On safari! Or game drive?

Tanzania is, of course, a very popular ‘safari’ destination. But where does that term come from? And what does your guide mean when he talks about ‘game drives’?

Safari literally means ‘journey’ in Tanzania’s official language, Swahili. So, going on safari quite literally means ‘to travel’. Which makes perfect sense: during your daytime journeys, you’ll encounter stunning landscapes and spot incredible wildlife.

Your guide will make arrangements with you about the timings of your ‘game drives’. This term is clearly not Swahili, but English. You probably know that ‘game’ in English also means ‘play’. But ‘game’ has another meaning: in the past, hunting wild animals was considered a ‘game’, which is why we still use the word ‘game’ to mean ‘wild animals’.

A ‘drive’ is simply a ride in a vehicle, so a game drive is essentially the ‘hunt’ for wild animals in the African bush. As our guide Wilfred would put it: these days, we’re still allowed to ‘hunt’—but only with our cameras. So make sure to ‘shoot’ some great photos of the game you encounter!

Of course, you’ll want to choose the best times of day for your game drives. Depending on your program, the weather, and your preferences, you can agree on timings with your guide—usually the evening before.

In general, the best times for a game drive are early in the morning or later in the afternoon. The reason is simple: just like humans, animals prefer not to be out in the hot midday sun. On top of that, the light is often far more beautiful at these times—sunrise or sunset instead of the harsh midday sun.