Safari trip in Africa

Off Topic
1

I’m 23 and want to take my mom on the trip of her dreams to Africa for a safari.

I’m posting this in hopes of finding people who have gone and can offer advice or suggestions.

I’m also wondering how much it would cost as I’ve seen ranges from 7-15k for two people.

Right now I think it would be a poor decision to spend my savings on a trip but I do want to take this trip in the next few years, and I feel like I should begin planning it now. My mom isn’t getting any younger, and I want it to be comfortable for the both of us, and if it involves walking, not to be a problem or inconvenience.

I did some research and at first was thinking South Africa then after more research I found that Kenya or Tanzania would be a good place to enjoy a classic safari and have the best chances of seeing animals.

What country would be the best to visit in your experiences?

Obviously this trip will be a once in a lifetime event, but I’d like to save as much money as I can…

My question, if planned in advance, (years or a year) how much should I be looking to spend on two tickets from NorCal to AFR?

Does anyone have any recommendations for safaris? Maybe all-inclusives, where I’ll be paying for the flights and then flat fees for a week or 10 days of safari, in a comfortable environment, ie not sleeping on rocks, actual room accommodations.

Also, what time of the year would be best? I’d be willing to go in the off season in order to cut on costs.

Any and all information/advice is welcomed.

Thanks

2

[quote]Dustinsk wrote:
I’m 23 and want to take my mom on the trip of her dreams to Africa for a safari.

I’m posting this in hopes of finding people who have gone and can offer advice or suggestions.

I’m also wondering how much it would cost as I’ve seen ranges from 7-15k for two people.

Right now I think it would be a poor decision to spend my savings on a trip but I do want to take this trip in the next few years, and I feel like I should begin planning it now. My mom isn’t getting any younger, and I want it to be comfortable for the both of us, and if it involves walking, not to be a problem or inconvenience.

I did some research and at first was thinking South Africa then after more research I found that Kenya or Tanzania would be a good place to enjoy a classic safari and have the best chances of seeing animals.

What country would be the best to visit in your experiences?

Obviously this trip will be a once in a lifetime event, but I’d like to save as much money as I can…

My question, if planned in advance, (years or a year) how much should I be looking to spend on two tickets from NorCal to AFR?

Does anyone have any recommendations for safaris? Maybe all-inclusives, where I’ll be paying for the flights and then flat fees for a week or 10 days of safari, in a comfortable environment, ie not sleeping on rocks, actual room accommodations.

Also, what time of the year would be best? I’d be willing to go in the off season in order to cut on costs.

Any and all information/advice is welcomed.

Thanks[/quote]

All of this can be researched via Google.

I just typed in one of your questions (cost to fly from NorCal to Tanzania) into the old googles and boom information like fucking magic.

Look man, no one knows what you and your mom like better than you (and your mom). Write down how you think the trip should go, what you need to accomplish it then start pricing shit out. You’re not going to know the flight costs exactly right now if you’re looking at taking the trip in a few years, but airfare has been fairly stable for the past few years and shouldn’t fluctuate too much between now and then.

Read reviews by people who have gone on a safari in both Kenya and Tanzania and possibly other countries around there (that are stable). Research where they went, who they went through, where they stayed and figure out the costs from there. Does it fit in your budget? Can you save enough over “n” years to afford to go?

As far as personal safari experience, I’ve never flown to Africa, but my wife and I planned a trip to India (Mumbai and Goa) and that was interesting. Check into whether you need any special type of visa to get into either of those countries, what the process is attaining said visa and how long the visa is valid for then start planning backwards giving yourself a good window so you’ll definitely get it (if applicable) and it won’t expire until you’re safely back in home.

Also, research immunizations before heading over there - you’ll probably need typhoid and a malaria medication, figure out it your insurance covers the shots, if not, how much they cost? Every time I’ve traveled abroad, I’d contact my local pharmacy to see how much the shots I’d need costs and their availability.

If you and your mom don’t have valid passports, get the ball rolling on that, too. You’ll need the passport before you can start the visa process (if applicable).

There’s stuff you can start doing now to make sure you can get there when you want to get there…

3

[quote]Dustinsk wrote:

Any and all information/advice is welcomed.

[/quote]

Don’t shoot any animal with a name.

4

[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:

[quote]Dustinsk wrote:

Any and all information/advice is welcomed.

[/quote]

Don’t shoot any animal that is not about to kill you or your mother.[/quote]

fixed that for you. They’re not medicine or trophies.

5

[quote]Aggv wrote:

[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:

[quote]Dustinsk wrote:

Any and all information/advice is welcomed.

[/quote]

Don’t shoot any animal that is not about to kill you or your mother.[/quote]

fixed that for you. They’re not medicine or trophies. [/quote]

Nonsense.

I shoot all types of things that I eat and shot many a predator, like any good rancher.

I’ve gladly shot some non-endangered wolves and probably 150 coyotes to date. Pretty sure I killed a mountain lion that ate a calf. I certainly hit it, but I couldn’t find the body.

What liberals don’t understand is those who do hunt trophy animals keep Africa off the brink of mass starvation and keep animals like lions and elephants alive by carefully controlled harvest of the animals.

It’s an old joke, but to get an animal off the endangered species list, put it on the menu.

Or, alternatively, make it a prized trophy that idiots pay $100,000 for.

But for the money brought by trophy hunters, the locals would get rid of (what is to them) nuisances like elephants and lions, just like I kill coyotes.

Those “trophy animals” destroy good farmland, are damn dangerous to be around, and eat your cattle (which is your livelihood). Now, I am not starving, just a good steward of my land, but I can assure you I’d be even more aggressive if a good batch of calves meant the difference between feeding my family for a year or letting them starve in front of me.

I know you white folks like your brown and black folks living in mud huts and tepees so you can look at cool pictures in National Geographic, but we like to have reliable food supply, cable TV, and the ability to save money to become accountants, doctors, and whatnot. Tepees suck.

Part of dragging our asses out of such poverty is the capitalism of selling the resources we have, which, in the case of Africa, includes big game.

6

I hear what you’re saying with regards to protecting your property and i agree you protect your investments, but i dont see any glory or honor in killing an animal with a rifle from distance for fun. You want to kill a lion to hang its carcass in your man cave, kill it with a spear/sword/knife.