Do you remember the first time you ever went to the zoo? The feeling of seeing an elephant or a lion for the first time is that tends to stick with you. Most of you probably dreamed of one day seeing these animals out in the wild. But as you got older you thought, “oh its too far”, or “it’s too dangerous.” The reality is that an African safari is definitely possible for anyone who wants to see some of Earth’s most fascinating animals in their natural habitat. Here are four great places to do it.
Kakum National Park
Located in the country of Ghana on Africa’s humid west coast, Kakum National Park covers 145 square miles of untamed rainforest. A unique feature of Kakum, and what makes it a great safari destination, is its system of hanging rope bridges. Hanging above the forest floor at canopy level, they allow visitors to travel through the trees for unparalleled views of the Forest Elephants grazing below. In addition, being at tree level gives you a chance at spotting a rare leopard, which tend to spend the humid midday hours napping on a branch.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Reserve
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Reserve is at the heart of Africa and contains one of the richest ecosystems in the world. Hidden away in the misty highlands of Uganda, the park is home to populations of spectacular primates like the Chimpanzee and Colobus monkey. It’s also one of the last places to see mountain gorillas in the wild. With a total population of over 700, half of the world’s gorillas live inside Bwindi. With the number of wild gorillas rapidly dwindling, Bwindi might be your best bet to see one of these gentle giants.
ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK
Deep in the Continent’s interior, in the nation of Namibia, lies Etosha National Park. One of Africa’s oldest wildlife reserves, the park was designated in 1907. Located on a dusty plane, its numerous watering holes draw wildlife from hundreds of miles. The park sees regular groups of giraffes and wildebeests. It’s also home to incredibly rare species, like the Black Rhino and the Cheetah.
CHOBE NATIONAL PARK
Chobe lies in a dense series of wetlands in the north of Botswana. Every year the park is witness to huge migrations of every conceivable species of African wildlife. Cheetahs, Hippos, Ostriches, Rhinos, all of them pass through in their search for grazing lands. In addition, following the herds of prey are prides of Lions. In addition, since preservation efforts began in 1990 the park has seen its population of Elephants rise from a few thousand to over fifty thousand, making it home to one of the largest populations of elephants in the world.
