A Guide to Wildlife Destinations Around the World

How do you say safari?

원정 여행

サファリ

ਸਫਾਰੀ

سفاري

苹果浏览器


These days, many folks use the word safari to mean more than just an African wildlife experience. Known since the 1800’s as a Swahili word, safari actually originated from the Arabic expression سفر which means “to journey”.

Colonial Africa Attire (1937)
Melania dressed up for a tour of an animal sanctuary just outside of Nairobi, Kenya.
Making Safaris ‘Great’ Again

For some of us, the world has come a long way in the last 100 years, since oppressive colonial interests popularized African hunting safaris. At Mondisti we too use safari to refer to journeys across our planet to experience fantastic wildlife and special destinations, from polar bears on the frozen tundra to pythons in the Amazon, and naturally, to safaris in Africa…

And a dressing tip just in case: don’t bring a colonial pith hat on your safari.


7 Tips for Viewing Serengeti Migration River Crossings
Africa East Africa Safaris

7 Tips for Viewing Serengeti Migration River Crossings

Each year, over a million wildebeest and zebras crisscross the Mara river in the northern Serengeti (Tanzania) as they migrate in search … Read More…
Gorilla Trekking in Uganda: Permits, Parks, and Packing
Africa East Africa Hiking HP-Trek Safaris

Gorilla Trekking in Uganda: Permits, Parks, and Packing

Our visit to Uganda was during Covid, which made everything just a little more problematic, but it was still a very enjoyable … Read More…
Zimbabwe – Safaris – On the banks of the Great Zambezi
Africa Safaris South Africa Themed Trips

Zimbabwe – Safaris – On the banks of the Great Zambezi

Zimbabwe’s has some great safari destinations, including he Hwange National Park and the Mana Pools National Park, and we recommend combining your … Read More…
Safari in India: The Big Five plus One (the Bengal Tiger)
Asia HP-Safari India Safaris South Asia Themed Trips

Safari in India: The Big Five plus One (the Bengal Tiger)

India’s Bengal tiger is an endangered species and to see one in the wild is a thrilling experience. The two main parks … Read More…
Amazon River cruise – from Peru or Brazil?
HP-Cruises Peru and the Amazon Safaris South America Themed Trips

Amazon River cruise – from Peru or Brazil?

When planning an Amazon river cruise, one important consideration is which country do you choose? Peru or Brazil? We chose Peru over … Read More…
Avoiding Crowds on a Serengeti-Mara Safari
Africa East Africa Safaris

Avoiding Crowds on a Serengeti-Mara Safari

The great wildebeest migration spectacle is unlike other safaris because of the huge numbers of animals, but sometimes it seems the tourists … Read More…
How Weather Affects the Serengeti-Mara Migration
Africa East Africa Expert Tips Safaris

How Weather Affects the Serengeti-Mara Migration

The Maasai Mara National Reserve and the Serengeti National Park are part of the same continuous ecosystem, which extends from southern Kenya … Read More…
Nepal Safari – In Search of the Elusive Tiger
Asia Safaris South Asia

Nepal Safari – In Search of the Elusive Tiger

A safari experience in Nepal (Chitwan or Bardia) is very different than India (see our post on Indian safaris). Many travelers want … Read More…
Tanzania Safari Itinerary – Serengeti, Ngorongoro and the Northern Circuit
Africa East Africa Safaris

Tanzania Safari Itinerary – Serengeti, Ngorongoro and the Northern Circuit

Safaris are addictive. Tanzania’s northern safari circuit boasts 2 of the most iconic areas in all of Africa: the Serengeti ecosystem and … Read More…
The Serengeti-Mara Great Migration
Africa East Africa HP-Safari Safaris

The Serengeti-Mara Great Migration

The holy grail of African safaris is the great wildebeest migration that takes place each year in the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem of Tanzania … Read More…
Kenya’s best Safari destinations
Africa East Africa Safaris

Kenya’s best Safari destinations

Kenya is a stunning country with many premiere wildlife reserves, in this post we will discuss the two most popular, the Maasai … Read More…
South Africa – The big five in four days
Africa Safaris South Africa

South Africa – The big five in four days

For those Mondisti looking to experience the ‘Big Five‘ in the least amount of time, South Africa should be at the top … Read More…
Churchill, Manitoba – polar bear tour
Canada HP-Safari North America Safaris

Churchill, Manitoba – polar bear tour

Although Churchill, Manitoba is not technically in the Arctic (the Arctic Circle is 66.6 degrees latitude, while Churchill is 59 degrees latitude), polar bears have long …
Zambia – Safaris – five takeaways
Africa Safaris South Africa

Zambia – Safaris – five takeaways

Many tourists only associate Zambia with Victoria Falls, and that’s exactly what makes Zambia safaris so attractive, there are no crowds! We … Read More…
Planning Your First African Safari (2020)
Africa East Africa Safaris South Africa Themed Trips

Planning Your First African Safari (2020)

What are the variables that go into planning an amazing safari vacation, and how to choose from all the possible safari options? … Read More…
Botswana Safaris – The Gem of Africa
Africa Safaris South Africa

Botswana Safaris – The Gem of Africa

Botswana is known as the Gem of Africa because it is the world’s top diamond producer (by value of diamonds; Russia is … Read More…
Borneo- On a Houseboat to See the Orangutans
Asia Cruising Safaris Southeast Asia

Borneo- On a Houseboat to See the Orangutans

Borneo – houseboat or lodge The best way to see Borneo is on the water. We debated a houseboat only tour or … Read More…
Kenya or Tanzania – which to choose for a safari?
Africa East Africa Safaris

Kenya or Tanzania – which to choose for a safari?

Many tourists want to know the differences between Kenya and Tanzania when planning their safari vacation in Africa. The glib advice is … Read More…