run. Instead opt for a light tanning moisturiser that will gradually tan your skin but still look natural.

Why do so many people choose to go on an African safari?  What is it that attracts so many travellers this amazing continent?  For many people this is the adventure and excitement of the vast Savannas which are filled with magnificent animals like Lions, elephants and giraffes and getting the opportunity to meet the local tribal people.

These days African safari industry is very sophisticated, with a strong focus on sustainability as well as ensuring exceptional customer service.  Many safari operators are striving to be the best in their industry and will go above and beyond to ensure that your trip is as memorable as possible.

Although South Africa is famous for its safari holidays places such as Kenya and Tanzania continue to be popular for safari destinations.

If you want to go the extra mile on a safari holiday then why not book a bespoke trip which has been tailored to be exactly what you want.  Take the time to research the areas and find out where you want to visit and also what is the best time of year to go there as the climate can vary from summer to winter also meaning that the sights you will often be quite different.

Family safari holidays in Africa can be a great way for children to get to grips with nature and encounter many different cultures. They can often learn a lot from seeing animals in their natural habitat, things that they won’t get from seeing them in a zoo or in a safari park. When booking a family holiday to Africa you need to book with a company that will tailor make your holiday to suit the all the family, and takes in to consideration the age of the children who are going to be traveling with you. You will need to make sure that you are going to a malaria free area and that the accommodation you chose is suitable for your children.

Many standard safari trips will be a bit boring for children as there is often a lot of standing around or driving in a hot vehicle, expecting them to sit quietly with very little entertainment, but this doesn’t mean to say that there are not safari holidays out there that are perfect for families you just may need to plan a head a little more than you would if you were going alone or in a couple.

Self drive safari holidays can be a better way at getting around when going on safari with children as it will allow you to take what you need in your own vehicle and stay out for as long or as little as you want to.

The Serengeti national park in Africa is renowned for being the place where the circuit of migration happens year up on year. It is often a very popular chose for its safari experiences and really is a place of beauty and tranquillity.

Deciding when to visit the Serengeti is very important and will often influence what sights you will see. The rainy season is usually March through till May and then again in November. January is usually the driest and hottest month with June through to October usually dry but a little cooler.

The Great Migration as it’s often referred to, attracts thousands of sight seers every year. Spectators of the Great Migration can expect to see over one million wildebeest and other grazing herbivores making their annual journey following the rains from the Maasai Mara to the Serengeti.  With so much wildlife inhabiting the Serengeti it is the perfect location for all year round game viewing. Big cats such, Elephants, Giraffes and Buffalo are all found in abundance in this area.

There is a wide range of safari trips on offer in the Serengeti and surrounding areas, so talk to your travel agent about the types of wildlife you would like to see wo they can best advise you of when to go.