Our insider tips for self-drive safaris in Southern Africa

Going off on your first self drive safari can be a little intimidating. Will you even see anything? Who will you pepper with all of your questions about what you’re seeing? 

I get it, but I’m also a bit biased. I love doing things on my own time, planning my own routes, spending as much or as little time at a sighting, and not sharing a vehicle with 12 other tourists. And I think you’ll love a self drive safari too. 

So with a lot of trips and hundreds of safari hours under my belt, and a little input from Matt, here are our top self-drive safari tips to make sure you get the most out of your South African safari experience. 

A good pair of binoculars is essential 

Unless a leopard walks across the road in front of your car (which does happen), you’ll likely be observing animals from a distance. Binoculars are a non-negotiable accessory that you’ll have glued to your eyes constantly. Even when you have a great, close-up sighting, you can really zone in on the details with a pair of binos. 

If you’re a birder, or wanting to get into birding — and you should — then binoculars are a no-brainer and an essential part of your safari packing list.

If possible, everyone in the vehicle should have their own pair. Trust me, Matt and my relationship has been put to the test a couple of times when we’ve come across a fleeting, exciting sighting and we’re playing tug-of-war over one pair of binos. It’s just not worth the stress, and the risk of missing out. 

Be on the road during golden hours 

The early hours of the morning and the pre-sunset sessions are when animals are most active. This is when predators are most likely to slink out from their shady spots and head out to hunt and the brief moment where nocturnal animals are waking up or heading back home and hopefully run across your path. 

This is especially true in summer when the days reach scorching temperatures and the wildlife seek cool spots to laze the day away—usually far from any roads! 

We recommend getting out of the camp gate as soon as it opens in the morning. This is usually between 4.30am to 6.30am depending on the time of the year. This might sound hellish to the late risers out there, but we know from experience of dragging sleepy heads out of their tents that it only takes one sunrise in the bush to convince you that the early start is completely worth it. 

We love to spend a long, lazy morning driving slowly with a flask of coffee and some rusks before heading back to camp for a big brunch and a midday snooze. 

Then we head out again a couple of hours before sunset, right until the camp gates close (17.30pm - 18.30pm depending on the season). 

All this being said, there are no hard and fast rules in the bush and we’ve come across leopards patrolling the roadside in the middle of the day, amongst other epic sightings. 

Switch off your car at a sighting 

Whether it’s just you at a sighting or you’re sharing the experience with other cars, once you’ve decided to settle in and observe, switch off your engine (and lights). 

Firstly, you want to avoid potential irritants that could cause animals to leave, or in the worst case could piss off an elephant who is trying to graze in peace. 

Secondly, it’s a courtesy to others at the sighting who are trying to enjoy the sounds of the bush, the trumpeting elephants and the grumbling lions—and not your roaring 4x4 engine.

Give animals distance

There are enough viral videos showing huge, angry elephants charging at vehicles that suddenly look like toys in comparison. So, do I really need to explain this?

I once met a Swedish woman who had just come back from a trip in the Serengeti and was telling everyone she came across that they drug the animals so that they’re easier to spot and relaxed at sightings. Her undeniable proof of this was a lazy pride of lions that simply lay around, barely moving, for hours on one sighting. Ever met a house cat? Lions are essentially just bigger house cats with sharper teeth and at most sightings you’ll find them lala phansi (Zulu: lying down). 

Contrary to this wild belief, the animals are not drugged and while they are more accustomed to human activity, they are not tame. On safari, you are an observer—not a participant. This means respecting animals’ space and never testing whether your car (big ol’ Land Cruiser or not) can take on an elephant. It can’t. 

So when you come across a Giraffe roadblock or you get the privilege of an elephant herd road crossing, keep your distance, enjoy the view and be patient. 

We love an ellie road crossing

Hang out at waterholes

Animals travel great distances in search of water—especially in the dry seasons when rivers dry up and the entire land is parched. Lucky for you, many water holes or river bed spots in national parks are accessible by road and your park map will show them dotted along game driving routes.

These little oases are always teeming with life and offer a classic African scene. You’ll hear the well-known cry of fish eagles from their sentinel positions, see hippos blowing bubbles and terrapins catching a ride on their backs. It’s magic. 

If you’re not in a rush, we recommend spending a bit of time at the waterhole, putting up your feet and enjoy watching life gather around. 

Pack snacks

A quick morning game drive can suddenly turn into hours on the road. You might end up at a sighting for ages, or perhaps you pick a route that takes longer than expected. Maybe you’re just enjoying yourself so much that you’re not ready to go back to camp. 

Matt and I are probably on the extreme end of the spectrum and have been known to spend the entire day on the lookout—sometimes even bringing our books to pass the time while we scout at a waterhole. 

It's a hungry business. We always have a flask of coffee, rusks, biltong, nuts, fruit, water and other munchies. 

Check the sighting board

I grappled with whether this ‘tip’ deserved to make the list. Honestly, for the most part sighting boards have done nothing but infuriate me—showing off the plethora of animals that I did not see. 

The idea is that in National Parks throughout South Africa and other areas of Southern Africa,  at each rest camp and some picnic sights, there’s a sighting board where guests can use coloured magnets to indicate where they spotted a certain animal. It’s only the exciting animals that make the cut on the board— wild dogs, cheetah, lion, buffalo, elephant, and leopard. 

Then, other guests can use these location tips to plan their drives and hopefully stumble across some cool sightings. It’s never worked for us and while we still check the board—becaue we’re masochists—we almost never plan our route according to the sightings. 

Animals are on the move a lot. Guests sometimes don’t know how to use a map. And I’m sure some kids just love putting the red Cheetah magnet all over the boards for fun. 

That being said, give it a go and you might have more luck than we have!

Golden hour treats

Look for colour variations and movement

Okay, all of the above is a good starting point. But how do you actually spot animals? You’re not an expert tracker, you’re unfamiliar with the environment…you’ve never done this before! 

To be honest, it’s a lot of luck. It’s partly what makes trips to the bush so special. It’s not a zoo, and sometimes you can go hours, or days, without seeing anything that you think is exciting. But then, there’s a brief moment gifted just for you. Sometimes it’s only a couple of seconds, other times it's nail-biting minutes watching a hunt, or a lazy hour hanging with a hundred-strong herd of buffalos. It’s special.

So cross your fingers, keep your eyes peeled and hope for the best! 

And for more practical advice: Try to spot movement in the long grass or colour variations that stand out. Look for the black tip of a leopard's tail, for example, and always stop to check “is it a rock or a lion?”

It’s also a good idea to keep your ears open. If you hear an antelope barking or birds making a huge racket, it could be an alarm call which signals that danger (a predator) is nearby. 

Enjoy the small things

When people head out on a bush trip, especially first time visitors, the only thing on the mind is THE BIG FIVE. And while we love our famous five, they haven’t featured in most of our favourite sightings and memorable moments. 

There is so much life, so many things happening all around you when you’re in the bush. There’s a pair of dung beetles working together to move an impossible load. There’s a cape cobra invading weaver nests. You may find a martial eagle looming over a freshly caught impala or see ground hornbills stomping around and hear their unique call. 

You can miss a lot if you’re rushing around looking for something ‘big.’ Slow down and smell the elephant dung. 

Book your next self-drive safari with Zulazula

I warn you, nothing bites harder than the safari bug. And once you’ve gone off on your own adventure—you’ll be hooked! The best way to do it? In a fully-kitted 4x4 that means you can go wherever you want, whenever you want. Spend hours at a waterhole or hightail it to the next hot spot, it’s completely up to you.

At Zulazula 4x4 we’re firm believers in forging your own path, and we’ve made sure that our vehicles have everything you need to do just that.