Wildlife safaris offer travelers the chance to experience nature up close, often in some of the world’s most pristine and wild locations. From vast savannas to dense jungles, these safaris provide unforgettable opportunities to witness the raw beauty and behavior of animals in their natural habitats.
Here are some of the best wildlife safari destinations, with activities to do and the best times to visit:
1. Kenya – Maasai Mara National Reserve
Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, is one of the best wildlife destinations in Kenya and Africa, a premier conservation area which is why the Masai Mara is so important to the world being one of the few places on earth where wild animals and their ecosystem exist in a highly protected environment.
Top Activities: Game drives, hot air balloon safaris, cultural experiences with the Maasai people.
Best Time to Visit:
Great Migration (July-October): Witness the spectacular wildebeest migration, one of nature’s most amazing phenomena.
Dry Season (December-March): Good wildlife sightings, especially around waterholes.
2. Tanzania – Serengeti National Park
Serengeti National Park is a World Heritage Site teeming with wildlife: over 2 million ungulates, 4000 lions, 1000 leopards, 550 cheetahs and some 500 bird species inhabit an area close to 15,000 square kilometers in size.
Top Activities: Game drives, hot air balloon safaris, walking safaris, and visiting Ngorongoro Crater.
Best Time to Visit:
Great Migration (June-October): The best time to see the migration, particularly around the Mara River.
Dry Season (June-October): Excellent for game viewing as animals gather around water sources.
3. South Africa – Kruger National Park
Kruger offers award-winning accommodation, smooth-running logistics and some of Africa’s best trackers and guides, ready to take you on Big 5 game drives and thrilling walking safaris.
Top Activities: Game drives, walking safaris, birdwatching, luxury safari lodges.
Best Time to Visit:
Dry Season (May-October): The best time for game viewing, as animals are concentrated around waterholes and the bush is less dense.
Green Season (November-April): More baby animals, lush landscapes, and fewer tourists, though some areas can be more challenging to navigate.
4. Botswana – Okavango Delta
The Okavango Delta is renowned for its incredible wildlife, with some of the most sought-after species, including elephants, lions, leopards, buffalos, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, and many species of antelope. The delta is also a birdwatcher’s paradise, with over 450 species recorded in the area.
Top Activities: Game drives, boat safaris, mokoro (traditional canoe) rides, walking safaris.
Best Time to Visit:
Dry Season (May-October): Optimal for wildlife viewing, especially during the peak of the Okavango Delta’s flooding.
Green Season (November-April): Lush scenery and fewer tourists, but wildlife may be more dispersed.
5. India – Ranthambhore National Park
Ranthambore National Park is primarily known as a destination for tiger sightings. It is also popular for bird watching, wildlife and landscape photography.
Top Activities: Wildlife safaris (jeep and canter), tiger watching, birdwatching, visiting the Ranthambhore Fort.
Best Time to Visit:
Winter (November-February): Ideal for clear weather and spotting tigers in the park’s dry deciduous forest.
Summer (March-May): The heat forces wildlife to congregate around water sources, increasing the chance of sightings.
6. Uganda – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is open for gorilla trekking all year long, but the best times to go are from June to August and December to February. This is when forest trails are relatively dry and therefore less slippery. Also, your chance of viewing gorillas in dry weather is higher during these months.
Top Activities: Gorilla trekking, birdwatching, hiking, cultural village visits.
Best Time to Visit:
Dry Seasons (June-September and December-February): The best times for trekking as the trails are less muddy, and wildlife is easier to spot.
Rainy Season (March-May): Less crowded, but trekking can be challenging due to slippery conditions.
7. Zambia – South Luangwa National Park
South Luangwa National Park has one of the largest concentrations of wildlife in Southern Africa and few tourists relative to its size. The ‘walking safari’ was made famous in this park and is still a captivating way to explore the landscape.
Top Activities: Walking safaris, game drives, night safaris, and birdwatching.
Best Time to Visit:
Dry Season (May-October): Excellent for walking safaris and game drives, with the bush thinning out and wildlife gathering around waterholes.
Green Season (November-April): Lush landscapes, fewer tourists, and more birdlife, though wildlife can be harder to spot.
8. Namibia – Etosha National Park
Etosha National Park is the gateway to Northern Namibia and Ovamboland, it’s a very popular stop on any Namibian tour. Above all, it is known as Namibia’s foremost wildlife sanctuary. The landscape is unique and varied and subsequently home to a wide variety of animals.
Top Activities: Game drives, wildlife photography, birdwatching, and visiting salt pans.
Best Time to Visit:
Dry Season (June-October): Wildlife tends to concentrate around the park’s waterholes, making it easier to spot animals.
Green Season (November-April): The park becomes lush, with migratory birds and fewer crowds, though wildlife may be harder to spot.
9. Rwanda – Volcanoes National Park
Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park protects the steep slopes of this magnificent mountain range – home of the endangered mountain gorilla and a rich mosaic of montane ecosystems, which embrace evergreen and bamboo forest, open grassland, swamp and heath.
Top Activities: Gorilla trekking, golden monkey tracking, hiking, cultural tours.
Best Time to Visit:
Dry Seasons (June-September and December-February): The best time to trek for gorillas with clearer trails and easier access.
Rainy Season (March-May): Fewer tourists and lush vegetation, but trekking can be more challenging.
10. Madagascar – Andasibe-Mantadia National Park
This rainforest is habitat to a vast species biodiversity, including many endemic rare species and endangered species, including 11 lemur species. The park’s two component parts are Mantadia National Park and Analamazoatra Reserve, which is best known for its population of Madagascar’s largest lemur
Top Activities: Lemur watching, birdwatching, hiking, visiting the Vakona Reserve.
Best Time to Visit:
Dry Season (April-November): Best for wildlife spotting, as the trails are less slippery and wildlife is easier to spot.
Wet Season (December-March): While the parks are lush and less crowded, some areas might be inaccessible due to rain.
11. Malaysia – Borneo (Sabah & Sarawak)
Borneo is home to some of the world’s oldest rainforests, pristine beaches, roaring rivers, majestic cave systems and mighty mountains – including Mount Kinabalu and its park, a UN World Heritage Site!
Top Activities: Wildlife safaris (including orangutan watching), river cruises, hiking, visiting tribal villages.
Best Time to Visit:
Dry Season (March-October): Ideal for wildlife viewing, particularly in rainforests and national parks.
Wet Season (November-February): Lush landscapes and fewer tourists, but some areas may be less accessible due to heavy rains.
12. Australia – Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island is a nature lover’s paradise, with prolific native wildlife, dramatic coastal sightseeing and bountiful farmlands. Kangaroo Island, 13km (8mi) off the coast of South Australia, is one of the best places in Australia to see wild animals like koalas, kangaroos, sea lions and seals.
Top Activities: Wildlife watching (koalas, kangaroos, sea lions), hiking, birdwatching, snorkeling.
Best Time to Visit:
Spring (September-November): Great for wildlife, with many animals giving birth during this time.
Autumn (March-May): Fewer tourists, pleasant temperatures, and good opportunities for spotting wildlife.