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The 10 Best Safari Destinations In Africa This Summer

The 10 Best Safari Destinations In Africa This Summer

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Choosing one of the hundreds of safaris offered in Africa can be overwhelming, but if you want the true safari experience, you want to go where you have a shot at spotting “The Big 5.” You’ll see this term pop up a lot when you do an online search of safari companies. It refers to the five animals you’re lucky to spot in Africa: lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and the Cape buffalo. Here are your 10 best bets.

This slideshow was first published on Oct. 18, 2013

8thingstodo.com
8thingstodo.com

Masai Mara National Reserve (Kenya)

Kenya is Africa’s top safari destination with several wildlife parks, but its most popular by far is the Masai Mara Reserve. Between July and October you can catch the amazing spectacle that is the migration of millions of wildebeest and zebra. The Maasai tribesman are also happy to give tours to supplement the experience.

namibia-tours-safaris.com
namibia-tours-safaris.com

Chobe National Park (Botswana)

Chobe National Park is unique because it sits on four distinct ecosystems. The Savuti marsh has one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in Africa all year, and more than 120,000 elephants stomp around Chobe so you can’t miss them. If you can, go between April and October when herds of zebra, eland, buffalo, giraffe and wildebeest move to the Savuti marsh. There are several inexpensive accommodation options, including renting a houseboat.

kruger-park-packages-tab

Kruger National Park (South Africa)

Kruger National Park is home to the largest variety of wildlife in Africa, most notably the Big Five but also hippos, crocodiles, cheetah and more. Kruger is also a very well-maintained park making it perfect for a self-guided safari if you’d like to break away from groups.

getintravel.com
getintravel.com

 

South Luangwa National Park (Zambia)

South Luangwa National Park is known for amazing walking safaris, so you’ll get a very close look at the wildlife. The park boasts more than 400 species of birds and 600 animal species, and its river is busy with hippos. If you’re fortunate, you’ll witness prides of more than 30 lions. The park offers both budget and upscale safari lodging.

ganeandmarshall.com
ganeandmarshall.com

 

Serengeti National Park (Tanzania)

The Serengeti National Park looks exactly as you’d imagine an African safari landscape to look, with lush, open grasslands that yield perfect views of lion kills. Serengeti is also where the wildebeest and zebra begin their migration and since it’s such a large park, it feels less touristy.

theitineraries.com
theitineraries.com

 

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Uganda)

Nearly 50 percent of the all the gorillas on the planet can be found right here, in Bwindi. You can also spot other stunning creatures like chimpanzees and several large mammals. Bwindi is protected as a World Heritage Site.

ashworthafrica.net
ashworthafrica.net

Etosha National Park (Namibia)

Etosha National Park is the most popular wildlife destination in Namibia, home of Africa’s tallest elephants, the endangered black rhino and 91 other mammal species. Etosha has been the subject of many photographers’ work, especially in the dry seasons when wildlife congregates around waterholes. Animals you can spot here include giraffe, elephant, lion, rhino and the occasional cheetah and leopard. The park itself does not offer scheduled drives—it’s a self-drive park—but nearby lodges and campsites offer guided tours.

afroeuro.org
afroeuro.org

 

Okavango Delta (Botswana)

The Okavango River runs right through the middle of Botswana’s Kalahari Desert, attracting a variety of animal life. The river offers a rare safari experience as most of it can be explored via a traditional canoe, called a mokoro. The ideal time to visit Okavango is between May and October, when the river floods and the wildlife flocks to the islands, making it easier to spot them. Several accommodations are available around the river, including luxury safari camps.

globetravelblog.com
globetravelblog.com

Ngorongoro Conservation Area (Tanzania)

The world’s biggest crater sits in the Ngorongoro Conservation area, creating an enclosure for nearly every type of animal found in East Africa. The Maasai still call Ngorongoro home, and it’s the site of some of the earliest human remains.

eyesonafrica.net
eyesonafrica.net

Hwange National Park (Zimbabwe)

If you see a puppy running around Hwange, don’t try to pet it: the park is home to one of the largest populations of wild dogs still living in Africa. As for more conventional  wildlife, you can also spot tons of giraffes, elephants and lions, along with more than 105 other mammal species. If you visit Hwange you can scratch two things off your list, as it’s right near Victoria Falls.