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Step by step into adventure: Why a walking safari will change your life
A new day begins, the sun is still low over the vast savannah. A small river with hippos meanders through the landscape, giraffes enjoy the tall acacias, zebras graze in the plains - and you are standing right in the middle. This is a walking safari!
Of course, you are not simply exposed to wild nature. An armed park ranger will accompany you and your family or friends on your walk through the national park.
But let’s start at the beginning. A walking safari is an incredible experience that brings you closer to flora and fauna in an unforgettable way. Usually the trip starts in the morning after breakfast. The day is still young, the sun is pleasantly warm and the animals are active before the cooling shadows become shorter. First, your guide will take you by car to an office of TANAPA (Tanzania National Park Authority, which is responsible for the administration of all Tanzania’s national parks). These are located at the gates or at the airports within the park. Here, short formalities have to be completed, such as collecting the permit for the walking safari and filling out a declaration showing that you have understood the rules and risks. But no need to worry, thanks to the help of your guide the bureaucracy is quickly done.
Depending on the national park, the ranger will join your group at the gate or a short drive further invites him to join you in the car. Now it is up to the ranger to decide whether the walking safari starts at the gate on the edge of the national park or whether your guide will drive you deeper into the park in the Land Cruiser.
Tips for your Walking Safari
- Despite the coolness of the morning, be sure to apply sunscreen.
- A sun hat not only protects you from the sun, it also helps to keep any flies away.
- Closed shoes will help you comfortably over the uneven ground
- Long trousers will protect your legs when walking through the tall grass and wild undergrowth.
- Trousers that can be shortened by zipping make for a breezier and more comfortable game drive in the car after your walking safari.
The car stops and you set foot on untouched ground. There is nothing between you and the untamed nature. Now it really starts to get exciting. All in a row behind the armed ranger, you walk across the national park. He is responsible for your safety. It is therefore essential to follow his instructions. It is quite rare for a ranger to have to fire a warning shot in the air with his rifle in a tricky situation. So you can feel at ease on your walk through the wilderness and fully engage with your surroundings.
The vast savannah stretches out in front of you and in the distance you already spot the first giraffes. To your right, a warthog runs through the bush with its young, its tail sticking up in the air like an antenna. The sun slowly climbs up the sky and the temperatures rise. If you are lucky, you can observe some lions in the distance or hippos taking a bath in the nearby river. On the way, the ranger tells you exciting stories and interesting knowledge about the animals and plants around you. You stop in the middle of the tall grass and wait for a moment. With his trained eyes, your ranger has spotted a buffalo under a tree in the far distance. You now take a different path, as it is too tricky to cross the path with a buffalo. Don’t forget to keep taking photos in anticipation! Because in the meantime the landscape around you is dotted with more and more trees and before you know it you are standing in the middle of a herd of zebras. They stand at a distance from you and watch you or run away with loud alarm calls.
Your adventure usually lasts about two hours. If you book early, a half-day or full-day walking safari is also possible. The ranger will then lead you and your family or friends back to the starting point. Here it is time to say goodbye to your ranger, who will be very grateful for a voluntary tip for his services. The game drive continues with the Land Cruiser and your personal guide. Most of the time, the time is already advanced enough to soon devote yourself to a well-deserved lunch.
In a Nutshell
- pick up the permit with your guide
- fill in and sign the formalities
- pick up your ranger
- walking safari: on foot in about 2 hours through the savannah
- unload ranger and give voluntary tip
- game drive in the car continues
