When thinking about the best place to go on safari, many of us conjure up images of the Serengeti, Kenya or Botswana and sunrise jeep tours spotting the Big Five (lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalos).
Safari tours are a bucket-list experience, allowing tourists to get close to animals in their natural habitat and enjoy truly awe-inspiring scenery. Local guides will not only enrich your understanding of the animals and their habits but will also often be able to give unique insights into local culture.
From taking in the awe-inspiring surroundings of Serengeti National Park in Africa to exotic bird-watching Kaziranga National Park and tiger-spotting in India's Satpura Tiger Reserve, these are the 32 best places to go on safari in Africa, India and beyond...
Best places to go on safari around the world
Kruger National Park, South Africa
Perhaps the most famous safari park in the world, Kruger National Park has wide appeal. It's home to all of the Big Five with roads that are easy to navigate, making it a good choice for families and those with less safari experience. The landscape is rich and diverse, with impressive mountains, bush plains and lush, tropical forests making up its varied terrain.
Yala National Park, Sri Lanka
Yala National Park is a vast area of forest, grassy plains and lagoons in southwest Sri Lanka and is home to 44 varieties of mammals and 215 bird species. Organising a tour from the nearby towns of Kataragama or Tissamaharama is easy, with hotels and hostels offering packages at sunrise and sunset. Spot leopards, elephants, water buffalo and vibrant exotic birds as you crawl around the huge National Park on a guided tour.
Chobe National Park, Botswana
Botswana is another popular safari destination thanks to its incredible natural wildlife, high-quality camps and the opportunities for some of the most stunning water-based safari trips in the world, including the Chobe River. Chobe Natural Park has the world's largest concentration of elephants, as well as buffaloes, giraffes, zebras and big cats. Take a mokoro (a dugout canoe) through the wetlands to see the area from a different perspective and take in the myriad of plant species, birds, fish and reptiles that inhabit the swaps.
Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Another safari park often associated with the Big Five - lions, leopards, rhinoceros, elephants and buffalos - is the Serengeti on Tanzania’s northern circuit. The area is particularly known for its lion population and all-around incredible wildlife.
Calimani Park, Romania
European safari destinations are a lot less well-known, but that doesn't mean you can't have some incredible experiences without leaving the continent. Calimani Park in Romania is considered one of Europe's last great wildernesses, its mountainous terrain filled with dense forest and incredible wildlife. Visit at dawn or dusk and you're likely to spot wolves, stags, eagles and even the elusive wild cat, the Eurasian lynx.
Etosha National Park, Africa
Etosha National Park is situated in northwestern Namibia and is one of the biggest national parks in Africa. The name 'Etosha' closely translates to 'Great White Place' and offers something different from the usual African safari, with the park largely consisting of dried-out clay pans. Here, wildlife including elephants, giraffes, zebras, pangolins, and rhinos gather around the vast watering holes.
Hemis National Park, India
Hemis National Park is an incredibly unique national park, situated at a high altitude, north of the Himalayas on the banks of the Indus River. The largely unspoilt area houses some unusual wildlife, such as the Tibetan wolf and blue sheep, and majestic and colourful birds of prey. It's also home to the highest amount of snow leopards compared to any other area in the world.
Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve is the endpoint for the 'Great Migration', which sees millions of wild animals cross the Mara River from the Serengeti annually in an incredible natural spectacle. The local Maasai communities play a big role in tourism, offering guided bush walks to learn about local culture and wildlife.
Satpura National Park, India
Satpura National Park is also known as Satpura Tiger Reserve thanks to its large concentration of Bengal tigers. Located in Madhya Pradesh, it's home to 52 different mammal species and 31 reptiles - but what makes this densely populated national park so attractive is that it's off the tourist trail, so you're more likely to get a more authentic experience without the constant flash of cameras.
Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa
Touted as a popular alternative to the Krueger National Park in South Africa, Madikwe Game Reserve still has rich biodiversity and is a popular place to spot the Big Five. There are also some incredible species of birds in this part of the world. Look out for the Cape Vulture and the Cape Parrot, eagles, cranes and sugarbirds.
Kaziranga National Park, India
Kaziranga National Park in Assam is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the country's most diverse landscapes in terms of wildlife. The area is known for housing the Great Indian one-horned Rhinoceros as well as tigers, elephants, water buffalo and swap deers. There's a high concentration of wildflowers, making it one of the most beautiful places to take in India's exotic wildlife.
Uluru and the Outback, Australia
Australia has an almost otherworldly feel thanks to its vast, arid landscapes and unique plant and wildlife conditions (almost looking like a film location spot). The Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, is a sandstone monolith in the heart of the Northern Territory’s Red Centre, where you'll find its typical, arid landscapes. Although some of the Uluru National Park is off-limits, the area around Uluru is a great way to experience the Outback, with guided tours that see the famous rock at sunrise or sunset. Spot dingos, incredible reptiles like thorny devils and red kangaroos.
Ranthambore National Park, India
Ranthambore is one of the most famous national parks in India, with visitors travelling from far and wide to catch a glimpse of its Royal Bengal tigers. There are also over 320 species of birds, with some of the most vibrant in the world. Sunset at Ranthambore Fort is also a spectacle in its own right.
Maria Island National Park, Tasmania
Tasmania is home to 19 national parks full of wildlife enjoying the vastly unspoiled landscapes. Maria Island National Park is a quick ferry ride away from the coastal town of Triabunna and boasts incredible scenery as well as wildlife like Tasmanian devils, Cape Barren geese, kangaroos and wallabies - and the beauty of this small island is that there are no natural predators, meaning the animals are less likely to hide.
Kakadu National Park, Australia
Another beautiful safari destination to put on your list is Kakadu National Park, situated in Australia’s Northern Territory. Close to the small city of Darwin, this enormous natural park is filled with wildlife, ancient ruins, incredible rock formations and lush plants. Local companies run safari tours throughout the year, often ending with a traditional campfire bush food cook-up at sunset.
Pench National Park, India
Knowing that Pench National Park is the inspiration for The Jungle Book is all the convincing we need to visit, with a huge range of wildlife to discover, including real-life Baloo, Akela and Rashka - the sloth bear, Indian wolf and female Indian wolf. Situated at the foot of the Satpura Hills, the wild landscapes encompass dense jungle, scenic rivers and peaceful forests. Turia Gate is the usual starting point for safari tours of the wildlife reserve.
Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda
Celebrated for its diversity, the Queen Elizabeth National Park is made up of forests, lakes and savannas. Expect to see a diverse range of animals including elephants, gorillas and chimpanzees. It's best known, however, for its lions that are often spotted climbing trees - not a sight for the faint-hearted (and maybe not one of the most relaxing holiday destinations).
Kangaroo Island, Australia
Kangaroo Island is a wildlife sanctuary that wasn't inhabited until the 19th century. Nowadays you can stay in one of the island's sustainable hotels and enjoy incredible wildlife on your doorstep, including possums, platypuses and kangaroos enjoying the diverse landscape.
Bandhavgarh National Park, India
Bandhavgarh National Park is spread over the Vindhya hills in Madhya Pradesh and is one of the most popular national parks in the country. It's known for being one of the most likely places to spot a Royal Bengal tiger, but it's also worth keeping an eye out for leopards who populate the sprawling national park.
Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
Hwange National Park (formerly known as the Wankie Game Reserve) is a popular safari park in Zimbabwe. Here you'll likely see lions, leopards and cheetahs, as well as elephants - it's home to one of Africa's latest populations.
Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica
Corcovado National Park lies southwest on Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula and is a haven for tropical wildlife. There are hiking trails and guided safari tours on offer in this lush national park, where you're likely to spot scarlet macaws, tapirs, jaguars and squirrel monkeys.
Gunung Mulu National Park, Malaysia
The cliffs of Gunung Mulu National Park make for dramatic scenery for hikers. The park, which is situated in remote northeastern Sarawak, is incredibly biologically diverse, with over 3500 species of plants. Famed for its incredible caves, there are walking tours and hiking trails throughout the area, as well as guided wildlife tours.
Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe
Mana Pools offers a quieter, more peaceful safari experience than other more well-known destinations in Southern Africa. Four pools make up the vast park, which is home to wild dogs, lions and exotic birds, as well as elephants who congregate by its pools.
Kanha National Park, India
Kanha National Park is a stunningly beautiful destination with over 350 species of birds and over a thousand flora species. As well as Bengal tigers and other wild animals such as saving barasingha (large deer) you can meet with the local community, the Baiga tribe, who offer workshops on how to make their local jewellery to visitors.
Bandipur National Park, India
Bandipur National Park is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and holds some of India's most protected species of tiger, as well as the Asiatic wild elephant. The terrain is made up of glittering rivers, bamboo woodland and dense green jungle.
The Highlands, Scotland
While Scotland might not initially scream 'safari' to most, there are safari tours of the Highlands on offer to visitors, where you can embrace the country's wilderness. Safari Rangers navigate the terrain in Land Rovers to take visitors through the highest points of the Highlands, spotting owls, deer, eagles and Scottish wild cats along the way.
Laikipia Higlands, Kenya
Located in central Kenya, the Laikipia highlands are 250 kilometres north-west of Nairobi and offer a quieter alternative to some of the more well-known safari parks in Kenya. This area is also home to the Big Five and is particularly famous for its black rhinos.
Sasan Gir National Park, India
Sasan Gir National Park, also known as Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, was established to protect Asiatic lions and is one of the only places you can spot this protected animal roaming freely outside Africa. You'll also see rare animals like chital deer and Gir foxes, as well as the Egyptian vulture in this peaceful and colourful national park.
Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa
Characterised by its rust-orange sand and epic hills, Madikwe Game Reserve is a great option for families. Not only is it malaria-free but its landscapes are also easy to navigate and there's a good chance of seeing the Big Five.
Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, India
Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary is an oasis within the Binsar forest, with views over the peaks of Kedarnath, Shivling, Trisul and Nanda Devi. Here you'll find moneys and chital, as well as thousands of butterflies and birds adding to its idyllic atmosphere. It's also a prime spot for spotting leopards.
Longleat Safari Park, Bath
Longleat was the first Safari Park to open outside of Africa in 1966. Nowadays, it's still a popular tourist attraction with visitors travelling from far and wide to see its 120 species. You'll see lions, wolves and cheetahs, as well as camels, giraffes and monkeys.
Bergslagen Forest, Sweden
Bergslagen Forest in central Sweden offers total escapism with guided tours where you'll hike, canoe and camp in the wild. During a guided tour of the woods and the Bergslagen lakes, you'll spot moose, lynx, beavers and wolves in the wild. These animals are considered passive and shy, so they pose less of a threat to humans, though it's worth adding tours should be carried out with the help of a trained guide.
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