Our First Safari Experience: 10 things to think about and know about going to Africa

Jul 12

A once in a lifetime travel opportunity seemed to fall into our laps. We were fortunate to have our grandparents finishing an assignment in South Africa. This provided us with a relatively easy excuse and the confidence to start planning an African adventure.

Because they had spent about 18 months we were able to use some of their experiences as we started the planning process. Our relatives were not travel specialists but did provide us some recommendations. We were fairly experienced travelers but Africa seemed a bit daunting. Most of what you hear focuses on the negative aspects of the country and continent which would naturally make people a little nervous about traveling there. However, we were able to lean on the direct experiences of our family to start moving forward.

We got commitments from about 12 other family members to make the trip. Four couples, two teenagers and two kids. We met up with grandparents on the trip. Since they had a specific date their assignment would conclude we were already pretty locked in to the approximate timing of our trip.

With our travel knowledge we initially attempted to plan the trip without a travel advisor. But realizing it was more complicated than any trip we’d ever taken, we knew we needed help. We narrowed down some travel advisor options which could help us make the most of our trip. After some correspondence we selected someone we felt best fit for our situation. Our advisor had a lot of experience traveling in Africa, asked us good questions and provided excellent recommendations.

What did we wonder before we went:

We had lots of questions. Here is a summary of what we weren't sure about before the trip and what we discovered.

Was it safe to travel there as a family?

Yes. Just like visiting any place it is important to understand where you are going, and be aware of surroundings. This may be particularly critical in developing countries. The key to having a safe trip is to stay at reputable places and have a plan. This was dependent on our travel adviser and following their recommendations they created based on our background. We were picked up at our hotel by a driver when arriving at airports. This was an important consideration to helping our children feel safe and lower the overall stress level. We became familiar with the rules and requirements when traveling (passports, vaccine cards, visa costs, methods of payment, etc.) to our various locations. During our trip we never felt unsafe despite going places that were very foreign to us. Just like many areas that are heavily dependent on travel for economic reasons they are incentivized for tourists to have a safe and enjoyable experience. We stayed and visited places that were friendly to tourism and provided great service.

Should we be worried about diseases?

Yes- but if you take the necessary precautions prior to the trip it isn’t a concern. We visited our county health department to get information on vaccines and other things we needed to plan for specific to the areas we would be on our trip. We followed the guidance of the health department. They provided literature, prescriptions and vaccines. Besides being current with the typical vaccines, we had to get a few additional vaccines (typhoid and hepatitis). We also had to fill prescriptions for malaria pills during our time in certain locations and travelers diarrhea just in case. This was prior to COVID so we didn’t have that to worry about.

How long should we plan to be gone?

There is plenty to do in just the country of South Africa but since we weren’t sure when we would be able to return we decided on an itinerary with locations in multiple countries within southern Africa. Our trip took 14 days. Time in transit for international flights was at least 20 hours each way. We spent 3 days in Capetown, 4 days in Zimbabwe at a safari lodge near Victoria Falls with a day trip to Botswana, 4 days in a Sabi Sands lodge (South Africa) , and 2 days in Johannesburg.

What are the accommodation options?

The accommodations were great overall. When we were making decisions about where to stay our travel advisor provided a few options. We stayed at a moderately priced hotel in Cape Town in a great location, a higher end lodge in Zimbabwe/Victoria Falls, a lower to medium lodge in Sabi Sands, and a higher end hotel in a nicer area of Johannesburg.

What kind of things can we do?

Cape town felt like a very European type city with good restaurants, shopping, great cultural experiences and key landmarks. We stayed in the Waterfront area which was attached to a nice shopping mall and many dining options. This was very safe for tourists and provided for beautiful views of table mountain. We attended a drum show, went to the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, Table Mountain, saw the penguins and the Cape of Good Hope. Due to high winds we weren’t able to go to the top of Table Mountain or take a ferry to Robben Island. The wineries are popular tourist destinations in this area of South Africa. We did a tour and visited a few animal encounters. However, the highlights of the trip were staying at safari lodges and going on safari. While at these lodges we typically went on safari drives or boat rides for a few hours in the morning and evening. During the day we could nap, visit with our family or other travelers, swim, read and other things to relax. In Zimbabwe we went to Victoria Falls which was amazing. At a few places we went to local markets. In Johannesburg we did some sightseeing on a red bus tour and stayed in an area where we could do a little walking around.

What is a reasonable price for a good experience?

Overall costs were approximately $7000 per person. That has increased a bit since our first trip. Each trip is very customized with a range of hotel/lodge options. We stayed at two different lodges on our trip and two different hotels. I would recommend 3 out of the 4 places we stayed to others. As we help people plan for trips to Africa we would suggest creating a budget and emphasizing this with the individual helping you with your trip planning but it may be better to have a shorter trip than to save money on your accommodations while in Africa. On top of the base cost of the trip tipping is expected at the safari lodges and should be planned for in the budget.

What kind of food would be available, was it safe and could we drink the water?

In both Cape Town and Johannesburg the restaurant options were really good. We did not have a shortage of types of food available to us. We could get very familiar dishes or cuisine which was a little more local. All of the food we had was safe and restaurants were familiar with serving international guests. The lodges had eating options which were fewer but usually very good. A couple times the kids were not as impressed. The higher end lodge offered a few options each night and had all drinks included except premium alcohol. During safaris the guide prepares snacks and beverages ahead of time which we would stop and enjoy at some point during the drive. The lower end lodge had food which wasn’t quite as good but still just fine. Overall the fresh fruit and meat dishes were excellent.

What did we need to pack or buy to prepare for the trip?

We purchased converters for plugging in electrical devices. Most of the hotels however didn’t need the converters. They often had USB ports or American friendly outlets. We made sure we had medicines on hand we may need since we were unsure if that would be readily available. For safari we packed and purchased clothes which would keep us cool and covered. We ended up with great weather but it is not always predictable. We packed shirts, pants and a hat which covered us in case of rain or sun (lightweight, neutral in color, covered our arms and legs). We also purchased some clothes which were pre-treated with bug repellant. Other clothes we treated ourselves, prior to our trip. However, the lodges also provided bug spray which you could apply once you are there. Some read in some of our research that we should bring hiking shoes but that was not the case. Just bring comfortable shoes. We often just wore sandals. We purchased binoculars but didn’t find them particularly useful since the animals were close. We also took memory cards to take more pictures. We also downloaded shows and music we wanted to enjoy but most places had WIFI. We also rented a WIFI box and took it with us.

How much cash would we need and do we need money in the local currency?

We took about $1000 in US currency and $400 in South African Rand. Some of the very local markets took cash only but most places accepted credit cards. In Zimbabwe they preferred US currency. The ATMs ran out of cash which was a problem for buying things at the local market.

How long did it take to organize the trip?

We started 9 months prior to the trip which we thought was a long ways out but found lodge options were more limited. It is best to start at least 12 months prior to your trip. We encourage trip insurance since things can change in your life over 12 months.

Things we liked best and good surprises

Prior to the trip Africa was not on our bucket list. We really loved the safari more than expected. It spoiled us to the point we don’t enjoy going to the zoo. We were impressed with the service and that we felt safe our entire trip. It felt like an adventure but safe at the same time.

What would we do differently

We probably would have stayed at a nicer lodge in Sabi Sands. It would have been worth the money. During a different trip to Sabi Sands we had a much better experience. We also would have spent more time at the botanical gardens in Cape Town. We had a few animal encounter experiences outside of Johannesburg that were very controlled but not as interesting as safari. After going on safari we would not recommend these places.