Plan Your Dream African Safari Vacation Without Making These Common Mistakes

An African safari vacation is on many Americans’ bucket list, and with good reason. Nothing competes with the majestic landscapes and magnificent wildlife you’ll discover on safari. There’s iconic and exotic destinations to choose from, such as Kruger National Park, the Maasai Mara and the plains of the Serengeti.

Where in Africa should I visit?

It’s easier to sum up the African safari vacation destinations by grouping them together geographically:-

• Southern African countries include South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia. In terms of landscapes you have the Okavango Delta wetland, Desert of Namibia, the huge Kruger National Park and the Zambezi River basin with the tallest waterfall in the world, Victoria Falls
• In East Africa, you would choose either Kenya or Tanzania, here you can see the natural wonders of Mount Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti Plains, the Maasai Mara ecosystem and the Ngorongoro Crater
• Central Africa is the best area for gorilla tracking in Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda or the Democratic Republic of the Congo

What wildlife will I see?

Wherever you choose, your driver will do everything in his power to make sure you see the ‘Big Five’ during your African safari vacation, which are the lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and rhino. You’ll get to see all of that and more in both Southern and East Africa.

Is it safe?

The continent of Africa is made up of 46 countries in total. Some countries are unstable and not recommended for foreign travelers, but by no means is the whole continent out of bounds. Check the latest government advice for the country you are planning to visit, and just like travelling anywhere in the US, take the usual precautions. Protect your valuables, be aware of your surroundings, and don’t carry large amounts of cash.