Planning an African Safari
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Excited to be heading back to Africa.
(Just for context - I actually started writing this post back in November of 2024 which is when we started the planning for this June 2026 trip.)
Dik dik is one of the smallest antelope in Kenya. (EXIF data f5.0, 1/2000s, ISO3600, 400mm)
I have long had a fascination and affinity for wildlife and a particular interest in animals from other areas of the world that I don’t see where I live. I am part of a photography group (A Year With My Camera - a high recommend for anyone wanting to learn photography as it’s a free year long course - check out the link in resources) and a very talented photographer from Australia posted an image of a Queen Green Ant covered in zombie fungus (seriously google this). This fungus takes over the host ant and gradually impairs its ability to function - finally killing its host and enjoying a new location to grow and thrive. I was totally fascinated to learn about this insect as we do not have anything like this in Canada.
That’s a bit of a long winded introduction, however it may explain my excitement to be heading back to Africa with Kory in 2026 - I know we plan these a long way out, but we’ve become quite specific about what we want in our safari experience and sometimes we have to book that far our to get into smaller more remote intimate accommodations.
What has gone into our planning
We first went to Kenya for a photographic safari in 2023 and I wrote about that experience here. It was a wonderful experience that went way beyond capturing amazing images (Africa Photo Gallery). I had spent a long time researching tour companies (ok so I pretty much stalked Wild Eye through their podcast and social media) - I really appreciated their approach which was about the whole experience and not just about taking photos.
A pair of zebras enjoying an early morning drink. (EXIF data f6.1, 1/1250s, ISO640, 475mm, -1.0EV)
I even did a trial trip to Iceland with the company to ensure that I was comfortable with their logistics and planning - it was flawless and I felt so well supported throughout the experience. The company is going in a new direction and hosting different kinds of tours (conservation, creative, active/adventure and cultural to name a few) which is very interesting to me as travel has always been about more than just visiting a location and getting photos to prove I was there. It’s always been about learning local history, customs and wildlife.
It may sound unusual, however we made our choice of itinerary and host by starting with our values. I have mentioned that Kory and I have done a lot of work defining our values and what is important to us as we move forward in our relationship - being close to nature, connection, and family are key to our relationship. These values are what we’ve based a number of major decisions on recently. Our Kenya itinerary included time at the Wild Eye Mara camp which embodies nature, connection and family.
Our trip to Kenya was so aligned with the way Kory and I like to travel with a focus on meeting people, learning new things and connecting to the local environment. Michael, our host was so in tune with our approach and we ended up forming a very close friendship with him over the course of the planning and actual trip. As a result it was a no brainer to contact him again to help us plan our next safari.
Where to next?
We had a great Zoom meet up with Michael to discuss planning a second safari trip and at first we tried to recreate an itinerary that was similar to our first trip - something felt a bit off and the planning didn’t seem to be coming together very well. There was a lot of travel time that cut into the actual safari time too much.
Male lion scenting a female nearby. (EXIF data f6.1, 1/3200s, ISO640, 475mm, -1.0EV)
Michael was so good about helping us to start fresh and explore something totally different - one of the things that we found a bit restrictive in our last trip was being confined to a safari vehicle for so much of the day. Michael suggested moving away from Kenya and exploring Zambia and particularly South Luangwa and the Lower Zambezi. We’re looking at locations where we can do some safari walks, water based safari (from boats) as well as more traditional vehicle safaris.
Our location is going to be more remote and unplugged which is really what we’re looking for - reconnect with nature and learn about somewhere totally new. After some good open discussions we made the decision to head to Zambia.
What we expect
Safari buddies - my face is sure to hurt from all the laughter again. (EXIF data - iPhone photo)
Well the fun part about travelling with Michael and Wild Eye is that we know that the details and logistics will be well taken care of and we’ve developed a level of trust that we’re open to leaving some things to unfold as they will. This is a very different approach for both of us and especially the control freak in me.
We find that by not carrying expectations for the trip that we’ll be open to all the experiences that we have - we’re focusing on the experience rather than photography or sightings - it’s a subtle shift, but makes a big difference in our enjoyment of the trip.
In order to get accommodation in locations that Michael has recommended we’ve had to push out the trip timing to 2026 - we’re ok with that and being patient as we know it will be an amazing trip and it’s worth the wait.
It will give us time to research a bit more on the camps and locations as well as the types of wildlife we’ll see at that time of year. I may have to think about backpacks or other gear……must resist GAS!
The time passes so quickly
It is amazing how quickly the time passes in the planning process and we’ve now secured the trip as well as Roxy’s caregivers (we all think it’s funny to plan so far out). I may need some of the time between now and then to prepare myself for the inevitable bad Dad jokes (Michael and Kory are huge fans of really bad jokes - they still send each other notes of bad jokes - the latest one: What do you call an angry monkey? Furious George). We’ll also need to look into some new fashion choices as Kory and Michael like to coordinate outfits - sometimes wearing the same shirts from the gift shop. Sometimes I seriously feel like the straight guy to their antics which is also fun - someone has to be there to witness and laugh - right?
How do you go about planning a trip? Is there a lot of research and detailed planning or are you more spontaneous and find things as you go? I’d love to hear about an amazing trip that you’ve made and how you went about planning for it in the comments below or drop me a note directly by clicking on the Connect With Me button.
A grey crowned crane strutting across the open field in. Amboselli. (EXIF data f6.3, 1/3200s, 800mm, ISO 640, -1.0EV)
I hope you’ll come back soon, share a cuppa, relax and enjoy more of my musings.
