I would go with either the Nikon P80 (top notch camera for image quality) or the Olympus SP570 UZ that has VR rivaling my 300mm f/2.8 VR on my Nikon SLR: that's REALLY good for Safari shots. The Canon was once the best in the lineup but for your usage the Nikon or the Olympus should serve you best (with the Olympus winning it for me).