Most Popular Safari Destinations – Whether it’s your first or fifth time, or you’re looking for luxury or on a budget, we’ve put together a guide to help you choose your perfect safari experience…
Safari means “long journey” in Swahili. Today, safari tourists can leave behind the country’s rugged past and venture deep into the African bush within 24 hours of Heathrow. Still, the old romantic era of Blackson and Hemingway retains its allure.
Most Popular Safari Destinations
So, with half the continent at your disposal, where do you begin? Should it be the endless plains of Tanzania’s Serengeti or the hidden waters of Botswana’s Okavango? Would you rather enjoy herds of wild animals in the open savannah? Or are you, perhaps, the more active type who dreams of chasing past unruly crocodiles or trampling a pride of lions?
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Your choice of safari comes down to wildlife. For many first-timers, the “big five” are at the top of the wish list – for the uninitiated, they’re lions, cheetahs, buffaloes, elephants and rhinos, as they were once considered top game. Gives better differentiation than others. Then there are the equally popular giraffes, zebras and hippos – not forgetting the adorable little ones from chameleons and dung beetles to meerkats and hornbills.
The good news is—at least in general wildlife terms—you really can’t go wrong. Each destination has its own unique and absent characteristics (for example, it makes no sense to look for springbok in the Serengeti or cheetah in Luangwa), each has the richness and diversity and greatness of the African background. You must destroy.
This safari takes you straight to some of Africa’s most iconic wildlife, including many of the Big Five, and doesn’t have to break the bank in the process.
Just picture a safari destination and chances are – if most TV documentaries feature Kenya’s dense savannas, flat-topped acacias and languid hunters marking the continent.
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The Masai Mara is the northern extension of Tanzania’s Serengeti, and large herds of wildebeest and other grazing animals that arrive between July and October dominate the park’s atmosphere. This jaw-dropping spectacle is a magnet for hunters. There is no better place to catch lions and cheetahs in double time with the open terrain and the convenience of cats around the car. Other draw cards include elephants, giraffes and the rare black rhinoceros.
The downside is its popularity, which sometimes interferes with clusters of minibuses. For a more unique experience, head to the top markets in the west. Bad roads and seasonal floods prevent self-driving for the first time.
The Serengeti is the most famous wildlife on the planet. Everything that applies to the Masai Mara – its northern extension – applies here, from the great migration to the ease of watching hunters. In addition, the Serengeti, at nearly 15,000 square kilometers, is almost ten times larger, meaning its plains are pretty much “endless” and there is a diversity of habitats. It also means that the audience is a little thinner on the ground than at Mara. The center of the park, around Sironera, is often busy, but private concessions to the north and west offer more unique options.
Ngorongoro Crater is a short drive east, still within the Serengeti Conservation Area. This volcanic caldera covers 250 square kilometers of plains, forests and lakes and has an incredible concentration of wildlife, including lions, elephants and black rhinos. Such wealth attracts crowds and the place sometimes looks like a wild zoo. But if your safari of a lifetime is limited to a day trip, then it should be here.
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Some purists argue that South Africa’s first national park is overcrowded and organized. Of course, its pitch-black roads and huge camps won’t appeal to everyone. But its 22,000 square kilometers mean there’s room for all comers, with enough back roads and bush camps to satisfy those with a deep jungle craving.
Whatever your taste, wildlife cannot be denied. With the Big Five (including both rhinoceros species) all thriving, as well as cheetahs, wild dogs, many large herbivores and over 500 bird species, you’ll find a huge selection here. Habitats range from hills and savannahs to forests and riparian forests. Abundant water helps, perennial streams ensure year-round game concentration. All-weather roads also make the best bet for monsoons.
An aspect of development is choice. From exclusive lodges to large public camps and overnight treks to the wilderness, Kruger truly offers everything. First-time and budget travelers will find this one of the easiest and most rewarding safari destinations in Africa.
Botswana is still a dry land, paradoxically, some of its best game viewing is by water. During the dry season, herds of wildlife flock to the riverbanks just north of Chubby National Park, where boat cruises pass numerous elephants and buffaloes. Lions and hyenas roam the loop roads, while sables are the most herbivorous. Victoria Falls is just a day trip away.
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Further south, the Murme Reserve protects the east coast of the Okavango Delta, where seasonal waterways through the mopane forest attract large numbers of game. There are many predators, including wild dogs. A boat trip through the narrow channels along the lake or mokoro (dugout canoe) offers plenty of game and bird life.
These two destinations are often combined, either by air or by a difficult road – the latter via the southern route, famous for elephants, lions and hyenas. Both can get crowded during high season. Self-drive is only for the experienced but there are budget mobile packages (using government campsites) and many lodges.
Zambia’s top park is generally seen as a destination for the more adventurous, thanks to its expert guides and small, owner-run lodges that encourage an all-inclusive bush experience. However, South Luangwa is a great first time destination. At the end of the dry season game concentrates around the flowing river and – with the exception of rhinoceros and cheetah – you can easily expect to see the full range of wildlife. Offers spectacular views. In fact, the park is known as the home of walking safaris.
It’s a challenging destination for the independent traveler – a very high-end lodge region. But you can expect a great all-round safari for your money, with excellent wildlife, attention to detail and raw bush appeal.
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Etosha is the Kruger of Namibia, with roads and facilities perfect for a self-drive, budget safari. The harsh, semi-arid terrain is not to everyone’s taste, with thorny scrub, calcrete rocks and broad, glossy salt flats. And without rivers, you can forget about hippos and crocs.
The best trick here is to hit one of the park’s many spring-fed watering holes and wait for the animals to come. At the end of the dry season, a thirsty game from an irrigated plant makes the process enjoyable. Zebras, giraffes, oryx and others jostle for position, giving way to herds of elephants and antelopes. A lion’s pride is hidden in his anger.
Every public camp has water drops, water lights at night, so you never need to leave the camp during dry season. During the rainy season, the temporary lake is home to lush greenery and flamingos. Several private concessions offer more upmarket guided safaris in the southern and western parts of the park.
With big game under your belt, this safari takes you away from the crowds and enjoys fully appreciating the wildlife.
Kenya Luxury Safari
The Zambezi River flows eastward through the vast floodplain between the Great Walls into the Indian Ocean. During the dry season, the valley’s islands, oxbows and river terraces are teeming with wildlife: large herds of elephants and buffalo descend from the mountains, while lions and other predators hunt along the river.
This picture-book panorama straddles two countries: the Zambian side (north) forms the Zambezi National Park; On the Zimbabwean side it falls within the Mana Pools World Heritage Site.
Absentees include rhinoceros, wildebeest and giraffe – but this place is more about quantity than quality. The scenic backdrop invites you to sit back and soak it all in – not a bad strategy, when wildlife roams the rivers at will.
Road access is poor and markets are stressed, especially on the Zambian side. Activities include game drives and bush walks. It’s Africa’s best canoeing destination: beaches of wildlife and pods of hippos lurk around every turn. Mana lake forest trails are for adventurers only.
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When to go: May-October for best game viewing; There is no road access to Mana Pool during the rainy season (November-April), when most Zambian camps are also closed.
If a trip to Murmi whets your appetite for the Okavango, several private concessions offer a very unique window into this amazing wildlife area. each
