Join us on an African safari to discover which country should be on your bucket list

This is the first country that tends to spring to mind when considering a safari. Fair to say that Kenya has perfected the art. It’s probably the most mass-market of all the options when it comes to safaris. So, if you’ll looking to have a more bespoke experience in Kenya, it’s best to go with a luxury, upmarket operator that gets you off the well-beaten track.
 
The Masai Mara is its most famous stomping ground for the Big Five, where a very high concentration of predators abound. If you’re looking for high odds of ticking all five boxes then you won’t be disappointed.

It’s here that if you get your timing right you can witness one of the greatest shows on earth - the Great Migration. What starts off as a plumb of dust in the distance, grows into a thunderous stampede of wildebeest as they traverse from the Serengeti across the crocodile-infested Mara River and into the Masai Mara. It’s a real-life, edge-of-your-seat drama, of thrills and spills and triumph over tragedy. 

But that’s not the only show in Kenya. Kenya’s wetlands and lakes of the Great Rift Valley are the setting for a spectacular display when the lens on life turns a beautiful shade of pink. The rosey hue that fills the air is courtesy of the millions of flamingo that gather on the shores of Lake Nakuru. This is said to be one of the most magical bird spectacles on earth. 

The wildlife are the stars of the show in Kenya, yet humans are their understudies. The local cultural tribes tell tales of bygone eras, of folklore and traditions. Dressed in vibrant red robes, donning elaborate, hand-craved jewellery and decorated with intricate face paintings, the tribes of the Maasai will greet visitors to their villages with song and dance giving a small window into their world. It’s vitally important that tourists respect these precious cultures and visit only those tribes on ethical tours that are organised in collaboration with the tribes themselves. 

After so much stimulation, the beaches beckon. Kenyan beaches are of soft, powder-white sand and the vibrant city of Mombassa is the gateway to over 300 miles of palm-fringed coastline. Possibly the most renown stretch of sand is dazzling Diani Beach to the south where coral reefs lie just off shore teeming with sea life. 

A few days here is a perfect accompaniment to complete your safari experience.

The seemingly endless plains of the vast Serengeti span an impressive 30,000sqkms bounding with extraordinary wildlife. Just as is Kenya, Tanzania is the set for the Great Migration. 

When asked if a safari is better in Kenya or Tanzania, it’s a subjective answer. Some may say that a safari in Tanzania is less engineered, although it is slightly more expensive than its northern neighbour. However, Tanzania has got a number of unique attractions that you might find swing it in your favour.

For one, there’s the small matter of the Ngorongoro Crater. This UNESCO world heritage site is an ancient caldera (remnants of an enormous extinct volcano) measuring a mere 16kms in diameter and 600m deep. The grasslands, freshwater and soda lakes and acacia forests that lie within are home to a wide diversity of wildlife, including the Big Five. The endangered black rhino also makes a welcome appearance here. Giraffes and impalas are the only common species you won’t find here. And when the flamingos appear at Lake Magadi the air turns blushing and pink.

Tanzania is also home to one of the world’s most imposing mountains: Kilimanjaro. Kili, as it’s affectionately known, is Africa’s highest peak at 5,895m and the highest free-standing mountain in the world. 

To scale to the summit of this mighty mountain is a lifetime ambition on so many people’s bucket list. The climb isn’t technical and no climbing experience is necessary – but this doesn’t mean to say it’s not challenging. The views from the peak are breathtaking and worth every step. 

Finally, Tanzania has its secret weapon: Zanzibar. A stay on this island beach paradise is the ideal antidote to a recovery from a challenging Kili climb or the perfect partner to follow on from a safari.   

As the name evokes, Zanzibar is exotic. It’s a heady, magical concoction of Arab, Portuguese, Indian, British and Swahili influences – as is reflected in Zanzibar’s rich and diverse culinary spread. 

Scuba divers are in for a real treat all year round. Many people aren’t aware that Zanzibar is not just one island. It is actually an entire archipalego that houses over 50 islands. The main island is actually called Unguja, but it’s more commonly refered to as Zanzibar. The two smaller islands of Chumbe and Mnemba are both just a few kilometres away and serve as ideal beach getaways for those wanting to venture off the beaten track (not that in our opinion Zanzibar is a mass tourist destination). 

As stunning as the beaches are, don’t be tempted to skip a trip to the capital city of Stone Town.  This buzzing city is heaving with historic buildings, palaces, cathedrals, mosques and a maze of narrow, winding streets lined with shops, cafes and restaurants. As the port of trade between east and west in olden times, Zanzibar was the hub for slave trading to the Middle East. Today, it is the jewel in Tanzania’s crown.

Ironically, it’s this landlocked country’s remoteness and untamed wilderness that is its biggest appeal. It’s peppered with national parks. But safaris in Zambia take a slightly different tact, in that it’s pioneered the walking safari. Imagine the exhilaration as you tiptoe through the grasses without making a sound to spy on an unsuspecting leopard lazing in the bush?

It’s equally exciting when you paddle down river watching for ripples in the surface of the still water – could it be the twitching ears of submerged hippos or the knobbly back of a Nile crocodile?

One of the most popular places to view wildlife in Zambia is the South Luangwa National Park.

Here much of the game congregates around the Luangwa River, with herds of elephant and buffalo descending the dusty banks to drink. Large crocodiles laze on sandbanks and at dusk hundreds of hippos leave their pools and lumber up the banks to graze.

The park is home a number of rare and endemic species including Thornicroft’s giraffe, Cookson’s wildebeest and Crawshay’s zebra, along with plenty of leopards, lions and hippos. In late October, just before the start of the rain, thousands of hippos gather in the Luangwa River’s deeper pools providing a truly remarkable spectacle as they jostle and fight for space.

Further south lies the Lower Zambezi National Park along the northeastern bank of the Zambezi River. Once again the best wildlife viewing is on the flood plain and along the river itself.

Be sure to take a cruise in a small boat at sunset. Watch the skies turn vibrantly golden as the setting sun reflects on the still water. And as the temperatures start to drop, the wildlife comes out to say hello.

But don’t be deceived, the water of the Zambezi is about to take a thunderous, epic turn. Welcome to the magnificent Victoria Falls.

Locally known as Mosi-oa-Tunya or ‘The Smoke That Thunders’, this jaw-dropping waterfall on the Zambezi River is located on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. Stretching 1.7km wide and reaching a height of 355 feet, Victoria Falls is considered to be the world’s biggest sheet of falling water.

There’s always lots of debate as to whether it’s best to see the Falls from the Zambian or the Zimbabwean side. The general consensus tends to be that on the Zambian side you can get up closer to the action. In fact, when the water is high, nothing compares to Zambia’s spray-doused Knife Edge Bridge, which runs so close to the Eastern Cataract you feel like you’re immersed in the roaring cascade. Zambia is also the starting point for the only footpath to the Boiling Pot, a churning cauldron of white water set immediately below the Falls at the head of the Batoka Gorge. 

Whichever side of the Falls you’re based at, when it comes to views, it’s worth setting aside a half day to cross over to the other one. Among other things, the views from Victoria Falls Bridge, the only direct border crossing point between the two sides, is magnificent in its own right.

Victoria Falls is undoubtedly Zimbabwe’s leading light when it comes to pulling in the tourists. it is twice the height and more than double the width of Niagara Falls.

The adventure starts in the town of Livingstone – named after the famous Victorian missionary explorer, Dr David Livingstone, who was the first European to stumble across them in 1855 (can you imagine his surprise!). 

From here it’s a short walk to the Falls. However, you’ll feel the Falls long before you see them thanks to the plume of rainbow-tinted spray that is kicked up from the cascading water. In full flow, the ‘Smoke that Thunders’ reaches up to 500m into the air.

The small but strategically located Victoria Falls National Park provides the most famous and photogenic full-frontal view of this UNESCO site. Here, a short footpath through a rainforest connects a series of viewpoints that show the westerly Main Falls and Devil’s Cataract to their finest advantage.

Livingstone is also the centre for numerous adrenaline-charged activities. Take your pick from white-water rafting as the river surges through Batoka Gorge or take the jump of your life when you bungee jump from Victoria Falls Bridge.

More thrills await in the country’s premier safari park: Hwange National Park. Hwange holds the title of one of the best places in the world to see elephants, thanks to the population of over 40,000 of these majestic animals. 

And they’re joined by herds of buffalo, zebras, giraffe and the powerful predators of leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, wild dogs and more than 400 different species of bird. 

Another plus is that Hwange tends to be calmer and less busy than parks you’ll find in the likes of Kenya and Tanzania.

Lying serenely off the east coast in the Indian Ocean is a secret African gem. The island of Madagascar is one of the few place in the world that can truly say it’s ‘unique’. According to the World Wildlife Fund, approximately 95% of its reptiles, 89% of its plant life and 92% of its mammals are endemic to the island – meaning they’re found nowhere else ion earth.

Of course, it’s the land of the world-famous lemur. Thanks to that famous movie named after the island, these quirky primates have almost become a symbol of Madagascar. Although dwindling in numbers, there are over 100 species of these bright-eyed, foxy faced, furry creatures to be discovered here. And if you want to see them – and who doesn’t – the best thing to do is to join a guided forest hike, when you’re sure to find lemurs leaping through the trees or staring into the distance.

There are a number of national parks and guides are essential if you want to take in all the unique wildlife. They’ve got eagle eyes and are a mine of informaion – they’ll even point out those crafty ever-changing chameleons.

Orchid lovers are in for a field day – a whopping 860 orchid species can be found around the islands, over 80% of which are indigenous. Plus, six of the eight known baobab species can be found in Madagascar. The best place to see these almost sacred trees is at the Avenue of the Baobabs, a row of giant deciduous trees known to be over 800 years old and up to 30ft tall.

From mid-June to September, Madagascar plays host to pods of migrating humpback whales. The whales make their way to warmer waters to breed and calve before leaving again. While their breaching and lobtailing can be seen from the shore, responsible whale watching boat tours provide an exciting perspective of their antics.

Another of Madagascar’s biggest attractions are its beaches. These palm-fringed swathes of white sand are probably one of the most undiscovered secrets of the Indian Ocean. The southern beaches near Ifaty or Fort Dauphin are spectacular, or head out to one of the crowd-free beaches on the islands of Nosy Be or Ile Sainte Marie. 

And finally, the people. The diversity of flora, fauna and animal life on this unique island is matched by the diversity of its residents. As a former French colony, Madagascar is a melting pot of more than 18 different ethnic groups. The result is the Malagasy culture – a mix of African, Arab and Indian origin that has so many different faces and colours – much like a chameleon.

Forget the queues of jeeps traversing through safari parks. Forget the revolving doors herding a never-ending stream of tourists through its safari camps. Welcome to Botswana. This country prides itself on its low-volume, high-cost safaris business model.

Here, crowds don't exist, but the high-ticket priced safari does. Most camps are five-star, and they're few and far between. This high-income, low-impact tourism approach means that safaris in Botswana are often considered to be more authentic, less orchestrated and really luxurious VIP experiences. 

As one of the least densely populated countries in the world, it seems that the animals tend to take precedence over the humans here. With the lack of fences in many of its national parks, the animals are left completely to their own devises (if you’re lucky it’s not uncommon to see wildlife wander into  the camps). 

Botswana has two of Africa’s signature landscapes: the Okavango Delta and the Kalahari Desert. While the Delta is the beautiful the Desert is the bold. 

The Okavango Delta is a magical world of greens and blues where an intricate ecosystem of swamps, lagoons, islands and a maze of winding waterways brim with wildlife.

To explore there’s nothing more peaceful than silently meandering through the waterways on a mokoro (a traditional canoe) with your guide spying species of bird and insects. 

Alternatively, take a game drive, bush walk or go sky-high in a helicopter or hot-air balloon. 

Meanwhile, the Kalahari Desert, in the south of Botswana, is a very different playing field. This almost infinite sea of golden yellow sand looks arid and somewhat inhospitable yet it is home black-maned lions, leopards and the endangered species of Africa wild dog. 

Also thriving in this arid land are the San Bushmen tribal group. These people have traversed the Kalahari for thousands of years, stalking game with spears and foraging for edible desert plants. As the original custodians of the Kalahari, they’re descendants of earth’s oldest people and speak the Khoisan language which is saturated with distinctive click sounds. 

Today in close collaboration with these tribes, tourists staying in selected camps are invited to meet the San people in their villages, where you can learn from them how they survive in such harsh conditions.

Located in the Northern part of Botswana and close to the iconic Victoria Falls is the Chobe National Park. This is the most visited safari park in the whole of Botswana and is home to a variety of wildlife including warthogs, zebra, baboons, monkeys, impala and giraffe. In turn, these are pursued by predators such as jackals, lions and leopards.

Plus, here you’ll find the largest concentration of elephants in the whole of Africa. With an estimated 120,000 Kalahari elephants roaming around Chobe, individual herds can be in the hundreds. 

If elephants are your love, then Botswana is the place to go.

There are so many reasons to visit The Rainbow Nation. 

Unlike its neighbours, safaris form just a fraction - albeit an incredibly worthwhile and amazing fraction – of South Africa’s touristic appeal. 

When you think of South Africa so many things might spring to mind. First up it could be its wine and its verdant vineyards. Or perhaps it’s the symbolic flat-topped Table Mountain presiding over the energetic city of Cape Town. Or it could be the glorious, sprawling beaches; the surfing; the historic culture; adventure-filled road trips; whale-watching in Hermanus or, indeed, the chance to see the Big Five in South Africa’s famed Kruger Park.
 
A safari in Kruger Park or any of its private game reserves is almost guaranteed to see you tick off all of the Big Five. Safaris here are slick operations and will not disappoint. 

From the Bush head straight to cosmopolitan, confident Cape Town. Be sure to take the cable car to the top of its famous mountain to drink in the city views before heading down to explore the eclectic stalls and shops on the V&A Waterfront. 

While in Cape Town it feels only right to visit Robben Island to learn about the apartheid. This is the prison where Nelson Mandela was held for 18 of the 27 years he was imprisoned and stands today as a reminder of the scars created by prejudice and division.

So many attractions await just on the Cape Peninsula. Alongside the affluent suburb of Camps Bay and seeing the African penguin colony at Boulders Beach, this is where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans collide at the Cape of Good Hope. 

Beyond that then the best way to see so many of the country’s attractions is to jump in a car. Head east towards the vineyards of Stellenbosch. This gloriously scenic town is set amid lush and verdant vineyards that produce some of the world’s most celebrated wines (best to ditch the car if you’re intending to sample a few glasses - which let’s face it, it would be rude not to). 

And then it’s on to complete the Garden Route - the epic road trip meandering along the coast for 124 miles through the Western Cape between Mossel Bay and Storms River. With so many pit stops to make along the way, you could easily spend weeks completing the drive. Or you can pick and choose and complete it in four days. 

One of the highlights of the Garden Route is the town of Knysna, a culinary hotspot famous for its 10-day Oyster Festival in late June, which overlooks a tranquil lagoon dotted with sailing boats.

And don’t miss glorious Plettenberg Bay. This spectacular vast beach is a hit with surfers. 

Beyond the Western Cape, the wilder KwaZulu-Natal awaits. Here you’ll find dynamic Durban and the adventure playground that is the dramatic Drakensburg Mountains.

It could take so many visits to really ‘do’ South Africa. Forever evolving, it really is the country that keeps on giving. 

On the southwestern edge of the continent lies this little-known country bursting with natural wonders. It’s the perfect destination for adventurous explorers who are ready to get off the beaten path – and then go farther.

Few places on earth offer such a sheer variety of landscapes. 

Its otherworldly deserts look as if they’re straight from a sci-fi film set. Infinite oceans of copper-coloured dunes make up the Namib, the world’s oldest desert. Here you’ll find species that have adapted to life in this extremely dry environment. In its waterless riverbeds, you might spot a Hartmann’s zebra, springbok or desert elephant. 

Arguably Namibia’s most striking destination, the Skeleton Coast, has earned its formidable name over the centuries for its tempestuous currents, barren shores and inhospitable beauty. Today this desolate stretch of coastline is littered with shipwrecks, whale bones and deserted villages. It might sound ominous, but it’ll certainly be a place you’ll remember with awe. 

Etosha National Park in the north, is Namibia’s premier park for game viewing. Dominated by a huge, dried out salt pan surrounded by grassland and woodland it’s a great park for self drivers to explore, moving between the numerous waterholes on the edges of the pan that attract all manner of game including elephants and giraffe as well as zebra, oryx and wildebeest and large herds of springbok. Black rhino may also be found and lion, cheetah and leopard are also present, although the latter is rather elusive.  

Meanwhile, hikers should make a beeline for the awesome Fish River Canyon, second only to the Grand Canyon in size. Visitors come to its spectacular viewpoints and hot springs at Ai-Ais and to take on the challenge of trekking through the Canyon itself - not a feat for the faint-hearted. There again, Namibia itself is a not for the faint-hearted. It’s a die-hard country that certainly will earn you brownie points and cool kudos among your well-travelled mates. 

Think of Rwanda and unquestionably you’ll think of gorillas. 

Africa’s mountain gorillas have captured the hearts and minds of people around the world and if seeing these creatures in the wild is your ultimate dream, then you need to head straight to Volcanoes Park in Rwanda. 

It’s said that half of the mountain gorillas in the world live in the Virunga Mountains, part of the Volcanoes National Park.

Tourist numbers to the park are well regulated and restricted in order to preserve these magnificent creatures. So to spend time in the company of a family of gorillas in the depths of the forest is a real privilege. 

Watch as the great silverback presides over his troop. Let the babies amuse you with their antics as they swoop through the trees and frolic in the undergrowth. 

Both Nyungwe Forest and Volcanoes Park offer a networks of trails that take you into forest. No matter your fitness or experience level there’s a trek and a duration to suit. 

While mountain gorillas are the best-known of Rwanda’s primates, Rwanda is home to chimpanzees, golden monkeys, blue monkeys, and black and white colobus. Chimpanzees are considered the most human-like of primates, and Nyungwe National Park is the premium destination in Rwanda to encounter them.

Finding them is part of the fun. However the guides will teach you how to track their movements – it’s all part of the adventure and mysteries that await in The Land of a Thousand Hills.