African Safaris for Solo Travellers
Solo travelling in Africa is an unbelievably rewarding and irresistible experience, but it’s always a little scary when you are travelling to a new place for the first time, especially to a new country all by yourself.
Surprisingly, the trend of traveling solo is only becoming more popular and much better as the years go by. We ourselves have seen a sharp rise in solo travellers. When asked, most travelers say they crave the chance to leave their comfort zones and experience personal growth.
You may not admit it but there’s something strangely exciting about traveling solo. You quickly start finding out what you like and don’t like, learning how to entertain yourself, recognizing when to ask for help vs when you can handle it yourself, and so on.
The Unspoken Truth About Solo Travel In Africa
Planning your African safari? The thrill of exploring Africa on safari, discovering the wonders of the world and experiencing the exotic cuisines can often be interrupted by an unpredictable travelling issue. However, with proper planning before the trip, these travel problems can be minimized.Â
These are the most common issues with tips to help resolve them.
Health Concerns
Falling ill on your African safari cannot be predicted or controlled when visiting any international safari destinations. However, it can often lead to unnecessary treatment and hospitalization expenses. Some most common issues include jet lag, motion sickness, fevers, coughs, etc.
To some extent rare, falling sick is still one of the most common travel problems, therefore knowing how to keep yourself protected health-wise and financially is necessary.
Health Travel Tips:
Get A Travel Insurance – Having travel insurance with medical issues coverage is highly beneficial when travelling abroad. It provides a financial safety to help you cover your medical expenses abroad without exhausting your trip budget or savings.
Carry Necessary Medications – Visit your home country doctor and get the necessary medication prescriptions before going on an Africa safari trip. You also need to understand your own body, diet and health requirements – carry some basic first aid and medications accordingly to avoid the risk of overpaying or unavailability of health services.
Airport Problems
This is another common travel issue that can arise even before you reach your destination. Starting from delayed flights or cancelled flights to lost baggage’s and unexpected trip interruptions, airport problems can often lead to failed travel plans. Always be mentally ready and expect the unexpected.
Flight Travel Tips:
Buy A Travel Insurance – Getting yourself a travel insurance is one of the best ways to tackle airport challenges that lead to journey disruptions and delays. It provides suitable financial coverage for unexpected travel situations and easily compensates for non-refundable travel bookings.
Keep A Close Check On Airline Updates – This is another way to avoid last-minute delays and struggles leading to long hours stuck at the airport is to keep a check on the airline updates to ensure you are aware of the potential delays and other announcements.
Cultural Differences/ Culture Shock
This one affect all, and it doesn’t matter if you’re going solo travel in Africa, or just planning other trips in Africa. Almost every one safari country has a unique cultural upbringing and etiquette that the locals follow. Nevertheless, at times, you may unknowingly hurt their culture and make them feel disrespected with an incorrect signs or expressions.
To avoid this, you should be mindful and learn more about the culture and people of the destination you are visiting or about to visit.
Cultural Travel Tips:
Dress Carefully – Depending on the Africa safari destination you’re visiting and your travel itinerary – be it during beach safari holidays or just on a wildlife safari, you should do some research, or just ask your African travel agency for tips on how to follow the country’s proper dress code at certain tourist areas to avoid disrespecting the locals accidentally.
Ask The Locals – Do not be embarrassed, the locals are very helpful, so if you are struggling with something, ask them politely to understand what to do and what not to do to avoid unknown mistakes.
Language Barriers
This is a very common travel issue that many people while on an African safari tour – limitation of language knowledge and speaking skills. Even if English is a global language, many times, some travelers coming from other countries or international destinations have their local language for communication.
Not knowing how to speak and understand a specific language can often be overwhelming and result in unnecessary confusion.
Language Problem Travel Tips:
Download A Translation App – Another way to reduce language problem when travelling to a foreign country is to download a translation app on your mobile phone. This will ensure clear communication in the local language without the hassle of learning a new language or misunderstandings.
Try Learn Some Phrases – One of the easiest ways to tackle this travelling issue is to learn some common phrases and words in the local language of the place you are visiting. This will help you break the language issue to some level.
Financial Problems
Let’s face it, another of the most unexpected yet very challenging travel issues is losing your money or other important personal belongings, such as mobile phones, laptops, passports, etc. You can lose money due to pickpocketing, robbery, carelessness or currency exchanges in most cases.
Losing cash or your phone when in a foreign country can cause unplanned for trouble – you get lost and have no means of communication or have to commute without money.
Financial Travel Tips:
Try Carry More Credit/Debit Cards – If you are wondering how to carry money while travelling abroad to reduce the risk of theft, your best bet is a credit/debit card. Always carry small amount of cash and keep the rest secured by choosing a card for your expenses abroad. Also notify your bank that you are travelling abroad so that they do not lock you on the withdrawal limits.
Keep Your Belongings Safe – Always keep your personal belongings, especially your passport, in a safe place – walk with scanned copies and leave the originals locked in your hotel room locker to ensure you do not risk losing them due to carelessness or robbery. Do not walk with expensive jewelry while travelling in a foreign country.
Get A Travel Insurance – Losing your passport limits your return back home, and it can be extremely expensive to get a duplicate passport abroad. However, with international travel insurance, you get ample financial coverage for the expenses incurred to get a new or duplicate passport.Â
Hot Air Balloon
Here’s Exactly Where to Book Your Next Kenya Solo Trip
Understand, not all safari destinations are ideal for solo travelers, and safety should always come first when planning your next African safari holiday. Lucky for you, we know Africa better than anyone else and we’ve come up with this list of the best places to travel in Kenya & Tanzania. From the sunny beach trips to city safaris, I can promise there’s a spot you’ll love below.
1. Masai Mara
First on the list is Masai Mara Game Reserve, delivering all year round Big Five safaris, alongside the drama of the Wildebeest Migration safaris, not forgetting the long list of award-winning Masai Mara luxury safari lodges available to make your holiday extraordinary.
Why plan go on a solo Masai Mara safari? Excellent wildlife sightings, and an uninterrupted romantic bliss with plenty of adrenaline filled activities to keep you busy during the trip – in fact you should add on the magic of Masai Mara balloon safaris, a rare, uninterrupted perspective of the natural wonders, often described as one of the most dramatic wildlife events on Earth. With the private conservancies around the main reserve, it’s much better to plan a Masai Mara private safari.
2.Amboseli
Amboseli National Park comes second on the list boasting not only a stunning scenery but also big game sightings. This not only makes Amboseli a bucket-list safari destination, but also a photographers must-visit tourist sight.
Why solo holidays at Amboseli? A wildlife haven with good big five game, wonderful views and landscape, some of the best luxury lodges in Kenya, and excellent sightings of the tallest Mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro serving as the background.
3. Diani Beach & Lamu Island
Lots of travelers on solo trips to Kenya always tend to opt for some beach relaxation at Kenya beaches. The Kenyan coast, with its long stretches of palm-fringed white sand, secluded coves and characterful Kenya private resorts, qualifies a stay in its own right.
Choosing Kenya’s beaches also saves time: it’s just a two-hour afternoon flight straight from the Masai Mara, and a short 45 minutes from Nairobi City. The areas we recommend visiting at the end of your honeymoon trip is Diani Beach. There’s plenty of choice when it comes down to Kenya boutique beach resorts, yet it still feels peaceful.
Other Kenya beach spots include – Watamu – quieter than Diani Beach to the south, with a beautiful marine park, excellent snorkelling and cosy, boutique properties. Lamu Island is more remote and culturally rich — a UNESCO World Heritage Site with narrow Swahili streets, dhow trips at sunset and one of the most atmospheric places in East Africa. Both are an easy connecting flight from Nairobi.
4. Ol Pejeta Conservancy
No Kenya safari holiday is complete without a mention of Ol Pejeta add on to the list. This is just one of those quiet hot spots for luxury Kenya honeymoon safaris take your proposals at breathtaking sundowner spots overlooking the second highest mountain in Africa, Mount Kenya, go on private bush breakfasts, and dawn game drives when the light over the conservancy does something nobody can quite describe, or discover on night safari drives. We’ve never had one go wrong.
Why plan a solo trip to Ol Pejeta, Laikipia? Laikipia is a vast wilderness home to private conservancies like Ol Pejeta and Lewa. Here you can head out on walking safaris, horseback rides and enjoy sundowners overlooking Mount Kenya.
5. Meru National Park
Meru National Park is set in the dry wilderness of northern Kenya, far off the beaten track of the regular safari. When on a Meru safari – one of Kenya’s best safari experiences – you’ll discover arid country, punctuated by iconic baobab and doum palm trees and frequented by large prides of lion, herds of elephant and a good-sized population of rhino.
Elsa’s story isn’t the only reason to come to this equator-straddling park. Meru stays wonderfully quiet compared to the Mara. And that’s exactly what makes a luxury Meru safari so appealing.
Mount Kenya
The Best Places to Go Solo Travelling In Tanzania
1. Serengeti National Park
On top on the list is Serengeti Park, delivering all year round Big Five safaris, alongside the drama of the Wildebeest Migration safari, not forgetting the long list of award-winning Serengeti luxury safari lodges that are available to make your holiday extraordinary.
Why go on a solo safari in Serengeti Park? Excellent wildlife sightings, and an uninterrupted romantic bliss with plenty of adrenaline filled activities to keep you busy during the trip – in fact you should add on the magic of Serengeti balloon safaris, a rare, uninterrupted perspective of the natural wonders, often described as one of the most dramatic wildlife events on Earth.
2. Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Ngorongoro comes second on the list boasting not only a stunning scenery but also big game sightings. This not only makes Ngorongoro a bucket-list safari destination, but also a world traveler’s must-visit tourist sight.
Why a solo Ngorongoro safari? A wildlife haven with consistent big five game viewing, breathtaking views and crater hikes, cultural interactions, some of the best luxury lodges in Tanzania, and an important route for the great wildebeest migration – as from January to March, the Wildebeest Migration herds pause their movement in the southern Serengeti and the Ndutu region of Ngorongoro to calve, and during this period over 400,000 wildebeest calves are born.
3. Ruaha National Park
Not frequently mentioned when talking about safaris in Tanzania, is the Ruaha National Park lying in Southern Tanzania. This is also the second-largest national park in Tanzania, and due to its low visitor numbers, a safari here feels private and exclusive.
Reasons to go on a solo tour in Ruaha Park; low tourist numbers offering exclusivity and a true wilderness experience for those seeking off-the-beaten track adventure. Discover on foot – Ruaha offers some of the best walking safaris in Tanzania, especially in September and October. Experience another side of Ruaha by taking a night safari drive. As the sun sets, you can witness the emergence of nocturnal creatures such as leopard, genet, serval, and civet who come out to hunt, amongst encounters of bush babies, honey badger, mongoose and nocturnal birds like nightjars and owls.
4. Nyerere National Park
Previously known as Selous Game Reserve, Nyerere National Park is the largest national park in Africa, positioned in the southeastern region of Tanzania in East Africa. The mighty Rufiji River creates lakes and deltas throughout the park, forming a unique blend of habitat between wetlands and dry grass plains, and attracting a wide variety of wildlife.
Why plan a solo safari to Nyerere Park? Enjoy uncrowded game drives, and a rich wildlife ecosystem, home to a wide variety of wildlife and exciting activities which allow for a different pace of safari as you explore waterways by boat, and seasonal wetlands on foot, giving you a wilder and more private atmosphere.
5. Zanzibar Beach
No Tanzania safari holiday is complete without Zanzibar beach add on. Luxury Tanzania honeymoon safari and Zanzibar go hand in hand, delivering a bush and beach safari holiday escape off Tanzania’s coast, where you can relax after your thrilling safari adventures.
Why solo tours in Zanzibar? Zanzibar is a melting pot of cultures, showcasing influences from Arabia, Persia, India and Europe, a great option for a beach break. Discover the white sand beaches, coral reefs, diving sites, and mangrove forests teeming with monkeys.
A tip when planning Zanzibar solo trips, explore the historic Stone Town, where you can overhear exotic languages, taste delicious cuisines, admire the architecture of the former trading port, and visit Zanzibar spice plantations.
With so much to offer, there are a number of exceptional Tanzania budget resorts with prices varying hugely. The surrounding Zanzibar islands cater for big diving fans (Mafia and Pemba) and a few private islands like Mnemba and Fanjove, for the ultimate exclusive experience.
6. Tarangire National Park
A hidden gem in the Northern Circuit parks, Tarangire is famous for its giant baobab trees, massive elephant herds, and healthy populations of lion and leopard. Although not well-visited, it is certainly worth exploring.
Why go for Tarangire solo tours? Enjoy exciting game drives to see these landscapes and then embark on a walking safari to observe tiny creatures and learn about animal tracking. Alternatively, take to the skies on a hot-air balloon safari at dawn or go on a thrilling night drive to spot nocturnal wildlife. You can also find large herds of elephant, over 300 strong, buffalo, and thriving populations of lion and leopard.
Giraffe Manor
Best Kenya Safari & Beach Tours
Browse our favorite Kenyan beach holiday packages or simply get in touch with one of our Africa safari experts to help custom-make a Kenyan beach holiday that matches your travel wishes. You can enjoy safaris in Kenya national parks on the mainland, then follow it up with a relaxed beach holiday at Malindi or Diani. Get to know the coastal Kenya, and what’s possible on your trip to these Indian Ocean beaches, discover some of the best-loved experiences and safari routes that we’ve found working particularly well with our travelers.
