Which are the best places to see Wildlife in Africa? The African continent is blessed with breathtaking scenery, natural features, minerals, amazing wildlife species, oceans, lakes and rivers. Despite all this, Africa receives less tourists compared to more developed continents with greater infrastructure and marketing capabilities. This is unfortunate given that Africa has so much to offer and is second to none when to comes to variety in what Travelers can see or experience. A key attraction in Africa is the wildlife. The wildlife in Africa is so attractive that they have inspired thousands of movies and documentaries all around the world. You need to tune in to any of the wildlife channels and a lot of the content is about the African continent.
The wildlife in Africa is spread out in different parts of the continent. You can find them in South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Nigeria and Rwanda just to mention a few. A visit to any of these countries will expose Tourists to pristine wilderness with opportunities to view wild animals roaming gracefully in their natural habitats. Some of them move in herds, other move alone and others in the thousands especially during their annual migrations to find new pasture. How safe is a safari in Africa? As already mentioned, Africa is made up of over 50 countries including some islands in the Indian Ocean. Each country has its own dynamics. Most of the countries in Africa are very safe to visit. Many Travelers are surprised to find that countries like Botswana or even Rwanda may be safer than their own backyard.
When visiting any country in the world, it is important to be cautious. Avoid crowded places whenever possible and remember to move about with a local Guide. Avoid moving in lonely streets in the night and read extensively about the country you are planning to visit in Africa. Countries like Libya, South Sudan, the Eastern park of Congo and Somalia can still be visited but with extra caution because they are still dealing with internal conflicts as a result of war. Ensure that you read Travel Advisories from the consulate/embassy of your country in the country you plan to visit in Africa. You might want to read about what to pack for a safari in Africa.
Where to go in Africa to see Wildlife
Africa is a great tourism destination because it offers amazing game drives to see the big 5 mammals (Lions, Buffaloes, Leopards, Rhinos and Elephants) and giant primates. The annual wildlife migrations 
in Tanzania, Kenya and South Sudan have been declared natural wonders. Gorilla trekking in Africa exposes tourists to a creature that looks and behaves like we humans. The big 5 and primates aside, Africa offers arguably the best birding experiences in the world. Apart from resident birds, migratory species from Europe and Asia visit Africa to escape the harsh winters and droughts. Where can you see all these amazing wildlife? We will answer that shortly.
The Ngorongoro Crater of Tanzania: Located in East Africa, the Ngorongoro crater is a wonderful place to view the big 5 animals – especially lions, elephants and leopard among other animals. The crater 
is part of the wider Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The crater was formed when a giant volcano the size of Kilimanjaro collapsed and left behind a depression. This depression has now trapped animals in a wildlife paradise of plenty. The best time to visit is during the dry months of December, January and February. The Ngorongoro Crater was part of the Serengeti National Park hence offering tourists an opportunity to watch the great migrations of wildebeests, zebras and other animals as they leave the Serengeti for the Masai Mara in search of greener pastures. Travelers to the Ngorongoro crater also get to tour the lush green forests and swamps during guided nature walks.
The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park of Uganda: Located in the western part of Uganda, Bwindi is a famous natural habitat for half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. Gorilla Trekking 
in Bwindi is a fun-filled wildlife experience which involves hiking through Africa’s dense jungles to spend an hour with the primates. Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi is special because it involves an encounter with a creature that resembles and behaves like we humans. Tourist are left in awe as they watch young gorillas playing, breastfeeding, grooming and resting in nests. The dominant male silverback gorilla is always on the watch out for his family with a benevolent look. Gorilla Trekking has been a life changing experience for many Travelers to Africa and is considered to be one of the top 3 wildlife activities. A gorilla permit in Bwindi costs $700. The cost of gorilla tours include permits, accommodation, meals and even flights.
The Boulders Beach of South Africa: Situated in one of the suburbs of Cape Town, the Boulders beach is a famous home for pretty looking African penguins. They can be seen playing in large numbers 
along the sand beaches before retreating back into the calm waters (thanks to the huge granite boulders that help to control wild waves). The Boulder Beach receives many tourists especially during the summer. Most go to observe the penguins after reading about them or watching famous documentaries like ” the penguin town”. There is an entry fee charged for entering the Boulders beach. International Travelers pay 152 South African Rand while kids pay 75 Rand. Citizens of South Africa pay 39 Rand while their Kids part with 20 Rand.
The Queen Elizabeth national park of Uganda: Located in the western part of Uganda, this park was named after Queen Elizabeth II of Britain. Queen Elizabeth National Park stands out because of the 
stunning scenery/landscape, water bodies and wildlife. It is one of the most visited places in Uganda due to its amazing wildlife collection that includes four of the big 5, thousands of rare bird species, other small game and primates including chimpanzees. Wild animals can be seen moving around the vast Savannah grasslands or the numerous water holes waiting for a drink. Tourists can also track chimpanzees at the Kyambura Gorge. Queen Elizabeth National Park is famous for its tree climbing lions. These rare cats can be spotted on tree branches in the Ishasha region of the park. During your game drive at the Queen Elizabeth national park, you will also view the famous Rwenzori mountains towering the skies from a far distance.
The Kasanka National park of Zambia: Zambia’s Kasanka national park is famous for playing host to one of Africa’s greatest mammal migrations. Unlike other parks that are more famous for having large 
mammals like elephants, wildebeests and zebras, the Kasanka national park stands out because it offers an opportunity to observe a great bat migration. During the months of November to December, stray colored fruit bats are attracted to special fruit producing trees found in the forests of the park. These bats migrate from the Congo basin to the Kasanka national park to enjoy these delicious fruits. Tourists visiting the park get to observe an amazing collection of bats flying around in the millions. They do this especially in the evening hours. Apart from observing the bats, tourists also watch as thousands of large predator birds appear to catch the bats as prey.
The Amakhala Game Reserve: This park is found in South Africa and along the Eastern Cape. The game reserve covers an area of about 18,000 acres of land and is privately owned. Amakhala Game Reserve is home to animals like buffaloes, giraffes, wildebeests, monkeys, lions, zebras, antelopes and elephants among others. Visitors to the Amakhala game reserve get to enjoy both day and night game drives, high-end accommodation facilities and boat rides at the Bushman’s river. A visit to Amakhala Game Reserve offers a chance to go for a private adventure and personalized services in amazing African wilderness.
The Simiens mountains of Ethiopia: Situated in northern Ethiopia, the Simien mountains National Park is home to the world’s only grass eating primates known as the Geladas. Geladas are very rare species of primates and they can be spotted grazing around the mountain in troops. A Gelada troop/band is made up of about 12 females with their young ones and a dominant male who is the head of an individual troop. Wolves can be seen making their way into Gelada monkey troops in what may appear to be an attempt at hunting down infant monkeys. However, that is not the case. The wolves target rodents that are found around the Gelada monkeys.
The Volcanoes national park of Rwanda: This beautiful mist-covered park is located in an area dominated by more than 5 giant volcanoes. The park is home to a third or the remaining population of mountain gorillas and was made famous by a great primatologist known as Dian Fossey. Dian Fossey set 
up camp along the slopes of two volcanoes found in the park to study mountain gorillas extensively. The park attracts tourists who are mainly interested in observing gorillas in the wild. Rwanda’s mountain gorillas are so thrilling to watch that the experience inspired the famous documentary and movie “gorillas in the mist”. Other activities in the park include golden monkey trekking, hiking mount karisimbi, visiting the grave of Dian Fossey, climbing mount Bisoke, exploring the Musanze caves or visiting the Gorilla Guardians Village. Regardless of which activity you register for at the Volcanoes National Park, you can be sure to enjoy breathtaking views of lush green Tropical rain forests, green terraced hills, volcanoes, lakes like Burera and Ruhondo.
Lake Nakuru National Park of Kenya: This unique tourism site was well known for hosting millions of the magnificent flamingo birds. The birds are attracted to the salt and algae forming around 
the lake shores. Unfortunately, the overall numbers of these pretty looking birds has significantly reduced due over the years due to several factors. One of the factors is the ever rising water levels of the lake which is caused by global warming and other human activities. Nevertheless, Lake Nakuru National Park remains arguably the best place to view flamingo. Tourists who visit the park can also expect to see other wild animals like impalas, elephants, water bucks, white rhinos and hippos among others. The park also offers Travelers breathtaking views of waterfalls, Acacia forests and rocky escarpments among other beautiful physical features.
Kruger National Park of South Africa: This is one of the most visited parks in Africa because it offers variety and a high concentration of wildlife. The park has over 145 mammal species that tourists 
can view during games drives including giraffes, hippos, crocodiles and the big 5. Many tourists visit Kruger National Park to see the rare Tree Climbing lions. Kruger National park is home to rare bird species such as the colorful hornbill, massive raptors, eagles and parrots among others. Being located in a relatively developed country ensures that Kruger National Park receives lots of Visitors. Infrastructure and particularly hotels are of the highest quality.
The Serengeti national park of Tanzania: The Serengeti is one of the best places to observe wildlife in the world. Along with the Masai Mara of Kenya, it is the place to watch the great wildebeest migration. 
This migration of wildebeest, zebras and other antelopes involves crossing the Mara river in search for water and pasture. During this wildlife spectacle, predators follow the migrating herds to snatch a calf or any weak adult. The calving season finds the migration in the Serengeti National Park hence attracting a lot of tourists. A tour of the Serengeti guarantees one close encounters with animals like lions, leopards, Impalas, Zebras, the rare Thomson’s Gazelles and the Grant’s Gazelles among others. The months of August and September are the ideal months to watch the migration in the Serengeti.
Plettenberg Bay of South Africa: This is one of the best places to go to if you are interested in exploring the marine life of Africa. Tourists at the Plettenberg Bay can be sure to view the southern right whales, the humpback whales, the Bottlenose Dolphins and Great White sharks among others. From a distance, one can spot the whales partly immersed in the waters with only their tails exposed in the air. In order to view them up-close, one must register for a whale watching tour. Apart from observing whales, tourists can always enjoy swimming activities at the seal colony where several Cape fur seals can be seen performing their underwater acrobatics.
The Solio Game Reserve of Kenya: Created in the year 1970, the Solio Game Reserve was set up 
with the purpose of conserving both white and black rhinos. It is the oldest privately owned rhino sanctuary in Kenya and is located in valley between two mountains (Mount Aberdare and Mount Kenya). Travelers can also visit the nearby Ol Pajeta Conservancy in the Laikipia plateau to view many white rhinos and the eastern black rhinos. There is also a big cattle ranch still found in the same area and a favorite stopover for tourists interested in learning about rare African breeds. If you are wondering about where to stay for the night, look no further than the Solio game reserve lodge.
Masai Mara national reserve of Kenya: The Masai Mara is one of the most visited national parks in Africa. It is composed of vast Savannah grasslands from where animals can be seem moving around 
freely in huge herds as they search for food especially between July and August. Travelers can either go for game drives or use a hot air balloon to view gazelles, wildebeests, buffaloes, elephants, hippos and others. The Masai National Reserve is a greater extension of the Serengeti of Tanzania and hence part of the great wildebeest migration corridor. Between June and August visitors flock the park to witness the great migration and especially Mara River crossing. During this migration, over one million wildebeest, zebras and other antelopes leave the Serengeti and cross to Kenya through the Mara river. This great spectacle is one of the greatest wildlife wonders on earth and is something everyone has to see to believe.
The Ruaha National Park of Tanzania: Have you ever imagined how the old Africa used to look like? I mean the Africa you read about in books with pristine wilderness, vast plains and all kids of animals roaming about. The Ruaha national park is a place that will remind you of why many tourists are fascinated with Africa. You will see lots of untamed animals like wild dogs, Lions, buffaloes, the grant’s gazelles, rare antelope species like the roan and sable among others. You will experience all this while staying in beautiful accommodation facilities and friendly African Guides.
Hwange National Park of Zimbabwe: This is the largest national park in the country covering a total land area of 3.4 million acres. Hwange National Park is known for having the greatest population of elephants in the whole of Africa. Apart from the striking elephants, Travelers can expect to view other kinds of wild animals like lions, giraffes, cheetahs, wild dogs, leopards, elephants and more. The best time to see wildlife is between July and October. It is around this time that they all gather at water holes to drink, do dust baths or catch their prey. The main activities at the park include camping, game drives and guided nature walks.
Madikwe Game Reserve of South Africa: The Madikwe game reserve is located at the border with Botswana and covers an area of about 270 square miles of land. Most of the reserve consists of vast plains, rocky outcrops and scattered trees. Madikwe game reserve offers Travelers the opportunity to go for traditional safaris to spot giraffes, hippos, spotted hyenas, impalas, baboons and many more of Africa’s famous wild animals. The reserve is excellent for birding and has over 400 different species including the outstanding yellow throated sand grouse.
The Moholoholo animal Rehabilitation center: Unlike many of the national parks that organize game drives to see wild animals, the Moholoholo center offers Travelers a different experience. Travelers get up-close with leopards, lions and other wild animals that are being cared for after getting injured or being orphaned. The care given to animals at the Moholoholo center has inspired documentaries like ” The wild orphans”. The series is aired by the National Geographic channel to create awareness about the need to conserve wildlife and prevent their extinction.
To conclude, Africa is exceedingly is blessed with natural beauty and many national parks. Africa is a continent made up of many countries. It is important to contact a trusted travel operator to help you with travel ideas and plan a successful trip. It is also important to note that we may have left out many outstanding wildlife conservation areas and national parks because of security or other reasons. The national parks in the Democratic Republic of Congo where not listed because of the insecurity in the country. DR Congo is a country with amazing biodiversity and one that may become a leading Tourism destination in the future.
