I Went on an African Photo Safari -- Here's What It Was Like

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline.

Caroline joined Boston-based SmarterTravel in 2011 after living in Ireland, London, and Manhattan. She's traveled to all seven continents, jumped out of planes, and bungeed off bridges in the pursuit of a good story. She loves exploring off-the-beaten path destinations, anything outdoorsy, and all things adventure.

Her stories have also appeared online at USA Today, Business Insider, Huffington Post, Yahoo, Boston.com, TripAdvisor, Buzzfeed, Jetsetter, Oyster, Airfarewatchdog, and others.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "Earplugs. A good pair has saved my sleep and sanity many times!"

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro.

Travel Motto: "Don't be boring."

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle (when the first class private suite isn't available)."

E-mail her at [email protected].

See recent posts by Caroline Morse Teel

Is an African safari on your bucket list? It should be. On my recent photo safari at Lion Sands Game Reserve in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, I spotted elephants, giraffes, and other wildlife up close under the hot African sun. Here’s what it’s really like to take that once-in-a-lifetime trip—and why you should do it, too.

You'll See Animals Everywhere

Even at the most luxe of safari camps, you'll still see wildlife when you're not on a game drive. Which is the whole point of why you're here, right? It's pretty exciting to share your lunch with an audience of baboons (not literally "share," of course; they're pretty aggressive animals) or to casually see a hippo drinking from the river while you sip your afternoon tea.

Unexpected encounters like this are what make safaris so special. Of course, you're likely to see the wildest animals on the game drives—like the lazy leopard I spotted in a tree. I'm kind of glad I didn't see her hanging out by my room.

(Photo: Caroline Morse)

You'll See Animals Everywhere

(Photo: Caroline Morse)

The Wildlife Doesn't Care About You

I took my photo safari with Lion Sands in Kruger National Park, and the animals there are 100 percent unconcerned with people. (And that's a good thing.) Game drives take place in an open vehicle, and as long as everyone in the vehicle stays sitting quietly inside, the wildlife view the car as one weird animal that poses no threat to them (or temptation for food). This means you can get within just a few feet of creatures like these lions and observe them living as they would if you weren't there.

(Photo: Caroline Morse)

You Can Get Really Up-Close-and-Personal with Nature

Not only are you in an open-air vehicle, but you can even get outside and walk with the animals on occasion. When my group was lucky enough to stumble upon a rhino on one of our outings, our guide let everyone take a carefully monitored walk to get close to the animal. Getting to stand near to an animal I'll likely never encounter again? That was pretty incredible.

Please note: In this photo, the guide carried a gun for protection and never intended to use it—we weren't hunting. In fact, South Africa takes poaching very seriously and has anti-hunting task forces patrolling to prevent crimes. A major emphasis of safaris is on protecting the animals. For example, no more than two vehicles will watch a creature at one time, so as not to place undue stress on it.

(Photo: Caroline Morse)

You Never Know What's Around the Corner

Kruger National Park is not a zoo. Apparently this baffles some people—one of the guides told stories of guests who asked questions like what time the park lets the animals out of their cages. The animals live in the wild with no interference from humans. This means you're not guaranteed to see the Big Five (the African lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, African leopard, and rhinoceros) because they're not going to show up just because some tourists want to view them. Although this can lead to disappointment, there's no better surprise than rounding a bend in the road and stumbling across a family of elephants.

You'll increase your chances of spotting all the animals you're looking for if you go with experienced guides. At Lion Sands, each vehicle goes out with a driver/guide and a tracker who can scan the bush for trails an animal might have left. On one of our game drives, I was lucky enough to see four out of the Big Five, mainly thanks to our tracker Lucas, who is one of only three master trackers in all of South Africa. (CNN has a great article on the dying art of tracking in South Africa, if you want to learn more.)

(Photo: Caroline Morse)

You Don't Have to Rough It

I like air conditioning and running water, so I was a little nervous about heading out into the South African bush for a few nights. I shouldn't have worried. If you so desire, you can stay at the equivalent of a five-star hotel plunked down in the middle of the wild, offering up everything from three-course meals to happy hours on game drives to private plunge pools from which you can watch animals roam by.

(Photo: Caroline Morse)

You'll Leave with Memories to Last a Lifetime

Getting to see these animals in their natural setting is truly a life-affirming experience. This safari was one of my top five travel experiences—it's just totally different from anything that I've ever done.

If you've been thinking about booking a safari, stop thinking and do it. It's totally worth it and you'll treasure the memories forever.

(Photo: Caroline Morse)

More from SmarterTravel:

Caroline Morse received a discounted media rate from Lion Sands on her vacation to South Africa. Follow her adventures around the world on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline and on Twitter @CarolineMorse1.

(Photo: Caroline Morse)

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