Kenya

Deck 1 - Hypnotic landscapes, aside from animal sightings, are guaranteed rewards in an African safari.

I once aspired for a holiday I would never forget so I dreamt of Africa. I imagined that espying, up close, a pride of lions basking in the sun, a herd of elephants frolicking in watering holes, and zebras prancing gracefully on an endless savannah would be a truly unforgettable experience. These images remained transfixed in my mind until I finally fulfilled my dream and saw all that and more.

The jury is in: Africa is not unreal; Africa is ethereal.

For the tenacious traveler, Africa is a must-see-before-you-die-destination. Many wait for their twilight years before they brave the journey. It doesn’t have to be this way. Tick this off in your bucket list now and have amazing memories of a holiday you’ll cherish for the rest of your lifetime.

Let me share my personal experience with you. Who knows? It might just fire up the wanderlust in you.

WHERE TO SAFARI

If you long for the images of Africa that National Geographic and the Discovery Channel have etched in your minds, then Kenya, with its abundance of wildlife, is the destination for you. Iconic Hollywood movies like the Lion King and Out of Africa were filmed here. If you have the luxury of time, consider traversing neighboring Tanzania. If you only have about a week, you can still have a meaningful safari by fitting these into your itinerary:

Masai Mara National Reserve. Aside from unbelievable landscapes, it has the highest concentrations of wildlife on the planet. This means there’s a bigger chance you’ll see the Big 5 here. The grandest wildlife spectacle on earth—the great migration, where millions of wildebeests joined by zebras and buffaloes and followed by their predators thunderously cross the Mara River—happens here.

The Great Rift Valley. As you drive from Nairobi to the Masai Mara, pass by the Rift Valley, a grand escarpment sculpted by volcanic eruptions. Lakes Nakuru and Naivasha have their own concentrations of wildlife, with many of the avian kind (like flamingos in the thousands).

Hell’s Gate National Park. A picture-perfect place and the only one that lets you bike or walk in an African savannah with nothing to separate you from wild buffaloes and, possibly, hyenas and leopards. The experience, especially when they stare you down like you came over to be dinner, will give you an adrenaline rush.

Amboseli National Park. Kenya’s iconic screensavers of elephants walking by a snow-capped mountain were shot here. If you were intrigued by those movies set in Mount Kilimanjaro and feel the need to climb it, this is a great place to start.

The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. If Kenya’s wildlife sightings have left you looking for more, cross the Tanzanian border and head to the Serengeti. The Serengeti typically has the same topography as that of the Mara except that it’s much more expansive.

IN SEARCH OF WILDLIFE

The main activity in a safari is a “game drive”. It’s called such because it’s, well, a game. This is the wild so there is no guarantee you’ll see the animals you want. If you want 100 percent certainty of seeing them, go to a zoo.

The Big 5. Few people know that the term “The Big 5” was coined by hunters for five of the most dangerous animals to hunt down: elephants, lions, leopards, buffaloes and rhinos. Encountering all five in your safari is tantamount to a hunter’s successful quest except that you used a camera—not a rifle. In Africa, you’ll realize that God created many of these creatures in such a way that they blend into their habitat. The better to keep predators—including the human kind—away.

Aside from lions and leopards, another big cat you’d be lucky to catch is the elusive cheetah. Carnivores like hyenas and jackals, who feed on leftover carcass, are also possibilities.

Of the herbivores, zebras and the giraffes wander freely in Kenya, and are easy to find. Having said this, their being commonplace doesn’t make their beauty any less lustrous. Wildebeests, as well as all kinds of antelope, also abound. Not many people know that the hippopotamus is also vegetarian. They may look huggable but beware, most Africans consider them as the most dangerous animal in the wild.