Traditional safaris involve basing yourself in a national park or game reserve for a day or more, being driven around the park in a jeep or truck with a guide.
However, these days there is a huge variety of safari options offering increasingly unique and customisable ways to interact with nature and enjoy the African wilderness. Below we’ve listed a selection of the most popular safari types to give you inspiration for your next trip.
See herds of wildebeest, zebra, and giraffe roaming the plains from high in the air in a hot air balloon safari – a truly spectacular experience that you’ll never forget. Read our guide to hot air balloon safaris.
Swap the 4×4 for a canoe, kayak or mokoro to mix the relaxing pace of the river with an adventurous spirit – and a very different view of wildlife from the water. Read our guide to canoe safaris.
Both Namibia and Botswana offer incredible African desert locations with surprisingly high-quality and density wildlife viewing. Read our desert safari guide.
Though it might sound like a challenge, a safari with children can be an amazing adventure for the whole family, and a recipe for the holiday of a lifetime. Read our lowdown on family safaris.
Treat yourself to the ultimate in luxury safaris by getting way off the beaten track and flying straight into your safari lodge to explore more remote regions, further from human habitation. Read our guide to fly-in safaris.
With dwindling numbers and habitat, gorilla safaris where you’re virtually guaranteed a sighing of a habituated gorilla are limited to just 3 national parks in Uganda and Rwanda. Read more about gorilla trekking.
The secluded plains, star-lit skies and stunning sunsets make Africa the perfect destination for romance. Read our guide to the ultimate honeymoon safari options.
If you’d like to experience the exhilaration of being part of a wild African herd, rather than observing from a distance, an African horseback safari might be for you. Read our guide to horseback safaris.
Jungle safaris offer a geat way to get up close and personal with nature. Aside from the incredible flora, there’s often monkeys, gorillas, or chimpanzees on view in Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. Read our guide to jungle safaris.
What safaris are all about – relax in your hot tub sipping champagne with views over the savanna after a hard morning’s game viewing in your private jeep… oh for a luxury safari! Read our guide to luxury safaris.
See the savanna in a new light by taking a night safari – when a whole new host of wildlife come out to play… and hunt. Read our guide to night safaris.
If you’re a keen photographer there’s nothing to test your skills – and patience – so much as a dedicated photography safari. Read our guide to photography safaris.
Whilst most safaris mean a guide and driver there are plenty of national parks in Africa that allow for the ultimate DIY self-drive safari experience – behind the wheel of your own vehicle. Read our self-drive safari guide.
Tanzania and Namibia lead the pack in combining fly-in safaris with walking safaris, as increasing numbers of lodges, game reserves and safari companies also offer them. Read our guide to walking safaris.