Safari travel in Africa is often packaged around the popular likes of Kruger National Park, the Serengeti and the Masai Mara. These places are incredibly iconic, but other landscapes often go under the radar.
These destinations do not always make glossy bucket lists, but they offer some of the most rewarding wildlife experiences on the continent.
This is where to look if you want raw landscapes, fewer vehicles, and a deeper sense of connection to the wild.
Zambia
Elephant in South Luangwa National Park/Dmitrii Zhodzishskii/Unsplash
Where walking safaris and real wilderness still matter
Zambia has quietly built a reputation as one of Africa’s most authentic safari destinations. Its parks are less crowded than many in East and Southern Africa, and its guiding culture is widely respected.
South Luangwa National Park is the country’s best-known reserve, famous for pioneering the walking safari. Exploring on foot changes the pace completely. You notice tracks, bird calls, insects and plant life that are often missed from a vehicle. Leopards, elephants and hippos are common, while wild dogs and lions are regularly seen.
Further west, Liuwa Plain National Park offers something even rarer. Isolation. This remote park hosts Africa’s second-largest wildebeest migration, yet visitor numbers remain extremely low. During peak season, it is possible to watch thousands of animals move across the plains with no other vehicles in sight.
Zambia is wild because it still prioritises experience over spectacle.
Gabon
Wild Western Lowland Gorillas within Loango National Park/TheLeftCoast, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Where rainforest, savannah and ocean collide
Gabon is one of Africa’s most biodiverse countries and one of its least visited by safari travellers. Much of the country is covered in dense rainforest, creating a completely different wildlife experience from open savannah parks.
Loango National Park is the standout. Here, forest elephants wander out of the jungle onto empty beaches. Hippos swim in the Atlantic surf. Buffalo graze against a backdrop of crashing waves. Inland, gorillas and chimpanzees move through thick forest while whales migrate along the coastline offshore.
This is not an easy safari. Game viewing requires patience and skilled guides. But the reward is an experience that feels genuinely untamed and unlike anywhere else in Africa.
Gabon suits travellers who value rarity and atmosphere over tick lists.
Southern Tanzania
Chimpanzee mother and child in Mahale Mountains National Park/Ryan Al Bishri rybkstudio, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Big landscapes without the crowds
Northern Tanzania draws the bulk of safari traffic, leaving the country’s southern circuit largely overlooked. That is precisely its strength.
Ruaha National Park is Tanzania’s largest park and one of its least visited. The Great Ruaha River cuts through rugged terrain, attracting large herds of elephants and healthy populations of lions, leopards and wild dogs. Distances are vast, and days often pass without encountering another vehicle.
Further west, Mahale Mountains National Park offers a completely different encounter. On the forested slopes above Lake Tanganyika, travellers trek on foot to observe wild chimpanzees. The combination of rainforest hikes, crystal-clear water and primate tracking creates a safari that feels both physical and deeply immersive.
Southern Tanzania rewards travellers willing to slow down and look beyond the famous migration routes.
Uganda
Kidepo Valley National Park/Kateregga1/Wikimedia Commons
Remote parks and unexpected safari diversity
Uganda is best known for gorilla trekking, but its savannah parks deserve far more attention.
Kidepo Valley National Park sits in the far northeast of the country, bordered by mountain ranges and open plains. It is one of East Africa’s most isolated parks, both geographically and emotionally. Wildlife sightings are excellent, including lions, cheetahs and large buffalo herds, but the real appeal lies in the sense of space and solitude.
Queen Elizabeth National Park offers a different experience altogether. Boat safaris along the Kazinga Channel bring you close to hippos, crocodiles and waterbirds, while the Ishasha sector is home to the region’s famous tree-climbing lions.
Uganda’s strength lies in its variety and its ability to combine wildlife, landscapes and culture in one journey.
Namibia
Etosha National Park/Chris Stenger/Unsplash
Desert-adapted wildlife and stark beauty
Namibia proves that safari does not require lush grasslands. In fact, its dry, open landscapes often make wildlife easier to spot.
Etosha National Park centres around a vast salt pan, with animals congregating at waterholes during the dry season. Game viewing is dramatic and accessible, with excellent sightings of elephants, rhinos, lions and plains game.
In the far northwest, the Kunene region offers one of the most remote safari experiences in Southern Africa. Here, desert-adapted elephants, giraffes and predators survive in harsh conditions, often alongside semi-nomadic Himba communities. Lodges operate with a minimal footprint, and the sense of isolation is profound.
Namibia’s wildness lies in its silence, scale and resilience.
Malawi
Impala drinking at Majete Wildlife Reserve/Cornelius Kibelka from Berlin, Germany/Wikimedia Commons
Conservation success stories and quiet safari moments
Malawi rarely features on safari wish lists, yet it has undergone one of Africa’s most impressive conservation recoveries in recent years.
Parks like Majete Wildlife Reserve and Liwonde National Park have been revitalised through careful reintroductions and strong management. Today, visitors can expect sightings of elephants, lions, rhinos and abundant birdlife, often with very few other guests.
What sets Malawi apart is the contrast. A morning game drive can be followed by an afternoon beside Lake Malawi, where freshwater beaches and village life add a softer rhythm to the safari experience.
Malawi is ideal for travellers seeking meaningful conservation stories without the crowds.
Why these countries should be on your bucket list
These destinations may lack instant name recognition, but they represent the future of safari travel. Lower visitor numbers reduce pressure on ecosystems. Community involvement is often stronger. Experiences feel personal rather than packaged.
For travellers who have already done the classics, these countries offer something increasingly rare in modern travel. Space, silence and the feeling that the wild still leads the way.
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