When you think of an African safari, you think of the Big 5 and hot days in the bush under the sun. But there’s a new kind of safari that’s rapidly gaining popularity among travellers to East Africa. The kind of safari that ensures that travellers spend just as much time gazing up at the night sky as they do looking around at the wildlife.
Known as “Astro-safaris”, this new trend has taken advantage of the current rise in popularity of stargazing among amateur astronomers. With the almost total absence of light pollution in the East African bush, and the amazing clarity afforded by the position just south of the equator, stargazing safaris in Tanzania are able to offer travellers unparalleled views of the heavens.
Nebulae, supernovae and even breakaway bits of the Milky Way galaxy all reveal themselves to the keen amateur astronomer with an unbelievable clarity that can be found almost nowhere else on earth. Africa has long been regarded as the birthplace of man, and gazing up at the heavens, it’s easy to believe that. With an expert guide, exploring the wonders of the vast African night skies can be just as rewarding as exploring its rich fauna and flora.
Of course, during the day there’s still plenty of time to view the incredible wildlife of the region. But when the sun goes down, that’s when a whole new world opens up. A world above that inspires some deep philosophical discussions around the campfire.
And as the first rays of dawn break over the horizon, your mind will be filled with lots of those deep philosophical questions, and one rather more practical one: “When on earth am I going to get some sleep?”