Zambia
Africa’s most complete safariLuangwa · Lower Zambezi · Victoria Falls · Kafue · Tanganyika
The birthplace of the walking safari, the best side of Victoria Falls, migrations, great lakes and tiger fishing.
Destinations
Safari Destinations Worth Knowing
Six countries, six very different ways of being in the wild.
There is no single best safari country for everyone — but if we had to choose one, it would be Zambia. Here is why, and how it compares with the five other countries we know best.
Start in Zambia
Zambia is our home ground and, we think, Africa’s most complete safari country: the birthplace of the walking safari in South Luangwa, canoeing on the Lower Zambezi, the best side of Victoria Falls, the vast Kafue, two great migrations, tiger fishing and Lake Tanganyika — with far fewer visitors than its neighbours.
Beyond Zambia
Each of our other countries does something brilliantly. Many of them combine easily with Zambia.
How they compare
| Country | Known for | Best months | Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zambia | Walking safaris, Zambezi canoeing, Victoria Falls, Lake Tanganyika | Jun–Oct | Wild, uncrowded, guide-led |
| Botswana | Okavango Delta, elephants, exclusive concessions | Jun–Oct | Fly-in, high-end, low volume |
| Tanzania | Serengeti migration, Ngorongoro, remote south | Jun–Oct, Jan–Feb | Classic, huge range |
| Kenya | Maasai Mara, conservancies, Samburu | Jul–Oct, Jan–Feb | Accessible, community-led |
| Namibia | Etosha, deserts, desert-adapted wildlife | May–Oct | Self-drive, landscapes |
| Zimbabwe | Mana Pools, Hwange, guiding | Jun–Oct | Expert-guided, great value |
For your first trip, combining two countries is easy — Zambia with Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools, or Botswana’s Chobe with Victoria Falls from Livingstone, for example. See when to go and what it costs to narrow it down.
Where to go
The countries
Botswana
Low volume, high wildernessOkavango Delta · Chobe · Central Kalahari
A delta that floods in the dry season, protected by a model that keeps visitor numbers deliberately low.
Tanzania
Scale beyond reckoningSerengeti · Ruaha · Nyerere
From the great migration to the remote, rarely visited south — a country of extraordinary range.
Kenya
The conservancy modelMaasai Mara · Laikipia · Samburu
Community-owned conservancies are quietly rewriting how a safari can work, and who it benefits.
Namibia
Desert and silenceEtosha · Damaraland · Skeleton Coast
Desert-adapted wildlife, vast open country and a stillness that stays with you long after.
Zimbabwe
A guiding heritageMana Pools · Hwange · Gonarezhou
Some of Africa’s most respected guides, and far fewer vehicles than its reputation suggests.
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