PHOTOGRAPHIC SAFARIS

With backing from George Eastman of Eastman Kodak, the Americans Martin and Osa Johnson arguably pioneered the photographic safari in the early 1930's, travelling to Lake Paradise in northern Kenya and spending four years there, exploring and photographing wildlife.

They wrote popular books about their numerous safaris and took countless pictures, later touring America with their motion pictures and doing a great deal to promote African travel and an interest in the animals and cultures.

The Johnsons were also the first to undertake an air safari. They flew two Sikorsky flying boats from South Africa up to Nairobi and used them to visit remote parts of Kenya and to find the pygmies in Zaire.

It was during this period that Karen Blixen wrote the Kenya classic 'Out of Africa,' which became a popular book and helped establish a new respect for wildlife and the local tribes.

Eventually, hunting was properly regulated with conservation in mind. Wildlife was recognized as a valuable natural resource to be preserved for the benefit of all mankind and vast wilderness areas were set aside as exclusive sanctuaries for wildlife.

THE MINIBUS TOUR

The onset of the Second World War ended the era of champagne safaris and sheer extravagance. In a memorable post-war speech, the British Prime Minister, Harold MacMillan, spoke of the 'winds of change blowing through Africa.' Many African countries ' in the 1950's and 1960's gained independence from their colonial administrators (Belgium, Britain, France, Germany and Portugal) and most of the new nations pledged to continue preserving wildlife.

In the 1950's, daily flights commenced between Europe and Nairobi, bringing a sudden influx of middle-income travellers. To serve them, the minibus photo tour was developed as an inexpensive alternative to the old-fashioned safari.

This steady stream of camera-toting tourists, combined with the desire of African countries for increased foreign earnings, set the stage for African tourism. Lodges were built in the newly-developed parks and reserves and convoys of zebra-striped minibuses ferried the groups around the tourist circuits.

THE OLD-STYLE SAFARI

Today, you would only want a minibus tour if 'low price' is more important to you than the quality of your African experience. Certainly the best way to enjoy the magic of timeless Africa is on a traditional old-style safari and the choices are almost limitless.

You can explore virgin bush country in a four-wheel drive vehicle or on horse-back, or stalk animals on foot with a professional guide (the modern non-hunting equivalent of the former White Hunter) to experience adrenalin-pumping encounters with big-game at a few feet.

Wait up in tree hides overlooking game trails or sit at waterhole blinds as the herds come down to drink. Learn to identify spoor and spot the more elusive species, marvelling at the complexity of animal behaviour.

Discover birds and see hundreds of species ranging from the tiny irridescent sunbird to the eight-foot tall ostrich. Whatever your interests, an appropriate safari can be planned for you, as an active participant or as an interested observer.

The discriminating traveller who wants a special safari will understand that the most important aspect is the quality of the guide. Also, the smaller the group, the better the trip will be. The best safaris are those with like-minded participants and this alone is a good reason for having custom-planned arrangements.

Rather than enduring long drives on poor roads, you may decide to fly between distant wildlife regions. It is also preferable to avoid one-night stops and spend two or three nights in each area, making the pace more leisurely and enjoyable.

The best permanent accommodations are the small lodges and camps of character and the private farrns and homesteads, not the popular tourist lodges.

The classic old-style luxury tented safari is the finest African experience that you can have. If you go to Africa and do not sleep in a tent or walk 'in game country, you have only been on vacation and not on safari.

By going to Africa on safari, you are continuing a great tradition begun by the early pioneers and carried on by famous writers, film stars and royalty.

An old-style African safari is the last great adventure ...

Safari Consultants of London, Ltd. 5051 Pelican Colony Blvd., # 603 Bonita Springs, FL 34134-6910, USA

Tel: (239) 390-1507 or (800) 648-6541 Fax: (239) 390-1721 E-Mail: andrew@safariconsultant.com