africa is a vast continent and if you are planning a trip there you may well be wondering where to go
and which of the hundreds of national parks and game reserves to choose from help is at
hand here i weigh in on the top 10 parks and reserves number 10. masai masai national reserve
kenya last but not least and located in the extreme southwest of kenya on the border
with tanzania is the masai mara national reserve covering over 580 square miles this quintessential
safari destination is home to the big five and is famous for its thriving big cat populations
special maasai mara experiences include hot air balloon safaris visits to local maasai villages
and of course the great migration which is when the mara is a pit stop for almost 2
million wildebeest zebra an antelope crossing from tanzania across the mighty marrow river on
their death-defying 1800-mile circular journey in fact these herds are so big they can be observed
from space the maasai mara is a photographer's paradise with year-round game viewing incredible
big cat sightings and large concentrations of elephant buffalo and giraffe governor's camp was
the first permanent tented camp in the masai mara and it occupies some of the best wildlife viewing
locations in the reserve number 9. sabi sand game reserve south africa the sabi sands game reserve
is a 160 000 acre reserve pioneered by local landowners in the 1950s and shares a 31-mile long
unfenced border with the world-renowned kruger national park known for delivering excellent big
five game viewing with some extraordinary close encounters and prolific sightings particularly
of the elusive leopard this area is considered one of the best safari areas in south africa
sabi sans offers a variety of accommodation options to suit everyone in every budget
as there are several lodges to choose from in the game reserve visit sabi sands to start planning
your trip number 8. ingorongoro crater tanzania the ingarongaro crater formed when a giant volcano
exploded and collapsed in on itself two or three million years ago creating a crater 2000 feet deep
and a 64 000 acre floor the ingarongaro crater is home to an exceptional concentration of fauna
it is estimated that over 25 000 large animals live here i'm not including birds insects or
reptiles in this count including huge herds of wildebeests and zebras there is also no
shortage of predators with the crater being home to lion hyenas cheetah jackals caracals
bat-eared foxes and more a definite highlight is the healthy population of black rhino and some of
the largest tusker elephants on the continent the lake at the center of the crater hosts huge flocks
of rose-colored flamingos while maasai tribes people still live within the conservation area
given its size the ingarongaro crater really only needs a day or two of your travel time and is best
as part of a larger east african itinerary perhaps combining the wildlife wonders of
the crater with the migration spectacle of the serengeti or the laid-back beaches of zanzibar
i often take a day trip to ingarongaro as a break at the end of a kilimanjaro climb as a
taste of luxury perhaps try ingar rongaro crater lodge for a special visit to this fantastic place
number 7. south luangwan national park zambia in eastern zambia south luangwa national park
plays host to huge concentrations of wildlife including elephant buffalo lion giraffe hippo
over 450 species of bird and 60 species of mammal south luangwa is also arguably the best place in
africa to see leopards south luangwa is known for incredible walking safaris that give you the
chance to get up close to the park's wildlife there is something incredibly special about a
safari on foot no noise from vehicles just the crunch of dry grass underfoot your senses are
heightened you see and hear things that you have never noticed before you become conscious of how
loud your breath sounds in your ears as you try hard to walk silently through the bush for an
expertly guided walking safari in south luangwa you can't go wrong with surefoot safaris number 6.
morami game reserve botswana coming in at number 6 morimi game reserve is a protected wildlife
area in botswana it lies on the okavango delta's eastern side and was named after chief moraemi
of the botawana tribe mourimi was designated as a game reserve rather than a national park when it
was created which meant that the boss sarwa or bushmen who lived there were allowed to remain
in the reserve among other animals the reserve is home to cheetah white and black rhinoceros rarely
seen wild dogs lions and over 500 bird species this ecosystem is amongst the richest in africa
island safari lodge is an ideal jumping-off point for a trip in dumouremi and they also offer
fantastic mobile safaris into the reserve which i have done with my family and thoroughly enjoyed
let this small but diverse area blow you away with its wildlife number 5. lower zambezi national park
zambia if you follow the zambezi river about 300 miles downstream of the victoria falls opposite
zimbabwe's mana pools you will find the pristine wilderness of zambia's lower zambezi national park
an area of abundant wildlife from herds of elephants to soaring fish
eagles and everything in between a hunting ground for lions leopards and wild dogs a timeless
valley of giant towering winter thorns where wildlife finds sanctuary in the dappled shade
the area's beauty lies in its wildness and the spectacular opportunities to get up close to
the game that wanders in and out of the zambezi's channels the river is home to
hippos and crocodiles and is the perfect place for sunset boat trips trawling for the coveted
tigerfish and one of my favorite activities canoeing safaris i have traveled the length of
the lower zambezi national park by both road and river and can highly recommend this beautiful park
annabesie has three fantastic lodges along this stretch of the river and is a great place to
start planning your trip number 4. okavango delta botswana the okavango delta is a vast inland river
delta in northern botswana the area is known for its sprawling grassy plains which flood
seasonally becoming a lush animal habitat the delta supports an astonishing variety of wildlife
the best time to visit is during the annual flood when many of the animals are confined
to islands created by the floodwaters making them easier to spot highlights include great herds of
elephant and antelope hippos crocodiles lions and cheetah many of the birds spotted here are endemic
the most exciting way to explore the area is by traditional dugout canoe makoro which i first did
in my early 20s navigating past hippos elephants and crocodiles and spending several nights camping
on tiny islands about 40 percent of the okavango delta is in the morimi game reserve on the eastern
edge of the delta and we will focus on that when we reach number six very much the center
of botswana's safari industry the okavango delta features some of africa's premier camps
a good place to start your accommodation search is with wilderness safaris who has several
beautiful luxury lodges in the okavango delta number 3. malamala game reserve south africa
malamala is the oldest in one of the largest private big five game reserves in south africa
it covers 37 000 acres shares a 12-mile unfenced boundary with the world-renowned kruger national
park and is sandwiched in a prime position between the krueger and the sabi sands reserve giving it
great access to abundant wildlife in the local language zissanga the name malamala means kudu
and the area got its name from the abundance of these majestic spiral-horned antelope within the
game reserve the reserve is also home to the big five and is famous for luxury photographic safaris
malamala is the place to start your search for accommodation within the reserve number 2. mana
pools national park zimbabwe next on our list we have mana pools national park in the far north
of zimbabwe the zambezi river's wide waters form the boundary between zimbabwe and zambia
on the southern zimbabwean side is mana pools national park a stunning unesco world heritage
site and a park known for fantastic wildlife visibility beside the river and flood plains
on the northern bank is zambia's lower zambezi national park which we will focus on when we
reach number five in our countdown mana is the shona local language word for four
and within the park the river channels have created four large pools giving the park its name
these pools are surrounded by forests of mahogany wildfig ebony and winterthorns in the dry season
the shady glades beneath these trees are filled with wildlife herds of impala eland elephant zebra
buffalo waterbuck and kudu these animals provide a plentiful supply of prey for both predators and
scavengers there are several sizeable feelings of pride of lions as well as leopards and hyenas
mana pools is also a stronghold for wild dogs mana pools national park is the perfect place for
walking and canoeing safaris david attenborough's wildlife series for the bbc dynasties filmed
the episode about wild dogs in the park i have spent hours watching these same wild dogs and i
can promise you the park is the perfect place to go to spot this endangered african animal
african bush camps have three fantastic lodges and mana pools each in a different park area number 1.
serengeti national park tanzania coming in at number one is serengeti national
park in northern tanzania the serengeti shares a border with kenya's masai mara national reserve
which we will chat about more when you reach the number 10 spot on this list
serengeti's sprawling grasslands make for those classic safari views with flat-topped acacia
trees and grazing herds of zebra and antelope these grazing herds attract large numbers of
predators and the open plains make for a fantastic destination to watch lions and cheetahs in action
the serengeti is also home to the annual great migration in which over one million
wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of other ungulates make their over 600-mile circular trek
the animals travel from their breeding grounds in the south to fresh pastures in the north
all the while with predators hot on their heels the great migration is one of the most impressive
natural events in the world as an exciting and special bonus black rhinos were reintroduced
into the serengeti some in 2010 and more in 2019 and earlier this year a black rhino calf
was born to one of the reintroduced females the first black rhino birth in the park for decades
nomad tanzania has the beautiful serengeti safari camp which is the perfect location to catch the
wildebeest migration there is nothing quite like the thrill of an african safari the stillness of
the early morning before the heat of the sun covers the land the sound of wild creatures
calling in the night the sense of adventure that comes from being surrounded by untamed wilderness
above all it's the excitement of being in the bush never quite knowing what new sights sounds and
experiences the day will bring i've given you a tiny taste of 10 of the most popular safari
destinations on the continent choose one of these for your next african adventure and you won't
be disappointed so that's it for today's video be sure to hit that subscribe button before we
end the video take a 4d virtual field trip to the american safari at zoptics.com thanks for watching