Africa has become a central safari destination, embracing its natural beauty with a mixture of majestic animals and deep-rooted culture.
To go on a safari in Africa is to have one of the most exhilarating experiences, both for leisure and adventure seekers. Game drives or walks, remote camping or sleeping over in leisure, they have it all.
Whether you want to experience the big five or take in the beautiful fauna and flora, here is our list of the best safaris in Africa.
How to Choose the Best Safari in Africa
African safaris are best experienced in the dryer seasons, so before visiting, you should consider the best times to visit Africa to experience the animals when they are most active.
Masai Mara – Kenya Safari
Masai Mara is one of the best destinations for an African safari. It possesses everything you would want from a safari destination. Based in the South-West of Kenya, Masai Mara has everything and then some. With endless plains stretching over 1510 square kilometres and bordering the Serengeti National Park, the Masai Mara has endless possibilities with so much to discover.
The national reserve is well known for its magnificent list of animals that roam around in their natural habitat. They have the Big Five but you can also easily spot the giraffe, zebra, cheetah, and more than 450 different bird species.
The park is more than just endless plains and wildlife, you can also experience Kenyan culture with the Maasai tribe. The nomadic, warrior tribe who had possessed many of the land pre colonial times, but still practice their traditions without the modern society.
Itinerary for this African Safari
- Spend your days or nights traveling around the safari in a game drive spotting all the animals
- Experience the reserve from a hot-air balloon
- Spend a night mobile camping in the Mara
- Visit the Maasai village and experience their culture and way of life
- Bush meals at sunset
- Horseback safaris
Kruger National Park – South Africa Safari
In the Northeastern part of South Africa, the Kruger National Park is one of the best places for a safari. This is one of South Africa’s biggest attractions, and it’s easy to see why. With 22 000 square kilometers of wild natural freedom, there is more than enough space to roam even in its peak times.
Kruger is so vast that it’s only natural it has botanic diversity and can be divided into 16 macro ecozones. Possessing over 300 different tree species, the park thrives even more with fauna and flaura lovers. With its extensive size, the park has over 500 different bird species that flock over every inch of the land, making it a bird-spotter’s paradise.
The game that can be found at the Kruger is quite impressive. You can easily spot the Big Five as they have approximately 1 500 lions, 17 000 elephants, 48 000 buffaloes, 1 000 leopards and over 3 500 rhinos. Even without the Big Five, the park has around 147 other mammal species.
Find more Kruger National Park facts here.
Itinerary for this African Safari
- Kruger Game drives is a must, especially with the range of animals that can be found at the park
- Outdoor camping
- On your way out, take the panorama route to experience more beauty
- Hot-air balloon flight over the park
- Safari by horseback
- Visit the Olifant River, the animal sanctuary of the Park to spot animals at the watering hole
Serengeti National Park – Tanzania Safari
One of the top safaris in Africa, the Serengeti National Park is a World Heritage site that partners with wildlife. Situated in the Northwestern region of Tanzania, the park covers 14 750 square kilometers and it’s all grassland plains, savannas, riverine forest, and woodlands. Clearly space is not an issue.
The Serengeti are home to the big five in their large numbers, but the park also has a wide range of other animals. Together with the big five, the Serengeti also hosts giraffes, wild dogs, hippos, baboons, over 500 bird species, and many more, while crocodiles inhibit the marshes close to the Mara river.
One of the parks biggest attractions is the great migration where over 1 million buffaloes, after giving birth in the South Serengeti, slowly migrate North depending on when the drought starts. With wild predators all trying to hunt down the buffalo calves ,they all move together to inhibit a warmer area and slowly make their way to Massai Mara.
Itinerary for this African Safari
- Day or night game drives
- Be apart of the great migration between January and March
- Hot-air balloon over the Serengeti
- Remote camping or lodging
- Visit the Retina Hippo pool
- Watch animals at the Seronera River
South Luangwa National Park – Zambia
Situated just East from the Luangwa River in Zambia, the South Luangwa National Park is 9059 square kilometers. As the first safari to introduce walking safaris, this is one of the finest in Africa. The park is good almost all-year round, as each season is an experience in itself.
The park has 60 different animal species ranging from lions, cheetahs, buffaloes, and hippos to colorful reptiles, rodents, and smaller carnivores with over 400 different bird species. Unfortunately, the park has no rhinos, as they were highly affected by poachers.
One of the park’s main attractions is the Luangwa River which is the most intact river system in Africa and acts as a sanctuary for the animals that roam the National Park. One of the best places to spot animals on a dryer day when they seek water.
Itinerary for this African Safari
- Walking safaris and hikes
- Game drives both at dawn or at night
- Boat safaris on the Luangwa River
- Visit the Kawaza village – home to the Kunda tribe for a cultural experience
Set off on an African Safari Tour
It’s easy to see why people love African safari trips. These destinations offer some of the best African safari tours that you must have on your bucket list.
Whether it’s South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya or Zambia, these are some of the best countries for a safari in Africa.
Last updated on October 13th, 2023 at 02:35 pm
It was a very nice safari, we saw all the animals except the leopard. In the future, however, I would prefer a safari of your own, as you have already felt very much like a tourist.