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"Safari" is a Ki-Swahili word meaning "journey," which the British redefined to mean "an expedition in pursuit of wild game." Originally both game and safari referred to hunting, but that has since evolved. Today, safari usually implies only viewing and humans (although not all) are shooting with a camera lens not a rifle. Africa's vast savannas, dense jungles and steamy river deltas are home to thousands of species of wildlife-from zebra, hippos and giraffes to wildebeests, mambas, hyenas and flamingoes-making Africa the quintessential safari destination. Despite the fact that centuries of hunting and poaching have depleted animal populations, eastern and southern Africa still possess abundant game, including the "big five" (lion, elephant, rhino, buffa- also the most active. You'll spend six to eight hours per day walking in the bush tracking animals. On a river safari, you'll spot wildlife while gliding through the waters in an indigenous canoe. There are some wildlife reserves, particularly in Kenya, where you can get a "bird's eye view" from treetop lodges, hot-air balloons and ultralight aircraft. At Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, riding on horseback allows you to get very close to big game-although this type of safari is for experienced equestrians only, since precariously astride an out-of-control horse is not where you want to be when there are lions roaming about. In Nepal and India, the safari takes on an entirely different perspective from atop a lO-foot elephant. The level of comfort on safari can range from five-star treat- 10 and leopard). Parks in these areas are also the most heavily visit- ment reminiscent of India's Raj era-with cushy beds, private bath- ed. It is not uncommon to see a circle of Land Rovers filled with tourists dressed in khaki, converged at the site of a recent cheetah kill. In South Africa, in addition to traditional game-viewing safaris by jeep, there are reserves offering lessons in r----------....... -----------.. cost does not always correlate with ranger training, where you spend your days in the bush investigating prints, digging through dung and tracking game. On a river safari in shallow-hulled canoes down the Zambezi River in Zimbabwe or through Botswana's Okavango Delta, you're more likely to see hippos, buffalo and croco- diles. In Botswana, which is much less crowded with travelers than Kenya or Tanzania, there are also massive herds of elephant. Tourism in Botswana is very controlled, and local people have a say in which rooms in your palatial tent and chilled champagne after a rough day in the bush-to budget camping expeditions where you'll help cook the food and pack up camp each day. In safari economics, however, level of luxury. High fees may have more to do with the isolation of the parks and the amount of resources the outfitter dedicates to ensuring the integrity of the wildlife and the economic well-being of local popula- tions. Research what season is best for travel and animal viewing in the area you want to visit. Many parks are accessible year-round, but some are closed-owing to extreme heat or torrential rains-and safari companies operate there. Most outfits are staffed with locals, so may even be dangerous at certain times of the year. at least some of the money you spend is funneled back into the imme- diate community. There are also strict regulations for ecological preser- vation, making Botswana an intimate, untrampled safari destination. Outside Africa, the most popular safari destination is South Asia. Tigers are the major draw, as they are found only in the forests of Asia-in China, North Korea, Russia, Sumatra, Vietnam, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar. In Nepal's Royal Chitwan National Park and India's Ranthambhore National Park in Rajasthan, you can comb the grasslands in search of this elusive, endangered cat. India is an appealing safari destination because the parks are far less crowded than those in most parts of Africa; however, game is less abundant and the types of animals more obscure. In the forested plains of Sasan Gir National Park in Gujarat, for example, you can spot Asiatic lion, sambar, chowsingha, chinkara and wild boar. Choosing the right safari will depend on how you want to travel and what you want to experience. The typical mode of safari transport is an open-air, four-wheel-drive vehicle, such as a Land Many safari operations are aware that the survival of the land and the well-being of its inhabitants are crucial to their business, and have integrated environmental awareness and ecological protection into the safari experience. But the environmental focus varies greatly-some operations reinvest money in local communities and environmental pro- tection, while others believe paying the mandatory park fees is enough of a contribution. Poaching (illegal hunting of protected game) is still alive and well in Africa and Asia. The public (with its much-needed tourist dollars) plays a very important role in animal preservation, in safeguarding fragile lands and in sustaining local economies. Find out where your money is going. Are you supporting a company that employs guides from the surrounding area? Local guides will not only be able to provide deeper, more instinctive knowledge of their own lands, but will likely have a more long-term, vested interest in their protection. A guide from Kenya's Masai tribe may offer you a richer safari experience than a guide transplanted from California would. The awareness that you bring to and take away from your safari Rover. A walkabout (on foot) is the oldest type of safari. It is the most experience can be vital to sustaining local cultures and environments. intimate and intense way to feel the land and its wild inhabitants- - Keoki Flagg