Southern Africa is one of the best and most diverse safari destinations in Africa. This region is home to some of Africa’s best and most famous parks and wildlife habitats, including Kruger (South Africa), Etosha (Namibia), Chobe and the Okavango Delta (Botswana), and Hwange (Zimbabwe), to name a few. On your first safari, you may wish to base your itinerary around these famous destinations.

However, these parks are only a few of the safari destinations in Southern Africa. This is a destination with almost no restrictions on what you can do, from an ultra-exclusive fly-in safari that includes everything, including luxury, to a self-drive safari where you make your own decisions. Botswana is known for its luxury options (though they are available in many other places), whilst self-drive safaris are popular throughout the region.

Where do we go? South Africa is perhaps the best choice for a diverse selection of safari options that can be combined with other, non-safari attractions. For a quieter, self-drive safari, it just has to be Namibia or Botswana (yes, they’ve perfected both this and the high-end safari). Zambia and Zimbabwe may not have the same profile as their neighbours, but they are excellent sites to look for wildlife.

After all, these gorgeous wild species are what a safari is all about, and Southern Africa has some of the world’s remaining major wildlife populations. The ultimate goal of a safari is to see these magnificent animals in their natural habitat, and Kruger is a popular choice.

The safari heartland of Southern Africa consists of five countries: South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. These countries have a long history of safaris, many national parks, and strong conservation credentials. When you think of a classic Southern African safari, these five are usually at the forefront.

Other Southern African countries have safari opportunities, but on a smaller scale. The question of scale is especially relevant when discussing eSwatini and Lesotho, both of which are small and completely surrounded by South Africa. Malawi is a growing safari destination with a number of outstanding parks. Mozambique, too, has some magnificent parks, but security is an issue in some areas of the country. While these are all worthwhile destinations in their own right, if this is your first safari in Africa, you are unlikely to choose any of them.