In an impressive showcase of natural wonders across Africa, the leading online marketplace for African safaris, SafariBookings.com, has unveiled its annual survey to identify the top 50 African safari parks for 2024.

South Africa has been ranked among the Top 50 safari travel destinations, with 10 parks in the country reinforcing the country’s standing as an ideal safari travel destination.

According to the survey, Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park was named Africa’s best safari park, a title that underscores its rich wildlife diversity and iconic landscapes.

Close behind, South Africa’s illustrious Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve was recognised as the second-best safari park on the continent, highlighting the country’s invaluable contribution to wildlife tourism.

The 10 South African parks making the Top 50 include:

Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve; Kruger National Park; Timbavati Private Nature Reserve; Balule Private Nature Reserve; Madikwe Game Reserve; Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park; Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve; Addo Elephant National Park; Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve; Pilanesberg Game Reserve.

The success of South Africa’s parks has been attributed to the vast number of protected areas and a consistently high visitor influx.

This intense competition among parks has fostered an environment where high standards in wildlife-viewing experiences flourish, significantly enhancing overall visitor satisfaction.

The survey analysed contributions from 1 239 safari travellers across 74 countries and an additional 1 145 reviews authored by respected safari professionals. This constitutes a rich tapestry of insights, ensuring that the rankings reflect the true experiences and expectations of safari-goers.

A detailed analysis of 2 384 reviews written by safari-goers and international safari experts has determined the 50 best safari parks on the continent.

The study was based on an evaluation of almost 2 400 reviews written by both Africa safari experts and safari travellers.

It is further revealed that 2 384 park reviews were analysed on the SafariBookings.com website, which included 1 239 contributions by safari travellers from 74 countries, as well as 1 145 reviews written by our international team of safari experts.

In total, 196 parks from 15 countries, consisting of Botswana, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, were included in the study.

It is detailed that only parks recognised for classic wildlife viewing safaris were considered. Parks mostly known for scenery or gorilla/chimp tracking (and not other wildlife) were also not included alongside those less than nine reviews.

The Star

anita.nkonki@inl.co.za