When most people book a safari holiday they do so with the aim of seeing the Big Five. Lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo; these are the animals that make up the Big Five. This term was originally used by hunters to describe the five greatest African animals. Some people also consider them the most difficult or most dangerous African animals to hunt on foot. Either which way, during safaris and game drives these animals still remain the most popular beasts to keep an eye out for.

There is a great misconception that all throughout Africa people wear animal skins, live in grass shelters or caves, ride pet elephants to get around and have no idea what cell phones and iPods are. While some African countries are still developing their infrastructure, it is a sudden reality check for foreigners landing at OR Thambo Airport (formerly known as Johannesburg International) where they are surrounded by high rise buildings, the latest car makes and models and, of course, men and women clad in glamorous or business-style clothing. However, as they pile into their transfer vehicle that will take them to the starting point of their South African safari, and leave the city in favour of dirt roads, savannah bushveld and open plains, it is as though the mental image that one had of Africa comes to life.

With films such as Jock of the Bushveld, I Dreamed of Africa and Out of Africa setting the scene for African safaris, visitors do tend to have certain expectations when they decide to go on a safari holiday. Blue, sunny skies and a yellow, dried-out landscape with the occasional green shrub or tree and lots of khaki clothing is a must, as are the water holes surrounded by animals, with zebra and antelope grazing on the grassy plains. Secretary birds strut along the dirt roads and vultures circle the skies while waiting for predators to eat their fill of their fresh catch. Hippo and crocodiles sleep in the sun on the river banks or laze in the cool shallows, while at night the hyena and jackal emit their laughing call up to the starry sky.

Yes, these sights and sounds are sure to be experienced during your stay in Africa, but there is also an educational aspect to this wilderness wonderland. During morning hikes game rangers or tour guides will point out animal tracks and tell you which creature left them. You will learn to recognise bird and animal calls so that you may identify them en route (although the roar of the lion or trumpet of an elephant should be easy enough for all to distinguish).

Sadly there are still poachers hunting these majestic beasts - the elephant and rhino for their tusks; crocodile, zebra and antelope for their hides and the lion for the acclaim, among others. There is also the impact that humans have on the environment; climate change influences droughts and wet spells, during which many of these beasts will perish. So if poaching doesn't contribute to the African animals' extinction, humans' thoughtless waste and pollution may well do so. Either which way, a safari tour in Africa may well be the only way of seeing these magnificent creatures roaming free in their natural habitat.

Journey to Southern Africa and partake in a safari tour that is guaranteed to open your eyes to the beauty of our continent. Walk with elephants, go horse riding and get close to grazing antelope and buffalo, see the leopard or cheetah race past your safari vehicle and hear the hyena scuttling around camp at night. These life-altering experiences are truly memorable and you will discover them all when you go on a safari holiday.