Safari travel advice
Photography tips
Dereck and Beverly Joubert are internationally renowned filmmakers, conservationists and National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence. Here is their advice for taking better photographs on safari: "When people arrive with short lenses, the problem is that they push to get closer to the animals. But with digital cameras today, you don’t have to be as close as you think. You can always crop later on. The key is really to get natural behaviour by standing back a little bit and letting these things pan out. If you push too hard you will destroy the animals’ natural behaviour and your opportunities as a photographer."
Our Safari Holidays
Bwindi mountain gorilla tracking, Uganda
Fly to Bwindi Forest and Trek Uganda's Mountain Gorillas
From
US $2373
4 days
ex flights
Complete Uganda holiday, tailor made
Gorillas, Chimpanzees, 6 National Parks and Jinja Adventure
From
US $7132
16 days
ex flights
Botswana safari and Victoria Falls
An unforgettable wildlife and scenery experience
From
US $3853
11 days
ex flights
Namibia and Botswana safari holiday
Namibia & Botswana lodge safari Caprivi Etosha Okavango
From
£2895 to £3480
21 days
ex flights
Namibia and Botswana camping safari
Camping safari to Namib desert, Caprivi, Etosha & Okavango
From
£2125 to £2480
21 days
ex flights
Tanzania Selous safari holiday & Zanzibar
Off-the-beaten track safari experiences & paradise beaches
From
£2150
10 days
ex flights
Namibia small group guided holiday and safari
A fabulous small group guided trip in Nambia
From
£3150 to £3595
12 days
ex flights
Swaziland wildife and culture tour
Explore Eswatini, one of the smallest countries in Africa
From
£2445
12 days
ex flights
Ten day wildlife safari, South Africa
Award winning wildlife safaris in South Africa
From
£2340 to £3300
10 days
ex flights
Uganda highlights & mountain gorillas tour
Gorilla & Chimpanzee Trekking, Queen Elizabeth & Lake Mburo
From
US $4569
10 days
ex flights
Botswana camping safaris
Botswana's premier game parks, Okavango Moremi Savuti Chobe
From
£1535 to £1890
14 days
ex flights
Gorilla and game safari in Uganda
The great Silverback Gorilla & wildlife all in one package!
From
US $3750
10 days
ex flights
Gorilla Safari & the Masai Mara
Superb safari and trip to see gorillas
From
£4049 to £4079
18 days
inc UK flights
Uganda wildlife holiday
This you cannot miss while in Uganda -The wild and beautiful!
From
US $3000
8 days
ex flights
South Africa safari holiday, 14 days
Award winning safari in South Africa
From
£3720
14 days
ex flights
Classic South Africa self drive holiday
Ideally suited for the first-time visitor to South Africa
From
£4315
16 days
inc UK flights
Small group Kenya safari and culture holiday
.Great itinerary combining safari & cultural tours
From
US $1637 to US $2238
7 days
ex flights
Namibia self drive holiday, big cat conservation
Self drive trip taking in Namibia's highlights
From
£2000 to £4000
14 days
ex flights
Botswana and Zimbabwe Ivory Route lodge tour
Classic Journey adventure safari Botswana, Zimbabwe Namibia
From
£3580
15 days
ex flights
Wildlife safari and whale watching in South Africa
5 day Whale watching South Africa add to your safari
From
£785 to £800
5 days
ex flights
Madagascar small group safari
Exceptional journey, expert guides & staggering diversity
From
£3775
15 days
ex flights
Southern Tanzania luxury safari holiday
Two of the most wild and unspoilt parks of Tanzania
From
£8300
12 days
inc UK flights
Namibia holidays, safari & desert discovery
9 day safari designed to show you the best of Namibia
From
£3135
9 days
ex flights
Tanzania holiday, safari, culture and wildlife 7 days
Genuine cultural experiences and iconic wildlife parks
From
US $2245 to US $2895
7 days
ex flights
Zambia safari and Lake Malawi, tailor made
Safari and Beach with a difference, Zambia and Malawi
From
£6105
13 days
inc UK flights
Tanzania Safari and beach holiday
Selous Game Reserve, Ruaha National Park & Mafia Island
From
£4400
12 days
ex flights
Camping safari in Southern Africa
Camping safari highlights of Zimbabwe, Botswana & Kruger
From
£1535 to £1850
16 days
ex flights
Culture tips while on safari
Will Fox is the founder of our supplier On Track Safaris, and a conservationist specialising in leopard behaviour. Here's his safari travel advice: "So many people come back from Africa and say, "that was nice, but I wish I'd been more involved." They don't want to just be shown animals, it's not Disney World. Safaris shouldn't just be about seeing animals and staying in a nice lodge with a spa. That's wonderful, but it should also be about understanding the real issues in Africa and learning more about whatever it is you're keen on. We teach our guests a few native words. If you thank the lodge staff in their own language, you'll get such a beaming smile. They're just so impressed that someone has learned a few words of their language."Tips on avoiding crowds – and saving money
Richard Madden, author of the Telegraph’s Bush Telegraph column, shares his advice for going on safari off-season: "Consider picking up a bargain and travelling outside the peak (dry/winter) season. If you travel during the wet season, the bush is actually greener, lusher and more beautiful and the summer storms can be an intoxicating experience leaving the bush feeling fresh and revitalised. While the wildlife is more dispersed and not so focused around the waterholes, you will still often see huge herds of antelope and all the large predators."
Advice on watching wildlife – properly
Andrew Appleyard, from our supplier Exodus, shares his safari travel advice for watching the Great Migration: “It is incredible to see the huge migration lines. On one of my last safaris we saw the Big Five within a few hours and so I asked the group what they wanted to do. They asked me “what would you do?” I said I’d park the vehicle up in the middle of the migration, turn the engine off and sit there for two or three hours and just watch it pass. That would be my top tip. I’d also ban photography for an hour – get everyone to put their cameras down. Too many people just shoot Africa through a lens and come back with 7,000 images – but don’t actually just sit there and take it all in. So I make everyone put their cameras down and watch it with their engines off.”Our top Safari Holiday
Uganda wildlife holiday
This you cannot miss while in Uganda -The wild and beautiful!
From
US $3000
8 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2019: 4 Nov, 18 Nov, 2 Dec, 16 Dec, 30 Dec
2020: 13 Jan, 27 Jan, 10 Feb, 24 Feb, 9 Mar, 23 Mar, 6 Apr, 20 Apr, 4 May, 18 May, 1 Jun, 15 Jun, 29 Jun, 13 Jul, 27 Jul, 10 Aug, 24 Aug, 7 Sep, 21 Sep, 5 Oct, 19 Oct, 2 Nov, 16 Nov
2019: 4 Nov, 18 Nov, 2 Dec, 16 Dec, 30 Dec
2020: 13 Jan, 27 Jan, 10 Feb, 24 Feb, 9 Mar, 23 Mar, 6 Apr, 20 Apr, 4 May, 18 May, 1 Jun, 15 Jun, 29 Jun, 13 Jul, 27 Jul, 10 Aug, 24 Aug, 7 Sep, 21 Sep, 5 Oct, 19 Oct, 2 Nov, 16 Nov
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Safari or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
Health & safety on safari
HEALTH
SAFETY
Check the FCO website for the most up to date travel advice on each destination.
Safari advice from our travellers
At Responsible Travel, we think the best people to advise our travellers are often... other travellers. They always return from our tours with packing tips, weather reports, ideas about what to do - and opinions about what not to.
We have selected some of the most useful safari travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your holiday - and the space inside your suitcase.
We have selected some of the most useful safari travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your holiday - and the space inside your suitcase.
Take a pair of binoculars - and good ones - we were very glad we were not fighting to see the animals
- Alice Crawley
Safari clothes are that dusty green because whatever you wear you will end up that colour if you do any serious travelling in Africa! - Jane Lloyd Francis in Namibia
If you go during the wintertime, do not forget warm clothes. A woollen cap is not a "gadget", especially in the south. - Denis Robin in Namibia
I learned a new method of washing clothes, stamp on them when you are in the shower - environmentally friendly as well. Remember an alarm clock. - Demelza Potter in Namibia
Packing earplugs might just help you sleep when the lions and jackals are conspiring against it! - Sarah Schmitz in Namibia
If you go during the wintertime, do not forget warm clothes. A woollen cap is not a "gadget", especially in the south. - Denis Robin in Namibia
I learned a new method of washing clothes, stamp on them when you are in the shower - environmentally friendly as well. Remember an alarm clock. - Demelza Potter in Namibia
Packing earplugs might just help you sleep when the lions and jackals are conspiring against it! - Sarah Schmitz in Namibia
Talk with the guides - they are a min of information.
- Stuart Sutcliffe
Pack less than you think, you really don't need it! Don't forget the right kind of travel adaoptors so you can charge your camera battery. - Danila Mansfield in Namibia and Botswana
You don't need a fleece in Selous. It's warm, at least in September! US dollars accepted everywhere. Don't bother exchanging for Tanzanian schillings. Lightweight trainers are fine for this holiday. - Ann Evans in Tanzania
Travel lightly, both in clothing and intent - minimise your own impact by being mindful of the culture and facilities (or lack of) in the country you are visiting. Enjoy every moment, especially encounters with the warm, friendly people as well as the animals. – Angie Polkey in Uganda
Where possible,and within reason, take advantage of going out and exploring the local area and interacting with the localpeople – Heather Evans in Kenya
You don't need a fleece in Selous. It's warm, at least in September! US dollars accepted everywhere. Don't bother exchanging for Tanzanian schillings. Lightweight trainers are fine for this holiday. - Ann Evans in Tanzania
Travel lightly, both in clothing and intent - minimise your own impact by being mindful of the culture and facilities (or lack of) in the country you are visiting. Enjoy every moment, especially encounters with the warm, friendly people as well as the animals. – Angie Polkey in Uganda
Where possible,and within reason, take advantage of going out and exploring the local area and interacting with the localpeople – Heather Evans in Kenya
More about Safari
The best time to go on safari will obviously depend on the seasons and wildlife watching potential, but to help you decide, we have neatly summarised what you can expect from the weather in Africa's key safari destinations.
Our safari travel guide takes a broad overview of safaris in Africa and has been designed to help you, the responsible traveller, learn more about this exciting holiday option.
The best place to go on safari in Africa is as much personal, as geographical, depending on the wildlife you hope to see, the landscapes you enjoy and whether you're travelling with family.
Some of the best safaris in the world are set against the wide-open vistas of Africa.
Not sure how to choose an African safari? With so many safari options out there, and so many countries, too, it can feel bewildering.
Electric safari vehicles are transforming the game drive experience into something quiet, smooth and environmentally responsible.
Safaris with kids are a wonderful way to introduce children of all ages to wildlife in its natural environment, but it's worth doing some research to find the right kind of safari, in the right destination, so that little ones will be engaged and inspired, not bored.
Responsible safari holidays are designed to help you understand what you’re seeing, leave the landscape as you found it and, ideally, benefit both the wildlife and communities you come across while you travel.
Find all of our safari guides in one place, for safari in particular countries such as Tanzania and Botswana or perhaps you would like to know more about the different types of safari holidays such as budget, self drive or gorilla safaris.
protection
Photo credits: [Page banner: Wild Frog Photography] [Photography : kaythaney]
[Avoiding crowds: Matthew Cramblett]
[Cheetah cub: Eric MacDonell]
[Review 1 – Alice Crawley: alaina buzas]
[Review 2 – Stuart Sutcliffe: Marc Smith]
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