Responsible wildlife viewing and safari etiquette

Why safari rules matter

Park rules protect animals from stress and people from danger. Kenya Wildlife Service explains that startled animals can react dangerously, which is why it asks visitors to move slowly and quietly. The Mara Conservancy describes the worst case: herds pushed by vehicles at a river have crossed at unsafe banks, and hundreds of animals have died.

Most rules are enforced by rangers and followed by your driver-guide, but they work only when every visitor understands them. If a vehicle is crowding an animal, it is fair to ask your guide to give it more room.

In Kenya’s national parks

• Remain in your vehicle except in designated areas, and keep the doors closed.
• Stay on established roads and trails; do not drive off-road.
• Keep to the 40 km/h speed limit.
• Keep at least 20 metres from wildlife, and give animals right of way.
• Never feed wildlife, and do not hoot or make loud noises.
• Use phones sparingly, and respect the animals’ privacy.
• Enter and leave between 6 am and 6 pm unless you are staying overnight in the park.

Kenya Wildlife Service also says its national parks are plastic-free, so leave single-use plastics behind and bring a refillable bottle. Rules can differ between parks, so your guide’s briefing for each park is worth listening to.

In the Maasai Mara

The Mara Conservancy’s rules are short and firm: in the reserve you may leave the vehicle only at designated points, and standing on the roof or sitting in the window to photograph is not allowed. At a river crossing, stay quiet and well back from the crossing point, and never block moving herds.

The best crossing photographs are taken by people who waited quietly, not by those who drove closest.

In Tanzania’s parks and the Ngorongoro Crater

Tanzania National Parks forbids feeding wildlife in the Serengeti and prohibits drones without special permission, and its guides must be certified. In the Ngorongoro Crater only four-wheel-drive vehicles may enter, and walking safaris are not allowed on the crater floor. TANAPA’s Ruaha guidance is a good summary for every park: the wildlife is truly wild, so keep a safe distance.

In Uganda’s parks, and with gorillas and chimpanzees

The Uganda Wildlife Authority’s park rules forbid driving off the tracks, sounding horns at wildlife, bringing pets, littering and picking flowers, set a 40 km/h speed limit, and open park gates from 7 am to 7 pm. Its primate rules go further, because gorillas and chimpanzees can catch human illnesses.

• Do not track if you have a cold or other infectious illness.
• Keep 10 metres from the animals, and limit the visit to one hour.
• Do not smoke, eat or drink near them, and do not use flash photography.
• Cover your face and turn away if you must cough or sneeze.
• Keep as quiet as possible, do not chase chimpanzees or mimic their calls, and bury human waste 30 cm deep.

Our gorilla and chimpanzee trekking guide explains age limits and how a trek works.

Photography etiquette

• Let the animal set the distance. If it changes what it is doing because of you, you are too close.
• Keep your voice low and switch off camera sounds where you can.
• Share the best position in the vehicle, and agree with your companions how long to stay at a sighting.
• Ask before photographing people, including in villages and markets, and respect a refusal.

Our safari photography guide has more practical advice on light, lenses and patience.

Safari etiquette questions, answered

• Can I get out of the vehicle to take a photo?

  Only at designated points. Kenya Wildlife Service and the Mara Conservancy both ask visitors to stay in the vehicle elsewhere.

• Can I fly a drone on safari?

  Not without permission. Tanzania National Parks prohibits drones in the Serengeti without special permission; ask before taking one anywhere.

• How close can we get to animals?

  Kenya Wildlife Service asks for at least 20 metres from wildlife; give animals right of way and never block their path.

Respecting the people who share the land

Wildlife in East Africa lives alongside people. Around the Maasai Mara, the Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association says its 24 member conservancies cover about 450,000 acres and bring together more than 15,000 landowners, who receive lease fees through partnerships with tourism businesses. Visitors who stay in or pay fees to such areas are part of that arrangement.

• Ask before photographing anyone, and respect a refusal.
• Buy crafts from the people who make them where you can, and agree a price before you buy.
• Dress modestly in villages and towns, and follow your guide’s lead on greetings.
• Take your litter away with you, including from roadside stops.