Spotlight on the best safari destinations for you… (by Steffi Presske)

Posted on 4th September 2023

 

In this blog we would like to spotlight some of our favourite safari destinations in Africa and highlight what makes them so special and different from each other.

We would like to give you some general pointers when planning your trip, which might help you to pick the best safari destination for your trip…

We often get asked “So what’s the best time of year for a safari in Africa?” and the best answer we can give you here is, “None”. Now, that doesn’t mean you should never visit Africa at all, as you would definitely miss out on seeing one of the most incredible continents on this planet. What we really mean by this is, that there really is no good nor bad time for a safari and each season holds its own beauty. Some parts of Africa are more seasonal then others, some animals migrate with changing weather patterns, whereas other species are more territorial and will stay put all year round.

Another question we often hear is “Will we see the Big 5?”. The answer is “No, definitely not!”. Any operator that promises you to see the Big 5 either does not know what they are talking about or runs group tours to a local fenced game park! In the African untamed bush no game sighting can ever be predicted or guaranteed! We can certainly point you into the right direction as to where best chances and territories are for seeing specific animal species, but we can never promise you anything, as we are dealing with nature and everything you may or may not see is a surprise and bonus.

The question as to “Where best to go and visit in Africa” holds a slightly more complex answer, which we would like to highlight for you here…

Below you will find a short introduction as to what you can expect when visiting Namibia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Uganda; some (but certainly not all) of the most iconic safari destinations in Africa.

 

 

NAMIBIA

Namibia is a good country to visit all year round!  It is typically a safari destination for first time visitors to Africa, self drive enthusiasts and families, especially with smaller children under the age of 6 years.

On that note, many, more “hard core” safari camps/regions in neighbouring countries only allow and welcome children 6 years and above. This is due to security issues in open game areas (as all parents know, keeping small children still and preventing them from running around is like hoarding a bag of fleas). Another reason is, and nobody will openly admit to this, the noise little guys like to make! Imagine yourself in a luxury safari camp that costs a little fortune, where you like to hear lions roar at night and hippos grunt…. and then a baby with teething issues cries next to your tent at 2am! Not really idyllic, as well as probably quite stressful for the parents.

 

 

Namibia is not our first choice as a wildlife – safari destination. Dramatic desert landscapes, unique sand dune formations in the Namib Naukluft National Park, ragged misty coastlines with shipwrecks and noisy seal colonies, unique cultural experiences of the exotic Himba tribes… is what you can expect and what defines the country as a top destination in Africa. The infrastructure is pretty good for self-drivers and it is safe to travel around by yourself. Another big plus (again especially for families and older folks) is that Namibia is rated malaria free! The country offers a great range of well priced little family run guesthouses, luxury and boutique style accommodations. The cuisine is very good with a strong African- European touch. If you are a seafood fan, then you will definitely have to try the oysters in Swakopmund (a quaint coastal town on the Atlantic Coast), as they are simply delicious and quite different to the “snotty” French oyster!

It is also possible to explore Namibia on a fly-in safari. However, charter flights tend to be very pricey here, as any routes offered on a so-called “shared seat rate” are very limited.

Etosha National Park is the best park in Namibia for seeing animals, although there are also other cool areas worth considering, like the Hoanib Valley or Damaraland (great for guided/pre booked walks with rhinos)

Many visitors to Namibia also like to add time in Botswana to their itinerary and/or the Victoria Falls. This option has become easier with the direct flight options between Windhoek and Victoria Falls that operate several times a week.

Provided you have the correct paperwork you can also relatively easily hire a car in Namibia (we suggest to drop off the same place as collected in order to avoid hefty one-way charges) and drive across to Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) and Botswana. This would make for an exciting and diverse itinerary, but ideally you require about a 3 weeks holiday to do this.

If that sounds interesting to you, get in touch with us and we will help you explore options. 

 

 

BOTSWANA

Although geographically very close to Namibia, Botswana is very different in terms of culture, landscape, and history.  Botswana is a pretty flat country with hardly any hills or escarpments worth mentioning. The undisputable main attraction for visitors coming to Botswana, is the mighty Okavango Delta, a declared World Heritage Site in the North of the country. The Delta borders the Chobe River and Chobe National Park in the North and Central Kalahari Game Reserve in the South. It is the size of Belgium or Switzerland and hence not just a little park that one drives or flies into quickly. The Okavango Delta can explored by car on a self-drive (recommended for more experienced 4 x 4 drivers, but not essential with the right preparation), on a fly-in safari (most common and recommended), as well as on a small group or private mobile safari (only worth doing during the dry season when the fly-in camps are very expensive).

The Okavango Delta can we visited all year around and contrary to common belief, never dries up completely! The Delta is a magnificent, permanent swampland with thousands of small and big river arms and lagoons, forming a sheer endless labyrinth.

 

 

Often guests wonder and ask us “Why is Botswana so expensive?”. The quick and short answer to this question is “Exclusivity!”, a high quality and low impact approach for tourism, achieved through relatively high rates. Although it is fair to say that other safari destinations in Africa have tried the same approach, but in comparison offer way less exclusivity. Please bear in mind though, that there are also very cost effective ways to explore Botswana and you do not have to mortgage your house to be able to afford a Botswana safari!

Let’s elaborate on this exclusivity for a moment. The Delta is a patchwork of private concessions, game reserves and national parks. The private concessions are closed to the general public, only allowing guests staying here to overnight. Due to the low number of visitors to these private concessions, safari travellers are allowed to drive off-road and go on night safaris. This is the ultimate safari experience one can have in Africa!

Another fact that makes Botswana and the Okavango Delta special is the variety of activities offered here. Guests can enjoy the endless labyrinth of the Delta whilst being on a mokoro ride (traditional dug-out canoe), game drives in open sided game vehicles (day and night as well as off-road), horse riding safaris, fishing trips, guided walking or a motorboat safaris. 

Generally speaking… Botswana is universally one of the most expensive holiday destinations on this planet (especially when coming during the peak season from June to October and booking a fly-in safari). But the shoulder and low seasons also offer a high quality safari experience, often with the added bonus of some excellent all- inclusive specials during those times.

 

 

UGANDA

Uganda is often referred to as the “Pearl of Africa”! Personally I think there are many pearls in Africa and each is special in their own way. However Uganda´s indisputable top attraction are the rare mountain gorillas in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Having had the privilege to see these primates twice, I can truly attest to and vouch for this. It is a super special once- in- a lifetime experience and worth every penny!

 

 

Uganda is also home to a vast number of other primate species, like the golden monkeys in the Mgahinga National Park or Chimpanzees in the Kibale National Park. The country has a well-deserved reputation for being the primate capital of the world, but it is also rich in beautiful landscapes. Starting with the picturesque Lake Victoria to the snow-capped peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains, Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park, which offer visitors spectacular views and are a nature lover’s paradise.  In terms of an overall wildlife safari experience, Uganda does not rate very high on our list and is best combined with a safari in one of the neighboring countries, like Kenya or Tanzania.

Another name Uganda claims is  “The Switzerland of Africa” – I am not sure why it gets called so many names! Perhaps it is because its immense diversity and breathtaking scenic beauty, with its green rolling mountains, thick, lush rain forests and picturesque dormant volcanic lakes!

There are some superb cultural interactions in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest worth mentioning, like a visit to the Batwa Pygmy tribes, who have called this Forest their home for millennia.

To put things into perspective, here is our colleague Jonathan visiting a Batwa Family at Bwindi..

 

 

Ugandans are particularly welcoming and helpful, which often makes up for some shortcomings regarding overall service or guiding.

A safari in Uganda is quite an expensive undertaking due to the permits for gorillas and chimpanzees. However, keep in mind that these are half the price of permits in Rwanda!

 

 

TANZANIA

Tanzania got it all!!! Breathtaking, dramatic landscapes along the Rift Valley Escarpment, best safari experience in Africa in terms of animal population and density, top cultural interactions and diversity, world class beaches and diving! And last but not least… a climb up Kilimanjaro Mountain, the highest peak in Africa!

Downside are the crowded safari parks in the Northern Circuit (Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Manyara National Park) and endless long bumpy drives to get around. Flying is possible and recommended if your budget allows and will save you from many hours of a rough “African massage”.

 

 

If this isn’t your first safari and you just want to tick the list of having seen the BIG 5, then the national parks in the South of Tanzania, Nyerere (also knows as Selous), Ruaha and Mahale are well worth considering and much less crowded. They also tie in nicely with time on the beach and unlike the parks in the North, guests can enjoy boat and walking safaris here. So if your focus is on beach time, tied in with a few good days on safari, then the South is in our opinion a better option.

Zanzibar is a “classic” for beach enthusiasts. Should you really want to get away from it all and dive or snorkel fairly unspoilt reefs, consider some of the neighbouring islands like Pemba, Mafia or some of the private Islands in the Songo Songo Archipelago. 

There are many other hidden gems for the more adventurous traveller when it comes to Tanzania (I would like to mention MV Liemba, Lake Tanganyika or Mahale National Park or the Trek from Empakaai to Lake Natron), many of which are in the South.

Recommendation: A really super cool safari option if your budget and time permits is to combine the gorillas in Uganda, with a safari and beach in Tanzania! Please have a look at our 16 Day Uganda & Tanzania Adventure Safari. 

 

 

ZIMABAWE

Zimbabwe! A great country for a safari, if one seeks low numbers of visitors in remote locations!

Besides the political and economical hardship Zimbabwe endured during the last decades and which affected tourism, a holiday in Zimbabwe is a delight and worthwhile. Zimbabwe has many exciting highlights and offers a very diverse safari experience to visitors who don’t just want to view wildlife from the back of their safari jeep.  We will mention a few below!

 “Zim” has hands down the best safari guides in the whole of Africa, which is due to their high requirements when qualifying to become a safari guide. It can take many years to qualify as a guide in Zimbabwe and only the most passionate and determined stay in the game and reach their goal. As everyone knows who has been on a safari before, much of the safari experience depends on the quality of the guiding!

 

 

There is nothing like catching a sneaky tiger fish whilst cruising down Lake Kariba on a houseboat for some days or visiting the magnificent stone kopjes and formations of Matobo National Park (a designated World Heritage Site).  It was with good reason that Cecile John Rhodes chose to be buried here.

Think of paddling down the Zambezi River and pitching your dome tent along the riverbanks with grunting hippos nearby. Or picture yourself jumping into a rock pool at the Victoria Falls, drifting right to the edge of the “Vic” Falls where the water cascades down into a  100m drop! Imagine sipping a G&T in the afternoon by the pool of your lodge inside Hwange National Park, whilst elephants rock up to take a sip out of the pool right next to you.

One of the most thrilling, as well as the scariest experiences I ever had in Africa was going on a walking safari with the famous Stretch Ferreira at Mana Pools National Park.  Although admittedly, that’s not me on the below picture, I was far too petrified to even look up the elephant standing a few inches away after a mock charge (clinging to Stretches belt), let alone take a picture of this magnificent creature. This was also one of my less dignified moments exploring the African bush.

 

 

Zimbabwe is not a typical country for self drivers, which is mostly due to bad road conditions and challenging terrains, as well as distances between places. Another reason is (or was) the tedious road blocks, fake fines and fuel shortages during the Mugabe area, which made the experience to drive around rather unpleasant. Nevertheless, there are many good and affordable transfer options available, including flying around Zimbabwe with a light aircraft. The charter companies are good and reliable, connecting you to all the major parks and highlights.

We recently noticed an increased interest for safaris to Zimbabwe and believe that Zimbabwe will in years to come return to be one of the best safari countries in Africa. It offers high quality lodges at good rates with top guiding and service and really good game viewing.  The low numbers of visitor as well as the diversity of activities offered here are a major drawing card.

 

The above information is only a fraction of what’s out there. If any of it sounds interesting to you and you would like to learn more or discuss options with us, please feel free to contact us under info@gondwanatourandsafaris.com

 

We hope you enjoyed the read and look forward to hearing from you!