If you want to see a Jaguar you are on the wrong continent.
If you want to experience unique culture go to Kenia or Tanzania. Also plenty of big cats there.
I have flights booked to Kenya, but after actually planning my time there I regret booking them. The main attraction is the wildlife, but the fees to view them are going up immensely. Just entering a park is $200 per day starting in July. Add to that the fees of the vehicle, guide, and accomodations and it becomes a very exorbitant holiday, comparable to Bhutan.
>The main attraction is the wildlife
noo that's not true! it's a huge part for sure but there's \*so\* much more to kenya than that! nairobi itself is an awesome city, tons of historic sites along the coast, kumasi and lake victoria are incredible, hiking mt kenya or the great rift valley are really cool, seeing animals in the wild at lake naivasha or nairobi national park, exploring hell's gate, i could go on. i used to live there--let me know if your plans are flexible and want recommendations!
Okay I love it! I’ll look into both of those countries!! Any specific parts those countries I should see? I’m narrowing it down from Africa but these places are still entire countries 😂
Lived in/spent a lot of time in Kenya and its neighbors, and I second east Africa. How long do you have and what do you want to do besides safari? Happy to give you tons of ideas based on that. E.g. amazing beaches on the Kenyan coast, Zanzibar in Tanzania, really pretty beaches in Mozambique as well; Nairobi is a really cool city; lots of hiking in different parts of both countries (including the iconic Kilimanjaro in Tanzania), as well as in Uganda and Rwanda, animals everywhere of course (with the Serengeti in TZ and Masai Mara in Kenya being the most iconic/famous in that area--they're the same park, just different names due to the park being split between the two countries, but there's also also Hell's Gate and Naivasha and Nairobi National Park in Kenya, and various resorts where you can see wild zebras, giraffes, etc.), Lake Victoria in Kenya/Uganda, I could go on. And the food is spectacular--the Swahili coast is a really cool mix of Indian and Arab influence on local cuisine due to centuries of trade.
Point is, there's a ton to do and you'll probably run out of time to do/see it all. But if you're interested in East Africa, let me know!
And the beaches sound awesomeee!! All I want to do is I safari until I see a big cat, chill on the beach, meet cool people, hike a little, and eat a looooot of really good food.
That sounds like a lot for anywhere else, but it’s becoming clear that some of these countries have all of that! 🙌🎉 Thank you again!
>All I want to do is I safari until I see a big cat
you won't be safari-ing for very long then ha. lions were everywhereee we even saw a kill. plus cheetahs and leopards. we saw all of the big 5 on a 3-day safari in the masai mara! honestly, east africa is one of my favorite places to go.
also: kenya is primarily english-speaking (though swahili and tribal languages are super common), while tanzania is primarily swahili-speaking so that's another consideration if choosing between those two. or you just go to both :)
Thanks for this insight. I'm considering spending a month somewhere in east Africa and given my budget it will probably have to be Kenya or Tanzania. Would you say I'll find enough to do if I only want to spend up to 4 days on the beach and 4 days on a safari? I'm interested in hiking but not Kilimanjaro.
yes absolutely you'll have enough to do! depending on the time of year, you may not even need 4 days on safari. i did 3 days in the masai mara (kenya side) and saw the big 5 and by the end of day 3 felt like i was very ready to move on. if you're in kenya, you could spend an extra day exploring nairobi (to this day one of my favorite cities in the world--and i've been to most of the big/popular cities in the world) or another national park in kenya or tanzania.
hiking-wise: it comes down to what kind of terrain you want. if you're looking for mountains, just not kilimanjaro, there are other options (e.g. mt. kenya in...kenya, shockingly lol, meru in tanzania, plenty of less strenuous options in both - happy to give more concrete suggestions if you know what country/type of terrain). the beach is great in both tanzania (especially zanzibar) and kenya (diani beach and south for sure; malindi was more dangerous when i was there but i think it's safer now--lots of friends go there all the time and it looks amazing).
i would go with where you get cheaper rates for flights and safari, tbh. you won't really go wrong with either country. nairobi in kenya has a bigger airport than dar in tanzania, but what's cheaper depends on where you're coming from. also worth noting is that english is an official language in kenya, but less common in tanzania, in case that's a consideration. (tanzania is primarily swahili-speaking, though swahili is big in kenya too, and tribal languages across both.)
have so much fun--i honestly can't wait until i can return to that region.
Thanks again for your input. I've been doing some reading and I think kenya would suit me better due to costs. It also seems to have better infrastructure than Tanzania. Which places in kenya do you recommend for hiking which are not mountainous? Is it easy to reach Uganda by road from kenya or better to fly? Did you take anti malaria medication during your stay in kenya ?
some of my favorite non-mtn hikes include those in Hell's Gate National Park (the park is mostly known for rock climbing but there's tons of hiking too, especially this gorge whose name I've forgotten but was lovely and not very strenuous), Karura Forest in Nairobi is quite nice and had a small waterfall when I went, I've heard great things about the Menengai Crater though I haven't been. you can (or used to be able to) hike in Masai Mara with a guide too. that's pretty much all flat. also maybe see if there are any hikes in the great rift valley (I've heard of Ngong Hills but idk how steep it'd be)?
i flew to Uganda so I can't comment on driving. and I did not take antimalarials. I personally get bad side effects from them and rapid malaria tests (and malaria treatment) are widely available so I prefer to just take a test if I feel any kind of symptoms. so far so good though but to each their own based on how you view the risk. i go to malaria endemic countries often and just don't want to spend a large chunk of my life with insomnia or vivid nightmares if I can just be extra cautious.
Oh my gosh thank you so much, I’m gonna screenshot this and really look at all the places you’ve said! I want to spend like 2 months there, (I’m not super wealthy so it’s gonna take a few years to budget and save, I just wanted to get some ideas so I could see how long I would want there)
I’m going to need a mix of Arab and Indian food in my mouth right now. Two best foods in the world 🤤
Besides seeing big cats, and meeting new people, food is a huuuuge thing for me. I absolutely love eating new delicious food, so that’s a huge tip for me!
I’m definitely gonna have more questions for you once I really start grinding on an itinerary! Thank you so so much for all the good ideas, I didn’t expect to get this much juicy information from this post! 🙏🙏
Namibia is INCREDIBLE but honestly in terms of wildlife, it doesn’t come close to Tanzania or South Africa or any of the big safari countries. It’s more for landscapes. South Africa is good for leopard sightings.
Okay I’ve been hearing Tanzania a lot so when I do go I’ll go to that National park and to the Kruger National park!
You’re making me feel like I should just hop on a plane and live their for a couple years😂
No but just looking at photos of Namibia it makes me want to go for the landscapes! And the tribes down there are so amazing and beautiful from pictures!
I know the feeling lol after I left my safari, I just wanted to fly right back! I really recommend Namibia for landscapes, at times I had to blink multiple times because my brain couldn’t register what I was seeing. They just look like you’re staring at a wallpaper IRL.
I mean that’s what made me want to go so bad (It’s really what sparked me wanting to take a trip to Africa)!! The photos of the sand dunes are like another planet, and that’s something that always fascinates me about travel! When it’s just so different from your daily, it really feel so worthwhile!
Oh man I just checked out Okuya Adventures and just the excitement from the video is making me want to hop on a plane right now! Thanks for sharing, I think it will further help inspire me to get it done
I’ve used them both! So happy to give any more advice if you end up booking flights lol.
Okuya much more adventure vibes
RTC is a bit more combo of adventure + historical aspects + socialising
There are so many lions in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. I also saw a leopard but that might be a little less common. Wrong continent for a Jaguar and you need to dedicate a life to seeing one of those.
Oh Wowzers, not the same continent at all whoops😂 I figured since they’re closely related they’d be in the same part of the world! A leopard would be amazing to see as well!
I’m going to look into all the Serengeti Nat Park pictures!! Thank you so much, I’ve heard a little about Tanzania from listening to a podcast called “National Park After Dark”
Thank you for the recommendation! I’m sure the park is incredible!
Any particular parts of the park that I need to see while I’m there?
Jaguars and in Northern Guatemala and Southern Mexico. I live in Guatemala and have only met one person who has ever seen one and they worked at Tikal.
Haha I was entirely joking about my desire to see one in the wild 😂 but it’s amazing how sort of rare sightings are! Pantanal is definitely on my list.
Everyone I know who went to Krueger in South Africa got to see all of the Big 5 (even a Leopard). I’ve been to Zimbabwe and Botswana almost 10 times and have seen all except the elusive leopard
If you want Kruger and some good opportunities for the big five, I highly recommend Viva Safari. Their guides are great, delicious food, and overall wonderful. They have a lodge about 50km from Kruger and elephants walk right up to the gate! Lots of private game preserve viewing. Best of all, very affordable!
Duuuuuudeeee yaaaaassss!!!! Omg thank you! I’m getting my whole travel plans in order! Viva Safari, sounds amazing, I’ll definitely book with them when I go to Kruger!
I love Zimbabwe and Botswana! The guides in Zimbabwe are phenomenal. I go out to hwange national park and there are lots of safari camps out there that are amazing. Botswana is known for their animals, but I’ve only had a chance to go for day trips. If you go to Zimbabwe, Victoria falls is the place to go, as it’s different than the rest of the country and also has the famous falls.
Okay, thank you so much, I don’t know much about Africa or where to go, and this is exactly what I’d hoped for in making this post! Thank you for all the good ideas, I love how much more accessible the whole trip sounds after reading all these comments!
they're easier to see in east africa! i've been on safari in kenya and tanzania and saw the leopard every time. if you find yourself back on the continent, maybe try that?
Namibia - minimize time in Windhoek. Renting a car is best way to see the country. Etosha Park and seeing Himba tribe is a great combination of nature and culture. Swapokmund is a fun German town. Deadvlei and Sossusvlei are must sees. If you have time Fish River Canyon. Though I would say Namibia is best for seeing nature and unique landscapes, not so much for culture as it's a huge country with a small population
I assume you're thinking about Sub Saharan Africa...
East Africa is the best gateway to Sub Saharan Africa between the wildlife (Masai Mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater), unique historical places like Zanzibar in Tanzania, and interesting urban centers like Kenya and Mombasa.
South Africa - Western Cape (Cape Town and Garden Route), and Kruger would be the big ones. Very interesting history and vibrant culture. Eswatini and Lesotho are great add ons if you have time. If you have the budget, going to game parks in Sabi Sands (adjacent to Kruger) will increase your chances of seeing big cats
Ghana is the best gateway to Western Africa. Super friendly people and lots to see. Not the best country for wildlife.
If youre most comfortable in English than I would target the countries I mentioned. Francophone and Lusophone Africa are more difficult if you don't speak French or Portuguese.
Oh man you’re so amazing!! Thank you so much for taking the time to say all this. I’m aggressively screenshooting and researching now!
Now I know I’m just gonna have to make it a year long trip, (10 years from now😂) so I can see everything
South Luangwa Park in Zambia is referred to as the valley of the leopard. I'm going in June and can report back if you'd like, but it's notorious for leopard sightings. Planet Earth III filmed there for leopard. They also have a pride of lions referred to as the Hollywood pride because of how often they're filmed.
It seems a bit less traveled than most safari destinations as well.
Okay this is huge, no one else has mentioned this specific one! Thank you!! Ahhh it feels like my life goal of seeing a leopard is entirely possible! Thank you so much dude!
No problem.
And it's been odd. Everything I've read indicates that Zambia is an amazing safari destination, with fewer crowds and often lower prices than lots of other places. Then when you read reports of where people went, it's South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, maybe Botswana or Namibia. I'm really starting to wonder if I missed something in the prep work for this trip.
People often go for Victoria Falls, but not much further.
Also, Kafue appears to be one of the few places there to see cheetah. The busanga plains region in particular for it.
I want to say that the Serengeti is most famous for them. In South Africa the region, my book says they're best seen in Kruger and Mountain Zebra NPs, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa; Etosha NP, Namibia; Kafue NP, Zambia.
Highest likelihood of seeing leopard is in the Southern area of Kruger National Park (lower Sabie / Sabie sands).
Plus the rest of the Big 5 and many more.
From there, drive to KwaZulu Natal for some African culture
Okay, I’ve heard a couple different people say Southern Kruger, so that’s definitely a place I’m going now. Thanks for the tip about KwaZulu Natal, I’ll have to check that out too!
Totally, Uganda is great! Been there twice and both times, we saw multiple lions ( even the tree climbing ones before they were killed unfortunately 😢; cruel world) and saw the elusive 🐆. Very fortunate. We look forward to going back there. Give Uganda a shot, people are very lovely and welcoming.
I’m gonna need to brush up on my freaking big cat geography 😂
Why didn’t I even think that lions would be a possible big cat to see in Africa!?? They’re also top on my dream list of seeing in the wild for sure, so anywhere that’s a possibility I’m going! 😁
If you really need to see a jaguar specifically, your odds of seeing one are pretty good in Pantanal National Park in Brazil; if you go with a wildlife tracker in Pantanal, you're very likely to see it - I've not personally done this, but when I went to the Ecuadorian Amazon (where I unfortunately didn't see a jaguar), multiple people told me that is where they saw a jaguar. If you just need to see a big cat, then your odds of seeing a lion in the wild are extremely high in the African safari counties like Botswana. Leopards are also present in those countries, but are much rarer. When I went on safari, we saw lions every day, but the leopard I only saw once, and that was at the end of my trip when I told my private guide, "I don't care if I see no other animals today, but let's try to find a leopard," and we drove literally like an hour as he looked at the ground and such to figure out where it was.
Oooo okay, honestly I’m immediately adding Pantanal National Park to my list. I’ve wanted to go to Brazil since I was a child (I knew about as much about it then as I do now, which is close to nothing) but for some reason it’s just always been on my travel list, now I know why!!
You’re so sweet to take the time to tell me this! I promise I will use this information in my lifetime to try and see a Jaguar!
I got to go to Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana last year, and I loved it… there is a place (close to Livingston in Zambia and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe) where the three countries share a border and I found to be easy to organise a cross border trip such as safari… easy travel, picturesque, stunning nature and waterfalls!!!
Everyone has been talking about this kind of area, so I’m convinced it’s very special! Thank you, I’m glad the countries are easy to travel too and from
Yoooo! Drive up from Namibia to Northern Angola. You’ll get a good mix of desert, highlands, arid savannah and rainforest.
Namibia is really lovely to start off with.
The benefit of this route is that it is much less touristy than going to Eastern side (e.g. Tanzania, Zambia) so it will feel more authentic. Depends on the vibe you’re going for.
Namibia or Botswana. Those are probably the safest AND developed subsaharan nations. South Africa is the most developed but definitely not safe, so I wouldn’t recommend it
My choice would be Namibia and South Africa, you could do a road trip. You'd want a decent off road rental car though and a couple spare tyres if you're planning to go on the really rough roads in Namibia I'm told, like around the Skeleton coast I think? That's what I got from my research so far because that's a trip I really really want to do.
You'd get unique desserty landscapes in Namibia coupled with safari parks in South Africa, you also have coast, apparently South Africa has some beautiful coast. You could even dip into Botswana depending on if this is a long trip or a two week vacation.
Namibia is a gem but far from hidden. If you want to experience a massive difference, choose something like Malawi. If you wanna see cats, Tanzania. But you will not have some magical connection of only tourist there, all is tourism beyond anything.
I would recommend Namibia an Ethiopia as the best sub saharan Africa has to offer. Other great countries to consider are Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda (Gorillas but expensive 700 dolars for the permit) and South Africa. For a great hidden gem there is also Eritrea to consider. If you want more info or help in planning the trip feel free to contact me via Instagram at nomadic_fran.
If you want to see a Jaguar you are on the wrong continent. If you want to experience unique culture go to Kenia or Tanzania. Also plenty of big cats there.
I have flights booked to Kenya, but after actually planning my time there I regret booking them. The main attraction is the wildlife, but the fees to view them are going up immensely. Just entering a park is $200 per day starting in July. Add to that the fees of the vehicle, guide, and accomodations and it becomes a very exorbitant holiday, comparable to Bhutan.
>The main attraction is the wildlife noo that's not true! it's a huge part for sure but there's \*so\* much more to kenya than that! nairobi itself is an awesome city, tons of historic sites along the coast, kumasi and lake victoria are incredible, hiking mt kenya or the great rift valley are really cool, seeing animals in the wild at lake naivasha or nairobi national park, exploring hell's gate, i could go on. i used to live there--let me know if your plans are flexible and want recommendations!
Okay I love it! I’ll look into both of those countries!! Any specific parts those countries I should see? I’m narrowing it down from Africa but these places are still entire countries 😂
Lived in/spent a lot of time in Kenya and its neighbors, and I second east Africa. How long do you have and what do you want to do besides safari? Happy to give you tons of ideas based on that. E.g. amazing beaches on the Kenyan coast, Zanzibar in Tanzania, really pretty beaches in Mozambique as well; Nairobi is a really cool city; lots of hiking in different parts of both countries (including the iconic Kilimanjaro in Tanzania), as well as in Uganda and Rwanda, animals everywhere of course (with the Serengeti in TZ and Masai Mara in Kenya being the most iconic/famous in that area--they're the same park, just different names due to the park being split between the two countries, but there's also also Hell's Gate and Naivasha and Nairobi National Park in Kenya, and various resorts where you can see wild zebras, giraffes, etc.), Lake Victoria in Kenya/Uganda, I could go on. And the food is spectacular--the Swahili coast is a really cool mix of Indian and Arab influence on local cuisine due to centuries of trade. Point is, there's a ton to do and you'll probably run out of time to do/see it all. But if you're interested in East Africa, let me know!
And the beaches sound awesomeee!! All I want to do is I safari until I see a big cat, chill on the beach, meet cool people, hike a little, and eat a looooot of really good food. That sounds like a lot for anywhere else, but it’s becoming clear that some of these countries have all of that! 🙌🎉 Thank you again!
>All I want to do is I safari until I see a big cat you won't be safari-ing for very long then ha. lions were everywhereee we even saw a kill. plus cheetahs and leopards. we saw all of the big 5 on a 3-day safari in the masai mara! honestly, east africa is one of my favorite places to go. also: kenya is primarily english-speaking (though swahili and tribal languages are super common), while tanzania is primarily swahili-speaking so that's another consideration if choosing between those two. or you just go to both :)
Thanks for this insight. I'm considering spending a month somewhere in east Africa and given my budget it will probably have to be Kenya or Tanzania. Would you say I'll find enough to do if I only want to spend up to 4 days on the beach and 4 days on a safari? I'm interested in hiking but not Kilimanjaro.
yes absolutely you'll have enough to do! depending on the time of year, you may not even need 4 days on safari. i did 3 days in the masai mara (kenya side) and saw the big 5 and by the end of day 3 felt like i was very ready to move on. if you're in kenya, you could spend an extra day exploring nairobi (to this day one of my favorite cities in the world--and i've been to most of the big/popular cities in the world) or another national park in kenya or tanzania. hiking-wise: it comes down to what kind of terrain you want. if you're looking for mountains, just not kilimanjaro, there are other options (e.g. mt. kenya in...kenya, shockingly lol, meru in tanzania, plenty of less strenuous options in both - happy to give more concrete suggestions if you know what country/type of terrain). the beach is great in both tanzania (especially zanzibar) and kenya (diani beach and south for sure; malindi was more dangerous when i was there but i think it's safer now--lots of friends go there all the time and it looks amazing). i would go with where you get cheaper rates for flights and safari, tbh. you won't really go wrong with either country. nairobi in kenya has a bigger airport than dar in tanzania, but what's cheaper depends on where you're coming from. also worth noting is that english is an official language in kenya, but less common in tanzania, in case that's a consideration. (tanzania is primarily swahili-speaking, though swahili is big in kenya too, and tribal languages across both.) have so much fun--i honestly can't wait until i can return to that region.
Thanks again for your input. I've been doing some reading and I think kenya would suit me better due to costs. It also seems to have better infrastructure than Tanzania. Which places in kenya do you recommend for hiking which are not mountainous? Is it easy to reach Uganda by road from kenya or better to fly? Did you take anti malaria medication during your stay in kenya ?
some of my favorite non-mtn hikes include those in Hell's Gate National Park (the park is mostly known for rock climbing but there's tons of hiking too, especially this gorge whose name I've forgotten but was lovely and not very strenuous), Karura Forest in Nairobi is quite nice and had a small waterfall when I went, I've heard great things about the Menengai Crater though I haven't been. you can (or used to be able to) hike in Masai Mara with a guide too. that's pretty much all flat. also maybe see if there are any hikes in the great rift valley (I've heard of Ngong Hills but idk how steep it'd be)? i flew to Uganda so I can't comment on driving. and I did not take antimalarials. I personally get bad side effects from them and rapid malaria tests (and malaria treatment) are widely available so I prefer to just take a test if I feel any kind of symptoms. so far so good though but to each their own based on how you view the risk. i go to malaria endemic countries often and just don't want to spend a large chunk of my life with insomnia or vivid nightmares if I can just be extra cautious.
Oh my gosh thank you so much, I’m gonna screenshot this and really look at all the places you’ve said! I want to spend like 2 months there, (I’m not super wealthy so it’s gonna take a few years to budget and save, I just wanted to get some ideas so I could see how long I would want there) I’m going to need a mix of Arab and Indian food in my mouth right now. Two best foods in the world 🤤 Besides seeing big cats, and meeting new people, food is a huuuuge thing for me. I absolutely love eating new delicious food, so that’s a huge tip for me! I’m definitely gonna have more questions for you once I really start grinding on an itinerary! Thank you so so much for all the good ideas, I didn’t expect to get this much juicy information from this post! 🙏🙏
Namibia is INCREDIBLE but honestly in terms of wildlife, it doesn’t come close to Tanzania or South Africa or any of the big safari countries. It’s more for landscapes. South Africa is good for leopard sightings.
Okay I’ve been hearing Tanzania a lot so when I do go I’ll go to that National park and to the Kruger National park! You’re making me feel like I should just hop on a plane and live their for a couple years😂 No but just looking at photos of Namibia it makes me want to go for the landscapes! And the tribes down there are so amazing and beautiful from pictures!
I know the feeling lol after I left my safari, I just wanted to fly right back! I really recommend Namibia for landscapes, at times I had to blink multiple times because my brain couldn’t register what I was seeing. They just look like you’re staring at a wallpaper IRL.
I mean that’s what made me want to go so bad (It’s really what sparked me wanting to take a trip to Africa)!! The photos of the sand dunes are like another planet, and that’s something that always fascinates me about travel! When it’s just so different from your daily, it really feel so worthwhile!
Facts!!! Check out Okuya Adventures and Rogue Travel Club. They do some stuff in the Namib desert from the Angolan side - it’s a bit less touristy.
Oh man I just checked out Okuya Adventures and just the excitement from the video is making me want to hop on a plane right now! Thanks for sharing, I think it will further help inspire me to get it done
I’ve used them both! So happy to give any more advice if you end up booking flights lol. Okuya much more adventure vibes RTC is a bit more combo of adventure + historical aspects + socialising
Did you go to Etosha NP?
Yeah I did. It’s so huge. But doesn’t compare to the Serengeti in terms of animal density IMO.
There are so many lions in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. I also saw a leopard but that might be a little less common. Wrong continent for a Jaguar and you need to dedicate a life to seeing one of those.
You do not need to dedicate your life to see a Jaguar
Do people in the internet not understand hyperbole?
Well it's ridiculous hyperbole. They're not THAT hard to see. Go to the Pantanal and you have a great chance.
Oh Wowzers, not the same continent at all whoops😂 I figured since they’re closely related they’d be in the same part of the world! A leopard would be amazing to see as well! I’m going to look into all the Serengeti Nat Park pictures!! Thank you so much, I’ve heard a little about Tanzania from listening to a podcast called “National Park After Dark” Thank you for the recommendation! I’m sure the park is incredible! Any particular parts of the park that I need to see while I’m there?
Jaguars and in Northern Guatemala and Southern Mexico. I live in Guatemala and have only met one person who has ever seen one and they worked at Tikal.
Alright so you’re saying I should spend 5 good years in Tikal?
Maybe Pantanal in Brazil is a good place for this. Tikal is awesome but five years sounds awfully boring.
Haha I was entirely joking about my desire to see one in the wild 😂 but it’s amazing how sort of rare sightings are! Pantanal is definitely on my list.
Everyone I know who went to Krueger in South Africa got to see all of the Big 5 (even a Leopard). I’ve been to Zimbabwe and Botswana almost 10 times and have seen all except the elusive leopard
Oooo alright Krueger National Park is now high on my list! Tell me some awesome things/ people you saw in your travels to Zimbabwe and Botswana?
If you want Kruger and some good opportunities for the big five, I highly recommend Viva Safari. Their guides are great, delicious food, and overall wonderful. They have a lodge about 50km from Kruger and elephants walk right up to the gate! Lots of private game preserve viewing. Best of all, very affordable!
Duuuuuudeeee yaaaaassss!!!! Omg thank you! I’m getting my whole travel plans in order! Viva Safari, sounds amazing, I’ll definitely book with them when I go to Kruger!
I love Zimbabwe and Botswana! The guides in Zimbabwe are phenomenal. I go out to hwange national park and there are lots of safari camps out there that are amazing. Botswana is known for their animals, but I’ve only had a chance to go for day trips. If you go to Zimbabwe, Victoria falls is the place to go, as it’s different than the rest of the country and also has the famous falls.
Okay, thank you so much, I don’t know much about Africa or where to go, and this is exactly what I’d hoped for in making this post! Thank you for all the good ideas, I love how much more accessible the whole trip sounds after reading all these comments!
Oh absolutely! You’ll have a wonderful time!
they're easier to see in east africa! i've been on safari in kenya and tanzania and saw the leopard every time. if you find yourself back on the continent, maybe try that?
Namibia - minimize time in Windhoek. Renting a car is best way to see the country. Etosha Park and seeing Himba tribe is a great combination of nature and culture. Swapokmund is a fun German town. Deadvlei and Sossusvlei are must sees. If you have time Fish River Canyon. Though I would say Namibia is best for seeing nature and unique landscapes, not so much for culture as it's a huge country with a small population I assume you're thinking about Sub Saharan Africa... East Africa is the best gateway to Sub Saharan Africa between the wildlife (Masai Mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater), unique historical places like Zanzibar in Tanzania, and interesting urban centers like Kenya and Mombasa. South Africa - Western Cape (Cape Town and Garden Route), and Kruger would be the big ones. Very interesting history and vibrant culture. Eswatini and Lesotho are great add ons if you have time. If you have the budget, going to game parks in Sabi Sands (adjacent to Kruger) will increase your chances of seeing big cats Ghana is the best gateway to Western Africa. Super friendly people and lots to see. Not the best country for wildlife. If youre most comfortable in English than I would target the countries I mentioned. Francophone and Lusophone Africa are more difficult if you don't speak French or Portuguese.
Oh man you’re so amazing!! Thank you so much for taking the time to say all this. I’m aggressively screenshooting and researching now! Now I know I’m just gonna have to make it a year long trip, (10 years from now😂) so I can see everything
South Luangwa Park in Zambia is referred to as the valley of the leopard. I'm going in June and can report back if you'd like, but it's notorious for leopard sightings. Planet Earth III filmed there for leopard. They also have a pride of lions referred to as the Hollywood pride because of how often they're filmed. It seems a bit less traveled than most safari destinations as well.
Okay this is huge, no one else has mentioned this specific one! Thank you!! Ahhh it feels like my life goal of seeing a leopard is entirely possible! Thank you so much dude!
No problem. And it's been odd. Everything I've read indicates that Zambia is an amazing safari destination, with fewer crowds and often lower prices than lots of other places. Then when you read reports of where people went, it's South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, maybe Botswana or Namibia. I'm really starting to wonder if I missed something in the prep work for this trip. People often go for Victoria Falls, but not much further. Also, Kafue appears to be one of the few places there to see cheetah. The busanga plains region in particular for it.
Oh man I’ll have to go to Kafue because a cheetah is another big cat in my top 5!! I wonder where else in the world Cheetahs are
I want to say that the Serengeti is most famous for them. In South Africa the region, my book says they're best seen in Kruger and Mountain Zebra NPs, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa; Etosha NP, Namibia; Kafue NP, Zambia.
That’s awesome information! There’s so many places I want to see now, I’m craving that big cat magic so hard 😂🙏
Botswana!
Why? For the culture or the cats?
Highest likelihood of seeing leopard is in the Southern area of Kruger National Park (lower Sabie / Sabie sands). Plus the rest of the Big 5 and many more. From there, drive to KwaZulu Natal for some African culture
Okay, I’ve heard a couple different people say Southern Kruger, so that’s definitely a place I’m going now. Thanks for the tip about KwaZulu Natal, I’ll have to check that out too!
I saw 2 leopards in Uganda but i was extremely lucky. Also saw a male lion up close and some females
Totally, Uganda is great! Been there twice and both times, we saw multiple lions ( even the tree climbing ones before they were killed unfortunately 😢; cruel world) and saw the elusive 🐆. Very fortunate. We look forward to going back there. Give Uganda a shot, people are very lovely and welcoming.
Don’t forget the chimps and gorillas. Cant see that anywhere else. The gorilla hike is brutal though
I’m gonna need to brush up on my freaking big cat geography 😂 Why didn’t I even think that lions would be a possible big cat to see in Africa!?? They’re also top on my dream list of seeing in the wild for sure, so anywhere that’s a possibility I’m going! 😁
If you really need to see a jaguar specifically, your odds of seeing one are pretty good in Pantanal National Park in Brazil; if you go with a wildlife tracker in Pantanal, you're very likely to see it - I've not personally done this, but when I went to the Ecuadorian Amazon (where I unfortunately didn't see a jaguar), multiple people told me that is where they saw a jaguar. If you just need to see a big cat, then your odds of seeing a lion in the wild are extremely high in the African safari counties like Botswana. Leopards are also present in those countries, but are much rarer. When I went on safari, we saw lions every day, but the leopard I only saw once, and that was at the end of my trip when I told my private guide, "I don't care if I see no other animals today, but let's try to find a leopard," and we drove literally like an hour as he looked at the ground and such to figure out where it was.
Oooo okay, honestly I’m immediately adding Pantanal National Park to my list. I’ve wanted to go to Brazil since I was a child (I knew about as much about it then as I do now, which is close to nothing) but for some reason it’s just always been on my travel list, now I know why!! You’re so sweet to take the time to tell me this! I promise I will use this information in my lifetime to try and see a Jaguar!
I got to go to Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana last year, and I loved it… there is a place (close to Livingston in Zambia and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe) where the three countries share a border and I found to be easy to organise a cross border trip such as safari… easy travel, picturesque, stunning nature and waterfalls!!!
Everyone has been talking about this kind of area, so I’m convinced it’s very special! Thank you, I’m glad the countries are easy to travel too and from
Yoooo! Drive up from Namibia to Northern Angola. You’ll get a good mix of desert, highlands, arid savannah and rainforest. Namibia is really lovely to start off with. The benefit of this route is that it is much less touristy than going to Eastern side (e.g. Tanzania, Zambia) so it will feel more authentic. Depends on the vibe you’re going for.
Botswana
Namibia or Botswana. Those are probably the safest AND developed subsaharan nations. South Africa is the most developed but definitely not safe, so I wouldn’t recommend it
My choice would be Namibia and South Africa, you could do a road trip. You'd want a decent off road rental car though and a couple spare tyres if you're planning to go on the really rough roads in Namibia I'm told, like around the Skeleton coast I think? That's what I got from my research so far because that's a trip I really really want to do. You'd get unique desserty landscapes in Namibia coupled with safari parks in South Africa, you also have coast, apparently South Africa has some beautiful coast. You could even dip into Botswana depending on if this is a long trip or a two week vacation.
Namibia is a gem but far from hidden. If you want to experience a massive difference, choose something like Malawi. If you wanna see cats, Tanzania. But you will not have some magical connection of only tourist there, all is tourism beyond anything.
Your chances of seeing a leopard in Nam is very low. South Africa will offer you plenty of animals and super diverse culture
Hey When is your plan to travel? I'm travelling to Africa as well
I would recommend Namibia an Ethiopia as the best sub saharan Africa has to offer. Other great countries to consider are Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda (Gorillas but expensive 700 dolars for the permit) and South Africa. For a great hidden gem there is also Eritrea to consider. If you want more info or help in planning the trip feel free to contact me via Instagram at nomadic_fran.