African Safari FAQ

Which animals would you like to see

So, you are trying to decide whether a South African travel or Namibia travel option would suit you best. Maybe you are even considering Botswana travel. How do you decide? One good way to choose your travel destination is to establish which animals you most want to see on your safari. As you probably already know certain animals occur only in certain habitats. Some prefer a drier desert climate while others need more permanent water. The various African countries have a huge variety of different animals, however some do overlap.

One of the biggest African safari attractions has to be the Big Five. The name originated back when safaris were still mainly about hunting and referred to the five most notoriously difficult and dangerous beasts to hunt. Today it simply refers to the five most glorious wild animals on the African continent, namely the lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo. These are at the top of the list for most visitors to South- and Eastern Africa's many nature- and wildlife reserves.

But these are by far not the only attractions you will encounter on your African safari! Don't forget the magnitude of lesser known, but fascinating fauna and flora that make up the rest of the African biosphere. For instance, the Cape Floral Kingdom, which covers 553,000ha, is one of the richest areas for plants in the world. It covers a mere 0.5% of the area of Africa but is home to nearly 20% of the continent's flora and a myriad of creatures that depend on this singular habitat.

Maybe you have a certain interest or activity that could serve as the base for your safari plans? Those who are aquatically inclined, for instance, may wish to participate in ocean safari around the South African shoreline, which would afford you the opportunity to catch a glimpse of that most fearsome of predators, the Great White Shark. You may also encounter whales, dolphins and other sea creatures that frequent the two oceans that converge at the southernmost tip of Africa. Birding safaris are also undertaken throughout the region. If you have certain animals in mind that you would like to see, we suggest you find out in which reserves and countries these animals are most commonly found and plan your South African travels accordingly.