When on your Safari, you are going to enjoy game driving for at least 8-10 hours a day, sometimes more, sometimes less - you get to choose in most cases and sometimes your guide/weather. You may start early around 6:00 a.m. and end as late at 6:30 to 7:00 p.m when the areas close. You may even go out at night on your night game drives from certain lodges.
During this time, you will learn to appreciate your work-horse - your Safari vehicle.
Your 4×4 vehicle expertly maneuvered by our experienced knowledgeable Safari guide is your safe house. It will keep you cocooned from the wildlife, the rough terrain bumpety bump ride, and the range of weather elements you will encounter. The vehicle will act as your photography hide, breakfast and/or lunch table especially the bonnet/hood, your napping spot - happens to the best of us, your evening ride home.
In conclusion, where you will spend a lot of your waking hours. For this very reason, I take my vehicle selection from my Safari partners very seriously as it will be a big part of how you will enjoy your Safari!
So, what type of vehicle(s) will you have on your wildlife Safari?
Depends on which area you on Safari.
For Tanzania and Kenya, when you fly in an area, like Northern Serengeti or Masai Mara from a city like Arusha or Nairobi, you will hop into an open vehicle. South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, where you mostly fly into an area; open vehicles are your go-to ride.
The open vehicles here will have a roof on top and plastic canvas on the sides should you need to protect yourself from rain. The open vehicle may look different in many areas in South Africa like MalaMala Game Reserve or Sabi Sabi Lodges where they will have open vehicles with no roof giving you a completely open feel.
If you are driving from the city to the parks, especially in Tanzania, you may be in a closed vehicle because doing a drive through the main-road in an open vehicle is not advisable. Going down Ngorongoro Crater is recommened in a closed vehicle.
The closed vehicles that we like, and chose our Safari partners accordingly, have to have large unobstructed windows and a pop-up roof so you can have shade and a panoramic view to enjoy the magnificient scenery.
Regardless of what type of vehicle you will have, your vehicle will have lots of amenities.
A cooler with water, soft drinks, wine, beer, etc., plugs to charge your spare camera batteries or iPhone, bean bags for your camera - big or small, binoculars for spotting, lots of guide books, snacks – you do get hungry on Safari, blankets to keep you warm from the wind, and raincoat/poncho for the expected or unexpected rain.
If you have any special requests such as need a step stool to get on board, pillow for your back, extra water, etc., we can cater to that as well.
All in all, your vehicle with our professional guides will be ready to show you a great time on Safari with Journey To Africa. Now let’s get you on your Safari.