Recently updated on February 24th, 2025 at 11:08 am
Lions and tigers and… zebras, oh my! There’s nothing quite like seeing these giant wild creatures up close and our safari tours through Africa bring you up close with these magnificent beasts. From exploring South Africa’s national parks and watching the Great Migration in Tanzania to watching herds of elephants drink at the river, these are the best safaris in Africa to keep on your radar.
Safari tours in Namibia
While most people think of flat grasslands when they think of a safari, Namibia offers a truly unique setting with its other-worldly sand dunes and burnt orange desert. Meanwhile, nearly 25% of Etosha National Park is made up of salt pans – the white salt shines brightly in the sun, and the pans are so large they’re even visible from space.
While that may sound somewhat desolate, Namibia is home to an incredible amount of wildlife including desert-adapted elephant, black rhino, giraffe, ostrich, oryx, and lion, while salt pans are a breeding ground for flamingo. These animals have adapted to survive in one of the harshest environments in the world – it’s why particularly after heavy rain, countless species congregate around the newly formed waterholes.
With Trafalgar, keep your binoculars handy on this desert safari tour as you’ll spend a whole day exploring one of the world’s greatest wildlife sanctuaries: Etosha National Park, which encompasses more land than the Serengeti and Masai Mara combined. Home to four of the Big Five (it’s too dry for buffalo), along with an expert guide you’ll track herds of elephants to nearby waterhole and look for wild cats taking refuge from the midday sun. Spy giraffes poking out above the vegetation and, if you’re lucky, see the endangered black rhino.
Highlight sighting: Black rhinoceros. Though this striking animal is sadly endangered, Etosha has a very healthy population of black rhinos which you can spot at the waterholes.
Safari tours in South Africa
You’ve heard of the Big 5, but South Africa is home to the Big 7! In 2000 the Addo Elephant National Park extended their conservancy to include the ocean, so there’s the usual suspects (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo) plus the addition of Southern Right whales and Great White sharks. Every year, about 2,500 Southern Right whales make their way around South Africa’s coastline to calve offshore, while you can find sharks there all year round.
The world-renowned Kruger National Park is South Africa’s largest wildlife sanctuary, with nearly 2 million hectares (4.9 million acres) of wilderness, home to more species of large mammals than any other African game reserve.
When you visit with Trafalgar’s Essence of South Africa tour, Becks Safari Lodge is your home in the bush for three whole nights when you swap the city for the wilderness. With the lodge as your base explore one of the best safaris in Africa, kicking off with an early morning game drive through Karongwe Private Reserve (located in the Greater Kruger National Park). On board will be a Local Specialist game ranger and Shangaan tracker-guide helping us look for signs of the Big 5. That afternoon? Another game drive. And the day after? A full day of game drives through Karongwe Private Reserve, finishing with a sundowner drink with views and more potential wildlife spotting.
Highlight sighting: Leopard. Karongwe is one of the best places to spot these elusive animals, particularly on night safari.
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Meanwhile, on our Best of South Africa itinerary South Africa’s oldest and most iconic national park is waiting. Join a Local Specialist on one of the best safaris in Africa, travelling through Kruger National Park. Be on the lookout for the magnificent Big 5, the Little 5 and everything in between. While spotting the wild African giants will undoubtably be your highlight, its small moments and memories that count. Breathe in the damp scent of acacia trees and admire the glistening yellow golden-orb spider webs.
Highlight sighting: Elephant shrew. One of the Little 5, elephant shrews only grow to a length of 9 to 12 inches, with an average weight of 1.5 pounds. These cautious animals are a rare sighting, and a reminder that even smaller animals are just as important to the safari ecosystem.
Safari tours in Botswana
Botswana offers a diverse choice for a safari tour, from the Okavango Delta waterways where you can see hippos to the Kalahari desert where you’ll spot friendly meerkats, and the famous Chobe National Park in north Botswana. In Chobe, you’ll catch sight of a range of wildlife thanks to its diverse terrain; sand turns into lush floodplains, winding into dense forests and woodlands. Here, you can see cheetah, leopard, and even Africa’s rare wild dog, and if you’re lucky maybe even a white rhino.
On the shortest of our safari tours, with Trafalgar you’ll bolt through Zimbabwe and Botswana across 4 days, bringing you up close with the power and beauty of the African wilderness. See the mighty and majestic Victoria Falls and cruise past basking crocodiles and lazing hippo pods before crossing into Botswana. On a day trip we’ll cross the border and venture into Chobe National Park where huge herds of elephants roam. Unlike other safari drives, we’ll board a boat to meet the gentle giants drinking at the edge of the Chobe River.
Highlight sighting: Elephants. Chobe National Park is home to the highest concentration of wild elephants anywhere in Africa with over 50,000 of them, many of which are likely part of the largest continuous surviving elephant population on earth.
JOIN THE TOUR: Victoria Falls Experience
Safari tours in Kenya
The best safaris in Africa? Many would say visit Kenya. There is no shortage of national parks and private reserves here to get up close with nature’s wild beasts. Aberdare National Park is characterized by open moorlands and dense forests against scenic mountain backdrops. The park is home to a number of impressive waterfalls, not least the 300-meter-tall Karuru Falls. Its diverse landscapes means the wildlife within is just as varied – from elephants and giraffes to leopards, lions, and the particularly elusive black leopard, while a belt of bamboo vegetation is the preferred hideout for the elusive forest antelope.
Start your Kenya safari with Trafalgar with a 4×4 journey to Aberdare National Park. Afterwards swap the lush green landscapes for the arid contrasts of Samburu National Reserve. Fingers crossed luck is on your side to tick the ‘Samburu Special 5’ off your list. After all, Grevy’s Zebra and the Reticulated Giraffe are only found in the northern Kenya region. There’s also a black rhino sanctuary, chimpanzee rescue organisation, the bird paradise of Lake Nakuru National Park, and the fascinating Maasai Mara culture and people to meet.
Highlight sighting: Black and white colobus monkeys. Your best chance of spotting these striking, cheeky primates is during the drier months of June to September and December to February.
Safari tours in Tanzania
The Serengeti is home to one of the greatest natural wonders in the world: the Great Migration. The 800-kilometer (500-mile) trek of the immense wildebeest herd is the largest mammal migration on earth. However, this is just one incredible aspect of the Serengeti – it’s also home to one of the largest concentrations of predators in the world, with 7,500 hyenas, 3,000 lions and 250 cheetah.
Beyond the wildlife, Serengeti National Park is still home to several indigenous tribes, including the Maasai. Despite education, civilization and western cultural influences, the Maasai people have preserved their traditional way of life and become a symbol of Tanzanian culture.
Highlight sighting: Wildebeest migration. If you’re lucky enough to catch some of the 2 million wildebeest making their trek between March and September, you’ll spot vast herds either making a deadly river crossing or storming across the plains.
Safari tours across Africa
You want the grand dame of safari tours? This is it. Over 17 days you’ll journey from incredible Kenya to Tanzania, stopping through game reserves and taking the best safari drives in Africa. Kick off with a half-day game drive through Solio Game Reserve, a privately-owned wildlife conservancy recognised internationally as the most successful rhino breeding reserve in Kenya. From there, the highlights keep rolling, think spotting wildlife like lions, elephants, zebras, impala and giraffe, through to meeting the Maasai people. And to finish? Swap the glamping safari tents and arid landscapes for a few peaceful days on the tropical island paradise of Zanzibar.
Ready to go? You can explore all our safari tours here.