East Africa Safari Day

Schedules in East Africa tend to fluctuate quite a bit more than Southern Africa camps because of the mix of camps that are guiding for their guests and camps that have all parties with their own private driver/guides, and in fact some camps are doing both at once. For parties with your own driver/guide you usually formulate your own plan and the guide will coordinate that with the camp manager. It is common to take box lunches or breakfasts to cover large areas on all day drives or to eat along the way when moving to a new camp.

Wake up depending on the season between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m., when serious about game viewing or photography it is important to get out early

Arrive at the central lounge half an hour after the wake up for coffee, tea, and a small breakfast of a roll, cereal, fruit, etc.

Have a morning activity. Usually a game drive but in some areas it might be a walk. This will typically last 3 to 4 hours depending on what is being seen.

Upon return wash up and then have a large brunch. At some camps they do a breakfast and then later a lunch while many camps simply have the large brunch which makes sense if it is already around 10:30 or 11 a.m.

Siesta time. From the completion of your meal until meeting for afternoon tea you have down time to take a nap, read, sit in the lounge or by the pool, etc. Typically this time of day the animal activity is low so it is a good time to relax.

Typically around 3:30 to 4:00 p.m. you will meet for your afternoon activity. Possibly have tea or other drink and cookies, etc. Afternoon activity will depart shortly after the meeting time. This will be a 3 to 4 hour activity. Within most the National Park or Game Reserves in East Africa you are required to be in camp by dark.

Following your activity there is time to go to your tent/chalet to freshen up or you may choose to just stay and enjoy a drink at the bar or around the fire. Dinner is usually about an hour after everyone has arrived back in camp. This tends to be around 7:30 or 8 p.m

Dinner is often quite a social affair and people tend to linger at the table. Some will then head for the bed and others choose to have a night cap. You will typically be in bed sometime between 10 and 11 p.m. In most camps after dark it is required that a staff member escorts you for safety, thus you will be walked to your tent/chalet when you are ready.

Other common East Africa variations are to:

Eat breakfast first and then go out for the morning drive.
Take a box meal and drive all day. This is especially common if transferring to another camp.
In some camps they do three drives a day. Out early, return for breakfast, drive again, return for lunch, drive a third time and return for dinner.