A F E W K E Y W O R D S T O S T A R T Y O U D R E A M I N G
Dream, plan, go
DESTINATIONS
East Africa safaris, Tanzania safaris, Kenya safaris, Namibia safaris, Botswana safaris, Zimbabwe safaris, Madagascar tours and safaris, animal viewing, Victoria Falls tours, registered guides in South Africa, private Kruger safaris, Kruger Park, Serengeti, great migration, Ngorongoro, Zanzibar, private tours, private safaris, professional guides, private guides, big 5 safaris, birding guides, Chobe, Serengeti, Okavango Delta, salt pans, Namib Desert, conservation safaris, Great Zimbabwe ruins, Matopo Hills, Zambezi river, Orange River, Augrabies Falls
ANIMALS & BIRDS
Big five, lion, leopard, cheetah, rhino, elephant, buffalo, black-backed jackal, silver backed jackal, mongoose, bushbaby, monkeys, baboons, waterbuck, crocodiles, hippos, reedbuck, oryx, sable antelope, eland, African wild dog, springbok, impala, zebra, snakes, hartebeest, adders, rhino beetle, dung beetle, tracking, interactions, fish eagle, owls, secretary bird, Narina Trogon, Wattled crane, hornbills, quail, guinea fowl, loerie, vultures, ostrich
ADVENTURE & ACTIVITIES
Photographic tours, wildlife safaris in Africa, birding safaris, on-foot safaris, aerial safaris, fly over Victoria Falls, fly over the West coast desert, ballooning safaris, shark cage diving, scuba diving, finding turtles, paddling experiences, fishing safaris, track rhinos, walk with lions, meet the Big 5, meet Zulu tribe, food and wine tours, swim with African penguins, surf South Africa, wine tasting, local cuisine, white water rafting, San, Khoi, coral reefs, manta rays
HISTORY AND BATTLEFIELDS
Battlefield guides, Anglo Zulu Wars, Zulu war 1879, Anglo Boer war, Battlefield tours, Boer war tours, Zulu war tours, Isandlwana, Rorkes Drift, Talana, Spioenkop, Blood River, Military history tours, Zulu Culture, Authentic Zulu culture tours, Zululand tours, Dundee tourism, cultural tours
East Africa safaris, Tanzania safaris, Kenya safaris, Namibia safaris, Botswana safaris, Zimbabwe safaris, Madagascar tours and safaris, animal viewing, Victoria Falls tours, registered guides in South Africa, private Kruger safaris, Kruger Park, Serengeti, great migration, Ngorongoro, Zanzibar, private tours, private safaris, professional guides, private guides, big 5 safaris, birding guides, Chobe, Serengeti, Okavango Delta, salt pans, Namib Desert, conservation safaris, Great Zimbabwe ruins, Matopo Hills, Zambezi river, Orange River, Augrabies Falls
ANIMALS & BIRDS
Big five, lion, leopard, cheetah, rhino, elephant, buffalo, black-backed jackal, silver backed jackal, mongoose, bushbaby, monkeys, baboons, waterbuck, crocodiles, hippos, reedbuck, oryx, sable antelope, eland, African wild dog, springbok, impala, zebra, snakes, hartebeest, adders, rhino beetle, dung beetle, tracking, interactions, fish eagle, owls, secretary bird, Narina Trogon, Wattled crane, hornbills, quail, guinea fowl, loerie, vultures, ostrich
ADVENTURE & ACTIVITIES
Photographic tours, wildlife safaris in Africa, birding safaris, on-foot safaris, aerial safaris, fly over Victoria Falls, fly over the West coast desert, ballooning safaris, shark cage diving, scuba diving, finding turtles, paddling experiences, fishing safaris, track rhinos, walk with lions, meet the Big 5, meet Zulu tribe, food and wine tours, swim with African penguins, surf South Africa, wine tasting, local cuisine, white water rafting, San, Khoi, coral reefs, manta rays
HISTORY AND BATTLEFIELDS
Battlefield guides, Anglo Zulu Wars, Zulu war 1879, Anglo Boer war, Battlefield tours, Boer war tours, Zulu war tours, Isandlwana, Rorkes Drift, Talana, Spioenkop, Blood River, Military history tours, Zulu Culture, Authentic Zulu culture tours, Zululand tours, Dundee tourism, cultural tours
Questions we often get asked
These are a few of the questions we often get asked. If you have another question, please feel free to contact us.
Can you customise a trip just for me?
Absolutely! We'll give you some sample itineraries and you can use them as a sample of what we can put together. Every aspect of our tours can be changed: length, level of accommodation, route or even add a theme like birding or food, which can put a whole new dimension to any of our sample tours. You dream it, we'll help you live it.
How long do I need for a good safari?
How long is a piece of string? We have done tours that are just a day; our longest tour was just over 9 weeks, spanning 5 countries. We recommendyou take as long as you can. This will allow us time to show you what you want and give you a chance to get submersed in the experience and get a true feeling for what a safari is.
Is it safe?
YES it is. BushBaby Safaris works very hard to ensure the safety of all our guests. Since we started in 1999 we have only had one incident where a guest lost his passport but it was recovered. When it comes to tracking and getting close to wild animals, there is always an element of risk. We use guides who have an average (per guide) of over 20 years of guiding experience. You can feel secure and comfortable knowing that our guides know, love and respect the bush. Our guides have a great sense of self preservation too - so stick with them and you'll be fine.
Can I drink the water?
Africa generally has good tap water, however the mineral composition varies greatly, as does the source of water (dams, boreholes, springs etc.) so we always advise our guests to stick with bottled drinking water to be safe. Tap water is fine for showering and brushing teeth.
What about the food, I have specific dietary needs?
This needs to be discussed upfront before we start designing your tour/safari, as we will then choose the lodges that can accommodate your specific needs. Most lodges do cater for the normal requests like vegetarian or gluten-free meals, but there are fewer lodges who cater for kosher requests. If you let us know what you need, we'll ensure your needs are met.
What type of vehicle will we be travelling in?
It depends where we are travelling. In Southern Africa we generally use comfortable air-conditioned vehicles while travelling from one area to the next, while game viewing is done in open safari vehicles. In East Africa the tour vehicle is normally the same vehicle you will do your game viewing in, a “POP TOP” vehicle, so once in the game viewing areas the top of the vehicle pops up and you can then stand or sit to enjoy the wildlife around you. Once we know your itinerary plan, we can confirm which vehicles we'll be using. Of course, we can also arrange helicopters, balloons, canoes, trains, motor launches etc. as required by terrain and by your itinerary.
Are we guaranteed to see all the animals we want?
NO. We do try our very best to show off all our amazing fauna and flora but nobody can guarantee you will see them. The African bush is a true wild experience and not a zoo so half the thrill of doing a game drive is not knowing what you will see and experience along with the hunt of trying to find certain species. As an example, we've seen all of the Big 5 in just one hour on one tour, and none of the Big Five on the next (although we did see some of the lesser known creatures of Africa and spectacular bird life).
Is malaria a big concern?
Yes, but only if you are travelling to a malaria area (for example, Victoria Falls). If your itinerary does take you to malaria areas, we will notify you and advise you to visit a travel clinic to get the best medical cover. We also send you practical tips on how to ensure you don’t get bitten, like covering up in the evenings with longs sleeves and long pants. However, since we started in 1999 we have not had a single guest get malaria.
What should I pack?
This will change from tour to tour as well as from season to season, so we will send you a packing list. However the basics would be a camera, lots of spare memory cards, a good hat and sunblock and a warm jacket (when you’re on an open safari vehicle the wind chill can make it feel very cold and we do get cold snaps even in summer).
Do I need a big fancy camera with all the huge lenses?
If photography is your hobby and you have the gear then yes, do bring it. You'll have a great time in the bush. However, for those who don't have a high end camera, a good point and shoot will record your holiday just fine. Our guides do their best to ensure we get as close as we can so you don’t need a high power zoom. To prove it, all the photos on our website were taken with a bridge camera (point and shoot with a good zoom).
When is the best time to travel?
We cover a huge area and climates differ radically. Here's our quick low down on some key areas:
- The Cape (Cape Town, Garden Route, etc): best in summer.
- Northern South Africa and most of Southern Africa: best in winter when there is no rain and animals are forced to stay close to water holes, and there are fewer bugs.
- Serengeti: in February or March the migration is in the south and comes to a brief stop so animals can have their babies. So in this case summer is best.
- Birding: summer is obviously best as the migratory birds are back and they are all in the bright breeding colours.
More questions?
If you have another question, please feel free to contact us for a specific answer to each destination.
Can you customise a trip just for me?
Absolutely! We'll give you some sample itineraries and you can use them as a sample of what we can put together. Every aspect of our tours can be changed: length, level of accommodation, route or even add a theme like birding or food, which can put a whole new dimension to any of our sample tours. You dream it, we'll help you live it.
How long do I need for a good safari?
How long is a piece of string? We have done tours that are just a day; our longest tour was just over 9 weeks, spanning 5 countries. We recommendyou take as long as you can. This will allow us time to show you what you want and give you a chance to get submersed in the experience and get a true feeling for what a safari is.
Is it safe?
YES it is. BushBaby Safaris works very hard to ensure the safety of all our guests. Since we started in 1999 we have only had one incident where a guest lost his passport but it was recovered. When it comes to tracking and getting close to wild animals, there is always an element of risk. We use guides who have an average (per guide) of over 20 years of guiding experience. You can feel secure and comfortable knowing that our guides know, love and respect the bush. Our guides have a great sense of self preservation too - so stick with them and you'll be fine.
Can I drink the water?
Africa generally has good tap water, however the mineral composition varies greatly, as does the source of water (dams, boreholes, springs etc.) so we always advise our guests to stick with bottled drinking water to be safe. Tap water is fine for showering and brushing teeth.
What about the food, I have specific dietary needs?
This needs to be discussed upfront before we start designing your tour/safari, as we will then choose the lodges that can accommodate your specific needs. Most lodges do cater for the normal requests like vegetarian or gluten-free meals, but there are fewer lodges who cater for kosher requests. If you let us know what you need, we'll ensure your needs are met.
What type of vehicle will we be travelling in?
It depends where we are travelling. In Southern Africa we generally use comfortable air-conditioned vehicles while travelling from one area to the next, while game viewing is done in open safari vehicles. In East Africa the tour vehicle is normally the same vehicle you will do your game viewing in, a “POP TOP” vehicle, so once in the game viewing areas the top of the vehicle pops up and you can then stand or sit to enjoy the wildlife around you. Once we know your itinerary plan, we can confirm which vehicles we'll be using. Of course, we can also arrange helicopters, balloons, canoes, trains, motor launches etc. as required by terrain and by your itinerary.
Are we guaranteed to see all the animals we want?
NO. We do try our very best to show off all our amazing fauna and flora but nobody can guarantee you will see them. The African bush is a true wild experience and not a zoo so half the thrill of doing a game drive is not knowing what you will see and experience along with the hunt of trying to find certain species. As an example, we've seen all of the Big 5 in just one hour on one tour, and none of the Big Five on the next (although we did see some of the lesser known creatures of Africa and spectacular bird life).
Is malaria a big concern?
Yes, but only if you are travelling to a malaria area (for example, Victoria Falls). If your itinerary does take you to malaria areas, we will notify you and advise you to visit a travel clinic to get the best medical cover. We also send you practical tips on how to ensure you don’t get bitten, like covering up in the evenings with longs sleeves and long pants. However, since we started in 1999 we have not had a single guest get malaria.
What should I pack?
This will change from tour to tour as well as from season to season, so we will send you a packing list. However the basics would be a camera, lots of spare memory cards, a good hat and sunblock and a warm jacket (when you’re on an open safari vehicle the wind chill can make it feel very cold and we do get cold snaps even in summer).
Do I need a big fancy camera with all the huge lenses?
If photography is your hobby and you have the gear then yes, do bring it. You'll have a great time in the bush. However, for those who don't have a high end camera, a good point and shoot will record your holiday just fine. Our guides do their best to ensure we get as close as we can so you don’t need a high power zoom. To prove it, all the photos on our website were taken with a bridge camera (point and shoot with a good zoom).
When is the best time to travel?
We cover a huge area and climates differ radically. Here's our quick low down on some key areas:
- The Cape (Cape Town, Garden Route, etc): best in summer.
- Northern South Africa and most of Southern Africa: best in winter when there is no rain and animals are forced to stay close to water holes, and there are fewer bugs.
- Serengeti: in February or March the migration is in the south and comes to a brief stop so animals can have their babies. So in this case summer is best.
- Birding: summer is obviously best as the migratory birds are back and they are all in the bright breeding colours.
More questions?
If you have another question, please feel free to contact us for a specific answer to each destination.
T E S T I M O N I A L S
Happy People
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"Unforgettable and incredible holiday thanks to Pierre!"
- SHIM B. |
