Discover the Best African Safaris

Africa is filled with incredible views, from the rising dunes to wildlife-filled savannas. Experience the wonders of the continent with our experts on trips to Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana, Rwanda and more. Witness the largest annual migration at the safari in Serengeti. Do lions, elephants, giraffes and more in an exciting family safari in South Africa.

1. Botswana

Botswana primary attraction is its vast wilderness. From the endless palm-covered islands of the Okavango Delta, to the moonscape saltpans of the Makgadikgadi region, it is the perfect destination for anyone seeking pristine, unfenced surroundings.

Botswana offers some unique highlights found in very few other countries in Africa. Large trumpeting herds of elephants are perhaps what the country is famous for, but it is also home to the rare African wild dog, the red lechwe and countless birds. Don’t miss out on the zebra migration, the red sands of the Central Kalahari that hides black-maned lions in its folds, and the Tuli Block, a leopard’s favourite hunting ground.

2. Honeymoons

Africa is a romantic destination worth visiting. From the sun-kissed beaches of its islands, to bushveld luxury, the continent offers off-the-beaten-track romance.Spend your days exploring cities, marvelling at a wildlife sighting that you’ll never experience anywhere else in the world, and make friendships that last a lifetime with some of the warmest and friendliest people in the world. Highlights include serenity on the private island of Bazaruto in the Mozambique archipelago, beach picnics, nights spent stargazing beneath the jewelled African sky, and the unique magic of golden sunsets with sundowners in hand.

3. Chobe National Park

For many, the focal point of this famous park is the flashing blue Chobe River itself. It’s described as one of Africa’s most beautiful rivers, winking at the world through its fringes of jackalberry and ana trees. The Chobe National Park is the ultimate haven for vast herds of elephant too.

Visitors flock to the river for thrilling tigerfishing experiences and sundowner cruises. Lucky guests cruising along the river can see lion on the banks, and rotund hippopotamuses slumber and wallow in the shallows. Every so often a slug of a croc will be seen, basking in the sun like all reptiles love to do, cooling themselves after a hot day in the scorching African sun. A wonderful getaway for families and solo travellers.

4. Kenya

Kenya is undoubtedly one of Africa’s finest Big Five and big cat destinations. But it has a great deal more to offer than just safaris. Here you will find the sultry Indian Ocean coastline, mysterious mediaeval ruins, dense tropical jungles, and traditional Swahili port towns.Kenya is a world of wonder, from Mount Kenya is a great alternative to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, camelback safaris in a seemingly endless wilderness and hot air ballooning over the vast acacia-dotted landscapes.

Not to forget the thrilling Wildebeest Migration, which accumulates into a show-stopping cross of the Mara River.Other highlights include Amboseli National Park; an elephant haven. The iconic image of herds crossing the beneath the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro in neighbouring Tanzania is the picture-perfect example of Kenya’s inherent beauty.

5. Kruger National Park

It is easy to see why the Kruger National Park is consistently rated as one of the top safari destinations in Africa. This enormous park is not only home to the famous Big Five, but it also boasts an incredibly diverse African savanna biome.

One of the most popular destinations in Southern Africa, this landlocked wildlife wonderland is arguably South Africa’s flagship attraction, catering for self-drivers, luxury-seekers and even those who prefer to rough it.The highest concentration of leopard can be found here, so if these big cats are a must-see for you, this is the place to be. Extend your Kruger safari by including a coastal trip along the country’s 2850 kilometres of coastline.

6. Mobile Camping

Whether you choose to rough it, or camp out in luxury, mobile camping is a great way to reconnect with nature in an authentic way. The roar of a lion just after sunset or the trickling stream nearby makes this a popular safari activity.

Mobile camps started in East Africa and the trend moved south from Kenya to Tanzania. While not that common in Southern Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe has pioneered the experience, so if glamping is your idea of the perfect safari, then this is the experience that will suit you best. Most camps are set up in exclusive wilderness sites that are far from the crowds and they allow you to explore the wildlife areas with the same group of people and the same guide throughout your journey ensuring continuity, familiarity and a personal camaraderie.

7. Madagascar

As far as genuinely fascinating destinations go, you can’t beat Madagascar. Beyond the exported images of baobabs and beaches are ancient forests and wetlands filled with peculiar creatures, secret bays once bedevilled by pirates and crumbling citadels built by feuding kings and queens. And that’s just the start.

In terms of marine life, Madagascar shares much of its variety with the western shores of Africa. Perennial visitors include hawksbill and green turtles, and humpback whales frequent its eastern bays on their mid-year migration from Antarctica. The split from Gondwanaland eons ago made this large island a hub of curiosities, species that have evolved to adapt and survive, in the most unusual ways.

The famous lemurs are a highlight, including the otherwordly tsingy rock formations, intruiging people and the bustling city of Antananarivo. Experiencing all that Madagascar has to offer would take even the most expedient traveller at least a year. Get lost in this island of wonder.

8. Mauritius

This paradise on Earth is the kind of tropical island fantasies are made of. Underwater adventures are a big draw, with snorkelling and scuba diving spots all over the island.Mauritius is a unique mix of French, British, Indian, Chinese and Creole people and has a fascinating history spanning centuries. Lying off the coast of East Africa, Mauritius has something to offer just about everyone, from couples looking for romantic experiences, families in search of outdoors activities for kids, and adventure seekers who want to have an active, exciting holiday.

9. Mount Kilimanjaro

The name Kilimanjaro is a mystery and is thought to mean ”Mountain of Light” or ”Mountain of Greatness”. No one is quite sure, but what is not under dispute is that Mount Kilimanjaro at 5895 metres (19,336 feet) is the highest peak on the African continent and tallest freestanding mountain on earth.

This majestic mountain can be found inside the Kilimanjaro National Park with its slopes and glaciers towering high above the clouds. Kilimanjaro is highly attractive to hikers for being the highest mountain anywhere in the world that can be ascended by ordinary tourists without specialised mountaineering experience or equipment. But the ascent is also very scenic, and it climbs through a diverse series of vegetation zones notable for their rich flora and fauna.

10. Serengeti

Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park is the safari destination that most people dream of. This massive wilderness area offers one of the continent’s best wildlife viewing experiences and the dramatic spectacle of the most spectacular animal movement on the planet; the Great Migration. Millions of wildebeest make the annual circular journey from the Serengeti to the Masai Mara in search of food and nutrients, the largest mammal migration on earth.

The Serengeti, however, is more than simply the Great Migration. It offers a plethora of unique landscapes that seem to go on forever, playing host to all of the Big Five, no matter where you go. Then there is the Ngorongoro Crater. A natural world wonder, UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest ancient caldera on the planet. It serves as the hunting grounds for big predators and the elusive Black rhino.

11. Rwanda

Rwanda is, quite simply, the best place in Africa to engage in what is arguably the world’s single most thrilling wildlife encounter: tracking mountain gorillas through the steep bamboo- and forest-swathed slopes of the Virunga Mountains. but this African country has far more to offer.

The mountain-ringed inland sea that is Lake Kivu, the perfect volcanic cones of the Virungas, and the endless succession of steep cultivated mountains that have led to it being dubbed the “Switzerland of Africa”. Then there is Akagera National Park, Rwanda’s only protected savannah and is the perfect complement to a trek through the forests of the better-known Volcanoes and Nyungwe National Parks in search of gorillas and chimpanzees.

12. Big Cat Safari

Africa’s big cats include leopards, lions and while not part of the Big Five, the endangered cheetah. The Masai Mara is in particular a big cat hotspot, followed closely by the Serengeti in Tanzania, and the Kruger National Park in South Africa.

Botswana is home to the famous Marsh Lion Pride. These lions are highly skilled in navigating the watery world of the Okavango. They are unique in that they have been documented bringing down elephants calves and the weaker memebers of a herd. Also deserving special mention are the Kalahari’s black-maned lions, unique in their desert-adapted looks and hunting behaviour.

13. Uganda

Uganda is truly ”the Pearl of Africa”. Winston Churchill penned these words about Uganda in 1907, and more than a century later, they still ring true. Uganda is one of the world’s most biodiverse countries: home to 13 types of primates and 330 mammals, of which six are found nowhere else, as well as more than 1000 bird species, it also encompasses a startling range of landscapes. The country conserves half of the world’s remaining wild mountain gorilla population, and tracking these magnificent primates in their wild habitat is one of the most memorable wildlife experiences on the planet.

14. Masai Mara

Kenya’s flagship park, the Masai Mara National Reserve, is one of Africa’s finest wildlife destinations where quintessential safari landscapes of vast acacia-dotted savannas teem with animals. The stellar highlight of the Masai Mara is, without a doubt, the Great Migration.

15. Shark Cage Diving

South Africa’s Atlantic Ocean is home to the fascination Great White shark, a ferocious but misunderstood fish. The Garden Route along the Western Cape is the best place to see these creatures underwater, on their turf.

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