Safari Inspiration From The Big Screen…

With Beyonce lending her voice to Nala in the soon to be released, live-action version of The Lion King, we’re pretty sure that safaris in the Serengeti(the film taking its inspiration from the national park) and the Olduvai Gorge, where Mufasa met his untimely end, will prove to be popular this year.

Choose from our Camping Overland, Accommodated Overland and Short Safaris & Treks collections and experience the endless plains for yourself, the Serengeti offering up some of the best wildlife viewings in the world.

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As one Serengeti visitor reported in Getaway magazine, “It’s not hard to see a full spectrum of African wildlife whilst on safari.”

The more complete list included a herd of elephant with calves, a mother leopard and her cubs playing in a tree, an impressive herd of buffalo, a mating pair of lions and a bulging pod of hippo… Wild dog, lion, cheetah, jackal and hyena tailing herds of wildebeest, zebra and Thompson’s gazelle.

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You’ll have to wait for The Lion King’s release on 17 July (this year marking the 25th anniversary of the release of the original), but until then why not get your eyes round these film reels as Africa’s dramatic landscapes, exotic wildlife and the cultural melting pot that makes up this wondrous continent continues to be a huge drawcard for Hollywood and many up and coming independent movie producers.

BLACK PANTHER: Wakanda isn’t real so you might have to drop a set-jetting trip off your bucket list, and sadly while many people claim Kenya is its fictional birthplace, much of the Black Panther movie was filmed outside of Africa. Somewhat of a silver lining, Marzano Films did provide a few aerial shots for this cinematic masterpiece, the locations including: South Africa’s Golden Gate Highlands National Park (we drive through this park on our Kruger to Cape Town and our Coast to Cape Town Camping Overland and Accommodated Overland tours), the Victoria Falls in Livingstone, Zambia(a drone was actually flown over the falls to recreate the same scene) and Uganda’s Rwenzori Mountains, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Lake Bunyonyi.

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OUT OF AFRICA might have been released way back in 1985, but Meryl Streep and Robert Redford have the kind of relationship chemistry that never goes out of date. Add in some spectacular cinematography and you not only have a compelling romantic drama but also dazzling Kenya landscapes that just scream “Get me on a plane to the Mara NOW!”

We have a whole host of options to suit your travel type from budget camper to more laid back lover of luxury, all of them including game drives in Kenya’s premier game reserve included on our Camping Overland and Accommodated Overland tours, Small Group Safaris and Short Safaris & Treks.

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Even though it was released back in 1980, THE GODS MUST BE CRAZY hstill has a global cult following – Rotten Tomatoes ranking it at an impressive 95%! 

The comedy is full of slapstick, the film contrasting two distinctly different societies: the “Bushmen” of the Kalahari desert, and the civilian urbanites of post-colonial Africa. There are pitfalls on both sides which probably makes the film even more relevant today, though nothing beats meeting the tribe for real in Ghanzi.

On our tours you will have the opportunity to get a handle on how the bushmen work in harmony with nature and manage the renewable resources found in their natural surroundings, and enjoy a cultural evening of dance (on special occasions this could be a healing or trance dance, which can continue all night, and is an intense spiritual experience for participants and visitors alike) before pitching a tent under one of the most unpolluted starry skies in Africa – your campsite based on the edge of the Kalahari.

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THE FIRST GRADER: The real-life story of an 84 year-old Kenyan villager and ex Mau Mau veteran who fights for his right to go to school for the first time to get the education he could never afford, this movie (released in 2010) gives a heartwarming message of triumph over adversity and the importance of learning from our past.  True tearjerker material, the movie secured 18 award wins and 12 nominations making it a must-see.

A British production the film was shot on location in the Rift Valley in Kenya. 

Director Chadwick conveyed, “We could have shot it in South Africa, but Kenya has this unbelievable, inexplicable energy inherent in the children, and the people we were making the film about”.

An atmospheric journey, as we venture out of the Kenyan capital of Nairobi and head for the Mara, our tours take you down the Great Rift Valley passing Mount Longonot before entering the game reserve and is grassy plains. For added excitement we are often able to game drive en route and spot some wild animals.

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EYE OF THE PANGOLIN is a ground-breaking new documentary about the most trafficked mammal on earth. It premiered on Friday 17 May, Endangered Species Day, and is now freely available online for worldwide viewing. Pangolin. Africa, an NPO dedicated to the conservation of this species and a major partner in the production of the film, took a unique approach to its distribution, in a bold attempt to make this the most watched wildlife documentary ever.

Pangolin.Africa is utilising streaming services, as opposed to more traditional channels, for global distribution thus harnessing the power and popularity of YouTube to take the film to the world.

From the co-director of Blood Lions, the powerful documentary is the story of two men on a mission to get all four species of African pangolin on camera for the very first time. As they travel the continent to learn more about those caring for and studying pangolins they are captivated by these strange, secretive creatures and document the race to save them from being poached to extinction. 

Filmed on location in South Africa, Ghana, Central African Republic and Ghana, Eye of the Pangolin is freely available as an open source film, accessible for viewing around the world via numerous online platforms. The film will also be taken to wildlife and conservation film festivals. 

Inspired? Come to South Africa and visit the Kruger with us, pangolins best sighted on night drives in the national park. 

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More Safari Inspiration From The Big Screen:

LAST KING OF SCOTLAND: Uganda

THE AFRICAN QUEEN: The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda (locations included the Nile River)

WHITE HUNTER BLACK HEART: Zimbabwe & Zambia

BLOOD DIAMOND: MOZAMBIQUE & SOUTH AFRICA

THE CONSTANT GARDENER: Kenya, with locations including the capital of Nairobi)

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