Eastern vs Southern Africa Safaris

by Leigh Kemp, 6 December 2010

'Go west young man' was the call for American pioneers to move into the interior. The question when you're considering a safari in Africa is: east or south.

East Africa encompasses Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda and the aficionados will point to the game-filled plains and the annual wildebeest migration as East Africa's major drawcards.

Southern Africa consists of Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa and argues varied landscapes and wildlife as the main attractions...while also being prime luxury safari territory.

As a kid my ideals of Africa were based on East Africa with its postcard landscapes, and it was these images that shaped my 20-year career in the safari industry.

I have been privileged to experience much of what Africa has to offer as a safari travel destination, not only in the capacity as guide but also as a visitor. It's through my own observations and taking notice of the effect Africa has on visitors that I'll try answer the question of an eastern versus southern African safari.

The Original Safari vs the Luxury Experience

It is of course in East Africa where the concept of safari was born and with iconic names such as the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro, East Africa was long considered the classic safari destination by non-African visitors.

These safaris, glamorised by legendary authors such as Hemingway and Ruark as well as in movies, revolved around decadent hunting trips where porters carried all equipment and your creature comforts into the bush.

Some of the first non-hunting visitors however travelled through what is now the Kruger National Park in South Africa as early as the 1920's, and it is in the Kruger region that the present day concept of luxury safari travel was born in the 1980's.

Safari travel today, perhaps controversially, is far removed from the Hollywood-style safaris of the past with the emphasis moving toward brand of the lodge rather than the destination and wildlife. It is the level of luxury which claims visitors, the superiority of the guiding and the mouth-watering flavours on a dinner plate that keeps them coming back - not to say incredible Big 5 sightings don't!

Southern Africa leads the way in this luxury safari travel with brands such as Singita and Londolozi, although East Africa is not far behind with many of the well known safari brand names moving in to East Africa. The future of safari now involves luxury and wellness spas with, in my opinion, wildlife in many ways becoming a side show.

East Africa safaris begun to encapsulate the romance of the original tented experience, but by drawing on the luxurious safari elements of its southern neighbours. Authentic tented safaris in the Serengeti now compete with the premier luxury lodges in the Kruger.

As with every debate, there are pros and cons to choosing either destination. Deciding which is going to suit you best is easier if you look at each region's drawcards - after all, one man's rugged tented safari, could be another's agoraphobic nightmare; one woman's luxury spa experience could be too close to another's urban lifestyle for comfort.

So why choose an East African safari?

The Greatest Show on Earth - the annual wildebeest migrations involving millions of animals
Classic postcard African scenery of rolling savannas and acacia trees
Large numbers of game on the open plains
The views of, or the chance to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain
Cultures such as the Maasai that maintain a traditional way of life
Many exciting new areas opening up in northern Kenya and southern Tanzania
Gorillas and chimpanzees in the mountains and forest areas
A beautiful coastline makes the region ideal for a bush and beach vacation
Relatively short international flights into Nairobi in Kenya

So why choose a Southern Africa safari?

A great diversity of landscapes, from the Namib Desert in Namibia, to the Okavango Delta in Botswana
Intimate safaris in private concession areas allowing for 'up close' game experiences
Open safari vehicles for easier game viewing
Zambia and Zimbabwe in particular are renowned for walking safaris
Seeing Victoria Falls, one of the seven wonders of the natural world
A wide range of accommodation from five star luxury to 'roughing-it' camping
Seeing wildlife in unique ways - from a mokoro (dug-out canoe) or from the back of an elephant
Malaria free safari destinations
Easily combined with a trip to one of the world's most popular cities, Cape Town, or South Africa's coast

Clearly both destinations have their highlights, and are not necessarily in competition with each other; unless you have a particular interest. If it's gorillas you want to see then East Africa is the place, but if it's whales then your choice will be Southern Africa. As an opportunity to experience the wildlife and landscapes of Africa, both regions offer a superb safari vacation.

But back to the question 'Where is the best place to experience the ultimate safari?'. My answer is the same as it was ten years ago: that the question is not 'where should I go on safari in Africa' but rather 'how soon?'.

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