safari in africa images

• AI Generator

african safari background

African safari jeep, south african safari, african safari sunset, luxury african safari, african safari animals, african safari guide, african safari camp, african safari lodge, african safari vector, african safari family, african safari giraffe, african safari landscape, african safari tour, african safari illustration, african safari lion, 91,069 african safari stock photos & high-res pictures, browse 91,069  authentic african safari  stock photos, high-res images, and pictures, or explore additional african safari background  or  african safari jeep  stock images to find the right photo at the right size and resolution for your project..

• Czech Republic
• Falkland Islands
• Latin America
• New Zealand
• North America
• South Georgia
• Kilimanjaro
• Adventure Travel
• Archaeology
• City Guides
• Itineraries
• Portrait Photography
• Tips and Advice
• Travel Photography
• Travel Stories
• Unhelpful Guides
• Wildlife Photography
• Work With Me

46 Amazing African Safari Animals – A Photo Guide

Contents (click to view)

If you’re a wildlife or animal lover, going on a safari in Africa will be a dream come true. You’ve probably watched nature documentaries and the Lion King and wondered what it might be like to go to Africa and see these amazing creatures for yourself. Maybe you’re wondering what African animals you will actually see on safari?

To answer all your questions, here’s my personally researched list of the top African animals and birds you might see on a safari. Every single one of these animals was photographed by me on just five African safaris – in Kenya , Botswana , South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda – so you can rest assured that this isn’t propaganda from a safari tour company, this could really happen to you too!

THE BIG FIVE AFRICAN ANIMALS

The Big Five are considered the top most exciting African safari animals. The name comes from big game hunters, who considered these five animals the most difficult and dangerous to hunt and kill.

Now the term is used by tour operators to describe the top five animals to see on safari – though it’s falling out of use now, as it’s considered outdated and inaccurate. There are WAY more than five amazing African animals to look out for, as this exciting list will show you!

1/ African lion

The African Lion is the King of Beasts, the number one, Africa’s top carnivore, and right at the top of most people’s wishlists of animals on safari.

These iconic predators are the second largest big cats in the world after tigers, and the only cats that live in groups, known as prides. Pride family units usually contain mostly females with their young, as well as one or two males. Only the males have a mane, the females don’t, which is how you can easily tell them apart.

The females do most of the hunting, and they hunt mostly large mammals like antelopes, zebras and wildebeest. They usually hunt in the morning and evening which is your best time to spot them; during the day they quite often rest in the shade and are harder to see.

In Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park and Tanzania’s Tarangire National Park the lions climb trees, which is rare as most lions stay on the ground.

Top places to see lions on an African safari

• Botswana – Okavango Delta
• Kenya – Maasai Mara National Park, Tsavo National Park, Laikipia Conservancy
• Namibia – Etosha National Park
• South Africa – Kruger National Park
• Tanzania – Serengeti National Park , Ngorongoro Crater, and Tarangire National Park has tree-climbing lions
• Uganda – Queen Elizabeth National Park (especially the famous tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector), Murchison Falls National Park and Kidepo Valley National Park
• Zambia – Kafue National Park, South Luangwa National Park (especially Lion Camp)
• Zimbabwe – Mana Pools National Park, Matusadona National Park

Read more: 40 Safari Photography Tips For Stunning Wildlife Photos

2/ African leopard

Leopards are, in my opinion at least, the most beautiful of all the African cats, with their stunning spotted coats and piercing green eyes. Unlike lions, leopards are solitary safari animals so you will rarely see more than one at a time; they hunt alone, preying on anything and everything from antelopes and baboons to rodents, birds, fish and even eating carrion.

Leopards are usually nocturnal so your best chance to see one will be in the early morning or evening, and they are strong, powerful animals who love to climb trees, so when you’re on your African safari make sure you look up!

Top places to see African leopards on safari

• Botswana ‐ Okavango Delta. Khwai Reserve
• Kenya ‐ Masai Mara National Park, Tsavo National Park, Meru National Park
• South Africa ‐ Kruger National Park
• Tanzania ‐ Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater
• Uganda – Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Zambia ‐ South Luangwa National Park

3/ African elephant

Elephants are another of the Big Five, and a big favourite amongst animal lovers thanks to their intelligence and grace. Seeing a herd of elephants calmly crossing the road just metres from your safari vehicle is one of the greatest thrills of any trip to Africa, and if you’ve never seen them before it’ll be a truly heart-stopping moment.

African elephants come in two types: savannah elephants and forest elephants. Forest elephants are smaller and hairier, and live mostly in West Africa. The type of elephant you will see on your African safari is the African savannah elephant, or bush elephant, which is the largest land mammal, with the biggest males reaching up to almost 4 metres in height. They move around in big family groups led by a female, foraging daily for bark, roots, leaves, and herbs. An elephant can eat 150 kg of food a day!

Top places to see African elephants on safari

• Botswana – Chobe National Park , Okavango Delta
• Kenya – Tsavo National Park , Masai Mara National Park, Amboseli National Park, Samburu National Park, The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
• Namibia – Etosha National Park, and you can see desert elephants in Kaokoland and Damaraland regions
• South Africa – Addo Elephant Park, Kruger National Park
• Tanzania – Serengeti National Park, Tarangire National Park
• Uganda – Murchison Falls National Park , Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Zimbabwe – Hwange National Park, Mana Pools National Park

Read more:  19 Easy Wildlife Photography Tips for Beginners

4/ Rhinoceros

The name rhinoceros comes from Latin and means ‘nose horn’, though the word is often shortened to ‘rhino’.  There are two species of rhino that you might see on your African safari: the critically endangered black rhino, and the southern white rhino, which is more common.

Confusingly both types are actually grey – the ‘white’ rhino is said to get its name from the Afrikaans word ‘weit’ meaning wide, referring to the animal’s square-shaped mouth. Rhinos can weigh over 1000 kg and live to an age of about 40-50 years old. A rhino’s skin can be up to 5 cm thick!

Rhino numbers have been decimated over the course of the last century due to poaching, and there are now fewer than 30,000 left. But you should still stand a reasonable chance of seeing one, particularly if you visit a game reserve or rhino sanctuary. It’s quite rare to see a rhino in the wild – I did see one in Kruger National Park in South Africa but it was a veeeery long way away!

Top places to see rhinos on safari

• Kenya ‐ Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Lake Nakuru National Park, Meru National Park, Masai Mara National Park
• Namibia ‐ Etosha National Park
• South Africa ‐ Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, Kruger National Park, Pilanesberg National Park
• Uganda – Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
• Tanzania – there are just a few left in Serengeti National Park
• Zimbabwe ‐ Hwange National Park

Read more:  A Visit To Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Uganda

5/ Cape buffalo

Last on the Big Five list is the African or Cape buffalo, which might not seem as exciting as a lion or a leopard, but is actually one of the most dangerous safari animals in Africa due to its enormous strength and extremely bad and unpredictable temper.  This is why buffalo have never been domesticated like cows.

Buffalo can reach up to 1.5 metres tall and weigh 750 kg, and both males and females have horns, though on the males the horns are fused together in the middle while on the females they are more on the sides of the head like normal cow horns.

You’ll easily see buffalo moving around in huge herds, and they can also often be found wallowing in lakes and watering holes. If you’re staying in a campsite in one of the national parks they sometimes wander into the camps at night to graze, so be careful when moving around after dark.

Top places to see Cape buffalo on safari

• Botswana – Chobe National Park
• Kenya – Amboseli National Park, Maasai Mara, Ol Pejeta Conservancy
• Namibia – Etosha National Park
• South Africa – Kruger National Park
• Tanzania – Serengeti National Park, Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater
• Uganda – Queen Elizabeth National Park, especially the Kazinga Channel , Lake Mburo National Park, Murchison Falls National Park
• Zambia – South Lungwa National Park
• Zimbabwe – Hwange National Park

ANIMALS FROM AFRICA: OTHER CARNIVORES

The cheetah is the fastest land mammal in the world, accelerating from 0 to 60 miles an hour in just three seconds and reaching a top speed of 75 miles an hour.  To be able to do this they’re much smaller and lighter than lions and leopards. They can’t keep up this speed for long though, which is why they stalk their prey through the long grasses, trying to get close enough before they pounce.

Seeing a cheetah on the hunt is one of the dream sights of any African safari. And while there are no guarantees, it is possible, because unlike leopards, cheetahs are daytime hunters. I saw the one above on the prowl in the Serengeti in Tanzania – it was one of the most thrilling moments of the trip, even though it didn’t catch anything.

Top places to see cheetahs on safari

• Botswana – Okavango Delta, Linyati Reserve, Kwando Reserves
• Kenya – Maasai Mara National Reserve, Samburu National Park, Kora National Park, Meru National Park
• Namibia – Etosha National Park, Several Cheetah Conservancies
• South Africa – Phinda Private Game Reserve, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
• Tanzania – Serengeti National Park, Selous Game Reserve
• Uganda – There are very few cheetahs in Uganda; Kidepo Valley National Park is the only place to see them
• Zambia – Kafue National Park

The hyena is not one of the Big Five, but is sometimes referred to as being one of the ‘ Ugly Five ‘. There are three species of hyena (spotted, striped and brown) but the spotted is the most common and can be found all across sub-Saharan Africa. Unlike most mammals the females are actually bigger and heavier than the males, weighing up to around 80 kg, and it’s the females that dominate the pack.

Hyenas are not endangered because they are extremely intelligent and adaptable, eating just about anything, from large animals like zebras and antelopes to birds, fish and lizards. But although they have a reputation for being scavengers, these African safari animals also hunt in packs and actually kill most of their food, which they eat in its entirety, even the skin and bones.

Top places to see hyenas on safari

• Botswana – Okavango Delta, Savuti Reserve (Chobe National Park), Kalahari and Makgadikgadi (rare brown hyenas)
• Kenya – Maasai Mara National Reserve, Ambroseli National Park
• Namibia – there are brown hyenas in the southern Namib desert
• South Africa – spotted hyenas are not so common in South Africa but can be found at Skukuza in Kruger National Park and in Kalahari Gemsbok National Park
• Tanzania – Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park
• Uganda – Lake Mburo, Queen Elizabeth , Murchison Falls or Kidepo National Parks
• Zambia – Liuwa Plains

There are three species of jackals in Africa: the common jackal, black-backed (aka silver-backed) and the side-striped jackal. Jackals are closely related to dogs, and like the hyena they’re omnivorous, hunting small rodents, insects and reptiles but also scavenging whatever they can find.

Unlike other types of wild dogs, however, they don’t move around in packs but tend to operate alone or in pairs.  You’re most likely to spot one out looking for food on its own in the morning or evening, or if you see a buffalo or wildebeest carcass there may well be a jackal nearby.

Top places to see jackals on safari

The three different species of jackal prefer different types of habitat.  You’re most likely to see silver-backed jackals on your African safari because they prefer open savannahs and are more active during the day than other kinds of jackal. Jackals can be found throughout sub-Saharan, east and southern Africa, including in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa.

9/ Mongoose

The mongoose is one of Africa’s smallest carnivores, and is part of the same family as the much-loved meerkat. There are 34 different kinds of mongoose, including the banded mongoose, Egyptian mongoose (the largest kind, reaching up to 60 cm), and the smallest, the 17 cm-long dwarf mongoose.

Mongooses (the plural is mongooses, not mongeese) are active during the day and mainly eat small rodents, reptiles and insects. They live in burrows and some, like the banded mongoose, are social creatures and live in large communities, just like their meerkat relatives.

Top places to see mongooses on safari

You can find mongooses in most parts of Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. They live in a variety of habitats ranging from forests and woodlands to savannah areas.  Look out for the telltale holes in the ground that are their burrows.

Read more:  The Amazing Animals Of Uganda: A Photo Guide

TOP ANIMALS IN AFRICA: HERBIVORES

Zebras are one of the most photogenic animals on safari – with their eye-catching stripes they really do look great in photos! There are three species of zebra – plains, Grevy’s and mountain – but the one you will most likely see on your safari is the plains zebra.

Zebras are closely related to horses – and scientists think they evolved stripes to confuse predators and make it hard to pick out a single individual from the herd. Every single zebra’s stripes are unique, like a fingerprint, and help them to recognise each other. While they may look calm, zebras can actually be quite aggressive and a well-placed kick from a zebra can kill a lion.

Recently, scientists discovered that plains zebras in Botswana make their own annual migration of up to 1000 miles between Makgadikgadi Pans National Park and the Chobe and Okavango Rivers, so if you love zebras and want to see them in huge numbers, Botswana is a great place to go.

Top places to see zebras on safari

• Botswana – Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park, Makgadikgadi Pans National Park
• Kenya – Maasai Mara National Park, Tsavo National Parks, Lewa Conservancy (Grevy’s Zebra)
• South Africa – Mountain Zebra National Park, Kruger National Park
• Tanzania – Serengeti National Park , Ngorongoro Crater
• Uganda – Lake Mburo National Park
• Zambia – North Luangwa National Park, South Luangwa National Park

Read more: Leroo La Tau In Botswana: See The Incredible Zebra Migration

11/ Giraffe

With their glorious patterned skins and long necks, giraffes are the tallest living land animals, reaching around 5.5 metres in height. Giraffes are herbivores and their favourite food is the leaves of the acacia tree. There are four recognised species of giraffe in Africa – Maasai, Southern, Northern and Reticulated giraffe.

You will often see them gracefully feeding, wrapping their long tongues around the branches to pull off the leaves. Giraffes are quite sociable and hang around in groups – and a group of giraffes is called a ‘tower’.

If you’re very lucky, you may get to see giraffes fighting. The pair in the picture above are not courting, they’re both males and they’re about to beat each other up, which they do by bashing each other with their heads. This is known as necking and is a way for males to assert dominance over each other.

Top places to see giraffes on safari

• Kenya – Meru National Park, Maasai Mara
• South Africa – Kruger National Park, Wildlife Reserves
• Tanzania – Selous Game Reserve, Arusha National Park
• Uganda – Murchison Falls National Park (there are over 1000 here).
• Zambia – South Luangwa National Park

Hippos are the largest land mammal after elephants, weighing up to three tonnes, and surprisingly they cannot swim! Instead, they walk along under the water, where they are able to hold their breath for up to five minutes.

Although they look peaceful, hippos are actually the most dangerous mammal in Africa, responsible for the deaths of an estimated 300 people every year. They’re quite aggressive too, and you’ll sometimes see them grunting loudly or showing their teeth to intimidate rival males.

Hippos spend their days lounging in the water in lakes and ponds, and come out of the water at night to graze on grass.  So you’re most likely to see them on a boat trip , or in a watering hole in one of the many national parks or game reserves. If you’re staying in a campsite near a river or lake, they sometimes even wander into the camps at night, so be careful!

Top places to see hippos on safari

• Botswana – Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park
• Kenya – Maasai Mara National Reserve
• Tanzania – Selous Game Reserve, Katavi National Park, Serengeti
• Uganda – Murchison Falls National Park , Queen Elizabeth National Park, especially the Kazinga Channel.
• Zambia – Zambezi River

Read more:  A Boat Cruise on the Kazinga Channel, Uganda

13/ Warthog

If you’ve seen the Lion King you’ll probably remember the character of Pumbaa – he’s a warthog. Warthogs are related to pigs, and as their name suggests they are medium-sized, pig-like animals with warty growths on their faces. These are not actually warts, but patches of thick skin to protect the animal’s face when it gets into fights.

There are two types – common warthogs and desert warthogs – and you may see both on your African safari. They live in burrows, normally occupying abandoned holes dug by other animals like aardvarks. Warthogs are sometimes thought of as quite aggressive – and they can be – but they are actually herbivores and more often than not will run away at any sign of danger.

Top places to see warthogs on safari

Warthogs are found in all national parks and reserves throughout southern and east Africa. Top places to see these animals include the Masai Mara in Kenya, the Serengeti in Tanzania, Chobe National Park in Botswana , Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda and South Luangwa National Park in Zambia.

Read more: Behind The Scenes On Safari In Tanzania

The hyrax looks a bit like a plump, grumpy, guinea pig-sized rodent – and despite its cuddly appearance, is actually closely related to elephants and manatees. There are two types of hyrax: rock hyraxes, of which there are two species, and tree hyraxes, which have three species. All the species live in Africa.

Hyraxes are herbivores grazing on vegetation, bark, and fruits. Although they have a fluffy coat, they’re not very good at thermoregulation, so you will often see them sunbathing to keep warm. They also have specialised rubbery footpads for climbing up rocks and trees, and are known for their distinctive, high-pitched calls.

Top places to see hyrax in Africa

Hyraxes live in rocky terrains, savannas, and forests, and are commonly spotted in Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Ethiopia, and Namibia. Look for them in national parks like Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, where rocky outcrops provide ideal habitats for these amusing little African animals.

15/ Porcupine

There are about 30 species of porcupine in the world, but the one you’re most likely to see on your African safari (if you’re lucky) is the crested porcupine or African crested porcupine. While the name ‘porcupine’ comes from the Latin for ‘quill pig’, porcupines aren’t related to pigs and are in fact the largest and heaviest of all African rodents.

Porcupines are most famous for their quills, which are made of keratin and can reach up to a foot (30 cm) in length. When threatened, they raise them up and shake them to make an intimidating rustling noise. If the attacker doesn’t back down, they can release their quills, which can embed into the skin and are tipped with hooks, making them difficult to remove. However contrary to popular belief, porcupines can’t ‘shoot’ or ‘fire’ their quills at a predator.

Top places to see porcupines on safari in Africa

Porcupines are hard to spot as they’re typically nocturnal, but sometimes they can be active during the day, like the one I saw in Kenya (above). They live in a range of habitats including forest, deserts and rocky outcrops, and can live in rocky terrain up to 3,700 metres (12,100 feet) above sea level. Keep your eyes peeled for them in countries like Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Namibia, and Botswana.

16/ Tree squirrel

You’ll probably have seen tree squirrels in your own country, and African tree squirrels (also known as the Smith’s bush squirrel) are very similar, with brown fur and long, bushy tails. Squirrels are rodents, related to chipmunks, marmots and prairie dogs, and they’re primarily herbivores, mainly eating nuts, fruit and seeds, though they will eat some insects as well.

African tree squirrels aren’t particularly afraid of humans so you’ll commonly see them in trees around your lodge, where you’ll regularly hear their chattering calls or see them running up and down the trees and walls or foraging food on the ground.

Top places to see squirrels on safari in Africa

You don’t need to look hard for these guys as they’re very common, especially in wooded and urban areas. Commonly found in countries like Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Botswana, and Uganda, these squirrels thrive in environments offering ample tree cover and a variety of food sources.

AMAZING AFRICAN SAFARI ANIMALS: PRIMATES

17/ mountain gorilla.

Gorillas are one of Africa’s rarest and most thrilling animals to see on safari. There are fewer than 1000 mountain gorillas left in the world, and they all live in a small area of forested mountains on the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Gorillas live in family groups of around 10 individuals, and scientists have spent years gradually training some of these families to accept the presence of humans so that they can study them – a process called habituation.

Gorillas are the largest primates in the world, with the biggest males reaching over 1.5 metres tall and 180 kilos.  Just like humans, they communicate with both gestures and vocalisations and have 16 different types of call, including short barks, roars or hoots. Mountain g orillas mainly eat leaves and shoots, but have also been known to eat insects, and they can spend a quarter of their day eating.

Top places to see gorillas on safari

You won’t see gorillas on a regular African safari – you have to buy a special permit and hike into the forest, where you will be able to spend up to 1 hour in their company.  Here are the only places you can see these animals in the wild:

• Uganda – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
• Rwanda – Volcanoes National Park
• Democratic Republic of the Congo – Virunga National Park

Read More:  Gorilla Trekking In Uganda – The Real Inside Story

18/ Chimpanzee

Chimpanzees are our closest animal relatives (they share 99% of our DNA), and are incredibly intelligent. They can learn and understand words,  show emotions including empathy, regret, and friendship, they can recognise faces, remember things, and they can make tools.

There are around 300,000 chimpanzees in the forest of equatorial Africa, living in large groups of up to a few hundred animals led by an alpha male. Chimps spend their day in the treetops resting, grooming, and eating; they also sometimes come down to the ground to feed, drink or hunt. At night they sleep in nests that look like large birds nests made of leaves.

Top places to see chimpanzees on safari

Chimpanzees can only be found in central and western Africa. There are none in the south. The best place to see them in the wild is Uganda’s Kibale Forest, but you can also find them in Kalinzu Forest and Kyambura Gorge near Queen Elizabeth National Park, Budongo Forest (Murchison Falls National Park), and Semuliki Wildlife Reserve. Gombe National Park in Tanzania is the first park in Africa specifically created for chimpanzees.

If you want to find out more, I wrote about chimpanzee trekking for Lonely Planet .

Read More:  Chimpanzee Trekking In Uganda: A Breathtaking Wildlife Adventure

Baboons are the world’s largest monkeys. Like most monkeys they climb trees to sleep, eat and keep lookout, but they tend to spend most of their time on the ground, making them particularly easy to spot. They’re also not afraid of humans and often approach urban areas to scavenge. They frequently come into conflict with farmers by eating crops.

Baboons live in groups, called troops, of around 50 members. Since they’re not really afraid of humans, having a big troop of baboons surrounding your safari vehicle can be pretty intimidating!

Top places to see baboons on safari

There are five types of baboons living in different parts of Africa. You can see olive baboons in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya, yellow baboons in Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Botswana, and Chacma baboons in South Africa and Zambia.

20/ Colobus monkey

There are over 100 species of monkeys in mainland Africa, so they’re not hard to spot! Commonly-seen types include vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, patas monkeys and the ones above, which are black-and-white colobus monkeys.

Monkeys are divided into New World Monkeys (those from the Americas) and Old World Monkeys (those from Africa and Asia). The main difference between the two is that New World Monkeys have prehensile tails which they can use to grip things, while none of the monkeys in Africa and Asia have this skill.

Most monkeys are omnivorous, meaning they eat everything from leaves, fruit and grass to insects, birds and small rodents. Apart from baboons, most monkeys in Africa spend the majority of their time in the trees, so you’ll need to look up and keep your eyes peeled if you want to spot them.

Top places to see colobus monkeys on an animal safari

You can see monkeys in every African safari country – in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania you’re most likely to see vervet and colobus monkeys. There are only 2 species of monkey in South Africa.

Read more:  Things To Do In Entebbe, Uganda

21/ Vervet monkey

Another type of monkey commonly spotted on African safaris is the vervet monkey. Vervet monkeys are easily recognisable by their distinctive black faces and grey fur, and the males, surprisingly, have bright blue balls. No, that’s not a joke.

Vervets are native to southern and central Africa and are known for their adaptability, thriving in a wide variety of habitats. They have impressive problem-solving skills and engage in grooming rituals to strengthen social bonds. Their omnivorous diet includes fruits, leaves, insects, and small vertebrates.

Top places to see vervet monkeys in Africa

You can spot vervet monkeys in savanna and forest habitats and national parks across central and southern Africa, including in Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Uganda.

AFRICAN ANIMALS: ANTELOPES

There are over 70 antelope species in Africa, of which 21 alone live in Kruger National Park and 16 live in the Serengeti in Tanzania, so it would be impossible to list them all here!

‘Antelope’ is a term used to describe any deer-like animal, and includes things like impalas, gazelles, springboks, elands, kudus and many more – though unlike deer which shed their horns every year, antelopes keep them all the time. You will definitely see hundreds of of antelopes on your African safari, and below are just a few of them.

22/ Wildebeest

Wildebeest (which are sometimes also known as gnus) may look like cows but they are actually a kind of antelope. The Afrikaans called them ‘wild beasts’ for their powerful build and sharp horns, and you certainly wouldn’t want to cross one, but these African safari animals are no match for the lions, leopards and hyenas that rely on them for prey.

The famous wildebeest migration is one of the greatest spectacles in nature, and if you’re lucky enough to see it on your trip to Africa you really will be in for the experience of a lifetime.

Every year, more than two million wildebeest, followed by large numbers of zebras, antelopes and predators, migrate from the Serengeti in Tanzania to the Masai Mara in Kenya and back again, in search of grazing grounds and water. This is a constant cycle of movement, and many safari companies track the migration to make sure you have the best chance to see it.

Top places to see wildebeest on an Africa safari

The absolute best places to go are the Serengeti or Masai Mara during the migration, but if that’s not possible then you can also see wildebeest in plenty of other places, including…

• Botswana – Chobe National Park
• Kenya –  Maasai Mara, Amboseli National Park
• South Africa – Kruger National Park, Pilanesberg National Park, Golden Gate National Park
• Tanzania – Selous Game Reserve
• Zambia – South Luangwa National Park
• Zimbabwe – Hwange National Park

Read more: Which Is The Best Botswana Safari Lodge? My Favourites With Photos

Impalas are one of the most graceful and elegant antelopes, with their glossy, short coats and long, elegantly curving horns up to a metre long. They’re a key prey for lions and hyenas, so they practise safety in numbers and congregate in herds hundreds strong.

Impalas are amazing jumpers, able to leap a distance of 10 metres or clear an obstacle three metres high. When running away from predators they often jump clear over bushes and shrubs rather than running round them.

Top places to see impala on safari

You can see impala all over east and southern Africa, including Kenya (Masai Mara), Tanzania (Serengeti and Selous Game Reserve), Botswana (Okavango Delta), South Africa (Kruger National Park), Zambia (Luangwa Valley), Zimbabwe (Zambezi Valley and Lake Kariba) and Nambia (Etosha National Park)

The topi is a larger and more heavyset type of antelope, reaching up to about 126 centimetres (50 inches) in height. It’s well-known for its interesting colour patches – safari guides often say the topi looks like it’s wearing blue jeans and yellow socks – as you can see in the photo above.

Both sexes have horns, which are elegantly ridged and curved in a lyre-shape. Topi are sociable, moving in herds of anything from about 15 to many dozens. They also co-exist peacefully with other herbivores like impala, wildebeest and zebras.

Where to see topi in Africa

Topi are listed as Least Concern by the IUCN and are commonly found in the savannas of East Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda. They are popular prey for hunters like lions, hyenas and cheetahs.

25/ Thomson’s gazelle

The Thomson’s gazelle, a petite and elegant antelope, sports a tan coat with distinctive black stripes on its flanks and face, and a white belly. The males have long, straight horns while the females’ horns are much smaller.

Well-known for their speed and agility, ‘Tommies’, as they are affectionately nicknamed, graze on a diet of grasses in the East African savannas. Displaying intricate courtship rituals, males engage in spirited displays of jumping and chasing to win over mates.

Top places to see Thompson’s gazelle in Africa

Thomson’s gazelles thrive in the vast grasslands of East Africa, notably in countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Ethiopia. They prefer habitats with open plains, where they can use their swift running and leaping abilities to escape predators.

26/ Grant’s gazelle

Grant’s gazelles look similar to a Thomson’s gazelle, and at first can be hard to tell apart. The main difference is that the Grant’s doesn’t have the distinctive black stripe on its flanks, and is a little larger – in fact it’s one of the largest types of gazelle. It was named after a 19th-century Scottish explorer named James Grant, who is buried in the crypt of St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

Like many types of antelopes (including Tommies and impala), Grant’s gazelles live in herds made up either of females with young, and groups of bachelor males. At breeding time, the males compete for the females, and the winning male will get to mate with all the females in his herd or ‘harem’, while the loser males get nothing.

Top places to see Grant’s gazelle on an African safari

Grant’s gazelles can mainly be be found in the expansive savannas of East Africa, including Kenya’s Maasai Mara, Tanzania’s Serengeti, Uganda, Rwanda, and Ethiopia.

27/ Bushbuck

The bushbuck, a medium-sized antelope about 90 cm (35 in) tall at the shoulder, is an elegant creature with a coarse reddish-brown coat marked by pretty white spots and stripes. Only the males have horns.

While many African antelopes move about in herds, bushbucks prefer a solitary lifestyle, though they’re not aggressively territorial and are happy to graze near other individuals. They are herbivores, eating a diverse diet including leaves, fruits, and grasses. Remarkably agile, bushbucks navigate dense vegetation adeptly, and have exceptional jumping abilities.

Top places to see bushbuck in Africa

You can find bushbucks in woodlands and savannas across central and southern Africa, especially in countries like Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. They are not nearly as skittish and shy as some other antelope species, and can even become quite time. In Botswana I regularly saw them in the gardens of the lodges I stayed in, where they were happy to graze near people.

28/ Hartebeest

Hartebeests are one of the fastest antelopes, capable of reaching speeds of up to 45 mph.  Their name means ‘tough ox’, and you can recognise them by their short, twisted horns on both males and females, long faces, and pointy ears. Hartebeest are very social safari animals and often group together in herds of up to 300.

Top places to see hartebeest on safari

With an estimated 360,000 hartebeest living in Africa, you should have no trouble spotting some of these animals on safari. Look out for them in any savannah national park or reserve, including the Serengeti in Tanzania, Masai Mara in Kenya, and parks in Uganda, Zambia, Botswana and South Africa.

29/ Waterbuck

Another type of antelope you may see on your African safari is the waterbuck. Its name comes from the fact that when threatened it will often run and hide in water, sometimes submerging almost completely until the threat has gone away.

The waterbuck is recognisable by its shaggy coat and very long, impressive horns, which only the males have, and which can grow up to a metre long. The horns are so long and sharp that sometimes males fighting for territory can end up killing each other. A waterbuck’s skin gives off an oily secretion, thought to be for waterproofing, but which is also quite strong-smelling.

Top places to see waterbuck on safari

As the name suggests, you’re most likely to see waterbuck close to lakes and rivers, in groups of up to about 30.  Their territory is more towards east Africa and the east side of Southern Africa, in places like Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Kobs are quite similar to impala but less common, and are found only in central and west Africa and Uganda. They’re identified by their ringed horns which curve backwards, and their short reddish coat. Only the males have horns.

Kobs prefer flat or gently rolling countryside, close to water – but these are also ideal locations for farming so these safari animals frequently come into conflict with humans. They used to be common in Kenya and Tanzania but are now almost extinct in those areas due to habitat loss.

Top places to see kobs on safari

The best place to see kobs on safari is in Uganda, where the kob is so iconic it even appears on the Ugandan coat of arms.

Read more: 28 Top Things To Do and See in Uganda

The lechwe, also known as the red lechwe or southern lechwe, is one of the most semi-aquatic of all antelope species. They are proficient swimmers and can easily navigate through water – a skill they sometimes use to thier advantage to escape predators like wild dogs and lions.

Thanks to their russet-toned coat and the males’ large, elegantly curving horn, they are easy to recognise. Specially adapted to living in marshy or swampy terrains, these herbivores predominantly graze on aquatic plants.

Top places to see lechwe on safari

Since lechwe prefer wetlands, the best place to spot them is marshy habitats like the Okavango Delta in Botswana or water-rich environments in Zambia, Namibia, Angola, and Zimbabwe.

32/ Dik-dik

It’s a common misconception that the dik-dik is the world’s smallest antelope, but that award actually goes to the royal antelope. Nevertheless, the dik-dik is still very tiny, coming in at about 30–40 centimetres (12–15.5 in) at the shoulder and weighing about 3–6 kg (6.5–13 lb). The name dik-dik comes from the repetitive sound the females make when threatened.

Female dik-diks are larger than males, and only the males have horns. Known for their monogamous lifestyle, dik-diks form lifelong pairs and often mark their territories by rubbing their scent glands on twigs and branches, and by leaving droppings in dung piles, which they revisit over and over.

Top places to see dik-diks in Africa

To see dik-diks you’ll need to go to east Africa, where you can spot them in arid and semi-arid regions of Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia. You’ll need to be quick though – with their sandy coloured coat they are very well camouflaged in the bushes, and they run away quick when humans come near.

From one of the smallest to the biggest! Standing almost 180 cm (6 ft) at the shoulder and weighing up to 1,200 kg (2,650 lb), the majestic eland is the world’s largest antelope. Males are bigger than females, with dramatic spiral horns like the two magnificent chaps in the photo above, and they live in herds led by a dominant male.

There are two species of eland, the common and the giant, though despite the names the common eland is only slightly smaller. The name ‘eland’ comes from the Dutch word for ‘elk’ or ‘moose’, and was given to it by the first Dutch settlers who came to the Cape of Good Hope and thought it look a bit like the large herbivores they knew back home.

Top places to see elands on an African safari

Elands can be found across central and southern Africa, including Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Although their populations are decreasing, the eland is still considered as Least Concern by the IUCN.

The kudu is an absolute icon, a truly magnificent head-turner of an antelope, standing over 5 feet (1.5 m) tall at the shoulder, and with spectacular widespread twisted horns, huge ears, and a drizzle of white-paint stripes trickling down its sides. There are two types, the greater and lesser kudu, which look similar with the lesser kudu being a bit smaller.

Kudu also have a distinctive white v-shaped band across their face, which my guide said helps to reflect the bright sunlight away from their eyes, acting a bit like sunglasses. Like impalas, kudus move in herds of females with a single dominant male, and the rest of the males move in bachelor herds, though some can also be solitary.

Top places to see kudu in Africa

Kudus are found in southern Africa where they prefer woodlands and bushy savannas where there’s plenty of cover. Look out for them in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Zambia,

ANIMALS OF AFRICA: REPTILES

35/ nile crocodile.

The Nile crocodile is both Africa’s largest crocodile and one of its deadliest predators. Nile crocodiles can grow to around six metres long and weigh up to 750 kilos. While they mostly eat fish they will attack anything that comes within striking distance, whether that’s small hippos, wildebeest, birds, other crocodiles, or even people. It’s estimated that about 200 people are year are killed by crocodiles in Africa.

Crocodiles are cold-blooded safari animals and spend many hours keeping warm by resting in the sunshine on the bank of a lake or river. While they may look sleepy and slow, they can spring into action in a split second should any unsuspecting prey come too close. The best way to spot crocodiles is to take a boat trip and look out for them on the shore or resting in the shallows by the water’s edge.

Top places to see Nile crocodiles on safari

• Kenya – Maasai Mara National Reserve
• Tanzania – Serengeti National Park
• Uganda – Murchison Falls National Park , Queen Elizabeth National Park, especially the Kazinga Channel
• Zambia and Zimbabwe – Zambezi River, Tributaries in Zambia

36/ Agama lizard

There are more than 30 different types of agama lizards, which are also known as rainbow lizards because of their stunning bright colours. Most of the year these safari animals are brown or grey, but in mating season the males develop these glorious colour patterns to attract a female. Different species turn different colours and the colour can be less bright if the animal is alarmed or has lost a fight with another male.

Males regularly show their dominance to each other by nodding, lashing their tails and opening their powerful jaws. Sometimes they fight, and you may see older males with damaged tails from previous combats. They mostly eat insects, waiting until one comes by and then snapping it up, using their sticky tongue to help hold onto it.

You’ll find agama lizards in rocky areas, either sunning themselves on the rocks or, if it’s too hot, sheltering in the shade. They’re quite small, up to about 30 cm long, but in mating season their bright colours make them easy to spot.

Top places to see agama lizards on safari

You can find agama lizards right across Africa, including in Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya.

37/ Monitor lizard

There are about 80 species of monitor lizard, native to Africa, Asia and Australasia, but the two you will most commonly see in Africa are the Nile monitor (sometimes called the water monitor) and the rock monitor. The one above is a Nile monitor, the largest lizard in Africa and one of the largest in the world.

Adept hunters and carnivorous by nature, these fearsome predators feed on fish, amphibians, and small mammals. In Botswana I even saw one hunt and kill a baby crocodile! Renowned for their adaptability, Nile monitors are excellent swimmers and climbers.

Top places to see monitor lizards in Africa

Nile monitor lizards prefer riverbanks, swamps, and wetlands, while rock monitors, as the same suggests, prefer rocky hillsides and drier habitats. Nile monitors can be spotted along the Nile as far north as Egypt and in east and southern Africa including Kenya and South Africa, while rock monitors are found more in central and southern Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Skinks are small lizards, with no clear neck and short legs – in fact some skinks have no legs at all and look more like snakes. Most skinks can shed their tails to escape predators and then grow them back in three to four months. They’re mainly insectivorous, eating flies, crickets, and other bugs.

In Africa there are over 70 species of skink. Unlike most reptiles, some species of skinks don’t lay eggs, but give birth to live young.

Top places to see skinks on safari

As cold-blooded animals, you’ll often see skinks basking on rocks, warming up in the sunshine. Different species of skinks can be seen all over Africa. I photographed the one above in Kenya.

TOP AFRICAN ANIMALS: BIRDS

There are over well over 2,000 species of birds in Africa so it would be next to impossible to list them all in this blog post! Here are just a few of the most iconic or noticeable ones that you might see on your African safari.

If you’d really like to know more about African birds, I’ve written a whole separate post called Top 50 African Birds: A Safari Photo Guide .

39/ Common ostrich

The ostrich is one of Africa’s most iconic birds. These huge creatures are the world’s largest bird – at up to three metres in height and 160 kilos they’re so big and heavy that they cannot fly. Instead, they are fantastic runners, reaching a top speed of over 40 miles an hour.

They have long, powerful legs which can cover up to five metres in a stride and kill a lion – or a human – with a single kick.  Ostriches hang around in small groups of up to about a dozen birds led by a dominant male and female. At breeding time, all the lesser females put their eggs in the dominant hen’s nest, where she and the alpha male take turns incubating them.

There is a famous saying that ostriches bury their heads in the sand, but this is not actually true. They do, however, cower down and press their heads and necks onto to floor, which may be where the saying comes from. As well as roaming wild, ostriches are also farmed around the world for their meat, eggs, feathers and skin, which is used to make leather.

Top places to see ostriches on safari

The main places to see ostriches are Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, where you can also visit ostrich farms and get up close to these amazing birds.

Eight of the worlds 19 species of stork live in Africa, including the yellow-billed, saddle-billed, and African open-billed stork. But probably the most common one you are likely to see is the Marabou stork, an enormous, prehistoric-looking bird that reaches up to 1.5 metres tall and has a wingspan of up to 3.7 metres – one of the largest in the world.

Marabou storks are scavengers, feeding on dead animal carcasses, scraps and even the faeces of other animals, and frequently coming into towns and cities to scavenge in bins and rubbish dumps.

Many storks prefer to live in open and wetland areas, eating fish, shellfish, frogs, small birds and small mammals. They are voiceless so they don’t squawk or caw, but communicate by clattering their bills. Their nests are very large and you will often see them on the tops of buildings or high up in trees.

Top places to see storks on safari

Many storks are migratory and head to Africa from Europe during the winter months. You’ll find them all across sub-Saharan Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe. If you go to Uganda you will see them in and around the capital, Kampala.

41/ Hornbill

The hornbill is another creature you might be familiar with if you’ve seen the Lion King. Zazu , the king’s advisor, is a red-billed hornbill similar to the one above. There are 45 different types of hornbill, of which 24 can be found in Africa, and they’re easy to recognise because of their long, downward-curving bill which is often brightly coloured.

They’re also conspicuous because they’re relatively large birds, ranging from about 30 cm long to about 150 cm long depending on the species, and they’re quite noisy.

When hornbills breed, the female makes a nest in a hole in a tree, which she then seals up with her own excrement, leaving only a very narrow opening. The male must then collect food and feed her through the slot until the chicks are ready to fly.

Top places to see hornbills on an animal safari

Of the 24 types of hornbill found in Africa, 13 can be seen in open woodlands and savanna like the Masai Mara or the Serengeti; the rest live in dense forests and are harder to spot.  You will see different types of hornbills all across Africa, including in Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana and South Africa.

42/ Kori bustard

The kori bustard is the world’s heaviest flying bird – males can weigh up to 20 kilos and reach about 1.5 metres tall, while females are about half the size.

But although they can fly, they usually live on the ground and only take to the skies in cases of extreme danger. Kori bustards are omnivorous, eating mainly insects, small mammals, lizards, seeds and berries.

Male kori bustards mate with several females. Mating lasts only a few seconds and as soon as it’s over the male starts trying to attract another female. He’s also not involved at all in making the nest, incubating eggs or raising the chicks.

Top places to see kori bustards on safari

Kori bustards are found all across east and south Africa. They are most common in Kenya and Tanzania, but you can also find them in Botswana, Namibia and South Africa among others. They live in wide, open grasslands and lightly wooded savanna, so are quite easy to spot thanks to their size.

43/ Grey crowned crane

Reaching 1 metre tall, with its bright red wattle and eye-catching golden crest, the grey crowned crane is really a wonderful bird to see on your African safari. There are two subspecies: one, the crested crane, is the national bird of Uganda and appears on the country’s coat of arms alongside the kob mentioned above.  The other, the South African crowned crane, looks very similar but is only found in Southern Africa.

Crowned cranes love to dance. They have an extravagant courtship display where both males and females bow, jump, and flap their huge wings, but don’t worry if you’re not visiting during mating season – these birds put on this show all year round.

Top places to see crested cranes on safari

Since they’re the national bird of Uganda, that’s the obvious place to see them. However you can also see crested cranes in Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa, where they are often found hanging out with herds of cattle which they use as cover from potential predators.

44/ Secretary bird

With the head of an eagle and the legs of a stork, the secretary bird is one of the most bizarre-looking birds you might see on safari. It’s said to have been given its name by 19th century Europeans, who thought that with its black knee britches and tailcoat, and its long black quills at the back of the head, it looked like an office clerk or secretary. Another theory is that the name comes from the Arabic saqr-et-tair or ‘hunter bird’.

Secretary birds are related to other birds of prey like buzzards, vultures, and kites, and are famous for their unusual hunting technique. They stamp on their prey – usually snakes, small mammals or reptiles – to stun or kill them before swallowing them whole.

Scientists measured the force and discovered the deadly blow can transfer five times the bird’s own weight in a hundredth of a second.  The secretary bird appears on the coat-of-arms of both Sudan and South Africa.

Top places to see secretary birds on safari

Secretary birds prefer flat, open grasslands and savannah, making your chances of seeing one of these birds on safari quite high. Look out for them in Tanzania’s Serengeti, the Masai Mara in Kenya, Kruger National Park in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia.

45/ Vulture

Africa is home to 11 different species of vultures, so you’ll have no trouble spotting them on your safari. Vultures are famously natures scavengers and cleaners – they feed on dead animals and the remains left over by predators and they’re responsible for clearing away up to 70% of Africa’s carrion.

Some vultures may also kill sick or wounded animals, or occasionally hunt fish or reptiles. Vultures are usually white, brown or black, and many species have a bald head and neck with a ruff of feathers around the collar.

Vultures are specially adapted to life as nature’s rubbish collectors. Their strong eyesight allows them to spot dead or dying animals from the air, while a unique balance of stomach acids helps them digest rotting meat without getting sick.

Top places to see vultures on safari

Vultures can be found in every country throughout the whole of Africa.

46/ Oxpecker

The oxpecker, also called the tick bird, rides on the backs of large mammals like buffalo, zebras and giraffes, feasting on ticks, fleas and lice. They can eat 100s of ticks a day, and when alarmed they also hiss, warning their host of approaching danger.

But this isn’t an entirely mutually beneficial relationship – oxpeckers also feed on the wounds and blood left by the ticks. There are two species of oxpecker – red-billed and yellow-billed.

Top places to see oxpeckers on safari

You’ll find oxpeckers anywhere in Africa there are large mammals for them to feast on. Look out for them taking a ride on a giraffe, buffalo, rhino or hippo – they make for great photos.

And there you have it! 32 amazing African animals and birds to see on a safari. Of course there are literally hundreds more, so keep your eyes peeled, you never know what you might spot!

My favourite travel tools and brands

To help you organise your trip, here’s a short list of some of the brands and tools I use over and over again when I’m planning my travels. You can see more on my Travel Resources page.

• Booking.com : A huge range of hotels to choose from, often with free cancellation. If you book hotels regularly you can earn discounts. I’m on Genius Level 3 which gets me 20% off!
• Expedia : Another great place to find hotels and Expedia also sell flights , car hire, and loads more all in one place.
• Skyscanner : The only place I ever go to search for flights and compare prices.
• Flight Centre : Booking a more complicated route? Let Flight Centre organise it for you (and deal with the drama when something goes wrong).
• Priority Pass: I love having access to 1,400+ airport lounges when I fly, allowing me to enjoy my time at the airport. With my link you get 30% off a standard membership or 20% off standard plus.
• Airalo: Say goodbye to ridiculous mobile roaming charges. Did you know you can now buy an e-SIM , install it in your phone before you leave home, and then use data abroad at local prices? Game changer.
• TourRadar: If you prefer group travel and organised tours, TourRadar has a huge range of fantastic tours from respected operators. They’re very helpful and have 4.5 stars on TrustPilot.
• Viator: Part of the TripAdvisor brand, Viator is another great place to search for group adventures and day trips.
• GetYourGuide: A great place to find local tours and day trips in your destination.
• Wex Photo Video: The UK’s best camera gear store. Quote my name – Bella Falk – to get £20 off your first purchase.
• Ellis Brigham: Looking for good quality backpacks, travel clothes and other gear? Ellis Brigham is where I buy almost all of mine.
• Rentalcars.com: Part of the Booking.com family and the world’s largest online car rental service, with 24/7 customer service.
• World Nomads Travel Insurance: I never ever travel without travel insurance and nor should you!

Read more African animals posts

If you enjoyed this, here are a few more wildlife posts you might like:

• Top 34 African Birds: A Safari Photo Guide
• 19 Easy Wildlife Photography Tips for Beginners
• 28 Top Things To Do and See in Uganda
• Behind The Scenes On Safari In Tanzania
• Gorilla Safaris In Uganda – The Real Inside Story
• 40 Safari Photography Tips For Stunning Wildlife Photos

Liked this African animals list?

Why not Pin It for later using the handy graphic below, or use the share buttons to share on your favourite social site. Every share helps support my blog and is very much appreciated, thank you!

Bella is a multi-award-winning travel writer, wildlife photographer and science and history documentary director from London. Among many awards and nominations she won Blogger of the Year at the British Guild of Travel Writers’ Awards 2023 and Best Photography at the Travel Media Awards 2020. Her work has been published by National Geographic, Wanderlust, and BBC Travel among others. Her films have been shown around the world including on the BBC, Discovery and PBS.

Further Reading...

A Safari In Tanzania: A Sneaky Peek Behind The Scenes

A Perfect Day in Kampala

Climbing The 8 Days Lemosho Route On Kilimanjaro

Chobe safari lodge in botswana: a complete review with photos, what to wear on safari: my detailed safari packing list with photos.

Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. This means that if you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Passport & Pixels is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

National Geographic content straight to your inbox—sign up for our popular newsletters here

17 unforgettable African safaris

Set off into the wild and see the world like never before with this guide to the best experiences in 11 countries.

Chobe National Park in Botswana holds one of Africa’s largest elephant populations.

What images come to mind when you hear the words “African safari”? Sitting in the bush on a moonlit night, so close to a lion that you can feel the rumble of its roar in your chest?

Many travelers might conjure up visions of tented camps, gourmet meals under a baobab tree, game drives through golden savanna, and sundowners at the end of the day. But safaris can also involve self-guided rental cars , game walks, and fly-fishing. Safaris can be as varied as the continent of Africa itself.

One recent trend: expeditions that enlist travelers in the fight to save endangered wildlife. Tourists make a difference by joining rhino or lion conservationists at work in South Africa or accompanying researchers working on a chimpanzee habituation project in Kibale National Park in Uganda . ( Read about the dark truth behind wildlife tourism. )

Three zebras line a waterhole in South Africa's Kruger National Park.

No matter where you go and what type of safari you choose, timing is key. Once you’ve narrowed your options, look into the best time to visit. South Africa’s summer (December through February), for example, is prime safari season in that region. You’ll still see wildlife if you go during South Africa’s winter (June through August), but pack a jacket, as temperatures can be chilly, especially before the sun rises.

Set off into the wild and see the world like never before with our guide to top safari experiences in 11 African countries.

Spot animals in these natural wonders.

South Africa

Kruger National Park: South Africa ’s largest game reserve, Kruger National Park makes a perfect home base for self-guided and first-time safaris. Stay in one of the park’s fenced camps, such as the Crocodile Bridge Rest Camp on the northern bank of the Crocodile River. Head into the bush early to explore the Southern Circle, famous for its competing lion prides and their varied hunting practices. Don’t miss the nearby hippo pool, but be sure to stay in your car outside of the camp. ( Take a solo safari through South Africa’s wild grasslands. )

Hazyview: Not far from Kruger’s southwestern Phabeni Gate, Hazyview is a family-friendly hub for horseback safaris, zip-lining, safari golf, and trout fishing. Check in to one of the lodges, such as Hippo Hollow Country Estate , and then head out into the Kruger before sunrise on a self-guided game drive to scout lions and white rhinos. Break for lunch in the town of Skukuza.

Timbavati Private Nature Reserve: The rugged Timbavati is one of the private nature reserves that make up the greater Kruger area. Guests can choose from eight lodges there. An upscale chalet at fence-free Simbavati Safari Lodges , for example, is perfect for families. Wake up early for game drives, perhaps to search for African wild dogs . Mid-morning, kids head into the bush for a scavenger hunt with a guide.

Grootbos Private Nature Reserve: Animals aren’t the only sights to track on safari. In South Africa’s Western Cape region, wildflowers provide the dazzle. The two lodges at Grootbos , part of the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World , sit amid the smallest of the world’s six floral kingdoms, home to some 800 plant species. Watch for sharks and southern right whales from your suite’s deck. ( See the world’s best places for flowers. )

Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, located in South Africa’s Western Cape, offers a "flower safari" to guests.

Hlane Royal National Park: Head to Swaziland , a country landlocked between South Africa and Mozambique , to see Hlane ’s fiercely protected rhinos and marabou storks. Stay in one of the park’s two lodges, Ndlovu Camp or Bhubesi, and enjoy self-guided drives on the safe game-viewing roads that crisscross the park’s flat terrain. Spot lions, hyenas, giraffes, and vulturess, then picnic at the Mahlindza water hole.

Central Kalahari Game Reserve: Black-maned Kalahari lions roam this reserve in central Botswana . Stay just north of the reserve at Deception Valley Lodge , where you can watch magical sunsets dip into the horizon from the deck of your chalet.

Chobe National Park: To the north of Central Kalahari, Chobe National Park is home to one of Africa’s largest elephant populations. And Chobe Game Lodge boasts the only all-female safari guide team in Africa. ( Meet the all-female anti-poaching unit saving rhinos and other wildlife. )

Elephants enjoy a sunny day in Botswana’s Chobe National Park.

Hwange National Park: All aboard the Elephant Express to tour the Ngamo Forest Area and Hwange National Park, known for its pachyderms and 400-plus species of birds. The two-hour safari rail trip is easily accessible to Imvelo Safari Lodges’ Bomani Tented Lodge or Camelthorn Lodge . Check out the game-viewing underground hide at nearby Stoffie’s Pan. North from Hwange, a four-hour drive or a one-hour flight gets you to regal Victoria Falls, a thundering natural wonder you can hear long before you first catch sight of it.

Mana Pools National Park: Try a river-based safari in a kayak at this remote park. The best time to go may be in April, when large herds of elephants, buffalo, kudu, and the elusive eland return to the four (or mana in the local language) large permanent pools along the south bank of the Zambezi River after the rainy season. Accommodations in the park include lodges, thatched chalets, and campsites.

Namib Desert: A safari here means brilliant stargazing, silky sand, age-old views, and resilient desert animals such as oryx, bat-eared foxes, Burchell’s zebras, and loads of lizards. Stay at & Beyond’s Sossusvlei Desert Lodge , located at the desert’s eastern edge. Explore the Namib dunes on a quad bike, and hike a craggy slope to see ancient rock paintings in a nearby cave, making sure to pack water, a hat, and sunscreen. ( See eerie photos of a Namibian ghost town. )

Gorongosa National Park: Located in central Mozambique , Gorongosa has been brought back to life after suffering the devastations of many years of civil conflict. Today, when you visit, you become a part of one of Africa’s most successful wildlife restoration stories. Home to floodplains and preserved palm forests, Gorongosa has an amazing diversity of wildlife, from antelope to primates and huge Nile crocodiles, as well as lions, elephants, and hippos.

A female crocodile guards her nest of eggs beside the Mussicadzi River in Mozambique's Gorongosa National Park.

Selous Game Reserve: Visit this off-the-beaten-track and tranquil reserve in southern Tanzania for walking safaris and traditional game drives. Then cruise the Rufiji River to watch for elephants, hippos, lions, leopards, and brindled gnu. Stay at Beho Beho , a hilltop lodge that also has secluded tree-house accommodations for the extra adventurous.

Serengeti National Park: At Asilia’s Namiri Plains camp in northern Tanzania, visitors become part of the migration as they travel in a luxury mobile camp alongside herds of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles. Walking safaris get you closer to the action, with veteran Serengeti safari guides giving the play-by-play. The animals—often stalked by big predators, such as lions and cheetahs—follow one of Earth’s most ancient routes. And if you come too close to an animal, never run. Move away quietly.

Olare Motorogi Conservancy: Cross the border from Tanzania into southern Kenya for an iconic East African lodge experience at the Mara Plains Camp. About a 2.5-hour drive from the legendary Masai Mara National Reserve, the eco-friendly camp was built by National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence Dereck and Beverly Joubert with their partners at Great Plains Conservation . From camp, you’ll head out on safari to watch migrating zebras and wildebeests make exciting and risky river crossings. You may even see a few big cats. ( Experience an air safari through Kenya. )

A lioness takes in the view of Kenya's Olare Motorogi Conservancy.

Ragati Conservancy: Kenya may be a great place to see the migrations, but it’s also a surprisingly fantastic spot for fly-fishing. On the southern slopes of Mount Kenya (Africa’s second highest peak), the Ragati Conservancy has mountain streams stocked with glistening rainbow trout. What makes the Ragati worth the trip? Nat Geo photographer and fly fisherman Pete Muller says that while Idaho fishing is amazing, “anglers won’t encounter an elephant along the Lochsa!” Fishing in Kenya, he says, also gives fishing enthusiasts the chance to visit locations such as Aberdare National Park.

Rwanda/Uganda

Volcanoes National Park/kalinzu Forest Reserve: Rwanda ’s Volcanoes National Park allows a limited number of visitors per day to hike into the jungle to view endangered mountain gorillas up close, as they groom each other, play, and eat bamboo shoots and fruits. Keep your eyes open for golden monkeys too. Nat Geo Expeditions offers an itinerary that includes a gorilla trek, then heads north into Uganda for a chimpanzee trek through the lush Kalinzu Forest Reserve near Queen Elizabeth National Park. ( Here’s how to visit the endangered mountain gorillas of Uganda and Rwanda. )

Zakouma National Park: Intense wildlife experiences await at this park known for the number of animals that make it their home. A herd of more than 500 elephants and flocks of birds, such as the black-crowned crane, in the tens of thousands, congregate here. Zakouma had a tremendous comeback after enduring civil unrest in the region. Visit between December and April, and stay at traditional Camp Nomade, its tents decorated with local carpets and brass bells.

• Nat Geo Expeditions

Related Topics

• WILDLIFE WATCHING

You May Also Like

Free roam safari: a self-guided campervanning trip through South Africa & Eswatini

20 of the coolest travel adventures for 2024

For hungry minds.

5 game drive alternatives, from cycling to horse-riding

How locals are protecting the wildlife of the Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area

Maasai Mara & beyond: 5 must-see safari parks in Kenya

First-ever photos show humpback whales mating—and they’re males

Desert hikes and camping under the stars on a budget safari in Namibia

• Environment
• Perpetual Planet

History & Culture

• History & Culture
• History Magazine
• Gory Details
• Mind, Body, Wonder
• Paid Content
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Your US State Privacy Rights
• Children's Online Privacy Policy
• Interest-Based Ads
• About Nielsen Measurement
• Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
• Nat Geo Home
• Attend a Live Event
• Book a Trip
• Inspire Your Kids
• Shop Nat Geo
• Visit the D.C. Museum
• Learn About Our Impact
• Support Our Mission
• Advertise With Us
• Customer Service
• Renew Subscription
• Manage Your Subscription
• Work at Nat Geo
• Sign Up for Our Newsletters
• Contribute to Protect the Planet

Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society Copyright © 2015-2024 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved

• A photo Photos   10k
• Pen Tool Illustrations   452
• A stack of folders Collections   36k
• A group of people Users   2

African safari

Browse premium images on iStock | 20% off at iStock

Make something awesome

• AI Generator

91,055 An African Safari Stock Photos and High-res Pictures

Browse 91,055 an african safari photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more photos and images..

African Animals – Incredible moments on Safari

Written By: The Planet D

Updated On: February 8, 2024

Going on a safari in Africa is one of the most thrilling adventures in the world. There is nothing more exciting than seeing African animals roaming free on the great plains. We have been on safari in South Africa, Kenya , Tanzania , Namibia, and Botswana. We are truly lucky people.

Table of Contents

African Safari Animals in Photos

Our first time in Africa was in 2008 when we cycled from Cairo to Cape Town. Our trip took us from the north through Sub-Saharan Africa all the way to the southern tip of the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. We saw a lot of wildlife on that six-month trip alone and since then, we’ve gone back four times. These are our favorite moments of coming face-to-face with African animals.

It wasn’t until going on at least three safaris that we actually saw a proper pride of lions. It was while touring Tanzania with Go Ahead Tours that we had our most outstanding lion encounters. One that sticks out is while on a game drive in the Serengeti.

Lion Chasing Lioness

We watched three male lions try to court a female as a herd of elephants kept chasing them away. It was incredible to see how the lions kept watch on the elephants who drove them away whenever they came to close, yet never took their eyes off the female prize.

Lioness And Her Cubs

This memorable moment consisted of 13 cubs following one lone female lion. Our guide George told us that there were probably three other adult female lions lurking in the grass, but the cubs were following her – the Alpha. As they followed along, this little guy broke away from the pack charging at his mom. He brought her down, nipping at her throat and belly before climbing on her back to tell the rest of the cubs to come on down!

Watch our Wildlife on Safari in the Serengeti Video

Watch all the videos above and at about 1:50 into the video, you’ll see the lion cubs playing with mom.

You can see lions all over Africa: Some of the best places we spotted them were in the Serengeti in Tanzania, Kenya’s Masai Mara, a South African Game Reserve, and the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. Lake Manyara is the place to see lions sleeping in trees. We also saw them in the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park in Botswana.

Lion And Elephant Fighting For Space

We all thought that lions are the kings of Africa, but if elephants are mad at you, you’re in trouble no matter who you are. T his lion and his brothers were way too close to a herd of elephants and their calves. The elephants were having no part of that and a group of big males split off to chase the lions away.

One of the best places to see elephants in Africa is in Amboseli National Park where there is a huge concentration of elephants. Plus, you get a great view of Mount Kilimanjaro. But we also saw elephants in all the usual places in Africa as well including the Serengeti, South Africa, Addo Elephant Nature Park in South Africa, plus Botswana, Malawi, and Zambia.

Leopard in Tree

Leopards seem to be the most elusive animals in Africa. We had waited for days to find a leopard when on safari and we finally heard that one was sitting in a tree at the end of our trip to the Masai Mara in Kenya. We joined the line of safari trucks sitting around the tree to spy on her, but she never showed her face. It wasn’t until everyone left that we waited patiently by ourselves. Sure enough, when the commotion died down, she lifted her head from the branch and looked right at us. It was a breathtaking moment.

Leopard Jumping Into A Tree

Seeing a leopard in Africa is a rare and beautiful thing. Seeing a leopard jump onto a tree and continue to climb it is nearly impossible! It was the end of a long day of our final day in the Serengeti in Tanzania and we knew a leopard had been hanging out in a tree for a couple of days. We never got a great view until driving back to the lodge near sunset. On our way back to the lodge, Dave asked our guide George if we could swing by the leopard tree to see if she had moved. Sure enough, we caught her walking from one tree to another and snapped this shot just as she leaped to her perch.

Three Rhinoceros – The Whole Family

Getting to see a rhinoceros in Africa is rare indeed. They are the most critically endangered famous species of animal in Africa. Sadly, the  Northern White Rhino went extinct in 2019 and the Western Black Rhino went extinct over a decade ago. Why do people think that the fibers from a rhino’s tusk are healing or an aphrodisiac? Leave them, alone people!

Cheetah And Her Cub

One of our favorite moments seeing African safari animals came while leaving Tarangire National Park in Tanzania. We were on our way to the next stop with our safari vehicle’s roofs and windows closed but our guides spotted this cheetah on the hunt with her cub. A herd of gazelles was grazing nearby and she was keeping an eye on them. At one point they made a move to chase one and it seemed like the perfect moment. But the baby jumped the gun bounding ahead giving the gazelle ample warning to getaway.

Keeping Watch Before The Next Hunt

Not to worry though, the mother quickly forgave her child and they cuddled up waiting for the next set of prey to walk by. The cheetah and her cub eye a pack of gazelles. Will they get a kill on the second try? I sure hope so. Mom has a lot of patience, so I think she’ll teach this little fellow how to hunt in no time.

Cheetah In The Grass

Spotting cheetahs on an African safari can be tricky business. Cheetahs are one of the more elusive African animals to see. Our first two safaris we never saw on Cheetah! It was when visiting the Masai Mara in Kenya that we encountered our first cheetah walking through the grass. We followed her for a while in awe. Cheetahs are difficult to spot because they hide well in the long grass, but this beauty was sitting poised and ready as we approached in our trucks.

Baby African Elephants Playing

Seeing baby elephants will melt your heart. When we happened upon a herd of elephants filled with frisky baby elephants, we had one of our most breathtaking Subsaharan animal encounters. Watching the family unite work together and protect their young filled me with joy. Seeing the baby elephants play and show off made me giggle. They are the most adorable creatures and I cannot believe that people have hunted them to the point of being critically endangered.

African Elephant On The Way To The Watering Hole

I cannot get over how quickly elephants cover vast amounts of land. They seem like they are moving in slow motion, but as you sit and watch them approach from the far distance, they are near you within minutes. We watched a herd of elephants walking to a watering hole while on safari in Tarangire National Park in Tanzania, all the wildlife seemed to be walking to one place. Processions of elephants, zebras, and impalas were all walking in long lines towards the watering hole. This was the perfect African safari scene and what I think of when I dream of Africa.

The Lone Bull Elephant

When male elephants are too old to be a part of the herd (or when male elephants grow out of their adolescence) they are sent off on their own to either find another herd or spend the rest of their days in solitude. This giant elephant was definitely an old man and he took notice when our safari jeep came near.

While watching this bull elephant from the safety of our truck, he suddenly charged. Elephants are the most unpredictable animals when on safari (in our opinion). They look so relaxed one minute, but they can quickly turn the next. We were enjoying a quiet moment, but the truck next to us suddenly laughed loudly. This guy didn’t like that at all and charged at our truck. Luckily it was just a warning.

Giraffes On Lake Manyara

Lake Manyara is one of the most interesting places to see African safari animals. It’s one thing to see giraffes on the Serengeti, but to see them standing on the beach with water reflecting their long necks is mesmerizing. We counted 18 giraffes standing like statues on the shores of Lake Manyara; an alkaline lake known for its flamingoes and baboon population. It’s not an easy life for the “Ladies of the Serengeti.”

Sadly, we have heard that giraffes are quickly becoming critically endangered in silence. We can believe it, we have always had a difficult time seeing giraffes on an African safari. Other than at Lake Manyara, we have only seen the odd one or pair on our outings.

Necking Giraffes

When you are lucky enough to spot giraffes in Africa, make sure to stop to watch them. They are the most elegant of creatures. Watching giraffes intertwine their long necks while swaying back and forth is like watching a ballet. They swing from side to side in perfect unison coming together for a few moments before beginning the dance again. The movements mesmerize you into a trance as you watch the moment unfold.

You can watch it in our video: The Best Things to do in Tanzania

If you love African animals you will love visiting Tanzania. There are so many animal encounters to be had here. Our video above also highlights all of the other things you can do in Tanzania.

Black Rhino

Lake Nakuru is home to one of the largest number of black rhinos in Africa. This sanctuary is under strict guard keeping an eye for poachers and is one of the best places in Africa to see rhinos. More than 100 rhinos inhabit Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya with several different species of rhino living under protection. You’ll find black rhinos and white rhinos in Lake Nakuru.

Yawning Hippos

Hippos are pretty boring to watch. Most of the time they lay in pools of water with only their nostrils and ears sticking out. However, don’t take that mellow feeling for granted, the hippopotamus is one of the most dangerous animals in Africa.

They kill more people than lions or elephants. They may be herbivores but just look at those giant mouths. They are very territorial and fiercely defend their area. Hippos all pack together protecting one another from the sun as they stay covered in mud. But every once in a while a hippo yawns and it’s the most exciting moment of the day!

I must admit, the warthog is my favorite African animal. Honestly! they are so odd-looking they’re cute! They also never stop. It’s very difficult to get a photo of a warthog because they never stop moving. They are always scurrying about looking terrified that they are going to be eaten any second. I am always rooting for the warthog to survive. There are two species of warthogs found in Africa and they are related to the pig family. I can see the resemblance, they definitely look like a wild boar.

Flamingoes are found on the salt lakes of African nations. One of the best places to see them is Lake Manyara in Tanzania. We also had an incredible view of flamingoes in Lake Nakuru in Kenya. You will not only see flamingoes at these lakes, but also storks, cranes, pelicans, and eagles all flying and floating on an incredible lake surrounded by rolling hills.

Flamingo Reflections

Did we tell you we were excited about the flamingoes? We love this reflection. It literally looks like the flamingo is checking out its reflection. Lake Manyara that we finally saw the thousands of different species of birds and flamingoes gracing its coast.

Flamingos Flying

Okay, one more flamingo photo before we move on. It was spectacular to see flamingoes take flight. Did we mention we were really excited about the flamingos of Lake Manyara and Lake Nakuru?

Morning Light On A Hyena

The poor hyena isn’t the most famous of African safari animals, but seeing one is pretty rare. I think they are cute. Just because they are scavengers doesn’t mean they aren’t fierce. When cycling Africa we often had hyenas circling our camp. We didn’t stray too far from our circle at night with these guys hanging around.

There are two species of ostrich in Africa. The common ostrich and the Somali ostrich. Contrary to popular belief, the Ostrich isn’t the world’s largest bird, which belongs to the albatross. However, they are the largest flightless bird in Africa and they lay the largest eggs of any living land animal. Want some more ostrich facts? They are also the fastest birds on land and can run up to a whopping 70 km/h (43.5 mph)

African Crocodile

While cycling Africa, we camped along the Nile and I must admit, I was terrified of an encounter with a Nile Crocodile. Luckily we never encountered one while camping, but we did see them when on safari.

The Nile crocodile is the largest reptile in Africa and they are pretty dangerous too. They kill more people than lions as they lurk in shallow waters on river banks. We were silly enough to go kayaking with crocodiles in South Africa. What were we thinkings? Check it out to see.

Cape Buffalo (African Buffalo)

The African buffalo is one of the big 5 African animals. The Big five were named so because back in the day, hunters shot these beautiful creatures for their trophy heads. The big 5 are buffalo, rhino, elephant, lion, and leopards. (we remember it by using the acronym BRELL) Sadly, many species of animals in Africa are critically endangered today because of hunting. I have an idea, let’s shoot them with our camera lens instead of with a gun.

Plains Zebras

One of the most common animals you’ll see in Africa is the Plains Zebra. We saw a lot of zebras in Tanzania, Kenya, Botswana, and South Africa. We even went horseback riding with zebras on a safari in South Africa. Our horses were surrounded by wildebeest and zebras and I could feel that the horses wanted to join in the run. When you see them up close, they look as if they’ve been painted with thick chalky makeup.

We saw quite a few hartebeests on safari in Africa. This large African antelope was often hanging out with zebras and gazelles. Their face totally looks like an elongated heart. Sadly, like many African animals, the hartebeest numbers are declining due to human encroachment, hunting and habitat destruction.

Another African antelope is the Impala. Impalas are graceful and beautiful antelopes that I always thought were gazelles. They are fast and can actually run up to 60 km per hour. (37 miles). Only male impalas have horns.

Many people know of the wildebeest because of the famous wildebeest migration in Tanzania and Kenya. It has always been our dream to see the millions of wildebeest cross the African plains. We haven’t been to Africa for the migration, but we have seen many wildebeests. Wildebeests are also calle a gnu. Believe it or not, they are also part of the antelope family.

Another member of the African antelope family is the Springbok.

I started to really fall in love with the zebras of Africa. If you look closely at the picture above, you’ll see a little bird on this foal’s back. Read more: iSimangaliso Wetlands – Horse Safari

A Chillin’ Baboon

Sitting atop this termite mount, a baboon looks like royalty. A group of elephants had just left the area and this baboon wasted no time jumping on top this mound after they left. You could tell that he was itching to get his spot back.

Sikes Monkey

The Sikes monkey was named after Colonel William Henry Sykes an English naturalist from the 1800s. It’s known for its white throat and we saw this handsome devil in Kenya.

Vervet Monkey

Vervet Monkeys are so cute and are found around lakes and streams in acacia forests and woodlands. We saw this little fellow at Lake Nakuru in Kenya. We also saw a lot of monkeys at Mayanara in Tanzania.

Colourful Birds Of Africa

Dave and I are normally not into bird watching, but our safari mates in our truck were very big birders. Their excitement over birds was contagious and by the end of the trip, I started to know the names of the birds of Africa like this colorful cutie the Lilac Breasted Roller.

Penguins of South Africa

Did you know that southern Africa has penguins? It does! The penguins of South Africa can be found just south of Cape Town near Simon’s town. There is a colony that swims in the cool waters of Southern Africa and they are adorable to see.

If you make your way out to Boulders Bay Beach, you’ll see a colony of cute African penguins frolicking in the sand on the beach

I was very excited to see a stork in Africa. When we were cycling through Ethiopia we saw a lot of them. When I was young I thought storks were made-up birds because people always said that a baby was brought in by a stork. However, they are real! There are 8 species of storks in Africa. We saw them in The Rift Valley, in South Africa near St. Lucia, at lakes in Tanzania, and in Kenya.

At first, we weren’t too excited about the bird species in Africa, but then on one of our safaris in Tanzania, a truck mate was a full-on bird watcher. She pointed out birds for us to see and we started getting excited whenever we saw a new species. I can see why birding is so popular!

A Late Evening Yawn

The sun was setting and this lion knew it. Almost time for a nap and time for us to head back to the lodge. This was on safari in South Africa at Kariega Game Reserve on the Garden Route.

Lion Looking At Me Licking its Chops

This is the brother of our first lion photograph in the Serengeti. He walked so close to our truck that George told us to get our hands inside. He was licking his chops, so you knew he was ready for lunch!

Lioness On A Rock

One of our favorite African animal encounters was certainly seeing this female lion perched on Lion King Rock. When entering the Serengeti, the first thing we spotted was this lioness relaxing on a rock beside the famous Lion King Rock. And this scene was fitting. This is exactly what we expected to see on the African savanna and the moment didn’t disappoint.

Watch the Big 5 of Africa in Kenya

We can’t wait to go back to Africa to go on more safaris. We haven’t seen the mountain gorillas of Rwanda, Uganda, or the Congo yet and we still have yet to see the Chimpanzees at Jane Goodalls sanctuary. But isn’t that what makes travel exciting. We are always adding more encounters and adventures to our list!

More African Animals in Photos

Lions napping in a tree.

I’ve always wanted to see lions sleeping in trees. It was a first for us on our Tanzania safari. Lake Manyara claims to be famous for sleeping lions, but we saw lions sleeping in trees in the Ngorongoro Crater and here at Tarangire National Park. Aren’t they beautiful?

Lioness With Her Kill

Watching this female lion carry her recent kill along the African savanna showed just how harsh conditions are for animals. She may have caught dinner but getting it back to her cubs took a lot of hard work. She walked for a few minutes and then dropped the gazelle taking heavy breathes as she caught her breath.

All the while she had to keep an eye out for other predators that could challenge her to take her kill. At one point she saw a lone gazelle and dropped her kill to try for another. It managed to outrun her, but she exerted a lot of energy. I wonder how she would have carried two kills at a time?

Cheetah Cub

When visiting the Masai Mara in Kenya, we only saw one cheetah our entire safari. While on safari in Tanzania, we saw half a dozen cheetahs including moms, cubs, and this adolescent.

At the game reserves in South Africa, they cut off the rhino’s horn so that poachers don’t kill them for it. It is sad to see that this needs to be done, but at least it keeps them safe. I don’t think these two felt too bad about it, they seem to be enjoying life pretty well!

Male Lion In The Ngorongoro Crater

We didn’t expect to see male lions at the Ngorongoro Crater but sure enough, after spending time watching the wildebeest and zebras, we came across two male lions walking steadily to find some shade. We followed them for a bit before they changed course towards a very big and shady baobab tree.

Staring Into The Breeze

Something tells me this lion smells tonight’s dinner.

Close Up Of A Giraffe

Giraffes have a strange mix of being beautiful and dopy looking at the same time. This captures the beauty of the giraffe.

A Lioness and Her Cubs

Being on an African safari in August lets you see all the cubs at their cutest. It seemed that every turn in the Serengeti found us at another squad of cubs with mother.

Watch our Safari Tips for Tanzania

Africa is close to our hearts and we were so excited to finally go on Safari in Tanzania. We’ve been fortunate enough to safari in Kenya, South Africa, and Botswana.

• On Safari in Tanzania
• The Maasai Tribe Visit – What it’s Really Like
• Kenya Safari – The Masai Mara Experience
• What to Wear on Safari 
• Best Things to do in South Africa

Travel Planning Resources

Looking to book your next trip? Why not use these resources that are tried and tested by yours truly.

Flights: Start planning your trip by finding the best flight deals on Skyscanner

Book your Hotel: Find the best prices on hotels with these two providers. If you are located in Europe use Booking.com and if you are anywhere else use TripAdvisor

Find Apartment Rentals: You will find the cheapest prices on apartment rentals with VRBO . 

Travel Insurance: Don't leave home without it. Here is what we recommend:

• Allianz - Occasional Travelers.
• Medjet - Global air medical transport and travel security.

Need more help planning your trip? Make sure to check out our Resources Page where we highlight all the great companies that we trust when we are traveling.

You May Also Like

Discover The Best Beaches in Zanzibar

Complete Guide to Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro – How Hard is It?

The Maasai Tribe: What a Visit is Really Like

About The Planet D

Dave Bouskill and Debra Corbeil are the owners and founders of The Planet D. After traveling to 115 countries, on all 7 continents over the past 13 years they have become one of the foremost experts in travel. Being recognized as top travel bloggers and influencers by the likes of Forbes Magazine , the Society of American Travel Writers and USA Today has allowed them to become leaders in their field.

Join thousands of others who get our monthly updates!

Leave a comment cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

10 Best African Photo Safaris You Must Experience

This post may contain affiliate links which means we may get a commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please read our disclosure for details.

"Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn a commission."

Even if you’ve been on a safari in the past, an African photo safari is something you want to experience or at the very list add to the top of your bucket list.

But first, what is a photo safari ? The phrase “photo safari” is not a common sentence structure but its meaning can be deduced easily. An African photo safari in general context means going on an adventure with the sole purpose of taking high-quality pictures.

This definition also applies to actual safari destinations in Africa since many people are aiming to take photos during game drives. So, what is the use of a photo safari in Africa? Well, here are just a few reasons to consider a photo safari:

• For the adventure and to preserve the experience for years to come (similar to Northern Lights portraits in the arctic).
• Working as a wildlife photographer for websites and magazines.
• An African photo safari can be done for promotional purposes to advertise safari photography tours. Tour operators use these images in their brochures and websites.
• Educational purposes for schools and conservation projects.

The Best Africa Photo Safari Tours

An analysis was carried out by the website Safari Bookings in June 2019. 157 parks in 11 countries were ranked according to African photo safari reviews from both tourists and experts who work as authors for prestigious travel companies like Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor. The best places for African safari are clustered in Southern Africa. Here is a list of top 10 parks best-suited for game viewing and photographic opportunities.

• Serengeti National Park, Tanzania , 4.92/5: Abundance of Big 5, especially the big cats, opportunities to view wildebeest migration aka migration safari. ( More Details )
• Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe , 4.85/5: A variety of safari tours such as walking, canoe, and classic safaris, an abundance of big 5 except rhino, a large population of wild dogs. ( More Details )
• Mala Mala Game Reserve, South Africa , 4.80/5: Private reserve with luxurious facilities, a high population of wildlife, especially all of the big 5. This park is a must because of the outstanding wildlife viewing opportunity if you visit Johannesburg or Cape Town. ( More Details )
• Okavango Delta, Botswana, 4.76/5: A variety of tours such as canoe, boat, and classic safaris, waterway paradise, and presence of big 5. ( More Details )
• Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia , 4.68/5: Canoe and classic safari tours, and 4 of the big 5. ( More Details )
• Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana , 4.68/5: Large population of big 5 including the rare rhino species. ( More Details )
• South Luangwa National Park, Zambia , 4.67/5: Walking and driving safari options, an abundance of the big 5 except rhinos, an abundance of giraffes, and an opportunity to see Victoria Falls. ( More Details )
• Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania , 4.64/5: Abundance of wildlife including the big 5 inside the unique landscape of a volcanic crater. ( More Details )
• Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa , 4.62/5: With multiple private reserves in close proximity, you will have an exclusive safari experience with an excellent Big 5 viewing. You can request for a private guided tour for a tailor-made adventure to suit your needs. ( More Details )
• Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya , 4.59/5: The presence of all members of the big 5, an abundance of big cats and the opportunity to watch the mass migration of wildebeest makes this East Africa destination a must. ( More Details )

Best Month To Go On An African Safari

The best time to go on an African Safari depends on the country you are visiting. Different countries are ideal for different times of the year and for different reasons.

January to February: Tanzania

The Great Migration of wildebeests from Serengeti in Tanzania to Masai Mara in Kenya is the most picturesque event during a safari in Tanzania. 

During January and February, you can witness not only river crossings of large herds of giraffes, zebras, and antelopes but also predators like lions attempting to hunt the weakest members of the herds. You can also witness a wildebeest or zebra giving birth.

March-April: South Africa, Ethiopia, Namibia

The best time for game viewing in South Africa is the transition period between summer and winter. The weather is still ideal with mild temperatures. Besides, the summer rainfall from the previous months brings out many members of the wildlife. Kruger National Park is highly recommended.

Ethiopia is another ideal destination since it is about to enter its rainy season just after April. The temperatures will be ideal for both humans and animals to go outdoors. The Simien Mountains National Park is highly recommended.

These two months also see the transition between the rainy season and the dry season in Namibia. The rainfall from March increases the greenery and the temperatures remain quite warm during the day.

May to June: Madagascar, Zimbabwe

May and June in Madagascar see the lowest temperatures and are ideal for viewing endangered species like lemurs and chameleons.

Zimbabwe’s weather displays features of both wet and dry seasons, so you can witness the highest variety of animals. The relative dryness makes the safari a less muddy and more pleasant safari experience. So many animals come out to drink water from watering holes and rivers.

July to August: Rwanda, Botswana

Rwanda’s dry season is the best time for gorilla trekking for viewing mountain gorillas, colobus monkeys and chimpanzees. Botswana’s Okavango Delta also experiences dryness, so safari tours will be more comfortable and less messy. Animals gather around waterholes, making the viewing much easier. The absence of mosquitos is a huge plus.

September: Kenya

The Great Migration occurs in the opposite direction from Masai Mara to Serengeti in September

African Safari Cost

The cost of an African photo safari depends on the package you are purchasing. There are options available for both budget travelers and luxury travelers.

Budget safaris start from 100-125 USD per person per day, while the high-end safari packages can cost more than 700 USD per person per night.

Although the difference is not huge, the cheapest budget safari options are found in Zambia with 150 USD per person for group safaris.

There are also additional costs you need to consider.

• Level of accommodation: Many national parks will have a range of accommodation from campsites to luxurious tents or cottages.
• Self-drive: A great option if you enjoy adventure traveling. Self-drive safari is obviously a cheaper option, but also more challenging when it comes to animal encounters.
• Holiday season: The prices will go up significantly during the school holiday season. You need to find out when the holiday starts and make an effort to visit the parks outside the peak season.
• Vaccination and medication: Depending on the season and the country, you will probably need certain vaccinations and precautions against certain diseases like malaria.
• Visa: Although getting a visa is easy, it does cost around 30-50 USD depending on the country.
• Tips: The safari guides will appreciate a tip between 10-15 USD

Visit here for a detailed breakdown of safari costs.

Frequently Asked Questions About African Photo Safari

It is unusual for wildlife and the human race to come into contact during the safari. That being said, the tours are guided by experienced locals who know how to act around wild animals. They make sure of the absolute safety of both parts.

Although safari tours are completely safe, you have a huge responsibility to make sure they stay that way. There are certain rules that you MUST follow. Leaving the safari vehicle, getting too close to the animals, trying to feed them, and drawing them closer to the vehicles are strictly forbidden and can lead to life-threatening outcomes. Such disruptive behaviors put you and those around you in danger.

The budget safari tours start from 100 USD per person and can go up to 1000 USD. But in general, the cost depends on what you expect from a safari. Refer to the cost section for a detailed explanation.

Love it? Share and Pin it!

You may also enjoy:

10 absolute best things to do in zimbabwe …, maputo 2024: best of maputo, mozambique travel and …, follow us around the world, our next destination.

Fez, Morocco

• AI Generator

90,603 An African Safari Stock Photos and High-res Pictures

Browse 90,603 an african safari photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more photos and images..

Mount Sleet

Images in Africa Safaris

Small group photo safaris.

"I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up and was not happy."  Ernest Hemingway

Our Safaris

Wildebeest Migration Safari August 2022

August 13, 2022 - August 22, 2022

Maasai Mara Migration Safari August  13 - August 22, 2022

Botswana/Zambia Wildlife Safari November 2022

November 12, 2022 - November 23, 2022

Botswana/Zambia Wildlife Safari November 12, 2022 - November 23, 2022

Kenya Green Season Safari

February 25, 2023 - March 6, 2023

Kenya Green Season Safari February 25, 2023 - March 6, 2023

Botswana Birding Safari March 2023

March 8, 2023 - March 17, 2023

Botswana Birding Safari March 8, 2023 - March 17, 2023

Wildebeest Migration Safari August 2023

August 12, 2023 - August 21, 2023

Maasai Mara Migration Safari August 12 - August 21, 2023

The Trip of a Lifetime

"The only man I envy is the man who has not yet been to Africa...

for he has so much to look forward to."

~ Richard Mullin

Customer Experiences

"As my first time in Africa, and my first time on a photo safari, I was very impressed with the organization, hospitality, and knowledge of everyone involved.  Most impressive is the ease of shooting.  You get right up next to the animals and if you can't come home with good shots, throw your camera in the river and find another hobby."

Images in Africa Safaris News

"If I have ever seen magic,

It has been in Africa."

~  John Hemingway

David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

Planning a photo safari in Africa: 7 essential tips

Planning a photo safari in Africa ? Based on my knowledge and experience as a photographer, responsible traveler , and wildlife enthusiast, I share 7 essential tips that help you plan and prepare a photo-focused safari trip , where it's all about capturing beautiful and high-quality images of your safari adventure and wildlife sightings. 

If you have been on an African safari before, you will be aware of the conflict that can occur when traveling with people with different interests. For people with a special interest in (learning) wildlife photography in Africa, I would recommend looking into a photography safari trip, rather than a regular safari. I wrote an article about the difference between a photo safari and a regular safari .

What is a photo safari?

On a photo safari all circumstances that can be influenced, are created in a way to get the best out of your photography. It’s all about going to the right place at the right times, in different lights, getting the best position to photograph from the right (and different) angles, and spending more time at one sighting to observe and get that perfect shot. The more time you spend with the animals, who are telling their story, the better your photos. On a photographic journey, you will not be rushing to tick off the ' Big 5 ' game animals. You will also be out during the ‘magic golden hours’ around sunset and sunrise.

Apart from that, you will learn from a professional photographer who helps to improve your photography skills. If you are traveling in a group, you can also learn from other wildlife photography enthusiasts. Another plus of photography safaris is that many game drive vehicles are designed and configured specifically for wildlife photography with more space to maneuver.

Joining a photo safari doesn't mean you have to be an experienced photographer. On most photography trips it doesn't matter if you're a beginner, intermediate or professional photographer. Having an interest in photography is the basis of what you need for most of these photo trips. 

Planning a photo safari group tour or private tour

Whether you love to travel in a group or with a private company, there are always a few important things to consider before you book your trip. If you have never been to Africa, I wouldn't recommend planning your safari trip on your own. Feel free to reach out for advice to help you create a personalized travel plan, or to join me on one of my upcoming photo safari tours . 

Now you know what to expect from a photographic safari in Africa, it’s time to dig into the most important things to know and consider for planning and preparing your photo-focused safari. Here are my 7 valuable tips for planning your African photography safari .

1. Create an overview of your wishes

As a traveler, you are the only one that can decide what’s important to you, and how you want to spend your money. 

To make that clear, you need to d o research and create an overview of your wishes . From there, you can start making choices. Consider which aspects are most essential for you. Keep in mind that every aspect can influence the price.

You can make a start by answering the following questions:

• Where do I want to go? (Country, safari destinations, number of places)
• When do I want to go? (high-, low-, rain-, dry-season)
• Do I like to travel in a group or private? 
• What’s my budget? 
• What accommodation can I afford (Budget, comfort, luxury)
• How long will I be traveling?
• Do I want to organize it all by myself or book an organized trip?
• What would I like to see and do?

2. Choose the right time to travel 

As you might know, Africa has a wet and dry season and offers variations of climates and weather in different countries and areas. The dry season in Africa is the most popular as well as the most crowded season. The best advantage of traveling in the dry season is that animals are frequently found around water pools because of the scarcity of water. In the dry season, the temperatures are high and landscapes are usually dry. 

However, some photographers find the wet season in Africa the best time to photograph because of the dramatic skies, green scenery, better light (because of clouds), and less dust. This is also a great period for capturing newborns.

I’ve traveled to Africa in both seasons and in different months. I always try to go in the shoulder seasons , in between dry and wet seasons. Choosing the best time to travel also depends on your personal wishes, budget, and safari destination. Kenya is for example an all-year-round safari destination, while other countries, for example, Uganda , are harder to travel during certain times of the year because of heavy rains. 

3. Choose a reliable and qualified photo safari operator 

After you defined your wishes, it’s time to select the right tour operator or organization to travel with and choose destinations and accommodations to stay in. I always attach great importance to organizations with a focus on conservation efforts, sustainability, and responsible travel choices . I personally do my best to select and collaborate with local organizations and try to look for unique, more private experiences, where they also give back to nature and the surrounding communities.

Do your research to ensure that your trip will meet, or even exceed your expectations.  Always search for valuable reviews, ask specific questions in advance to know what to expect to check the reliability, and follow your gut. If you are planning your first African safari trip, feel free to contact me for help or simply join me on one of my group safari trips to Africa . You can even form your own group of max 6 people to accommodate greater flexibility in addressing your preferences regarding the travel period and dates.

Good photography focussed safari companies will offer a 4x4 vehicle with enough space inside, large windows, and a pop-up roof. The luxury photographic companies usually offer a specially-equipped photographic vehicle with sliding gimbals, removable doors, and photography equipment to borrow. Some companies also have the permission to enter National Parks and Game Reserves after opening hours, which is great for an evening game drive or night photography.

4. Find a guide with an eye for photography 

Normally you cannot choose your guide for your safari, but by doing detailed research, like searching for reviews and references, you can increase your chances of finding a guide with an eye for photography. 

Guides with an interest and eye for photography will understand how to get you in the right position for a perfect shot. They will anticipate the lights and movements of the animals, and they will always find the best positioning for the vehicle. To get the best out of your photography, your guide has to be committed to leaving in the early morning and staying out for a longer amount of time than on a regular game drive. 

Use your guide’s knowledge to capture the best photos. Local guides perfectly know the animal’s habits, territories, and behavior. Tell your guide what’s important for you and what kind of photos you would like to capture. Take advantage of their knowledge and advice! 

If you come on a photo safari with me , I can assure you that I work with highly knowledgeable and qualified driver/guides . And as a qualified guide myself with an expertise in photography, we form a great team to give you the best possible safari experience.

5. The right photography gear for a photo safari

If you are an advanced photographer, I would definitely recommend bringing one, or preferably two, DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras with exchangeable lenses . 

With two cameras (bodies) and different lenses, you can easily switch cameras. For example, when wildlife comes closer, or you want to capture an animal in different contexts, like a wide shot to capture wildlife in its environment and close-ups. In the worst case, when anything happens to one camera, you have a second to continue photographing. 

Zoom lens and wide-angle lens

The best zoom lenses for wildlife photography are in the range of 200-600 mm. Zoom lenses with a focal length of 300+ mm are great for capturing wild animals or birds, while more wide-angled lenses are great to capture the beautiful environment or stunning African sunsets. For a crop camera, a zoom lens of 300mm should be ideal. If you’re using a full-frame camera, I would suggest a lens that can reach 400mm zoom. If you are a keen birder, then the more zoom your lens has, the better. For example, 600mm is perfect for bird photography .

Keep in mind that Africa’s wildlife is most active in the early morning and late evening, which means the lights can be challenging. For that reason, it will be better to bring lenses with larger apertures (f/2.8) and to use a camera that can increase the ISO without getting too much noise in your photo. 

Other photography accessories

Apart from the camera and lenses, it's advisable to bring photography accessories like an external hard drive to secure your photos, plenty of memory cards, extra batteries, cleaning wipes, a charger, a camera bag, and a rain cover. To provide stability for your camera, you can also bring a beanbag, monopod, and/or tripod on safari. 

In the above image captured in Uganda, I carry a 16-35mm wide-angle lens for landscape photography as part of my photography gear

6. Know your camera 

Having the most expensive camera doesn’t mean you’ll shoot the best images because whatever camera you bring, it’s extremely important to know how to use it. You will be disappointed if you invested a lot of money in camera gear and your pictures are too dark or blurry. 

To practice and learn how to use your camera, you can read the instruction manual, watch some tutorials on YouTube, and most importantly  practice with different settings and conditions  before you're going on a photo safari to Africa. Practice on your dog, take photos in a park or forest, and do whatever you can to get more familiar with your camera and its features. It’s essential to understand the different settings to adjust to different conditions. 

If you don’t have the time, motivation, skills, or if there’s any other reason why it’s not possible to learn how to make good photos, please save your money and enjoy the experience. You can try to take photos with your smartphone or a compact (zoom) camera because nowadays, the cameras on smartphones and compact cameras are pretty good. The most important thing is that you have an interest in (learning) photography.

7. Make a suitable itinerary

Photographic safaris often manage a slow and sustainable travel approach to spend enough time at the right places at the right times. The less time you spend in transit, the more time you’ll have for spending on your destination, being in the moment, and encountering and capturing incredible wildlife. On regular safaris, you usually visit more destinations, which means more time in transit. Another big advantage of slow travel is minimizing your impact on the environment and maximizing your appreciation and connection with the local community and their environment . I would always recommend spending at least three nights at each safari accommodation.

For photography, it’s extremely important to have time and patience. Wildlife is unpredictable and not always active. 

When planning your trip, find a good balance between the number of destinations and the time you want to spend photographing wildlife on game drives .

Customized Photo Safari Experience

Do you want to improve your photography skills and travel with like-minded people? You might want to consider joining my upcoming photo safari in Africa ! Contact me if you are interested.

Like what I do? Follow me on my social media channels and  help me grow by sharing or pinning this article and leaving a comment. 

• Images home
• Editorial home
• Editorial video
• Premium collections
• Entertainment
• Premium images
• AI generated images
• Curated collections
• Animals/Wildlife
• Backgrounds/Textures
• Beauty/Fashion
• Buildings/Landmarks
• Business/Finance
• Celebrities
• Food and Drink
• Healthcare/Medical
• Illustrations/Clip-Art
• Miscellaneous
• Parks/Outdoor
• Signs/Symbols
• Sports/Recreation
• Transportation
• All categories
• Shutterstock Select
• Shutterstock Elements
• Health Care
• Sound effects

PremiumBeat

• PixelSquid 3D objects
• Templates Home
• Instagram all
• Highlight covers
• Facebook all
• Carousel ads
• Cover photos
• Event covers
• Youtube all
• Channel Art
• Etsy big banner
• Etsy mini banner
• Etsy shop icon
• Pinterest all
• Pinterest pins
• Twitter All
• Twitter Banner
• Infographics
• Zoom backgrounds
• Announcements
• Certificates
• Gift Certificates
• Real Estate Flyer
• Travel Brochures
• Anniversary
• Baby Shower
• Mother's Day
• Thanksgiving
• All Invitations
• Party invitations
• Wedding invitations
• Book Covers
• About Creative Flow
• Start a design

AI image generator

• Photo editor
• Background remover
• Collage maker
• Resize image
• Color palettes

Color palette generator

• Image converter
• Creative AI
• Design tips
• Custom plans
• Request quote
• Shutterstock Studios
• Data licensing

You currently have 0 credits

See all plans

Image plans

With access to 400M+ photos, vectors, illustrations, and more. Includes AI generated images!

Video plans

A library of 28 million high quality video clips. Choose between packs and subscription.

Music plans

Download tracks one at a time, or get a subscription with unlimited downloads.

Editorial plans

Instant access to over 50 million images and videos for news, sports, and entertainment.

Includes templates, design tools, AI-powered recommendations, and much more.

African Safari royalty-free images

967,600 african safari stock photos, vectors, and illustrations are available royalty-free for download..

Our company

Press/Media

Investor relations

Shutterstock Blog

Popular searches

Stock Photos and Videos

Stock photos

Stock videos

Stock vectors

Editorial images

Featured photo collections

Sell your content

Affiliate/Reseller

International reseller

Live assignments

Rights and clearance

Website Terms of Use

Terms of Service

Privacy policy

Modern Slavery Statement

Cookie Preferences

Shutterstock.AI

AI style types

Shutterstock mobile app

Android app

© 2003-2024 Shutterstock, Inc.

Protect Your Trip »

12 Top African Safari Tours

Cross this must-do activity off your bucket list.

Courtesy of Micato Safaris

Spot the big five on your safari adventure.

Safari tours in Africa are just as diverse as the continent itself, though these types of trips typically require a large sum of money. Whether you want to spend a few days gorilla trekking in Uganda or a couple weeks spotting the "big five" – lions, leopards, African elephants, rhinos and Cape buffalos – in South Africa, you'll find an array of tours to best suit your needs. To help you narrow down your options, U.S. News compiled a list of 12 can't-miss African safari tours. Read on to find your once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Note: Some of the African countries in this article may require travelers to get an entry visa and certain vaccinations in order to visit. Jump to the list of visa and vaccination requirements by country at the bottom of this page for more information.

&Beyond

Courtesy of &Beyond

Visitors who don't want to sacrifice creature comforts while on safari will appreciate &Beyond's offerings. During the tour operator's 10-day Kings of the Jungle safari – which starts at $11,340 per person – travelers will see breathtaking natural wonders like the Ngorongoro Crater and the Maasai Mara savanna. But the highlight of this journey is its four-night stay at Tanzania's Serengeti National Park . After watching animals like wildebeest and zebras partake in the great migration while also spotting lions, giraffes and more, vacationers retreat to high-end tents and lodges with private bathrooms.

[See more of Serengeti National Park: Things to Do | Hotels | When to Visit | Photos ]

Wilderness Safaris

Courtesy of Wilderness Safaris

For some of Africa's most jaw-dropping scenery, opt for the seven-night Namibian Adventure Safari tour offered by Wilderness Safaris. This weeklong trip features visits to the Namib Desert's dune-filled Sossusvlei region (which you may recognize from the film "Mad Max: Fury Road") and the mountainous Palmwag Concession – a protected area with springboks, giraffes, black rhinos and more. The package's per person fee starts at $6,725, which covers most meals, park entrance fees, and transfers from Namibia's capital Windhoek and between the safari destinations. It also covers your stay at properties like the fully solar-powered Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp and the five-star Little Kulala lodge amid the stunning desert.

Wild Rwanda Safaris

Courtesy of Wild Rwanda Safaris)

Adventurous travelers sticking to a more conservative budget should consider Wild Rwanda Safaris' Bwindi Gorilla Safari. The three-day package features a full day in southwestern Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (a haven for silverback gorillas) and an adjacent Batwa Pygmy community. Wild Rwanda Safaris allows guests to choose between midrange, luxury and super luxury accommodation, which can help keep costs down if necessary. The company's packages include the $700 permit required to visit the gorilla park. The round-trip journey by safari vehicle to and from Kigali, Rwanda, and English-speaking guide services are also covered in all rates. The tour can begin from Kampala, Uganda, as well, although you'll spend longer on the road to the park.

Nomad Tanzania

Courtesy of nomad-tanzania.com

Sign up for Nomad Tanzania's Southern Tanzania safari and you're bound to get an up-close look at Tanzania's diverse wildlife. Offering eight days of activities, including game drives and boat trips in Ruaha National Park and Nyerere National Park, this safari gives you prime opportunities to spot lions, cheetahs, leopards and elephants, among other species. What's more, lodging at the company's campsites, select meals, and flights to and from Dar es Salaam are factored into the package's prices. Expect to pay a minimum of $5,700 per person; prices vary depending on the time of year, and the tour isn't offered in April and May.

Micato Safaris

If you want to explore multiple destinations while on safari with plenty of comfort (but a price tag to match), book the 15-day Micato Grand Safari. This outing by Micato Safaris starts with a two-day visit to Nairobi, Kenya, before continuing to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Maasai Mara National Reserve, and the Amboseli and Serengeti national parks for wildlife-viewing excursions. During your trip, you'll see Mount Kilimanjaro as zebras, gazelles and more roam in the foreground. The package costs at least $22,450 per person (based on double occupancy rates) and includes a hot air balloon ride, a camel tour led by members of the Samburu tribe, and lodging at upscale properties like Serengeti's Four Seasons outpost. The company also offers various extensions allowing you to explore other parts of Africa, from the island paradise of Zanzibar to the deserts of Namibia.

Rothschild Safaris

Courtesy of Rothschild Safaris

If your ideal safari vacation consists of customizing your trip from start to finish, consider an outing with Rothschild Safaris. The company offers itineraries in locales like Zambia and Madagascar , but if you're hoping to catch a glimpse of the big five animals, the Essence of Tanzania safari is a good bet. This nine-day experience, which embarks from Arusha and returns there by plane, includes game-viewing drives in Tarangire National Park and accommodations like canvas tents and farmhouse lodges. Elephants, zebras and lions are just some of the animals you may spot during your journey. You'll also have the opportunity to go on a nighttime safari to spot nocturnal wildlife.

Lion World Travel

Courtesy of Lion World Travel

As the trip name implies, Lion World Travel's 10-day Best of Cape Town & Botswana vacation package combines sightseeing in Cape Town, South Africa , with a classic safari in Botswana. During the latter half of the itinerary, visitors will explore Botswana's Okavango Delta (home to cheetahs, crocodiles, hippos and more) and Chobe National Park, which is believed to have Africa's largest elephant population. Prices start at $4,299 per person and cover game drives; many of your meals; and stays at luxury hotels, camps and lodges. You'll need to pay an extra charge for the flights within the tour (Cape Town to Botswana as well as Botswana to Johannesburg ).

[See more of Cape Town: Things to Do | Hotels | When to Visit | Photos ]

Bearded Heron Safaris

Neil Heron | Courtesy of Bearded Heron Safaris

Travelers keen on seeing South Africa's Kruger National Park through the eyes of a local naturalist will appreciate the 15-day safari with Bearded Heron Safaris. Led by Neil Heron, a nature guide and wildlife photographer and writer, Bearded Heron Safaris' longest option features small game drives that may include lion, rhino, zebra and leopard sightings throughout all corners of Kruger. Rates are inclusive of in-park cottage accommodations and all breakfasts, dinners, snacks and drinks. Flights and park fees are not included. For a 15-day safari, expect to pay 76,900 South African rand (about $4,500) per person.

[See more of Kruger National Park: Things to Do | Hotels | When to Visit | Photos ]

Discover Africa

Getty Images

For an inside-out trip through the natural wonders of Botswana, Discover Africa's nine-day Epic Botswana Adventure is a formidable option. You'll start out at a riverside lodge on the Chobe River – a great location for elephant spotting – before moving onto the marshy Okavango Delta, a wildlife-rich area where you can spot a huge range of animals from leopards to rhinos. The safari ends at the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, a good place to admire wildlife like zebras and buffalo on the savanna as well as salt pans from a former lake. You'll stay in upscale lodges and campsites within close reach of the wilderness. All meals and transport along the tour are included in the price tag (which starts at $4,800 per person), but international flights are excluded.

Wild Wings Safaris

If you're looking to have a broader experience that mixes in some history and beach time, consider Wild Wings Safaris' eight-day Battlefields, Bush and Beach Safari. You'll start off visiting some of South Africa's historic sites from the Boer wars, before moving on to the Phinda Private Game Reserve, which doesn't allow day visitors, so you should be able to look out for the big five without too many crowds. The tour wraps up at Thonga Beach Lodge, where you can snorkel or scuba dive near coral reefs in the Indian Ocean. As far as safaris go, this one is an affordable option, starting at about $2,795 per person with all meals included as well as a rental car; for the cheapest price, you will need to drive yourself between the destinations, but it's possible to pay an additional fee for a driver to guide you instead.

Cuckoo Safaris

This tour company kicks off its tours from the majestic Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, with a host of safaris that range from two days to nine, across Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana, including some family-friendly choices. For an affordable option, there's the four-day Discover Victoria Falls, Chobe and Hwange Park safari, which will take you on two full-day tours to Chobe National Park (across the border in Botswana) and to Hwange, Zimbabwe's largest national park, where you should keep your eyes peeled for lions, elephants and more. This safari also includes a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River. The price starts at $900 per person, which includes the tours plus breakfast, lunch and lodging in Victoria Falls; travelers will need to pay for entrance fees to the parks and dinner.

Compass Odyssey

Courtesy of Compass Odyssey

Explore the savanna and deserts of southwest Africa with Compass Odyssey's eight-day Namibia Wildlife Safari. You'll visit a community-based conservation area in Damaraland – known for its desert-adapted elephants, oryx, giraffes and other wildlife – while staying in the rustic-chic Doro Nawas Camp. You'll also spend two days in Etosha National Park, seeking wildlife at the park's bustling waterholes by day and embarking on an evening game drive as well. Starting at $3,750 per person, the tour includes most meals and all park entry fees, but not flights; the company does allow the tour to be customized on request.

Vaccination and visa requirements for African countries

Some popular safari destinations may require you to have received certain vaccinations in order to enter the country as a tourist. Inoculation requirements can include vaccination against COVID-19 and yellow fever, and you'll need to get these vaccines before departing on your trip. Be sure to bring proof of vaccinations with you. If you are transiting through another country en route to your safari tour, you must check that you also meet immunization requirements for the stopover location.

Note that, outside of what's required, there are a number of other vaccinations that are recommended, so ensure you're up to date and fully protected before you travel. In addition, many safari locations are prone to malaria; you should consult with your doctor to see if you need to bring anti-malaria medication on your trip.

Safari countries have varying visa requirements for travelers from the U.S. – these are detailed below. Depending on your itinerary, you may need a single- or multiple-entry visa, and some visas require you to apply in advance of traveling and/or have a certain number of blank pages in your passport. Regardless of your destination, your passport should be valid for at least six months before you leave for your trip.

Here are the vaccine and visa requirements for major safari destinations as of November 2022:

Botswana: If you have recently visited a country where yellow fever is common, you will need to be vaccinated against this illness. This does not include the U.S. but does include a number of countries in Africa, Central and South America. Consult the World Health Organization's website for a list of countries with risk of yellow fever transmission, including Kenya and Uganda.

U.S. citizens and nationals can stay in Botswana for 90 days without a visa.

Kenya: Travelers to Kenya must have been vaccinated against COVID-19 with the last shot administered more than 14 days before arrival in the country. Unvaccinated visitors can enter with a negative PCR test, conducted no more than 72 hours before departure. Proof of COVID-19 tests or vaccines must be uploaded to an online system called Panabios. Kenya is a country where you'll be at risk of yellow fever transmission; it also requires those traveling from other places with yellow fever or cholera outbreaks to be vaccinated against these illnesses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that you protect yourself against yellow fever before your trip here.

Americans need an e-visa to enter Kenya. You should apply online at the eVisa government website no more than eight weeks before your trip, as visas are not available upon arrival in Kenya. See more on the U.S. Department of State's website .

Namibia: Those traveling from a country where yellow fever is common need to be vaccinated against it. No visa is required as long as you're staying for 90 days or less.

Rwanda: If you're coming from a country where yellow fever is endemic, a yellow fever vaccination is required before departure.

U.S. citizens and nationals can be issued a 30-day visitor visa on arrival in Rwanda or through the Rwandan Embassy in Washington, D.C. A single-entry visa costs $50, and it's recommended you bring sufficient cash in U.S. dollars to pay for this (although credit card payment may be accepted at Kigali International Airport). Consult the State Department website for more information.

South Africa: A yellow fever vaccination is required if you're traveling from a country with a risk of transmission. No visa is required for stays of 90 days or less.

Tanzania: Travelers must be able to present proof of COVID-19 vaccination with a QR code to enter Tanzania. Unvaccinated travelers must take a PCR test no more than 72 hours before departure, and the test results should be accessible by QR code. Yellow fever vaccines are mandatory if you're traveling from a location where yellow fever is present – including if you spend more than 12 hours in transit in such a country.

Visas are required for tourism in Tanzania. You can apply for a single-entry, 90-day visa online for $50 – and be sure to print a copy of the approval to bring with you. The processing period takes up to 10 days. You can also obtain a visa on arrival for a $100 fee; it's recommended you bring cash to cover this. Find more Tanzanian visa information on the State Department website .

Uganda: To enter Uganda, you must either be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or present a negative test taken no more than 72 hours before departure. Like Kenya, Uganda is a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. All visitors must show proof of vaccination against yellow fever to enter Uganda, regardless of where you're traveling from.

American visitors to Uganda must apply online for an electronic visa before departure; arriving in Uganda without completing this process could result in your detainment. Visit the State Department website to learn more.

Zambia: Visitors who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 must show proof of vaccination but do not need a test to enter Zambia; unvaccinated travelers must undergo a PCR test no more than 72 hours before departure. Yellow fever vaccines are only required if you're coming from an area considered at risk.

Visas are required to visit Zambia, but these can be obtained online before your departure or at a port of entry. Check the State Department website for more details.

Zimbabwe: To enter Zimbabwe, travelers must either be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or must take a negative PCR test no more than 48 hours before your departure. As with other countries on this list, visitors from countries with yellow fever outbreaks also require a vaccine against this illness.

U.S. visitors can obtain a 30-day, single-entry visa upon arrival in Zimbabwe for $30. If you're taking a tour that requires you to leave and reenter Zimbabwe, be sure to get a double-entry visa for $45. You can learn more from the State Department website .

You might also be interested in:

• The Top Passport Wallets (That Also Hold Vaccine Cards)
• The Best COVID-19 Travel Insurance Options
• The Best International Travel Insurance Plans
• The Best Zoos in the U.S.
• The World's Best Places to Visit

Tags: Travel , Vacation Ideas

World's Best Places To Visit

• # 1 South Island, New Zealand
• # 4 Bora Bora

If you make a purchase from our site, we may earn a commission. This does not affect the quality or independence of our editorial content.

You May Also Like

Icon of the seas.

Skye Sherman May 10, 2024

The Best New York City Tours

John Rodwan and Ann Henson May 9, 2024

The Best Cheap Luggage

Erin Vasta and Amanda Norcross May 9, 2024

Top-Rated St. Augustine Ghost Tours

Holly Johnson May 9, 2024

The Best San Francisco Tours

Lyn Mettler May 8, 2024

The Best Water Parks in the U.S.

May 8, 2024

Top Adults-Only Cruises

Gwen Pratesi May 6, 2024

Top-Rated Newport Mansion Tours

Andrea McHugh May 6, 2024

The 9 New York City Boat Tours

Lyn Mettler May 6, 2024

The 13 Best Key West Tours of 2024

Gwen Pratesi May 3, 2024

Top 10 Safari Parks in Africa

C an't decide where do you want to start your next (or first) safari in Africa? We collected the top 10 safari parks in Africa places to see wild African animals in their natural habitat. If you want to know what to be on the lookout for, read our article on the top 10 safari animals you can spot on your travels!

There's always more to explore so feel free to check out our article on the top 10 countires for safaris! For some Safari fun you can check our blog post on how a Family Safari completely errupted into chaos!

Read ahead or jump to any section that interests you:

Introduction

A safari (Swahili: journey) in one of Africa's national parks is an exciting thing: many people can observe a larger number of wild animals and even have the oppurtunity to see the famous Big 5 of africa. 

The focus is on the savannah and bush landscapes, where savannah elephants , lions , buffalos , and other well-known wild animals feel at home. 

Whether it's Africa for the first time or safari connoisseurs, there should be something for everyone. And it attracts attention: There is no best destination in Africa, but there are the best destinations. 

So, where should the next safari lead?

10th place: Amboseli National Park, Kenya

Where else can wild animals be observed in front of one of the most famous mountains on earth? The Amboseli National Park at the foot of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania serves both as a postcard motif for Africa and as a photographic object. Giraffes, elephants and all sorts of other wild animals strut in front of the snow-covered summit of the "Kili" and give great photo motives.

Ancient elephants still live in the park. This allows visitors to observe the almost intact social behavior of the pachyderms in their herds.

The Kilimanjaro usually wraps itself in thick clouds during the day. The chances of seeing it are best in the morning and evening.

9th place: Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa

Number 9 on the top 10 safari parks in Africa is Addo. Known for, as the name suggests, its elephants, the Addo is more than a convenient destination near South Africa's Garden Route. The park is home to lions again after a resettlement program; black rhinos and leopards are also found here. Due to the extension to the south, the coast with its sharks and whales is also part of the park, which now advertises with the "Big 7".

In conclusion, the park is ideal for exploring with your own (rental) car. Please make sure to ask in advance what you have to consider for the self-drive safari.

In addition, holidaymakers in their cars should ensure they do not run over pill turners (African dung beetles), hundreds of which run across the roads depending on the weather.

8th Place: Etosha National Park, Namibia

Namibia's most important park is home to countless wildlife, including the white and black rhino who are critically endangered, something you can read more about in one of our other articles about these ancient and disappearing creatures. There are also several predatory cat species and many antelopes. "Etosha" means "big white square," which describes the landscape well. The vegetation is extremely sparse; in the dry season, many animals gather at artificial waterholes.

In the dry season, many animals can easily be observed at the park water holes and camps. 114 different species of mammals live in the park.

Every coin has two sides: The park is completely fenced in and cuts the animals off their original routes in search of water in the Kuene region. The waterholes are not comparable to the actual environment and natural migration behavior for true lovers.

7th place: Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

The Tarangire National Park is one of the most underestimated parts of the continent. Many visitors only make a short stop at the Serengeti or do not ebaobabven include the national park in their travel plans. But the park is home to large herds of elephants and many other species in a remarkable landscape of boabab trees.

The park is known for its elephant herds, which run through a prehistoric landscape along the Tarangire River.

The park is home to the tsetse fly, which transmits sleeping sickness. Visitors should urgently pay attention to consistent protection.

6th place: Chobe National Park, Botswana

"Land of the Giants" is written on the sign at the park entrance and already announces the park's main attraction: Elephants, one of the savannah's most social creatures . Between 80,000 and 100,000 pachyderms are estimated to live in the park and adjacent areas, where they migrate depending on the season.

Botswana pursues an exemplary animal and species conservation policy and no longer kills elephants if they become too numerous for the ecosystem. Instead, fences were dismantled to create more space for the animals. Kaffir buffalos and warthogs are also common. As a result, always check the weather forecast before you go.

A safari with the boat on the Chobe river belongs to the experiences, which holiday-makers surely do not forget so fast.

During the high season the Chobe River can be very narrow.

5th place: South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

On the Luangwa River, the wilderness awaits: no fences, no radios to communicate with the rangers. Those who travel to the South Luangwa National Park will experience the bush unadorned, without much traffic and wild. It is not uncommon for your own jeep to be the only one at a spectacular sighting, giving visitors more time and peace to enjoy the encounter with the animals. Night safaris and bushwalks, i.e. safaris on foot, are allowed in the national park.

Pure wilderness. The park is known for its hippos and leopards . Many camps are not fenced and often wild animals run through the lodges. The park is also home to numerous endemic species and subspecies, i.e. animals that can only be found here. Sometimes you can even see the endangered Pangolins and the even more threatened Rhinos . Two species of Animals we explore in more detail in another article.

These include the Cookson gnu, the Crawshay zebra and the Thorneycroft giraffe.

The season plays an important role in the South Luangwa National Park. While in the dry season many large wild animals gather at the water and are so easy to discover, during the rainy season bird lovers get their money's worth.

4th place: Kruger National Park, South Africa

For most vacationers the Kruger National Park is the first safari experience in the African bush . It is one of the largest national parks on the continent and is home to a wide variety of wildlife. In contrast to the open savannahs in East Africa, the landscape is bushy and the animals are harder to spot.

This may be described as the best South African Safari.

In the Kruger National Park live some very rare animal species like wild dogs. Another animal worth further exploration in another one of our articles.

Animals in Vermont

The good infrastructure, the developed roads and the fences around the national park make it clear that the park is used and marketed commercially.

This partly causes a lot of traffic in the park and has at some corners only little to do with the real wilderness feeling.

3rd place: Ngorongoro Nature Reserve, Tanzania

While driving over the edge of the burglary crater into the nature reserve, visitors can rarely suppress the "wow" that involuntarily comes over their lips. The view can take your breath away. The safari through the crater, which has the highest predator density in Africa, becomes the photographic highlight of many Africa journeys.

The wildlife hike through Masai Mara and Serengeti also touches on the protection of the wildlife.

Overall, the high density of animals naturally attracts many visitors and some have the feeling of driving through an open-air zoo.

Some of the jeeps obstruct the way of the animals or hinder cats of prey during the hunt. Tell your driver that you don't approve of such behaviour.

2nd place: Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Hardly any other national park in Africa is as famous as the Serengeti. This is of course due to the diverse fauna and one of the largest animal migrations in the world .

On the other hand, the Serengeti is almost always threatened: Many people have an interest in the place and in the fertile savannah, on which millions of wild animals cavort and planned large-scale projects would probably mean the end of the national park. The battle for the Serengeti has been fought for decades and culminated in the documentary "Serengeti must not die" by Michael Grzimek and his father Bernhard in the 1950s.

Really one of the Top 10 Safari Parks in Africa.

The migration of wild animals, where millions of wildebeests, zebras and antelopes travel in a large circle through the Serengeti and the adjoining Masai Mara in Kenya during the course of the year. This is known also as one of the great wilderbeast migration , a topic you can do further reading on with another one of our articles .

The Serengeti is exposed to constant threats. The plans to build a highway through the area are not over yet. There are also frequent conflicts between wildlife and humans.

In addition, organizations are now warning that too many tourists are coming to the park. It is best to drive in the low season and avoid facilities that require a lot of water (swimming pools etc.).

1st Place: Masai Mara Nature reserve, Kenya

Number one on the top 10 safari parks in africa list! When tears shoot into the eyes of the viewers of a lion documentary because the pictures are so overwhelming, the reportage is mostly shot in the Masai Mara (or Maasai Mara).

Wide landscape with green hills as far as the eye can see. The view is interrupted only by Wildebeest , zebras, giraffes, Elephants ,, antelopes , lions , hyenas… The Masai Mara could pass for an African cliché if it were not real.

Word has got around of course that the Masai Mara is a paradise on earth. It is therefore frequently overcrowded and the many cars already have influence on the behavior of the wild animals. Some cars leave the tracks in search of the best view. If this happens to you, it's best to tell the driver that you don't want them to.

The park also serves as a Rhino sanctuary and is home to some 60 white and black rhinos, who are guarded around the clock by armed rangers. An absolute must for rhino fans, who are almost guaranteed to meet some of the animals here.

The impressive Murchison waterfall, where the Victoria Nile plunges over 43 metres into the depths, is also a must see. The park is home to the endangered Rothschild Giraffes (also Uganda giraffe or Nubian giraffe). To the south of the park is the Budongo chimpanzee forest.

The park is in some places tsetse fly high area. Be sure to take care to protect yourself against insects.

When to go on a Safari

The best time is always present, but if you are looking for the most enjoyment from your trip, the best time to go is from July through October, when the animals are easy to find and in substantial numbers. However, deciding when to go on a safari depends on  what  country you want to visit and when you can plan your trip. As well as the type of wildlife you hope to encounter.

The best months for an African safari are therefore varied.

What to pack/ best luggage for African safari

Some of the most recommended basics:Here's the "must-haves" to  pack  for your  safari :

• T-shirt, shirt or blouse – long sleeves and collars help to protect from the sun and mosquitoes
• Fleece or warm jacket.
• A pair of  safari  trousers – those that zip off at the knees are very handy, too.
• Comfortable walking shoes (or boots) and socks.

Above and beyond the comfortable basics, there are niche items which could enhance your experience on safari. We've researched the best of these items to take with you.

Best insect repellent for African safari: Natrapel 8  Hour insect repthatellent: this is a CDC recommended product based on 20% Picaridin formula and is  DEET  FREE. It is safe to spray on your skin and clothing.

Best binoculars for African safari : Celestron 71347 Outland x | 10×25 |  Best compact Binoculars  for Travel.

Best camera for African safari : Best -buy cameras for  safari  in Africa: At Canon, it would be the Canon EOS Rebel series. Often you can get a kit ( camera  + lenses + accessories). Best for travelling and easy shots.

Best shoes for African safari :  light trail  shoes  and hybrid  shoe /sandals (Keen, Teva, Merrel, North Face, HiTec, Garmont, Salomon etc) are adequate for regular travel and normal  safari  conditions. Even fly-camping trips and walking trails on fairly rough terrain don't warrant hiking boots when conditions are dry.

It is important to find out what you need for specific areas as well as administrative documents and permits.

Summary on Top 10 Safari Parks in Africa

The landscape is very bushy and visitors often only see the animals when they are standing directly in front of or next to the car. Slow driving is therefore all the more important.

How did you like the article on the top 10 safari parks in africa? In conclusion, we hope to give you some ideas and inspirations on the best african safari tours, animal encounters and holiday trips.

• Masai Mara Nature Reserve, Kenya – Overcrowded but abundant wildlife, including rhinos.
• Serengeti National Park, Tanzania – Famous for the great wildebeest migration.
• Ngorongoro Nature Reserve, Tanzania – High predator density, popular tourist destination.
• Kruger National Park, South Africa – Large park with diverse wildlife, commercialized.
• South Luangwa National Park, Zambia – Unspoiled wilderness, known for hippos and leopards.
• Chobe National Park, Botswana – Land of the Giants, home to a large elephant population.
• Tarangire National Park, Tanzania – Underrated park with large elephant herds and baobab trees.
• Etosha National Park, Namibia – Sparse vegetation, artificial waterholes attract many animals.
• Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa – Known for elephants, self-drive safari recommended.
• Amboseli National Park, Kenya – Elephants near Mount Kilimanjaro, observe intact social behavior.

Tips for Safari:

• Best time to go is from July to October for high animal sightings.
• Pack essentials like long-sleeved shirts, hat, fleece, comfortable shoes, insect repellent.
• Recommended binoculars: Celestron 71347 Outland x | 10×25.
• Canon EOS Rebel series for safari photography.
• Check specific requirements, permits, and administrative documents for each park.

Be advised that those are subjective ideas and of course every safari park, whether big or small can be beautiful and present you with awesome wildlife.

There's always more to explore so feel free to check out our article on the top 10 countires for safaris!

Frequently Asked Queastions (FAQs)

Safari experiences are generally safe, but it's important to follow guidelines and instructions provided by your guides or tour operators. Wildlife should be observed from a safe distance and never approached or provoked. It's also recommended to stay within designated areas and camps, especially during night hours. Adhering to these precautions ensures a safe and enjoyable safari experience.

Many safari operators and lodges prioritize sustainability and conservation efforts. They work to minimize the ecological impact by implementing responsible practices such as supporting local communities, conserving natural resources, and participating in wildlife conservation initiatives. When choosing a safari operator, it's advisable to opt for those with strong environmental ethics and credentials.

Interacting with or touching wildlife is strongly discouraged and, in most cases, prohibited during safaris. The well-being of the animals and the safety of visitors are of utmost importance. Safaris promote responsible wildlife viewing, which involves observing animals from a safe distance and respecting their natural behaviors. Touching or disturbing the wildlife can cause stress or potentially dangerous situations for both humans and animals.

Several ways to contribute to conservation efforts during a safari include supporting eco-friendly lodges or tour operators that actively participate in conservation initiatives. Additionally, you can choose to visit parks and reserves that allocate a portion of the entrance fees to conservation projects. It's also encouraged to learn about and respect local customs, traditions, and wildlife protection regulations while engaging in responsible tourism practic

The post Top 10 Safari Parks in Africa appeared first on Animals Around The Globe .

Animals in New Mexico