Best Safari Destinations In Africa

Safari tours are probably the biggest tourist attraction in Africa. Its climate and diverse wildlife would ensure an unforgettable experience for anyone wishing to have a unique kind of vacation. Here are the top five safari destinations in Africa that you might want to consider for your next travel.

The South Luangwa National Park of Zambia lies in the eastern and northern part of the country. This wildlife sanctuary covers about 3,000 square miles of lush vegetation and about 60 species of animals. The park is probably the best place in the world to see herds of elephants in its natural surroundings. The park is also famous for its walking tours where tourists can travel by foot from one bush camp to another, truly the best way to experience Africa at its finest. This is also a place where leopards abound, with crocodiles and hippos flourishing in nearby river and pools.

Selinda Reserve of Botswana is a private game reserve covering some 1,350 square kilometers. Its name is derived from the Khoesan language meaning "many small pools of water." This remote area also features the Zibalianja Lagoon, where a large population of hippos resides. Also abundant are elephants, lions, leopards, giraffes, kudus, hyenas, and wild dogs. The park also has large forested areas where birdlife is plentiful. The Selinda Camp offers several tented accommodations with walking safaris and game drives.

The Kruger National Park of South Africa is an extensive wildlife reserve that stretches to about 2 million hectares. It is home to an impressive number of flora and fauna. Visitors are never disappointed in visiting this site with its numerous accommodations and varied activities offered. One can view bushman rock paintings and several archeological sites as they go on walking and game drive safaris. Easily accessible through the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, the game reserve receives more than a million visitors each year. Those seeking to look at big game animals like elephants, lions, leopards, and rhinos, as well as birds, will not be disappointed.

The Masai Mara derived its name from its traditional dwellers, the Maasai tribespeople, and from the Mara River that crosses this area of approximately 721 square miles in Kenya. Animals like elephants, rhinos, buffalos, lions, and leopards, termed the Big 5, are abundant here, along with numerous species of birds and reptiles. This park reserve is famous for its annual wildebeest migration, an immense migration that occurs every September and October. The sheer immense number of migrating animals has induced a lot of tourists to visit the Masai Mara, and there are a lot of tented camps and lodges that provide accommodations.

The Serengeti National Park of Tanzania is one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. It is continuous with the Masai Mara National Park and is part of the great wildebeest migration. Its vast grassland,  extensive woodland, and savanna supports numerous species of wildlife, along with the more famous elephants, lions, zebras, leopards, and the now dwindling rhinos. The park is the setting of several films, most notably, "Serengeti Must Not Die," that contributed in making this park the best known wildlife sanctuary. Apart from park administrators, researchers and lodging employees, this park is virtually populated by wildlife.