A safari is considered by many as one of the greatest bucket-list adventures, providing the opportunity to explore far-flung destinations and enjoy once-in-a-lifetime wildlife experiences in their own natural habitat.

To help first-time safari-goers get the most out of their trip, world-renowned wildlife photographers and Big Cat TV Presenters Jonathan and Angela Scott have partnered with leading optic specialist Swarovski Optik to offer five top tips on how and where to start planning. From what to pack to the importance of having the right safari vehicle, Jonathan and Angela’s tips provide the perfect guide for intrepid explorers looking to start their safari journey, while also remaining respectful to the wildlife and nature around them.

Here are Jonathan and Angela’s top tips for first-time safari travellers:

  • The Art of Seeing: Humans are primarily visual creatures, seeing comes before words. The urge to record our life’s journey with our smart phones often proves irresistible. In the age of the “selfie” it is all too easy to lose sight of being present to the moment in the urge to establish being there. As one person confided “You are pointing the camera the wrong way.” The first piece of equipment we pack into our rucksacks is our Swarovski Optik binoculars, not our cameras. We would feel lost without them, prized possessions allowing us to savour the moment and to scan for likely hot spots where we can find big cats. Swarovski EL10x32 or EL10x42 are perfect for distance viewing. We also have EL 8×32 for birding when light levels drop.
  • Camp or Lodge: Wherever possible, plan your stay at environmentally friendly properties with good green credentials and strong connections with the local community. If you want to see the Marsh Pride of lions of Big Cat Diary and Big Cat Tales fame, then the Governors Camp Collection is the place to stay, with Little Governors and Il Moran our pick of their four Mara camps. In general, smaller is better, leaving a lighter footprint on the landscape. A camp with 8 to 15 tents accommodating 16 to 30 people is perfect, offering a quieter, more meaningful experience. The Wildlife Conservancies bordering the Maasai Mara National Reserve offer the best value in terms of fewer vehicles allied to wonderfully diverse scenery, perfect for all three big cats. Don’t try to squeeze in too many places on any one safari. Less is more and we always recommend a minimum of 3 nights, better still a week if it’s the Mara, staying at two camps and dividing your time between the Reserve and the Wildlife Conservancies.
  • Safari Vehicle: Your vehicle is the most important item on your safari. Ideally you will spend the majority of your waking hours on game drives, not in camp. Vitally important questions to ask are what kind of vehicle you will be driven around in, and whether you will be expected to share. Cut-down vehicles with canvas sides and a roof that can be rolled back to give maximum visibility are best. Avoid vehicles with the old-fashioned wind-up windows. Leg room is very important along with space to stow your rucksacks close by. Individual seats with lower back support are preferable to bench seats. It is important to have a window seat with a maximum of 4 people in a vehicle. Vehicles with a back row of seats higher than the front can be very uncomfortable and restricts your photographic options. If you can afford a private vehicle for you or your group, then do so.
  • Safari Guides: Be sure to know who will be guiding your safari. If you are a keen photographer, check out camps that regularly host photographers and camera crews. Their guides will be familiar with positioning the vehicle for the best light. All the big cats are more active when they have cubs, driven by the need to feed them and the cubs desire to socialise with each other and their mother. Mothers with young are best for photography.
  • Time of Year to Travel: Many camps and lodges keep a daily game log. Check out what is happening and the best locations for when you intend to visit to make the most of your safari. People often imagine that travelling in the low season— this often coincides with the rainy season—is a poor option with less to see and fewer sunny skies. In fact, the Maasai Mara is a year-round destination. Lions and leopards are territorial (while cheetah females occupy a large home range) so you can find them at any time of the year if you know where to look. Outside the peak season there will be fewer vehicles, so sightings are less likely to be congested and you will have a greater chance of being in your own vehicle. Best of all, your safari will cost you less. If you travel in the high season when camps are packed with people, you will almost certainly find yourself travelling in a full vehicle on game drives.

Jonathan Scott, Big Cat TV Presenter and Author said, “We all retain something of the nomad, the urge to set out on a journey. To see what lies over the horizon is an intrinsic part of our existence. It’s the affinity Angela and I feel for nature when visiting the Maasai Mara National Reserve (MMNR), our second home here in Kenya, or to the Serengeti National Park (SNP) in Tanzania where Angela grew up. Safari has a universal appeal conjuring up the very essence of adventure, a trek through wild country in search of large charismatic animals, with your vehicle acting as a mobile hide. This privilege puts the onus on us all to respect the wild creatures we so want to see; they are not there simply to entertain us.”

For further details on Jonathan and Angela Scott and to download their latest books, visit https://www.jonathanangelascott.com/shop.

The world belongs to those who can see beauty.
Experience the moment!
SEE THE UNSEEN.
www.swarovskioptik.com

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

Photo Captions:

ABOUT SWAROVSKI OPTIK
SWAROVSKI OPTIK, headquartered in Absam, Tyrol, is part of the Swarovski group of companies. Founded in 1949, the Austrian company specialises in the development and manufacturing of long-range optical instruments of the highest precision in the premium segment of the market. The binoculars, spotting scopes, and optronic instruments are products of choice for demanding users. The company’s success is based on its innovative strength, the quality and intrinsic value of its products, and their functional and aesthetic design. The appreciation of nature is an essential part of its company philosophy and is reflected commendably in its environment-friendly production and its long-term commitment to selected nature conservation projects. The turnover in 2021 was 210.4 million euros (2020: 163.5 million euros), with an export ratio of 91%. The company has around 1,000 employees.

ABOUT JONATHAN AND ANGELA SCOTT
Jonathan and Angela Scott are world renowned wildlife photographers, television presenters and conservationists. They are the only couple to have won the Overall Award in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition as Individuals, Angela in 2002 and Jonathan in 1987. They have travelled to all 7 Continents in their search for iconic images with 40 books to their name. Their latest television series is Big Cat Tales (Seasons 1 & 2) on Animal Planet. Angela brings great artistry to their work, and organisational skills, complementing Jonathan’s storytelling abilities and knowledge of animal behaviour making the perfect partnership. They are talented artists, and their pen and ink drawings can be seen in their recently published Sacred Nature Safari Colouring Book (Bradt, 2022). Their current focus is as Educators, publishing and broadcasting in partnership with their son David and Tori, the other half of the Big Cat People. This has enabled them to create a series of informative and inexpensive EBooks on wildlife photography, as well as Podcasts and Tutorials.

In 2021 Angela and Jonathan founded the non-profit Sacred Nature Initiative (SNI) based on three pillars: to Inspire through their work, help Educate people of all ages about the life-giving importance of Nature, and in doing so encourage people to conserve the natural environment rather than simply exploiting it. Their award-winning books Sacred Nature: Life’s Eternal Dance (HPH, 20216) and Sacred Nature 2: Reconnecting People to Our Planet (HPH, 2021) are the flagships for the SNI. The Sacred Nature books were Angela’s vision and are beautifully designed by their son David, Creative Director for the Big Cat People, with his wife Tori as PR and Social Media Director.

For Media Enquiries, Images and SWAROVSKI OPTIK Product Loan, contact:
GEC PR | Sarah Salord | [email protected]

For media enquiries and interview opportunities with Jonathan and Angela Scott, contact: Tori at [email protected].