Big Game Safaris
Closer to Nature
For the authentic safari experience, it has to be Southern Africa. From Botswana to Zambia, from the desert landscapes of Namibia to watery wilderness of the Okavango Delta, Africa offers a greater variety of natural habitat and abundance of wildlife than any other continent.
The Safari Experience
Little can prepare you for the exhilaration of a safari - watching big game at close quarters and in its natural environment.
Yet the safari experience is about much more that just big game watching. Safaris are about living life according to the ebb and flow of nature:
- Rising at dawn for the best of the game drives
- Spending one’s days in the open air
- Relaxing over sundowners
- Dining by canlelight under the stars
- Falling asleep to the sounds of the bush
Above all, a safari is about the companionship of one’s fellow guests and the experience of living life in the lap of luxury, yet at the same miles from civilization.
Big Game Safaris
Safari means literally ‘a wandering’, so the term big game safari is used to distinguish the traditional safari from the numerous types of specialist safari that have followed – gorilla safaris, birding safaris, photographic safaris and even, somewhat preposterously, underwater safaris.
Big game safaris involve tracking and watching the larger species of land mammal - everything from antelope to zebra, from gazelle to gnu. In the days when big game was hunted, rather than watched, five game species which were difficult to hunt were considered particularly prized trophies and these were known collectively as the 'Big Five'.
The species that make up the 'Big Five' are:
- Lion (Panthera leo)
- African Elephant (Loxodonta africana)
- African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer)
- Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis)
- Leopard (Panthera pardus)
Game parks where all five species coexist are often promoted as ‘Big Five Territory’, but it would be wrong to treat a big game safari as something akin to train spotting. Some guests are fortunate and see the Big Five on their first trip to safari. Others discover there is equal pleasure in watching a herd of gemsbok in the morning mists or a young giraffe stretching to reach the highest of leaves, returning to Africa many times without feeling the need to tick all of the ‘Big Five ’ boxes.
Planning Your Safari
Once you’ve decided on a big game safari, a number of slightly bewildering decisions follow. You’ll need to choose the type of safari, for although most safaris involve game watching from 4x4 vehicles, other options include walking safaris, horseback safaris, cycling safaris and even elephant back safaris. You’ll also need to consider what style of safari accommodation will suit your needs, from the luxury hotel-style facilities offered by a safari lodge to the somewhat spartan surroundings of a fully demountable tented camp.
Once your ideas are taking shape, contact one of Close Encounters’ advisors who tailor a safari to meet your needs, taking account of your budget, the timing of your trip and the countries that you want to visit on your travels.
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