How safe are African safaris?

Can someone explain African safaris and safari lodges?! pleasee?

• im from new york and am really considering going to africa. i want to go on a safari trip and stay in a safari lodge but im not sure how it works and i just want some information on it. like wheres the best country and place to go to see the best animals, like elephants, giraffes, lions, leopards, etc. how many days do you normally stay at the same safari lodge? do the lodges organize trips down to actually see and get close to the animals? whens the best time to see the most animals? and wheres a good place to go if i want to go to a beach in the same vacation, like Zanzibar or something? and if anyone could share their vacation stories and what you did i would really appreciate it thanks

• Answer:

  the best place to go is to Murchison Falls in Ugandaaa :) i just went there this summer! and it was spectacular! you get really close to the animals, you can actually touch the elephants and walk with the giraffes :) the lodge is considered a 4 star hotel here and boy is it worth it! the staff are friendly and amazing and very curteous :) ill show you some pictures my from trip to M. Falls :) Just driving to the Lodge we saw close Giraffes [inside the national park] http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=riuvck&s=4 Outside hotel/Nile River again different view http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=24fyam8&s=4 Desk area in Room [2 twin beds] http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=1z2gdxy&s=4 My bed with hiking backpack, boyfriends bed with messy sheets lol [absolutely amazing beds to sleep on btw] http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2l8zyiq&s=4 Eating Area on Balcony [also elegant dining on the inside][BUFFET yummy] Balcony Faces Nile River http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2mfby42&s=4 Our Tour Guide Tony [we were in a big group so we had a bus if your going with smaller than 1-5 youll go in like a jeep] [ both get out of the vehicles to walk with the animals] http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=aexf95&s=4 Hippo, theyre huge! http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=11guarn&s=4 Mommy and Baby Baboon http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=ao6d7s&s=4 Video of Lions .. you can actually touch the lions if you want to :] i did, theyre pretty harmless, just dont talk or walk fast etc. they love theyre pictures taken! lol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YZUUM9Q-5A&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5ReKg7sejY&NR=1 They usually take you out in the early morning and you go all day so you see the most animals. but you can choose whatever time you want to go at the best time is in the morning, we saw lions and leopords, ALOT hippos and girrafes and monkeys. Also we saw lots of Worthogs lol Accomodations are incredable theres also rafting on the Nile River. Once in a life time opportunity. The food is incredible, the accomadtions are spectacular, people are nice, nurses and doctors on site. Just after breakfast one day, me and my boyfriend were walking to our room when his bother ran to us and said there were was a big elephant and 3 babies just around the corner, we got there and some them. We could have touched them but we didnt were kind of afriad. But we were so close. Animals at M Falls jsut walk freely around the hotel. Its amazing go and see why they call Uganda the Pearl of Africa :) -hollyy