Your First Safari: How to Plan an African Safari

There’s no wrong answer, only different styles. East Africa (Kenya and Tanzania) offers endless plains, huge herds and the Great Migration. South Africa’s private reserves, such as the Sabi Sand beside Kruger, deliver reliable, close-up Big Five sightings and easy logistics. Botswana is wilder and more exclusive, with fly-in camps in the Okavango Delta.

Families with young children often start in South Africa, where reserves in the Eastern Cape and Madikwe are malaria-free. Our Kenya vs Tanzania and South Africa vs Botswana comparisons help narrow it down.

Seven to ten nights on safari is ideal, split across two or three camps of three or four nights each. Different camps mean different habitats and wildlife, and three nights in one place gives you enough game drives to see a lot without rushing. Two nights at a camp rarely feels like enough.

Add a few days at either end for a city or beach: Cape Town and the Winelands, Zanzibar and Victoria Falls all pair naturally with a safari. See our Cape Town and safari itinerary.

Days start early. A wake-up call comes before sunrise, followed by coffee and a morning game drive of three to four hours, when animals are most active. Back at camp there’s brunch and a midday siesta or pool time, then afternoon tea and a second drive into sunset, often with a sundowner drink in the bush.

Private reserves and concessions often allow off-road driving to follow animals, night drives and walking safaris, which many national parks don’t. Dinner may be communal or private under the stars, and staff escort you to your room after dark because wildlife roams freely.

Both can be luxurious. Lodges have solid walls and often plunge pools and air-conditioning; tented camps use canvas walls on raised platforms, with en-suite bathrooms and real beds, and bring you closer to the sounds of the bush. Hearing lions call outside the canvas is a highlight for many first-timers.

Our safari lodge vs tented camp comparison and guide to luxury safari lodges explain what to expect from each.

A little preparation makes the bush much more comfortable.