These negative comments about Africa Safari's are surprising to me based on my experience in Kenya last year. My experience was very different. With just a Canon SX50 Bridge Camera, I was able get some fantastic animal pictures. Depending on which parks you take a Safari in, you will most likely see at least some of the 'Big 5' animals: Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Elephant and Cape Buffalo. Some of these sightings may be a considerable distance, as has been stated. However, you will likely see large numbers of other animals in closer proximity. In Amboseli, Kenya, we saw lots of giraffes, zebras, wildbeasts, elephants, (Amboseli is known for elephants), hippos, and dozens of bird species. With a 35X zoom the OP would undoubtedly be able to get some really nice animal shots. I certainly don't think he's expecting magazine worthy shots with a Nikon A900, but he should be able to get some very satisfying animal shots. We were fortunate to get some very good opportunities with lions at two different locations. We also got some Cape Buffalo shots. Lots of elephant and giraffe shots. No Leopard or Rhino sightings that day. While I've heard of some groups having more challenging days sighting animals, these seem to be rare if one has an experienced Safari guide who knows where to go. I too, was in Kenya for three weeks for a different overall purpose, a missions/humanitarian trip which was an outstanding experience I will never forget. However, our day long Safari was an experience of a lifetime in itself, and taking pictures of the animals that day was incredibly fun.