Whenever an African Safari calls, it is great to know all the fun activities you might be interested in to thrill your wildlife experience.
The fun activities on an African safari are the best ways we discover the wild games and connect with them. It is so much about relaxing and unwinding from the hustle of everyday life to just focus and enjoy nature and her treasures.
In this article, we want to explore these fun activities, what we can learn, and how best to maximize them for an adventurous safari escapade.
What are the fun activities on an African Safari?
Certain outdoor activities naturally catch one’s passion, and you find this happening even in your safari adventure. Tour outfits/marketers understand this and use different fun activities on an African safari to appeal to tourists and adventure lovers.
From game drives to canoeing, from balloon safaris to walking the bush paths or taking advantage of Nocturnal games with the night drives. In all of this what is important is that you catch the fun of wildlife viewing and capture unforgettable moments.
Top Wildlife Viewing Experiences on Safari
The Big 5 versus Big 7
The term, Big 5 has become a household name in safari world and tours. Safari marketers have branded it such that travelers’ safari experience without seeing the Big Five is incomplete. What about the Big 7? The addition of Cheetah and wild dog adds a thrill to the Big 5, whose attention is most sought after.
Each of these African treasures- lions, leopards, elephants, buffalos, rhinos, Cheetah, and wild dogs is remarkable to see in their natural habitat, leaving tourists with unforgettable experiences.
Best Viewing Times for the Big Games
The best times for sightings of these safari wildlife are often at dawn or dusk, early morning or late afternoon. The animals are most active at this time, so you want to take the opportunity to visit the animals when they are most active.
Meanwhile, top wildlife viewing can be maximized in the best safari destinations like Maasai Mara in Kenya, Tanzania’s northern circuit such as Serengeti National Park, and Ngorongoro Crater, and the famous Kruger National Park in South Africa.
Visiting these parks means different things for safari enthusiasts as they all offer a unique variety of wildlife conservation and display, thus enhancing the variety of wildlife experiences.
Game Drives: Morning vs. Night Safaris
Game drives are one of the significant fun activities you should experience when you embark on an African Safari. It usually involves a few safari visitors in an open 4 × 4 jeep, moving around the wilderness, following the direction of a guide.
Morning Game Drives
The morning game drive is different from the night safaris, where the drive is done at night. Both game drives have their unique benefits, such as weather, animals’ activeness, plus a high engagement rate with tourists.
There are several reasons to explore the games at this time, especially for the best views, unrestrained photo shots, and personal safety. According to safari-center.com, morning game drives are the best.
Night Safaris
The night is spectacular when it comes to African safaris, as night drives offer the opportunity to see Nocturnal animals you would rather not see in the day. You also find predators such as lions, leopards, and hyenas in action with their prey.
Some adventurists find night safaris appealing since it adds a unique thrill to the experience. Take a moment to reflect on it. See the tour in the darkness with the skylights and beaming torch of your guide, the sharp alertness of one’s five senses, creating an exciting moment of anticipation – what next to see in the dark.
During the event, you can be sure of a remarkable experience as you encounter the games and various night birds, including owls, bush babies, and chameleons.
The guides are indispensable, providing information for each of the necessary creatures. This keeps your adventure educational and fun-filled at the same time.
Birdwatching Adventures for Nature Lovers
There are over 2000 bird species in Africa such that bird-watching lovers can have a fun-filled safari in any of the African sanctuaries that host varieties of these birds. It’s good to know that just as some tourists seek after the Big 5, so there are others whose best interest in Africa safaris is bird watching.
For safari enthusiasts whose passion is glued to the bird species, they can find varieties of them in popular safari destinations in Eastern Africa. Bird watching is fun in any of the wilderness; it can be a rewarding way to immerse in nature’s beauty alongside the big game viewing.
Best times for birdwatching, and top destinations.
A diversity of birds can be found in Africa’s prestigious wildlife, Tarangire National Park in Tanzania, also known as the best bird-watching site. Bird watchers can also visit Kruger National Park in South Africa, and Okavango Delta in Botswana. There are other African wilderness with these natural treasures, such as Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe and Amboseli National Park in Kenya.
The parks may experience different weather conditions, but the best time for bird watching is during the wet season, between November and April when migratory birds arrive. In Tarangire, for instance, the birds are present during these wet seasons as they look to breed before the dry season returns, and they leave the park.
Birders can be attracted to a variety of birds such as the yellow-billed hornbill, guineafowl, weavers, African Jacana, Shoebill, Green Breasted Pitta, African Green Broadbill, Pink-breasted lark, African fish eagle, Ashley starling, ostriches, Anseriformes, and Yellow-necked spurfowl.
Hot Air Balloon Rides over the Savannah
How about a hot air balloon safari? A hot air balloon is one opportunity to catch the biggest adventure in your Africa Safari trip. While game drives, canoeing, and walking safari are great chances to spot big games and catch the beautiful smaller creatures, you can only get the best of the aerial views on safari from floating above the savannah.
With hot air balloon rides, you get to see a spectacular view of herds of wildlife including the landscape, trees, and bushes. Such safari from above offers unforgettable moments.
Top Destinations for Hot Air Safari
Tourists can enjoy fun activities on an African safari, especially a hot air safari in wildlife locations, including Serengeti, Maasai Mara, and Sossusvlei in Namibia. Most of the balloon rides take place at sunrise, allowing safari lovers to view the landscape in the golden light of the sun.
RECOMMENDED: How Many Days Do You Need for an African Safari
Cultural Tours with Local Tribes
Most tourists given to their Africa safari trip take the chance to explore and learn the traditional way of the locals. This is the reason some trips end up being cultural tours of seeing the wildlife. Travelers meet with the indigenous people in their villages, touring historic sites and immersing themselves in African culture.
Maasai Mara Cultural Tour
The Maasai Mara people are an indigenous and famous tribe in Kenya and Northern Tanzania. They are actively involved in safari cultural tours, especially in the Maasai Mara region. Travelers who visit the Wildlife Reserve often encounter them during tours and get the chance to interact and learn their living patterns with nature and wildlife.
The Maasai are semi-nomadic and contribute to the adventure of travellers who are interested in Africa’s traditional way of life. On a cultural tour with the Maasai locals, you experience deep-rooted cultural practices.
RECOMMENDED: Is Kenya or Tanzania Cheaper for Safari?
Guided Nature Walks and Bush Walks
Walking has always been a long-existing exercise, but it is even more impressive when it involves a safari activity. Guided nature walks on a safari tour mean a lot when you seek an up-close experience.
Many savannas in Africa have walking safari as part of their package, providing tourists the opportunity to see wildlife and tracks game drives may miss. It is also an avenue for guides to lavish their knowledge of the bush and games they meet as they toll the bush paths.
Walking Safari Safety Precautions
Meeting the big games during a walking safari may cause panic, ultimately leading to casualties cases. This is why safety is the first place when involved in this fun activity.
Safety is a top priority, with guides trained in wildlife behavior, you can be sure of a safe walking adventure.
The following are some safety precautions to ensure a secure experience:
Don’t walk alone
Safety begins with you and on a walking safari, you should be following the armed guide and not just you or another traveler finding your way.
Don’t walk around at night
Stay in your tent and avoid walking around the park. If you need to move around, call for assistance.
Wear the right clothing
We made a guide on what not to wear on an African safari and follow the rules to stay safe whether for walking in the bushes or other fun activities on an African safari.
Respect Wildlife
Certain behaviors and gestures might not be pleasing to the wildlife. So, it is advisable to stay quiet and observe and avoid running when an animal moves closer. Follow the wildlife rules and behave to suit the moment.
Listen to your Guide
No traveler should hire an inexperienced guide on a safari adventure. Pick a guide that is knowledgeable and one you can listen to on any occasion.
RECOMMENDED: Cons and Risks of an African Safari: Things to Know
Conclusion on African Safari Fun Activities
The fun activities on an African safari consist of creative outdoor events to visit the bush, watch the animals, and connect with them. These activities tend to take different turns depending on where and what resources are available at the parks.
For national parks with beaches, travelers are assured of a beach safari. Others with rivers and the Nile can engage tourists with canoeing activities and the like. This means operators can be creative to perceive what the people need for relaxation as well as to enjoy a thrilling and rewarding African safari.
