You can take a safari anywhere now, most holiday brochures to most countries offer them. After all, the Swahili word means 'journey', and not specifically 'journey in a jeep through African bush'. So strictly speaking, it can apply to tiger trekking in India, whale watching in the Atlantic, a trip down the Amazon or perhaps even round the supermarket... And yet... for the purist, for the smitten, a safari is only a safari in Africa. It's a journey, yes, but one under vast skies through savannahs shimmering under the sun: savannahs softened by swirling dust, punctured by thorn trees, made surreal by upside-down baobab trees. It's stopping for still, silent afternoons that hide languorous, lethargic, simply- can't-be-bothered-to-move lions. It's the sharp, hot smell of Africa. It's the excited, rustling burst of noise from the bush as darkness falls, campfires roar reassuringly and a hundred million sparkling stars appear. Above all, it's a window to the world as it must have been at the beginning of time. At least - that's how it feels.

Catch it while you can. The winds of change blow swiftly in Africa. I spent 14 years in Kenya and even in that dot of time the decline in wildlife was astounding. Somehow, seeing it disappear in front of your eyes is more alarming than reading statistics about it. On one journey, driving on the main road from Nairobi to Mombasa, we stopped and marvelled as a herd of elephants loomed out of the bush and crossed the road - not a common experience outside a game reserve, but not an infrequent one either, in those days. A few years later we drove for days around a nearby game park, and didn't see a single elephant. That's just one example. The park, Tsavo, was ravaged by drought and poaching at the time. The situation has improved; and now, like most parks in Africa where you can still see plenty of game, the animals survive mainly because of the tourist dollar.

The name of the game

Everyone has an animal they really really want to see more than any other. Elephants, lion, buffalo, leopards and rhinos are the classic 'Big Five' species. For some people, the gawky giraffe with its supermodel legs and eyelashes-to-die-for is top of the list, others find grunting warthogs curiously engaging, plenty want to witness the sleek speed of a cheetah.

It's best not to get too obsessed about ticking off a list, however. No matter what the brochures tell you, there are no guarantees that you will see everything on one trip. Animals have their own patterns and, while experienced guides can second-guess where they might be at any given time, this isn't fool-proof. And animals are no fools. In some reserves, cheetahs have wised up to the fact that most game drives take place in the early morning or late afternoon and have started to avoid going out at those times. For that reason, it's best to spend a few days in one reserve. Relax, soak up the glory of the bush and of the more common creatures. If you're on constant standby for a 'big' beast, you might miss the drama of an ostrich mating dance; or the delightful 'zic-zic' sound of the delicate dik-dik; or fail to appreciate the graceful bounds and leaps which impalas insist on making out of sheer joie de vivre. The Big Five will probably stroll up - eventually. If you only have a week (a minimum of ten days is best, to allow for travel to the reserves), try to spend it at one place or, at most, split it between two. You can cram in more reserves if you try hard, but will probably see less. And you will be very sore from bumpy travel.

Safari etiquette

Game reserves seem so vast that it's easy to forget that they are home for numerous animals, which were there first but may not be for much longer if their habitat and habits are not protected. The rules of the wild are essential for your enjoyment, your safety and their survival:

What kind of safari?

The possibilities are as varied as the wildlife.

Once, the only way to go on safari was to go with a mobile camp. Trucks with tents, cooking equipment and staff would follow. Thankfully this is still possible, in two versions: budget, where you pitch your own tent; or luxury, where someone does it for you and feeds you with delicacies. Most people stay at permanent tented camps (which range from basic to blissful) or at game lodges (ditto).

After the accommodation decision has been made, you only need to decide if you want to safari by jeep (the usual method), on horseback, on foot or by bicycle (with experienced guides, obviously) - you can even take a houseboat safari on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe or a canoe safari in the Okavango delta. Or you could stay in a private game reserve - the latest, most luxurious trend, and go on night-drives with spotlights to glimpse all that nocturnal activity. Then there's flying safaris - light aircraft drifting close to the game - very Out of Africa- or hot air balloon safaris. Take your pick.

There are hundreds of specialist safari operators to choose from, many online. If you want to leave it until you get in-country, speak to as many local operators as possible and make your choice. Be aware that some operators may swap vehicles between themselves depending on availability - make sure you know what kind you're getting - and that you will get a window seat. That usually means a maximum of four to six people, depending on the car. Another thing to bear in mind is that some parks and game- lodges don't allow children under the age of eight or 12, depending on the country: check this before you go. And don't go during the rainy season - most parks become quagmires.

You can organise a safari yourself, but by the time you've sorted out the right vehicle, equipped it, paid the park fees and found an authorised camping site, the cost will be the same as getting an expert to do it for you. In any case, breakdowns are common in the bush and it's better to have an experienced hand with you. Unless you're an experienced hand yourself, in which case you don't need to read this.

Where to go

South Africa: Despite a tendency for surfaced roads in some reserves, which somehow feel all wrong, South Africa takes its wildlife very seriously. It is home to Africa's oldest national park, the Kruger, which is larger than Wales and slightly wilder. A long stay is best in the Kruger: it is so vast that it's easy for the animals to hide. Still, the roads do lead to popular watering-holes so you will see the local animal population popping in for a pint if you time it right. Private game reserves line the unfenced western boundary of the Kruger - Sabi Sands, Timbavati, Manyeleti and Thornybush all offer high concentrations of game. In KwaZulu Natal, the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi game reserves are the best place on the continent to see black and white rhinos in numbers. Also worth a look is the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, which houses the highest forested dunes in the world, swamps, sandforests, a palm belt, hippos, crocodiles and outstanding bird life.

Botswana: With the exception of elephant, almost every other variety of game can be found in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve - the Kalahari is the desert with the highest species diversity in the world. An organised safari is best: there are no permanent camps and facilities are minimal. The Okavango delta is Botswana's 'don't miss' attraction. The northern end is permanently etched with deep channels, placid pools and papyrus; the south is interspersed with wooded islands; all of which are home to large numbers of small mammals and birds. Venice has gondolas, the Okavango has mokoros- canoes that are the best way to explore this lush region. Finish off with a visit to Chobe National Park, famous for elephants, or Moremi Game Reserve, encompassing almost every wildlife habitat - and animal.

Then there's the northern trio - Buffalo Springs, Samburu and Shaba - all Born Free territory. A hot air balloon trip over the Masai Mara at dawn, watching the world and the animals awake, is like flying over an earthly Eden - but better, because you stop for a champagne breakfast. The real 'don't miss' however, is the wildebeest migration between the Mara and the Serengeti in Tanzania.