10 Unmissable Wildlife Adventures In Africa – By Travel Experts

I’m obsessed with Africa.

I’ve visited 16 African countries (so far) and haven’t even begun to scratch the surface.

I’ve climbed volcanos in Tanzania and the DR Congo, solo travelled along South Africa’s popular Garden Route, bussed overland from Accra in Ghana to Timbuktu in Mali, directed a film about whale evolution in Egypt and hiked up Kilimanjaro.

But the thing I love more than any of this are wildlife adventures in Africa.

There’s simply no continent like it for the diversity and accessibility of some of the most magnificent animals and birds on the planet, and with spectacular landscapes like Kenya’s Maasai Mara, Tanzania’s Serengeti and Botswana’s Okavango Delta, every day brings breathtaking new wonders. It’s impossible to get bored.

While I could easily write a list of my top 10 wildlife adventures in Africa, I haven’t done everything (I’m still working on that!) and I wanted to know what other people thought.

So I canvassed some fellow travel bloggers and experts, to find out what I’ve missed, what they loved, and create a curated list of some of the most epic and unmissable animal experiences on the continent.

It’s by no means exhaustive – there are plenty of countries, species, and experiences that aren’t listed here – but if you’re looking for some inspiration to help you plan your next African safari trip, hopefully this post has you covered. I know it’s inspired me with some ideas for future trips!

So read on to find out what these ten travel bloggers thought was their favourite wildlife adventure in Africa.

I believe sustainable use is the greatest propaganda in wildlife conservation at the moment.

Steve Irwin, conservationist

Wildlife adventures in Africa

1/ Watch wild dogs in the Okavango Delta, Botswana

Wild or painted dogs are one of the most endangered species in the world. They have fallen victim to habitat destruction, diseases, getting caught in poachers’ snares, and sometimes they’re killed by local farmers in revenge for hunting their livestock.

Painted dogs can be seen in sub-Saharan Africa (especially Botswana and Namibia) but it is incredibly difficult to spot these beautiful predators, as they’re famously fast runners that range over huge areas.

Painted dogs live in packs, led by an Alpha pair of male and female which are the only two allowed to breed; plus their puppies and other assorted family members.

One of the few places where you might be lucky to spot wild dogs is Moremi Game Reserve, in the Okavango Delta region of Botswana.

It takes a lot of patience looking for them, and great teamwork among the expert guides who will radio their colleagues if there’s been a sighting of dogs or their paw prints. In some cases, painted dogs have also been tagged for research and protection purposes.

I was lucky enough to spot three beautiful wild dogs during my safari in Botswana. It was my last day in the country, and our group was heading to the airstrip to catch a plane to Maun airport, when a ranger called our guide to let him know that wild dogs had been spotted.

We rushed to the location and were thrilled to spend some time observing these beautiful animals as they rested in the shade, before we had to leave to catch our flight. It was one of my favourite wildlife adventures in Africa, and an epic end to my Botswana trip.

Claudia Tavani blogs at My Adventures Across the World

Read more: Which Is The Best Botswana Safari Lodge? My Favourites With Photos

2/ Visit cape fur seals in Namibia

Our travels through Namibia formed the last chapter of a four-month trip traversing sub-Saharan Africa in a Land Rover with our two boys (then aged 2 and 4). We saw plenty of wild animals on our safari drives through National Parks, although Namibia also offered something a little different.

On the West coast of Namibia, a 1.5-hour drive north of Swakopmund, lies Cape Cross Seal Reserve. Here, more than 100,000 Cape fur seals and their pups come to bathe on the shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean and feed on the rich concentrations of fish in the cold Benguela Current, making it one of the largest seal colonies in the world.

A wooden boardwalk allows you to wander amongst a small section of a seemingly endless stretch of seals draped over rocks (and each other) or playing in the surf. You are literally inches away from these characterful seals, who seem to constantly argue over space, and you’ll find some wriggling under the boardwalk.

The constant chatter with each other is rather loud, but just be prepared for the overwhelming smell of seal poo; you may want to wear a bandana over your nose and mouth!

This encounter is a must-see in Namibia and certainly gets our seal of approval.

You can read more of TraveLynn’s adventures at TraveLynn Family

Read more: What To Wear On Safari: My Detailed Safari Packing List With Photos

Plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife are in fact plans to protect man.

Stewart Udall, American politician

Want to see more of my photography or travel writing? Have comments or questions? Come follow me on Instagram, Threads or Bluesky and share your thoughts!

3/ Spot whales in Hermanus, South Africa

The next animal on this African wildlife adventures list is actually five animals: a marine big five expedition.

The famous African Big Five is made up of five land-based animals: lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant.

The Marine Big Five is less well-known and includes the great white shark, southern right whale, bottlenose dolphin, Cape fur seal, and African penguin. Spotting these five amazing animals is a must-add for any ocean lover’s bucket list.

Whales, the biggest animals on the planet, are at the top of the list, and you can spot them close to the town of Hermanus in South Africa. Just two hours’ drive from Cape Town, Hermanus is often referred to as the whale-watching capital of the world, with three whale species commonly seen in its waters: Southern Right, Brides, and Humpback Whales.

The Southern Right Whale is the most common in the area and the star of whale tourism here. These whales can be identified by the callosities (rough, thickened skin patches) on their heads, and the lack of a dorsal fin on their backs. Adult whales are between 14-16 metres long and can weigh between 40-60 tonnes.

These whales migrate from the Antarctic around June, then calve and mate in August and September. They are found along the coastline of South Africa between July and December – so this is definitely the best time to visit South Africa if you’re into whale-watching.

During the peak season in October, these impressive mammals can even be seen from shore, and when the whale crier blows his horn scores of tourists flock to the cliffs to see the whales below.

Campbell Louw blogs at Stingy Nomads

Read more: 40 Safari Photography Tips For Stunning Wildlife Photos

Want to see more of my photography or travel writing? Have comments or questions? Come follow me on Instagram, Threads or Bluesky and share your thoughts!

4/ Look for lions in the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

My greatest African wildlife experience came during a six week trip to Tanzania. It was my best trip ever: a fortnight in the savanna photographing the beautiful animals, three weeks volunteering, and a week climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

The highlight of the safari portion of the trip was definitely the Ngorongoro Crater, one of the great African landmarks. 

I have never seen so many lions and hippos and elephants at the same time, not to mention the beauty of the landscape. A flat carpet of multiple shades of greens and yellows, in which the lions could easily camouflage, making them hard to spot.

But as we drove through a dry meadow there they were: three males and one female. Two of the males stood a short distance apart while the other male, who must have been the leader of the pride, began mating with the female.

Read more: What Happens On An African Photo Safari: Are They Any Good?

It was amazing to watch and learn, a gift from nature to be able to witness it.

But I also felt like a bit of an intruder invading their intimacy. Actually I felt like an intruder the entire trip, invading their natural environment, their home. Like I wasn’t supposed to be there.

I tried to keep silent and be respectful, but soon other cars arrived to watch the natural show. There were some silly girls who kept laughing and shouting, disrupting the beautiful peace.

Still, it was an incredible experience to see lions in their natural habitat, up close, doing what lions do. I just wish humans weren’t so clueless sometimes.

Isabella Biava blogs at Boundless Roads

Read more: A Safari In Tanzania: A Sneaky Peek Behind The Scenes

The continued existence of wildlife and wilderness is important to the quality of life of humans.

Jim Fowler, zoologist

5/ Witness The Great Migration, Kenya

The famous Great Migration is one of the true wonders of the natural world and one of the top African wildlife adventures.

We had the opportunity to see the awe-inspiring migration during our visit to East Africa this summer.

The Maasai Mara Great Migration is the largest mass movement of land mammals on earth, when more than a million wildebeest, along with thousands of herbivores like zebras, topi and gazelle, stalked by predators like big cats, vultures and hyenas circle through the Serengeti plains in Tanzania and Maasai Mara in Kenya.

The Mara River crossing is the hardest part of their journey, a life-or-death situation since there are vicious Nile crocodiles and territorial hippos is the river waiting to attack. Hippos are herbivores but we saw one feeding on a zebra that had fallen prey to the crocodiles.

We saw thousands of zebras cross the river and watched in horror, as a wounded yet brave zebra walked slowly across the other side followed by hyenas. We were also lucky to witness hundreds, maybe thousands of wildebeest waiting on the riverbank in masses before the first ones made the daring leap to cross.

It was a bumpy two hour drive each way to the river but worth every bit for the spectacle that followed. We even had the joy of stopping en route for a picnic in a field filled with wildebeest.

The Maasai Mara Great Migration is definitely one of the greatest wildlife shows on earth and one of the best wildlife adventures.

Priya Vin blogs at Outside Suburbia

Read more: A Kenya Safari Holiday: How To Plan The Perfect Trip For You

6/ See chimpanzees in Uganda

Uganda is home to an astounding number of primates, but the two most sought-after are the endangered mountain gorillas and chimpanzees.

We got the opportunity to go chimp trekking in not one but two locations – Kibale National Forest and Kyambura Gorge.

While Uganda is known as the home of gorillas, chimp trekking shouldn’t be overlooked and is a completely different experience!  The chimps are loud, confident and aggressive, while gorillas are calm and passive.

As you walk through the forest to see the chimps, you will be surprised as the air comes alive with their calls. We found ourselves running through the undergrowth to keep up with the group as they swung through the trees until they finally made their way into the forest floor.

Though you are told to stay a regulated distance away, we found the animals constantly strayed into our space. It is truly a wildlife adventure experience like no other.

Read the complete adventure at Wandermust Family

Read more: An Epic Uganda Itinerary In 2 Weeks

7/ The circle of life in the Serengeti, Tanzania

There are many national parks to choose from in Tanzania, but the most iconic is Serengeti National Park.

The Serengeti is a vast, flat plain where you can drive around for hours and see an array of animals including giraffes, cheetahs, elephants, gazelles, and more. The area is also known for the year-round Great Migration of thousands of wildebeest and zebras moving throughout the park.

On the second day of our safari, we encountered a group of lions who finished breakfast and decided to block the traffic. Some lounged in the middle of the road, while others took advantage of the shade cast by our jeeps.

Some female lions needed a stretch break and walked next to the dozen cars in the area. They were quite the celebrity as everyone snapped photos and recorded videos of them.

It was incredible to see them brush up against our vehicle. They were very close; only an arm’s length away!

We weren’t scared and loved seeing the lions in their natural habitat. As we departed to the next destination, the male lion dragged a part of their breakfast in front of us, almost like a parting gift.

Although we didn’t want the gift, seeing the beautiful lions was a memorable way to start the day.

Jackie Szeto & Justin Huynh blog at Life Of Doing

Read more: Kenya Vs Tanzania: Travel Experts Decide

8/ Elephants on the Chobe River, Botswana

While perhaps not as well-known as Tanzania and Kenya, Botswana is one of the best safari destinations in Africa. With nearly one-third of the country’s geography protected for wildlife, it is the perfect place for wildlife adventures.

One of my most memorable experiences on our Botswana safari was taking a boat cruise on the Chobe River. The river forms the northern border of Chobe National Park, an area renowned for having the largest concentration of elephants in Africa.

As we travelled along the river we spotted African dart birds, fish eagles and crocodiles sunning themselves in the late afternoon sun. Pods of hippos watched us silently from the depths of the river, popping up occasionally to observe us as we floated by. Water buffalo grazed on the islands peppered along the river.

Read more: First Time Safari Facts: 18 Surprise Things To Know Before You Go

But it was the elephants that stole the show that day — and they take the next spot in this African wildlife adventures list. As we drifted silently along, we spotted a large herd making their way to the riverbank.

The elephants waded into the river metres from our boat. We watched in awe as dozens of elephants, both young and old, frolicked effortlessly in the water. Some fed on reeds from the river.

Two young elephants played a game of what we can only describe as ‘who can hold the other underwater the longest?’

Being so close and observing them in their natural environment was simply incredible. We had many amazing wildlife encounters in Botswana, but seeing the elephants in the Chobe River was a perfect moment.

Rachel blogs at Adventure and Sunshine

Read more: Chobe Safari Lodge In Botswana: A Complete Review With Photos

9/ A safari from the air in Kenya

A safari had been on my bucket list for a while, and it certainly lived up to my expectations.

Starting in Nairobi, Kenya, our brilliant guide took us on a tour of several game parks. The safaris take place early morning or late afternoon when the animals are most active.

This makes for long days, and the less than smooth roads between places mean sleeping on the journey is probably not going to be possible. Our guide referred to the jolting we got as we drove between places as a ‘Kenyan massage’!

We were lucky enough to see all the big five – lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant and buffalo, as well as giraffes, zebras, monkeys, dik-diks, hippos and more.

Thanks to our guide’s amazing vision, we even saw tiny reptiles and well-camouflaged mammals. How he spotted them, we weren’t quite sure.

The most amazing part of our multi-day adventure was a dawn hot-air balloon ride. The driver somehow navigated through the brush to get us to the take-off point and off we sailed into the dawn light. We soared silently over the plains, seeing giraffes and lions below us.

We ended with breakfast right where we landed – in the middle of the plain. The final highlight was crossing the equator, where standing exactly halfway between the poles was a cool thing to do.

Lee and Stacey blog at One Trip at a Time

Everything in Africa bites but the safari bug is worst of all.

Brian Jackman, freelance writer

10/ Meet silverback gorillas in Rwanda

‘Don’t run in Africa!’ They’d told me.

I hadn’t taken this comment to heart when I’d heard it from our guide in the previous days. I’d dismissed it as mostly embellishment to entertain the tourists and safari-goers.

But when I was faced down by an angry gorilla, it couldn’t have resounded in my head any more clearly.

I was on a mountain gorilla trek in the Virunga mountains of Rwanda, when I’d accidentally managed to place myself between the silverback (alpha gorilla male) and his family.

In his mind this was a major issue, and he wasn’t afraid to let me know about it.

Read more: Demystifying Gorilla Trekking: Permits, Planning And Packing

These are not small animals: averaging 5’ to their shoulders while on all four and up to 700 lbs, I could be the David to his Goliath. Fortunately, I remembered not to run.

Charging me and stopping only 3 feet short of running me over, he’d made his point clearly and quickly.

From that point on, I maintained a heightened awareness of what was happening around me.

Spending time with these very humanesque animals made me somehow feel as if I was part of the amazing research done by Dr. Jane Goodall.

Patrick Horsfield blogs at Adventographer.

Read more: 19 Easy Wildlife Photography Tips For Beginners

Some of my personal favourite wildlife adventures in Africa

The entries you’ve just read weren’t written by me (Bella from Passport & Pixels) – all of these were other bloggers’ favourite African wildlife tours.

And while I’ve done many of these things myself (almost all the safari photography in this post is mine) – I think there are a few that are missing.

So here are a few of my personal favourites. Click the links to read the blog posts and find out more:

• Walking with rhinos at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Uganda.
• Getting super close to elephants drinking from a waterhole at Kipalo Hills, Kenya.
• Witnessing the zebra migration at Leroo La Tau, Botswana.
• Taking a boat ride on the Kazinga Channel in Uganda.
• Snorkelling with turtles in the Seychelles.
• Meeting rescued and orphaned animals at Uganda Wildlife Education Centre.
• Doing an incredible wildlife photography safari in Botswana.
• Watching animals at night at the photo hide in Shompole, Kenya.
• Having wildlife all to myself in the Olderkesi Conservancy in Kenya.

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Where to next?

If you enjoyed this post, why not try some of my other Africa and wildlife posts?

• Murchison Falls National Park Uganda: A Complete Photo Guide
• Is Cardamom House In Vipingo The Best Beach Hotel In Kenya?
• Ol Doinyo Lengai Tanzania – Climb the Terrifying Mountain of God
• Queen Elizabeth National Park Uganda: Is It Overhyped?
• Climbing The 8 Days Lemosho Route On Kilimanjaro
• Hiking Mount Nyiragongo: The World’s Largest Volcano Lava Lake

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