I promise you won’t want to leave Africa

*Circle of Life begins to play* I find myself dreaming of Africa often. I truly believe that everyone should experience the beauty and wonders of Africa at least once in their life- I promise you won’t want to leave.

I’ve had numerous people ask me about what Africa is like and what we did while we were there this summer, so I decided to create a travel blog//itinerary for those that want to experience this magical place too!!

Let’s start off with a few tips (as learned first-hand by yours truly)…

1. Pack light. Most of the transportation in Africa is either by jeep or by a small puddle-jumper plane, so it’s best not to carry over 30 pounds per bag. Also, try to limit it to 2 because there isn’t a ton of space most of the time! Duffle bags are not the most convenient (especially if you have back pain like me), but they are easiest while traveling in Africa.

1. The flights are super long. I highly recommend bringing a sleep mask for when your seat neighbor decides to open up all the shades, travel friendly toothbrush and toothpaste, makeup remover wipes, headphones, slippers and socks (my feet got super swollen during the 15 hour flight from Amsterdam to Kenya!), a good book (just in case the airline doesn’t have a great range of movies to keep you entertained), and pajamas to be as comfy as possible.

2. Try not to bring your laptop. Some airlines are incredibly strict with laptops and iPads, and some will make you check it underneath. With such limited baggage space, it’s best to leave it at home, I guarantee you won’t use it once you arrive in Africa!

3. Ladies, no need to bring blow dryers/flatirons/curlers/etc. I made the mistake of bringing both my blow dryer and my flatiron and I only had electricity available in my room once, and when I used my blow dryer (with the converter), it blew up…hahahaha.

4. Braids and pony tails will be your best friend, so be sure to bring lots of hair ties and bobby pins!

5. Don’t forget to bring a camera, extra SD cards, camera chargers, and a cover for your lens! There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of a lion kill and having your camera run out of storage or battery.

6. Bring lots of thick socks (think hiking socks from REI!), thick hiking boots, long pants and long sleeve shirts in deep tan, army green, and khaki. I made the mistake of bringing only 2 pairs of safari pants and 1 long sleeve khaki shirt, and after about day 4 of coating myself in mosquito and tsitsi fly repellent, my clothes did not smell too grand.

7. On that same subject, don’t wear black or dark blue/navy while out on the safaris. I learned the hard way that tsitsi flies (aka horse flies that have massive bites) are drawn to black and blue…I have the battle scars to prove it.

Time of year to travel to Africa

We planned our Africa trip about a year in advance, and my dad did extensive research on when the best time to view the “great migration crossing” in Tanzania/Kenya was and when the best weather was. The best wildlife viewing months in Tanzania are during the dry season from late June to October. The best chance of seeing the wildebeest migration in the Serengeti is during June and July and the time to see the wildebeest calving is late January to February. We were in Africa from July 5th until July 24th, and we were abundantly blessed to see as many animals as we did…for example, there was one instance where we saw 23 lions in ONE SITTING and a migration crossing of about 8,000 wildebeest.

Safaris

While in Africa, it is an absolute necessity to do as many safaris as possible!!! I am a firm believer that animals belong in the wild, and seeing the animals roaming on the vast plains strongly reminds you of that belief.

During the three weeks, we spent about a week total doing safaris (Lake Manyara National Park, the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Kruger National Park). The parks that absolutely blew my mind were the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. The craziest thing we saw on the Serengeti was the “great migration,” where thousands upon thousands of wildebeest and zebras cross the Mara Mara river towards Kenya. You may have to sit for a while to see a migration, but it’s worth it because it’s something straight out of National Geographic! I’m an emotional person, so I struggled when I would see some of the wildebeest break their legs and get left behind or when huge crocodiles would come in to feast (not for the faint of heart, but it’s the circle of life, I suppose).

We would go out at 5:00 a.m. and return home around 7 p.m., and by 7 I would have about 1,000 photos from the day. We saw hundreds of giraffes, lions, elephants, wildebeest (honestly, there are thousands of them, no shortage there), zebras, and of course, baboons. We spent one day in Ngorongoro Crater and 3 days in the Serengeti, but one could easily spend a week in each.

I know 5 a.m. is super early for a safari, but it’s beyond worth it. One of my favorite memories from the safaris was when we entered Ngorongoro Crater at 5:45 a.m., and saw the thick mass of fog slowly roll out of the crater revealing a stunning and magnificent landscape (see below!!)

Safari companies we used and highly recommend:

1. Natural World Safaris

2. Asilia Safari Company

Cape Town, South Africa

Africa is incredibly diverse, and one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen were the cliffs and mountains that coat Cape Town, South Africa. We split up the safaris by taking 2 days to travel down to Cape Town to see the wine country (Cape Town is famous for their wines!) and their seaside views.

Highly recommend the following:

1. Doing a scenic drive with a tour guide through the cliffs of Cape Town that lead you to the most southwestern point of the African continent (called Cape of Good Hope)

2. Making a pit stop at Boulders Beach where all the adorable penguins are (in July they’re in their molting season so they’re all SO fluffy and there are so many babies!!)

3. Visiting at least 3-4 wineries in Cape Town. I suggest doing a day of wine tasting like you would in Napa! The wine is spectacular, plus, it makes for a great gift to bring home since the wines are exclusive to South Africa

4. If you have time, make a reservation to go up to Table Mountain via gondola! We didn’t have time to do it, but we really wished we had

5. If you’re super adventurous and not afraid of sharks (unlike me), my dad suggests doing a Great White shark dive via Apex Shark Expeditions

Places to stay

1. Ngorongoro Farmhouse – Ngorongoro Farmhouse offers a beautifully stark contrast to the traditional safari camps that can be found so close by. A classic style house offering colonial charm just 5 kilometres from the gate to Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This place was SO charming, the staff was incredible and our time there was unrivaled. I was so sad when it was time to pack up our bags to head to the Serengeti!

2. Mara Under Canvas – Deep within the northern Serengeti’s prime wildlife area, Mara Under Canvas offers the perfect base from which to explore from. The camp consists of 10 spacious safari tents each with a double bed and en suite bathroom. A team of friendly and attentive staff ensures that guests enjoy absolute comfort while experiencing the sights , sounds and smells of the African bush. This was where we got acquainted with the hundreds of wildebeest right outside our tents and bucket showers. Sounds odd, but it truly did give us a real “safari” experience

3. Tshukudu Game Reserve– We stayed here once before during my first trip to Africa, and once again, it proved to be an incredible experience! This reserve is right next to Kruger National Park, so it’s a great way to sneak in one more safari!

Africa is truly a place unlike any other, and I really wanted to share more of my African experiences in blog posts. If you are planning a trip to Africa or want to learn more about my time there, feel free to leave a comment or private message me!!

I promise if you go to Africa, you too will find yourself leaving a piece of your heart behind.

Stay humble. Work hard. Love well.

XO,

Stephanie

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