6 Best Places to Visit in Africa on Safari

The Serengeti National Park captures the quintessential image of an African safari. The Best Serengeti Safaris are defined by vast, open plains that seem to stretch on forever. It is a land of staggering wildlife populations, acting as the grand stage for the annual Great Migration. The landscape, marked by iconic flat-topped acacia trees and sporadic rock formations known as kopjes, supports the largest concentration of mammals on Earth, making every moment a potential for extraordinary game viewing.

What to Expect

• The Great Migration, as millions of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle thunder across the plains in a continuous cycle of survival.
• Predator action, with lions frequently using the granite kopjes as vantage points to survey their grassy kingdom.
• Endless plains that create a stunning, unbroken panoramic landscape teeming with grazing animals.
• Abundant wildlife that includes enormous numbers of eland, topi, waterbuck, and gazelle alongside the migrating herds.
• Diverse ecosystems that range from riverine forests to woodlands, each supporting a different array of life.

Recommended length of stay: 4-5 days

Gazing across Kenya’s Maasai Mara is like stepping into a classic safari storybook, with endless grasslands punctuated by lone acacia trees. As an extension of the Serengeti ecosystem, it is renowned for its incredible density of predators, boasting more big cats per square mile than almost anywhere else in Africa. This rich concentration of lions, leopards, and cheetahs is supported by an abundance of grazing animals, making for consistently thrilling game viewing that you can experience on our Best Maasai Mara Safaris.

What to Expect

• Big cats in remarkable numbers, offering some of the best opportunities in Africa to see lions, leopards, and cheetahs.
• River crossings, where the migrating wildebeest herds must brave crocodile-infested waters in a dramatic fight for survival.
• Balloon safaris at sunrise, providing breathtaking, panoramic views of the sprawling plains and the wildlife below.
• Migratory birds that flock to the reserve, adding a vibrant splash of colour to the iconic landscapes.
• Galloping herds of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle that create a constant sense of movement and energy across the plains.

Recommended length of stay: 4-5 days

The Okavango Delta is a phenomenal oasis, a true natural wonder where the Okavango River floods the sands of the Kalahari Desert to create a mesmerizing inland delta. This unique, watery wilderness of labyrinthine channels, tranquil lagoons, and thousands of palm-fringed islands offers a safari experience unlike any other. Life is dictated by the annual flood and exploration happens as much on water as it does on land, creating a sense of tranquil seclusion. Experience it all on Okavango Delta Safaris and Vacation Packages.

What to Expect

• Water safaris in a traditional dugout canoe, or mokoro, allowing you to glide silently through the reed-lined waterways.
• Unique sightings of animals adapting to the aquatic world, including elephants and even lions wading through the channels.
• Island walks with expert guides, as walking safaris across the delta’s many isolated islands are a signature activity.
• Exceptional birding, with over 400 recorded species thriving in the rich wetlands, from majestic fish eagles to tiny kingfishers.
• Surprising wildlife such as large herds of elephants, Nile crocodiles, leopards, and the elegant greater kudu.

Recommended length of stay: 3-4 days

As one of the oldest, largest, and most famous national parks in Africa, Kruger is a titan of wildlife conservation. Its remarkable scale is matched only by its diversity, encompassing varied biospheres that support an incredible array of animals, including the iconic Big Five. The park’s unfenced borders with adjacent private luxury reserves create a vast and seamless ecosystem, renowned for some of the most reliable and rewarding game viewing on the continent. For more inspiration on planning your Kruger adventure, see our Best Kruger National Park Safaris.

What to Expect

• The Big Five—lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, and rhino—are all readily found within the park’s immense borders.
• Rhino encounters with significant and carefully protected populations of critically endangered black and white rhino.
• Private concessions that share unfenced borders with the park, offering exclusive activities like off-roading and night drives.
• Remarkable scale that gives you access to an authentic wilderness feel, from immense carved valleys to wild predator scenes.
• Superb birding, with a checklist of over 500 bird species recorded across the park's varied habitats.

Recommended length of stay: 4-5 days

Volcanoes National Park is a breathtaking landscape of five steep, forest-draped volcanoes that rise majestically through the mist. This protected sanctuary of lush bamboo and dense rainforest is famous for being one of the last remaining refuges for the endangered mountain gorilla. A visit here is not a traditional vehicle-based safari, but an immersive and profound walking adventure in search of some of the planet's rarest creatures.

What to Expect

• Gorilla trekking on foot through the forest to spend an unforgettable, life-changing hour with a habituated mountain gorilla family.
• Golden monkeys, which are playful and endangered primates with vibrant coats, found only in the Virunga volcanic chain.
• Stunning landscapes as you hike through impenetrable forests and lush bamboo groves on the steep volcanic slopes.
• Rare wildlife hidden within the jungle terrain, offering a rewarding challenge for intrepid explorers.
• Dian Fossey’s legacy, with the opportunity to hike to the primatologist’s original research centre and tomb.

To find out more about what you will experience when visiting Volcanoes National Park, take a look at Zicasso’s Rwanda and Uganda: What to Expect When Gorilla Trekking.

Recommended length of stay: 2-3 days

South Luangwa National Park is one of Africa’s premier destinations for raw and untamed wilderness, famously known as the birthplace of the walking safari. On our Africa’s Original Luxury Walking Safari: Exploring South Luangwa on Foot, you will discover that the park’s incredible density of wildlife is concentrated around the meandering Luangwa River, which serves as a lifeline for huge populations of hippos, crocodiles, and elephants. It is an authentic and action-packed destination that offers some of the best leopard sightings and walking adventures on the continent.

What to Expect

• Walking safaris, as the park is legendary for its immersive and expertly guided explorations on foot through the wild bush.
• Leopard sightings in the "Valley of the Leopard," which is renowned for having one of Africa's highest densities of these elusive cats.
• River action along the banks of the Luangwa, which are packed with rowdy hippos, barreling buffalo, and splashing elephants.
• Endemic species such as the unique Thornicraft’s giraffe and large herds of the graceful puku antelope.
• Untamed wilderness that provides a feeling of authentic adventure, from bumpy roads to the thrill of tracking animals on foot.

Recommended length of stay: 2-3 days

Step into a world of primal wonder, endless horizons, and breathtaking wildlife when you venture into the iconic safari lands of Africa. Vast savannas, lush deltas, and ancient forests invite you to see, hear, and feel the untamed spirit of the continent.

Whether you want to soar over the Maasai Mara in a hot-air balloon at dawn or enjoy a private candlelit dinner in the heart of the Okavango Delta, you can find inspiration for your trip with our sample African safari tours and vacation packages or our comprehensive African safari travel guide.