I have been to Africa five times and have managed to wedge in brief safaris and/or gorilla treks in the past, but this is the first time I have done an almost three week photo safari. I have learned quite a bit over the years and in the past few weeks which may be helpful to those considering a similar experience.
Equipment: I bought a used Sony RX10 bridge camera because I wanted a quality camera while still traveling light. Yosi hauled two very heavy lenses and two big cameras plus an additional pocket camera. We were both happy with the results. Different strokes for different folks. You are limited by weight on the tiny safari planes but somehow we carried it off.
Do carry-on luggage. It’s not that hard, you don’t need many clothes and it makes travel so much easier.
The safari experience: Americans tend to think of Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. And indeed, they are wonderful. However, I have done two safaris in Uganda (as well as Kenya and Rwanda), and the Uganda experience offers a breadth and depth of experience that cannot be equaled, so add it to your list for consideration. Uganda is slightly cheaper. There are seven national parks, and Murchison Falls offers an extraordinary concentration of wildlife that is generally closer to you than the Masai Mara or Serengeti. And the gorillas of Bwindi! Kenya’s Masai Mara is vast, open, breathtaking, and lots of lions. The Serengeti is the same, just on the Tanzania side. Kenya has more tourists but Uganda has sophisticated facilities and we kept meeting people that we instantly bonded with over the experience.
Do the gorillas. It is life changing. The experience in Uganda offers more options for difficulty level than the one in Rwanda, and Uganda is half the price. Not that the Bwindi trek was cheap. Bwindi is mountainous and gorgeous, and has a village nearby to explore.
If you want a real photo safari, get a personal guide to partner in the fun. You just can’t get the same quality of photos when there are six people jostling for a quick shot. If money is an issue (as it usually is), cut the length down by a day or two and get the guide.
Accommodations: Clean and safe is the baseline priority, of course. Your travel agency can work with you to find the best options. Two wonderful firms are Adventure Vacation Safaris in Uganda and Real Useful Travel & Marketing in Kenya. Both owned by Rotarians who I have gotten to know over the years. Really the best.
There are so many other places to go – I’ve always wanted to go to Zanzibar, for instance. Botswana is supposed to be wonderful, and Zambia, and South Africa. So much to do, so little time….
Oh, one more tip. Brussels Air cancelled our flight at the last minute and we really had to scramble. Yosi found a flight on Qatar Airlines that included an overnight stop in Doha, Qatar. I was not thrilled, but it turned out to be a stroke of luck. The airline has a deal where you can get a five star hotel for $45 (seriously!). We stayed in a luxury room and took a cheap cab ride to the souk, a huge medieval warren, to hang out for the evening. Tourists are welcomed, and it was an interesting mix of Middle Eastern women all in black and Europeans wearing whatever. It really broke up the trip, and we arrived fresher and ready to go.
Enjoy your safari!