Big 5 Safari South Africa Ultimate Guide
What Is a Safari? Where does this name come from?
an expedition to observe or hunt animals in their natural habitat, especially in East Africa.
"one week on safari"
But today we are more modern in our ways don't need to hunt for our food , and don't take week long safaris as much anymore .
The Name stuck . It stands for a romantic time gone buy.
Lots of us, who love the outdoors, would love to go back in time to the late 1800s and experience a classic safari.
Cotton tents, full dining table out in the open, lit by candles/lanterns and camp fire for safety and light.
The Sounds of the African Bush and the stars at night, gin & tonic to keep the mosquitoes at bay,
Or at least it's good excuse. Sitting around the campfire listening to stories.
Kudu Ram roasting on the open spit. A magic time to be in the African bush on Safari, at least for me ?
There are companies who specialize in these re-creation of classic safaris the are 6 star, if you are interested , drop me a line ..
1) When is the best time to see the big 5 in Africa?
Well it's a mixed answer , there are plus minus to both seasons
Summer
Dec / March
The summer is very hot, Lots of rain and humid, but also the bush is beautiful then, full of color and life.
The animals look their best in terms of condition and lots of babies around.
Winter
June / September
The winter is dry, much cooler, and less rain . So this helps with animal viewing, They head straight to the watering holes twice a day.
As the streams and rivers are dry in winter.
The game viewing is great but, a different strategy is needed to see wildlife from summer to winter.
2) What's the best time of the (day) to see the big 5 animals ?
Well like us,
if it's hot, the big 5 are in the shade. Not good for photos.
You'll need some pro gear to get those types of shots.
The best times for game viewing are, early morning, say start out at 6am and till about 10 ,11.
Yes there will be animals around in mid day but again, not the best time for great photos .
You'll get very harsh shadows and bright bright light, very hard to expose a picture like that .
In the early morning the predators are still active, if the did not get a kill in the night, and they will be hungry, still looking.
The light in the early morning is soft, has great luminous quality.
More on the blue/purple side, great for video and photos.
In the evening, the light say from 4pm on gets soft again. The animals start waking up from a day of napping under the trees.
Now the light is soft and orangey hue.
It's cooler as well, so more pleasant riding in open 4x4 , if your doing guided game drives. We do offer air con 4x4 options, but with window rolled up and the sound and cent shut out, well It's not the same really...
3) What animals are considered the big 5 & what does the term, African big 5 mean ?
So witch animals are considered the? big 5 : Lion, Buffalo, leopard, Rhino, Elephant
African Lion
The African Lion is the second largest cat in the world the Tiger being the largest. Lion's are social and live in groups called a Pride. A pride can have up to 3 males and the rest will be females and their young.
The pride size will depend on the availability of food and water. A Lion's roar can be heard as far a way as 8 km. A pride's territory can extend as far as 260 square kilometers. It is the male's that will protect this territory.
The thick mane of a male Lion safeguards them from fights. Female Lions primary job is to hunt and care for their young. Being smaller and slower they hunt together contributing to their successful rates.
- Female Lions live together for life
- They are the only big cats with Manes
- They have the loudest roar of all the cats
- Lions are the most social of all big cats
- Male Lions eat first
- The darker the mane the older the Lion
sources / hluhluwegamereserve.com
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