AFRICA'S TOP 8 SAFARI DESTINATION

If you want to see wildlife, there is no other place to visit than Africa. But where are the best places to go for a top safari? Travel site Safari bookings compiled the votes of users and opinions of experts to list Africa’s top 8 safari destinations...

 

1.ZIMBABWE

Despite the political turmoil, Zimbabwe offers some of the top safari getaways on the continent. It boasts two world heritage sites: Victoria Falls and Mana Pools National Park. The latter also offers some of the best wildlife viewing to be found, complimented with excellent safari lodges and camps. The mighty Zambezi attracts its fair share of visitors, particularly to the famous Imbabala Zambezi Safari Lodge, while the Wild Horizons Wildlife Sanctuary is equally renowned for the great variety of animals it protects.

 

2.UGANDA

Often called the pearl of Africa, if you want to see gorillas there is no other country to visit. The Bwindi National Park is home to half of the world’s gorilla population, with the remote Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp as the only such place to stay. Kibale National Park, in turn, has the highest concentration of primates in the world. Uganda also offers the rest of Africa’s wildlife, many which can be seen in the Queen Elizabeth National Park.

 

3.NAMIBIA SAND SEA

It is home to the world’s oldest desert, which was recently named a world heritage site. Namibia’s desert is unlike anything else in the world: it is remote - making it an attractive destination for top celebrities like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie - and is home to animals unlikely to be seen anywhere else. The Kulula Wilderness Reserve is particularly renowned and seen as the gateway to Namibia’s Sand Sea. The Sossusvlei area is also quite famous and visitors often talk about the area’s great silence and incredible sunsets.

 

4.KRUGER NATIONAL PARK- SOUTH AFRICA

There is no lack of safari lodges in South Africa, but the Kruger National Park remains its most popular destination for good reason. The big five call it home, not to mention countless other types of wildlife. Nearby the famous Sabi Sands wildlife reserve boasts award-winning lodges and excellent game viewing. Further north lies the majestic Mapungupwe National Park, a massive area that extends across the borders of Zimbabwe and Botswana, encompassing one of the continent’s busiest elephant migration routes and the ancient home of one of Africa’s ancient civilisations. And at the coast you can find the famous Addo National Elephant Park.

 

5.  ZMIBIA-ZAMBEZI NATIONAL PARK

Its many permanent rivers draw a lot of wildlife to Zambia. One of these is the Lower Zambezi National Park, featuring plenty of remote camps and lodges - a perfect place for boat cruises and a spot of fishing. The South Luangwa National Park matches any place with its wildlife viewing. But for a real treat one must visit the Kasanka National Park, where you can witness the migration of millions of fruit bats - an event unique to only this spot on the planet.

 

6. KENYA

A 35 year hunting ban has made Kenya’s animals a lot less wary of humans. This means that visitors can expect sights often only seen in nature documentaries, such as casually roaming hippos and lions on the hunt. Straddling the equator, Kenya also features part of the Great Rift Valley, while Amboseli boasts plenty of elephants with Mount Kilimanjaro in the backdrop. And to make sure you get your fill, visit the high planes of Laikipia, which boasts the highest concentration of wildlife in Africa.

 

7. BOTSWANA

The real charm of Botswana is how understated it is. While many tourists head to other wildlife spots, far fewer realise that little matches the strange variation of this country’s terrain. Botswana is home to part of the Kalahari desert, as well as the great Okavango wetlands. These areas are very isolated and pristine - some consider the Okavango as the best bird-spotting area on the planet. But the larger beasts also roam here - Chobe National Park is home to massive elephant herds, the highest concentrations in Africa. There is also the unpredictable Sarute channel that feeds the marshes of Chobe, while plenty of wildlife can be found in the world-renowned Kwando-Linyanti reserve.

 

TANZANIA

 

It is easy to see why Tanzania tops the Safari Bookings’ list. It has the Great Rift Valley, complete with the shallow Lake Manyara. There is the massive Ngorongoro Crater, which features a five-star lodge on its rim. You can visit Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, and the Serengeti plains stage the largest animal migration on earth. There are countless reserves, including Selous, possibly the largest game reserve on the continent. Tanzania caters from dry plains to dense forests. Even seasoned travellers will be glad to find spots like Katari National Park, one of the remotest reserves in the world.