As I grew up in Africa I often get asked about going on safari. Let's been clear about one thing; don't think of Stanley searching for Livingstone. Safari may originally have meant a truly adventurous trip more akin to an expedition, often lasting months. In this time-poor, cash-rich era it means a fly-in, fly-out stay with guided game drives. I've experienced this type of safari many times and there seems no end to the variety in choice. Whatever you choose, here's my advice to help ensure your African adventure at least has some flavour of the original truth.

Number one - get off your butt! You must walk in the bush. Drive-by sightings pale in significance compared with encounters on foot when beasts are at least a third larger than expected. While walking you employ guile and stealth to get up close but hopefully not too personal. The real thrill of a safari is the sound of your drumming heart as a solitary, grumpy old buffalo male - a dagga bull - lifts his head, sniffs in your direction and transfixes you with its baleful gaze. Your guide has a gun, just in case. Inquire up front about guided walking opportunities. Not all safari destinations allow it.

About as close as you would want to get to an elephant on foot. This was a mock charge.
We retreated before a real one!

Canvas is critical. Forgo the separation from the surrounding bush which luxury safari lodges endow. Who needs a patio with plunge pool when a nearby waterhole has become an elephant's bathtub? Opt instead for tented camps and sleep separated by thin material from wild creatures that prowl at night, snuffle though the camp kitchen, clatter over the pots, deposit dung and move on. This is the genuine safari article.

This trio of sable antelope, surprised by our close approach, had soon bolted in a cloud of dust

Spend some time alone, if possible. Once I was dropped off at a hide overlooking a waterhole. It was five in the afternoon, dusk within an hour. They then forgot all about me! Many hours later an extremely apologetic guide arrived to whisk me back to camp, where I was greeted with laughter and guffaws, a slap on the back and a frosty beer. But I had the last laugh. Alone on that platform, enveloped by the night, I was absorbed into the bush, remaining silent and vigilant as animals came to drink. Those precious hours were my very own slice of Africa, a delicious treat.

The leopard hunts in darkness. Sightings of such elusive creatures
are a highlight of any safari.

Dont rush things. Three nights at one camp or lodge is much better than visiting three places for one night each. Many itineraries, however, are woven around multiple transfers within a few days. Ask for something different. Staying put in one place for a while allows you to grasp the nuances of the surrounding habitat.

Limit the luggage. Most safaris involve transfers in light planes with limited baggage capacity. One soft bag is enough. Most camps have laundry facilities.

A kudu caught on camera before fleeing into the bush. All wild animals are easily spooked, particularly those hunted by predators.

Dress down. Bush style is an oxymoron. You don't need a wardrobe. Nothing is more amusing than seeing a tourist clad head-to-foot in designer khakis following a guide wearing T-shirt, shorts and sturdy thongs. Greens and browns, light or dark, blend in well while blue attracts the pernicious tsetse fly, black is too hot and whites immediately get grubby. Leave the Mambo shirt and perfume/aftershave at home. Bright colours are easily seen by shy, keen-eyed creatures causing them to flee. Perfumes immediately give the game away.

Adopt wide angle vision. Don't become totally mesmerised by the so-called Big Five - elephant, lion, rhino, leopard and buffalo. Originally a hunting term, its has become a corny tourism catch cry. While these are certainly exquisite animals they represent only a fraction of what a safari has on show. Some of the smallest creatures are the most fascinating.

Do some research. Know what animals live where and how seasons affect game viewing chances. Briefly, the rainy season means thick bush, long grass with animals well dispersed, so sightings can prove more difficult. The dry season means hot and dusty conditions but, particularly towards the season's end, animals concentrate around existing water sources so sightings can be extraordinary.

This male lion is giving me the look that says "one more step and you're lunch, buddy!

Here are my favourite African safari destinations, alphabetically, any of which are sure to provide a fantastic experience.

Okavango Delta, Botswana
Chobe, Botswana
Linyati, Botswana
Samburu, Kenya
Etosha Pan, Namibia
Nyika Plateau, Malawi
Sabi Sands, South Africa
Eastern Cape, South Africa
Nogorongoro Crater, Tanzania
Serengeti, Tanzania
Luangwa Valley, Zambia
Mana Pools, Zimbabwe