Last Updated on December 16, 2020 by
Undoubtedly, Africa is home to some of the exquisite and unique animals to be found on the planet. Due to the variety of animals, the continent is home to some of the finest wildlife safaris in the world. Millions of travellers escape to this beautiful continent to spot the surreal sight of a wide range of animals. So, here is the list of 20 incredible African Safaris spread across the colossal continent to encounter the majestic animals.
1. Serengeti National Park
The Serengeti National Park by far is the most famed place for wildlife safari in Africa. Located in Tanzania, it is one of the oldest national parks and a UNESCO World Heritage Site also. Here, you can spot the famous wildlife migration once in a year. The wildebeest migration which takes place every year, over 2 million wildebeest, gazelle and zebra migrate from Serengeti to the Masai Mara Reserve in Kenya. If you happen to visit the park during the migration period, then get ready to dazzle yourself.
Best Time to Visit: June to February
Size: 14,763km² / 5,700mi²
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2. Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Sabi Sand offers an impeccable wildlife safari experience. The park is attached to the Kruger National Park and besides offering unforgettable wildlife experience, the park also has luxury lodges to stay. If you are in search of the Big Five, Sabi Sand is the place to easily spot them. Generally, on your second day of the safari, you will easily spot the Big Five.
Best Time to Visit: May to September
Size: 650km² / 251mi²
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3. Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park is probably one of the most popular parks in Africa. If you are especially in search of Big Five, it is the right place to spot them. Besides this, the park also has a range of various wildlife spices such as impala, antelope, hyenas and more. The park also boasts a bewitching scenic paradise and its main habitat land consists of woodland savannah. The park’s landscape is genteelly undulating offering a spectacular safari experience.
Best Time to Visit: May to September (Best time to view wildlife)
Size: 19,485km² / 7,523mi²
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4. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park consists of Kalahari Gemsbok National Park of South Africa and Gemsbok National Park of Botswana. Most of the safari activities take place on the South African side of the park, due to its excellent facilities. Though the park boosts perfect landscape for predator sightings, it is not the Big Five destination, because of the absent of buffalo and rhino. But, the open landscape and thin vegetation offer an excellent viewing of leopard, cheetah and various other smaller species such as Cape Fox and bat-eared fox. Explore this park by availing affordable flights to Cape Town.
Best Time to Visit: May to September (Dry Season)
Size:35,284km² / 13,623mi²
4. Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve
Hluhluwe-iMfolozi is one of the oldest parks in Africa located in KwaZulu Natal province. The park was originally set up to give protection and save the tiny population of southern white rhino. The park again is a great place for wildlife viewing and to spot the famous Big Five. In this park, you can also spot the elusive white rhino. Due to the thick vegetation throughout the park, it is pretty difficult to spot the big cats. Other wildlife species include wild dogs, antelopes, hyena and more.
Best Time to Visit: October to April
Size: 911km² / 352mi²
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5. Addo Elephant National Park
Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa is the third largest and probably the best place to spot the elephants. Due to the low coastal vegetation and abundant waterholes present, attracts animal congregation. These are a great place to quietly observe the social behaviour of these giant animals. The big five is also present there, but not quite often seen. The park is home to the elusive black rhino and Cape buffalo.
Best Time to Visit: May to September
Size:1,800km² / 695mi²
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6. Amakhala Game Reserve
Amakhala, when compared to other parks, is a relatively small and affordable wildlife reserve located in the Western Cape, South Africa. It is a fully fenced park and a great place to easily spot the Big Five animals. You can also hop into a boat cruise ride down the Bushman’s River, flowing through the park. Other animals that can be spotted here are cheetah, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, vervet monkeys and a range of antelope.
Best Time to Visit: May to September
Size:72km² / 28mi²
7. Augrabies Falls National Park
Apart, from the magnificent wildlife, Augrabies Falls National Park mostly attracts travellers because of the magnificent Augrabies waterfall located inside the park. This park does not have the presence of the Big Five, but it is the best place to spot antelope and giraffe. The park is also good for leopard encounter, but the most famous animal of the park is a reptile, known as Bordley’s flat lizard, famously known as Augrabies flat lizard. Not just this, but the park is also known for its magnificent scenery.
Best Time to Visit: May to September (Perfect time for wildlife viewing)
Size:554km² / 214mi²
8. Kwandwe Game Reserve
Kwandwe is majorly a private game reserve, where visitors can enjoy both wildlife and luxury accommodation and food. As the reserve is newly established, spotting wildlife quickly is rare. But, this place is great for sighting black rhino. Apart, you can also spot the Big Five, with excellent Cheetah sightings. Other wildlife species to find here are an aardvark, aardwolf and porcupine. The Great Fish River, which runs through the Game Reserve, offers spectacular scenery.
Best Time to Visit: May to September (Winter Season)
Size:220km² / 85mi²
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9. Makalali Game Reserve
Makalali Game Reserve is a beautiful combination of luxury and wildlife sightseeing. The park is fenced featuring two luxury lodges offering fine dining services. Makalai offers a beautiful opportunity when it comes to viewing the Big Five. Other wildlife species to spot here are zebra, giraffe, greater kudu, cheetah and wild do.
Best Time to Visit: May to September (Winter Season)
Size:260km² / 100mi²
10. Manyeleti Game Reserve
Situated between Kruger National Park and Timbavati Game Reserve, Manyeleti is a private game reserve. The park is a part of the Greater Kruger ecosystem offering an incredible wildlife experience. The park boasts all of the Big Five animals, along with a very high chance of finding the elusive leopard. The landscape mainly consists of a grassy landscape and woodland. The reserve is owned by the local Mnisi tribe.
Best Time to Visit: May to September (Best time for wildlife encounter)
Size:230km² / 89mi²
11. Mapungubwe National Park
Mapungubwe National Park located in South Africa offers a unique experience to its visitors. The park is a UNESCO world heritage site with cultural and environmental significance. Apart, from the wildlife, the scenery of the place is spectacular. Mapungubwe Hill is also the site of the ancient civilisation. The park is home to the four of Big Five with buffalo absent. Lions and leopard spotting is also quite rare. Other wildlife species that dominate the national park are white rhino, gemsbok, giraffe, elephant and wide range of antelope. Look out for cheap flights to Cape Town to explore the magnificent park.
Best Time to Visit: May to September (Winter Season)
Size:280km² / 108mi²
12. Central Kalahari Game Reserve
The Central Kalahari Game Reserve located at the Centre of Kalahari Desert is Botswana’s largest reserve. This reserve is known for its inhospitable desert, with fewer animals making it their home. While on safari, travellers can see the colossal herds of desert-adapted antelopes such as oryx, and springbok. On this safari trail, you can spot the stunning Kalahari black-maned lions and cheetah. The vast open desert landscape can sometimes be monotonous, but as afternoon paves way for the evening, the endless horizon is a treat to watch.
Best Time to Visit: November to March (Best time for wildlife viewing)
Size:52,800km² / 20,387mi²
14. Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro Crater offers a scintillating experience to people, who visit there. This is the place, which boasts tremendous wildlife diversity and jaw-dropping scenery. The Ngorongoro Crater attracts travellers because of the presence of a wide range of wildlife viewing in Africa. Due to the huge number of animals and diversity, it is possible to see all the Big Five in one day. Apart, from the popular Ngorongoro Crater, Empakaai and Olmoti craters also offer a scenic treat. The forest is unique laden with beautiful and colourful forest trees.
Best Time to Visit: June to September (Best time for wildlife viewing)
Size: 8,292km² / 3,202mi²
15. South Luangwa National Park
South Luangwa National Park is Zambia’s premier park. The park attracts both the amateur and experienced safari rider. There is no dearth of wildlife to spot, consisting of birds and several small creatures. The park enjoys a thick density of animals, and four of Big Five could be easily seen here. The South Luangwa is a mesmerising park and is an extension of Africa’s Great Rift. Locally known as ‘The Valley’, the area is dominated by the Luangwa River. Apart, the landscape is dominated by grassland savannah, acacia shrub and miombo woodland.
Best Time to Visit: July to mid- November (Best time for wildlife viewing)
Size: 8,292km² / 3,202mi²
16. Masai Mara National Reserve, Tanzania
One of Africa’s famous park, Masai Mara offers a spectacular wildlife viewing throughout the year. Due to plenty of vegetation, the park supports many herbivores animal population, resulting in easy predator watch. All three big cats are easily seen. The annual wildebeest migration is yet another spectacular phenomenon to encounter the sheer number of wildlife. The migration takes place between the Serengeti-Masi Mara, in which 2.5 million wildebeest, zebra and gazelles join the herd in search of new grass. You can reach the Masai Mara by availing cheap flights to Dar es Salaam, as it is the nearest airport to the wildlife safari park.
Best Time to Visit: June to October (Best time for wildlife viewing)
Size:1,510km² / 583mi²
17. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda is the best place to spot the mountain gorillas. The park is listed on the UNESCO world heritage site and is a great place to spot some beautiful wildlife. Apart, from the mountain gorillas, the park also contains nine other primate species such as chimpanzee, olive baboon, l’Hoest monkey, black-and-white colobus and many. The park also boasts an impressive population of a range of bird and butterfly. On the scenic aspect, Bwindi is a beautiful rainforest, with its landscape, which consists of ridges and valleys covered in dense, thick forest.
Best Time to Visit: June to August and December to February
Size: 321km² / 124mi²
18. Etosha National Park, Namibia
Etosha National Park in Namibia is the best place to encounter a range of wildlife species. Due to the presence of saline Etosha Pan, giving a unique feature to the park’s landscape. Four of the Big Five can be easily spotted with only buffalo absent. During the dry season, the waterholes around the pan attract numerous different animals all in search of water. This congregation of animal offers amazing animal viewing. The park derives its name for the colossal Etosha Pan — a large pan with a high concentration of salt. When filled with water the pan becomes a breeding ground for greater and lesser flamingos. Experience the best of African safari holiday by booking flights to Walvis Bay.
Best Time to Visit: June to September (Best time for wildlife viewing)
Size: 22,935km² / 8,855mi²
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19. Okavango Delta
The Okavango Delta is a stunning and Africa’s most popular destination. The Delta offers an unforgettable wildlife experience along with unmatched scenery. Walking safaris and mokoro (dugout canoe) are great options to enjoy the wilderness. It is a colossal delta covering a vast area with spectacular wildlife viewing opportunities. The location also plays an important role when it comes to spotting the Big Five. Elephant and hippos are plenty with wild dog packs are easily seen. The Okavango Delta is the world’s largest delta, offering picturesque settings. The Delta also has numerous high-end lodges that can be reached by charter plane.
Best Time to Visit: July to October (Best time for wildlife viewing)
Size: 22,000km² / 8,494mi²
20. Kafue National Park
Kafue National Park is a colossal national park in Africa. The park offers quality wildlife viewing as it has numerous animal species. But, compare the other parks in Africa, the animals are quite shy and seldom comes in open when there is the human presence. Four of the Big Five is easily seen with an impressive population of leopard, lion and elephants. The park also has a significant population of antelopes of different species. The Kafue River along with its tributaries are dotted with riparian forest. Patched of miombo woodland intertwine with swamp area are also present inside the park. In the north, the vast Busanga Plains are also a treat to watch.
Best Time to Visit: July to October (Easy to spot animals)
Size: 22,400km² / 8,649mi²
It seams that the author of this article have good knowledge about east and south Africa in terms of the game parks.