How to choose where to go on safari

You’ve set your heart on a safari for your next adventure – now to choose where to go. The best place to go on a safari holiday will depend on your interests, when you’re travelling, and who you’re travelling with. Here are a few of our African safari favourites.

Best for first-timers – the Serengeti

On Tanzania’s well-known northern circuit, the Serengeti is home to all of the Big 5 but is particularly well-known for its large lion population. From November to June, the Great Wildebeest Migration passes through the Serengeti – during this time giant herds of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle move through northern Tanzania into Kenya’s Masai Mara.

Consider extending your trip with a few days to relax in Zanzibar after your safari.

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Zebras and wildebeests walk in a large herd across a grassy savanna. Dust fills the air, and sparse bushes are visible in the background, suggesting a dry, open environment.

Best for safari buffs – Etosha National Park

If you’ve been on safari before - maybe even several - consider something a bit different for your next wildlife experience. Namibia’s Etosha National Park is a landscape unlike any other in Africa. Meaning ‘the great white area’, Etosha is a vast area of pale grey dried-out clay pans. The waterholes by each of the camps are where concentrations of wildlife, including the endangered black rhino, congregate to drink and bathe.

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Giraffes stand and drink at a small waterhole, while a gazelle also drinks nearby on a vast, arid plain under a clear, expansive sky.

Best for families – Kruger National Park

Malaria free, and easily accessed via direct flights to Johannesburg, Kruger National Park is a natural choice for families. Kruger is one of Africa’s largest and most famous game reserves, and is home to all of the Big Five. The roads here are well-maintained and easily navigable, making it ideal for younger safari goers, and there is a range of accommodation options. Spend two days in the Park on the Family Kruger, Kwazulu and Coast trip, looking out for elephant, lion, black and white rhino, cheetah, leopark, giraffe and almost all of South Africa’s antelope species.

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A child wearing sunglasses leans out of a vehicle window, pointing at an elephant near a tree in a grassy savanna under a partly cloudy sky.

Best for twitchers… the Cape

South Africa has the highest number of endemic bird species in Africa, and the Cape is particularly good for bird watching given the variety of flora found here. For a trip with a difference, cycle through South Africa’s Western Cape Province on our Cycle the Cape tour. Ride through the Knysna Harkerville Forest and Tsitsikamma National Park, looking out for the iconic Cape Vulture and Cape Parrot, eagles, cranes and sugarbirds.

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A vibrant green bird perches atop a yellow flower, surrounded by lush green leaves and branches in a natural outdoor setting.

Best for couples – a Botswana Lodge Safari

While any of our safari trips are perfect for couples to join, our Botswana Lodge Safari includes stays in premium tented camps for a more exclusive experience. Stay on a traditional houseboat on the Okavango Delta Panhandle, explore the waterways in dugout canoes, and stay in Mogotlho Safari Lodge overlooking the River Khwai. This trip has smaller than usual average group sizes, with a maximum of just 8-12 travellers.

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A narrow canoe glides through a marsh, steered by a standing person with a pole. Tall grasses surround the waterway under a clear blue sky.

Best for solo travellers – the choice is yours

The great news for solo travellers is that any of our safari holidays are ideal for joining on your own. You’ll be in great company, too – around half of all Explore customers are travelling solo. Whether you fancy safari drives in Chobe National Park or like the idea of meeting gorilla in Uganda, travel in one of our small groups and experience the thrill of a safari in the company of likeminded travellers.

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A gorilla sits amidst lush green foliage, holding and examining leafy stems, surrounded by dense jungle vegetation.