24 ༡ ENCHANTING TRAVELS
PHOTOS: MEG VON HAARTMAN ON UNSPLASH (LION SAFARI)
ON THE GROUND
OPEN-SIDE VEHICLES
Open-sided safari vehicles with 
shaded roofs that cut the heat while 
keeping views unobstructed are 
practical for long game drives. They 
are widely used across East Africa, 
where drives can stretch across vast 
open plains with little protection 
from the sun, and still offer excellent 
wildlife viewing.
Where: Laikipia Private Conservancies 
(Kenya), Serengeti National Park 
(Tanzania), Masai Mara National 
Reserve (Kenya). Also found in 
Southern Africa (South Africa, 
Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe), and 
are standard for fly-in safaris. 
OPEN-AIR VEHICLES 
In most of Southern Africa, safaris 
are operated in open-air 4x4 vehicles 
(usually Land Cruisers) with tiered 
seating. With no windows or roof, 
guests have unobstructed visibility 
and total immersion in the wilderness. 
Some vehicles have a front-mounted 
tracker’s seat, where a skilled spotter 
scans the landscape for subtle 
movements and directs the driver to 
the best sightings. 
Where: Kruger National Park 
(South Africa), Etosha National Park 
(Namibia), South Luangwa National 
Park (Zambia), Lower Zambezi 
National Park, Okavango Delta 
(Private Concessions, Botswana), 
Chobe National Park, Hwange 
National Park (Zimbabwe), Masai Mara 
Conservancies (Kenya).
CUSTOM PHOTOGRAPHY 
VEHICLES
These safari vehicles offer great 
access and views. They prioritize 
line of sight and stability for 
photographers. They are custom-built 
vehicles designed to rotate. These 
vehicles usually have swivel seats that 
provide unobstructed 360-degree 
views. They support eye-level 
photography with long lenses and are 
useful for tracking animal movement 
across open plains.
Where: Sabi Sands & Greater 
Kruger (South Africa), Ngorongoro 
& Serengeti (Tanzania), Masai Mara 
(Kenya), Okavango Delta (Botswana).
FROM A LODGE/ 
CAMP DECK
Unfenced camps or lodges 
offer wildlife viewing from 
the comfort of a deck, pool, 
or dining area. 
FROM THE EDGE OF A 
WATERING HOLE
Waiting at a watering hole 
in front of a lodge or in a 
remote wilderness area 
is a sure-fire way to spot 
Africa’s wildlife. 
FROM A HIDE 
Purpose-built structures 
at ground level or partially 
submerged underwater, 
positioned near waterholes 
or salt licks, allow eye-level 
viewing of animals.
FROM A VIEWING 
PLATFORM
Raised viewing platforms 
offer a 360-degree 
view of the plains, while 
suspended canopy bridges 
and platforms allow a peek 
into life in the treetops. 
WATCH FROM A STATIONARY SPOT

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