Top 10 African safaris
Kruger, Kalahari, Serengeti… Africa is home to some of the most famous wildlife regions in the world. As well as rolling out a huge variety of landscapes – windswept coastline, mountainous sand dunes, swaying savannahs – Africa offers a choice of specialised safaris.
Would you rather track leopards with Kenyan conservationists or trail giraffes across South Africa? Go gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or learn how the Maasai live alongside lions? The accommodation changes with every trip, too, so you could end up staying anywhere from family-friendly hotels in Botswana to camping in Namibia. With such a big choice of vacations, it can be hard to know where to begin – so we’ve picked out our top 10 African safaris.
Would you rather track leopards with Kenyan conservationists or trail giraffes across South Africa? Go gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or learn how the Maasai live alongside lions? The accommodation changes with every trip, too, so you could end up staying anywhere from family-friendly hotels in Botswana to camping in Namibia. With such a big choice of vacations, it can be hard to know where to begin – so we’ve picked out our top 10 African safaris.
1. Tanzania safari & Zanzibar beach
Wildlife doesn’t keep a 9 to 5, so neither do safari vacations. It’s really a case of you snooze, you lose – which makes rounding a safari off with a spell at the beach pretty appealing. Pairing Tanzania and Zanzibar means you can start with a five-day circuit of Lake Manyara for tree-scaling lions, Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti. After your fill of storybook sightings, zip off to fine-sand beaches and coral seascapes of Zanzibar.
Our top trip: Tanzania safari and Zanzibar beach vacation
See all our trips: Safari vacations in Tanzania
Read more: Safari and beach travel guide
See all our trips: Safari vacations in Tanzania
Read more: Safari and beach travel guide
2. Camping in Botswana & Namibia
For a real adventure, consider a camping safari. You could wind up pitching your tent within hearing distance of Mosi-oa-Tunya (Victoria Falls), in full view of riverside sunsets at Rundu, or in the midst of the Kalahari. Lions and antelopes drink at the campside watering holes of Etosha National Park, and the pitches near the Ugab River follow a path favoured by desert elephants. These are often hands-on vacations, so get stuck into washing up and packing up the trucks.Our top trip: Namibia and Botswana camping safari
See all our trips: Namibia and Botswana safari vacations
Read more: Namibia and Botswana travel guide
3. The best of Kenya
Learn about conservation efforts spearheaded by Kenya’s Maasai communities and watch giants like black rhinos, lions and cheetahs from afar. Time your trip between July and October, and you could catch the Great Migration of almost two million wildebeest. Samburu National Reserve introduces you to the lesser-trodden trails of central Kenya, where a Samburu guide can take you to spot giraffes, zebras and elephants on foot.Our top trip: Complete Kenya safari
See all our trips: Safari vacations in Kenya
Read more: Kenya travel guide
4. Uganda gorilla and river trek
When a country has a forest called ‘Impenetrable’, you know you’re in for an adventure. Uganda safaris are just that. Activities range from rafting on the Nile to seeking out lions, leopards and Cape buffalo against a backdrop of the towering Rwenzori Mountains. Gorillas are the real stars of the show, though. Climb up into the Kigezi hills and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for a chance to trek into the territory of these shy giants.
Our top trip: Gorilla and game safari in Uganda
See all our trips: Gorilla safari vacations
Read more: Gorilla safari travel guide
See all our trips: Gorilla safari vacations
Read more: Gorilla safari travel guide
5. South Africa with conservationists
Kruger is one of Africa’s most popular national parks – so it’s a magnet for visitors. But how about a vacation that looks beyond the so-called ‘Big Five’ and gives you a glimpse into varied and complex conservation projects? For that, you’ll need to travel with conservationists. See how rangers track leopards in Wild Rivers Nature Reserve and go for a bushwalk in Thornybush Game Reserve. If you’re lucky, you might glimpse endangered wild dogs and rare white lions.Our top trip: South Africa safari vacation
See all our trips: Safari vacations in South Africa
Read more: South Africa wildlife vacations guide
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6. Namibia road trip
If you fancy taking your time meandering between national parks, consider a self drive safari. Namibia is an excellent choice, thanks to its wide-open tarmac roads and range of landscapes and accommodation. You could loop south, where giraffes and leopards traverse the sprawling Kalahari Desert. Then head north, where the Okavango River feeds the forests and massive salt pans of Etosha National Park – as well as thirsty herds of elephants, oryx and zebras.Our top trip: Namibia self-drive safari
See all our trips: Namibia safari vacations
Read more: Self driving in Namibia travel guide
7. Tanzania with the family
Who said adults should have all the fun? In Tanzania, child-friendly accommodation (think rooms kitted out with child cots, panoramic communal areas and extra secure perimeters) is combined with easy drives with guides who encourage all those whats, wheres and whys. The memories are invaluable, too – you’ll be talking about spotting that baby elephant or that lion stalking its prey for years to come.
Our top trip: Exciting family vacation in Tanzania
See all our trips: Family safari vacations
Read more: Family safaris travel guide
See all our trips: Family safari vacations
Read more: Family safaris travel guide
8. Botswana luxury lodgings
Treat yourself to a luxury safari that gets you traveling the African bush in style. Botswana is particularly well-stocked with five-star, low-impact lodges and reserves with restricted visitor numbers that allow the wildlife to breathe. Head for Moremi, the first reserve established by local residents, as well as the watering holes and rivers of the Okavango Delta and Kwando Concession, where you can go on night drives and mokoro canoe trips. Finish off with a cruise along the border-hugging (and croc-friendly) Chobe River.Our top trip: Botswana safari and Chobe River cruise
See all our trips: Luxury safari vacations in Botswana
Read more: Botswana luxury travel guide
9. Exploring the Masai Mara
The Masai Mara hugs the border of Kenya and Tanzania, nudging alongside the vast Serengeti plains to the west and Rift Valley to east. Stay overnight at a remote village in the Loita Hills, where setting up camp gives you the chance to learn about community conservation efforts. Lake Naivasha is also a highlight, thanks to the grumpy population of hippos.Our top trip: The Masai heartlands safari
See all our trips: Safari vacations in Kenya and Tanzania
Read more: Kenya and Tanzania travel guide
10. Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park in South Africa is a 120,000km² reserve that shelters hundreds of animal species in the rippling grasslands and woodlands. Lions and elephants haunt Klaserie and Balule reserves, so jeep drives tend to focus there. Plus, you can visit a leopard research team based at Wild Rivers Reserve, where the Blyde River crawls through the trees that hide these elusive animals.
Our top trip: Kruger National Park safari
See all our trips: Safari vacations in Kruger National Park
Read more: Kruger National Park travel guide
See all our trips: Safari vacations in Kruger National Park
Read more: Kruger National Park travel guide
More about Safari
The best time to go on safari will obviously depend on the seasons and wildlife watching potential.
Learn what we rate and what we don’t when it comes to African safaris, as well as plenty of useful advice.
Our interactive map and highlights will help you narrow down your safari search, country by country.
Bewildered by safari options? We give you all the information you need on how to choose the ideal trip.
Electric safari vehicles are transforming the game drive experience into something more quiet, more smooth and more environmentally responsible.
Read on for our advice on safaris with kids, plus some invaluable insights from our experts.
Read our experts' advice to find out how to travel safely and savvy when on safari in Africa.
Small group safari vacations are the perfect option if you’re vacationing solo. Or a sociable type. Or on a budget.
Learn how choosing a responsible safari vacation can help conserve wildlife and contribute to local economies.
Find all of our safari guides in one place, for more details on types of safari available, and the best destinations.
