Last Updated on May 21, 2025 by Patrick Nichols
There was a time when safaris weren’t just vacations, they were grand adventures. In the late 1900s, traveling through the African wilderness meant loading up a rugged Land Rover, packing a camera, and heading into landscapes that felt untouched and limitless.
Long before smartphones, every shot was deliberate, each moment carefully framed through the viewfinder. The result is a collection of candid, atmospheric scenes that speak to the thrill and romance of old-world safari life. Whether it’s a group of lions waiting patiently, or the stillness of dawn over the savannah, these images tell a quiet, powerful story of what it meant to truly journey into the wild. Here are 20 vintage photos of safari trips in the late 1900s.
1. Viscount Weymouth and Lord Thynne in 1968 at Longleat Park
2. Playing with his elephant friend
3. On a camel safari in India
4. Eartha Kitt chillin’ with the cheetahs
5. Michael Jackson on a safari, 1970s
6. Taking photos of the wildlife out of the sunroof
7. Helping an elephant that is stuck in the mud
8. Theodore Roosevelt taking a rest while on a safari
9. Earnest and Mary Hemingway in a Land Rover during a safari
10. Hanging out with some giraffes
11. They flipped the car on a driving safari
12. Giraffe crossing, Lion Country Safari
13. Well, they know no one’s going to trespass
14. Bengal tigers crossing
15. These zebras are snagging some food
16. Driving through the grasslands
17. They’re waiting for people to pass so patiently
18. Good thing they had the windows rolled up
19. Surrounded by tigers
20. The stare down of the century
Want to see more content about animals?
Take a look at 15 Endangered Animals That Need Our Help, or check out 20 Albino Versions of Animals That Are As Unique As They Are Amazing. Finally, if you want to take a look at Cryptic legends, check out 20 Unrecognizable Animals That Prove Cryptozoology Isn’t All Hype.
