The Best Places to Go on Safari in 2025

1. Kenya

The Origin of Safari 

Kenya is very likely to deliver some of the best African safaris in 2025. From unforgettable family safaris with child-friendly activities to exclusive hideaways for couples and honeymooners, there’s not much that beats a Kenya safari. The standards of service are high and Kenya’s top destinations offer luxury African safari accommodation ranging from lavish, colonial-style lodges to contemporary boutique hotels and authentic tented camps.

Our Picks:

Masai Mara

The Masai Mara‘s rolling plains provide a sanctuary for an abundance of animals like elephant, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, hyena and the Mara’s famous big cats: lion, leopard and cheetah. The reserve’s astonishing density of wildlife offers a spectacular safari experience no matter what time of the year you visit, and the wide-open plains and mild climate mean that vegetation is never too dense to see animals. We recommend staying in the private conservancies that are contiguous with the national reserve. These exclusive conservation areas offer uncrowded game viewing, walking safaris, and night game drives while staying at some of the best luxury African safari lodges in Kenya.

Laikipia

The high plains of Laikipia lie to the northeast of the Great Rift Valley and are increasingly recognised as one of Kenya’s best-kept secrets. Almost the size of Wales, the Laikipia region is home to some of Kenya’s most encouraging conservation success stories, like the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, a sanctuary for black and white rhinos as well as Grevy’s zebra. This hidden gem destination sees low visitor numbers and features excellent family-friendly safari lodges and camps. You won’t need to escape any crowds on your 2025 African safari in Laikipia.

2. South Africa

A World in One Country

When it comes to complete holiday destinations in Africa, South Africa is seriously tough to beat. The country offers its visitors a plethora of unique experiences and arguably the best tourism infrastructure network on the continent. Daily commercial flights link all its major cities, while chartered airplanes can easily get you to safari lodges that have their own private airstrips. From Big 5 safaris at luxurious lodges and the world’s best land-based whale watching to gastronomic delights amid magnificent rolling vineyards, South Africa has it all and then some. Plus, you can crown your South Africa safari with some well-deserved R&R along the country’s stunning coastline.

Our Picks:

Cape Town

Bathed in over 3 000 hours of sunshine a year, South Africa’s oldest city offers visitors a smorgasbord of activities while being immersed in its incredible natural beauty. Table Mountain, gorgeous beaches and surrounding wine valleys provide an elegant, Mediterranean twist to a South Africa safari while culinary excellence can be relished at Cape Town‘s award-winning restaurants. If visiting between July and September, add a sojourn in Hermanus to experience the world’s best land-based whale watching. And if you’re in the mood for a family road trip, consider an unforgettable self-drive holiday along the Garden Route: one of Africa’s most beautiful stretches of coastline.

Kruger National Park

Introducing South Africa’s most popular wildlife destination and one of the best places in Africa to see the Big 5. Home to the most diverse array of wildlife in South Africa, ample award-winning camps and lodges, and some of Africa’s best guides, Kruger is well-equipped to offer an exceptional experience. Not only is the park brimming with wildlife but offers a variety of activities ensuring something for every safari-goer, including first-time travellers. The park is also lauded as one of the top family-friendly safari destinations thanks to excellent infrastructure, superlative service, and exclusive-use accommodation and safari vehicles. Kruger National Park is easily accessible from Johannesburg by road or air.

3. Tanzania

The Ultimate Bush-to-Beach Destination 

Safari happens almost everywhere you look in Tanzania. It’s been a way of life here for decades. Few destinations in Africa can rival Tanzania’s sheer diversity of wildlife and landscapes. From the never-ending savannah of the Serengeti to the beaches and coral reefs of tropical Zanzibar, a Tanzania safari delivers one fascinating experience after another.

Our Picks:

Ruaha National Park

Ruaha is Tanzania’s biggest national park. Despite its sheer magnitude, it is home to only a handful of lodges and camps. This has strengthened Ruaha’s reputation as the country’s best-kept secret, especially when it comes to game viewing – the park’s diversity of animals is matched by their colossal numbers. It’s home to the largest elephant herds in East Africa and delivers excellent sightings of predators like lion, leopard, cheetah and highly endangered wild dog. Ruaha will offer some of the best African safaris in 2025 for intrepid travellers in search of beautifully wild and off-the-beaten-path experiences.

Nyerere National Park (Selous)

Along with Ruaha, the Nyerere National Park (Selous) forms part of the lesser-known Southern Tanzania safari region. Remote, enormous (almost 1.5 times the size of Switzerland!), and filled with wildlife, Nyerere is unlike Tanzania’s iconic safari destinations such as the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. It remains relatively unknown to most safari travellers and offers an incredibly diverse African safari experience in one location.

The lifeblood and defining feature of Nyerere is the great Rufiji River. Forming a series of interconnected lakes and palm-fringed channels, the Rufiji harbours huge numbers of hippo and Jurassic-size crocs, and nourishes mega-herds of elephant and an impressive array of birds. Nyerere offers unique safari activities like boat cruises, and because it’s not subject to the restrictions that govern Tanzania’s national parks, you can also enjoy guided walking safaris and adventurous fly-camping excursions.

Rubondo Island

Where Zanzibar is the best-known Tanzanian island, Rubondo is Africa’s largest island national park. Rubondo Island is one of Africa’s ‘hidden gem’ destinations and remains relatively untouched by tourism. A total of 237 square kilometres (92 square miles), comprising 11 small islets, offer diverse landscapes and ecosystems which support a host of wildlife from elephant and giraffe to sitatunga antelope and chimpanzees.

The island not only offers a perfect off-the-beaten-track destination but total exclusivity, with just one accommodation option of the entire island, Rubondo Island Camp. Embark on exhilarating guided treks through tropical rainforests, discover wonderful wildlife on game drives, and enjoy boating or canoe safaris. For the avid birder, this section of Lake Victoria offers around 300 confirmed species, including marabou storks, pied kingfishers, and fish eagles. Its lake locale also offers anglers ample to do with catch-and-release fishing on the lauded Nile perch. Between exploring the lush rainforests and watching wildlife, indulge in some beachside bliss and enjoy the tropical clime.

4. Uganda

More Than Just Gorillas

There are only about 900 mountain gorillas left on Earth and trekking into their native forests is the only way to see these critically endangered primates, as they cannot survive in captivity. No other wildlife encounter can rival sitting with endangered gorillas in their natural habitat and observing the fascinating family dynamics of our ancient relatives. The emerald rainforests of Uganda are incredible destinations for gorilla trekking – the continent’s most powerful wildlife experience – and the country’s trekking permits are among the most affordable in Africa. Plus, Uganda offers the chance to augment your gorilla trekking experience with one-of-a-kind chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park as well as fantastic game viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park. If you’re looking for some of the most diverse African safari tours in 2025, look no further than Uganda.

Our Picks:

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Bwindi is a World Heritage Site of both montane and lowland forest: a verdant habitat for about 350 bird species, 220 butterfly species, 120 species of mammals, plus many more reptiles and amphibians. Thanks to the income generated from tourism, the park’s endangered mountain gorilla numbers have increased to about half of the world’s population. There are fantastic accommodation options in and next to the forest to compliment your unforgettable gorilla trekking adventure.

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s premier game viewing destination and most accessible savannah reserve. The park is home to big game like elephant, buffalo, leopard, and the famous tree-climbing lions of the Ishasha Plains. It’s one of the most biologically diverse parks in the world, not least thanks to its mind-boggling list of 610 bird species – more than the entire British Isles! Don’t miss a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel to spot hippo, crocodile and a plethora of feathered creatures.

5. Zambia

Birthplace of The Walking Safari 

Although a visit to the world-renowned grandeur of Victoria Falls should be on everyone’s Zambia safari itinerary, it’s the country’s hidden gem locations that are among some of Africa’s most under-rated safari destinations. Zambia is home to an alluring network of national parks that are often less visited than their counterparts in South Africa, Botswana, Kenya and Tanzania.

The country boasts some of Africa’s wildest and most remote corners, but you’ll be far from roughing it on a Zambia safari. You can enjoy sensational big game viewing accompanied by some of the best safari guides in the business, while staying at luxury African safari lodges and camps. A long-time favourite among safari connoisseurs, Zambia doesn’t attract the crowds that cluster around sightings in the better-known parks of Africa. The raw and undisturbed beauty of Zambia will undoubtedly stage some of the best African safaris in 2025.

Our Picks:

South Luangwa National Park

Few parks in Africa can match the phenomenal density of game that gathers around South Luangwa‘s lakes and rivers. Massive numbers of elephant, buffalo and giraffe come to slake their thirst under the watchful eyes of Nile crocodiles and powerful lion prides. South Luangwa is famous for its guided walking safaris that can be anything from a gentle morning stroll to hiking between camps over several days.

Africa takes on a new perspective when you experience it on foot, as the first explorers did. A bush walk is a unique physical, mental and spiritual adventure through nature. Experiencing the sights, smells and sounds of the bush with expert and passionate guides are among the best African safari experiences you can have. And nowhere does it better than South Luangwa.

Lower Zambezi National Park

Unlike the rest of Africa, some of Zambia’s national parks are protected only for private use, so you won’t see tour buses or self-drivers in these areas. Only licensed operators may conduct safaris in these parks, and only the few lodges situated within these areas may conduct boat and canoe safaris, and under strict regulations on the number of boats allowed on the water. The Lower Zambezi is such an area and visitors to this park are assured of seeing very little human activity and enjoying some serious game viewing. Providing one of Africa’s finest wilderness experiences, the Lower Zambezi National Park offers a diverse range of African safari activities from day and night game drives, guided nature walks, river cruises and fishing expeditions.

Kafue National Park

Discover the wild heart of Zambia in its biggest conservation area, Kafue National Park, which spans an impressive 22,400 square kilometres (13,918 miles). Its greatest calling card is intimate safari experiences – with just a handful of camps and lodges spread throughout, it’s entirely possible to not see another visitor or vehicle during your stay. Explore a variety of landscapes within the park and witness its unique wildlife, including lions leaping over streams in the beautiful Busanga floodplains.

Venture out on game drives or walking safaris to gain a deeper perspective of the nature around you. As many of the park’s top lodges and camps offer solar and electric vehicles, Kafue is known for its ‘silent safaris’, an advantage as the wildlife is less accustomed to visitors than the likes of Kruger. While the park has a prolific predator population and around 20 different antelope species, its birding population is equally impressive featuring around 492 recorded species.

6. Indian Ocean Islands

The Best Combination Destinations 

After enjoying one of the best places to go on safari and discovering some of Africa’s best national parks and wildlife, spend some time relaxing on idyllic Indian Ocean islands. Due to their proximity to Southern Africa, the Seychelles and Madagascar are perfect combination destinations. A bush and beach holiday offers the best of both worlds; the untamed wilderness and wildlife on safari paired with total tranquillity and slow beach days. Embrace island life by luxuriating on beautiful beaches and exploring crystal clear waters by boat or while snorkelling.

Our Picks:

Seychelles

Unlike some of the other islands, the Seychelles is an ideal year-round destination; its proximity to the equator means visitors can expect a warm tropical clime and sunshine. In addition to its white sandy beaches and swaying palm trees, the island is also home to some of the top luxury hotels, resorts, and villas.

World-class amenities and exceptional service await at the likes of the Four Seasons, Constance Lemuria, and the Enchanted Island Resort, and even private islands. Fortunately, there are ample accommodation options for visitors with varying budgets and traveller tastes. During your time here, be sure to discover the coral and make the most of other water-based activities, or simply sit back and soak in the sunshine on a blissful beach.

Madagascar

Make the most of Madagascar’s off-the-beaten track appeal and the fascinating flora and fauna found there, most of which is endemic. Beautiful beaches, local lemurs, and smaller surrounding islands make for an unforgettable trip. Explore the likes of Nosy Be and Île Sainte-Marie and observe their wild inhabitants, including one of the rarest lemurs in the world, the Silky Sifake lemur, or ‘Angel of the Forest’. When you’re not trying your hand at various watersports, whale watching, or enjoying a hike, relax on picturesque beaches and soak in the tranquillity.

Ready to Start Planning Your 2025 African Safari?

Get in touch with one of our Africa Safari Experts to help tailor-make the best African safari to suit your travel wishes in 2025: