Safari Journal Diary Remember Your Safari As It Happened

1© Bruce Whittaker and www.african-safari-journals.com

Bruce Whittaker3rd Edition (2009)

www.african-safari-journals.com

An African safari really is one of the most remarkable trips you will ever go on. And though the memory of it will last you a lifetime, the full extent of the experience will begin to blur a little over time.

Which is why I (more about me) created the Safari Journal Diary which will enable you to record events as they happen and refresh your memory on reading it again years down the line. A number of past safari travelers have told me that their safari journal was one of the most important things they took with on their trip.

And you might also need a little help with what to pack for your safari because there are few things more frustrating than going on holiday and finding out that you have left something important at home.

The wildlife ticklist is especially useful when you get back to help name all the photographs you have taken, not to mention the fact that you can keep track of all you've seen in one convenient place.

Once the safari bug has bitten you going back to Africa again becomes a bit of a passion for many so I've developed a safari holiday contest which gives the winner the opportunity to do that.

And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.

Genesis 1v24, the Holy Bible (NIV)

Safari Tips and Advice

YOUR SAFARI COMPANY

• Make sure you pick a reputable safari company.

• Find out what the tour company provide and what not, e.g. sleeping bags, toilet paper, mosquito nets.

• Safari companies usually have baggage weight and/or size limits. Confirm what those are.

• Ensure you know before departure how many people are going on your safari and that the vehicle is big enough ... or you might find yourself constantly fighting for the sun-roof viewing area and window space.

• Inform your tour guide if you have any allergies or other serious medical condition like diabetes/epilepsy.

2© Bruce Whittaker and www.african-safari-journals.com

Introduction

• Provide emergency phone numbers of your tour company/guide to someone back home and vice versa.

• Choose a responsible travel operator with policies protecting the environment and who offer fair working conditions to their staff and supports local projects.

GENERAL - BEFORE YOU GO• Read your free “Better Safari Photography”, e-book in which you can learn about

the many things to consider if you haven't photographed wildlife before.

• Read about other people's trips on African Safari Journals to get an idea of what to expect - most past safari travelers welcome questions about their trip to help you with yours.

• Airport taxes are sometimes extra and due before departure. Airlines servicing your destination(s) should be able to help with more info.

• Check duty free allowances re alcohol and cigarettes for each country if you intend taking "stock" with.

• Leave a copy of your passport & itinerary with someone at home.

• Travel insurance - if you're planning to take part in adventure activities like bungi jumping, rafting and quad biking ensure your policy covers this.

• Get your jabs and medication (like malaria tablets) from your local travel clinic or GP.

• US$ is easiest to travel with in Africa.

• Get an idea of the various exchange rates of countries you are going to pass through.

• Learn about the country's history and current affairs to better understand people's behaviour.

• Read about African wildlife before you go - it will enrich your game viewing experiences, e.g. you can really appreciate the thrill of seeing one of the world's rarest animals - the black rhino - if you know how few there are left on earth.

• To save a bit of money, consult your library for travel guidebooks before you buy - they often have great ones you can borrow for free.

• Electricity in Africa is 220-240V AC50Hz.

PACKING

• See the What to Pack section.

• Pack light.

• Check out weather averages before you go for optimum packing benefit.

• Ladies remember sports bra as the roads are often bumpy!!

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• Synthetic clothes may dry quicker but doesn’t “breathe” - nice if you want to build up a sweat …

• Wide legged trousers are more comfortable than jeans and take up less space.

• Your "tankini" top can be used as an extra tank top and bottom as extra underwear.

• Most girls seem not to wear dresses or tights on safari, so it might be best to leave them at home.

• Simple lightweight walking shoes or sandals/sport sandals are more sensible than heavy boots - you don't walk that much on safari (unless you’re going on a walking safari) and during game drives you always stay in the vehicle.

• To keep clothing organised and accessible, use stuff sacks and plastic bags.

• Use small containers for shampoo/face cream if you're going on a shorter trip to save packing space - old film containers have many uses (pills, moisturiser, small change).

ONCE YOU'RE THERE

• You can exchange money/travellers cheques at banks (hours are usually Mon-Fri and Sat mornings), airports, most hotels and lodges and some camps. Beware of changing money at smaller camps where you have no choice but to accept the exchange rate of the camp manager!

• It's wise not to exchange money on the black market or if you do at least be very careful. These guys slip plain paper or small denomination notes in between 20s for instance. They can swap a roll of the right money very quickly for a worthless one and disappear into crowds even quicker.

• Zimbabwe Dollars are worthless outside its borders - you don't want any of it left by the time you leave the country – US$ or South African Rand is worth more - even within Zim.

• Drink plenty of fluids in hot weather.

• Support local enterprise (markets, curios - but stay away from any illegal trade/product).

• Use all your senses for the best experience and great memories, e.g. taste the local food, brews and fruit.

• Don't give kids sweets/money/pens as it encourages begging - it's more productive to make a donation to a recognised project or school.

• Try to prevent mosquito bites by wearing long sleeves and trousers after sunset and apply plenty of insect repellent. Eating plenty of garlic and drinking (gin & tonic also helps!).

• AIDS is rampant in Africa. This shouldn't be a worry for you on safari, but avoid used needles or getting in contact with other people's blood etc.

4© Bruce Whittaker and www.african-safari-journals.com

• Always ask permission if you wish to photograph people - not everyone is keen.

• Save precious nature resources (water).

• Respect local etiquette - even ways of being polite differ from country to country.

• Be patient, friendly and sensitive - remember you're on holiday in "Africa time".

• Leave only footprints, take only photographs.

• Keep noise to a minimum to avoid disturbing wildlife.

• Don't feed animals or get out of the vehicle near them: wild animals are unpredictable and can be dangerous.

• Camping in Africa can be very exciting. One safari-traveller writes "... there were lions just in front of our tents, 20cm from the gauze. They were looking inside the tent, being curious about what was happening. We were lying there, looking at the contour of the head of the beast, praying to God that it would leave. Fortunately people had told us, in such a case; do not move - just stay in your tent." .... zip up!

SELF DRIVE TIPS

• Research, research, research.

• I wrote the 248 page Guide Your Own Safari ebook to dispel the myth that you must use a guide when you go on safari and to enable anyone to self drive Southern African wildlife areas very cost effectively and yet still enjoy comfortable accommodation and facilities.

• If you are going on a self-drive safari, remember animals have right of way. Don't drive too close to them (especially elephants) and always keep to the speed limit.

What To Pack

Now that you're almost on your way to Africa to go on the safari of your dreams, you should start thinking about packing your bags.

I've used some of my own years of safari packing experience to add to the list but most of the tips come from the trip reports at the African Safari Journals website.

It may look long at first glance but depending on your personal circumstances and the type of trip you are going on some of the items won't be applicable to you and you can safely ignore them.

Follow this safari packing list and you will never have to worry about the frustration of leaving something behind or taking something that you won't need on your African safari.

Feel free to print the list out and tick the items off as you go along to make sure you

5© Bruce Whittaker and www.african-safari-journals.com

don't miss anything.

The golden rule is to pack as lightly as possible.

SAFARI GEAR

• There are specific clothing mistakes that many people often make when they go on safari. Find out how to avoid them...

• Safari hats must do three things well to be effective. • Clothing in neutral colours: khaki, light brown/green, tan. Avoid bright colours

& white for improved game viewing. • A safari jacket is a very handy accessory to take with on your trip. • Comfortable non-synthetic short and long sleeved safari shirts (2 or 3 of

each) • Comfortable non-synthetic shorts and long trousers (2 or 3 of each) • About 5 sets of underwear • Pyjamas • Swimming costume • Flip-flops or sport sandals (public showers, airing feet) • Comfortable hiking/walking shoes (not white). These are very important on a

walking safari. • About 5 pairs of socks • Extra shoelaces

SAFARI SUPPLIES

Some of these supplies might be available in the first aid kit that every safari company should carry but make sure before leaving them off your safari packing list.

• Insect repellent/Mosquito Coil (do not use coils in a tent) • Mosquito netting - Your safari company might supply these so find out from

them first • Sunblock and after sun lotion • Travel Towel - A travel towel is light and takes very little space • Skin cream • Malaria tablets (very important) • Citronella or other body soap/shower gel • Sunglasses. Make sure they have polarised lenses. • Biological Water Filtration Bottle or you can stick to the bottled water • Wet wipes/hand sanitizer or no-water/antibacterial soap – very handy in the

safari vehicle. • Pocket Knife (Swiss/Leatherman type) • Small scissors, if not on your Leatherman/Swiss knife • Toothbrush/toothpaste/dental floss • 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner • Tweezers • Lip balm • Q-tips & cotton balls • Razor & shaving cream/gel • Birth control (enough to last your trip) • Sanitary requirements (shops are sometimes few and far between, and very

basic) • Contact lens solution & extra set of disposable lenses

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• Band aids & moleskin • Vitamins • Painkiller • Antiseptic cream • Motion sickness tablets • Heartburn remedy • Anti-diarrhoea medicine • Re-hydration salts • Pen/pencil • Small unbreakable mirror • Plastic bags (wet washing/muddy shoes/organise clothes in suitcase) • Small compass • Deck of cards/travel size game • Book to read between game viewing and other leisure time • String/rope (washing line, tying sleeping bag, multitude of uses) • Cold/flu tablets • Allergy remedy • Some people take a basic antibiotic in case • Sterile needles (in case you need an injection and don’t trust the hygiene

conditions) • Prescribed medicine (enough to last your trip)

SAFARI LUGGAGE

• The thing to remember when choosing safari luggage is mobility. You will probably be moving between several different modes of transport (airplanes, cars, light aircraft, trucks, boats) so plan accordingly.

• Suitcases with wheels don't work very well in the African bush but they are adequate if you don't mind carrying them. (A good safari company will probably have someone on hand to carry your luggage for you).

• A daypack is very handy to transport the items you need while driving around in the safari vehicle or walking through the bush

• Cabelas has a vast selection of excellent safari luggage and daypacks. Just enter the search term luggage in the top left hand corner of their webpage to find the right one

SAFARI EQUIPMENT

• Safari Binoculars are essential for a successful trip. No safari packing list is complete without them

• Flashlight or headlamp • Read the free “Better Safari Photography” ebook for information on the best

safari cameras and lenses to take with. You should have been able to download the ebook along with this travel diary. Get it here if you didn't

• Small bean bag to substitute a tripod • Sleeping Bag if on a camping safari (may be supplied by safari company so

check first) • Travel pillow , or you can use your polar fleece/windbreaker • Small calculator (or if you're taking your mobile phone) for currency

calculations • Money belt • Washing powder/travel soap for laundry • Plug adaptors - generally in Africa it's 3-prong round or square • Lighter/waterproof matches

7© Bruce Whittaker and www.african-safari-journals.com

• Travel alarm clock • Mini combination locks (keys get lost) • Mini sewing kit

DOCUMENTS

• Passport & correct visas • Emergency phone numbers • Africa travel insurance policy • Guide book(s) covering the area you're visiting – it should include

animals/birds pages for easy identification • Your itinerary • Addresses and mobile numbers (postcards/e-mails/texts) • Any vaccinations certificates • International Youth Hostel card (depending on your type of trip and

accommodation) • Phone card and international access numbers • Extra passport photos • Copy of your passport, kept in a separate place than your passport • Copy of marriage certificate, if applicable especially if you recently tied the

knot • Medical history • Copies of prescriptions

Mammals, Birds, Reptiles & Trees Tick List

Wildlife Tick List *** critically endangered

** endangered*vulnerable

Mammals Hartebeest - red Roan antelope Aardvark/Antbear Hedgehog Sable antelope Aardwolf Hippopotamus Serval

African wild catHoney badger/Ratel

Sharpes grysbok

Baboon Hyena - brown Shrew - forest

Bat - fruit Hyena - spottedShrew - elephant

Bat - insect Hyena - striped SitatungaBat-eared fox Hyrax/Dassie Springbok

Blesbok (Rock-, bush-, tree) Squirrel - ground

Bongo Impala Squirrel - tree

Bontebok Jackal - black-backed Steenbok

Buffalo Jackal - golden Striped polecat

Bush pig Jackal - side-striped Suni

8© Bruce Whittaker and www.african-safari-journals.com

Bushbaby/Galago Klipspringer Suricate/Meerkat

Bushbuck Kudu Thomson’s gazelle

Cape grysbok Lechwe Topi Cape otter Leopard Tsessebe Caracal Lion* Warthog Cheetah* Mole Waterbuck Chimpanzee** Mongoose - dwarf Wild dog**

Civet Mongoose - slender

Wildebeest (Gnu)

Dik-dik - Camara Mongoose - yellow Wildebeest - black

Dik-dik - Kirk's Monkey - colobus Zebra - Burchell's

Duiker - blue Monkey - guenon Zebra - Grevy's

Duiker - common Monkey - samango

Zebra - mountain**

Duiker - red Monkey - vervet Zorilla Eland Nyala Elephant - African** Oribi Genet - large-spotted Oryx/Gemsbok Genet - small spotted Pangolin Gerenuk Porcupine Giraffe Puku Gorilla - lowland** Rat - greater cane Gorilla - mountain** Rat - white-tailed Grant’s Gazelle Reedbuck Hare - scrub Rhebuck Hare - spring* Rhino - black*** Hartebeest Rhino - white

Add your own sightings below

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Reptiles Birds

African rock python African black oystercatcher Sanderling

Black lined plated lizard African Darter Scops owl Black mamba African Jacana Secretary bird Boomslang Bank cormorant Spoonbill

Brown house snake Barn owl Spotted eagle owl

Cape wolf snake Bataleur eagle Swallow

Common egg eater Black headed oriole Swift tern

Crocodiles Blacksmith plover Tawny Eagle Egyptian cobra Black stork Vulture Flap-neck chameleon Cape cormorant Weaver

Giant plated lizard Cape wagtail White fronted plover

Leopard tortoise Common quail Whitebreasted cormorant

Olive grass snake Common tern White Pelican Ornate sandveld lizard Crested barbet Pan hinged terrapin Crested Francolin

Puff-adder Crowned cormorant

Rainbow skink Curlew Red-lipped snake Damara tern Rock monitor Eagle owl Serrated hinged terrapin Fish eagle Southern tree agama Giant Kingfisher Spekes hinged tortoise Green pigeon Spotted bush snake Grey plover Spotted sandveld lizard

Grey Go-away Bird (Lourie)

Spotted thick-toed gecko Ground Hornbill* Striped skink Gymnogene Twig or vine snake Hawk eagle

Variable skink Lilac breasted roller

Wahlbergs velvet gecko

Malachite kingfisher Trees

Frogs Marabou stork Boabab Martial eagle Knob thorn Pearl spotted owl Lala Palm Pied kingfisher Marula

Plum coloured starling Mopane

Purple roller Sausage trees

Termites Red-winged Starling Umbrella thorn

Dragonflies Sacred Ibis Welwitschia

10© Bruce Whittaker and www.african-safari-journals.com

Printable Safari Journal

Keeping a journal diary of your African safari is a great way to ensure that the memory of your trip remains vivid (especially the finer details) long after you get back. You can relive the experience every time you read through your journal entries.

I've set up the pages you need for your own safari journal below. Simply follow the steps to assemble the book and then take it with you to Africa.

Step 1

Print out one copy of the “Import Safari Information” page below. Choose the page size that you are most comfortable with in the print settings. I've found that A5 gives the best trade off between size and writing space for traveling.

Complete all the required details. It's always a good idea to have your travel agent, ground operator and travel insurance particulars close at hand in case something goes wrong and you need to get hold of them. In certain circumstances, the guide might not be the correct person to deal with so you need the head office contact details of the ground operator too.

Step 2

Print out as many copies of the “My African Safari Journal” pages as you think you will comfortably use on your safari, dependent on the length of your trip and how much you plan on writing.

Take note of the journal writing guidelines which can give you some ideas on what to put into your journal entries. The additional notes section at the bottom is just in case you forget something relevant to that day and want to add it in later.

Step 3

Go to your local stationary shop and cut the folios to size as required, punch some holes in the pages if needed and get the relevant binder to keep them all neatly together. And that's all there is to it. Your all set up and ready to start safari journaling.

11© Bruce Whittaker and www.african-safari-journals.com

12© Bruce Whittaker and www.african-safari-journals.com

Your Travel A gent

N o t e s

C o m p a n y N a m e

P h o n e

A d d re s s

Your A fric an S afari G round Operator

N o t e s

C o m p a n y N a m e

P h o n e

A d d re s s

N o t e s

C o m p a n y N a m e

P h o n e

A d d re s s

N o t e s

C o m p a n y N a m e A d d re s s

N o t e s

N a m e a n d

R e la t io n s h ip

P h o n e

A d d re s s

Your A fric an S afari G round Operator

Travel Ins urance D eta ils

P h o n e

P o l ic y N u m b e r

G r o u p N u m b e r

E m erg ency C ontac t D etails

Importa nt S a fa ri Informa tion

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Da y: _________

Your S a fari Information

N o t e s

Journa l E ntries

Additiona l N otes (remembered something later that should be on this page? Add it here)

Da te: _________

Journa l Writing G uidelines

Journal: Highlights, activities, cuisine, landscape impressions, what's different from home, problems experienced, stories “behind” your photographs taken, guide/operator/agent performance.

Tips: What advice would you give/what would you change?

Accommodation: Name of safari lodge/camp/hotel and reserve, condition/description of facilities.

Wildlife: Highlights, unusual sightings, impressions.

M y Afric an S a fari Journa l

Win A Safari Holiday

Spend three nights in an exclusive wilderness camp in the heart of the Kruger National Park in South Africa.

You will get a lot of personal attention as there are a maximum of 8 people allowed on the trail and you are accompanied by a ranger (exceptionally well versed in the ways of the wild) and a tracker. All meals, many of them spent around a roaring camp fire, are included.

Transfer from Johannesburg international airport in South Africa to Skukuza in the Kruger National Park. Meet your ranger and tracker and then drive by land rover to the wilderness camp.

Accommodation is in rustic two bed wooden huts. A covered lapa serves as a dining/socialising area where the campfire's flickering shadows encourage stories of adventures in the African bush.

Each day commences with coffee and rusks in the crisp morning hours. Then it's off in the land rover to an area in the bush chosen by the ranger to start walking. The previous evenings lion roars often determine the spot chosen.

A light meal is enjoyed in the bush and brunch awaits you when you return to camp at noon. You are then free to do as you choose until a short walk just before dusk (I normally took advantage of the coolness of the hut to catch up on some sleep).

Evenings are spent around the campfire listening to the sounds of the bush and grilling the ranger about his previous wildlife experiences.

Drive back to Skukuza on the afternoon of the last day of the holiday competition safari (we saw a leopard dangling in a tree on this drive). Transfer back to Johannesburg.

What Happened When I Went on this Walking Safari

I've been (about me) on the walking safari in the Kruger Park that is the prize for this year's African Safari Journals holiday competition.

Three times in fact. I couldn't get enough the first time.

Must have had something to do with the fact that we saw lions on the second day of the walk. Seeing lions close up while on foot is an awe inspiring experience.

They charged us because they had cubs to protect. It was a mock-charge (they just want to show who's boss) so there was no danger, and both ranger and tracker had their rifles sighted just in case.

But 300 pounds of snarling, spitting feline power really gets the adrenaline pumping so I couldn't resist going on the walking safari again about a year later.

This time the highlights were two young male lions but they ran from us (who is the boss now?) and a black rhino which is incredibly rare in Africa. I have been on many safaris for over 25 years and this is the one and only time that I have ever seen a black rhino on foot.

More recently I went on a third walking safari and was incredibly lucky to see lions on

14© Bruce Whittaker and www.african-safari-journals.com

foot once more. They stood at a distance looking at us and trying to figure out what we were. When the wind turned and they caught a whiff of us, they ran off.

What I am trying to get across here is that this walking safari in the Kruger National Park holiday competition is something very special. I have never forgotten it.

How To Enter the Safari Holiday Competition

I'll get in touch with you when you return from your safari and send you a questionnaire with several questions for you to complete. You can make use of the safari journal that you kept to help you with the details.

After completing the questionnaire, e-mail it back to me and then your answers will be transformed into a web page (example) which will help others who are considering a safari themselves. That trip report of yours, once it goes live on the African Safari Journals website, will be your entry into the competition.

Copyright

The Safari Journal Diary e-book is © Bruce Whittaker and www.african-safari-journals.com. All rights reserved worldwide.

No part of this publication may be stored in a retrieval system, changed or reproduced in any way on any medium, including but not limited to web pages and digital copying, without the prior written permission of the author.

You are not allowed to sell this guide to anyone else but you may give it to others as long as it's unchanged and in its entirety and due credit is given to the author Bruce Whittaker. If you paid for this book please contact me at African Safari Journals.

The author, Bruce Whittaker, has made his best efforts to produce a high quality, informative and helpful e-book, but he makes no representations or warranties of any kind with regard to the completeness or accuracy of the contents of the book.

He accepts no liability of any kind for any losses or damages caused or alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly, from using the information contained in this e-book or any potential travel problem caused by information in this guide, even if such errors or omissions are a result of negligence, accident or any other cause.

About The Author

I've been going on safaris in Southern Africa for over twenty five years now. Growing up and living in South Africa has given me privileged access to many of the wonderful wildlife areas the African continent has to offer.

I launched African Safari Journals in 2003 to provide an objective voice in the safari industry based on trip reports submitted by past safari travelers. The website is now one of the top safari review resources on the internet and I share some of the knowledge and

15© Bruce Whittaker and www.african-safari-journals.com

experience I have gained over the years there too.

It might help you if you want to undertake a safari trip yourself which I can't recommend highly enough. The old cliché that it's a once in a lifetime experience really is true. You will never forget it. My lovely wife Wilma joined me on a full time basis in 2005 and she helps people from all over the world plan and book their safari experiences in Africa. We are registered Sanparks service providers.

I wrote the 248 page Guide Your Own Safari e-book to dispel the myth that you must use a guide when you go on safari and to enable anyone to visit Southern African wildlife areas very cost effectively and yet still enjoy comfortable accommodation and facilities.

I built the African Safari Pictures website in 2004 to showcase some of my and other photographers wildlife picture efforts to hopefully provide you with a small insight into the magical experience that is an African safari.

And if my own wildlife pictures can spread a little awareness about Africa which might ultimately lead to the continued and improved conservation of all the wildlife there then I will consider them a success.

Please let me know if you find any errors and broken links in this guide book, or just to chat about wildlife and safaris in general.

Bruce Whittaker

16© Bruce Whittaker and www.african-safari-journals.com