Rund's Halloween Makeup TutorialOct.27.2020
I did my first ever safari last Summer. It has been on my bucket list for the longest time and even though I’m lucky enough to have finally ticked it off, I want to add it on there again just to go through this experience one more time.
I genuinely believe everyone should see animals and nature in this capacity, to have an opportunity to witness these magnificent animals in their untouched, natural wild habitat is something I’ll never take for granted. Being out there with them, especially if you’re camping like I did, is a humbling experience that’s gone unmatched in all of my other travels, so far.
I did a Safari in Botswana with a company called andBeyond, and even though I have no measure for comparison as it’s my first and only experience, I think they’re the best! My sister and I flew out from Dubai to Johannesburg, spent one night in the city before catching a short flight to Botswana the next morning.
Our safari experience started in the air, we spotted herds of elephants drinking in the river from way up in the clouds and it had us so excited for everything else to come. Once you land, your met with your guide who usually sticks with you for the whole safari and ours was a real character, we loved how knowledgeable he was and en route to our camp, we started a game drive, meaning within an hour of landing, we had already been in close proximity to elephants, giraffes and a leopard.
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The scariest thing to overcome for me during the trip was the camping. We were touring Botswana, moving camp every two days, and we had a huge tent with two single beds, a rail for our clothes and a mini outdoor area with a deck for washing our faces (using a jug of fresh water) a bucket shower and another small connecting tent with a sit down toilet, so it was pretty much glamping, but nonetheless, something you really had to get used to!
We were literally in the middle of the African bush, there are no fences, barriers or anything to separate you from the animals, so it’s very likely that in the middle of the night you will hear howling, growls and animals moving around outside. Needless to say, we didn’t sleep for the first 48 hours without waking up every 5 minutes to any tiny little sound.
But the good news is, you become very used to it and your rationalism kicks in, reminding you that animals can’t physically open up the zips of your tent and walk in. Expect to wake up early on Safari and prepare yourself to be very patient, it takes a while sometimes to capture a glimpse of some animals, but when you do, it’s so worth the wait.
Some of the most mesmerizing views were that of the elephants crossing the river or lions roaming the bush for prey, or when we saw two leopards hauling their kill to a tree top.
I would suggest 6 nights minimum for a trip like this and to go with plenty of film to capture every moment.
Oh and one more thing, don’t expect to share any of this on Instagram, we were completely off the grid for 7 days, and it only added to the beauty of the experience, some camps offer wifi, ours didn’t even have cell service so you were forced to literally enjoy each moment instead of sharing it, and like I said, it only made it more special for us.
