When planning the ultimate wildlife holiday, one decision defines the experience more than most others: where you go. While it might seem obvious, many factors influence where you choose to go on a wildlife holiday.
Llama Travel has sold small group tours since 2002. Many guests on their holidays are wildlife lovers who want to visit Latin America, Africa, or Asia to spot elusive, exotic or exciting species. When helping its customers plan the wildlife holiday of their dreams, Llama Travel’s in-house Travel Experts often start by asking one question: jungle or safari?
This blog enlists the tour operator’s expertise to break down the various factors that go into choosing between a jungle or a safari holiday and explain the type of holiday you might have if you opt for one or the other.
The wildlife
The biggest difference between a safari and a jungle holiday is the type of wildlife you will see.
On safari, the most common wildlife you will see are mammals, including big cats and, if you are lucky, some of the famous ‘Big Five’ safari species: African lion, leopard, rhinoceros, Cape buffalo, and elephant. As you travel around national parks and private reserves in a 4×4 game vehicle, your expert guide, who knows animal movement patterns well, will guide you to popular feeding areas and watering holes in that area at that time of day to maximise your viewing opportunities. A safari is also a great opportunity for birdwatching, especially birds of prey like eagles and vultures. Of course, some species, such as the dwindling rhino population, can be incredibly elusive, and not every safari destination has healthy populations of the same species.
The wildlife you are likely to see on a jungle holiday is very different. The dense jungle canopy serves as a great hiding place for many tropical species of mammals, like monkeys, sloths and capybaras; birds, like toucans, macaws and hornbills; and reptiles & amphibians, like iguanas and tree frogs. These species’ movement patterns tend to be more unpredictable, so day and night jungle walks can showcase totally different creatures and critters, and encounters are much more spontaneous. Many visitors find the contrast between daytime and nighttime in the jungle fascinating, and enjoy the variety in species as day turns into night.
The kind of wildlife you’d like to see, be that the colourful critters of the jungle or the apex predators of the plains, is a definitive decision in designing your dream wildlife holiday.
Weather
The weather in the jungle and on safari is another important consideration when making your wildlife holiday decision.
In the jungle, the weather is relatively consistent year-round. This means paved jungle floor and canopy walkways are often lush and generally fruitful areas for wildlife. Temperatures tend to stay between 25°C and 30°C during the day, dropping to around 15°C at nighttime. As jungles are often on the fringes or in breaks in the rainforest, expect consistent rainfall. Ponchos or light waterproof coats are a packing essential. Despite year-round rainfall, there are a few months each year when rain in the jungle is even heavier than normal, which can make spotting wildlife incredibly difficult. These depend on the destination, but Llama Travel tends not to operate its jungle holidays at times when the rains are heaviest to avoid a lesser experience.
For the best safari experience, you will likely travel during the dry season. If so, you should expect dry, sunny days and cool evenings. The dry season also means that the grass tends to be shorter and herds gather more frequently around watering holes, making wildlife viewing even better. Due to the strong sunlight, precautions like loose, cool clothing and sun protection are important. There are a couple of months a year when temperatures can regularly exceed 35°C; Llama Travel doesn’t operate safari holidays during these peak temperature months as it can make conditions on safari unbearable.
The lush jungle rains can often add a sense of thrill and excitement to a holiday, but if you are looking for more time in the sun and more predictable conditions, a safari might be for you.
Group sizes
Group sizes vary on jungle and safari holidays, mostly defined by how you choose to travel and which destination you visit.
On safari, group sizes are dictated by your choice of destination. In Namibia, Llama Travel operates with a maximum group size of 18, reduced to 7 in Botswana/South Africa and 6 in Kenya due to vehicle constraints. This small group size is important, as it gives you plenty of time to draw on your guide’s expertise to answer any questions about the environment or animals you might have and to get to know your fellow travellers. Smaller groups aboard game drive vehicles ensure all passengers get a great view.
On jungle holidays, Llama Travel operates an 18-person maximum group size. This group often stays together when travelling between destinations and at mealtimes. On most jungle excursions, guides split the group into smaller groups of 6 to 10. Fewer guests on excursions like jungle walks mean guides can be more agile and interrupt wildlife less, ensuring a better experience.
Essentially, group sizes are relatively consistent between jungle and safari holidays. If you are looking for a truly intimate safari experience, perhaps consider Kenya, Botswana or South Africa. If you prefer a more social atmosphere on your holiday while still being able to follow wildlife patterns and make the most of your guide’s expertise, perhaps consider the jungle of Costa Rica or Borneo.
Accommodation
Accommodation is perhaps one of the biggest differentiators between a jungle and a safari holiday.
Llama Travel’s jungle holidays include stays in remote lodges, buried deep in the jungle. Many lodges have their own private jungle walkways open to guests, and, during a stay, you are accompanied by the jungle soundscape. As they are built in the heart of many species’ habitats, creatures may walk or fly through the lodges. This is a truly immersive accommodation style that combines the comforts of a traditional hotel with a wildlife-centric setting.
On safari, there is a wider variety of accommodation, depending on which Llama Travel destination you choose. In Botswana, you travel by mobile tented safari, sleeping in a canvas tent in unfenced camps in the Okavango Delta, where wildlife can stroll straight through and dinner is cooked over an open fire. Accommodation on a Llama Travel safari in South Africa’s Kruger region is comfortable, well-equipped with amenities like pools, gyms and spas, and offers a great standard of service. Kenyan lodges tend to feel more rustic and wild, but equally relaxing, adorned with charming traditional artwork and wooden finishings. Namibian safari lodges are well-situated near springs and waterholes, offering great views.
In broad terms, the decision on accommodation can be narrowed down to whether you are looking for a true sense of remote isolation in a mobile camp, a high standard of service and comfort in a safari lodge, or a jungle lodge’s feeling of being in the heart of the ecosystem.
Which wildlife holiday is right for you?
While many people simply weigh up the type of animals they’d like to see, narrowing down your dream wildlife holiday is a much more complex decision. Whether you want to see the Big Five on a game drive, stroll through jungle walkways or navigate waterways, there is a wide variety of wildlife experiences on offer in many of the world’s great wildlife destinations.
For those new to wildlife travel, a Kruger safari or jungle holiday to Costa Rica combines incredible wildlife spotting opportunities with city stays and cultural activities. To truly immerse yourselves in a wildlife habitat, Borneo, Botswana, or Kenya is a great pick. If dramatic desert landscapes, road trips and uniquely adapted wildlife are more your speed, Namibia is a fantastic, lesser-known pick. If you simply can’t decide between the jungle and a safari, perhaps consider a different type of wildlife holiday, like the tropical Galapagos Islands, the birthplace of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution.
Llama Travel has been helping its customers curate their dream wildlife holiday for years, and 99% of past guests would recommend the tour operator to a friend. Ultimately, the decision comes down to the experience you want from your holiday much more than the wildlife you might see, and a tour operator’s expertise can help narrow down exactly what you are looking for.
