With safari parks throughout the UK offering a guaranteed chance to see the Big Five, why bother going to Africa when you can just head down to Longleat or Woburn?
Africa is a huge continent, and to get the chance to see the Big Five in countries like Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa, you do need to travel a long way on what is an expensive holiday – so is it worth doing?
Definitely! Nothing can prepare you for the feeling of glimpsing your first sight of African wildlife in the wild. Giraffe, towering high up in and feeding in the treetops, the sight of millions of Wildebeest on the great migration, a pride of lions lazing in the hot midday sun or a herd of elephants cooling themselves in a water hole.
In safari parks, the whole experience feels manufactured, and that is basically because it is. Sure, the animals are well taken care of and they do have space to roam and play, but there is something saddening about the need to pen in wild, majestic animals, be it for preservation of species or our need to indulge our own curiosity closer to home in a environment that is safe for ourselves.
I was 12 when I saw my first wild animal in Africa. I was on holiday in Kenya with my family, and we were on the night train from Nairobi to Mombasa – a 13 hour journey on an incredibly slow train.
As the sun rose and we headed south through Tsavo National Park in south eastern Kenya, all faces were glued to the windows, scanning the horizon eagerly wanting to glimpse a wild animal.
The first sight was giraffe, a sigh that invoked such a tremendous feeling of exhilaration and took your breath away. I had seen giraffe many times before in the UK, on school trips and visits to safari parks, but this was not the same, not even close. The previous sightings were akin to looking at animals in a book or on a television show – I just don’t think you get the same feeling of appreciation as you do when you see animals in their natural habitat.
Yes it is a long way, a long journey, but the reward is most definitely worth it!
By: Simon Bailey
About the Author:
Simon writes for Africa Sky who offer safari holidays in Africa. For more information visit thee website at www.africasky.co.uk or call 0870 9040 925.
