The 5 Most Underrated Safari Destinations, According to a Top Travel Advisor
Due to the large number of American safari tourists, popular locations such as Tanzania’s Serengeti and Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve might start to feel overrun with visitors. If you want to stay away from the crowds, pick a campground or resort deep in the park, away from any major roads or entrances. If you can, try to plan your trip for the shoulder seasons and stay at private concessions or conservancies rather than popular attractions. These places tend to have less tourists and more privacy.
Selecting an appropriate location is of paramount importance. Lesser-known areas provide equally enchanted experiences, but without the throngs of tourists. Here are my five Underrated African Safari Destinations, based on my experience as a travel agent with more than ten years of expertise in the field.
Underrated Safari Destinations
1. Lower Zambezi, Zambia
Tented camps in the middle of unspoiled nature, abundant wildlife (including elephants), and easy access to exciting activities characterise the classic safari in Zambia’s Lower Zambezi region.
You can get out of the car and follow animals on foot on a walking safari, which originated in Lower Zambezi. Another option for seeing animals is to rent a canoe and paddle down the scenic Zambezi River. Tigerfish fishing in the river is at its best in October, according to fishermen.
Private plunge pools and terraces with views of the river and floodplain are available at Dulini Anabezi. Lolebezi offers a variety of high-end apartments and villas nestled along the Zambezi River; the property is famous for leopard sightings.
2. Southern Tanzania
Although it is a paradise for game viewing, Southern Tanzania rarely gets the attention that the Serengeti receives from safari travellers. While getting to this less populated area may be more of a challenge, the close encounters with wildlife that await you here are well worth the extra effort.
A third of the world’s wild dog population calls the expansive and untamed Nyerere National Park home. It’s also a fantastic spot for walking safaris. Go to Ruaha National Park if you want to see buffalo, lions, and elephants. Located in an area rich with animals, the modest yet exquisite Kigelia Camp Ruaha is the ideal place to spend the night. Alternatively, you might stay at Ikuka Safari Camp, a seven-room luxury lodge with breathtaking views. If you want dry weather and less crowds, June or October is the best time to vacation, regardless of where you stay.
3. Akagera, Rwanda
What really sets Akagera National Park in Rwanda apart, besides its stunning scenery, is its fascinating history. A massive regenerative conservation effort brought the animal population roaring back from the brink of extinction after it had been wiped out by poaching and human strife. Spectacular views of the Big Five, including rhinos and leopards, may be had at this park.
Game drives are at their best when there aren’t many visitors; in fact, there will be periods when your car is the only one in the park. Enhance your Rwanda itinerary with gorilla trekking and a behind-the-scenes tour of the park’s headquarters to witness its conservation mission in action.
Located on the shores of Lake Ihema, Ruzizi Tented Lodge is an eco-lodge that offers a range of safari activities, such as night drives and boat trips, as well as designs created by local artisans. Among the best eco-friendly campgrounds is Wilderness Magashi Camp.
4. Okavango Delta, Botswana
Once upon a time, Botswana was the undisputed champion of the crowd-free safari. There has been a recent uptick in activity even in the mystical Okavango Delta. Staying on a private concession during the shoulder seasons (May or September) and reserving a whole island to yourself are two ways to prevent this.
Traditional dugout canoe tours, or mokoro, are Botswana’s most popular attraction, allowing visitors to get up close and personal with animals like crocodiles. Boating safaris and guided bush walks are also quite popular here—look out for elephants, wild dogs, and lions.
Wilderness Mombo is a remote resort on a private concession in the Moremi Game Reserve, noted for its game-viewing and excellent accommodations. Duba Plains Camp, also located on a private concession, offers five 1920s-inspired apartments that open right onto the floodplains.
5. Northern Kenya
Wilderness increases as one travels northward in Kenya. Spectacular landscapes and rich cultures in Laikipia, Samburu, and the Matthews Mountain Range more than compensate for the relatively lower animal density compared to the famous Masai Mara. Visitors to Samburu, for example, have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the culture of the Samburu people and see the elusive “special five”: the gerenuk, the beisa oryx, the reticulated giraffe, the Somali ostrich, and the Grevy zebra.
An incredible way to explore distant regions, like Lake Turkana, is on a helicopter safari in northern Kenya. The community-run Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, meanwhile, provides an educational opportunity in animal conservation.
Choose the ranch-style Ol Malo lodge for an adventure-culture mashup, or the family-owned Lewa House in the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy for a one-of-a-kind getaway with breathtaking vistas.
