The 6 Best places to go on safari in Africa (where to go on African safaris)

If you want to experience the best safari in Africa, you need to know where to go. Not just any place on the continent will do. The key is finding the best place to safari in Africa, for you.

How to plan the best safari in Africa for you?

1. Compare the best places to visit in Africa for safari 

2. Choose where to go in Africa for safari, based on your interests and preferences

3. Contact travel experts (like us) for help planning your best safari in Africa. Or, take a look at the affordable safaris to your favourite places to visit in Africa.

When you plan where to go on safari in Africa, be sure to:

• Check the time of year you plan to visit and adjust your dates or destinations if needed (or talk to a travel expert who can help you with this).
• Decide on your travel budget and travel/safari style (again, a travel expert can help you figure out the best options for you).

Chobe, Botswana best safari in Africa

Talk to a safari travel expert. One of our friendly travel consultants will be happy to give you free travel advice and help you book the best safari in Africa, for you.

The best places to safari in Africa

1. Kenya: Masai Mara & Wildlife Conservancies in Kenya

2. Tanzania: Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater & Northern Tanzania Parks

3. South Africa: Kruger National Park & Greater Kruger Park

4. Botswana: Okavango Delta, Moremi, and Chobe (Northern Parks)

5. Namibia: Etosha National Park

6. Zambia: South Luangwa National Park 

These are 6 of the best places to visit in Africa for safari tours of a lifetime. They are the most famous places for the overall best safari in Africa.

Why are these the best places to safari?

The six places listed above offer the best all-around safari experiences in Africa. In terms of wildlife, accessibility, safety, accommodation, safari activities, tours on offer, and safari prices.

They are the game reserves and national parks that host large numbers of big animals. Most of them are Big 5 safari destinations. Each destination hosts an impressive variety of African wildlife and birds.

Sabi Sands, Greater Kruger in South Africa

Each of these safari regions is rated as one of the best places to safari in Africa for practical reasons too. They are all safe and they are relatively easy to get to. The roads are fairly good, if not excellent. There is also plenty of accommodation in or near these wildlife parks including a range of options for different budgets.

These game parks are also the best places to go in Africa for safari tours because they are located in countries with well-established tourism industries. They are in relatively safe and stable African countries. Because these top places for safaris are set up for tourism they offer fantastic activities and more amenities and attractions for visitors. These wildlife destinations attract the finest safari guides and the best safari companies. The safari lodges and accommodation options at these top African destinations are also excellent.

A quick breakdown of the best place to safari in Africa

This will help you decide where to go in Africa for safari adventures that suit your interests and needs.

1. Kenya: Masai Mara & Conservancies in Kenya

Reasons to go on safari in Masai Mara & the Wildlife Conservancies of Kenya:

Masai Mara Kenya safari, big cats by Esin Ustun

• The Great Migration Africa (wildebeest migration) - the most spectacular wildlife migration on earth
• Big cats of Africa - outstanding sightings of lions, leopards, and cheetahs
• Classical safari landscapes - open savannahs and quintessential safari landscapes
• Authentic African safari experiences - luxury tented camps, and uncrowded wildlife conservancies
• Year-round safari destination - excellent game viewing throughout the year with high concentrations of wildlife.
• Hot-air balloon trips over Masai Mara followed by champagne breakfasts
• Maasai culture - meet the traditional Maasai tribe of Kenya
• Exciting safari activities - embark on walking safaris, night game drives, and off-road game drives in the wildlife conservancies at Masai Mara
• Generally cheaper than Serengeti Safaris in Tanzania

Maasai in Masai Mara, Kenya safari by Joxean Koret

Find out more about Masai Mara National Reserve and why it's one of the best places to safari in Africa. Or, browse our budget Masai Mara Safaris in Kenya and beyond.

2. Tanzania: Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater & Northern Tanzania Parks

Reasons to go on safari in Serengeti Park, Ngorongoro Crater & other Northern Tanzania Parks:

Serengeti ballooning flying over herds2.2007

• The Great Migration Africa - hosts the bulk of the wildebeest migration
• Dream safari landscapes - vast savannah grasslands dotted with thorn trees
• Open space - Serengeti is a massive wildlife park with seemingly endless plains
• Year-round safari destination - abundant wildlife throughout the year
• Big 5 animals and birds - Serengeti is a top Big 5 safari destination and hosts over 500 bird species 
• Hot-air balloon trips over Serengeti Park followed by champagne breakfast
• Walking safaris - guided game walks offered by some camps in Serengeti National Park 
• Masaai cultural experiences - visit local Maasai villages and meet the Maasai of Tanzania
• Excellent safari destinations nearby - exceptional wildlife parks on the Northern Safari Circuit, close to Serengeti Park

Elephant Ngorongoro Crater, Best Safari in Tanzania

Browse our budget Serengeti Safaris in Tanzania and beyond. Or see why Serengeti Park is one of the best places to visit in Africa for safaris in our Serengeti Safari Guide

Not sure whether to visit Masai Mara or Serengeti on your safari? See Serengeti vs Masai Mara: which one makes for the best safari in Africa? or pick a safari that visits both.

3. South Africa: Kruger National Park & Greater Kruger 

Reasons to go on safari in Kruger National Park & Greater Kruger Park in South Africa.

Greater Kruger safari, South Africa

• Diversity and abundance of wildlife - more than 145 mammal species, and a rich array of reptiles, insects, amphibians, and even fish
• Massive size - one of the biggest game reserves in Africa, Kruger covers an area of nearly 2 million hectares, and Greater Kruger's private game reserves a further 344,000 hectares
• Exceptional Big 5 animal sightings - one of the best Big 5 game reserves in Africa with frequent sightings of Africa's Big 5 (lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo, and elephant)
• Leopard sightings - Kruger (especially Greater Kruger game reserves, like Sabi Sands) is one of the best places to see leopards in Africa.
• Exclusive safari experiences - uncrowded safaris in the private game reserves of Greater Kruger
• Exciting activities - guided 4x4 safaris and in Greater Kruger walking safaris, night game drives, and off-road game drives
• Biodiverse and a birding hotspot - home to an incredible diversity of species including over 500 species of birds across nine biomes
• Year-round safari destination - abundant wildlife and good climate throughout the year
• Something for everyone - Kruger offers a wide range of accommodation options, activities, and types of safaris for all budgets

Greater Kruger Safari, South Africa

Browse our budget Kruger Safaris in South Africa and beyond or find out more about Kruger National Park and Greater Kruger Park.

Not sure whether Kruger National Park or Greater Kruger is best for your safari? Check out Greater Kruger vs Kruger Park and Greater Kruger Explained

4. Botswana: Okavango Delta, Moremi, and Chobe (Northern Parks)

Reasons Botswana's north is one of the best places to safari in Africa:

Mekoro Okavango Delta, Botswana

• Incredible beauty - the Okavango Delta is one of the most pristine and beautiful wilderness areas in Africa
• Diverse wildlife - hosts a rich variety of land and water animals including endangered and iconic large mammals of Africa
• Remote camps and crowd-free safaris - Moremi and the Okavango Delta offer exclusive safari experiences far from the crowds
• Authentic and unique experiences - mokoro (canoe) trips, walking safaris, and local cultural experiences
• Birding paradise - the Okavango Delta and Chobe Park both host over 450 bird species, and Moremi has more than 500
• Exceptional boat-based game viewing - Chobe Park is famous for its boat cruises for superb birdwatching and game viewing
• Predators of Savuti Marsh - the Savuti area of Chobe is renowned for its predator action and year-round game viewing
• High concentrations of wildlife - Chobe is home to one of the highest concentrations of wildlife, especially elephants
• Diverse wildlife, birds, and scenery - a northern Botswana safari takes in an impressive variety of habitats and inhabitants
• Wild camping adventures - mobile tented safaris and bush camping in secluded wilderness areas

Camping Okavango Delta Botswana

Browse our budget Botswana Safaris or go to our Okavango Delta Safaris, Moremi Safaris, and Chobe Safaris.

5. Namibia: Etosha National Park

Reasons why an Etosha safari in Namibia is one of the best safaris in Africa.

Etosha safari elephant, rhino, lion

• Dramatic wildlife sightings - the harsh environment gives rise to fierce competition and epic predator action
• Exceptional game viewing - one of the best places in Africa to watch large animals, Etosha hosts high concentrations of wildlife
• Stark landscapes - experience the striking scenery of the shimmering Etosha Pan and the rugged landscapes
• Good visibility - easy to see animals in the sparse vegetation (especially in winter) of this arid African bush environment
• Outstanding elephant, rhino, and lion sightings - one of the best places to see four of the Big 5 (elephant, rhino, leopard, and lion)
• Unusual activities - excellent nighttime game viewing at floodlit waterholes
• Wide variety of accommodation options - choices for all budgets, from camping inside Etosha to luxury safari lodges in remote areas

Gembok, Etosha in Namibia

Browse our budget Etosha Safaris in Namibia and beyond. Or find out more about Etosha Park in our Etosha travel guide

6. Zambia: South Luangwa National Park 

Reasons South Luangwa Park in Zambia is shortlisted for the best safari in Africa:

Walking in South Luangwa, Best Safari in Africa by Richard R Schneider

• Best place for walking safaris - South Luangwa is famous for its guided game walks and is the place where walking safaris originated 
• Remote and less-visited wildlife park - experience a crowd-free safari in a secluded and wild African national park
• High concentrations of wildlife - it hosts an abundance of animals, especially along the Luangwa River and lagoons where hippos and crocodiles proliferate
• Scenic and diverse - a lush, tropical game reserve set in a beautiful wide valley with plains, woodlands, lagoons, and marshes
• Big 5 safari destination - exceptional leopard sightings, large herds of elephants and buffaloes, excellent lion sightings, and rhinos
• Top birding destination - renowned for its birdlife, South Luangwa hosts over 400 bird species and special avian migrations like the carmine-bee eater migration
• Unusual and endangered animals - South Luangwa Park is a stronghold for endangered African wild dogs and unusual species such as Thornicroft’s giraffe, puku, Cookson’s wildebeest, and Crawshay’s zebra. 
• Leopards and elephants - home to one of the highest densities of leopards in the world and large herds of elephants, as well as buffalos 
• Authentic African adventure - explore a wild and unspoiled wildlife area off the beaten track for an immersive African bush experience

South Luangwa lions, Zambia Safari

Browse our budget South Luangwa Safaris in Zambia and beyond. Or discover why it is among the best places to safari in Africa, in our South Luangwa Safari Guide

Best place to safari in Africa, in short

Now you have a good sense of where to go in Africa for safari experiences you'll love. These are just a few of the best places to visit in Africa for safari trips of a lifetime. They offer some of the best safaris in the world.

Kruger African safari leopard by amydykstra

But, there are plenty of other destinations where you can experience the best safari in Africa. It all depends on your idea of the ultimate African safari.

To find the best safari in Africa, for you, talk to a travel expert. Our experienced advisors can help you find the best place to safari in Africa, based on your passions, interests, budget, and tastes. They really know Africa, so they'll be able to help you decide where's best for you to go on safari in Africa!