What Makes A Bad Safari
What Makes A Bad Safari : For many people, going on an African safari is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and a dream come true. The majority of people thoroughly enjoy an African safari, and the experience leaves them with long-lasting memories. Africa is endowed with a variety of marvels that will astound visitors of all ages, including Mount Kilimanjaro, the great wildebeest migrations, the gig fives, the stunning beaches, the rich local cultures, and mountain gorillas, to name a few.
Even though we provide an incredible safari experience, better planning is the most important factor. Your African safari can be ruined by poor planning, so we always advise our clients to plan their safaris better for a better experience. Focus East Africa Tours has covered everything that ruins an African safari in this article guide so that you can avoid making these errors when planning your safari and have an unforgettable experience. Here is what makes a bad safari:
Traffic issues
Traffic is the main issue on Safari. Nothing is worse than seeing a single leopard being harassed by a dozen or more vehicles. Over thirty vehicles have frequently been seen at a single sighting, and over 200 once. We really don’t understand how people can compare that to a “dream safari experience.”
Over 90% of the vehicle traffic is concentrated in less than 10% of the area in the most significant safari areas. Even though these problem areas exist in all countries, we can usually guide you away from them by carefully timing and planning your route.
Bad lodges
The next most obvious problem is subpar, underwhelming, and overly commercial lodges that fall short of providing a truly authentic African safari experience. The lodge’s location in a congested area or in a remote area away from the main wildlife areas is its most glaring flaw.
Simply put, a lot of lodges are too big, too heavily constructed, too crowded, unfit for purpose, or just plain ugly. Others lack enthusiasm and are merely business machines with no interest in the safari experience. Our goal is to place you in the lodges that are best suited to your preferences, financial situation, and season.
Poor timing
Safari is a very seasonal place, so trips must be scheduled appropriately. A complete disaster can result from taking a safari in the wrong places and at the wrong time of year. Nothing compares to hanging out in the rain in a place where all the animals have long since left.
The majority of the time, trips offered by non-safari specialists exhibit poor seasonal planning. Large commercial travel organizations frequently dump excess low-season inventory on gullible customers. The ability to tailor a safari to the season requires considerable skill and effort, but it is a crucial aspect of what we do.
Overloading of vehicles
Overcrowding of passengers in vehicles is another trustworthy sign of a low-quality safari. The vast majority of safari lodges ask their guests to board the vehicles together before leaving on a safari. This is now regarded as the standard.
Nearly all respectable lodges place guests two per row so that everyone has a “window seat.” However, in lower-quality lodges, corners are cut, and guests are packed up to 12 to a vehicle, which can be really awful.
Private vehicles can be arranged at the majority of excellent lodges, but frequently at exorbitant costs. The best lodges pack their vehicles very sparingly, and a few even give private vehicles to each group of visitors.
Poor guiding
Poor guiding is another factor that can seriously derail a safari. Your guides’ talent, experience, personality, and dedication are wholly responsible for the caliber of your safari. Your guide should not only be an expert on the bush but also have excellent communication skills and be a lot of fun to be around.
Over the years, we have encountered such a wide variety of guides. In the worst-case scenario, both visitors and animals were put in danger and under a lot of stress. Unfortunately, even though it should increase the chances, staying at a pricey lodge is no guarantee of excellent guiding.
We go above and beyond to ensure that our visitors receive excellent safari guidance. For you, we can even reserve particular guides. In cases where lodges are unable to offer a high enough standard of guiding, we can hire a private guide to go with you.
Safari outside Africa
When we speak with lodge owners in South America and on the Indian Subcontinent, they all agree that when it comes to environmental tourism, Africa is “decades ahead.” So, if you’ve been on safari in Africa before, you shouldn’t necessarily expect the same extraordinary levels of experience when you visit South America, India, or Southeast Asia.
Rarely do you find camps outside of Africa that are appropriately remote, have small-scale, elegant designs, immediately impressive wildlife, and top-notch hosting and guiding.
