What to Expect on Your First African Safari

We get it, going on an African Safari can be a bit intimidating at first.  A luxury African safari is at or near the top of most traveller’s wish list, but the ins and outs of actually going on safari may seem a little vague. Micato’s safari specialists are adept at transforming your perhaps hazy safari dream into a brilliant, very achievable reality.

What does “First Time on Safari” look like?

What Happens on safari? What is it like?

Africa’s incredible wildlife is the central reason to go on safari, of course (though when you travel with Micato, your safari also helps to send a child to school through the company’s non-profit arm, AmericaShare). After a lifetime of exposure to African images, most of us can barely believe the thrilling immediacy and newness of seeing these charismatic animals up close, wandering freely in their beautiful, ancient homeland.

Micato design all their safaris for variety and richness of the unique gameviewing experience (almost invariably including the fabled Big Five: lion, leopard, Cape buffalo, rhino, and grandly gamboling elephants), typically making a morning and afternoon game drive in comfortable, well-provisioned and expertly guided safari vehicles. Usually you will fly from one camp to another (in itself a splendid and timesaving experience). Depending on the camp or lodge, you can choose between a wide range of activities, from classic game drives, mountain biking, swimming, bush picnics, cultural exchanges, bush walks, candlelight dinners to optional balloon rides, spa treatments, wine tasting, and, that rare luxury in modern life: deep, quiet, untroubled repose.

What kind of safari do you want?

You can choose between three kinds of Micato safaris in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda) and Southern Africa (Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and South Africa).

Custom Safaris – Fully private, individually planned, short, long, sky’s-the-limit.

Classic Safaris – Small group trips with many guaranteed departures (an average of 44 dates a year for East Africa, and 27 for Southern Africa).

Private Classic Safaris – Completely privatized Classic Safaris, ideal for families, friends, and with whomsoever you want to enjoy Africa.

How much time do you have?

Micato recommends taking as much time as you can on safari since the African wildlife has to so much to explore. Their regularly scheduled, guaranteed departure Classic Safaris average 13 days, door-to-door, and their Custom Safaris can be any length from a week to a month or more. Your schedule and preferences will dictate their planning.

What are the camps and lodges like?

Your own private bush home, exclusive game ranch or idyllic beach bungalow… the choices are practically endless. Each one has a colourful personality and a lovingly chosen location.

What’s the difference between a camp and lodge?

Lodges typically consist of permanent cottages and a traditional manor house, or individually decorated rooms in that welcoming house, which often has multiple dining areas, outside and inside, and lush landscaping for carefree moseying. Without losing a smidgen of luxury, camps usually feature a main house, and a number of luxuriously appointed, refreshingly airy tents (with en suite bathrooms, verandahs, and sitting areas).

What about the African culture?

People come to Africa to see its wildlife, but they leave in love with its people. Micato’s roots in Africa are deep and they are delighted in introducing their guests to its village and city people, Maasai and Samburu, San Bushmen and Zanzibaris, all of whom greet your Micato Safari Director as an old friend, and you as an honoured friend of a friend.

 

Book your Micato Safari today and receive a $200 gift credit per person to Micato’s online safari shop for gear and apparel.