There are three main regions in Africa for safaris – East Africa (Tanzania and Kenya), southern Africa (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Botswana), and South Africa. This article focuses on East Africa. All safaris come in many different shapes and sizes. There are walking safaris, Land-Rover safaris, canoe safaris, gorilla tracking safaris, elephant-back safaris, flying safaris, camping safaris, and horseback safaris, to mention only a few. With so many different safaris to choose from, one must first select a safari that will be both rewarding and reasonable considering the cost. Safaris can be even custom-designed to your own specifications. The “economy” safaris are ideal for the adventurers who boast that a real safari experience is not to bed down in a cozy lodge before a blazing fireplace but where one can “rough-it out” in the bush zippered into their own sleeping bag. And since “roughing it out” means little of the creature comforts one’s accustomed to, the costs are somewhat lower. Accommodations are usually 2-person pitched tents by an open campfire, bucket showers, and long drop latrines. Dining-tent meals, cleaning-up, and hot water for showers are taken care of by the staff. Setting up and tearing down your tent is the responsibility of its inhabitance. 6-8 passenger mini-vans or other small vehicles are used for transportation and game-viewing.

The more “moderately-priced” safaris offer amenities somewhat more comfortable such as lodges with a bar, swimming pool, dining room, and en suite bathrooms. Transportation through the bush is usually in a Land Rover, all meals each day may be included, most meals, or just some.

On the other hand, most of the “luxury” safaris offer more lavishness up-scale accommodations such as luxury full service lodges with private rooms and balconies. These hotel-like facilities offer buffet and barbeque dining, a fireplace bar and lounge to relax in, swimming pool, gift shops, etc. All meals are provided and in some cases with china and crystal dining service. Small aircraft are sometimes used to ferry customers to various outlying parks.

Since East Africa is blessed with both the Serengeti National Park and the Masai Mara National Reserve, it’s without a doubt, the most popular destination for viewing wild game in all of Africa.

In Kenya, the highlight is the very popular Masai Mara Game Reserve. Predominately an open savannah where the Maasi herdsmen still live and tend to their animals, the Reserve is considered the best wild game viewing sanctuary in the country. Also located in Kenya are such parks as the Samburu Game Reserve, home to zebras, antelope and giraffes; the Amboseli National Park, renown for its lions, cheetah, baboons, and elephant herds; and Lake Nakuru, a Rhino sanctuary and home to hundreds of thousands of flamingoes. The three levels of Kenyan safaris include the following examples:

Economy

• $500 for 3-Days – This camping safari includes r/t transportation from Nairobi through the Great Rift Valley for wild life viewing in the Masai Mara National Park. Also contains visits to the Samburu National Park and the Lake Nakuru National Park. Campsite accommodations.
• $1,100 for 8-Days – Travels to Amboseli National Park at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tsavo National Park, Lake Naivash in the Great Rift Valley, and a full day at Masai Mara. Campsite accommodations.

Moderate

• $1,100 to $1,400 for 5-Days – Drive from Nairobi to Aberdares, then to Lake Nakuru National Park and the Masai Mara Game Reserve for excellent game viewing. Lodge accommodations.
• $1,100 for 8-Days – Travels to Amboseli National Park at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tsavo National Park, Lake Naivash in the Great Rift Valley, and a full day at Masai Mara. Campsite accommodations.

Luxury

• $4,200 to $4,500 for 8-Days – Visits Mt. Kenya, Borana Game Ranch, and Masai Mara. Accommodations at a Country Club, luxury lodges and tented-camps.
• 5,500 to $6,700 for 12-Days – Travels to Tsavo National Park, Amboseli National Park, Mt. Kenya, Ssmburu National Park, and Masai Mara. Luxury Lodges and private luxury-camps.

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I have flown to Nairobi and been driven for nearly four hours, across surprisingly smooth roads, to cross the equator into the Northern Hemisphere, entering Kenya’s Great Rift Valley where I am seduced by the vast savannas and plains.

A vision of Hollywood’s rendition of Out of Africa floats before me as I am driven around Karen Blixen territory, loved terrain of Robert Ruark, Joy Adamson and Ernest Hemingway.

No vegetation and isolation could be more conducive to a game safari than here at Sweetwaters Tented Camp, clustered around a watering hole where the abundance of wildlife and the isolation assure it as a wilderness haven.

The entire conservation park forms part of Old Pejeta’s 354km conservancy now owned by the government and Flora and Fauna International, with eco-tourism pioneers, the Serena Hotel group, running the two luxurious resorts on the land.

We are on our way back to camp after several hours of yet another stupendous game drive.

This afternoon we hit the jackpot. Rarely have I seen such a variety of wildlife in such a concentrated area.

Whenever there was a stretch or gap between sightings, Noel fuelled our curiosity by describing differing habits of everything from ants to striped hyena.

He explained why there can only be one male buffalo among the expanse of females standing shoulder to shoulder in the dust.

Back at Sweetwaters camp we amble slowly to nab a place on the bench overlooking the animal watering hole until dinnertime.

With dry campari and maghareti in hand, photographer Deborah Yazbek and I watched as a gigantic rhinoceros clumped its way out of the thicket, towards water.

The safari experience and diverse settings are splendid, but the array of scrumptious food with its attention to detail, service, and friendliness of staff and hotel manager James Odeny, must rank as highlights of this trip, assuring that Sweetwaters retains its listing as number 35 of the top 100 international hotels in Travel and Leisure magazine.

Strolling down the dark path to my tent, I revelled in the still darkness, enhanced by a tapestry of stars.

Sleep came easily.

The next day included a visit to Jane Goodall’s Chimpanzee Conservation programme, where 43 of the near extinct chimps in Central and Western Africa lord over a kilometre of forest setting.

The chimpanzee and gorilla population in Western and Central Africa is highly endangered, and these as babies were rescued and transported from war-torn Burundi after their mothers were eaten or had been captured as infants for pets and later abandoned and left to die chained while their captors fled.

After the animals’ antics had entertained us, we walked next door to meet the newest black rhino named Obama, a lone rhino in the adjoining Rhino Sanctuary.

Eighty-two black rhinos populate the game reserve, the largest concentration in Africa. Black rhino in the wilds are almost extinct, having declined 90 percent in the past 20 years.

In need of a respite from the game, I asked if I could, unannounced, visit a typical tribal village and observe daily life. I had no intention of being entertained by a contrived tourist attraction.

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