25South

African savanna

Where to Safari in Africa

41 reserves across 9 countries — rated across 7 key safari criteria

Choosing the right destination for a safari in Africa can feel overwhelming — the continent is vast, and every region offers something different. Our curated guide rates 41 reserves across 9 countries against seven key criteria, from wildlife density and photographic potential to exclusivity and value. Whether you’re chasing the Great Migration, tracking mountain gorillas, or seeking remote wilderness, this is your starting point.

Categories:🐘 Wildlife Density — frequency & ease of sightings  ·  🏕️ Infrastructure — roads, lodges & access  ·  📷 Photography — light, positioning & guides  ·  🥾 Adventure — walks, canoes & fly-camps  ·  🎯 Exclusivity — remoteness & crowd levels  ·  💰 Value — return on spend  ·  🌄 Scenery — landscape drama
Scale:★★★★★ Exceptional  ·  ★★★★☆ Very Good  ·  ★★★☆☆ Good  ·  ★★☆☆☆ Limited  ·  ★☆☆☆☆ Specialist only

Southern Africa

South Africa

Reserve Wildlife Infra Photo Adventure Exclusivity Value Scenery
Kruger NP★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★☆☆☆★★★★★★★★★☆
Sabi Sands GR★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆☆★★★★★★★☆☆☆★★★★☆
Pilanesberg NP★★★★☆★★★★★★★★☆☆★★☆☆☆★★☆☆☆★★★★☆★★★☆☆
Addo Elephant NP★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★☆☆★★★★☆★★★★☆
Hluhluwe-iMfolozi★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★☆☆★★★★☆★★★★☆
Kgalagadi TP★★★☆☆★★★☆☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★
Madikwe GR★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★☆☆

Botswana

Reserve Wildlife Infra Photo Adventure Exclusivity Value Scenery
Okavango Delta★★★★★★★☆☆☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Chobe NP★★★★★★★★☆☆★★★★★★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★☆☆★★★★★
Moremi GR★★★★★★★☆☆☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆★★☆☆☆★★★★★
Central Kalahari GR★★★☆☆★☆☆☆☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆☆★★★★★
Makgadikgadi Pans★★★☆☆★★☆☆☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★★

Namibia

Reserve Wildlife Infra Photo Adventure Exclusivity Value Scenery
Etosha NP★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★★★★★★★
Damaraland / Palmwag★★★☆☆★★☆☆☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆☆★★★★★
Skeleton Coast NP★★☆☆☆★☆☆☆☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Bwabwata NP (Caprivi)★★★★☆★★☆☆☆★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★☆

Zimbabwe

Reserve Wildlife Infra Photo Adventure Exclusivity Value Scenery
Hwange NP★★★★★★★★☆☆★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★☆
Mana Pools NP★★★★☆★★☆☆☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★★
Gonarezhou NP★★★★☆★★☆☆☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★
Matobo NP★★★☆☆★★★☆☆★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★☆★★★★★

Zambia

Reserve Wildlife Infra Photo Adventure Exclusivity Value Scenery
South Luangwa NP★★★★★★★★☆☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★★
Lower Zambezi NP★★★★☆★★☆☆☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆☆★★★★★
Kafue NP★★★★☆★★☆☆☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★☆
North Luangwa NP★★★★☆★☆☆☆☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆☆★★★★☆

Eastern Africa

Kenya

Reserve Wildlife Infra Photo Adventure Exclusivity Value Scenery
Maasai Mara NR★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★☆☆★★☆☆☆★★★☆☆★★★★★
Amboseli NP★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★☆☆☆★★★☆☆★★★☆☆★★★★★
Samburu NR★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★☆
Tsavo East NP★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★☆☆★★★★☆★★★★☆
Laikipia (Ol Pejeta)★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★☆☆☆★★★★☆
Lake Nakuru NP★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★☆★★☆☆☆★★☆☆☆★★★★☆★★★★☆

Tanzania

Reserve Wildlife Infra Photo Adventure Exclusivity Value Scenery
Serengeti NP★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★☆☆★★☆☆☆★★★☆☆★★★★★
Ngorongoro Crater★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★☆☆☆★★☆☆☆★★★☆☆★★★★★
Tarangire NP★★★★★★★★☆☆★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★
Ruaha NP★★★★☆★★☆☆☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★
Nyerere NP★★★★★★★☆☆☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★★
Katavi NP★★★★☆★☆☆☆☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆☆☆★★★★★
Mahale Mountains NP★★★☆☆★☆☆☆☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆☆☆☆★★★★★

Uganda

Reserve Wildlife Infra Photo Adventure Exclusivity Value Scenery
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest★★★☆☆★★★☆☆★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★☆☆☆★★★★★
Queen Elizabeth NP★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★☆☆★★★★☆
Murchison Falls NP★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★☆☆★★★★★
Kibale NP★★★☆☆★★★☆☆★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★☆☆★★★☆☆★★★★☆

Rwanda

Reserve Wildlife Infra Photo Adventure Exclusivity Value Scenery
Volcanoes NP★★★☆☆★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★☆☆★☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Akagera NP★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★☆

Ratings reflect typical conditions during optimal season. Infrastructure, accessibility and wildlife populations evolve — contact us for current conditions before planning your trip.

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