Why Go to Africa

 

Why Africa? Many people ask me that. They’ve even considered it themselves but then say, “well, isn’t it really expensive” or “is it safe”.

I can only speak about Kenya and Tanzania when I talk about Africa, but it is a land of AMAZEMENT. I’ve traveled quite a bit, but never felt the pull to return some place like I have to Africa.

A quote comes to mind that I remember from the movie The Bridges of Madison County, when Francesca (played by Meryl Streep) asks Robert, a photographer with National Geographic (played by Clint Eastwood) about the most exciting place he has ever traveled to. His response was, “I think I’d have to say Africa. It’s another world. Not just the people and the cultures but the land, the colors you see at dawns and dusks — and the life there. It charges every molecule of air. It’s tangible — the moment to moment of life and death, the co-habitation of man and beast, of beast and beast, who’ll survive, who won’t — and there’s no judgment about it. No right or wrong or imposed morality. It’s just life. It’s a voyeurs paradise really because those animals don’t want anybody in their business. You can watch but at a distance.”

For those of you considering adding Africa to your Bucket List, but then having a variety of thoughts going through your head as to ‘Really, should I?’ here are my thoughts.

You’re correct… Africa is not the cheapest place to travel to. Air flights can be expensive but it’s a lot of fuel to get there. You can frequently catch a good airline deal. There are a variety of lodging choices. Some people assume if you are staying in tented accommodations, it will be less expensive. Not necessarily. Many of the tented camps are upscale luxury with full bathrooms, including flush toilets and running hot water showers. Tents require periodic replacement and it’s expensive to have all the supplies trucked in. Now there are less fancy tenting situations, but I have to say, I prefer that my bathroom be located inside my tent so I don’t have to be on the lookout for critters with my flashlight in the middle of the night walking to a bathroom, or be escorted. Larger lodges can be less expensive and there are a variety of levels available. The biggest factor impacting costs is what ‘season’ are you traveling in. The least expensive travel to Kenya is April and May when it is the ‘long rainy season’. Now that does not mean that it is going to rain all day, every day and everything will be a muddy mess. I’ve traveled in May for 3 weeks and the only rain experienced was a light rain on the tent roof at bedtime (one of my favorite sounds) and a brief but heavy afternoon shower. The grasses during this season can be a little higher making animals a little more difficult to spot, but a good guide easily will have no problem with this. June through September are considered peak season due to the migration, with costs to match.

Another factor that will increase your cost is how you book your trip. Many people will think it is necessary to book a safari through a travel agent in your own country. The fear of wiring safari fees to a company residing in Africa can be uncomfortable. Doing this (booking through a travel agent in your country) will only increase your costs… obviously they have to make a profit. After you book with them, they will in turn, book with a local tour operator in country. If you book directly with the tour operator in country, not only will you save money, but you are also supporting the tour operator that is doing all the work and wants to keep you a happy customer so they will do anything they can to retain your business for another trip or to have you tell your friends about what a great time you had. You can find lots of helpful information on Trip Advisor to help you select an in country Trip Operator. Word of Mouth is a powerful thing. That is how I found Amazing Memories Safaris, a company based in Nairobi. Once you do your research, pick a company, even contact some of their past guests, and book your safari, you will be requested to pay a deposit, typically 50% of the trip costs. The reason why they do this is because they have to secure the rooms with a deposit. Wiring the money for my first independent company safari was a little uncomfortable, but I had no problems and have known to expect this. Some companies will let you pay the remainder of the trip on arrival. I just prefer to wire that in advance and not have to carry all the extra cash.

I haven’t forgotten the other question that is typically on your mind….. “Is it safe??” After 10 safaris, 8 of which were solo, I’d have to say I’ve never felt safer anywhere. Guides are trained on how to handle all sorts of situations from an upset stomach, to traffic disruption, to avoiding aggressive animals in the bush. While at the lodges and tented camps, I’ve found that especially when traveling solo, the staff are particularly tuned in to your every need and always asking if everything is ok.

So Why Africa? I’d rather have one Trip of a Lifetime than dozens of ‘well, it was nice’.