Tips for self-drive safaris: Self drive safaris are becoming more popular in the East African region with more and more people/tourists diving into exploring the wild personally and at their own pace.
They are not usually advisable if you are not familiar with the place you are exploring but they are quite fun. You just have to be patient and able to endure getting lost a few times on your trip. That’s why the self-drive safaris take longer than the planned itinerary safaris. To help you navigate the ropes of this self dive Safari better, here are some tips for you to help you get it right the first time or the next time if you have already had one before.
You should know, that not all safari places or operators offer self-drive safaris for several reasons, so most importantly before any of these tips find a company and Destination that offers and allows self drive.
So, the tips.
- Plan in advance; plan for your safari way in advance, before you even think of going for it. Planning in advance helps you to prepare better for what you expect to happen on this self-drive safari. It also helps you to learn more about the routes you are going to take, get navigation maps and all the other things. In this planning, you will also find out the car you need and how you can rent it or purchase it.
- Get a vehicle; When the plan is in stone, you can now get that vehicle that you know will be ideal for your desired safari. Find out where you can get it and how much it will cost you and then get it.
- Get equipment: for a self-drive safari, you need to get your own equipment that you need for the safari. Unlike on the driven guided safaris where the guide comes with everything. So, get all the equipment you need depending on the safari you are doing and have it packed and ready to move.
- Have a rough itinerary; we know most self-drive safaris are exploration and now won’t need an itinerary but we advise you make one that will give you a rough sense of direction as you go on your safari.
- Utilize the GSP and maps as you drive to your destination. On self drive safaris you can easily get lost, of course, because safari routes are not as straightforward as the Normal Road networks and also, you’re usually driving to a new place, so use the maps and GSP to help you navigate well.
- Have company; self drives are only fun when you have company. The more the merrier as the saying goes, so get more people to go with you on this self drive. More people with you are also your help, security and protection in case something happens, they can easily jump in and do the needful.
- Mind the weather; check the weather forecast ahead of time before you drive. So that you know what you are walking into and you able to adjust your driving to suit the conditions.
- Follow the local road traffic rules as you drive to be safe on the road with other users but also avoid road accidents and being arrested by the authorities for breaching the road laws.
- Have local currency on you, always. On a self drive, you are the one going through the different cities and communities without a guide, and sometimes you will need local cash to get something you need
- Have an emergency plan, in case the car fails or something unexpected happens. Usually, your tour operator will give you this plan ahead of your trip.
- Explore as you have to, you have all the time in the world. And have so much fun
