Why Game Drives are Never Boring, No Matter How Many Times One Travels to Africa

Imagine it is early morning; the breeze is rustling the leaves of the trees, the birds announce the day with their bright calls. You are holding a coffee by a crackling fire, your camera is sitting patiently in your lap and you are enjoying a stunning view over the bushveld, plains or desert, about to embark on a morning safari, alive with anticipation of seeing the magic of Africa unfold. No matter how many times you have experienced this, there is no such thing as a dull game drive. Why?

 1. Every guide is different

Every guide you will meet has unique knowledge – about wildlife, nature and birds, and a different point of view or specialty. For example, at one camp you may be with an elephant expert, while at another you'll meet a guide who is a bird encyclopedia, or a guide who knows just about everything about insects. Others live for the big cats, others for tiny mammals – you just never know what aspect of the wild your guide might introduce you to.

2. Every national park has a unique landscape and biodiversity

None of the national parks and reserves in Africa are the same, or even similar. As a result, animals in these disparate environments behave differently, adapting to their habitat. For instance, the elephants in Mana Pools, Zimbabwe have adapted to standing on their hind legs when feeding, in order to reach higher branches in the trees. By lifting their front legs, and leaning them on the tree trunks, they can increase their height to pick tasty ana pods that would otherwise be out of reach. In Tanzania, lions climb trees to escape the heat, and in Namibia the elephants carefully strip leaves from the few existing trees to preserve them, contrary to their destructive habits in other parts of Africa.

 3. You may see something you have never seen before

One of the first things your guide will ask you on a game drive is if you are hoping for a specific sighting. Note – inform your guide that you would like to see an aardvark and pangolin and watch them squirm. It might be the anticipation of seeing a wild dog in action, or even a giraffe, that has you returning again and again. You might also be hoping for that one-in-a-million photo opportunity - to capture something that is really out of the ordinary. Remember that top wildlife photographers spend weeks or months in nature, trying to get that one shot.

 4. The sheer beauty of Africa

There is something very special about embarking on a game drive as the sun rises. The air is fresh; the morning sky is taking on spectacular pink hues. Each sunrise is truly special. On the other hand, when on an afternoon safari, your guide will stop at a unique location for a sundowner cocktail. You might enjoy a gin and tonic on a rocky escarpment in Namibia, overlooking the endless savannah in Kenya; or, on by the side of a hippo-filled river on a boat safari. No sundowner spot is ever the same.

 5. Meet interesting people

Unless you book private activities, you will join other like-minded guests on safari. You will meet interesting people along the way, and possibly even make some friends for life. These diverse personalities, stories and backgrounds only serve to make the safari experience richer.

 6. Just the right amount of stimulation

We spend our lives in a chronic state of overstimulation. Game drives offer just the right amount of excitement, while providing a safe space where one does not need to overthink, worry, make difficult decisions, or experience the feeling of restlessness or anxiety. At Classic Africa's portfolio properties, safari activities take place in some of the most untamed and remote places on the planet. Here, you will be able to enjoy the wilderness on your terms. Turn off your mind, experience nature's television, and embrace the African magic. It will feed your mental health and happiness.