“An amazing real life perspective on African safari that has been delightfully shared. Funny and witty. Footsteps well worth following.” –Philip Coetzee, South Africa, Advanced Nature Guide, author of Birds for Beginners. Four friends, all big-city dwellers, embark on their first African safari. An internationally published travel writer and her husband, an award-winning travel photographer, are joined by their life-long friends on a journey to South Africa and Zimbabwe. Previously, their exploration of over 60 countries took them to big cities, architectural masterpieces, and world-class museums around the globe. But this trip is different. Following laborious preparation, they find themselves face to face with the wild animals of the African savannah on their first of several African safari adventures. Traveling in a safari vehicle and on foot around Kruger National Park and Victoria Falls opens a new and exciting world of the animal kingdom to this group of friends. They crisscross the bush and meet African wildlife in its natural habitat. Which predators, grass eaters, branch nibblers, and birds of prey did they find? What did the African safari animals do in the presence of people? How did each traveler behave in unexpected and dangerous situations? How does it feel to be only a few feet away from a pride of lions devouring their kill, a herd of suspicious elephants, an intimidating Cape buffalo, or an unpredictable rhinoceros? In an easy to read, conversational style, the author, Alex Shaland, delivers a fair mix of wildlife photography, animal and bird factual data, and practical information. Shaland shares his experiences as a first-time safari explorer and sprinkles the narrative with a good dose of humor and personal stories. Starting out with the preparation for the trip, he talks about the options of safari game reserves, lodges, and vehicles that his wife and he considered and adds a touch of historical information related to the places they chose to visit. Chapters discussing individual animals and birds combine insightful information illustrated by an ample number of author’s photographs with his personal observations. If a trip to Africa is in your plans, this entertaining and informative book, jam-packed with photos of animals and birds, will help you make the first step on the way to your dream. If you like African stories and are interested in wildlife, nature, and animal protection, this story will enrich your knowledge of the animal kingdom. If you already read some of the other African safari books, this one will be a nice addition to your collection. At the very least, it is just fun to read. ★★★★★ "An excellent book...beautiful descriptions of mammals, birds, and reptiles based on real first-hand experiences."-Bob Bartolotta, former educator and field guide, The Cleveland Museum of Natural History ★★★★★ "An amazing real-life perspective that has been delightfully shared. Funny and witty. Footsteps well worth following."-Philip Coetzee, South Africa, Advanced Nature Guide, author of " Birds for Beginners" ★★★★★ "A fascinating intro to Safari choice criteria, it is also easy light reading and ... gives a heads up on what needs to be considered in an ...entertaining way."-Nic Griffin, Chief Executive, The Thornybush Luxury Game Lodge Collection, South Africa ★★★★★ "... a good amount of valuable travel information, humorous personal stories, and comprehensive description of the animal inhabitants of South Africa and Zimbabwe. Animal lovers and nature buffs, experienced glob-trotters and arm-chair travelers ... will inevitably fall under the spell of the book."-Sophie Muchnik, Skokie Public Library ★★★★★ "In a light and conversational style, the writer/photographer details his first safari. ...beautiful photographs that will make you feel you are there, enjoying a safari from your armchair!"-Sandra Kramer, Attorney and travel enthusiast ★★★★★ "A first-hand guide to navigating the complexities of choosing the best safari for you. Easy to read scientific tidbits of each animal are written with a sense of humor that makes this book difficult to put down."-Christine Hauber, Hauber Fine Art Photography ★★★★★ ​"Are you ready for a wildlife adventure in southern Africa? Not sure where to start? What a wonderful travel guide "Suburbanites on Safari" is!"-Barbara Miller, author of "The European Quest to Find Terra Australis Incognita" and four other books This book is about the first safari experience of four friends, all big-city dwellers, in South Africa and Zimbabwe.  It is a story featuring the animals and birds we saw in their native habitat and our impressions and feelings when we met them face to face. I also share some of the knowledge acquired when deciding on the places to visit and the options we had to choose. The book is filled with my photographs which illustrate the story and, hopefully, help you enjoy this virtual journey to Africa. Alex Shaland started his writing ca