Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are looking into both options and would love advice from anyone who has done an East African safari, a South African safari, or both.

One big factor is the flight. South Africa has a direct flight, which is very appealing. The downside is that the direct option would be United business rather than Qatar or Emirates. If we choose a better business class carrier, it adds a stop and turns the travel time from about 15 hours into roughly 26 hours.

We are also a little concerned that a South Africa safari might feel like going to a zoo or one of those artificial drive through wildlife parks. For those who have been, did it feel genuinely wild, or more managed and park like compared with East Africa?

On the other hand, South Africa seems to offer a lot more outside the safari itself. Things like cage diving, a possible side trip to the falls, and generally nicer amenities are appealing. The lodges look much more comfortable compared with the more tent style camps in East Africa. We understand that is part of the classic safari experience, but we suspect our teens might find that less charming and more gross.

We are also thinking about how easy it is to break up the trip with other activities and whether internet access is generally better in South Africa so the teens could do their own things on certain days.

Any insight into how the safari experience compares, along with travel logistics and non safari activities, would be really helpful.

I’d book it after you know an invasion of Greenland has been ruled out. No way will any countries but maybe Russia, Hungary and El Salvador let us in if we invade Greenland.

Anonymous wrote:Most safaris aren't luxury at all - fly to JNB, rent a car, drive to Kruger, and stay at a family campground for about $50 a night is the vast majority of safari experiences.

Anonymous wrote:We are looking into both options and would love advice from anyone who has done an East African safari, a South African safari, or both.

One big factor is the flight. South Africa has a direct flight, which is very appealing. The downside is that the direct option would be United business rather than Qatar or Emirates. If we choose a better business class carrier, it adds a stop and turns the travel time from about 15 hours into roughly 26 hours.

We are also a little concerned that a South Africa safari might feel like going to a zoo or one of those artificial drive through wildlife parks. For those who have been, did it feel genuinely wild, or more managed and park like compared with East Africa?

On the other hand, South Africa seems to offer a lot more outside the safari itself. Things like cage diving, a possible side trip to the falls, and generally nicer amenities are appealing. The lodges look much more comfortable compared with the more tent style camps in East Africa. We understand that is part of the classic safari experience, but we suspect our teens might find that less charming and more gross.

We are also thinking about how easy it is to break up the trip with other activities and whether internet access is generally better in South Africa so the teens could do their own things on certain days.

Any insight into how the safari experience compares, along with travel logistics and non safari activities, would be really helpful.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

How is the South Africa safari experience? I saw some videos, and it looks like there are fences and stuff, so it seems like the Reston Zoo.

My South African experience was nothing like a zoo. We went to one of the Sabi Sands lodges so it was an expensive, exclusive experience, but a thousand percent worth it. I've been all over the world to all sorts of countries and it was far and away my favorite travel experience ever. The most mesmerizing thing I've ever experienced. It really could not be farther from a zoo experience. I never once saw a fence.

Are the videos you're seeing the type of trips where people drive their own rental cars through Kruger??

We saw the fence while tracking a cheetah at Singita but it’s because we were dead set on seeing the cheetah and cubs. The guide would have kept us away from the fence if the cheetah didn’t end up near it.

Sabi Sands was historically farm land until the 1920s when it became hunting grounds and then later evolved to the wildlife conservation model (a lot of people don’t know this) so you can still see some evidence of that and there’s some private estates scattered around too that go back to the “OG” families. Again the guides try to avoid all this but if you’re dead set on a rare sighting and tracking you might stumble on it.