On my first trip to Africa, at MalaMala, a lioness reared back and roared at a male lion who'd come too close. I felt that roar vibrate through my entire body.
Then we saw why… 3 tiny cubs, only a few weeks old, right behind her.
You can look at a hundred photos of lions before you go. No photo prepares you for that.
If your first safari is coming up, here's what I tell my clients before they leave.
Yes, you'll get up at 5:00, and it's worth it
Safari days usually start before sunrise. Depending on the camp, you might be up around 5:00 or 5:30 for coffee before the first game drive.
That doesn't sound very luxurious. I know. But watching the bush wake up around you is something special, and the animals tend to be busiest in the cool morning hours. Some of the best sightings of the whole trip happen on those early drives.
Then most camps give you the middle of the day. Nap, read, sit by the pool. You head back out in the afternoon.
The animals don't work on your schedule
Bring patience. Lots of it.
There's no guarantee a lion shows up when you want one. You might spend an hour tracking an animal and never find it… then turn a corner and get something you never expected.
Some of the best stories come from moments you could never plan. At King's Pool in Botswana, a troop of baboons settled in above our tent under a full moon, made noise for what felt like the entire night and peed on our tent. The hippos were going in the river the whole time. Ridiculous, and one of my favorite safari memories.
You'll spend a lot of time in the vehicle
Game drives can run several hours, and the roads can be dusty and bumpy. Dress for comfort. Your photos will be fine.
Layers matter. Early mornings in an open vehicle can be surprisingly cold, and afternoons get warm. Bring sunglasses, sunscreen, a hat and a light jacket.
And pack binoculars. Even when nothing is right next to the vehicle, something is almost always happening out in the distance.
Look past the Big 5
Lion, elephant, leopard, rhino, buffalo. Seeing them is a thrill. But if you're busy checking animals off a list, you'll miss a lot of what's going on around you.
Some of my favorite safari moments came from a great guide explaining what I was looking at. On the drive from the airstrip to Tanda Tula, a bird flew past and my mom said she loved it. Our guide, Scotch, told her the exact page and number to find it in the field guide. Off the top of his head.
I never would have noticed that bird on my own. That's what a great guide does, and it's why camp prices are based on the GUIDES' expertise.
Pack less than you think
If your trip includes small planes between camps, the luggage rules are strict. Soft-sided bags are usually required, and the weight limits are tight. Most camps in Botswana's Okavango Delta (like Tubu Tree, where we stayed) are reached by small plane.
The good news: most luxury camps do laundry. You don't need a new outfit for every day. Neutral, comfortable pieces you can layer and rewear will go a lot further than a stuffed suitcase.
It hits harder than you expect
This is the part that's hardest to prepare people for.
At MalaMala, we watched 2 lionesses stalk an impala and make the kill. It was emotional and uncomfortable to watch, and it was nature doing exactly what it does.
And then there were those cubs. 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 lion family for more than an hour. It felt like minutes. It was a holy moment.
You'll probably see something beautiful. You might see something hard. And at some point, everyone in the vehicle goes quiet because no one wants to interrupt what's happening.
Build it around you
There's no one right way to do Africa. Some people want game drives from sunup to sundown. Others want great camps, great food, some spa time, a few days in the Cape Winelands or a beach at the end.
The destination, the season, the camp, the number of nights… all of it should fit the trip you actually want.
Season is the mistake I see first-timers make most often. Go when it's super hot or WET and the animals get much harder to see.
You don't need to figure all of this out before you reach out. That's my job.
What's the one animal or moment you're most hoping for on your first safari?