Facts for Kids

Safari is a journey taken on land to see wild animals and the places they live. Many safaris happen in East Africa, where people travel by jeep, on foot with a guide, or in a tented camp to watch animals from a safe distance. Some safaris in the past focused on hunting, but today most visits are for watching and learning about wildlife.

A famous group of animals people hope to see on safari is the Big Five: lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo. These animals became popular because they are large, hard to find, and exciting to observe.

People from many lands have visited East Africa for a very long time, but the idea of a modern safari started in the 1800s. European and other travelers came for science, maps, and new routes. One important invention was quinine, a medicine that helped protect people against a fever from insect bites, so longer trips became more possible.

In 1836, William Cornwallis Harris led a trip to study wildlife and lands, and his way of traveling helped shape what a safari became. By the early 1900s firms like Newland & Tarlton began offering luxury tented safaris, and the idea of the safari as an organized adventure grew.

The Big Five are five famous African animals: lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo. Long ago, the name was given because these animals were important and not easy to find. Today the name is mostly used by people who love seeing wild animals on safaris and by those who work to protect them.

Each of the Big Five is special. Lions live in groups called prides, elephants travel in family herds, leopards are quiet and good climbers, rhinos are very big and rare, and Cape buffalo are strong and move in herds. Many safaris try to spot these animals safely from a distance so people can learn about them and help keep them safe.

Khaki clothes, wide pockets, and sun hats all started because people needed smart, simple clothes for hot, dusty trips in Africa long ago. British officers and explorers picked light colors so they would stay cooler in the sun and hide dirt. They also liked jackets with many pockets and belts so they could carry tools and maps easily. A special hat called a pith helmet became popular between 1870 and 1950 because it shaded the head from strong sunlight.

Those practical choices turned into a fashion look. Today, a comfortable bush jacket, light shirts, and sturdy boots are still used on safaris. People also borrow animal patterns and natural colors from African landscapes to make stylish clothes that remind them of the wild.

The word Swahili safari means simply “journey” or “trip.” It comes from an older Arabic word, safar, which also means travel. In Swahili, the verb for “to travel” is kusafiri, and you can hear the same root in words for going from one place to another.

English speakers began using safari in the late 1850s after explorers brought stories and maps back from East Africa. Over time the word changed from meaning any journey to meaning the special kind of travel that looks for wild animals and wide, open places.

Books and films helped make safaris seem like big adventures. Early novels such as Jules Verne’s and H. Rider Haggard’s tales wrote about long journeys and hidden places, and those stories helped people imagine what a safari felt like.

Writers like Ernest Hemingway also wrote about African trips and animals, and early movies such as Trader Horn brought safari scenes to the screen. Some films, like Tarzan stories and Out of Africa, show different parts of safari life—sometimes serious and sometimes playful. Other movies even made fun of the safari idea, showing it as an over-the-top adventure.