Eastern and Southern Africa Focus on Safaris

What is a safari? An expedition to observe or hunt animals in their natural habitat, especially in East Africa. Traditionally, the trip was a big-game hunt, but today, safari often refers to trips to observe and photograph wildlife —or hiking and sight-seeing. The Swahili word safari means journey

Types of Safari Guided safaris Walking safaris Fly-in safaris Elephant back safaris Horseback safaris Balloon safaris Safaris can also be called “wildlife tourism” Can be a form of eco- tourism

Kinds of Lodging Permanent camp – You're based in a permanent tented camp or lodge – During the day you go on hikes, drives and even hot air balloon safaris

Mobile permanent camp – You visit several different camps and lodges – Traveling from one location to the next via Land Rover or minibuses

Mobile – You stay in a temporary camp each night – Good for budget travelers who don't mind roughing it a bit – No flush toilets or running water – But a hippo or elephant might wander through camp at night

The Big 5 1.Elephant 2.Rhino 3.Buffalo 4.Lion 5.Leopard The Big Five were chosen for the difficulty in hunting them and the degree of danger involved, rather than their size.

Craziest Videos Ever Taken on Safari? The Battle at Kruger Lion saves calf from another lion Cheetah chases impala into a tourist’s car Cheetah jumps onto car ww.youtube.com/watch?v=yjUgWoVouCA Not for the faint of heart! Scariest safari accidents

Environmental Impact of Safaris Soaring visitor numbers have severely damaged roads and grasslands Without a strong government, famous national parks have become open house for illegal hunting parties (bribes from rich Middle Eastern tourists) Can disrupt the feeding and breeding patterns

Social Impact of Safaris The once nomadic Maasai have gravitated to more permanent settlements along the borders of the Mara reserve. The wild animals are now competing for habitat with Maasai livestock and large-scale crop cultivation Corrupt and cynical tour operators, lodge owners, and officials have over the years siphoned off most of the profits from foreign tourism, leaving almost nothing to trickle down to local tribespeople

Positive Impacts of Safaris Habitat restoration Contributes to the conservation and improvement of the conditions for the animals. The flow of the people can keep the poachers at bay from killing the valuable animals. The local tribes have a decent living as it provides opportunities of improved livelihood Breeding programs for rare animals Financial donations for conservation Research and monitoring wildlife numbers

FAMOUS PARKS

Maasai Mara National Reserve - Kenya Kenya is Africa's most popular safari destination and this is the most popular wildlife park there. From July - October you can witness the incredible migration of millions of wildebeest and zebra. The Maasai tribesmen also offer cultural tours which will enhance your experience.

Chobe National Park - Botswana This park covers four distinct Eco-systems. Chobe boasts around 120,000 elephants. Herds of zebra, eland, buffalo, giraffe and wildebeest congregate around the Savuti marsh this time of year. There's a wide variety of accommodation available to suit all budgets, you can even rent a houseboat.

Kruger National Park – South Africa Kruger boasts the highest variety of wildlife in Africa which includes the Big Five, hippos, crocodiles, cheetah and more. Kruger is one of the best maintained parks in Africa which means it's ideal for a self-drive safari.

South Luangwa National Park - Zambia Home of the “walking safari”. The Luangwa river is filled to the brim with hippos and you may see prides of over 30 lions at a time. It offers both budget and luxury safari lodging. The best time to visit is during the dry season from April - October, when the animals congregate near the waterholes.

Serengeti National Park - Tanzania The “classic” safari experience. The grasslands make the Serengeti fantastic for spotting lion kills because you can see the whole spectacle clearly. The migration of millions of wildebeest and zebra starts here.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest - Uganda Home to almost half of the world's population of mountain gorillas. You can also see chimpanzees and elephants. Bwindi has been designated a World Heritage Site.

Etosha National Park - Namibia Home to Africa's tallest elephants, the endangered black rhino, and 91 other species of mammal. Most visitors to Etosha will see plenty of giraffe, elephant, lion, rhino and have a very good chance of seeing cheetah and leopard. Etosha National Park is a self- drive safari experience.

Okavango Delta - Botswana The Okavango is a unique safari destination because you can view much of the wildlife from a traditional canoe, a mokoro. You can see hippos in their natural habitats, but beware. Hippos cause more deaths than any other wildlife in Africa.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania The includes the world's largest crater which acts as a natural enclosure for almost every species of wildlife found in East Africa. The Maasai people still live within the conservation area It's also home to Olduvai where some of man's earliest remains have been found.

Hwange National Park - Zimbabwe It has an abundance of giraffes, elephants, and lions as well as 105 other mammal species. Hwange also has one of the largest populations of wild dogs left in Africa. The park is close to one of the world's greatest natural wonders – Victoria Falls.