Africa is a widely spread continent that contains 54 independent countries. Just to give you an idea of its surface area; it is bigger than the USA, Germany, China, and India… combined! To make sure I don’t overwhelm you with everything the continent has to offer, I will focus on Sub-Saharan Africa for now. This term refers to all the countries situated south of the Sahara Desert. Naturally, this is where you’ll find the best safari parks.

Since traveling around Africa between different countries can be challenging due to a variety of reasons (such as: few connecting flights, country politics, expensive airspace, and limited infrastructure), the various countries are often grouped together based on their location to facilitate travel logistics. Here are the four different regions:

• Eastern Africa
• Southern Africa
• Central Africa
• Indian Oceans

Apart from their advantageous location, these four regions offer similar wildlife experiences and complement each other as well. Let’s have a closer look at what distinguishes them from one another so you can make an informed decision about what type of safari suits your travel preferences best.

1. Eastern Africa combines Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda. This region boasts the quintessential African safari experience. I bet some of the first things that come to mind when you imagine yourself going on safari are overlooking the vast open savannah, exploring magnificent, unfenced game parks, and breathing in the fresh air as you walk along the trails in pristine nature. Eastern Africa offers all of that. If you’ve expressed interest in this email course, I’m sure you’re familiar with Serengeti National Park and Mt. Kilimanjaro, both of which are located in Tanzania. In Kenya you’ll be in awe of Masai Mara’s rugged landscapes and Lake Nakuru. Finally, the Mountain Gorillas will welcome you into their diverse primate habitat in Uganda and Rwanda.

Over the years, my team and I have learned many travelers hit a wall when deciding whether to travel to Tanzania, Kenya, or a mix of different countries in Eastern Africa. We spend most of our time in Tanzania since this is where the migration is largely seen for the majority of the year. The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is almost ten times the size of the Masai Mara in Kenya, making your safari experience all the more majestic and imposing. Paired with other famous national parks such as Lake Manyara National Park, Tarangire National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater and Highlands, we believe Tanzania is your best bet for an authentic safari experience. However, Pristine Trails acquired the necessary skills and experience to put together larger trips throughout Eastern Africa as well, combining various countries and location-bound experiences, such as a visit to the Mountain Gorillas you can only spot in certain parts of Uganda and Rwanda. In short, there’s no need to settle for just one African country if you don’t feel inclined to do so.

2. Southern Africa is mostly known for Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia. Here you can stroll around bustling cities like Gaborone and Windhoek or visit Victoria Falls. Needless to say, South Africa fits right in with its unique mix of the best tourism infrastructure in the continent and top-tier gastronomy and wines. Enjoy a walking safari or take it up a notch by spotting the Big Five from the safety of your canoe.

For this part of the continent, we’ve noticed travelers have the same type of inquiries. Often, they’re not sure whether to pick East Africa or Southern Africa for their vacation. My two cents on this is that generally, safari experiences in South Africa are more produced and geared towards mass tourism, with infrastructure such as paved roads and artificial reserves that take away from the genuine safari experiences you still will be able to find in Eastern Africa.

3. Central Africa includes Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and finally São Tomé and Principe. This region is best known for its National Parks, with Virunga National Park in Kinshasa being the most popular protected area.
4. Indian Ocean Islands refers to islands like Zanzibar, Mafia, and Seychelles. These islands are the perfect getaway to top off your safari experience in style. With their expansive, white-sand beaches, they are an excellent add-on if you’re a fan of splendid hiking trails or if you’d like to give snorkeling, scuba diving, or even paddleboarding a try.