In the 19th and early 20th centuries, a wave of European explorers ventured deep into the African continent, guided as much by curiosity and ambition as by the blank spaces on their maps. Many of these adventurers, who navigated dense forests, towering escarpments, and endless savannahs, would lay the groundwork for what we now know as the African safari experience.’
Today’s travellers can follow, in comfort and security, the once-perilous routes these explorers forged, discovering iconic landscapes and wildlife encounters unimaginable in their time.
Charting Unknown Lands: The Age of the Great Explorers
Africa’s interior was, for European explorers, a frontier of mystery. Men like Dr. David Livingstone, Sir Richard Francis Burton, John Hanning Speke, and Henry Morton Stanley risked their lives to chart rivers and lakes, identify flora and fauna, and understand the continent’s trade routes and cultural mosaics. They journeyed by foot, pack animal, and canoe, often relying on local porters, guides, and communities. Malaria, drought, shifting alliances, and geographical misunderstandings were routine obstacles.
Their exploits shaped our modern understanding of Africa’s geography:
- David Livingstone (1813–1873) famously journeyed across Southern and Central Africa, mapping the Zambezi and “discovering” Mosi-oa-Tunya—later named Victoria Falls—introducing Europeans to one of Africa’s greatest natural wonders.
- Burton and Speke (1850s–1860s) sought the source of the Nile, battling illness and hardship along the way. Their discoveries around Lake Tanganyika and Lake Victoria would rewrite the maps of East Africa.
- Henry Morton Stanley (1841–1904) would later follow some of Livingstone’s routes and cross the continent via the Congo River, enduring unimaginable hardships to piece together Africa’s interior puzzle.
While these explorers traveled in an era of imperial ambition and incomplete understanding of local cultures, their routes also opened new paths to understanding: a blending of scientific curiosity, cartographic precision, and the early seeds of global tourism.
Retracing Old Paths in Modern Comfort
Today, it’s possible to travel through many of the regions these explorers once traversed—but with plush seating in a 4×4 vehicle, efficient air transfers, bespoke itineraries, and expert guides who prioritize both safety and environmental stewardship.
1. Victoria Falls and the Zambezi Regions (Livingstone’s Trails):
Livingstone’s awe-inspiring writings about Victoria Falls captivated the Victorian imagination. Modern visitors can witness the same thunderous cascade from luxurious vantage points. High-end lodges along the Zambezi River in Zambia and Zimbabwe offer private decks with sweeping views. Today’s traveller can glide over the falls in a helicopter, take a gentle sunset cruise upstream, or track elephant herds in nearby national parks—all at a serene pace unimaginable to Livingstone’s caravan.
2. East Africa’s Great Lakes and the Source of the Nile (Burton and Speke):
Burton and Speke’s grueling expeditions to find the Nile’s headwaters, culminating in their visits to Lake Tanganyika and Lake Victoria, can now be relived in relative ease. Tanzania’s safari circuit often includes the shores of Lake Victoria, where travellers can pair big-game viewing in the Serengeti with a cultural visit to fishing communities.
Heading north, Uganda’s lush landscapes offer glimpses of the White Nile in Murchison Falls National Park—an intimate alternative to the explorers’ tortuous route. From high-end tented camps to gourmet bush meals, you can trace the explorers’ watery path while enjoying hot showers and fine linens.
3. The Rift Valley and Beyond (Joseph Thomson’s Influence):
Joseph Thomson ventured through Maasai lands in Kenya, exploring what is now the Great Rift Valley. Modern safaris in this region allow travellers to fly directly into private concessions rich in wildlife—lion prides, elephant families, and countless antelope species—amid dramatic backdrops of volcanic mountains and shimmering lakes.
While Thomson trudged for weeks to discover new waterfalls and valleys, you can do so after a scenic light-aircraft flight, followed by a leisurely game drive, sundowner in hand.
Adventuring with Purpose and Sensitivity
While explorers of old had limited understanding of the communities and ecosystems they encountered, today’s travellers must arrive as respectful guests. High-quality safari operators and lodges work closely with local communities and conservation organizations, ensuring that tourism revenue supports schools, healthcare initiatives, and wildlife protection.
Encountering Maasai or Samburu guides, or visiting community-led conservancies, provides cultural insights that stand in stark contrast to the one-sided accounts of early explorers.
Sustainability is also a priority. Instead of massive porting caravans and exploitative resource extraction, modern safari travellers can support camps that use solar power, maintain strict wildlife viewing protocols, and enforce a light footprint on fragile habitats. The goal is to preserve these landscapes for future generations of explorers and adventurers.
Embracing History While Forging Your Own Path
By following the paths laid down by Burton, Speke, Livingstone, and countless local guides whose names history rarely recorded, today’s travellers step into a narrative centuries in the making. The difference, of course, is comfort and knowledge: You arrive equipped with historical context, ethical travel principles, and the best that modern hospitality can provide.
As you lounge by a campfire under a starry sky, listening to distant lion calls, you might imagine how those earlier explorers felt—awed, uncertain, yet entranced by the continent’s majesty. In your case, the day ends not in rough bivouacs, but in a plush bed, with the hum of nature as a lullaby and the promise of another breathtaking safari dawn ahead.
In essence, retracing the steps of Africa’s historic explorers offers more than just geographical context. It connects travellers to a grand tapestry of adventure, discovery, and cultural exchange—one that has evolved from treacherous expeditions into personalized, meaningful, and utterly unforgettable safaris.