Hello Members,

The word safari comes from the Arabic verb "safar," meaning "to make a journey," while "safarlya" is a Swahili synonym of "safar." Arabian and African cultures were intertwined in early history with traders in caravans bringing their goods from city to city. The first safaris were used for trading. Besides trading wares, eighteenth century trading even involved humans who were sold. Slave trading ended in the late 1800s, changing the goal of safaris from business to adventure or exploration. Naturalists, such as William John Burchell, and others gave safaris a nobler purpose and were instrumental in identifying animal species. However, on a negative note, these pioneer naturalists placed an overemphasis on hunting, clearing away much wildlife. Thus, the conservation movement followed, changing the purpose of safaris from hunting to studying and photographing animals.


Thanks and Regards,
David Sheldrick

Kenya tours