TOP RATED SAFARI COUNTRIES IN AFRICA

05. South Africa

Overview – South Africa

South Africa is a great destination for a varied holiday. It offers fantastic wildlife viewing, beautiful beaches, trendy cities and much more. Kruger is its flagship park with many self-drive and budget options and all of the Big Five are easily seen.

Pros and Cons

·         Excellent and easily accessible wildlife viewing

·         Self-drive, package or tailor-made safaris for any budget

·         A wide variety of habitats and scenery

·         Excellent service and a slick tourist industry

·         Good infrastructure and shops

·         Less wilderness appeal and fenced parks

43 National Parks and Reserves

Addo Elephant National Park
Ais Richtersveld TP
Amakhala Game Reserve
Augrabies Falls National Park
Balule NR (Greater Kruger)
Camdeboo National Park
Djuma GR (Sabi Sand)
Dulini Game Reserve (Sabi Sand)
Golden Gate Highlands NP
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi GR
Idube GR (Sabi Sand)
Inyati GR (Sabi Sand)
Ithala Game Reserve
Kapama Private GR (Greater Kruger)
Karoo National Park
Kgalagadi TP
Kruger National Park
Kwandwe Game Reserve
Lion Sands GR (Sabi Sand)
Londolozi GR (Sabi Sand)
Madikwe Game Reserve
Makalali GR (Greater Kruger)
Mala Mala GR (Greater Kruger)
Manyeleti GR (Greater Kruger)
Mapungubwe National Park
Marakele National Park
Mkhuze Game Reserve
Mokala National Park
Mountain Zebra National Park
Phinda Game Reserve
Pilanesberg Game Reserve
Sabi Sabi GR (Sabi Sand)
Sabi Sand GR (Greater Kruger)
Shamwari Game Reserve
Singita GR (Sabi Sand)
Spioenkop Game Reserve
Tembe Elephant Park

Thornybush GR (Greater Kruger)
Timbavati NR (Greater Kruger)
Ulusaba GR (Sabi Sand)
Waterberg Biosphere Reserve
Weenen Game Reserve
Zulu Nyala Game Reserve

06. Namibia

Overview – Namibia

Namibia is characterized by its desert habitat. This harsh environment forms a magnificent backdrop for a different kind of safari. Animal populations are smaller, but sightings in this sparse setting tend to be rewarding. Not to be missed is Etosha pan, a seasonal wildlife magnet.

Pros and Cons

·         Excellent waterhole-based wildlife-viewing at Etosha

·         Long coastline with marine animals, like seal colonies

·         Good infrastructure and excellent self-drive safari options

·         High-end and budget safaris

·         Low population and vast undeveloped areas

·         Highly photogenic scenery and colors

·         Desert habitat doesn't support high animal densities

13 National Parks and Reserves

Ais Richtersveld TP
Bwabwata NP (Zambezi Region)
Damaraland
Etosha National Park
Kaokoland
Khaudum National Park
Mudumu NP (Zambezi Region)
Namib-Naukluft NP
Nkasa Rupara NP (Zambezi Region)
Skeleton Coast NP
Tsau //Khaeb National Park
Waterberg Plateau Park
Zambezi Region

07. Uganda

Overview – Uganda

Uganda is a great destination to experience wildlife viewing in both forest and savannah. Not to be missed is gorilla tracking in Bwindi; while chimps can easily be spotted in Kibale National Park. Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls national parks offer wonderful savannah safaris with good wildlife viewing, but animals are not as abundant compared to the top parks of Kenya and Tanzania.

 

Pros and Cons

·         One of the very few places to see endangered mountain gorillas

·         Combine primate viewing with a classic savannah safari

·         Good balance between vehicle, boat and walking activities

·         Excellent birding

·         Scenic beauty

·         Young, relatively inexperienced tourist industry

Wildlife

Elephant, hippo, buffalo and zebra are plentiful in Uganda, with giraffe and leopard less so. The birding in the country is a real highlight. So is the tracking of primates, in particular gorilla and chimp, but there are many other species worth watching. These include the red-tailed monkey and the grey-cheeked mangabey. The antelope known as the Uganda kob is found pretty much everywhere and is a favorite of predators such as the lion.

Weather & Climate

Uganda’s tropical climate is a little different in the north and south of the country. From March to November, the north experiences a rainy and warm Wet season, followed by an almost equally warm Dry season from December to February. The south, on the other hand has a pair of Dry seasons (December to February, and June to July) broken up by a pair of Wet seasons. The country’s higher altitudes get predictably cold, with the temperature dropping 6°C/3.5°F for every 1000m/1000ft you climb.

Best Time to Visit

The drier months from June to August and December to February are the best for wildlife watching in Uganda. This is particularly so when it comes to the rainforest habitat preferred by primates, but it also applies down on the savannah where animals have little bush to hide in. There’s also plentiful sunshine at this time. In the wetter months, there’s the possibility that rain will cut off roads and wash out your primate tracking adventure.

10 Premier Parks and Reserves

Budongo Forest
Bwindi Impenetrable NP
Katonga Wildlife Reserve
Kibale National Park
Kidepo Valley National Park
Lake Mburo National Park
Mgahinga Gorilla NP
Murchison Falls NP
Queen Elizabeth NP
Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve
 

08. Zimbabwe

Overview – Zimbabwe

Because of the political situation in Zimbabwe, tourists are few and prices are competitive, but the main parks are still cared for and well worth visiting. Hwange is not to be missed, and Mana Pools offers great canoeing safaris on the Zambezi.

Pros and Cons

·         Excellent guiding

·         One of the best walking safari destinations

·         A chance to see Victoria Falls

·         Competitive rates and low tourist densities

·         Some decline of facilities and wildlife numbers

·         Political instability

Wildlife

Hwange and Mana Pools are Zimbabwe’s prime sites for wildlife watching. The most commonly spotted animals are the elephant and hippo, while the giraffe, zebra, lion and hyena are also present in good numbers. When it comes to the leopard or other cats, however, sightings can prove rare. The beautiful sable antelope and the bat-eared fox are two lesser-known highlights of the local animal population.

Weather & Climate

Zimbabwe’s temperate climate is characterized by a moisture-less Dry season (April to October) and a sodden Wet season (November to March). The drier months are cool to warm, although the temperature shoots up in advance of the rains. In the wetter months, the temperature climbs to an afternoon average of around 30°C/86°F, but high levels of humidity give the heat more bite.

Best Time to Visit

Wildlife can be viewed in Zimbabwe year-round. But the generally beautiful weather and high visibility of animals in the Dry season (April to October) make this the best time of year to hitch a ride on a game drive. Note, though, that views of Victoria Falls are often obscured by a veil of spray from March to April because of the amount of water tumbling down its face. You’ll have a much clearer view of these famous falls if you visit from May to September, when the Zambezi River calms down.

8 Premier Parks and Reserves

Chizarira National Park
Gonarezhou National Park
Hwange National Park
Mana Pools National Park
Matobo National Park
Matusadona National Park
Nyanga National Park
Zambezi National Park