African safari parks & reserves

Sixteen parks and reserves across seven countries. For the Serengeti and Maasai Mara, start with our Great Migration guide.

Choosing among the best safari parks in Africa

Each park is at its best in a particular season, so the right combination depends on what you most want to see. For the Great Migration, for instance, the Serengeti and the Maasai Mara follow the herds through the year. For big cats in quiet company, meanwhile, the Sabi Sand beside Kruger and Kenya’s private conservancies stand out. Similarly, for water and privacy, there is the Okavango Delta; for walking, South Luangwa and Mana Pools; for landscape, Sossusvlei and Etosha.

In general, most first safaris combine two or three of these, with three nights in each. Our safari map shows how they connect, When to Go matches them to your travel month, and the best African safaris sets out the ten we would choose first.

Sixteen places,
each in its season

Sixteen of the best safari parks in Africa, across seven countries. We chose them through first-hand experience, trusted local relationships and current inspection feedback. Where we have not personally stayed, we say so plainly. When you share your travel dates, we narrow these sixteen parks and reserves to the two or three that suit your month, your pace and your budget. Then we plan the flights between them, so your time goes on game drives and quiet mornings rather than long transfers.

African safari parks and reserves each have their season, and the order you visit them in matters.

After all, every great safari draws on a handful of places. So run your eye down the list, and one of them is already calling you.

16Parks 7Countries