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where do you want to stay? Safaris range from budget camping to unspeakable luxury. Some companies use permanently set-up camps, some use designated campsites and set up the tents each trip. Others use lodges. If you like plates and silverware, consider a lodge. But if you find the idea of going to the bathroom with wild animals scintillating, you'll thrive on a tented safari. how do you want to travel? There are three modes of transport to choose from: foot safaris, game drives and fly-in safaris. On a foot safari, you'll track animals and identify them by their dung on foot. On a game drive, you search for animals from a minibus or 4x4 vehicle (a 4x4 is the better vehicle option). Fly-in safaris are at the high end of the scale. You'll be flown into a reserve, then go wildlife viewing in company vehicles from there. Think about how you want to experience the bush. Do you like the feel of twigs underfoot? Would the four walls of a vehicle make you feel protected or restricted? Is your ultimate dream to experience Africa from the air? where do you want to gO? The main safari countries are Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia. Landscape, wildlife, people, language and infrastructure vary widely. These countries are geographically divided into east and or southern Africa. Zaire, Angola and Congo are incredible safari destinations but are currently too war-torn to be easily accessed. East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) is lion king territory: large groups and concentrations of animals roam vast spaces. The Serengeti Plain dominates the topography of the region. There are just as many animals in southern Africa (Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa) but there is also more woodland. Watching wildlife in southern Africa is more intimate: you will see the animals closer up and in smaller groups. West Africa makes for an entirely different type of safari. In countries like Senegal, Mali, Mauritania and Ghana, animal populations have decreased as human populations increased. But some of Africa's most fascinating and traditional cultures exist here, making them great countries to travel through- just don't expect to see many animals. when should you gO? Season is an important consideration when choosing a safari . The rainy seasons in east Africa (April/May and November) can be good times to go because there is more animal movement and fewer safari-goers. The migratory animals-wildebeest, zebra and Thomson's gazelle- move across the Serengeti Plain in a roughly clockwise circle, searching for the perfect grass. Before you decide on any safari, make sure you will be where the migration is. The rainy seasons in east Africa are certainly more challenging times to safari because vehicles tend to get stuck in mud and rivers are often impassible-but fewer people go then. In southern Africa it is always a good time to safari. Different people prefer different seasons. Most people go during the II Any trip that challenges you to look beyond yourself and discover the wildness within ranks as a grand safari." cool, dry season (June to September). But the fall months April and May are beautiful, untouristed months to go. Bird enthusiasts prefer the hot humid months of December, January and February, when bird action is at a peak. The hot, dry months of September and October are the best times to see cats, who come out of hiding to drink at water holes. who do you want to go with? This is perhaps the most important question. Who do you want to travel Africa with? Tracking wildlife might be the focus of the safari, but it is not the only thing you'll be doing. An important aspect of any safari, and one that can be initially overlooked, is the local culture. Western-based outfitters often use local safari companies specific to the region, and many safari companies, either African- or foreign- based, use local guides. But the high-end, fly-in safaris rarely employ local guides. If you are interested in forming connections with the people of a region, be sure to research this aspect of a safari. Better yet, choose a company that takes positive action to benefit the local community. It is important to enquire about the outfitter's safety record and environmental and cultural sensitivity toward the destination country. The thing about a safari is that it is a happening in its own right. The sunset over the veld , the campfire smoke that follows you around the fire, the howl of wild animals at night and the biggest starry skies you've even seen are all part of the ambiance. Fear, danger and sickness are companions along the way. Choose your safari wisely, get used to the idea of being prey and plumb the depths of your instinct. • MOUNTAIN TRAVEL SOBEK. 888-687-6235, WWW.MTSOBEK.COM THOMSON SAFARIS, 800-235-0289, WWW.THOMSONSAFARIS.COM INTREPYX EXPEDmONS UNUMITED, 1-800-369-6984, WWW.EPYX.NET BlJTTERRELD & ROBINSON, 416-864-1354, WWW.BUTTERFIELD.COM PlRAGIS INTERNATIONAL EXPEDmONS, 800-223-6565, WWW.PIRAGIS.COM CONTIKI HOUDAYS, 800-CONTIKI. WWW.CONTIKI.COM PREMIER TOURS, 1-800-545-1910, WWW.PREMIERTOURS.COM GUERBA SAFARIS AND ADVENTURES, 1800-227-8747, GUERBA@ADVENTURE-CENTER.COM BAOBAB SAFARI CO, 415-391-5788, WWW.BAOBABSAFARIS.COM AFRICAN TRAVEL. 800-421-8907, WWW.ATI@AFRICATRAVELlNC.COM OVERSEAS ADVENTURE TRAVEL. 800-955-1925, WWW.OATRAVEL.COM EXODUS OVERlAND EXPEDmoNS, 0181-675-5550, WWWEXODUSTRAVELS.CO.UK SAFARI APSG GUIDES, 800-251-7255, WWW.5AFARIGUIDES.COM TUSKER TRAIL & SAFARI CO, 800-231-1919, WWW.TUSKER.COM HOLBROOK TRAVEL. INC, 800-0999, WWW.HOLBROOKTIRAVEL.COM ABERCROMBIE & KENT INTERNATIONAL. INC., 800-323-7308, WWW.ABERCROMIEKENT.COM AFRICAN TRAVEL. 800-421-8907, ATlLAX@AOL.COM KE ADVENTURE TRAVEL. 800-497-9675, WWW.KEADVENTURE.COM WILDERNESS TRAVEL. 800-368-2794, WWWWILDERNESSTRAVEL.COM ADVENTURE CENTER, 800-227-8747, WWW.ADVENTURECENTER.COM 43