The difference between a good safari and a transformative one is not luck. It is preparation — choosing the right ecosystem, the right season, and a camp small enough that the vehicle count at any sighting never exceeds three. In the Masai Mara during migration month, a lion kill can attract twelve vehicles. At a private conservancy bordering the same reserve, the same scene will be witnessed by two.
The Destinations
- Masai Mara (Kenya) — the Great Migration July–October; year-round cats; large conservancies away from the main reserve
- Serengeti (Tanzania) — calving season January–February in the south; migration June–July in the northern corridor
- Okavango Delta (Botswana) — the most exclusive safari destination in Africa; water safaris by mokoro; peak July–October
- South Luangwa (Zambia) — arguably Africa's best walking safari; outstanding leopard density; remote and uncrowded
- Hwange (Zimbabwe) — vast herds of elephant; exceptional guides; a fraction of the cost of Botswana
- Ruaha (Tanzania) — Tanzania's largest national park; fewer than a dozen camps; superb lion, wild dog, and roan antelope
Choosing a Camp
The single most important choice is the density of camps in the area. A private concession — where only one operator holds the rights to game drives across a defined territory — is always preferable to a public national park where any licensed vehicle can follow any sighting. Concession fees are paid to local communities and conservation trusts; they are part of what makes the experience better and better-intentioned simultaneously.
On the fifth morning, the guide stopped the vehicle and asked us to be very still. Thirty metres away, a pack of fourteen African wild dogs was denning in a termite mound. We watched for two hours. No other vehicle came.
Timing the migration
The wildebeest crossing at the Mara River is the most dramatic wildlife spectacle on earth — but it is unpredictable by days or weeks. A reputable camp will track the herds and position you optimally. Book a camp that includes unlimited game drives rather than counting hours; you will need the flexibility when the crossing is imminent.