So where is the Best Safari in Africa?

Gone are the days when an African safari involved only the celebrated names the likes of Kenya safaris and Tanzania safaris. This is where the concept of luxury safaris, as the safari is defined today, was born.  Although many still travel to these places of legend, visitors are finding that there’s much more to a safari than a name. Zambia and Uganda  are some of the remarkable new destinations providing travellers with treasured safari experiences.

Some sound advice when trying to decide on a African safari destination is to first decide what it is you expect from your safari and then to consult an expert or do a lot of research to make it all happen.

Most  safari guides will tell you that one of the questions they dread the most is being asked: ‘Where’s the best place to go on safari in Africa?’

In my response, I in turn would have to ask  some questions: what is your expectation of an African safari? Is it the rolling savannas of East Africa or the tangled bushveld of southern Africa?

Africa is the birthplace of safari destinations such as the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Masai Mara, amboseli and Kruger National Park. These names may certainly fill the mind with visions of an Africa that no longer exists, where herds roam unhindered on the plains, but which African destination is the best for your once-in-a-lifetime experience?

Kenya, particularly the Masai Mara, is renowned for its open savannas stretching to the horizon, but there’s much more to the country. The idea of vast rolling plains has been imprinted in our minds through those television documentaries the likes of Big Cat Dairies depicting, the big cats of Africa and the great wildebeest migration. The growth in tourism to Africa has forced Kenya to expand its safari offerings to include the lesser-known regions in the north and south-west.

One of Kenya’s most impressive reserves is the Samburu National Reserve, situated in the arid northern part of the country. The Ewaso Nyiro River draws wildlife during the dry season and here, among the lion and elephant, you’ll find curious species such as the dramatically patterned reticulated giraffe, the long-necked gerenuk antelope and the strange-looking vulturine guinea fowl.

Amboseli and Tsavo National Parks lie in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro, where the postcard view of elephants walking against a backdrop of Africa’s most famous mountain was formed.

Tanzania

Tanzania boasts 3 of Africa’s most well-known names in Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Kilimanjaro, names of legend and Hollywood blockbusters. The Serengeti’s grand scale must be experienced to be appreciated and the wildest African theme park, Ngorongoro Crater, is surely one of the most unique natural concepts worldwide. The idea of 24 000 animals living year-round in a 430 square kilometre ‘bowl’ created by an ancient volcanic eruption is miraculous.

Tanzania also boasts the continent’s most stirring new destinations in the south and west of the country. Names such as Selous Game Reserve and Ruaha National Park are destined to be counted among the iconic African safari destinations. Coupled with the best chimpanzee viewing on the continent in Mahale Mountains and Gombe Stream National Parks, Tanzania is set to become the Africa’s leading safari destination.

Southern Africa

Southern Africa’s best-known safari destination is without question the Kruger National Park. Many private reserves have sprung up on the park’s borders.

Relatively new on the safari circuit, Botswana has quickly staked its claim as one of Africa’s most sought-after safari destinations. Parading the largest elephant populations on the continent - most of which concentrate on the Chobe and Linyanti rivers during the dry season - and the pristine wilderness of the Okavango Delta, Botswana has leapt into legendary safari status.

Firmly implementing a policy of low volume, high cost tourism, the country is saved the anxiety, and pressures, of mass tourism. This policy translates into an intimate safari experience where guests do not overwhelm each other.

Other great safari destinations in southern Africa include Zambia and Namibia where the savannahs and woodlands of the former and the deserts and open plains of the latter provide some of the most rewarding experiences. The exceptional desert excursions of the Namib and Skeleton Coast of Namibia complement the big game of Etosha, providing travellers with an unforgettable African journey.

Having Said that i would love to hear your experiences or your opinion on the Ultimate African Safari