Beyond Your Wildest Dreams: The Seven Best African Safaris

Google ‘trip of a lifetime’ and an African safari will be up there at the top of the list. Best experienced during the dry season between May and September, no matter how many wildlife documentaries you’ve watched, nothing can quite prepare you for the real thing.

From South Africa’s Kruger National Park to Tanzania’s Serengeti, all corners of Africa come teeming with storybook animals, from elephants and lions to tigers, wildebeest and so much more. Read on for seven of the greatest wildlife-watching destinations on Earth.

1. Kruger National Park, South Africa

It’s perhaps the most famous of all African safaris, so let’s start with Kruger National Park. Found within the far northeast of South Africa, it’s one of the most developed for tourists including good roads for self-drive and a huge variety of lodgings from self-catering apartments to luxury hotels. You’re not there for the thread-count though, so luckily Kruger National Park is also excellent for wildlife viewing, and you’ll likely see lions lounging and hippos swimming, while game drives and bush walks also allow visitors to spot the likes of Nile crocodiles, elephants, giraffes and rhinos.

2. Okavango Delta, Botswana

If an African horseback safari is top of your travel bucket list, look no further than Okavango Delta. While this inland delta happens to be one of the most expensive spots for an African safari, it’s also one of the most beautiful and wildlife-rich, and guests can explore 450,000 acres of pristine wilderness on calm, experienced horses with African Horseback, which offers incredible rides alongside big game like giraffe, zebra, elephant, zebra, and buffalo-hunting lions. If horses aren’t your thing, the Okavango Delta is fed by floodwaters from neighbouring Angola between May and October, making it the perfect time to explore the waterways by mokoro (a traditional canoe) – another truly unique experience.

3. Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

With its rolling hills, dramatic river crossings, sprawling savannahs, and, of course, an ample array of wildlife, the Masai Mara is an African safari dream. And that’s before we even mention the prolific Great Migration, which sees 1.5 million wildebeests thunder across the Mara River between July and October. Big cats are the name of the game here, so expect to see plenty of lions, cheetahs, and leopards, with wildlife habituated and easy to spot. The only downside to all this magic is that the reserve can get extremely busy during peak times, so we suggest basing yourself in one of the private community-run conservancies around the edges of the park. It’s a little pricier, but more than worth it. Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp is a great shout for vintage luxury.

4. Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

One of the 10 largest national parks in Africa, and the largest in Zimbabwe, you’ll find Hwange National Park (pronounced Wang-ee) on the road from Bulawayo to Victoria Falls. Measuring a whopping 14,651 sq km, it’s home to one of Africa’s largest populations of elephants (at last count there were around 40,000) as well as 400 birds and 106 other types of animals including lions, giraffes, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs. The best bit? Guides here must undergo a rigorous qualification programme, meaning that you’ll be in the hands of some of the best in the business.

5. Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

The crème de la crème when it comes to African safaris, the Serengeti is, quite frankly, an epic place. Found in northern Tanzania, its striking landscape only comes second in grandeur to its immense variety of wildlife, which comprises everything from cheetahs scanning for prey and leopards chowing down their kill to coalitions of lions that stalk the open plains. You can also spot the Great Migration herds giving birth to their young in the south of the park from November to February, while from June you can watch on as they make their way across the river to Masai Mara on their cyclical migration. As remote as they come, the small luxury camp Namiri Plains is offbeat Serengeti at its very best.

6. Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda

One of the lesser-known African safari destinations, making it a great place to avoid the crowds, Queen Elizabeth National Park in the southwest of Uganda is home to everything from elephants and giraffes to chimpanzees, zebras, hippos and lions. A great entry point into the safari world, it’s in close proximity to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest so you can combine your safari with mountain gorilla trekking, too. Be sure not to miss out on the famous tree-climbing lions in the remote Ishasha sector of the park – they are a true highlight.

7. South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

Last but not least is South Luangwa National Park, which just so happens to be among the most majestic in Africa for wildlife viewing. If you fancy exploring the bush on foot then this is the place for you – it’s renowned for its walking safaris, and you can spot impalas, giraffes, buffaloes, pukas, and waterbucks wandering the wide open plains. Big cats and elephants are prolific here too, with the best time to visit during the dry season – the Luangwa River attracts the most animals during this time, so it makes for prime viewing. Home to four tents and one family-tented suite, Chikunto Safari Lodge is ideal for a more intimate experience.