The Best Safari Destinations in Africa

Home to one of the world’s greatest concentrations of wildlife and the majority of the Wildebeest Migration, Serengeti National Park is Tanzania’s flagship conservation area and a must-do for first-time and returning safari goers alike. Its vast rolling grasslands and golden savannah evoke a soul-stirring sense of space, unlike anywhere else on Earth.

Game viewing in the Masai Mara is excellent all year round thanks to its varied landscapes, wide open spaces, temperate climate and diverse population of resident game. Its champagne-coloured savannahs are home to safari heavyweights like elephant, buffalo and giraffe, and deliver exceptional big cat (lion, leopard, and cheetah) sightings. Cheetahs are particularly well adapted to the region’s flat plains, which makes the Masai Mara one of the best places to see these nimble predators.

If ticking off up-close sightings of the Big 5 (leopard, lion, elephant, rhino and buffalo) is on your bucket list, then choose a Kruger safari. It’s not unusual to see all five in one day. As one of the oldest conservation areas in Africa, Kruger regularly delivers fantastic wildlife sightings with healthy populations of sought-after species like cheetah and wild dog. Throw in convenient travel logistics and some of the best luxury lodges in the business, and you have an unforgettable South African safari.

Nowhere else in the world can you experience the sublime serenity of gliding through meandering waterways in a traditional dugout canoe (mokoro) while watching elephants arrive to feed at the water's edge. Swap the 4x4 game-drive vehicle for a mokoro or motorboat and explore the pristine Okavango Delta, one of Africa's truly great wildernesses.

Traditionally known as Mosi-oa-Tunya or ‘the Smoke that Thunders’, Victoria Falls is the world's biggest waterfall and one of Africa’s greatest and most-visited attractions. Not only is it a great end-point of a safari in Zimbabwe or Zambia, it's a place where you can get your pulse racing with adventure activities like white-water rafting and bungee jumping. After all, it is known as Africa's Adventure Capital!

The best trips are always a combination of different African experiences. All of the top safari destinations can be easily combined with other regions such as:

• Cape Town – discover gorgeous beaches and experience the gastronomic delights of the Cape Winelands.
• Uganda or Rwanda – sit with endangered gorillas in their rainforest habitat and observe the fascinating family dynamics of our ancient relatives.
• Seychelles, Mauritius or Zanzibar – crown your African safari with some much-needed R & R on the powder-soft beaches of these tropical paradises.