Kenya: Maasai Mara
Kenya's Maasai Mara National Reserve, which adjoins Tanzania's Serengeti National Reserve, is named for the tribe of people who are indigenous to the area. The reserve covers an area of just over 1500 square kilometres of mainly grassland. It has a healthy population of big cats, particularly lions, cheetahs and leopards. The park, along with the Serengeti National Park is the home to the world's largest annual migration of animals - known as the Great Migration. Visitors to the park can see all the members of the Big Five as well as giraffes and in the rivers there are large populations of hippopotami and crocodiles. Tourists can choose to stay in either tented camps or lodges. One of the most popular ways to enjoy the park is by hot air balloon.
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Madagascar: Andringitra National Park
Madagascar's Andringitra National Park covers just over 31 000 square kilometres. Crammed into this area are more than 100 bird species, 16 insectivores, 55 species of frog and over 50 species of mammal. The park's biggest draw is the many species of lemur found there. These include Ring-tailed Lemur, Red-bellied Lemur, Aye-aye, Greater Dwarf Lemur and many more. The three ecozones (low altitude rainforest, montane mountain, and highland vegetation/forest) stretch across varied terrain, including high mountains, ridges and deep valleys. Visitors to the park can stay in tented accommodation in the Tsara Camp. The park makes up part of the longest unbroken rainforest chain in Madagascar.
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Madagascar's Andringitra National Park covers just over 31 000 square kilometres. Crammed into this area are more than 100 bird species, 16 insectivores, 55 species of frog and over 50 species of mammal. The park's biggest draw is the many species of lemur found there. These include Ring-tailed Lemur, Red-bellied Lemur, Aye-aye, Greater Dwarf Lemur and many more. The three ecozones (low altitude rainforest, montane mountain, and highland vegetation/forest) stretch across varied terrain, including high mountains, ridges and deep valleys. Visitors to the park can stay in tented accommodation in the Tsara Camp. The park makes up part of the longest unbroken rainforest chain in Madagascar.
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Botswana: Chobe
Botswana's Chobe National Park was established in 1967. It is best known for the approximately 50 000 elephants that live there. The park, which is supported by the Chobe River, occupies almost 12 000 square kilometres. There are three camping sites in the park, ranging from quiet basic camps to luxury lodges. It has one of the largest concentrations of game on the continent. The park has four distinct ecosystems including the floodplains and woodland area, the marshland area, the lagoons and the dry hinterland.
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Botswana's Chobe National Park was established in 1967. It is best known for the approximately 50 000 elephants that live there. The park, which is supported by the Chobe River, occupies almost 12 000 square kilometres. There are three camping sites in the park, ranging from quiet basic camps to luxury lodges. It has one of the largest concentrations of game on the continent. The park has four distinct ecosystems including the floodplains and woodland area, the marshland area, the lagoons and the dry hinterland.
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Namibia: Etosha
Situated in the north of Namibia, the Etosha National Park occupies almost 23 000 square kilometres. The name Etosha means 'The Great White Place'. It was declared a game reserve way back in 1907. The Etosha pan, a 120 kilometre long salt pan, covers almost 25% of the park's area. The park is made up of saline desert, woodlands, grasslands and savannah. These different ecosystems make it possible for the park to support a diverse range of wildlife, including over 100 species of mammal, 340 bird species and 110 reptile species. The park has several camping and lodging options available for tourists. Three of the park's five camps have floodlit watering holes.
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Situated in the north of Namibia, the Etosha National Park occupies almost 23 000 square kilometres. The name Etosha means 'The Great White Place'. It was declared a game reserve way back in 1907. The Etosha pan, a 120 kilometre long salt pan, covers almost 25% of the park's area. The park is made up of saline desert, woodlands, grasslands and savannah. These different ecosystems make it possible for the park to support a diverse range of wildlife, including over 100 species of mammal, 340 bird species and 110 reptile species. The park has several camping and lodging options available for tourists. Three of the park's five camps have floodlit watering holes.
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Zambia: Luangwa Valley
Zambia's Luangwa Valley is comprised of three national parks, the biggest of which are the North Luangwa National Park and the South Luangwa National park. The northern park covers almost 4500 square kilometres of area, while the southern park covers 9050 square kilometres of area. As the park lies along the Luangwa River, it is most famous for the hippopotamus and crocodile populations found there, however visitors can also expect to see giraffe, elephants and buffalo. The reserves are easy to reach as the Southern park is right next door to an international airport. The most famous accommodation is Mfuwe Lodge, where every year visitors are treated to a herd of elephants that walk through the reception area on their way to a mango tree.
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Uganda: Kibale National Park
Zambia's Luangwa Valley is comprised of three national parks, the biggest of which are the North Luangwa National Park and the South Luangwa National park. The northern park covers almost 4500 square kilometres of area, while the southern park covers 9050 square kilometres of area. As the park lies along the Luangwa River, it is most famous for the hippopotamus and crocodile populations found there, however visitors can also expect to see giraffe, elephants and buffalo. The reserves are easy to reach as the Southern park is right next door to an international airport. The most famous accommodation is Mfuwe Lodge, where every year visitors are treated to a herd of elephants that walk through the reception area on their way to a mango tree.
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Uganda: Kibale National Park
Uganda's
Kibale National Park is made up of 776 square metres of lowland and
rain forest. The park is popular as a result of the high concentration
of 13 species of primates. In addition to the primate populations found
in the forest, there are almost 230 species of trees found in the
forest. Visitors to the forest can stay in a lodge, guest house or a
tented forest camp. There is a range of accommodation from basic to
luxury. One of the main attractions to the park is chimpanzee treks, in
which tourists hike through the forest to find and observe troops of
habituated chimpanzees.
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South Africa: Kruger National Park
South Africa’s Kruger National Park is one of the country’s biggest tourist draws. Visitors to the Kruger National Park routinely spot all each of the Big Five while visiting. Situated in South Africa’s Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, the park is the oldest national park in South Africa, having been designated as such in 1926. The park covers an area of almost 20 000 square kilometres. Kruger National Park has more large mammals than any other African Game Reserve. The park has 21 rest camps and several private safari lodges. The accommodation ranges from luxurious to basic.
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South Africa’s Kruger National Park is one of the country’s biggest tourist draws. Visitors to the Kruger National Park routinely spot all each of the Big Five while visiting. Situated in South Africa’s Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, the park is the oldest national park in South Africa, having been designated as such in 1926. The park covers an area of almost 20 000 square kilometres. Kruger National Park has more large mammals than any other African Game Reserve. The park has 21 rest camps and several private safari lodges. The accommodation ranges from luxurious to basic.
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Botswana: Moremi Game Reserve
Situated in Botswana's Okavango Delta, the Moremi Game Reserve is one of Botswana's premier National Parks. It covers just less than 5000 square kilometres of the delta and is comprised of permanent water and drier areas. The reserve offers up excellent opportunities for viewing elephants, leopard, lions and an abundance of birdlife. Visitors to the reserve have the option to go on game drives, walking tours and in dugout canoes known as mokoro. Visitors are encouraged to come to the park between July and October. The reserve has just four camping areas and a handful of lodges which are reached by means of light aircraft.
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Situated in Botswana's Okavango Delta, the Moremi Game Reserve is one of Botswana's premier National Parks. It covers just less than 5000 square kilometres of the delta and is comprised of permanent water and drier areas. The reserve offers up excellent opportunities for viewing elephants, leopard, lions and an abundance of birdlife. Visitors to the reserve have the option to go on game drives, walking tours and in dugout canoes known as mokoro. Visitors are encouraged to come to the park between July and October. The reserve has just four camping areas and a handful of lodges which are reached by means of light aircraft.
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Tanzania: Serengeti
Tanzania's Serengeti National Park has the reputation as Africa's top wildlife reserve due to the dense populations of a wide variety of wildlife. The reserve is famous for the annual Great Migration, as well as massive zebra and crocodile populations. The park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, occupies an area of almost 15 000 square kilometres. The park is made up of three distinct regions, including the plains the western corridor and the woodlands of the northern Serengeti. There is a wide variety of accommodation options for visitors to the Serengeti including mobile camps, tented camps, as well as basic and luxury lodges.
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Tanzania's Serengeti National Park has the reputation as Africa's top wildlife reserve due to the dense populations of a wide variety of wildlife. The reserve is famous for the annual Great Migration, as well as massive zebra and crocodile populations. The park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, occupies an area of almost 15 000 square kilometres. The park is made up of three distinct regions, including the plains the western corridor and the woodlands of the northern Serengeti. There is a wide variety of accommodation options for visitors to the Serengeti including mobile camps, tented camps, as well as basic and luxury lodges.
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DRC: Virunga National Park
The Democratic Republic of the Congo's Virunga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of only two places where wild mountain gorillas remain. The park stretches across 7800 square kilometres in the Virunga Mountains with the dramatic Rwenzori Mountains in the north. The park is home to an active volcanic lava lake. Virunga was badly affected by the Congo war, however tourism to the park has been up in the past few years, in part due to the habituation of chimpanzees and high end lodges. In addition to the mountain gorillas, the park is also home to numerous mammals including forest elephants and the rare and weird okapi as well as a variety of bird species.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo's Virunga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of only two places where wild mountain gorillas remain. The park stretches across 7800 square kilometres in the Virunga Mountains with the dramatic Rwenzori Mountains in the north. The park is home to an active volcanic lava lake. Virunga was badly affected by the Congo war, however tourism to the park has been up in the past few years, in part due to the habituation of chimpanzees and high end lodges. In addition to the mountain gorillas, the park is also home to numerous mammals including forest elephants and the rare and weird okapi as well as a variety of bird species.