Compared to the plethora of superhero movies released each year, one might think that films about Africa and safaris are few and far between. It is certainly a reality to face, but let’s revisit a selection of recent and older films about safaris that are worth checking out in 2022.
Love on Safari
Love on Safari is a classic Hallmark movie known for its romantic comedies and the recurring presence of actors like Lacey Chabert or Autumn Reeser. Released in 2018, the film follows the journey of Kira Slater, a young American web designer who inherits her late uncle’s wildlife reserve in South Africa.
Originally from Chicago, she hesitates between selling this inheritance or moving there. She eventually decides to make the trip and meets Tom, the manager of the estate whom she falls in love with (hence the name Love on Safari). Her admiration for her uncle’s establishment of a school, the beauty of the wild animals and their natural habitat, and her growing interest in Tom will convince her.
The Ghost and the Darkness
Traveling back a few years to the release of The Ghost and the Darkness in 1996. This film by Stephen Hopkins covers the journey to Kenya of British colonel and engineer John Henry Patterson (Val Kilmer), who comes for the construction of a bridge over the Tsavo River in the middle of the savanna.
But the project encounters obstacles. Lions attack the construction workers, causing about fifty fatalities, with two particularly fierce ones named Ghost and Darkness. Aided by Charles Remington (Michael Douglas), a renowned hunter, Patterson will hunt down these animals to complete his railway bridge project.
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A Safari for Christmas
A Safari for Christmas (Christmas in the Wild) released on Netflix in 2020 is another must-watch film. It introduces us to Kate (Kristin Davis), a woman who recently went through a difficult divorce and decides to travel alone to Zambia.
Instead of a typical safari vacation, she finds herself caring for a young elephant at a sanctuary where she meets Derek (Rob Lowe), a pilot. She is offered a second chance to love and soon marries Derek.
Contrary to its title, the film doesn’t quite offer a Christmas vibe, a celebration that only fills the last 30 minutes of the film. It rather inspires warmth for safaris.
Here are three films that celebrate Africa in its wildest form. Between love stories, professional projects, and obstacles on the way, they offer as many life lessons as invitations to travel. It’s up to you to determine your safari destination for the most beautiful experience.
