I didn’t find presence on a yoga mat. I found it mid-stride, on a dusty path in the African bush, wondering whether that footprint belonged to a lion or a very large dog. (Spoiler: definitely lion.) It was the moment I truly understood how to stay present – not by closing my eyes, but by opening them wider.
Stillness doesn’t mean nothing is going on, Image Credit: Governors' Camp
Skip the Woo-Woo, Keep the Wonder
Now, I’m not here to sell you serenity via scented candles. If your idea of mindfulness involves incense, chakra alignment and whispering mantras to the universe, then bless your bendy soul. But if you, like me, find yourself somewhere between "I'd rather not" and "I tried it once and fell asleep", then this is for you.
Because here’s the thing about African safaris: they’re not just about ticking off the Big 5. They’re about presence. And not the kind you download an app for. The kind that sneaks up on you. The kind that grabs you by the collar and says, "Oi. Look."
Attention isn’t passive, it’s instinctual, Image Credit: Wilderness
So, What's This “Presence” Thing, Anyway?
Let’s take a beat to unpack the whole concept. Being present isn’t about achieving inner peace or entering a state of total zen. It’s not about sitting still until your thoughts dissolve into the ether (though props to anyone who manages that). It’s far more practical. Being present simply means paying attention – to your surroundings, to your senses, and to the moment unfolding in front of you. It’s the opposite of autopilot.
On safari, this means hearing the oxpecker before you see the buffalo. Smelling the rain before it hits. Feeling the way your chest tightens – just slightly – when a leopard looks your way. That’s presence.
How to stay present by tapping into all your senses, Image Credit: Londolozi
Why It Matters Out Here
The African wilderness doesn’t cater to distractions. And that’s what makes it so powerful. Out here, presence doesn’t feel like work – it happens naturally. When the breeze shifts, the birds go quiet, and your guide leans forward ever so slightly, something in you responds. Your senses wake up. Your thoughts slow down. You’re here in the most unfiltered sense of the word.
Presence isn’t requested but it’s required, Image Credit: Governors' Camp
Unlike the outside world, where attention is pulled in a dozen directions at once, the bush offers one direction: inward and outward, at the same time. It creates space. Space to notice the ripple on the water. A distant baboon call. The sound of your own breath.
Whether you're in a 4x4 with your guide whispering, "Yingwe" (the word for leopard in Shangaan), or watching elephants drink at sunset from your plunge pool, being mentally elsewhere is the surest way to miss the magic. You came all this way. Be here. This is how to stay present when it matters most.
When the bush walks into your day, Image Credit: Simbavati
Tame the Tech, Tune Into the Wild
The bush has a way of quieting the noise. Out here, most travellers naturally start reaching less for their phones and more for their binoculars. It’s not that tech disappears entirely – you might still find Wi-Fi at your lodge – but your impulse to refresh your inbox tends to fade fast.
You don’t need a full digital detox. Just a pause. Post your pics later. The civet dashing across your path doesn’t care about your Stories on Instagram. Want to know how to stay present during your downtime? Start by putting your phone on airplane mode – or better yet, lock it away in the safe in your suite. Trust me, you’ll learn quickly not to crave it.
Binoculars: the original attention upgrade
Let Africa Hold Your Attention
This is the best part: you don’t have to try to be present on safari. The bush does the heavy lifting. You hear a low grunt before you know where it’s coming from. The metallic call of a starling cuts through the morning air. The scent of crushed wild basil wafts up from beneath your boots. You taste woodsmoke on your coffee. You feel the moisture in the air before the storm hits.
The scent of smoke and the sound of slowing down, Image Credit: Singita
Being present isn’t just about what you see – it’s a full-body experience. Safari tunes you into all your senses. And when you start noticing with more than just your eyes, you begin to realise how to stay present without even trying. That’s the point. You stop spectating. You start absorbing.
Even the effort of sitting still – muscles quietly working, breath held, eyes wide – becomes part of the sensory fabric. You're tuned in, whether you meant to be or not. That’s how to stay present without forcing it: just pay attention to what nature throws your way.
It’s not a view... it's a feeling, Image Credit: Victoria Falls River Lodge
Game Drives: The Unintentional Meditation
Sure, some lodges offer early morning yoga or breathwork sessions on the deck – sometimes even on a rocky outcrop by a peaceful river. If that’s your jam, you’ll find options. But don’t overlook the inherent stillness of a game drive.
Hours can pass with little conversation. There’s a rhythm to it – drive, stop, wait, listen. You’re not being told to focus on your breath, but you find yourself keeping it steady anyway as a rhino comes into view. It’s one of the more unexpected ways of learning how to stay present – through movement and quiet observation.
Stillness has its own kind of tension
Follow Their Eyes, Learn to See
Ever noticed how your guide can spot a chameleon from 30 paces, or react instantly to the sharp alarm chatter of a tree squirrel? That sound may be small, but it often signals something big – a predator nearby, a shift in the bush dynamic. Guides hear it, clock it, and change course before you’ve even worked out what’s different. That’s presence. Real, grounded, trained-in-the-bush presence.
Guides spend years refining their awareness, reading landscapes like a well-read novel, and moving through the wilderness with attention that borders on supernatural. Watching them – and learning from them – is a masterclass in showing up fully. They don’t just see. They notice. They anticipate. And they’ll help you do the same. If you’re wondering how to stay present on safari, start by observing your guide.
Learn from the best how to stay present, Image Credit: Wilderness
Presence in the Wildest Places
Presence isn’t limited to the back of a vehicle. Some of the most grounding moments happen on a walking safari. Following animal tracks. Smelling fresh dung (yes, really – it’s surprisingly not as unpleasant as you might think). Realising just how loud your footsteps sound when you’re walking through Big 5 territory.
Then there are starbeds – open-air platforms where you sleep under the stars (and yes, someone does keep watch). Bush breakfasts. Coffee brewed over a fire. A cold drink in the middle of nowhere that somehow tastes better than anything you’ve had in civilization. These are all moments that remind you how to stay present in a way no mindfulness app ever could.
Some places do the grounding for you, Image Credit: Lion Sands
Quick Fixes When Your Brain Wanders
Caught yourself mentally drafting emails while out on game drive? It happens. Try these quick recalibrations:
- Count how many different bird calls you can hear in a minute.
- Name five things you can smell – yes, popcorn counts (that would be leopard pee).
- Notice the shape of the clouds... any giraffes or aardvarks in there?
- Ask your guide a question. Any question. They’ll regale you with insights until the African wild dogs come home.
- Put your phone on airplane mode and call it a "low-altitude flight".
They’re small actions with real impact – gentle nudges that pull your focus back to the here and now, before your brain decides to go wandering off again.
This is what a reset actually looks like, Image Credit: Chobe Chilwero
Scribble it Down, Anchor it Deep
You don’t need a leather-bound notebook or poetic aspirations. Just scribble. Bullet-point the things you saw. The questions you asked your guide. The subtle shift in the air just before dusk.
If writing’s not your thing, record a voice note. Snap one thoughtful photo instead of a hundred quick ones. Sketch the shape of a termite mound. Presence is precious, so capture the moment.
Write it while you’re dusty and grinning and still full of campfire smoke. Write it for your future self, who will one day forget how that hyena laughed. This is how to stay present after the safari, too – by anchoring the memories in something tangible.
What you note now, you’ll thank yourself for later, Image Credit: Ngorongoro Crater Camp
The End Doesn’t Mean It’s Over
Earlier, I mentioned finding presence mid-stride on a walking safari. That moment? It stayed with me. Not because I meditated on it. But because I absorbed it – fully, with all senses tuned in and my attention rooted in that exact sliver of time.
That's the trick to staying present on safari. You don’t need a mantra. Or a mat. Or a TED Talk. You just need to notice. To show up. To stop looking at Africa through a lens and let it look right back at you.
Want to know how to stay present in a world constantly pulling you elsewhere? Let Africa show you.
