I do understand that they are always nice to observe, and most people, especially when it is their first safari, are keen to see them. But I learned a very important lesson this year from a special and unique safari guide, Godfrey Baloyi of Pafuri Camp. He taught us that understanding wildlife is more than seeing the Big Five. While we had an amazing experience with lions (two showed up while we were looking for birds and mated, before dining on a nyala bull) we truly enjoyed the landscapes, birds, trees, plants, insects... I believe that tourists will never truly appreciate the Big Five as long as they don’t understand and appreciate the whole ecosystem.
Another thing that struck me was the lack of time spent enjoying the views while on safari. In several camps it felt like guides were just making sure we all had our traditional animal pictures to take home, always moving quickly on in search of more big game. They didn’t really give us an opportunity to enjoy landscapes and all the other small things. With Godfrey, we sometimes just sat there in the quiet, completely immersed in nature. I feel that this is an essential part of being on safari.

This mail is a wake up call for all the guides and tourists – they should embrace the whole environment while on a safari experience. I’m sure tourists would have the best holiday ever, instead of just nice pictures to take home!
Sandra De Clercq, Aartselaar, Belgium