{"id":2721,"date":"2020-01-24T09:40:29","date_gmt":"2020-01-24T09:40:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/liquidgiraffe.com\/?p=2721"},"modified":"2026-02-04T08:51:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T08:51:07","slug":"top-3-recommended-southern-africa-safaris","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/liquidgiraffe.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/24\/top-3-recommended-southern-africa-safaris\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Top 3 Recommended Southern Africa Safaris"},"content":{"rendered":"

For over a decade now, we have been travelling to the major \u2013 and lesser known \u2013 Southern Africa safari hotspots, taking guests on a journey of a lifetime in this celebrated region of the continent.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Each country has its own inimitable beauty, wilderness experience and wildlife diversity so choosing just three out of about five is in no way an easy task. If we had to choose, these would be our top recommendations, based largely on what we and our guests love about them.<\/p>\n

Wild Zimbabwe<\/strong><\/p>\n

Zimbabwe is well-known as a stronghold of the Big 5 and for its excellent dry season safaris where wildlife gathers around reliable water sources and sparse vegetation, heightening the possibility of dramatic predator-prey interactions.<\/p>\n

\"Liquid<\/a>
Mana Pools National Park \u00a9 African Bush Camps<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The playground for large herds of African elephants<\/a> \u2013 up to 120 000 during the dry season \u2013 and year-round residence of a variety of water birds, Mana Pools National Park is a Big 5 safari experience on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River. Its remoteness allows you to take in the beautiful scenery and encounter its wildlife without the crowds. The floodplains, baobab trees and forests of Mana Pools can be explored by foot or canoe from one of the unfenced campsites, such as Nyamatusi Camp<\/a> by African Bush Camps.<\/p>\n

\"Liquid<\/a>
Hwange National Park \u00a9 African Bush Camps<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Zimbabwe\u2019s other Big 5 national park, Hwange, is the country\u2019s largest reserve and home to special animal species like bat-eared foxes, African wild dog, cheetah, sable and roan antelopes as well as up to 400 species of birds. Despite its easy accessibility, like Mana Pools, a safari in Hwange is generally never disrupted by crowds. Luxury camps like Somalisa Expeditions<\/a> offer traditional game drives as well as adventurous two-hour guided walking safaris.<\/p>\n

Iconic Botswana<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Botswanan landscape is characterised by its contrasts. From the vast Okavango Delta that is flooded annually with water originating in the Angolan Highlands to the brilliant white landscape of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans.<\/p>\n

\"Liquid<\/a>
Khwai Private Reserve, Okavango Delta \u00a9 Natural Selection<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Okavango Delta consists of multiple concessions and the Khwai Private Reserve is one such gem, found deep in the heart of the Delta. It provides refuge to four of Africa\u2019s Big 5 (rhino is missing), sable antelope, lechwe, hippo anda colourful collection of birdlife. The mokoro<\/em> (dugout canoe) is used for water safaris, while game drives and guided walks offer the traditional safari adventure. An exciting activity by Natural Selection<\/a> is the skybeds experience in the Okavango Delta<\/a> where you sleep on a raised platform under the stars surrounded only by nocturnal nature.<\/p>\n

\"Liquid<\/a>
Makgadikgadi Salt Pans \u00a9 Natural Selection<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the opposite end of Botswana\u2019s safari spectrum are the dry Makgadikgadi Salt Pans. When the rains reach the pans, they become an important habitat for migrating animals like wildebeest, zebra and aquatic bird species, most notably Great White Pelicans and Greater Flamingos. Quad-biking the various Makgadikgadi Salt Pans<\/a> will make thrill-seekers fall in love with this part of Botswana. Walks with members of the San Bushmen community and interaction with habituated meerkats also make this a unique safari destination.<\/p>\n

Diverse Zambia<\/strong><\/p>\n

A wide range of experiences make up a holiday in Zambia, which is why it is an excellent choice for those wanting to see and do as much as possible in just one country in Southern Africa.<\/p>\n

\"Liquid<\/a>
Devil’s Pool, Victoria Falls \u00a9 Tongabezi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of Africa\u2019s most iconic destinations, Victoria Falls can be accessed from both the Zambian and Zimbabwean side of the Zambezi River. Known locally as \u2018The Smoke That Thunders\u2019 and described by British explorer David Livingstone as \u201cso lovely, it must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight\u201d, Victoria Falls is a must-see when visiting Zambia. Livingstone Island tours and seasonal swimming in Devil\u2019s Pool are unforgettable activities, which can be easily arranged by lodges like Tongabezi<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Liquid<\/a>
Busanga Plains, Kafue National Park \u00a9 Wilderness Safaris<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Despite Kafue being Zambia\u2019s oldest and largest national park, it remains the country\u2019s secret wilderness in the west. This makes it an exciting destination for intrepid explorers keen on delving into untouched nature, where the wildlife can be shy but is also incredibly diverse. The expansive Busanga Plains are located in the park\u2019s northern reaches and can only be visited during the dry season, with elegant lodgings like Shumba Camp<\/a> offering game drives, boating and sky safaris by hot air balloon<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Contact us<\/strong><\/a> to explore what safari destination in Africa will best match your particular travelling style, interests, budget and time-frame. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Feature image courtesy of <\/em>African Bush Camps<\/em><\/a> at Nyamatusi Camp, Mana Pools National Park. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For over a decade now, we have been travelling to the major \u2013 and lesser known \u2013 Southern Africa safari hotspots, taking guests on a journey of a lifetime in this celebrated region of the continent. Each country has its own inimitable beauty, wilderness experience and wildlife diversity so choosing just three out of about … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2724,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[147,211,52,212],"class_list":["post-2721","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-african-safari","tag-african-safari-destinations","tag-liquid-giraffe","tag-southern-africa-safaris"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/liquidgiraffe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2721","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/liquidgiraffe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/liquidgiraffe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liquidgiraffe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liquidgiraffe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2721"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/liquidgiraffe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2721\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":68473,"href":"https:\/\/liquidgiraffe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2721\/revisions\/68473"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liquidgiraffe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2724"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/liquidgiraffe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2721"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liquidgiraffe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2721"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liquidgiraffe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2721"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}