Top 5 Wildlife Destinations In Africa

Africa is popularly known for wildlife and it is under development. For anyone who has not been to Africa, their imagination of the continent is often fogged with a barren land with a lot of wildlife in a far land. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Animals are mainly found in national parks and places surrounding national parks. The rest of the continent is occupied by small towns that thrive mainly on retail businesses.

It is not an easy task to choose the best 5 wildlife destinations in Africa since it always raises a lot of contentions when you leave out what other people consider their favorite. For that reason, we are giving honorable mentions that are equally fit to make it to our list. Our list has been inspired by the Lonely Planet Africa Travel Guide from the section; “Africa’s Top 20”.

Honorable Mentions

Tanzania and South Africa did not make it to our list of the top 5 wildlife destinations in Africa. But it is without a doubt that Serengeti National Park and Kruger National Park are among the top wildlife destinations on the African continent. The game drives in Serengeti National Park are one of a kind. When you consider Kruger National Park lion encounters; they are also one of a kind.

Serengeti Wildebeests Migration in Tanzania

It is therefore only fair that we give honorable mentions to these two wildlife giants on the African continent. When making your decision on where to go; kindly consider these as well. Besides Serengeti National Park and Kruger National Park; here are the top 5 wildlife destinations on the African continent.

Etosha National Park: Namibia

It is beautiful to watch the animals in the Savannah but it is a special experience to encounter animals in a desert setting trying to find water on a sunny day. Etosha is one of those few places that provide a wildlife experience in a desert setting.

Namibia is the leading self-drive safari destination on the African continent. It is without a doubt, Etosha National Park edges Serengeti National Park and Kruger National Park because of its advanced self-drive safaris when compared to all other African countries.

Kalahari Desert

There is something special about the Kalahari desert. It is the usual barren desert. It is a wilderness popular for the black manned lions. With its ancient river valleys, woodlands, and salt pans, the Kalahari desert never disappoints when it comes to wildlife excursions in the south.

Botswana is also one of the most stable African countries economically. Their road network is among the best on the African continent. It is a highly recommended destination.

Masai Mara

It is very hard to talk about Kenya safari without mentioning Masai mara somewhere. This wildlife reserve is among the most populated wildlife destinations on the African continent. Though the biggest part of the same is found on the Tanzanian side; Masai mara remains the best destination for the great migration

The reserve is also has a variety of accommodation options. However, due to its popularity, it might not be possible to secure accommodation as a walk-in. Booking your accommodation in advance will save you a great deal. Alternatively, hire a car with a rooftop to reduce your accommodation expenditure.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Mountain gorilla trekking is one of the most popular safari activities on the African continent. It can only be done in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo where the only few remaining mountain gorillas can be found.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park stands out because it is the only mountain gorilla national park that is not part of the Virunga conservation area. It is also home to almost half of the remaining mountain gorilla population in the whole world. Bwindi has the highest number of habituated mountain gorillas.

The park offers special hikes through the impenetrable forest beside the gorilla trekking experience.

South Luangwa National Park

Zambia is very popular for Victoria Falls but concerning wildlife, then South Luangwa National Park is one of the best places to visit in Zambia. Among the wildlife species to expect in this park include but are not limited to waterbucks, giraffes, buffaloes, pukus, impalas, and leopards, among several other wildlife species.

The park is also a popular birding destination with over 400 bird species residing in the same park. These include birds like snake eagles, ground hornbills, and bateleurs among several other bird species.

Africa is a continent that is very popular for wildlife safaris. The above five destinations are some of the places that you will never regret visiting regardless of the time of the year.