Planning your first African safari? Explore South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania and Namibia to find the destination that feels right for you.
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There is something very exciting about planning your first African safari, especially when you start imagining where it might take you. South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, and Tanzania are all wonderful places to begin, each offering its own landscapes, wildlife, and way of experiencing safari. Then there is Namibia, where vast desert scenery and a wonderful sense of space bring something completely different to the journey.
You might be dreaming of big cats on the open plains, exploring the Okavango Delta by mokoro, or pairing a few days on safari with Cape Town or the Indian Ocean. There is no single destination that is right for every traveller, and that is part of the joy of planning your first safari. It is about finding the place and pace that feel right for you.
Which of these feels closest to the safari you have been imagining?
South Africa is a brilliant introduction to safari, with exceptional wildlife and some of the continent’s best guiding in the Greater Kruger and Sabi Sand. It is also a lovely choice for families, with plenty of flexibility and malaria-free options such as Tswalu Kalahari and Marataba.
What we especially love is how easily safari can become part of a bigger South African journey. After a few days in the bush, you can head to Cape Town, slow down in the Winelands or spend some time along the coast.
For safari, we would look towards the Greater Kruger, including the private reserves of the Sabi Sand, where excellent guiding, Big Five wildlife and particularly rewarding leopard viewing make it a wonderful introduction. For a malaria-free safari, Tswalu Kalahari offers vast desert landscapes, while Marataba brings mountain scenery and wildlife in Marakele National Park. Both are lovely options to consider for families.
From the bush, Cape Town and the Winelands bring a completely different pace to the journey. A few days exploring the city, coastline and mountains followed by time among the vineyards is one of our favourite ways to round off a South African safari.
MalaMala for its wildlife and position in the Sabi Sand.
Singita for beautiful stays, exceptional safari areas and considered hospitality.
Dulini for something intimate, warm and personal.
Botswana is all about getting close to the landscape in different ways. In the Okavango Delta, days can move between game drives, boats and quiet mokoro trips through the channels, with elephants, predators and other wildlife never too far away.
Camps are often small and remote, particularly within the private concessions, which gives you time to stay with sightings and see what unfolds. Pair the Delta with an area such as Linyanti, and you begin to see just how varied a Botswana safari can be.
The Okavango Delta is at the heart of many Botswana safaris, but no two areas feel quite the same. Depending on where you stay and the season, days can include game drives, boating and mokoro excursions, with everything from elephants and big cats to smaller moments along the waterways. Choosing two contrasting areas within the Delta is often a lovely way to experience more without trying to cover too much ground.
Further north, Linyanti brings a different landscape and is particularly known for its elephants and predators. It pairs beautifully with the Delta and gives you another side of Botswana while keeping the journey comfortably paced.
Wilderness Mombo for exceptional wildlife and its position in the heart of the Okavango Delta.
Little Vumbura for an intimate camp where land and water activities come together beautifully.
Shinde for its lovely setting and the variety of ways you can explore the Delta.
Kenya has the open plains and big cats many travellers picture when they first dream of safari, particularly in the Maasai Mara. During the Great Migration, millions of wildebeest and zebra move through the wider ecosystem, but the Mara offers rewarding wildlife viewing throughout the year.
There is much more beyond the Mara too. Laikipia, Samburu and Kenya’s private conservancies bring different landscapes, wildlife and conservation stories into the journey, making it easy to experience several sides of the country.
The Maasai Mara is a natural starting point, with open grasslands, excellent big-cat viewing and rewarding wildlife throughout the year. During the Great Migration, the arrival of the herds brings another dimension, but we also love the private conservancies surrounding the reserve, where fewer vehicles and greater flexibility can make the safari feel more relaxed.
Then head north, and Kenya changes completely. Laikipia and Samburu bring drier landscapes, different wildlife, and strong conservation stories into the journey. Combining one of these areas with the Mara is a wonderful way to see just how varied Kenya really is.
Angama Mara for its extraordinary position overlooking the Maasai Mara.
Sasaab for beautiful views and a completely different side of Kenya in Samburu.
ol Donyo Lodge for wide-open landscapes, privacy and views towards Mount Kilimanjaro.
Tanzania is made for travellers who want safari to sit right at the heart of their journey. The Serengeti stretches seemingly forever, with abundant resident wildlife and the Great Migration moving through different parts of the ecosystem as the seasons change.
Pair it with the Ngorongoro Crater or the elephants and baobabs of Tarangire, and each stop feels distinctly different. And when the safari ends, Zanzibar offers an easy change of pace beside the Indian Ocean.
The Serengeti is the heart of many Tanzanian safaris, but where you stay within it matters. The Great Migration moves through different parts of the ecosystem throughout the year, so we review your travel dates carefully before deciding where to base you. The Serengeti also has exceptional resident wildlife, so it offers plenty beyond the Migration.
Pair it with the Ngorongoro Crater for a completely different wildlife setting, or Tarangire for elephants, baobabs and beautiful landscapes. And if you would like to slow things down afterwards, a few days in Zanzibar can be a lovely way to finish.
Singita Sasakwa Lodge for its beautiful position and sweeping views across the Grumeti Reserve.
Singita Faru Faru Lodge for a relaxed stay beside the Grumeti River and wildlife right on your doorstep.
Singita Sabora Tented Camp for an elegant tented safari that keeps you close to the Serengeti landscape.
Namibia shows you a completely different side of Africa. Here, enormous desert landscapes are as much a part of the journey as the wildlife, from the red dunes of Sossusvlei to the dry riverbeds of the northwest and the remote Skeleton Coast.
There is wildlife too, including desert-adapted elephants and rhinos, but Namibia is particularly special for travellers drawn to photography, scenery and exploring somewhere that feels far removed from the usual safari route.
In the south, Sossusvlei is where many Namibian journeys begin, with enormous red dunes, desert landscapes and some wonderful opportunities for photography. From there, travelling north towards Damaraland brings you into a much more rugged landscape, where desert-adapted elephants and rhinos survive in remarkably dry conditions.
Continue towards the Skeleton Coast and Namibia becomes more remote still, with dunes meeting the Atlantic along one of Africa's most extraordinary coastlines. For travellers wanting more traditional game viewing too, Etosha and the private reserves around it can easily become part of the journey.
Wilderness Little Kulala for its desert setting and easy access to Sossusvlei.
Wilderness Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp for desert wildlife, remarkable scenery and a real feeling of remoteness.
Shipwreck Lodge for its extraordinary position among the dunes of the Skeleton Coast.
These five countries are a good place to start, but your first safari does not have to follow the most familiar route.
If gorilla trekking is the reason Africa is on your mind, we would look towards Rwanda or Uganda.
If you like the idea of walking safaris, rivers and getting out of the vehicle, Zambia and Zimbabwe open up another way of experiencing safari.
And for travellers ready to venture even further, the rainforests of the Republic of Congo offer something entirely different again, including lowland gorilla trekking and journeys through Odzala National Park.
Your first safari does not need to be the most obvious one. It needs to be the one that suits you.
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Think about what you would most love to experience, and start there.
You might find yourself drawn to more than one, and that is completely normal. These are simply starting points. The right choice will also depend on when you are travelling, who you are travelling with, and what matters most to you once you are there.
Perhaps you already know it is the Serengeti you want to see, or Botswana has been on your mind for years. Or perhaps you are still deciding between a few very different places. That is where we can help.
Tell us what you would love to see, who you are travelling with, and how you picture spending your time in Africa. We will help you narrow it down and put together a journey that feels right for you.
