Wildlife safari in Africa is an experience as the thrill of the wild meets nature. While some travellers come in to explore the wilderness and the beautiful scenery, others travel to experience the excitement of an outdoor adventure like hiking. 

Well, if the highlight of your safari is to spot wild animals in their natural and protected habitat, consider adding these top 5 safari parks.

1. Kruger National Park, South Africa

Known to be South Africa’s largest national park and game reserve, Kruger National Park was established in 1898. It is home to 147 mammal species and Africa’s big five, which include elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and buffalo. 

Types of Safari:

• Classic Lodge Safari
• Kruger Park Family Safari
• Romantic Safari
• Self Drive Safari
• Tented Camp Safari and more

Major Attractions:

• Wild Wing Safaris
• Experienced rangers lead walking safaris 
• Idube Game Reserve
• Nyalaland Wilderness Trail
• Tshokwane Picnic Site

Area Covered: 19,485 km square

Best Time to Visit: May to October

Average Time to Spend: 3 to 4 nights

Operations Hours: 6 AM to 5:30 PM

How to Reach: 

• Daily flights to Kruger Park from Johannesburg to Skukuza Airport and Mpumalanga International Airport are available. 
• Private company operates shuttle services from Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) to Kruger National Park.
• Lastly, you can also hire a car from all major towns in South Africa.

Entry Fee: 

• USD 25.81 per day/nonresident adult
• USD 12.90 per day/child (2 to 11 years of age)

2. Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Do you know countless wildlife movies have been recorded in Serengeti? Well, for all the good reasons! Serengeti National Park is a World Heritage Site known for its annual migration of zebra and wildebeest. The park is home to over 4000 lions, 550 cheetahs, 1000 leopards, and nearly 500 bird species. 

Types of Safari:

• Sayari Camp
• Mila Tented Camp

Major Attractions: 

• The Great Migration (usually happens from late June to early September)
• Moru Kopjes for game viewing 
• Seronera River valley (home to wildlife species including foxes, zebras, kobs)
• Serengeti Balloon Safaris

Area Covered: 14,763 km square

Best Time to Visit: January to February or June to September 

Average Time to Spend: 4 days and 3 nights

Operations Hours: 6 AM to 6 PM

How to Reach: 

• Fly into  Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). This airport is at a distance of around 200 miles from the park.
• Book a drive-in or an overland safari from Arusha town. The drive usually takes about 7 to 8 hours.
• You can fly with Tanzania’s local airlines, such as Coastal Aviation or Air Excel. 

Entry Fee: 

Peak Season (16th May to 14th March)

• USD 70 per day/nonresident adult
• USD 20 per day/child (aged between 5 to 15 years)
• Free for children aged below 5 years

Low Season (15th March to 15th May)

• USD 60 per day/nonresident adult
• USD 20 per day/child (aged between 5 to 15 years)
• Free for children aged below 5 years

3. Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Masai Mara is a unique National Reserve popular for its natural diversity of wildlife. Visitors are attracted to this premium conservation area due to numerous reasons. Lions, cheetahs, elephants, zebras, and rhinos freely roam in the park. The reserve is also known for hosting the Great Migration.

Types of Safari:

• Walking Safaris
• Hot Air Balloon Safaris (Not possible in the central reserve)
• Helicopter Flights

Major Attractions: 

• Game Drives (June to October)
• Nature Walks
• Masai Village Visit
• Cultural Experiences

Area Covered: 1510 km square

Best Time to Visit: June to October

Average Time to Spend: 4 days and 3 nights

Operations Hours: 06:00 hours to 18:00 hours

How to Reach: 

• Fly into Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (Nairobi). Upon reaching the airport, take a short-haul flight, which takes about 45 minutes to get to Mara’s airstrips.
• You can also drive and reach the National Reserve. It is located 270 km west of Nairobi. 

Entry Fee:

• USD 100 per day/non-resident adult (from 1st January 2024 to 30th June 2024) and USD 200 per day/non-resident adult after 1st July 2024. 
• USD 50 per day/child (aged between 9 to 17 years at the time of entry).
• Free entry for children aged below 8 years.

4. South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

Luangwa National Park stands as one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world and for obvious reasons. It protects numerous vegetation, birds and wildlife. Home to the walking safari, it allows visitors to experience Africa’s wilderness in its raw nature. 60 different animal species and about 400 of Zambia’s 732 species of birds, including 39 birds of prey and 47 migrant species, the park has them all. 

Types of Safari

• Walking Safaris
• Vehicle Safaris
• Leopard and Lion Viewing 

Major Attractions: 

• Large hippo population
• Chance to see rare giraffes
• Lion camp

Area Covered: 9,050 km square

Best Time to Visit: May to August

Average Time to Spend: 8 days

Operations Hours: 9 AM to 5 PM

How to Reach: 

• Fly into the national park via Lusaka's Kenneth Kaunda International Airport.
• You can also travel domestically from Livingstone to Lusaka or vice versa. 
• Get to South Luangwa via road (4x4 vehicle).

Entry Fee: USD 100 per night/individual

5. Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

Wildlife enthusiasts especially visit the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda to encounter gorillas. These wild gorillas are among the rarest apes in the world. The park spans 5 of the 8 volcanoes in the Virunga Mountains: Mount Bisoke, Mount Karisimbi, Mount Gahinga, Mount Sabyinyo and Mount Muhabura. 

Types of Safari:

• Gorilla Trekking Safari
• Golden Monkey Tracking
• Volcano Climbing

Major Attractions: 

• Golden Monkey trekking
• Mountain hiking
• Bird watching

Area Covered: 160 km square

Best Time to Visit: June to mid-September and December to January 

Average Time to Spend: 2 to 3 nights

Operations Hours: 6 AM to 4 PM

How to Reach: 

• Fly into Kigali International Airport. The park is located at a distance of 116 km from here.
• You can also reach via road (Uganda or Democratic Republic of Congo).

Entry Fee: USD 75 to 500/nonresident individual

Various factors must be considered when selecting the ideal wildlife safari in Africa. First, you must decide on your preferred type of wildlife and the experience you want. Once you've determined your preferences, you can start researching and comparing different safari options based on their location, accommodation, tour packages, and pricing.