An authentic walking safari allows you to learn more about the ins and outs of the bush from an entirely different perspective.

What is a walking safari?

A walking safari in Africa takes you out of the game drive vehicle. Exploring the African bush on foot is immersive and intimate – you’ll often notice things that you would miss when zooming by in a safari vehicle. Without the distracting noise of an engine, you can really take in the sounds of nature.

A walking safari might be a daunting prospect for some people. However, try it once, and you’ll likely find yourself hooked! Safety precautions are paramount – you will be accompanied by an experienced specialist safari guide and an armed game scout. Numbers are limited to a small group size, ensuring wildlife encounters that are second to none. The duration of your walking safari could be anything from a couple of hours’ walk from your lodge and back, to as much as several nights’ camping in mobile tents under the star-studded sky. The distances involved are short, and the pace is relaxed with plenty of stops that allow you to soak up the atmosphere, to really appreciate the wildlife, and to experience the buzz of being out with the big game! Your guide will identify animal tracks, talk about the varied ecosystems, and point out the birdlife and smaller wildlife that cannot easily be seen from a vehicle. Accommodation ranges from fairly basic to pretty luxurious, so you can decide what suits you best.

Below, we’ve listed the best destinations in Africa for walking safaris, along with the best places to stay within each country.

elephant encounter, zambia walking safari
Walking safari in Zambia

The best walking safari destinations in Africa

elephant encounter, zambia walking safari

Renowned for its excellent walking safaris, Zambia offers you Africa up close and personal. With its expansive plains, it is home to some of Africa’s richest concentrations of wildlife, including lion, leopard, and hyenas. South Luangwa National Park, located at the southern end of the Great Rift Valley, is where the notion of walking safari originated, and today the region remains one of the best walking safari destinations in the world! There are several fantastic options we recommend for walking safaris in Zambia, whilst we highly recommend the three stand-out camps listed below. All have excellent guides, comfortable well-equipped camps, and unparalleled wilderness experiences – all the prerequisites for an exceptional walking safari! Read more about them below.

Where to stay

Chula Island Camp, Zambia
If you want back-to-basics safari accommodation, run by its passionate owners, you will love Chula Island. Wild, raw, authentic… Chula Island Camp is a remote and adventurous fly-camping option in the Lower Zambezi National Park. It is sister camp to Kutali Camp, hence their clear similarity in style, and part of Classic Zambia.

Chikoko Tree Camp, Zambia
Chikoko is a small, adventurous walking camp. Its three rooms, made of wood, reeds, and thatch, are raised on stilts so that they are up in the trees. Chikoko Tree Camp is one of the purest safari experiences we know – adventurous and authentic, yet very high quality. You will not find guiding this good in many places.

Robin Pope Mobile Walking Safari
Robin Pope’s spectacular 5-night mobile walking safari takes you along the remote Mupamadzi River. The standard of guiding and the quality of the staff make this one of the best ways to explore the South Lunagwa and you’ll combine the mobile camps with a few nights at Robin Pope’s permanent camps at the beginning and end of your journey. In our experience, this style of walking safari is one of the most remote experiences you can have in Africa!

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Walking safari in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

elephant walking safari, south luangwa national park, zambia

Walking safaris in Zimbabwe are raw and adventurous. The country is widely ranked as a premier walking destination thanks to the extraordinarily skilled guides and the diverse landscapes. Zimbabwe’s rigorous guide-training qualifications translate into walking safaris that are expertly managed but also rich in knowledge and storytelling. Exploring some of Africa’s most spectacular parks on foot is seriously special, from the seasonal pans and waterholes of Hwange to Mana Pools’ ancient mahogany and albida forests. The national parks have amazingly diverse game viewing and impressive concentrations of wildlife, while Lake Kariba and Matusadona combine to provide a superb contrasting landscape!

elephant walking safari, south luangwa national park, zambia

Where to stay

Hwange Bush Camp
Hwange Bush Camp is privately owned and run. It’s a semi-permanent camp, taken down every November and put up again in readiness for the beginning of May. Occupying a remote location, it’s able to offer superb safari experiences! The quality of the guiding here really sets it apart from other camps.

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Elephants, Kichaka Lodge, Ruaha NP, Tanzania
Walking safari in Tanzania

Tanzania

Elephants, Kichaka Lodge, Ruaha NP, Tanzania

In Tanzania, you can enjoy immersive walking safari experiences in both the northern and the southern parks. In the Serengeti, a walking safari is one of the most memorable ways to experience the vast plains, whether you’re walking amongst the herds of the Great Migration as they graze or getting a unique look into the smaller creatures and plants that make up the local ecosystem. Down south in Ruaha National Park, you’ll find adventure and one of our favourite walking camps, which epitomises the spirit of Ruaha.

Where to stay

Wilderness Usawa
Moving with the Great Migration across four key sites, Wilderness Usawa places guests right at the heart of the action. These guided walks provide an intimate perspective on the ecosystem, uncovering details often missed on game drives and providing a quieter, more meaningful way to connect with nature, far from the busier parts of the Serengeti.

Alex Walker’s Serian
Alex Walker’s Serengeti Serian Camp is located in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park. In our opinion, it’s up there with the finest mobile camp outfits in the Serengeti! The camp is pitched in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and boasts amazing views across the short-grass plains. The mobile camps move with the migration herds, giving you a high chance of sightings throughout the annual journey across the Serengeti–Mara ecosystem.

Kichaka Expeditions
Located in the northern sector of Ruaha National Park, Kichaka epitomises the essence of a park that is regarded within the industry as one of the wildest and best big game destinations anywhere on the continent. Walking safaris take centre stage here – overseen by Andrew ‘Moli’ Molinaro, one of the best safari guides in the business, these are some of the most remote walking safaris anywhere in Africa. You’ll get out on foot, taking new routes everyday.

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Walking safari in Kenya

Kenya

karisia tumaren camp camels yellow zebra safaris

For walks in Kenya, we highly recommend Laikipia. Walking here is a wonderfully immersive way to experience the bush, led by highly experienced guides and trackers who know this part of the world intimately. Laikipia’s diverse scenery and wildlife (including rare and engaged pieces) is seriously captivating. As you explore on foot at a slower pace, you’ll have the chance to encounter big game, as well as Laikipia’s little lives – the plants, insects, and plethora of birdlife so easily missed from a vehicle.

karisia tumaren camp camels yellow zebra safaris

Where to stay

Laikipia Wilderness Camp
Laikipia Wilderness Camp is a relaxed setting, with friendly and knowledgeable staff who will enhance your visit, whatever the length of your stay. The infrastructure of the camp has been deliberately left as unspoilt and basic as possible, allowing visitors to become awestruck by the untamed wildlife and beautiful nature of Laikipia.

Karisia Walking
If you really want to ‘get a sweat on’ during your safari, then Kenya’s Karisia Walking Safaris is a superb option to truly take you off the beaten track! This active mobile walking safari traverses Laikipia’s eastern region and you’ll be led by highly experienced guides and trackers. You might not see massive volumes of wildlife, but you will have the chance to get closer to the wildlife and learn about the smaller creatures that play an important role in the ecosystem.

Experiences in Kenya
Walking, Sitatunga Private Island Camp, Okavango Delta, Botswana
Walking safari in Botswana

Botswana

Walking, Sitatunga Private Island Camp, Okavango Delta, Botswana

Botswana offers some brilliant walking safaris within the numerous private concessions that cover the majority of the Okavango Delta, the Linyanti and Selinda regions, and the Makgadikgadi Pans. For an immersive walking safari in spectacular surroundings, we’d pick the Okavango Delta. Exploring the private reserves feels both exclusive and authentic thanks to having very few other people around – look forward to solitude, adventure, and sensational wildlife sightings in this part of Botswana.

Where to stay

Beagle Expeditions
Few experiences in this world can match the sheer exhilaration of a walk through the African bush, and Beagle Expeditions in the Okavango Delta offers a genuinely special walking experience. This authentic mobile camp is only accessible by helicopter and is owned and run by one of Botswana’s most recognised wildlife guides. Located within the largely unexplored Abu Private Reserve, the area feels widely untouched, so walking in this section of the delta is one of the most memorable ways to connect with the surrounding bush.

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Frequently Asked Questions

01.

When is the best time for a walking safari in Africa?

The best time for walking safari holidays in Africa is generally in the dry winter months between July and October. However, the specific time will depend on the country you are visiting.

Click through to find out more about the best times to visit Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, and Botswana.

02.

Do you get to walk with animals on safari in Africa?

Walking safaris allow you to gain a closer perspective on the smaller aspects of the bush. You’ll always be aiming to view wildlife from a safe distance rather than walk amongst large game. Walking safari holidays offer the chance to study the bush from a much closer point of view, learning about identifying tracks, seeing signs of animal activity, and getting a closer look at local insects and birdlife.

03.

Can I combine a walking safari with a ground (vehicle) safari?

Yes, we highly recommend combining game drives (vehicle safaris) and a luxury walking safari in one trip. This will give you the ‘best of both worlds’. You’ll likely see higher volumes of wildlife and more predator action on game drives, while walking lets you slow down the pace and gain insight into the smaller flora and fauna.

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