Where to Go on Safari? A Region-by-Region Guide to Africa's Best Destinations
Where to go on safari comes down to the kind of experience you want. If you're drawn to vast herds moving across open grass and frequent predator action, East Africa, meaning Kenya and Tanzania, is probably calling you.
If you'd rather glide through papyrus channels by mokoro or wake to the hush of the Namib Desert, Southern Africa, meaning Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, is likely the better match.
We've spent nearly three decades helping travelers work through exactly this question, and there's rarely one right answer, just the right fit for how you want to experience Africa.
There are wonderful African safari destinations throughout East and Southern Africa, and we specialize in finding the perfect fit, avoiding crowds, and making the most of your time in the bush.
Below, we walk through how to choose between regions, which countries suit different priorities, and how our team can help you build the right trip from there.
Southern Africa or East Africa: How to Choose
Neither region is objectively better than the other; they just reward different priorities. Here's how they compare at a glance:
| East Africa (Kenya & Tanzania) | Southern Africa (Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia & Zimbabwe) | |
|---|---|---|
| Signature safari | The Great Migration, dense predator sightings, open plains | Water-based safaris, desert landscapes, walking and canoeing |
| Best for | Quintessential safari settings, a classic first migration trip and adding primate trekking | Privacy, varied landscapes, more active safaris, and pairing Victoria Falls or Cape Town |
| Peak season | July to October, dry season migration crossings | May to October, dry winter waterhole viewing |
| Getting around | Road transfers and light aircraft between parks | Mostly flying safaris linking remote camps |
| Good for first-timers | Yes, compact and high wildlife density | Yes, reliable Big 5 sightings in uncrowded private reserves |
If this is your first trip, we usually recommend committing to one region rather than splitting a short trip across both. When deciding where to go on safari in Africa, choosing one region usually gives you more time in the bush and less time in transit. With ten days or more, pairing an East Africa migration safari with a few nights in Victoria Falls gives you a genuine sense of both.
Best African Safari Countries for Luxury, Custom Safaris
Luxury looks different across the best African safari destinations, depending on where you go. In Botswana, it means intimate camps with just a handful of tents per concession, so you may not see another vehicle all day.
In South Africa, it means five-star lodges a short flight from Cape Town, with genuinely excellent game viewing built in.
Kenya's Masai Mara conservancies hold exclusive traversing rights, which keeps camps uncrowded even in peak season, and Namibia's desert camps lean into design, perched on escarpments with views that don't feel real.
Rwanda has quietly become one of Africa's most luxurious destinations for gorilla trekking too, with lodges built into the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes.
Best Safari Destinations for First-Time Travelers
Among African safari destinations, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa are some of the easiest places to start for a first safari. The Masai Mara, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater deliver dense, reliable wildlife viewing in a relatively compact area, so you spend more time watching animals and less time driving between sightings. Some of South Africa's private reserves are malaria-free and well suited to families, and pair easily with Cape Town or the Garden Route. Whichever destination you choose, the camp and the guide usually matter more to your experience than the country itself, which is why we build every itinerary around how you like to travel rather than a fixed package.
Which African Countries Are Best for Safari, and What Each Is Known For
Each of Africa’s top safari destinations has its own personality, and getting to know a few of them tends to make the decision easier.
Kenya
Kenya built the modern safari. The Masai Mara delivers dense wildlife almost year-round, and if your timing lines up with the migration, river crossings on the Mara River are about as close to safari legend as it gets. Timing, conservancy choice, and camp style can all be tailored within our Kenya custom safaris.
Tanzania
Tanzania takes that same landscape and stretches it wider. The Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater cover astonishing ground, and calving season, typically January through March, puts you in the middle of newborn wildebeest and the predators that follow them. Travellers planning Tanzania custom safaris can shape the itinerary around the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and seasonal wildlife movements.
Botswana
Botswana is a different kind of safari altogether. The Okavango Delta floods the Kalahari sands each year and turns dry land into a maze of channels, best explored by mokoro and boat, while Chobe National Park holds one of the largest elephant populations left on Earth. Camps here are deliberately few and far between, which is part of why Botswana is one of our most requested safari destinations for travelers who want privacy along with the wildlife. That combination of privacy, wildlife, and water-based activities is also why Botswana custom safaris suit travellers who prefer remote camps and fewer vehicles.
Namibia
Among the best safari destinations in Africa for dramatic landscapes, Namibia trades wildlife density for vast desert scenery. Sossusvlei's dunes turn deep red at sunrise, desert-adapted elephant and rhino move across country that looks almost lunar, and the night skies are some of the darkest we've seen anywhere. For travellers drawn to desert scenery and remote wildlife areas, Namibia custom safaris can bring several of these regions together in one itinerary.
South Africa
South Africa is where we send most first-time travelers. Private reserves bordering Kruger are well-known for up-close wildlife viewing while reserves in Madikwe and the Eastern Cape are malaria-free. Either region is family-friendly, and pairs naturally with a few days in Cape Town or the winelands. South Africa custom safaris also make it easy to combine private-reserve game viewing with Cape Town, the winelands, or other parts of the country.
Zambia and Zimbabwe
Zambia and Zimbabwe are built around the Zambezi. Walking safaris through theLuangwa Valley, canoeing belowVictoria Falls, and a slower, more immersive pace define both countries. For a stronger focus on walking and river-based activities, Zambia custom safaris can centre the trip around areas such as the Luangwa Valley and Lower Zambezi. By contrast, Zimbabwe custom safaris can pair wildlife areas such as Hwange and Mana Pools with time around Victoria Falls and the Zambezi.
Rwanda and Uganda
Rwanda and Uganda are where you go for gorilla trekking, tracking a family group through theVirunga orBwindi forests for an hour that tends to stay with people for good. Travellers considering Rwanda custom safaris can build the trip around gorilla trekking while adding other parts of the country where they fit the itinerary. Uganda custom safaris allow for a broader mix of gorilla trekking, primate viewing, and wildlife areas within the same trip.
Best Safari Destinations by Time of Year
The best time to go varies by destination and by what you want to see:
● East Africa (Kenya and Tanzania): dry season, roughly July through October, is best for migration river crossings in the Mara and Serengeti.
● Southern Africa (Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa): dry winter, roughly May through October, concentrates wildlife around limited water sources.
For a full month-by-month breakdown, see our guide on What's the Weather? The Best Time to Go?.
Combining Two Countries on One Safari
Many of our travelers combine two African safari destinations into one trip, and a few pairings come up again and again:
Kenya and Tanzania: the same migration ecosystem, so combining them is straightforward.
Botswana and Zimbabwe: paired naturally around the Chobe River and Victoria Falls.
Kenya or Tanzania with Rwanda or Uganda: add gorilla trekking onto an East Africa itinerary.
Namibia and South Africa: desert scenery or Big 5 luxury paired with a few nights in Cape Town.
The right combination usually comes down to flight routings and how much time you have, which is where custom planning makes the biggest difference.
Choosing the Right Safari Company
With so many options, deciding where to go on safari often comes down to choosing the right person to plan it with as much as the destination itself. Next Adventure has been designing custom African safaris since 1996, and we're still a family-owned company today. We don't sell fixed packages. Every itinerary is built from scratch around your interests, budget, and travel dates, using camps and guides we know personally. If you're not sure where to start, tell us what you're picturing, and we'll help you find it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Where To Go On Safari
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There isn't one single best country; it depends on what you want. Kenya and Tanzania are among the best African safari destinations for the Great Migration and classic plains scenery. Botswana and Namibia suit travelers seeking exclusivity, water-based safaris, and dramatic landscapes, while South Africa works well for first-timers and families. Rwanda and Uganda are best for gorilla trekking.
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Both work well, but for different reasons. Kenya, particularly the Masai Mara, offers dense, reliable wildlife viewing and a chance to see the migration in the right season. South Africa's offers private reserves in Madikwe and the Eastern Cape which are malaria-free, family-friendly, and easy to pair with Cape Town, making both countries strong safari destinations for a first trip.
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Yes, and many of our travelers do. Popular combinations include Kenya with Tanzania, Botswana with Zimbabwe via Victoria Falls, and Rwanda or Uganda added to an East Africa itinerary for gorilla trekking. If you're deciding where to go on safari in Africa, the right combination depends on flight connections, trip length, and what you most want to see.
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It depends on the destination. East Africa's dry season, roughly July through October, is best for migration river crossings in the Mara and Serengeti. Southern Africa's dry winter months, roughly May through October, concentrate wildlife around waterholes in Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Timing can help narrow down where to go on safari based on what you want to see. See our full guide on What's the Weather? The Best Time to Go? for a month-by-month breakdown.
Ready to Plan Your Safari?
If you're still deciding where to go on safari, tell us what you have in mind, and our team will help you find the right destination, camps, and itinerary for your trip.
