If you’re planning an Africa safari or have recently decided to make this bucket list trip a reality, this blog post is for you!
In this post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about how to plan an African safari, from choosing when and where to go, to finally booking your trip.
While there are other vast wilderness areas across the world, no other continent has a wider array of wildlife than Africa. From the noble lion to the mighty elephant, secretive leopard, and speedy cheetah, there are thousands of mammals to see on safari. Not to mention the reptiles and bird species, all roaming freely in their natural habitat.
Simply put, there is nothing else quite like it on Earth.
I dreamed of visiting Africa throughout my childhood, and when I first set foot on the continent over 12 years ago, I fell in love. I fell in love with the landscapes, the wildlife, the people, and the culture. How was it possible that it was even better than I expected?
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Choosing Where to Go on an African Safari
With so many wonderful safari destinations in Africa, each with its own character, variety, and density of wildlife and natural beauty, choosing where to go will probably be your biggest challenge.
But after doing some research and considering what you wish to see and experience, you can start narrowing it down to a few basic choices.
Which Countries Have the Best Safari Destinations?
There are two key regions that offer safaris, East Africa and Southern Africa.
East Africa houses Kenya, the birthplace of safari, Tanzania, home to the famous Serengeti, and Uganda and Rwanda, some of the only countries on earth where you can see and trek with mountain gorillas.
In Southern Africa, you have South Africa, perhaps the most well-known country to enjoy an African safari, Botswana, a specialist location for off-the-beaten-track luxurious safaris, Namibia, boasting the most unique landscape on the continent, and Zambia and Zimbabwe, both claiming Victoria Falls and a host of national parks and reserves.
While all of these countries have some fantastic national parks and reserves, not all of them are suited to first-time visitors to the region.
Best African Countries for First-Time Safari-Goers
To make your first safari an epic experience, there are three key factors to take into account.
Firstly, you’ll want to select a destination that is easy to travel to, has an established safari circuit, and has good infrastructure.
Secondly, if you’re visiting Africa for the first time, you likely have a lot of animals on your wish list. Not every location has all the key species that you’ll want to encounter.
Finally, the levels of accommodation can vary quite drastically between different locations. For more remote locations, you’ll have to pay a lot more for comfortable accommodation.
If an easily accessible destination and fantastic wildlife viewing top your priorities, you can’t go wrong with choosing Kenya, Tanzania, or South Africa. All these countries have superb world-renowned parks that can make your first safari a truly epic experience.
Topping the list, Kenya and Tanzania share a similar environment, climate, world-class parks with a vast variety of wildlife, including the Big Five, and a wide range of lodging options.
South Africa is also up there with the iconic Kruger National Park, which is home to basically every living animal found in Africa. Here you have perhaps the biggest chance of seeing the Big Five several times on a single-game drive.
Within this vast park, lodging options vary from budget self-catering camps to the most sublime and luxurious lodges, making it popular with a wide variety of travel styles.
Which Countries Are Easiest to Visit?
Since Botswana and Namibia are a little off the beaten track, I would once again say Tanzania, Kenya, and South Africa are the easiest to visit.
Tanzania is an ideal choice due to the proximity of three of the country’s flagship parks – Serengeti, Tarangire, and Ngorongoro Crater. Furthermore, the international airport is just a couple of hours away. There are also regular internal flights to the various parks.
The same applies to Kenya, with the famed Maasai Mara, Amboseli, and both Tsavo National Parks being a few hundred miles from Nairobi Airport and from each other. The roads, however, are not exactly freeways, so it may take several hours to get to the parks. However, there are frequent flights between Nairobi and the parks if you prefer.
South Africa may be even easier to visit, with regular international flights from around the globe. There’s no need to visit any other park other than the Kruger National Park. Its vast size provides multi-ecosystems with spectacular scenery and all the wildlife you can handle.
Kruger is a 4.5-hour drive from Johannesburg Airport and the roads are excellent, with superb scenery along the way. It is also served by various airstrips in and around the park.
How to Choose Your Budget for an African Safari
If you’ve already done some research, you may have realized that safaris in general are not exactly cheap. So when planning your budget, ask yourself:
- How many days do you need for safari?
- Are you interested in a budget-friendly or expensive destination?
- Would you like a private or shared safari?
- Do you want to visit during high, shoulder, or low season?
- Would you like to stay in one area (cutting out on travel time) or visit multiple parks and reserves?
There are ways of mitigating some costs, for instance, by sacrificing luxury for extra days. While the accommodation may be less luxurious, the safari experience usually remains the same.
You could also offset costs by spending less time in the expensive parks and more time in the lesser-known parks, where the wildlife is almost identical. Another way to cut costs is by traveling during the cheaper shoulder or low seasons when international flights are more affordable.
While the remoteness of Botswana makes it an expensive destination, Kenya and Tanzania are more affordable, although they can still be pricey. Fortunately, you can find some budget-friendly deals in most parks, especially during the shoulder and off-peak seasons. Remember that international flights are cheaper during those times too!
The favorable exchange rate of South African and Namibian currencies and the low costs of food and accommodation here make these countries extremely popular safari destinations all year round.
Best Time of Year to Go on an African Safari
The best time for a safari in Tanzania and Kenya, or anywhere else in Africa for that matter, is during the dry season, which is between May and October.
During this period the grass and vegetation are sparse and animals tend to congregate around watering holes making them easier to find. This is also the time when the Great Migration is in full swing.
The dry winter months are also the best time to visit the Kruger in South Africa, but avoid going there during the July school holidays, as the park gets really busy, sometimes spoiling the experience.
How to Book Your African Safari
There are three basic choices – booking through an overseas travel agent (our recommendation here!), directly with the lodge or tour operator, or booking everything yourself and self-driving.
In my experience, the best options are between local safari tour operators and overseas travel agents. While local safari tour operators can sometimes offer cheaper deals, communication and the process of payment to an overseas bank account can become quite complicated.
Compared to self-driving, these options offer more in-depth information through your knowledgeable guide. In addition, the company also takes care of all your travel logistics, except your international flights. I have seen so much more wildlife when with a local guide compared to when I have had self-drive safaris.
I’d advise you to book as early as possible, up to a year ahead, especially if you’re planning to visit during the high season.
Many smaller parks also restrict the number of visitors to make the experience more enjoyable, making it necessary to book early.
And although self-driving can be slightly cheaper, we highly recommend booking with a safari guide no matter what your budget is. Since you’ve made all the effort of getting to the safari, it would seem a shame to miss out on their expertise.
A good safari guide, especially for first-timers, can make the difference between an “OK” and a truly memorable safari. They know animal behavior, the best places where they’re likely to be, and can spot them far quicker than anyone.
Average Cost of an African Safari Trip
While much depends on the style of accommodation and the time you go, the average cost of a private African safari starts from around $300 per day and as little as $150 per day for a shared safari with budget camping.
The country you’re visiting will greatly impact this cost. For example, you’d struggle to get a safari in Botswana for less than $500 per person per day.
Getting Ready for Your Safari
By now, you know exactly where you’ll be staying and what weather to expect, but there are still many traveling facets you still need to plan for.
What to Pack for Your African Safari
- Light comfortable clothing avoiding bright and dark colors (neutrals like greys, muted greens, and beiges are best)
- Waterproof and warm jackets – early morning drives and evenings get really chilly, even in summer
- Hat, sunglasses, sunscreen
- Camera, extra batteries, and memory cards
- Mosquito repellent
- Personal and anti-malaria medication (These are must-haves for most safari destinations! The only exceptions are South Africa and Namibia, which have parts that have a low risk of malaria.)
Safety Considerations
Safaris are generally safe across the whole of Africa, but some rules and common sense must be applied at all times. Park guides will give you the rundown at the beginning of your drives, and if you stick to them, you have nothing to worry about.
Some camps are unfenced, and animals often wander around at night, so avoid venturing out alone after dark. If this is the case at your lodge or camp, the staff will tell you this when you arrive.
If you are self-driving, please always give animals their space and never drive too close to them. The typical distance is 75 feet (25 m) or more.
Entry Requirements
Visas for USA, UK, and some European citizens are required for Tanzania, which can be applied for online. Kenya recently scrapped its visa system, but you still need to apply for an ETA online in advance of your arrival. South Africa is more relaxed, but it’s best to check their requirements well in advance.
Kenya is a high-risk Yellow Fever area and you may be asked to present a vaccination certificate, especially if traveling to multiple countries in the region. No such certificate is required for Tanzania, unless you are arriving from Kenya or have transited an airport in a country with a high Yellow Fever risk.
Logistics
Getting to and from the airports, parks, or lodges also requires careful planning. Choosing a lodge or tour operator who’ll take care of all these logistics is vital in ensuring an overall pleasant safari experience.
If your flight arrives in the evening, I’d pre-arrange an airport transfer with a reputable company. Some taxi and Uber drivers don’t drive sensibly, and at night, this can be a little nerve-wracking.
What to Expect When You Arrive on Safari
A typical safari day begins with an early morning game drive, which lasts several hours, so expect to be up very early!
Safaris in Tanzania and Kenya are typically all-day, so you can expect to have a packed lunch and then arrive back at your lodge for dinner.
In South Africa you can expect to have a separate morning and evening safari, broken up by a warm lunch at your lodge.
Summary: Planning an African Safari
Regardless of where you choose to go in Africa, you’ll come back carrying some of the most unforgettable memories of your life.
If viewing the infamous river crossings of the Great Migration is on your bucket list, then forget everything else and head straight to the Serengeti in Tanzania or the adjacent Maasai Mara Park in Kenya.
You may also want to combine your safari vacation with a few days of relaxing on a tropical island like Zanzibar or hiking up Mount Kilimanjaro, which will swing your choice heavily towards Tanzania.
On the other hand, if you want to see the Big Five and a wide variety of wildlife and also visit a truly beautiful, world-class city, Kruger National Park and Cape Town in South Africa may be the perfect choice.
But for first-timers, no matter how much you plan your trip, nothing will quite prepare you for the ultimate thrill of being among wild animals in the expansive wildness of Africa.
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Maddie is the traveler behind A One Way Ticket. She has been traveling internationally for over 10 years and has visited 75+ countries on 6 continents. In addition to traveling herself, she’s been helping others plan their own travel for 6+ years. Maddie eats, sleeps, and breathes travel and loves to help others discover that same wanderlust!