10 Best Places to Visit in Africa

I've always found picking a 'Top 10' African parks a somewhat impossible task. There is just so much on offer across the continent, so many incredible places to choose from. A guide like this however is the kind of article I'd find useful if I was starting to research a trip myself...so I hope you find a few ideas to trigger your imagination.

The key though is to pick up the phone and have a chat with our team. They'll talk you through where to see the Great Migration at the time of year you're looking at traveling, or where to witness the greatest concentration of land predators in Africa. Canoe the Zambezi, fly up along Namibia's scenic Skeleton Coast...walk with those Luangwa lions or Mana's old bull elephants. There are some experiences and places in Africa that simply cannot be missed.

1. Okavango Delta, Botswana

I’ve always described the Okavango Delta, especially at the peak of its flood, as a little piece of paradise. The lily scattered floodplains and palm-fringed islands of the Delta create an eco-system that’s literally stacked with big game. The Okavango offers the most exclusive safari experience on the continent along with some of the very best camps. High prices for sure, but the reward is undeniable.

2. The Serengeti, Tanzania

Stomping ground of the Great Migration and home to the highest concentration of predators anywhere in Africa, the Serengeti is the mother of all safari parks. Visit for the famous crossings from July to October or travel during calving season and you’ll find literally millions of animals roaming over endless plains under endless skies. The Serengeti is one of those rare places that exceeds your expectations.

3. The Zambezi River Valley, Zambia & Zimbabwe

The Zambezi River Valley is probably my favorite place to be on safari. Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools and Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park lie either side of the Zambezi River itself; a remarkable area that offers Africa’s best elephant viewing, superb leopard (Lower Zam), and excellent wild dog (Mana). Activities include boating, canoeing, day and night game drives, walking…such a great place.

4. The Skeleton Coast, Namibia

There is simply nowhere else like Namibia’s Skeleton Coast. Sand dunes as tall as skyscrapers trap seal colonies and shipwrecks against the raging Atlantic Ocean. Brown hyena roam the beaches here, lions and elephants live further into the dunes. It is a magical, mind-blowing area that’s utterly stunning from the air. Flying up the coast here will live long in my memory.

5. Mountain gorillas, Rwanda

Rwanda and Uganda are home to some of the last mountain gorilla’s on the planet. Visiting a gorilla family, sitting within the troop under the eyes of a massive silverback, is an experience like no other. Rwanda vs Uganda is always a hard choice, but Rwanda has the best camps and is also developing high-quality chimpanzee viewing. A tough decision, Rwanda shades it for me.

6. The Sabi Sands, South Africa

South Africa’s Sabi Sands has both fantastic game viewing and an unparalleled level of luxurious accommodation. It is an exceptional destination for 'Big Five' safari - without any doubt one of the best on the entire continent – as well as the home of the finest hospitality camps anywhere in Africa. For up-close photography of the big cats, this place takes some beating.

7. The Mahale Mountains, Tanzania

The Mahale Mountains epitomizes high-quality adventurous travel. Remote, untouched, across the border from the Congo, ‘Greystoke’ is home to the very best chimpanzee viewing in Africa. Mahale is a place I’ve actually never gone to; I’ve saved a few places for special trips. I’ve sold Greystoke for twenty years though; everyone who goes here is simply blown away. One of Africa’s most exciting camps.

8. The Seychelles

Over one hundred islands spread out across the heart of the Indian Ocean; there are many places in the Seychelles that are truly perfect. Few places conjure up such amazing images of tropical islands, perfect beaches, and untouched coral reefs…for you to arrive and find the best beaches you’ve ever seen. It is everything you hope for and more. My own honeymoon destination!

9. Luangwa Valley, Zambia

Home of the walking safari and one of the very best parks for leopard, I’ve always loved the Luangwa for its raw, ‘real’ approach to safari. The style and value of its small owner-run camps are also a major reason to visit. The likes of the Shenton’s and John Coppinger’s Remote Africa epitomize the Luangwa, whilst companies such as Norman Carr and Robin Pope do an incredible job.

10. Odzala, Congo

Congo; a place off most people’s travel lists. However, not many people realize there are two Congo’s…one significantly safer than the other! Tucked away in the northern reaches of the French Republic of the Congo is Odzala. Home to forest elephant and lowland gorilla, Odzala is special, a destination for the adventurous few. On one night walk here we saw four mammals I’d never even heard of. Utterly exceptional.