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South africa cape town

Southern Africa is not so much a geographic or political entity, more a convenient term—often used by outsiders, including travel guides like ourselves—to group a collection of states marked by an astonishing diversity.

Botswana, Eswatini (Swaziland), Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, occupy the southern tip of Africa; their location being one of the few things they have in common (some include Angola; the island of Madagascar is usually excluded because of its distinctiveness).

One thing they do share is a troubled past: a visitor to any of these countries will find plenty of food for thought as to the long-term effects of colonialism, many of which are still playing out, including, arguably, in the travel industry.

On the positive side there are the most fantastic sights on offer, and experiences to be had. The natural beauty is, of course, breathtaking; a safari in one of the world-famous national parks is an adventure not to be missed. But there's so much more to Southern Africa than its safari parks. There are nearly 70 million people living here, speaking something like 1,500 different languages, with individual cultures and distinct identities. You'll come for the safari, but you'll fall in love with the people.

It will be stunning, it may be unsettling. But a trip to Southern Africa comes with one guarantee: the memories you take home will stay with you forever.

Hidden gems in Southern Africa

Okavango Delta

See African wild dogs in the Okavango Delta

Rory Sheldon
Rory Sheldon
Experience

The African wild dog, also known as painted dogs, are an endangered species with a wild population that has plummeted to just 6,500. They are found in sporadic and isolated patches across southern and east Africa, but by far their biggest concentration is in my backyard, the Okavango Delta, and watching a pack call and 'rally' before embarking on a hunt is one of the most enthralling safari experiences you can find anywhere in Africa. Just like its domesticated relatives, the wild dog are extremely social and highly verbal: communicating with each other in clicks and whistles that sound more like birdsong than a dog growling or barking. This helps them achieve impressive feats of coordination as they take down impala, or sometimes even wildebeest. Trust me – you have to see a wildebeest up close to understand how daunting an undertaking this is! You can see wild dogs throughout the Okavango Delta, but my recommended spot is around the Linyanti area in the north. Some camps are located close to resident packs of wild dogs and you can hear them crying, jostling and playing in the morning and evenings. The wild dog's main threat is habitat encroachment by agriculture, and farmers who engage hunters to protect their livestock. Thus, well-managed tourism and conservation is an excellent bulwark to help conserve their habitats and this is an experience I'd recommend to anyone.

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South Luangwa National Park

Chikunto Safari Lodge

Robert Zgozi
Robert Zgozi

There’s some good accommodation in South Luangwa but one of my favourites is Chikunto Safari Lodge, located on a horseshoe bend in the Luangwa River near the Mfuwe entrance in the park’s southern edge. What makes this place really stand out is the six-metre high platform with panoramic views over the river and a private tented suite where you can camp out overnight under the stars. When I visited I found it totally breathtaking. It doesn’t come cheap, but I always recommend it for honeymooners or couples looking for something extra special.

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Liuwa Plain National Park

Wildebeest migration without the crowds

Sarah Kingdom
Sarah Kingdom

Liuwa Plain is home to the second largest wildebeest migration in Africa and, compared to the more famous wildebeest migration in East Africa, this spot is hardly known. Each year in November, with the start of the rainy season, massive herds of blue wildebeest, 45,000 strong, migrate to Liuwa Plains, often mingling with zebras along the way.

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Lower Zambezi National Park

Canoe safaris in Lower Zambezi & Bangweulu

Sarah Kingdom
Sarah Kingdom

Seasoned safari-goers who are tired of the conventional game drive should ditch the 4X4 and get into a canoe for a watery safari in either Lower Zambezi National Park or the Bangweulu Wetlands. For me there is something timeless about travelling through these swamps. I find it a world away from racing around in a safari jeep. Your guide at the front of the canoe, long pole in hand, propelling you through narrow channels, between the thick reeds and papyrus. Silence, except for slight burbles and gurgles as you glide through the water. It’s one of my all-time highlights.

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Kasanka National Park

See the world's biggest mammal migration

Sarah Kingdom
Sarah Kingdom

You’ve heard about the famed wildebeest migration of East Africa, but for the biggest mammal migration on earth you can’t miss the spectacular fruit bats of Kasanka between October and December. I love standing high on the viewing platform overlooking the tiny bat forest at Kasanka and peering into trees that drip with thousands upon thousands of straw coloured fruit bats. As dusk falls, they begin to depart, flocking into the sky and filling the air with their chatter. Millions of bats dart in and out of the trees, like a swarm of overgrown bees, before flying over your head and off to spend the night looking for food. By the time they’re done it's almost too dark to see the ladder down from the hide, so don’t forget to bring a torch! Beyond the bats, Kasanka is home to one of Africa’s rarer antelopes, the shy, secretive, semi-aquatic sitatunga – the park is home to more than 500 of them, making it Africa’s densest and most visible population of sitatunga! The elusive Blue monkey and the little-known Kinda baboon also both call Kasanka home and it’s unlikely you’ll encounter either of these species anywhere else in Southern Africa.

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Kafue National Park

Where to see everything in one place

Sarah Kingdom
Sarah Kingdom

Often overlooked in favour of Zambia’s smaller parks, Kafue is a sleeping giant. One of Africa’s oldest and largest parks and one of its wildest, it’s a place of vast, remote landscapes, spectacular rivers, open plains, woodlands and stunning scenery. If you want to avoid too much domestic flying, Kafue National Park has everything you could want. You can spend at least a week here travelling from camp to camp. This is the only park in Zambia where I have been lucky enough to see both aardvark and pangolin – two very rare safari sightings! The Busanga Plains to the far north of the park are one of Kafue’s highlights. Accessible only during the dry season, I love heading out onto the plains early in the morning, to see puku and red lechwe, in their hundreds, visible in the early morning mist that cloaks the plain just before sunrise. Equally special, but seldom visited are the Nanzhila Plains in the park’s south. This is a superb place for bird watchers. For me, the star of Nanzhila is the beautiful black-cheeked lovebirds, endemic to Zambia and only found in a small area in the southwest of the country. If you have the time and an accommodating safari operator, try to include both the far north and the far south of Kafue into your trip. While Kafue doesn’t have the huge herds of game that can be found in some other Zambia safari parks, what it lacks in density it more than makes up for in diversity. There are at least 161 species of mammal, six cat species, and 22 species of antelope.

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South Luangwa National Park

The best place for big cats

Sarah Kingdom
Sarah Kingdom

If it’s big cats you’re after, look no further than South Luangwa, nicknamed the Valley of the Leopards, with one of the densest populations of leopard anywhere. It's also home to lions and spotted hyena, along with an abundant wild dog population on team canine. Some of my most memorable leopard encounters have happened in South Luangwa. Watching as a leopard, completely unaware of our presence, descended from a tree, only spotting us once she’d reached the ground, was an encounter to remember. Leopards love to drag their kills up into trees for safekeeping, so don’t forget to look up from time to time when you’re out on a drive. My favourite way to see the wildlife in South Luangwa is on a walking safari. On a walking safari, you can see lions, leopards, elephants and learn about the flora of the park. It’s not all about big beasts however; a walking safari will allow you to get up close with a termite mound and learn about Zambia’s ecosystem.

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North Luangwa National Park

Walking safari in North Luangwa

Sarah Kingdom
Sarah Kingdom

North Luangwa is remote, hard to reach, and therefore blissfully quiet and crowd-free. A walking safari in North Luangwa is among my absolute favourite things to do anywhere in Zambia. Game drives are not permitted in the majority of the park and access is primarily by walking safari. You’ll leave the vehicle in camp, setting out on foot each day with your guide and an armed scout, to walk among elephants, antelope, zebra and even the occasional predator, always maintaining a safe distance! The last time I set out – always with a seasoned (and armed!) guide in the lead – we saw tracked elephants and antelope rustling in the bush. A word of caution though: this is no armchair safari. Much patience is needed, and of course you’ll need to be reasonably fit to hike in the Zambian heat. If your idea of a safari is racing from place to place in a jeep trying to tick off all the Big Five, this one probably isn’t for you.

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Nxai Pan National Park

Zebra migration in Nxai Pan National Park

Anthony Ham
Anthony Ham

I’ve always loved Nxai Pan – it’s never busy, my sightings of lion, elephant and cheetah seem perfectly framed by these big horizons, and the baobabs by the salt pans here are a striking presence. With a handful of campsites (including at remote Baines’ Baobabs, a remarkable cluster of seven ancient baobabs (named after explorer and painter, Thomas Baines) and just one upmarket lodge, there’s rarely more than a couple of other vehicles at any sighting. As well as plenty of elephant, and a good chance of seeing lion and cheetah, Nxai Pan has a couple of other wildlife highlights to draw you here. After the rains, thousands of zebra migrate here from the Chobe and Linyanti rivers after the rains forming part of Africa’s longest zebra migration. And for reasons unknown, Nxai Pan is the only place in Botswana where you can see springbok and impala in the same place.

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Okavango Panhandle

Birding in the Okavango Panhandle

Anthony Ham
Anthony Ham

Although not a big game destination, the broad and meandering Okavango River in the northwest of the country is a birder’s paradise, with over 350 recorded species including several iconic Okavango specialties. It is also popular among anglers, particularly around September, when the receding flood waters concentrate huge shoals of baitfish, attracting a melee of catfish, tiger fish, bream and birds. Activities are mostly by boat or on foot. Other wildlife is far less common, and you’d be lucky to see much more than a crocodile or hippo in the river’s waters.

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Kwando Reserve

Linyanti, Kwando and Selinda Reserves

Anthony Ham
Anthony Ham

Scattered along the northern waterways of the perennial Linyanti and Kwando rivers, and the seasonal Selinda spillway, the camps in these three neighbouring private concessions operate in a similar manner to those inside the Okavango Delta. Game-viewing is as good as in the Okavango, with predator-tracking a particular specialty of the Kwando camps. Most camps offer game or wildlife drives, mokoro boat trips, and sunset boat excursions. What you see in these parts depends very much on the time of year you visit. In Linyanti, for example, from May to October, expect to see lots of elephants, while zebras migrate through the area, usually from February to April. At other times, wildlife can be very scarce, although the November-to-April wet season is excellent for birding in all three concessions, with migrants from Europe and North Africa here en masse.

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Northern Tuli Game Reserve

Explore Northern Tuli Game Reserve

Anthony Ham
Anthony Ham

In the far southeastern corner of the country and formerly divided into a number of segregated farms alongside the Limpopo River, NTGR is now one of the largest privately-owned conservation areas in southern Africa. The spectacular landscape, featuring rolling hills, basalt cliffs, ancient riverbeds and towering granite kopjes, is unlike anywhere else in Botswana. In fact, when combined with its impressive portfolio of wildlife, it remains a mystery to me why more people don’t visit this remarkable place. Expect regular sightings of elephant, giraffe, lion, leopard and cheetah as well as less common species like eland and klipspringer, and over 350 bird species. Ground-level photographic hides, ancient archaeological ruins and a choice of horse-riding, walking or even cycling safaris complete a chocolate box-assortment of activities.

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Southern Africa travel guides

The best safaris in South Africa
Guide

The best safaris in South Africa

Anthony Ham
Anthony Ham

I fell in love with South Africa the very first time I laid eyes on it. Like so many safari-goers before me, the love affair began in

The best safaris in Kruger National Park
Guide

The best safaris in Kruger National Park

Stuart Butler
Stuart Butler

This is safari made easy — perhaps too easy. A park as good and easy to visit as Kruger attracts a lot of visitors and in high season main routes can be busy.

The best safaris in Sabi Sands
Guide

The best safaris in Sabi Sands

Stuart Butler
Stuart Butler

The highlight for high-end South Africa safaris and a place of superlatives, Sabi Sands Game Reserve is in effect a continuation of the massive

Safari in Kwazulu-Natal
Guide

Safari in Kwazulu-Natal

Stuart Butler
Stuart Butler

Centred on the beach bum surf city of Durban, the huge, and hugely diverse, province of KwaZulu-Natal on South Africa’s east coast doesn’t have the stellar international wildlife reputation of other South Africa safari locations.

Safari in South Africa's North West Province
Guide

Safari in South Africa's North West Province

Stuart Butler
Stuart Butler

The North West Province is one of the more easily accessible South Africa safari locations.

The best Eastern Cape safaris
Guide

The best Eastern Cape safaris

Stuart Butler
Stuart Butler

In many respects, the Eastern Cape is a microcosm of the best of South Africa.

Safari in the Western Cape
Guide

Safari in the Western Cape

Stuart Butler
Stuart Butler

If you're going on safari in South Africa, the Western Cape might not feature too highly on your itinerary.

Meeting the cheetahs of the Karoo
Article

Meeting the cheetahs of the Karoo

Heather Richardson
Heather Richardson

As we creep slowly through the bush towards a gnarled spikethorn tree, I suddenly catch a glimpse of spotted fur: the large amber eyes of a tiny cheetah cub curiously peering through the prickly branches at us. We move as quietly as possible around the tree, dry, brittle grass crunching underfoot, and find mother Chilli reclining in the shade with her five fluffy four-month-old cubs.

What's it like to be a park ranger?
Article

What's it like to be a park ranger?

Karam Filfilan
Karam Filfilan

Kruger National Park is a harsh environment in which to work. With temperatures regularly reaching 50C, deadly animals and the constant threat from armed poachers, Kruger’s park rangers face some very challenging conditions.

Saving the African rhino
Article

Saving the African rhino

Peter Knights
Peter Knights

In 1993, both China and Taiwan banned the sale of rhino horn, leading to a dramatic decrease in rhino poaching across Africa. Between 1993 and 2008, poaching of rhinos occurred at a low level -- around 50 per year, worldwide.

The best safari in Zambia
Guide

The best safari in Zambia

Sarah Kingdom
Sarah Kingdom

I fell in love with Zambia after my first safari, at the tender age of 15. A few years later I returned for what was initially supposed to be a six-week holiday.

Safari In South Luangwa National Park
Guide

Safari In South Luangwa National Park

Mazuba Kapambwe
Mazuba Kapambwe

The 9,000 square kilometre South Luangwa National Park is one of Africa’s greatest safari destinations, although certainly not one of the most famous. Nicknamed the Valley of Leopards, the main predators here are leopard, lion, spotted hyena and wild dog – with the leopard and wild dog populations being amongst the densest on the continent.

Safari In North Luangwa National Park
Guide

Safari In North Luangwa National Park

Sarah Kingdom
Sarah Kingdom

North Luangwa National Park is synonymous with walking safaris and is my favourite National Park in Zambia. Going on safari in North Luangwa is to glimpse the bush as it once was; wild and untouched.

Safari in Lower Zambezi National Park
Guide

Safari in Lower Zambezi National Park

Mazuba Kapambwe
Mazuba Kapambwe

Lower Zambezi National Park is just over 4,000 square kilometres of unspoilt nature. A relatively undeveloped park, with no paved roads, it’s rare to encounter another safari vehicle.

Safari In Kafue National Park
Guide

Safari In Kafue National Park

Sarah Kingdom
Sarah Kingdom

The colossal Kafue National Park is Zambia’s oldest and largest national park, and one of the wildest in all of Africa. At 22,400 square kilometres, Kafue itself represents 36% of Zambia’s national park land.

Safari in Kasanka National Park
Guide

Safari in Kasanka National Park

Sarah Kingdom
Sarah Kingdom

Kasanka National Park is one of Zambia’s smallest national parks but, with an incredible 480 bird species and 114 mammals there’s a lot to see.

Safari in Liuwa Plains National Park
Guide

Safari in Liuwa Plains National Park

Sarah Kingdom
Sarah Kingdom

The 3,369 km² Liuwa Plains National Park in remote far west Zambia was once the traditional hunting ground of the Litunga (King) of the Lozi people. Liuwa Plain is home to the second largest wildebeest migration in Africa and, compared to the more famous

Decolonising African travel—and travel writing
Article

Decolonising African travel—and travel writing

Mazuba Kapambwe
Mazuba Kapambwe

Travel writing in Africa has always been an overwhelmingly white affair. Early accounts from 19th century explorers like Henry Morton Stanley and fiction writers like Joseph Conrad depicted Africa as uncivilised, mysterious and barbaric, reflecting the racist attitudes that underpinned European empire building.

When to go on safari in South Africa
Guide

When to go on safari in South Africa

Anthony Ham
Anthony Ham

Blessed with incredible geographical diversity, South Africa is truly a year-round destination. Each region offers something unique and it is always a good season somewhere in this diverse country.

Safari in Botswana
Guide

Safari in Botswana

Anthony Ham
Anthony Ham

Of all the places I’ve been on safari in Africa, I think Botswana tops the list. There is so much to enjoy and, unlike in bigger safari destinations, in Botswana you’ll see a lot more wildlife than other travellers.

The Best Safaris In Africa
Guide

The Best Safaris In Africa

Stuart Butler
Stuart Butler

There is much more to Africa than safari, but there's no doubt the continent's natural heritage is one of the main draws for international and local tourists alike. For the uninitiated "safari" might mean viewing big land mammals from a 4x4, and while the Big Five game drives remain a cornerstone of the experience, these days there's so much more on offer.

Where To See The Big 5 In Africa
Guide

Where To See The Big 5 In Africa

Stuart Butler
Stuart Butler

The "Big 5" safari beasts – lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhino – were so named because they were the prize targets of colonial-era hunters. Fortunately, modern safari has become a force for wildlife conservation not destruction, and today's safari-goer is more likely to be shooting with a camera than a rifle (aside from the many trophy hunting reserves, which we resolutely do not cover in this guide).

Safari in the Bangweulu Wetlands
Guide

Safari in the Bangweulu Wetlands

Sarah Kingdom
Sarah Kingdom

Bangweulu means ‘where the water meets the sky’, and I think it’s a perfect description of this extraordinary, community-owned and protected wetland in northeastern Zambia. For me there is something timeless about travelling through these swamps.

Safari in Mosi-oa-Tunya
Guide

Safari in Mosi-oa-Tunya

Sarah Kingdom
Sarah Kingdom

Zambia is famous for the Victoria Falls, the greatest sheet of falling water on the planet, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, and a natural border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Safari in the Okavango Delta
Guide

Safari in the Okavango Delta

Anthony Ham
Anthony Ham

Seen from above, the Okavango appears like a claw, a vast body of water fanning out across, and clutching at, the Kalahari in a vain search for the sea. Every year, rain that fell months ago in the Angolan Highlands filters down through the narrow Okavango Panhandle, then spreads out across the world’s largest inland delta.

Safari in Chobe National Park
Guide

Safari in Chobe National Park

James Gifford
James Gifford

Occupying a vast swathe of territory in Botswana’s north-east, Chobe National Park belongs among the elite of southern Africa’s wildlife destinations. Chobe incorporates two distinct regions: Chobe River (close to the Zimbabwe and Zambia borders), famous for its large elephant herds; and Savute (in the west), where a juxtaposition of contrasting habitats and handful of pumped water holes sustain a melting pot of species.

Safari in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Guide

Safari in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve

James Gifford
James Gifford

Measuring 52,000 square kilometres, I think this vast wilderness is a signature Botswana safari experience.

Safari in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park
Guide

Safari in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park

James Gifford
James Gifford

Part of the largest network of salt pans on the planet (the pans cover an area the size of Switzerland), Makgadikgadi Pans is a soulful, spectacular place. Once the lakebed of a vast inland sea, at once wilderness and void, it’s home to some real Kalahari specials when it comes to wildlife.

Zimbabwe safaris
Guide

Zimbabwe safaris

Anthony Ham
Anthony Ham

I first came on safari in Zimbabwe in 2003 and I’ve been coming back as often as I can, in my role as a travel journalist and guidebook author. When it comes to Zimbabwe, the question people most often ask me is: why? In a region of safari big-hitters, what makes Zimbabwe stand out from neighbouring

Safari in Namibia
Guide

Safari in Namibia

Melanie van Zyl
Melanie van Zyl

Researching travel guides, reviewing campsites and finding new ways to photograph its sublime scenery, I've been going on safari in Namibia for over a decade and have visited virtually every corner of this vast and little-known country. Namibia shares borders with some of Southern Africa’s safari heavyweights:

Southern Africa tours

Leopard spotting in South Luangwa
Zambia

Leopard spotting in South Luangwa

Seeing Zambia’s famous big cat
4 days $2,420$2,690 pp
Lower Zambezi safari
Zambia

Lower Zambezi safari

Safaris on land and water
4 days From $1,245 pp
Kafue National Park safari and Victoria Falls
Zambia

Kafue National Park safari and Victoria Falls

Wildlife, waterfalls and wilderness
6 days $2,680$2,885 pp
South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi safari
Zambia

South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi safari

See both sides of Zambia
7 days $4,895$5,955 pp
South Luangwa and Victoria Falls Safari
Zambia

South Luangwa and Victoria Falls Safari

Zambia's classic safari itinerary in 7 days
7 days
Victoria Falls and Zambia’s wildlife
Zambia

Victoria Falls and Zambia’s wildlife

Wildlife sanctuaries and powerful waterfalls
10 days $4,430$5,590 pp

Southern Africa travel companies

Africa

Discover Africa Safaris

Authentic Luxury African Safaris, tailored for you
Africa

Wayfairer

Tailor-made luxury travel
Zambia

Absolute Zambia Safaris

Custom safari holidays to Zambia
Central America, South America, Africa (and 8 more)

Cheesemans’ Ecology Safaris

In-depth nature & wildlife tours in outstanding destinations
Africa

Wild Frontiers

Safaris into East, West and Southern Africa
Botswana

African Wild

Botswana tours and safaris
Africa

Take Me To Africa

Experts in small group travel to Africa
Central America, Africa, Central Asia

YellowWood Adventures

Sustainable travel for the modern-day explorer

Places to go in Southern Africa

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Expert itineraries

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