Africa is the cradle of humanity, culture, wildlife, and the birthplace of safaris. In Africa, there is so much to experience, no matter which region of the continent you are exploring. Whether it is exploring the diverse ecosystems that range from desert to bushland to tropical climates, impressive encounters with iconic wildlife like the Big 5 (lion, leopard, cape buffaloes, elephants, and rhinos), or indulging in one of the many unique experiences like trekking mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Volcanoes National Park, bungee jumping in Victoria Falls, scaling the famous Table Mountain, or watching the Great Wildebeest Migration from a hot-air balloon in Serengeti and Masai Mara. In Africa, the list of possibilities is endless.
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What is the best African Safari? This is a frequently asked question by travelers interested in visiting this beautiful continent for a safari. The reality is that “The Best African Safari” doesn’t exist in a singular sense. However, it depends on what you wish to see, when you go, and the kind of traveler you are, among other variables.
In attempts to look for the best African safari, it is always good to start with some ideas, a foundation from which to build the best African safari that incorporates everything you dream of.
To show you the way, we have compiled suggestions for safaris focusing on specific aspects of an African Safari.
The Quintessential Safari
When a safari first-timer pictures an African Safari, it is common that it will evoke images of colonial tents, sweeping plains, herds of zebras and giraffes gracing the horizon, and big cats prowling through the tall savannah grasses. This iconic and breathtaking scenery is readily found in Kenya and Tanzania, the only countries to provide the best African Safari for this particular experience, and because of that, they are the most visited and well-appointed for such adventures.
The Masai Mara in Kenya and the Serengeti in Tanzania embody colonial safari. Homesteads hark back to the early – and mid-1900s, frozen since English gentlemen first settled on the plains, bringing with them the decadent trappings of a traditionally upper-class lifestyle. The extravagance of the past was extraordinary; grand pianos, fine bone china, crystal glassware, weighty timber furniture, and much more were meticulously shipped from the homeland to create a little piece of England in a very foreign world.
This can still be felt in numerous properties across the two countries, and the whispers of the era echo onwards to this day. From these lush surroundings, one can venture out on a game drive straight from the pages of a safari book. Watch elephants induce a cloud of dust as they wander the savannah plains in search of water during the dry season, the Great Migration as thousands of wildebeests, accompanied by zebras and gazelles, make their way southwards in its perpetual circumnavigation, and leopards scan the vista from sporadic trees. The Maasai people also dwell in the area. The Maasai are the most recognized of Africa’s tribespeople, swathed in their red Shuka blankets, spear in hand, and one leg lifted in mimicry of a flamingo.
These local people are often employed as guides and occasionally perform their famous Adumu leaping dance for guests. They are, in many ways, the epitome of African tradition, and their knowledge makes them the perfect companions for newcomers.
Additionally, the roving tented camps provide a safari under canvas. Wonderfully romantic, these opulent tents place visitors in the heart of nature and, just like their forebears of the last century, are replete with the spoils of colonial travel, from crisp cotton sheets to copper wash basins.
For visitors searching for a more classical experience, Kenya and Tanzania provide the best African Safari.
A Visual Safari
If you are a photographer and a nature lover, Botswana could be the best African safari for you. Although Botswana’s vast and sprawling perpetual aquatic network – The Okavango Delta provides an almost magnetic pull, a Botswana Safari is incredibly diverse, and its abundance of species creates an ideal setting for a photographic safari.
The luxurious lodges on the banks of the waterways, some on their private islands, create an impeccable viewing platform from which to observe and capture the passing wildlife.
The birdlife swooped and soared in the skies above while hippos, crocodiles, and elephants basked in the waters. Stepping from the shore, one can board a cruise or traditional Mokoro canoe for a perspective unachievable on land.
The delta draws in a striking variety of wildlife, from numerous antelope species to the big cats. It is also possible to expand your horizons in Botswana. Chobe National Park on the northern border is home to large elephant populations, the remaining four of the Big Five: leopard, lion, Cape buffalo, and rhinoceros. Though less aqueous than the Okavango, rivers and wetlands in the park still provide plentiful hydration for game and water safaris for visitors. In Chobe National Park, it is possible to find some scarce species, including cheetahs, roan antelopes, and African wild dogs, which are incredible to be shot by the hungry camera lens.
At the heart of Botswana is the strikingly contrasting Makgadikgadi, an ancient lake –now an arid, dry salt pan. While a few animals dwell here, a handful of residents are exquisitely mixed with the landscape. Occasional zebras and elephant herds roam across the flat, white landscape, and semi-habituated meerkats offer a charming interaction with African wildlife.
The Extraordinary Safari
For travelers more familiar with a somewhat conventional safari, there can be a desire for a different kind of experience, venturing somewhere completely divergent from their previous experience.
For this kind of experience, Namibia is considered the best African Safari. Having experienced and enjoyed many games on previous safaris, nature may fall second to experience. While Namibia hosts nature, Etosha National Park and the Central North region offer somewhat more typical game drives, the dunes and deserts are what have made Namibia an attraction for travelers searching for an alternative.
The waves of sand, sculpted by wind and time, soar skywards, skeletal trees stand as shadows of a more irrigated past, and wandering wildlife such as rhinos, elephants, Cheetahs, and add extra magic to the hearts of onlookers.
The magnificent Namibia has one of the five highest dunes in the world, named Dune 7, and its impressive size is a wondrous spectacle to behold. Balloon flights across this arid environment are stunning, the seemingly empty landscape coming to life in contrast, and its immensity is better appreciated from above.
Despite this comparative emptiness, high luxuries, with a section of lodges and camps, reflect the uniqueness of their surroundings. These architecturally impressive sites house opulent accommodation, in their rooms and furnishings, and also in service and facilities. With such expansive horizons, the views venture beyond horizontal, and as night falls, lodges embrace the night sky, through telescopes and fireside viewing platforms, ceiling windows, and sliding roofs, offering a company of stars under which to drift off.
Namibia is not your typical safari destination, but for something utterly unique, it could well be considered the best African Safari.
A Luxury Wildlife Safari
South Africa is home to some of the most luxurious safaris on the African continent. The country is vast, offering a selection of luxury safari destinations. In terms of safaris, the Kruger region is its crowning jewel; the park forms part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, which encompasses many smaller parks reaching into Zimbabwe and Mozambique, from which the Kruger benefits greatly.
Wildlife is free to roam across this immense conservation area, covering 13,500 square miles, though many species establish semi-permanent territories. Kruger National Park is a sanctuary of luxury lodges, but its periphery lies a collection of private reserves, attracting a similar abundance of life, but with absolute exclusivity for guests.
Some of the luxurious lodges in the park, including Thornybush, Timbavati, Manyeleti, Sabi Sands, and MalaMala, all share borders with the park, each containing an elite collection of private camps and lodges. Some of the renowned accommodation options excelling in the finest accommodations include Singita, Londolozi, MORE Family Collection, and Royal Malewane. From architectural design to the most impeccable attention to detail and every conceivable creature comfort attended to, each property is of the highest echelon available throughout Africa.
In addition to these exceptional luxurious properties, the Kruger region attracts some of the most educated and experienced guides to escort guests through the dense bushland. Wildlife abounds, and reserves are particularly known for their high leopard populations. It is also possible to see the Big Five, along with some lesser-sighted species, including cheetahs, serval, wild dogs, Aardvarks, and pangolins, though these creatures are scarce.
A Safari of the Tastebuds
In some cases, animals and nature are not the elements of a safari. The word
simply means “to journey”, and this can manifest in myriad ways. A journey of senses can be found in the Western Cape and, while not the best African safari in the truest sense, it provides no less intrigue and wonder. The coastline of the Western Cape, known for its world-class vineyards, the crashing ocean, and the capital of Cape Town, has an assortment of superb attractions. Pure escapism can be found in the Winelands, where rolling hills of lilac fynbos undulate from the coast, giving way to wide plains at the foot of the Simonsberg mountain range, and it is here, particularly surrounding the towns of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, that early settlers first planted grapes.
As a complement to such fine vintages, a thriving contemporary culinary scene par excellence has risen, with some of the most renowned chefs opening restaurants or in-house creators at the numerous wineries.
An Adventurous African Safari
Though game drives are a very much preferred experience on an African Safari with closer encounters with a lion bull or elephant, this changes in Zambia. This beautiful country is renowned as the home of the walking safari, bringing nature into stark contrast, a complete immersion without the limitation of a safari vehicle and its noise.
Guided nature walks are carefully planned and done with an armed ranger always accompanying guests. Walks take place in areas with a low density of predatory game and dangerous wildlife, so the risk of such excursions is minimal, but the sense of vulnerability feels far more real than the reality. This makes for a thrilling experience, and the tangibility of nature all around you is captivating, with antelopes sauntering by, elephants peering in curiosity from a distance, and hippos snort and grunting in the Zambezi with their observers safely elevated on the steep banks. These senses are piqued by every rustle or crack of twigs, sounds, and smells of the bush omnipresent when steeping forth.
Beyond the bush, if your adrenaline gauge is still running low, dynamic activities such as helicopters, flights, and canoeing on the Zambezi will elevate the needle. Boat cruises and catch-and-release fishing for the ferocious tigerfish may be less physical, but the drama and thrill are intoxicating.
In Zambia, nature is plentiful, mostly due to the life-giving waters of the Zambezi River. However, there is a distinct uniqueness to a Zambia Safari, kin yet differentiating from similar journeys in Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, or any of the more familiar safari destinations.
Luxury can also be found in Zambia, and lodges are distantly scattered along the river’s banks and on sporadic private islands within its flow. Other African countries might offer better, pure safaris than Zambia, but here you get a more real, more wild, and less as if observing nature from a distance, from an open–top safari vehicle.
Five Steps to Creating Your Best African Safari
Select a budget – It is essential to travel within your budget. When you make a financial choice, you are closer to achieving your wishes of the best African safari. Choose a theme – the kind of safari plays a great role, animals, culture, camps/lodges, numerous transfers, or extended stays also play a part. It might be as simple as suggesting, “ I would like to see the Big Five and visit as many varied destinations as possible.”
Select a country… or three – it is not essential to provide a preferred location as our Travel Consultant will advise you on the best destinations in which to achieve your goals, but selecting a country or countries of your interest will help them to better understand what it is you are searching for.
Experience Your Safari – Allow yourself the freedom to plunge into each African safari experience as well as destination. Our guides will care for you, staff will tend to your wishes – surrender to every moment and reap the rewards. Even if you are a photographer or it is your passion, view your journey through a screen as little as possible.
These are just a few of the incredible experiences waiting for you. Reach out to GoExplore Safaris and let’s start planning a safari that’s as unique as your dreams.
