An African wildlife safari is a combination of magnificent animal sightings in the wild, exotic locations, culinary experiences, cultural and adventure tours.
As a first timer however it is challenging to select the perfect destination for your needs, so we asked the safari experts at AfricanSafariHome.com for their advice and these are the top 3 destinations they recommended.
- Kruger Park
The Kruger Park is located in South Africa and offers the best overall value for an African safari holiday.
The Great Kruger Park area is home to more than 140 large mammal species including the wildly popular Big Five animals.
The Big Five are the elephant, lion, buffalo, rhino and leopard. These animals were called the Big Five as they were historically the most difficult to track and hunt. They are now one of if not the biggest attraction of safari goers.
What makes the Kruger Park special is the abundance of leopard found in the private game reserves of the Timbavati.
Leopard is often the most difficult to spot of the big cats as they are notoriously shy. The Kruger however offers excellent viewing opportunities for these magnificent animals.
If you’re a bird love the Kruger Park boasts around 240 resident species and over 500 total species throughout the year.
The Kruger Park offers a wide range of accommodation to satisfy most budgets.
You can visit the Kruger and select from self-catering accommodation right the way up to Top 50 world-rated luxury lodges with personal butlers and chefs.
The best time to visit the Kruger Park is from late July to early October.
This is the back end of the winter months in South Africa and the animals are more energetic, the bush is less dense and the days are cooler.
It is recommended that you combine a 2-3-night stay at Victoria Falls with a Kruger Park safari holiday.
- The Serengeti
The Serengeti is located in Tanzania and southern Kenya.
The endless views in the Serengeti make a for an ideal safari destination, coupled with the Great Animal Migration.
The Great Migration as it’s more commonly referred to is a mass movement of more than 2 million animals including over 1.4 million wildebeest, 500,000 gazelle and a host of plains game and predators like lion, hyena, cheetah and crocodile.
The migration can be seen year round as the animals move in a clockwise pattern through the park in search of greener grazing pastures, following the seasonal rainfalls.
It is best to view the migration on a tented safari as these tours closely track the migration and setup nearby.
If you choose a lodge experience the most popular is during the calving season. Around February each year more than 400,000 wildebeest are birthed and the animals are located in one place for up to 6 weeks, as the young build their strength for the journey ahead.
The Serengeti offers a wide range of accommodation but it is recommended you only stay at 4-star or better properties, unless you don’t mind roughing it that of course.
- Okavango Delta
The Okavango Delta is the gem of Botswana.
If you desire a more intimate animal experience then this is the ideal location for you.
The many luxury lodges are situated along the channels and waterways of the delta, creating exciting animal viewing opportunities year-round.
One of the most intimate experiences is a mokoro safari. A mokoro is a traditional dugout canoe and an expert guide takes you along the waterways in search of wildlife.
You will get up close to large pods of hippo and other animals like elephant along the riverbanks as they come to quench their thirst. This makes for sublime wildlife photographic opportunities as you pass by in silence.
The Okavango Delta offers excellent accommodation but it must be noted that this is a luxury destination and you can expect to pay $1,000 per person per night sharing.
For more information on popular Africa destinations like Cape Town, Kenya, Zambia and more visit AfricanSafariHome.com and a friendly travel expert will assist you.
