What not to do on a Safari?
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I love the wild regardless of where the jungle is …South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Brazil, Thailand or India! Being on a safari is an adventure that I truly enjoy.
To all those who share my liking for the wild, here are things that should not be done on a safari …
- Do not go with a fixed mindset of sighting only the cats or the Big Five. Go to enjoy the jungle, to watch the birds fly and the deer graze.
- Do not rant about how dusty the roads are …. You are in a jungle!
- Do not talk loudly… It disturbs the wild ones.
- Do not push your guides and drivers to enter an area that is restricted. It can cost them their permit and put you in danger.
- Do not block the passage of the cats to get a better sighting position. It’s their right of way. Remember, you are in their territory.
- Do not wear bright colours that attract attention. Wear earthy colours that blend with the natural surroundings.
- Do not wear a perfume. The sense of smell in animals is multi fold when compared to humans and artificial fragrances bother them.
- Do not under estimate the weather. Carry an extra layer in winters and sun protection during summers.
- Do not offer food to any wild animal…including cute looking baby monkeys and langurs. Let the wildlings learn to fend for themselves, as Nature intends it to be.
- Do not throw any litter in the jungle. No paper, plastics and wrappers please. Be environmentally conscious and pick up any plastic that you see lying around.
- Do not step out of your safari vehicle, unless you are on a walking safari with a trained ranger.
- Do not play music in the jungle. It’s disturbs the animals and possibly, your fellow travellers.
- Do not leave safari bookings for the last minute. All safaris require permits and logistical arrangements that are best done in advance.
- Do not let your cell phones distract you…turn off technology for a bit!
- Lastly, do not forget to live in the moment and have fun….thats what a vacation is all about!
Cheers to sharing the planet with four legged and winged beings!
Very simple but useful suggestions. Usually they are taken for granted.
Excellent. I would also add do not take little children. Someone was telling me of an episode where a young mother promptly started breastfeeding her infant who had been howling during the entire safari. Incidentally a tiger was sighted in the direction of the young mother, and much to everyone’s dismay, they couldn’t watch out of a sense of respect for her privacy.
It’s not important to take very young children to safaris. Let them grown up a bit…
Totally agree…also, even toddlers get so impatient in a one day safari that their crankiness really takes away the fun from everyone else in the vehicle!
Great common sense advice! And a good remind for neutral colors, no perfume, and quiet sounds. I have not gone on safari, yet. I will certainly keep these in mind when I finally get to book one and go!
Watching wildlife in their natural environs is indeed one of the most enjoyable experiences. As you rightly highlight when we go on wildlife safaris, we are trespassing on the territory of the animals and hence need to acknowledge that and create minimum disturbance. Tips about perfume and clothing are really very important.
Loved these! We went on a ten day safari in Botswana and we had no reception the entire time, it was amazing! We always try and be super considerate about our surroundings and other people when we are on safari but maybe its because we live in Africa so we kind of know how to act haha. Thankfully no one has ever done any of those things while we were present, otherwise I might have just done something to them 😛
Great tips. Absolutely great tips. I’ve been pissed off by some typical tourists who just don’t respect the nature of the place. In 2 of my trips to such places, I made sure that I was the first person to enter the jungle early in the morning, so I could see something atleast before the animals go away deep into the forest, after being disturbed by humans!
I have been on quite a few safaris. Some which I feel were great not only for the guests but for the animals but I have been on one that only thought about the guests and disturbed the animals.
I feel it is so important to let the animals get on with their daily lives. I am so against feeding them. We would not eat their food so why would we be feeding them our food. Not only is it stopping them from fending in the wild like you said but it is so bad for their health.
Thanks for sharing these tips. I hope everyone who go on a safari follow these guidelines.
Great tips, Sonia! I’ve never been on a safari before, but it’s definitely on my bucket list – it’d definitely be an unforgettable experience and I’d love to do it sometime!
Some very good points about etiquette on a safari here. They should print this out and make people read it before they set off on the safari! Going with the mindset that you will enjoy all the wildlife and birds is a great point, not just the big cats. All wildlife should be admired and observed without disturbing them too. Great point about not encouraging the guide to break the rules too!
I can imagine being on a safari and having “that person” that ticks off all these things! Thanks for helping us not be that person. I was a tour guide in Alaska for a while and I used to get people that would complain about it being too sunny in the summer, so I get the dirt comment haha. I hope I can do a safari some day, so I can not do these things!
This tips are very important and I think everybody should respect it. This will help me a lot Im willing to do Safari in Tanzania and I will note this. Thank you so much for sharing
Very useful article