I found this song while on a recent road trip. Even though it was on my playlist, I had never heard it before for some reason.
It resonated with me on such a visceral level that I left it on repeat.
Listen to it as you peruse this post.
Disclaimer:
The guide images used here are for illustrative purposes only. I have employed some literary license as far as the etiquette on and around the game drives is concerned to enforce a point.
Remember that the guides and trackers are the custodians of our wilderness and all the creatures, both big and small, that inhabit those spaces.
Also, before the Trolls comment, the opinions expressed in this post are mine and do not represent those of any of the camps visited.Â
This is often the view that guests on a vehicle might have of their guide or tracker.
Leaving the vehicle is sometimes required for the relevant staff member to check out tracks that might not be visible from the vehicle.
This is not an opportunity for those in the vehicle to take out mobile phones and either record selfies or make business calls.
Personally, no one is that important that they are required to make business calls while on a game drive. Why do I say this? I have seen Sir Richard Branson out on a drive and HE was not on a phone.
Listen to your guide…or at least show interest in what they say.
They have spent years, and in some cases, decades, in the bush and therefore the knowledge they are sharing with you might not necessarily be found during a Google search!
Aside from that, it is just good manners to pay attention.
“Do YOU know what track this is”? Asked Ingrid
If not, listen up as one day knowing what this is might save your life.
Also, bear in mind that as this was a morning drive, the guide had to be up LONG before the guests to prep for the drive.
This is most definitely a learning opportunity. There is more than one school of thought about whether you should be quiet when this close to an elephant.
Personally, as long as you are using an inside voice while in the vehicle, then there is no reason NOT to talk…quietly.
An issue that recently raised its head was;Â “How long can a vehicle remain in a sighting”? Some guests will feel that they are entitled as they have paid a large amount for their accommodation, however, in reality, all guests are equal when out on drive.
It is most annoying when your vehicle is 1st standby and the vehicle ahead of you decides to take 20-30 minutes to give their guests the best viewing and photographic opportunities.
By the time you arrive, the animal has either moved away or hidden itself under a bush.
There does not seem to be a consensus amongst operators, so it is the luck of the draw as to what happens in reality.
Where has everyone gone? Probably standing behind the vehicle, having a beverage or perhaps a comfort break.
On that note, if the call of nature catches up with you while on a drive (or a walk) ask your guide to stop and find a safe spot for you to leave the vehicle and relieve yourself.
At a drinks stop, never wander off WITHOUT letting the guide know where you are going. Trouble can occur very quickly and they would want to be prepared for the ‘just-in-case’ possibility.
At a reserve some time ago, we stopped for drinks and I asked if it was safe to find a spot to relieve myself. The guide assured me that it was safe to head for the nearest tree, which I duly did. Business done, I returned to the group to enjoy drinks and snacks, only for all of us to be herded back into the vehicle as a lioness appeared out of the bush, just a few meters away from where I had been standing.
No one was injured and it made for a great story back at camp (and in this post) but it could have had a different outcome.
A guide’s office for the duration of a drive…
A morning coffee stop while out on drive.
Guests, please do not act surprised if your milk of choice is not on offer. This is a coffee stop in the bush, not a coffee shop in an urban setting.
There will usually be some choices available but the OTT requests for almond or soy or some other exotic milk might not be able to be complied with.
Biscuits! And these were DELICIOUS, however, please make sure that you leave SOME for the others on the vehicle.
Nothing is stopping you from secreting a couple in a pocket when you have your coffee at the lodge BEFORE heading out.
But don’t say I told you to do that. I will deny it emphatically.
If your camera gear takes up space, as my 560mm lens does, do warn the others on the vehicle so that they do not get hit on the back of the head as you pan from side to side.
I always ask for a particular seat on a vehicle so that I do not get in the way of others who might be recording with a phone or tablet.
And PLEASE, PLEASE do put your camera down occasionally to enjoy what is occurring around you not just through your viewfinder.
I was in a vehicle where the camera of the guy next to me sounded like a machine gun at every sighting. Nothing mattered to this intense photographer. Lighting? Who cares. Half the animal is hidden by a bush? Take MANY images and the list goes on.
Eventually, I enquired what he was going to do with SD cards filled to capacity… “Delete them’ was his response!
Some sundowner stops utilize a particular spot, as was the case at this camp. That is not to say that you will stop here every evening, but if you stay in camp for more than a few nights, you might get to experience this on a couple of occasions.
This is what a bush bar looks like…
And what a spread awaited the guests! Remember that there was still dinner back at the camp.
Who is a happy guide? Matt is a happy guide.
Hospitality is just one of the skills that guides have to learn.
If you are a wine fundi, why not share some of your knowledge with the staff member on duty?
A pre-breakfast breakfast… muesli, yoghurt and fruit while stopped for a morning coffee.
Each property has different offerings, so don’t try to compare.
The face of a determined guide. John is an old friend and he has decades of experience, but on a particular series of drives he was looking for lions…and they could not be found.
The old adage “The best sightings happen the day before you arrive and the day after you leave” was true in this instance as John did find the pride…the day after I left.
We might not have found lions, but we did find this young female leopard.
The guests in the vehicle were ecstatic, as was I. But no matter how nicely the guide asked them to keep quiet, their emotions got the better of them and they would not settle down.
Luckily for those on board who were quiet and respectful, the leopard hung around long enough to make it a good photographic sighting.
I do hope that this has been informative and that the next time you head off on a safari holiday you will be a better guest for these insights.
BTW, whether you have seen the various species that you were hoping for or not, remember to always thank your guide and tracker when you get off the vehicle
Good night from Africa.
Travel is the proud winner of this prestigious award from the digital British lifestyle magazine Luxlife. The award is in the category Best Travel & Experiences Blog 2024 – South Africa.
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