This is part one of a two part blog post about whether or not you need to stay at an ultra luxury safari camp to have an optimal game viewing experience. In this first post, I discuss the relationship between price paid and quality of game viewing experience. In my next blog post, I talk about the true key to having a fantastic game viewing experience on safari. Enjoy!

There is an inverse relationship bewteen price quality game viewing -
at least when it comes to ultra luxury safari camps.© Bill Given

Do Ultra Luxury Safari Camps Gurantee Better Game Viewing?

Recently, I was contacted by someone planning a safari and he stated "I feel like I need to overpay to make sure that I get the best wildlife viewing." The truth is that this is generally not the case.

Exclusive Game Viewing in Rare Cases
Sometimes paying a premium may get you access to special wildlife areas that no other safari camps can utilize. This is the exception to the rule. Most of the time, paying top dollar gets you the most luxurious accommodation but not the best game viewing. In fact, I have found that game viewing can be inferior at ultra luxury safari camps when compared to their more rustic, but still high quality counterparts.

Luxury Camps Focus on Luxury First

There is a trend that many of the most expensive safari camps are so extravagant that there has to be a focus on spending more time in camp to justify the expense.

In my travels, I have stayed at the entire spectrum of camps - from mobile tented camps up to the highest end of the luxury scale. Here are some issues that I've had with the ultra luxury camps when it comes to game viewing:

• Game Drives start thirty to forty-five minutes later than other camps
• Night Drives are shorter
• Interesting Sightings are abandoned early
• Trackers aren't used

Luxury Safari Camps: More Time in Camp Than on Game Drives

The emphasis for the ultra luxury camp is on the camp itself. Drives start later so that guests can enjoy the amenities of the camp. Night drives end earlier so that people get back to camp for the extravagant dinner on time. The meals are so high-end and complex, that you just can't let them get cold - dishes must be served promptly when they are ready in order to meet the high standards of the camp and its guests.

Luxury Safari Camps Often Times Don't Have Trackers

The lack of trackers is particularly troubling if your focus on safari is on game viewing and not the luxury experience. The safari tracker allows you to follow the tracks of predators, greatly increasing your chance of finding them. Safari Trackers also works the spotlight on night drives much more effectively then a guide who has to drive, spotlight, and talk to guests all at the same time.

In my next blog post, I discuss more about trackers and guides, and how they lead to the ultimate safari experience if your focus is on the wildlife

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