We've been to a jungle safari in Thailand and loved it... today, we bring you a post collecting a selection of safari parks in Africa! So, are you raring to go on a safari holiday? These ten uniquely memorable places will ensure the holiday of a lifetime, and treasured memories you can unpack whenever life weighs you down!
#1. Amboseli National Park, Kenya
Hear Amboseli, and images of vast elephant herds immediately spring to mind! Amboseli is one of Africa’s premier locations for close encounters with elephants. Lions, leopards, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, hippos, crocodiles, giraffes, buffalos, lesser kudu, wildebeest, Burchell's zebra, Grant's and Thomson's gazelles, wild dogs, mongoose, hyrax, and porcupine all thrive in this vast wilderness. And for birders, literally hundreds of bird species have been recorded here, including close on 40 raptor species!
#2. Chobe National Park, Botswana
Chobe is one of the foremost safari destinations in Africa to see elephants and buffalos as they descend on the Chobe’s banks in large numbers during the dry season. The beautiful lagoons of the Linyanti Marsh offer wonderful bird, hippo and crocodile habitats. Lions, leopards, cheetahs and spotted as well as rare brown hyenas are found here.
#3. Etosha National Park, Namibia
Etosha is known as one of Namibia’s foremost wildlife sanctuaries. Its varied landscapes house lions, leopards, cheetahs, jackals, spotted hyenas, elephants, giraffes, springbok, wildebeest, kudus, roan antelope, gemsbok, Burchell’s zebras, eland, red hartebeests, ostriches, and rare black-faced impalas.
Well-appointed camps in the Park, as well as lodges and hotels outside it, ensure excellent accommodation.
#4. Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
Enormous Hwange National Park houses a great wealth of wildlife and diverse habitats including sandveld, teak forests, savannah, ilala palm islands and acacia woodlands. Lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, buffalos, roan and sable antelopes, giraffes, wildebeest, impala and gemsbok all occur here. So do endangered African wild dogs, African wildcats, honey badgers, servals, civets and hyenas. Concealed hides at Mandavu and Masuma dams offer wonderful wildlife viewing.
#5. Kruger National Park Sabi Sand Safari, South Africa: Unveiling Nature's Majesty
Discover the unparalleled beauty and rich wildlife of the Kruger Park & Sabi Sand Safari Game Reserve, two iconic destinations that beckon adventure seekers and nature enthusiasts alike. With several habitats and biomes, the Greater Kruger is a premier safari holiday destination. Its wildlife includes not only the iconic Big Five, but cheetah, endangered wild dogs, black rhino and pangolin, sable and roan antelope, tsessebe, and the enchanting little Suni antelope. You might even see a rare white lion or two!
Visitors can opt to enjoy the superb comforts of a Sabi Sand luxury safari lodge or one of the other many outstanding lodges of the Greater Kruger. Meticulous service, excellent food and wine, expertly guided walking safaris, day and night drives, delectable breakfasts, dinners, and sundowners in the bush … well, what more could you ask?
Kruger National Park: Where Dreams of the Wild Come True
Spanning vast landscapes, the Kruger National Park is a sanctuary of untamed beauty and remarkable biodiversity. Highlights include:
- The Big Five: Experience heart-pounding encounters with elephants, lions, leopards, buffalos, and rhinos - the famous Big Five - in their natural habitat.
- Diverse Ecosystems: Traverse diverse ecosystems, from grassy savannas to dense woodlands, revealing a tapestry of life and habitats.
- Awe-Inspiring Landscapes: Witness breathtaking sunsets over endless horizons and immerse yourself in the park's raw, unfiltered beauty.
- Self-Drive or Guided: Choose your adventure - embark on a self-drive exploration or join expert guides for an immersive safari experience.
Sabi Sand Game Reserve: Where Luxury Meets Wilderness
Adjacent to Kruger, the Sabi Sand Game Reserve offers an opulent escape into the wild. Key features include:
- Luxury Lodges: Indulge in refined luxury at world-renowned lodges, where exceptional service and lavish accommodations meet the untamed outdoors.
- Intimate Wildlife Encounters: Experience close-up encounters with wildlife on expertly guided game drives and walking safaris, unlocking the secrets of the bush.
- Nocturnal Safaris: Witness the magic of the night as you embark on thrilling nocturnal safaris, revealing the hidden world of nocturnal predators and creatures.
- Photographic Opportunities: Capture once-in-a-lifetime moments with your lens as you observe and photograph wildlife in its natural glory.
#6. Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania
As a treasured UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a dazzling safari destination. Its large crater offers a lush home to not only the Big Five, but to eland, hartebeest, buffalo, waterbuck, giraffe, warthog, many antelope species, endangered black rhino, hippo, zebra, crocodile, cheetah, and spotted hyena. Some of the world’s best lodges and luxury tented camps perch along the rim of the crater ensuring views that will take your breath away.
#7. Nyerere National Park, Tanzania
Ranging from open grasslands to dense thickets, this vast 5,120,000 hectare game reserve offers visitors a diverse wilderness teeming with wildlife. This includes lions, large herds of elephants, black rhino, hippos, giraffes, cheetahs, wild dogs, sable, roan and other antelopes. This pristine World Heritage Site is great for hiking and fly-camping. Various lodges, luxury tented camps and campsites offer visitors a range of accommodation options.
#8. Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
The Masai Mara offers its visitors not only a wildlife paradise, but with some of the best safari lodges and tented camps on the planet, characterised by superlative service, cuisine, wine, amenities and activities. And if you want to see lions, cheetahs and leopards, the Masai Mara is the place to come!
The Mara is also home to the annual Great Wildebeest Migration. Its wealth of wildlife includes the Big Five, as well as an impressive further array of mammal, insect, reptile and bird species, including serval cats, wild dogs, and critically endangered black rhino. Spectacular Ross and Schalow’s turacos live in the riverine forest and two feathered heavy weights, the crowned crane and the towering secretary bird stalk the Mara’s savannahs.
#9. Okavango Delta, Botswana
As one of the world’s largest inland deltas, the Okavango is home to a stunning array of wildlife. This includes lions, cheetahs, leopards, brown and spotted hyenas, warthogs, elephants, zebras, hippos, buffalo, lechwe, wildebeest, topi, giraffe, crocodiles - the list is seemingly endless! Accommodation options include splendid tented camps, lodges and hotels. Boating trips, game drives, guided walks and mokoro trips enable guests to explore this wonderful seasonal water world.
#10. Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Apart from the annual Great Wildebeest Migration, the Serengeti is also known as the location where the African safari originated. William Cornwallis Harris, Denys Finch Hatton, and Hemingway spring to mind! Nowadays the Park is also renowned for having the biggest population of lions in Africa. Serengeti NP is also home to big populations of elephants, hippos, zebras, giraffes, many antelope species and thriving populations of leopards, spotted hyenas and cheetahs.
What about you, have you ever had a safari holiday? Feel free to share any tips & advice with us below!
ABOUTME
We overland. We eat plants and fungi. We live outside as much as possible. We are all connected. A female travel blogger overlanding and writing about ecotourism, ethical and sustainable travel, socially conscious travel and housesitting. An online travel magazine since 2015.
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