African safari destinations

Akagera National Park has established itself as a destination on the rise – Rwanda’s only Big 5 park and one of the premier safari locations on the continent.

Amboseli National Park is home to some of the best-known and most studied elephants in the world, including enormous super tuskers that dominate the landscape. The spectacular snow-capped peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro loom in the distance

Discover Babanango Game Reserve, a malaria-free Big Five safari reserve in Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, blending pioneering rewilding with four luxury lodges.

The islands of the Bazaruto Archipelago on the Mozambique coast comprise a stunning marine protected area, featuring white sand beaches that gently dip into exquisite, azure-coloured waters and coral reefs that shelter an astonishing array of sea creatures, including whale sharks, manta rays, and dugongs

Busanga Plains in the far north of Kafue National Park is the park's jewel - the vast mosaic of grassy seasonal floodplains provides superb grazing and is the best place for wildlife viewing

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park - the home of gorilla trekking - has ancient rainforests with some of the highest levels of biodiversity in Uganda

Explore South Africa's West Coast: seasonal wildflowers, Langebaan Lagoon, fishing villages, wine routes, and coastal adventures. Plan with Africa Geographic.

Central Kalahari Game Reserve: vast Botswana desert wilderness with iconic black-maned lions, cheetah, brown hyena, and some of Africa's darkest skies.

CHOBE is a vast landscape at the centre of an enormous protected area in the northeastern corner of Botswana that incorporates the safari meccas Chobe National Park, Chobe Riverfront, Savute and Linyanti

Chyulu Hills National Park hosts a combination of cloud forest, thorn tree grassland and bare lava flows, attracting a wider variety of wildlife than neighbouring national parks. The volcanic hills offer epic Kilimanjaro views and uncrowded wilderness between Amboseli and Tsavo West.

De Hoop Nature Reserve: UNESCO-listed coastal wilderness in the Western Cape. Whale watching, fynbos walks & rare wildlife three hours from Cape Town.

Explore the Drakensberg: UNESCO-listed peaks, San rock art, the Sani Pass & Amphitheatre. Expert-planned hiking and mountain escapes in KwaZulu-Natal.

Plan an Eastern Cape safari: malaria-free Big Five reserves at Greater Addo, the Wild Coast's Mkambati, and South Africa's only Big Seven destination.

Churches hewn from rock, World Heritage Sites, castles, ancient tombs, art, archaeological artefacts and more - this is one of the World's top religious and cultural sites

Explore the Garden Route – South Africa's most scenic stretch of coast, where ancient forests, lagoons, mountains and Indian Ocean beaches converge.

Gorongosa National Park is a spectacularly biodiverse park in central Mozambique that celebrates one of Africa's greatest conservation comeback stories. Populations of iconic species such as lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, wild dog, hippo, sable, buffalo, and Lichtenstein's hartebeest are recovering well

Discover Greater Addo: South Africa's malaria-free safari heartland, rewilded private reserves and home to wildlife's Big Seven - the terrestrial Big Five plus great white sharks and whales

Grumeti Game Reserve borders Serengeti National Park (no fences) and hosts the Great Migration Grumeti River crossings. Discover Singita's luxury lodges, wildlife and conservation story.

Huab River Valley | Damaraland is the home of desert-adapted rhinos, elephants and lions and the largest gallery of prehistoric rock art in Southern Africa - etchings of people, wild animals and cattle

The Ifotaka Community Forest in southeast Madagascar is as remote as it is wild. Protected by the Antandroy people, Ifotaka hosts a myriad of endemic species, including ring-tailed lemurs, Verreaux’s sifaka, white-footed sportive lemurs, lesser hedgehog tenrec and Madagascar flying fox

Kafue National Park - Zambia’s oldest and largest national park - is dominated by the Kafue River and its many tributaries, deciduous woodlands, swampy floodplains, including Busanga Plains, and the manmade Itezhi-tezhi dam

Discover Kariega Game Reserve, a malaria-free Big 5 safari destination in South Africa's Eastern Cape, offering five distinctive lodges along two rivers.

Discover Karoo National Park: malaria-free safaris, fossil trails, black rhino, Cape mountain zebra and ancient heritage in South Africa's Great Karoo.

Kenya embodies the essence of traditional safari - with 'Out of Africa' nostalgia - offering iconic destinations such as the Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Tsavo, Samburu and Lamu. And, of course, the Great Wildebeest Migration.

Khwai in Botswana's Okavango Delta: wild dogs, leopards, elephants, mokoro safaris, and two concessions between Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park.

Kigali: Rwanda's safe, vibrant capital. Visit the Genocide Memorial, explore local arts and culture, and use the city as your gateway for gorilla and chimp trekking, as well as a Big Five safari.

Kwando and Linyanti: remote private reserves in northern Botswana with wild dogs, elephants, predators, permanent rivers, and some of Africa's most exclusive camps

Plan your KwaZulu-Natal trip: Big Five safaris, UNESCO Drakensberg, iSimangaliso wetlands, Zulu heritage, coral reefs and the KZN sardine run. Expert advice.

Explore Lake Eyasi in Tanzania: walk with Hadza hunter-gatherers, meet Datoga silversmiths, and discover remote Rift Valley scenery and rare birdlife.

Discover Lake Manyara National Park's tree-climbing lions, dense elephant herds and flamingo-flecked soda lake — the ideal start to any Tanzania safari.

Explore Lake Natron, Tanzania: a caustic soda lake below Ol Doinyo Lengai, breeding ground for millions of lesser flamingos amid Maasai land and ruins.

Lalibela Wildlife Reserve: an intimate, malaria-free Big 5 reserve in South Africa's Eastern Cape, with six owner-run lodges and open-vehicle safaris.

Lapalala Wilderness Reserve: malaria-free Big 5 with a low-impact tourism footprint, pioneering black rhino conservation, and two luxury lodges in South Africa's Waterberg Biosphere Reserve.

Liuwa Plain National Park is all about big cats, vast open spaces, seasonal floods bringing flushes of flowers and waterfowl, and herds of wildebeest – Africa's 2nd-largest wildebeest migration. Liuwa's seemingly boundless horizon reminds us of East Africa's most renowned safari destinations – MINUS THE CROWDS

Explore Loliondo, the Maasai-owned Game Controlled Area bordering Serengeti's east - night drives, walking safaris and the Great Migration's return south.

Maasai (Masai) Mara safari, Kenya. Year-round Big Five wildlife, Great Migration river crossings & private conservancies. Expert-led tailored safaris.

Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot with unique wildlife and diverse landscapes. Spot lemurs in lush rainforests, wander the Avenue of the Baobabs, and snorkel pristine reefs. A must-visit for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers craving one-of-a-kind experiences

Mahale Mountains National Park offers Africa's finest wild chimpanzee trekking, remote white-sand beaches and Lake Tanganyika's crystal-clear waters nearby.

The Makgadikgadi salt pans in Botswana offer safaris that include wildlife, meeting habituated meerkats, quad biking, meeting bushmen and glamping under the stars

Explore Mana Pools National Park in Zimbabwe, known for walking and photographic safaris, iconic elephants, rich birdlife, and dreamlike light.

Maputo Special Reserve is located on Maputo Bay and was originally proclaimed to protect a small population of coastal elephants that still live in the reserve

Marataba is a malaria-free Big Five private concession in Marakele National Park. Discover luxury safaris, rhino conservation, and the Miss Mara boat safari.

Masoala National Park is Madagascar's largest protected area. Accessible only by boat, the 2,300 km² Masoala hosts extraordinary biodiversity - the perfect wilderness hideaway for adventurous tourists seeking red-ruffed lemurs, flying foxes, zebra sharks, helmet vangas, red owls, serpent eagles and other bucket-list species.

Meru National Park: Kenya's least-visited Big Five wilderness, home of Born Free and a protected rhino sanctuary. Discover an Africa untouched by tourist crowds.

Discover the Midlands Meander in KwaZulu-Natal: artisan studios, farmhouse cuisine, trout streams and scenic country routes near the Drakensberg foothills.

Discover Mkambati Nature Reserve, South Africa's Wild Coast gem of waterfalls, wildlife-rich grasslands, whales, sardine runs and malaria-free safaris.

Climb Africa's highest peak or explore its Maasai wildlife concessions. Expert guide to Kilimanjaro's routes, history, accommodation and practical advice.

Mozambique boasts a 2,500km coastline with offshore islands with white sand beaches, warm azure-coloured waters, and coral reefs that shelter an astonishing array of sea creatures. Pair the best beaches in Southern Africa with Gorongosa or any other regional bushveld park for the perfect bush and beach escape.

Nairobi: Kenya's safari city — national park, giraffe encounters, Rothschild's giraffe, iconic museums, and gateway to East Africa's greatest wildlife.

Discover Nambiti Private Game Reserve, a Big 5 safari destination in KwaZulu-Natal, close to Johannesburg, Durban and the Drakensberg Mountains.

Discover Ndumo Game Reserve in Zululand, home to 430 bird species, fever tree pans, hippos and crocodiles on South Africa's remote Mozambique frontier.

Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve is Malawi’s oldest and biggest protected area - from the Great Rift Valley escarpment to just five kilometres short of the shoreline of Lake Malawi. This is a great conservation story - of restoring a poached landscape - under the expert guidance of African Parks

Plan your northern Tanzania safari: Serengeti Migration, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire, Kilimanjaro and the Rift Valley lakes, expertly guided.

Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda is an incredible gem of biodiversity, famous for its extensive wildlife and especially its wide range of primates - 13 found so far, including the rare owl-faced monkey, and chimpanzees.

Discover the Okavango Delta and Moremi, Botswana's extraordinary inland safari oasis of wildlife-rich lagoons, islands, and some of Africa's finest predator viewing.

Phinda Private Game Reserve offers Big Five safaris, cheetah and black rhino tracking, sand forest walks and Indian Ocean beach days in Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal.

Discover Pumba Private Game Reserve, home to rare white lions and the Big 5, in South Africa's malaria-free Eastern Cape, near Addo Elephant National Park

Ruaha is Tanzania's largest national park: a remote, ancient wilderness home to 10% of Africa's lions, vast elephant herds and exceptional predator diversity and action

Rwanda is one of Africa's most extraordinary safari destinations, offering gorilla trekking, chimp trekking, Big 5 safaris, world-class birding, and a story of remarkable human transformation.

Samburu, northern Kenya: Samburu Special Five, four of the Big Five, renowned leopard sightings, elephant research, and a vast conservancy.

Savute is best known for its large populations of resident predators and iconic encounters, including elephant-hunting lions and leopards that catch catfish in drying pools. Huge, old elephant bulls wander the vast plains, large herds of buffalo kick up dust, and lions and hyenas, eternal enemies, battle for dominance.

Discover Serengeti National Park: the Great Migration, Big Five wildlife, dramatic Mara River crossings and luxury safari camps across Tanzania, year-round.

Shamwari Private Game Reserve: malaria-free Big 5 safari in the Eastern Cape. Luxury lodges, conservation experiences & exceptional wildlife encounters.

Sossusvlei is perhaps Namibia's most famous landmark and undoubtedly one of the most photographed places in sub-Saharan Africa – for good reason

Discover the KZN South Coast (Hibiscus Coast): 58 beaches, world-class shark diving at Aliwal Shoal and Protea Banks, dramatic Oribi Gorge and the legendary sardine run.

Plan your Tanzania Southern Circuit safari: Ruaha, Nyerere, Mikumi, Udzungwa Mountains and Dar es Salaam. Wild dogs, boat safaris and untouched wilderness await.

Swakopmund and Walvis Bay are Namibian seaside towns, a brief road trip apart, that offer an excellent blend of outdoor adventure and nature-based activities, cultural learning and culinary delights in a quaint, laid-back atmosphere

Tarangire National Park: giant baobabs, huge elephant herds and tree-climbing lions in northern Tanzania.

Discover Thanda Safari, a Big Five reserve in Zululand blending luxury lodges, wildlife encounters and authentic Zulu cultural heritage in KwaZulu-Natal.

Tsavo West National Park, Kenya: Mzima Springs, volcanic mountains, super tuskers, lions, leopards, striped hyenas and awesome Kilimanjaro views

Safari South Africa's largest malaria-free private reserve, Tswalu Kalahari. Track pangolin, desert black rhino and black-maned lions in the semi-arid Kalahari.

Uganda - the ‘Pearl of Africa’ - is a haven for gorilla and chimp trekking, marvelling at the extraordinary shoebill and enjoying a classic wildlife safari along the banks of the River Nile

Discover Volcanoes National Park, home to endangered mountain gorillas, dramatic volcanic craters, and one of Africa’s most profound wildlife experiences, mountain gorilla trekking.

Discover the Waterberg: malaria-free Big 5 safaris in Limpopo. Home to Marakele, Welgevonden, and Lapalala—where wild dogs (painted wolves), rhinos, and vultures roam freely.

Explore Tanzania's Western Circuit: wild chimpanzee trekking at Mahale, Gombe and Rubondo Island, plus Katavi's dramatic dry-season predator encounters.