Top African Safari Destinations for U.S. Travellers

Why Travel Time Matters When Choosing an African Safari Destination

For U.S. travellers, flight duration, stopovers, and entry points make a big difference in choosing where to go on safari. A shorter flight with fewer connections can mean:

• Less travel fatigue and easier adjustment to local time zones
• More time on safari rather than in airports
• Simpler logistics, especially for families or first-time travellers

The good news? Africa is only about 6 – 8 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time, which means jet lag is minimal compared to long-haul trips to Asia. And with more airlines expanding routes into Africa, your dream safari is closer than you think.

Beyond flight time, consider arrival time (morning arrivals make it easy to connect to safari hubs the same day), luggage allowances on regional bush flights, and whether you'd like to add a city or beach stop at the start or end. Your specialist will also advise on health and entry requirements and coordinate overnight layovers when they meaningfully reduce travel stress.

We suggest starting with a region that pairs with one of Africa's busiest international gateways (Johannesburg for Southern Africa, Nairobi/Kilimanjaro for East Africa), ensuring frequent links to safari airstrips and straightforward same-day connections.

Safari Regions Ranked By Accessibility for U.S. Travellers

We've ranked the below safari regions for U.S. travellers based on shortest travel time, fewest stopovers, and easiest same-day connections, with nonstop and one-stop routes available from major U.S. hubs.

Kruger National Park & Greater Kruger, South Africa

The Greater Kruger region is one of South Africa's most iconic safari destinations, offering excellent Big 5 sightings, a wide range of lodges (from family-friendly to ultra-luxury) and even malaria-free reserves nearby. It's also easy to pair a Kruger safari with time in Cape Town or a visit to the Cape Winelands.

If you want “straight to safari” with minimal fuss, Kruger is hard to beat. After landing in Johannesburg, it's a short domestic hop to airstrips serving private reserves like Sabi Sand, Timbavati, and Manyeleti – or a scenic drive if you're properly exploring Kruger National Park. Many lodges offer twice-daily game drives, walking safaris, and
photographic hides, so you're in the action from day one.

• Fly Into: Johannesburg (JNB) – direct flights are available from Atlanta (ATL) and New York (JFK), or one-stop options via Europe or Qatar. From Johannesburg, frequent short-haul flights connect you to Kruger Mpumalanga (MQP/Nelspruit), Skukuza (SZK), or Hoedspruit (HDS), with road transfers or lodge airstrips for the last leg.
• Total Travel Time from NYC: around 15–18 hours. That typically includes an overnight flight to South Africa plus a morning connection to the bush – meaning you can often be on an afternoon game drive the same day you arrive.
• Best For: First-timers, families, and honeymooners. Add Cape Town for a soft landing and world-class food and wine, or the Garden Route for whale watching and coastal scenery.

Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Home to the legendary Great Migration, the Serengeti delivers vast savannas, big cats, and year-round wildlife viewing. Depending on the season, you might see wildebeest calving, river crossings, or incredible predator hunting. The park's scale and camp network make it easy to position yourself exactly where the action is – mobile camps follow the herds, while permanent lodges offer comfort and sweeping views. Pair your trip with a visit to Ngorongoro Crater for a “greatest hits” circuit that's ideal for first-time visitors who want to experience a true Tanzania safari.

• Fly Into: Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) via Amsterdam, Doha or Istanbul; or connect through Nairobi (NBO). From JRO or NBO, a short domestic flight gets you into the Serengeti's central, northern or southern sectors depending on the season.
• Total Travel Time from NYC: around 18–22 hours. Many travellers opt for an overnight transatlantic flight, a daylight connection to East Africa, and a same-day bush flight into the park.
• Best For: Wildlife lovers, photographers, and migration chasers. If river crossings are your dream, aim for July to October (north). For calving season and predator interactions, January to March (south) is superb.

Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

The Maasai Mara is famous for big cats, dramatic river crossings during the Migration, and immersive cultural encounters with the Maasai people. Its accessibility makes it a top choice for shorter safari trips.

The Mara's compactness (relative to the Serengeti) and excellent network of airstrips mean fewer long transfers and more time in the field. Private conservancies bordering the reserve offer off-road driving and night drives – fantastic for photographers, couples, and families seeking an unforgettable Kenya safari.

• Fly Into: Nairobi (NBO) – one stop from the U.S. via Europe, Doha or Istanbul. From Nairobi's domestic Wilson Airport, quick light-aircraft flights fan out to the Mara's various airstrips, placing you within minutes of your camp.
• Total Travel Time from NYC: around 18–20 hours. With an overnight transatlantic leg and a single connection, many guests arrive in Nairobi by evening, overnight in the city, and fly to Maasai Mara the next morning.
• Best For: First-time safaris, Great Migration viewing, and short trips. Consider pairing the Mara with Laikipia or Amboseli to witness free-roaming elephant herds beneath Mount Kilimanjaro.

Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe or Zambia)

Known as the world's largest waterfall, Victoria Falls is both a natural wonder and a thrilling adventure hub. It pairs beautifully with safaris in Botswana's Chobe or the Kruger in South Africa.

Whether you stay on the Zimbabwean side (Victoria Falls Town) or Zambian side (Livingstone), you'll be close to helicopter flips, sunset cruises on the Zambezi, and easy day trips to Chobe for big elephant herds. It's also a brilliant “breather” between two safari areas – city energy on arrival, river and falls mid-trip, with a bush finale.

• Fly Into: Victoria Falls (VFA) or Livingstone (LVI) via Johannesburg (JHB). Daily links from JHB keep connections simple; from the falls, short flights fan out to Chobe (Kasane), Hwange, or the Okavango.
• Total Travel Time from NYC: around 18–22 hours. Most travellers route via Johannesburg, overnight if needed, then continue on a short morning flight to VFA or LVI.
• Best For: an add-on to Botswana or Kruger safaris, and waterfall lovers. Visit March to May for peak flow, or June to September for excellent visibility and classic safari conditions nearby.

Okavango Delta, Botswana

The Okavango Delta is one of Africa's most unique safari destinations. Seasonal floodplains create waterways where mokoro canoe safaris glide silently past elephants, hippos, and dazzling birdlife. Exclusive fly-in lodges make it an unforgettable, if more remote, experience. Because camps are small and spread out, wildlife densities feel intimate and sightings unhurried. Dry-season flood levels (typically May to September) are ideal for water activities, while shoulder months bring beautiful contrasts between land and water.

• Fly Into: Maun (MUB) via Johannesburg or Cape Town. From Maun, light aircraft connect to Delta airstrips in minutes – your transfer doubling as a scenic flight over the channels.
• Total Travel Time from NYC: around 20–24 hours. Expect an overnight long-haul, a same-day connection to Maun, and a short hop to your camp's private airstrip.
• Best For: experienced travellers or those seeking exclusivity and wishing to experience the ease of fly-in safaris. Combine with Chobe for riverfront game viewing or with Victoria Falls for an iconic finale.

Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

One of the easiest ways to see mountain gorillas, Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park offers life-changing trekking experiences and beautiful highland scenery. With Kigali only a few hours away, it's an excellent option for shorter trips. Gorilla permits are limited to protect the apes and habitat, so planning ahead is essential. The gorilla trek itself is unhurried and guided by expert rangers; spend your downtime in eco-chic lodges with views of misty volcanic peaks as you soak up the true magic of a Rwanda safari.

• Fly Into: Kigali (KGL) via Europe, Doha, or Istanbul. Road transfer to the park typically takes 2.5 – 3 hours, making it one of the shortest transfers to a signature wildlife experience anywhere in Africa.
• Total Travel Time from NYC: around 20–24 hours. Travellers often route via a single connection in Europe or the Middle East, arriving in Kigali the same day or following morning.
• Best For: short luxury trips, primate lovers, or as a post-safari add-on. Consider adding Akagera (savanna game) or Nyungwe (chimp trekking) for a varied, compact itinerary.

Etosha National Park, Namibia

known for its stark landscapes and vast salt pans, Etosha National Park offers unique desert-adapted wildlife, striking salt pans, and fewer crowds. It's a fantastic choice for photographers and adventurous self-drivers seeking a quintessential Namibia safari. In the dry season, wildlife funnels to waterholes, creating superb all-day viewing. Guided activities and private reserves bordering the park add flexibility (night drives and guided walks), while a looping route through Damaraland and the Skeleton Coast turns your trip into a cinematic road journey.

• Fly Into: Windhoek (WDH) via Johannesburg or Doha. From Windhoek, it's an easy domestic flight or a comfortable road transfer to Etosha's southern gates.
• Total Travel Time from NYC: around 20–25 hours. Most itineraries connect via Johannesburg or the Middle East, then continue to Windhoek with a final land or air leg to the park.
• Best For: self-drivers, second timers, and photographers. Pair with Sossusvlei's red dunes and Swakopmund's coast for striking variety in a single trip.

Commonly Asked Questions Around Flights to Africa from the USA

1. What Are the Easiest African Safaris From U.S. Countries

South Africa (Kruger via Johannesburg) – thanks to direct flights from New York and Atlanta, with fewer stopovers than most other safari destinations. The New York area also has nonstop service into Johannesburg via Newark, expanding options for travellers who want to minimise connections.

2. Do Any Flights Go Direct From the U.S. to Africa?

Yes! Nonstop routes include Delta and South African Airways flights from JFK and ATL to Johannesburg, and Ethiopian Airlines from Washington, D.C. (IAD) to Addis Ababa. To widen your choices, note that airlines such as Delta and United operate additional nonstop services from the U.S. to Southern Africa – for example, Atlanta to Johannesburg and Newark to Johannesburg – making single-hop access to major hubs possible.

3. What's the Best Safari Destination for a Short Trip From the U.S.?

The Greater Kruger in South Africa, Kenya's Maasai Mara, and Rwanda's gorilla trekking all work well for 7- to 10-day safaris. These regions have logical flight patterns and short onward connections, so you can be wildlife-ready quickly and keep transfer fatigue to a minimum.

4. Will I Have Jet Lag Traveling to Africa?

Not much. Africa is only about 6 – 8 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time, which makes it far easier on your body clock compared to Asia or Australia. Many travellers feel aligned after the first night, especially if they arrive in the morning and ease into the day with a relaxed lunch and an afternoon game drive.

Africa For First Timers

How Go2Africa Simplifies U.S. Safari Planning

Planning an African safari from the USA doesn't have to be overwhelming. At Go2Africa, our Safari Experts handle every detail: flights, transfers, park permits, accommodations and even city or beach add-ons. Many American travellers like to combine a safari with Cape Town's food and wine, or with Zanzibar's pristine white sand beaches.

We'll also advise on the finer points that make travel smoother from the U.S. – which nonstop or one-stop routes are performing reliably during your dates; how to structure arrival times so you can reach the bush the same day; when to overnight en-route to keep everyone rested; and how to coordinate light-aircraft luggage limits with your international allowance.

With over 25 years of experience and first-hand knowledge of every camp we recommend, we create tailor-made journeys that are seamless from the moment you leave home. Working around school holidays? Planning a honeymoon with a fixed number of days? Want to add Cape Town, the Winelands, Zanzibar, or Victoria Falls? We'll propose an itinerary that balances flight ease with your dream wildlife experiences – so you spend less time in transit and more time where it counts: on safari.

Ready to Start Planning Your Next Great Adventure?

If you’re ready to answer the rhythmical call of Africa, we are ready to answer. We’ll compare routes in real time, secure the right connections, and find the perfect destinations for your timeline and travel style. Get in touch with one of our highly experienced safari experts.