A safari in the African bush is likely to be one of your most memorable life experiences. It is like no other. Many of our visitors say that it was a unique, life-changing one.
One of the phenomenal aspects of a safari is being in the wilds, in remote and untouched places, far from the bustle and distraction of modern life.
Imagine being in two or three different camps in the African bush over a couple of weeks. In the evening you sip a cocktail around the campfire, not seeing a light or other sign of habitation on the horizon! The only sounds are the crackle of the campfire, and the rumbles of a herd elephant feeding nearby.
The wilderness experience is an extremely important aspect to us at A Step Ahead. When I started guiding safaris in 1990 this was the easiest ingredient of a safari to provide. Luxury facilities on the other hand, were hard to find. In those days we provided the luxury in our mobile tented camps. Often the services at the lodges we stayed at, while our camp moved, were inferior.
The Serengeti is where the Great Migration, perhaps the best wildlife spectacle on Earth, occurs. In 1990 I remember barely seeing another vehicle on a week´s safari there. In those days there were very few roads or tracks as traffic was minimal. We spent most of our safari driving off-road.
In 1995 Tanzania welcomed only about 280,000 visitors a year. By 2019 about 1.5 million tourists visited the country. The difficulty of providing these special components of a safari had long since reversed. There are plenty of deluxe places to stay in Africa today.
Increased tourist activity has its benefits. It keeps poachers away, as they are more likely to be discovered. Revenue from national park entry receipts pays for ranger patrols guarding the boundaries. The booming tourism economy benefits surrounding communities by providing employment, and improvements in education and health facilities.
It now requires up-to-date knowledge and careful planning when incorporating famous areas of dense wildlife, such as the Serengeti, in a safari. Without this planning traffic, and the hustle and bustle can remind you of a wildlife theme park.
We often also combine a must-see destination such as the impressive Ngorongoro Crater with a lesser known, more remote area like Ruaha national park in central Tanzania. This way we can be sure you experience the wilderness during your safari.
Thankfully there still are many amazingly wild corners in Africa.
Justin