The African landscape possesses a powerful mystique that entices many travellers. Nature-hungry visitors flock to the continent to witness the raw and unique beauty that has been the focal point of nature documentaries and conservation studies for decades.
Arguably one of the last truly wild places on Earth, Africa possess a concentration of some of the world’s most endearing animals, from top hunters of the great plains to the largest, and tallest land animals. Visitors can choose from an incredible list of safari locations that are the natural habitat for species sure to stun and awe.
The best locations for animal safaris in Africa
Having already visited the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi and the Giraffe Centre on the outskirts of Kenya, biked through Hells Gate national park and trekked the forested hills of Uganda in the hopes of seeing Gorillas, we looked a little more into a safari adventure into undiscovered lands which we hope to tick-off our ‘places to see’ list very soon.
Ruaha National Park, Tanzania
Ruaha National Park is Tanzania’s famous rugged wilderness, rich with indigenous plant life and impressive animals. A safari experience here is truly unique due to the almost untouched, unspoilt and unexplored ecosystem. One thing you would be guaranteed to see is a vast array of birds. The park is a birds’ paradise with more than 571 species nesting or visiting. To make sure you see as many as possible, invest in a good Nikon Spotting Scope (Uttings) to ensure your inner bird watcher is satisfied.
Ruaha is believed to have a higher concentration of elephants than any national park in East Africa. It also houses endangered wild dogs, lions, leopards, cheetah, giraffes, elands, impala, bat eared foxes, jackals and rare and magnificent mammals like kudu (both Greater and Lesser), sable and roan.
Maasai Mara, Kenya
Maasai Mara national reserve always delivers when we’re talking big cats. Chosen by the BBC as the setting for their Big Cat Diary television series, Massair Mara is home to the biggest lion prides, and is home to many other magnificent species. Try to go in July when the region welcomes migrating wildebeest and zebra herds in numbers beyond comprehension to set the stage for the greatest wilderness show on earth.
Mundulea Nature Reserve, Namibia
Nestled in the Otavi Mountains, Mundulea nature reserve is unspoilt Montane bush-land that provides an ideal opportunity to get out of your vehicle, explore the mountainous terrain and experience wildlife face-to-face. Housing rhinos, zebras, leopards and bush-adapted dear, the animals compete with the stunning natural landscape for your attention. It’s definitely a good idea to take a pair of binoculars; Uttings Outdoors have some useful options, should you be lucky enough to come across an endangered herd of black-faced impala. There are less than 1,000 of this native subspecies left in the wild, and they are notoriously skittish, so you don’t want to miss them.