Many safari camps and lodges — mainly those in private reserves and concessions — offer bush walks, which perfectly round out the safari experience. These are short walks of an hour or two in relatively safe areas accompanied by an experienced, armed walking guide and tracker. There is normally a minimum age for participants, although sometimes if there is an absence of big game, such as lion or elephant, children are allowed to join in the exploration on foot.

What makes bush walks special?Bush walks are an opportunity to get closer to nature and, in particular, to learn about the minutiae of the bush – the fascinating plants and insects, for example, that form an all-important and often forgotten part of the ecosystem. Children especially love nothing more than to be shown how to identify animal tracks and to compare the size of a lion's paw print with their own hand or footprint.

Learning bush skillsCertain camps offer the chance not only to walk in the bush with local tribesmen and track wildlife, but guests can also learn bush skills such as how to light a fire, shoot a bow and arrow, and throw a spear. Be amazed by the variety of medicinal plants in Africa. Some lodges in South Africa offer highly educational junior ranger programmes for children. 

Heart-stopping walking safarisFor the more adventurous, there are some camps and lodges that specialise in longer half- or full-day walking safaris, or in some cases, when combined with Fly Camping, multi-day walking safaris in Africa's most remote and wild reserves is a life-changing experience.

For those looking for something a bit more active than sitting and bouncing around on a game drive vehicle, a guided walking safari offers a great opportunity to engage all your senses and discover all the sights, sounds and scents of the bush.