Safari in Africa

Africa is above all a dream. A dream of freedom, that of the world's first light.
Experiencing a great safari in Africa means daring to leave the beaten track. Taking this journey means exploring the best reserves and national parks to observe and photograph animals in ideal conditions. It also means sleeping in the heart of nature, in carefully chosen lodges, tented camps or bush camps.
The journeys to Africa we design for you have one ambition: to share this African dream by introducing you to the places where we have had our own finest experiences, so that your safari, too, becomes an unforgettable memory.

In Kenya and Tanzania, the renowned Masai Mara and Serengeti are safe bets for seeing Africa's iconic species. Wildlife density here is the highest of any African park. But success comes with its drawbacks, chiefly the often excessive tourist traffic in certain areas, during certain seasons.
This is why, without ruling out these essential sites, we organise safaris there that let you discover them differently. This might mean travelling in a less crowded season, equally rewarding, or favouring private concessions or so-called “conservation areas”, which deliberately limit visitor numbers. From there, your safari becomes exceptional.
In every case, what matters most is having an excellent guide (ideally private, so you can shape each day as you wish, stay as long as you like with the animals, track them, come back later...) and a quality vehicle; staying in the right place according to the season, and remaining long enough near strategic sites to see the animals. This is where our safari expertise makes all the difference.

Safari in Southern Africa

In Southern Africa, Kruger and Etosha are vast parks that are easy to explore with a rental vehicle, without necessarily needing a 4x4. This is a good way to experience a safari in Africa under good conditions on a limited budget, or when travelling as a family, where that same budget, multiplied by three, four or five people, can add up quickly.
Contrary to preconceived ideas — often spread by people who have never actually set foot there — these parks are not overcrowded, except occasionally near the entrances and on the main tracks or roads. Driving a little further, or venturing onto secondary tracks, often leads to remarkable wildlife encounters, with no other vehicle in sight. Of course, you need a bit of luck, patience, to drive very slowly, to stop or wait at a waterhole... But isn't that exactly the charm of these safaris, and the satisfaction of having “found” the animals without a guide's help?

Some will say this can be dangerous. It is true that you may cross paths with large, potentially risky animals. But with a minimum of common sense and caution, following the basic rules given at park entrances, you can safely enjoy these safaris.
The ideal approach is to complement this adventure with a stay in a private reserve, for a high-end safari accompanied by professional guides. There are many such private reserves — enough to leave you thoroughly confused! All the more so since they all tend to present themselves as 4- or 5-star establishments, even those that barely deserve 3! Here again, our experience allows us to recommend the lodges or camps best suited to you, respecting your tastes, your family situation and your budget constraints.
Remember that every Étendues Sauvages journey is tailor-made, designed just for you.
A safari as a couple will differ from a family safari with young children and/or teenagers!

African gems!

Our favourite trio for a luxury safari in Africa is, without hesitation: Botswana - Zambia - Zimbabwe.
We could also add southern Tanzania which, in many respects, is closer to Southern Africa than to East Africa. Parks like Ruaha, Katavi and Mahale rank among the most remote and best-preserved places in Africa. Best suited to seasoned travellers, as seeing animals here is not always easy.
We would also set Namibia apart. You can read all the useful details in the chapter dedicated to Namibia, but to sum it up: “you go to Kenya, Tanzania or Botswana to see animals in extraordinary landscapes, and you go to Namibia to see extraordinary landscapes in which you may, here and there, come across animals”.

Botswana, with the Okavango Delta, the Moremi Reserve and the Central Kalahari, is without doubt the ultimate destination for anyone seeking a truly authentic safari in Africa. But in Zambia, parks such as South Luangwa, Kafue and Lower Zambezi, to name only a few, have little to envy them. The same goes for Mana Pools, Hwange and Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe. All of them are gems of rare beauty.
Here, the experiences on offer are varied and deeply immersive.
South Luangwa is a haven for walking safaris, as is Mana Pools in Zimbabwe. It is possible to spend a full week there on a walking safari, disconnected from everything. In Botswana, you can explore the winding channels of the Okavango by mokoro or small boat, staying in tented camps of exceptional luxury, in every respect. In Zambia, at Busanga, you will take to the skies at dawn for a memorable hot-air balloon flight over the African bush. In Botswana, at Makgadikgadi, you will make new friends when meeting families of meerkats!

The ultimate encounter

Finally, no discussion of safaris in Africa would be complete without mentioning the great apes. Whether chimpanzees or gorillas, in Uganda, Rwanda or Congo. It is a stirring, often deeply moving encounter, particularly with mountain gorillas. Many consider this experience the ultimate wildlife encounter.
To learn everything about gorillas and chimpanzees, take time to read our dedicated chapter on great ape observation.

As you will have understood, there are countless ways to experience a remarkable safari in Africa, and we could have added several more destinations to these few lines.
What matters is organising this journey with all the expertise needed to come home not only with beautiful photographs, but above all with wonderful memories.
We could write page after page of colourful anecdotes, but it is better that you, in turn, can tell us your own African travel stories. Do not hesitate to contact us for more information from our Africa experts.