The Great Tours: African Safari

The safari experience has changed mightily over the last century, and today, sustainability is one of the most important considerations for tourism. This series closes with a look at responsibility and conservation and what some of the leaders in the safari industry are doing to support local communities and to protect endangered species.

The word "safari" comes from the Swahili word for "journey." While safaris typically involve journeys into the wilderness, the cities and cultures of Africa offer a different kind of journey.

This series, so far, has traversed all the popular geographies and methods for taking a safari. Now, follow some of the less-traveled roads.

Listen: When you go on an African safari, you step away from the hum of household electronics, the wails of car horns and sirens, and experience the call of the wild. The chattering of crickets and frogs, the late-night howls of jackals, the iconic roar of the lions.

Did you know Africa is home to world-class beaches, wildlife-rich islands, exceptional scuba diving, and some of our planet's best surfing breaks? Here, you will tour the tropical islands and beaches that offer an experience like no other.

Spotting the notable animals or identifying bird species might be a primary goal of your African safari, but getting to know the common botanical species is an integral part of the experience. Learn about Africa's different biomes and the plants best suited for each region, and reflect on the intricate connections among the roots, branches, and flowers of life.

Africa is home to roughly a quarter of the world's bird species, so anyone interested in avian diversity should make it a point to visit the continent. In this episode, you will travel to some of the top birding destinations in Southern Africa, Kenya, and Tanzania.

What would a safari be without the avian delights you are sure to encounter in Africa? Ostriches, eagles, flamingos, herons: Africa is home to countless species of truly amazing birds.

Snakes, lizards, toads, and frogs have a nasty reputation. They're creepy, crawly, slithery, and cold-blooded.

The giant animals might be the immediate crowd-pleasers, but the smaller mammals of Africa can be equally fascinating, and they play a critical role in the ecosystem. From mongooses and rabbits to the strange-looking pangolin, get an up-close look at an abundance of small mammals.

In Episode 7, you learned some ins and outs of a "primate safari." Now, take a closer look at the great apes you might meet.

Meet the giant mammals of the African landscape: the elephant, the rhinoceros, the giraffe, and the hippopotamus. Each of these mega-herbivores is truly captivating, but they are also threatened by poaching.

Continue your study of safari animals with this episode on "the hunted": grazing herbivores that have evolved to thrive in the dangerous jungles and savannahs. From buffalo and antelopes to zebras and impalas, examine an array of herbivores and their astonishing adaptations for survival.

Now that you have surveyed the range of geographies and types of safaris, shift gears to begin a multi-episode unit on the flora and fauna you might see on your safari. Here, start with the predators: the crowd-pleasing carnivorous animals at the top of the food chain.

While the most common image of a safari is one of riding into the bush in a 4x4 truck to get an up-close view of big mammals, a walking safari can be one of the most stunning ways to experience Africa. Step away from the bustle of the modern world, slow down, and pay attention to the many wondrous details you can see by foot.

Thus far, this series has covered where to go. Here, consider how to experience the safari. Should you soak it all up with the naked eye, or should you bring along your camera equipment to document it all? Whether you're using an iPhone or the latest and greatest DSLR, learn a few strategies for capturing your trip on film.

A night drive into the African bush offers a glimpse into a completely different world, from nocturnal animals to the breathtaking sky. This episode covers the basics of a night safari: what animals you might see, how they might behave, and what tools you need for successful and responsible viewing of animals at night.

Trek into the tropical mountains and valleys of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to get a first-hand look at our closest living relatives. From studying gorillas to chimpanzees, there is nothing more enchanting than sitting on the damp forest floor and gazing into the eyes of a great ape.

The majority of safari experiences concentrate in the continent's fertile savannahs and wetlands, but the arid regions of Namibia and the Atlantic coast of Africa hold countless treasures. Here, journey into the oldest desert in the world, view the magnificent red sand dunes, and learn about survival in a seemingly inhospitable climate.

Shift your attention to the rivers and wetlands of Botswana, where the opportunity to view wildlife from the water is like nothing else. Whether from a boat or a dugout canoe (or "mokoro"), and whether you are birdwatching or big-game viewing, a water safari is without a doubt the crown jewel of the African safari experience.

Continue your study of safari categories. Here, tour the astounding wealth of Southern Africa, from the enormous Kruger National Park to Zimbabwe's big-game landscape and to the wild wetlands of Zambia.

Get an introduction to the five major safari categories. After reviewing them in total, this episode delves into safaris in East Africa: namely, in Kenya and Tanzania.

Before you embark on your safari, you have a critical decision to make. Do you want to rent a car and manage your own safari (which offers the most freedom, privacy, and affordability), or do you want to hire a guide to plan your itinerary, outfit your trip, and educate you along the way?

Begin your journey with a look at the origins and evolution of the safari, from its African roots as a trading journey to the hunting expeditions of the early 1900s to a form of popular tourism. Consider how Africa changed over the 20th century, and witness the rise of ecotourism.