Which African Country is Best For Safaris

Travelers that have never been to African always have much to look forward to but the process of choosing which African country is best for safaris is quite disheartening. The word safari was derived from a Swahili word to mean “journey”, although the term can be used to describe wilderness experiences, or watching and photographing of African game.

Telling you to choose what African country you think is best for safaris is like telling you to choose between air and water. Each country offers something extraordinary and unforgettable although tourists sometimes use a number of parameters in choosing which country to undertake safaris with. For instance, visitors ask questions like: which country offers the least stressful introduction to Africa for first-time visitors? Which country is perfect for wildlife viewing? Where are the best photography opportunities derived? To answer these questions, we bring you experiences for the top African countries for safaris, then the final decision will depend on which one satisfies your interests/aspirations.

• South Africa

South Africa safaris

South Africa was nicknamed a World within a Nation”, owing to the fact that it offers a bit of everything. Is it tranquil white sand beaches, beautiful Winelands, vibrant Cities, towering mountains, diverse cultures, or safari opportunities? This country has it all. Kruger National Park together with the adjacent Timbavati and Sabi Sand Reserves is the most popular safari destination. The Park covers an area of 19,424 square kilometers within the Mpumalanga as well as Limpopo Provinces, and guarantees views of big five game, cheetahs, Defassa waterbucks, African wild dogs, impalas, spotted hyenas, common warthogs, Hippos, South African giraffes, and Black-backed jackals among others.

• Botswana

Botswana safaris tours

Many travelers still don’t believe that Botswana is one of the wonderfully incredible countries for safaris in Africa. The country’s committedly forward approach to the conservation of animals, as well as its outstanding array of Protected Areas (Parks and Reserves), make it one of the best African countries for safaris. The high concentrations of big five game (elephants, lions, Cape buffaloes, leopards, and Rhinos) in the popular Chobe National Park, as well as the canoe-based safaris in the secluded Okavango Delta, are some of the reasons why this country is considered number one in terms of safaris. Tours are also conducted to secluded gems such as Nxai Pan National Park and Makgadikgadi Pans National Parks as well as Central Kalahari and Moremi Nature Reserves.

• Kenya

No safari in Africa is worthwhile without Kenya because it is here that the concept of “safari” was derived. The combination of well-developed places of lodging in form of Tented Camps and Safari Lodges, as well as a wide array of animals, make this country irresistible. Whether it is just for the annual migration (involving wildebeests, zebras, gazelles, and other antelopes), big five games, or just its sheer beauty, Kenya has something for everyone.

Wildlife in Kenya

Magical Kenya is comprised of 25 Land National Parks, 6 Marine Parks, and Reserves, 15 fabulous National Reserves, and several Private conservancies with about 390 species of mammals, about 1100 bird species, 115 amphibians species, and over 280 species of reptiles to behold. While Masai Mara National Reserve is the most popular safari destination here, the likes of Amboseli (sights of free-ranging elephants and the backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro), Lake Nakuru, Mount Kenya, Nairobi, and Hell’s Gate National Parks are unstoppable.

• Namibia

Home to the famous Etosha National Park, Namibia is another African country that offers unmatched safaris and is situated in the south-western coast of Africa. It is considered one of the least populated places on Earth with only two million people living in an area of 300,000 square miles. This country teems with wildlife in its 12 National Parks and several other Wildlife Reserves. Besides Etosha, other places to visit are Bwabwata National Park, Khaudum National Park, and Cape Cross Seal Reserve among others.

• Tanzania

With a total of over 19 National Parks, 3 Game Reserves, 13 Forest Reserves, and 2 Marine Reserves, Tanzania is another wonderful country for safaris. Of these places, Serengeti National Park is the most popular because it is the starting point for the Great Annual Migration involving millions of wildebeests, gazelles, and zebras.

Ngorongoro Crater teems with life.

Other destinations are Gombe Stream National Park (base for Jane Goodall Research studies), Lake Manyara National Park famous for tree-climbing lions, and Tarangire National Park for its huge elephant herds. The renowned Ngorongoro Conservation Area is another remarkable Protected Area in Tanzania, popular for its large, intact, and unfilled caldera extending for about 258 square kilometers.

• Uganda

Uganda offers a small slice of everything that you desire during an African safari and it was named the “Pearl of Africa”, thanks to its jaw-dropping array of wildlife (including about 300 mammal species and 1084 bird species), spectacular landscapes, and diverse cultures that make it a melting pot. This country is home to the World’s second-longest River and its source as well as the second-largest freshwater Lake in the World.

Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Half the World’s remaining population of mountain gorillas is found in Uganda (sheltered in Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks) while travelers interested in seeing the unusual tree-climbing lions visit Queen Elizabeth National Park. For World-class chimpanzee trekking adventures, visit Kibale Forest National Park where other 12 primate species will also be encountered.

• Rwanda

The first picture that comes to anyone’s mind on mentioning Rwanda is “Hotel Rwanda”, documenting the 1994 Genocide that led to the death of over 800,000 people and displacement of about 2 million people. Other travelers know Rwanda for mountain gorillas, which were made popular by Dian Fossey during the studies in the 1970s to 1980s. Thanks to her efforts that these Giant Apes survived getting extinct and their population increased over the years.

Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda

There are 12 habituated gorilla groups in the country’s Volcanoes National Park, with a maximum of 8 persons allowed to trek each group for a maximum of one hour each day. That’s not all to this country as there are two other popular Parks-Nyungwe Forest National Park for chimpanzee treks and canopy walks as well as Akagera National Park for the big five games.

Therefore based on the insight to each country, the choice of deciding which African country is best for safari lies in your hands.