Population Increases - African Wildlife

4 African Wildlife News
Safari Report FROM CARDO KLEBERG
Southern Africa vs. East Africa:
Comparing and Contrasting the Safari Experience
By Cardo and Britt Kleberg
While working in the tourism
industry, we were often
asked: “Should I go on
safari to East Africa or Southern
Africa?” The answer is never easy
because there are many factors to
consider.
First, let me define the regions: East
Africa encompasses Kenya, Tanzania,
Zanzibar, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi
(although some people consider the
latter three as Central Africa). Southern
Africa includes South Africa, Zambia,
Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, and
Mozambique.
To begin, let’s look at recent safari
history. Up until the 1980s, East Africa
was the preferred destination for
adventurers and wildlife enthusiasts.
Then, Botswana was little known,
Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) was politically
unstable, and South Africa was under
the oppression of apartheid. In contrast,
East Africa offered wonderful wildlife
experiences, low human populations,
and wide open spaces.
In 1990, Nelson Mandela was
released from prison and the new South
Africa was born. Meanwhile, this
decade brought political unrest in Congo
and Uganda, massacres consumed
Rwanda, famine hit Ethiopia, and
bombings occurred in Kenya. These
events affected all of East Africa. All
the while, the rand (South Africa’s
monetary unit) began to depreciate,
making Southern Africa more affordable
and attractive.
When you consider terrain and
destinations, the regions are very
different. East Africa boasts magnificent
landscapes including Tanzania’s Mt.
Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro Crater, the
Serengeti Plains, the montane rain
forests of Uganda and Rwanda, Kenya’s
Maasai Mara, and many more.
Southern Africa is diverse as well.
The area includes: the wetlands of
Botswana’s Okavango Delta, the semiarid
Kalahari Desert, the Skeleton Coast
of Namibia, the roaring thunder of
Victoria Falls, the red dunes at
Sossusvlei, the numerous national parks
of northern Zimbabwe, and the ever
popular Kruger National Park in South
Africa.
With the exception of several birds
and a few mammal species, most of the
popular wildlife can be seen in both
regions. The major difference is in how
When you
consider terrain
and destinations,
the regions are
very different.
many you will see. For example, in
Southern Africa you would never see the
huge numbers of zebra and wildebeest
that you would in the Serengeti. In
contrast, East Africa does not have the
enormous populations of elephants
found in Botswana.
Weather is another differentiating
factor. Rain can have a significant
effect on a safari. In East Africa,
October is the beginning of the short
Cardo Kleberg
rains, while April brings long rains.
Many camps and areas shut down
because they become difficult to
access. In Southern Africa, while each
country varies, the general rains
(tropical storms) come between
November and March. Most camps stay
open year-round. The temperatures are
more or less the same. May through
August tend to be the cooler months in
both regions.
One of the main differences between
the regions is the lodges and vehicles.
Parts of East Africa have earned the
reputation of being over-saturated with
hotel-style lodges and vehicles. Southern
Africa, on the other hand, has always
offered a very private safari experience
with low-density tourism. The majority of
the lodges are luxury tent-style camps.
Budget is also an important factor.
With the rand getting stronger, Southern
Africa is getting more expensive.
However, mobile or overland safaris are
very popular in both regions and give the
economy traveler the opportunity to
experience the bush.
Another issue is cultural tourism.
Here, East Africa by far has the upper
A key part of the safari experience is
viewing wildlife in their natural habitat.
continued on page 5