I've been to Africa 3 times: South Africa twice, plus Botswana, Zambia and Kenya. And I still can't stop talking about it.
Here's why.
The animals
On my first trip, at MalaMala in South Africa, we watched a lioness with 3 cubs only a few weeks old. They tumbled over each other just like puppies. It was all I could do not to reach out and pick one up! It may have been my first trip to Africa, but I wasn't that stupid!
We watched that family for more than an hour. It felt like minutes. It was a holy moment.
You can find the Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo) in Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa and Botswana. And there's so much more out there than the Big 5.
The space
Botswana is wide open, no fences. And the elephants there are the best you'll see almost anywhere (outside Amboseli).
Kenya's Maasai Mara is the big open plains you've pictured your whole life. I stayed at Mahali Mzuri, and it's stunning.
And in Zambia, there's Victoria Falls.
Cape Town
It has Europe with Cape Town. Great restaurants, the Winelands and the drive out to the Cape of Good Hope. I've stayed at The Twelve Apostles and at the V&A Waterfront, and I love starting a first safari there.
The guides
At Tanda Tula, our guide Scotch could tell you the page number of a bird in the field guide off the top of his head. At MalaMala, our guide Benz (short for Mercedes-Benz, because he was that good) took us out to watch 2 lionesses on a hunt.
The guides are some of the people I remember most from Africa. They're also why camp prices are based on the GUIDES' expertise.
The welcome
Camp staff learn what you like fast, and they make a fuss over you.
When Kurt and Randi Sue went to Kenya and Tanzania for a birthday, they were greeted with a welcome note, wine and cake at every hotel. They sent me photos every single time.
What it does to people
About 5 years ago, I told Patty and Dave a safari in Kenya would be life-changing. They called me as soon as they got home: "When can I go back?" They still talk about it constantly.
I love when someone feels like their trip changed them. Africa does that a lot.
Where would you start?
South Africa? Kenya? Tanzania? Botswana? You don't need to know the answer before we talk. That's my job.
Email: susan@susanstravelservices.com
Phone: 480-360-0309
So tell me: what's the first animal you'd want to see?