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African Lion Safari

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African Lion Safari - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• Mon - Fri 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
• Sat - Sun 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
• (9.95 mi) Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa
• (7.70 mi) Homewood Suites by Hilton Cambridge-Waterloo, Ontario
• (8.80 mi) Best Western Plus Cambridge Hotel
• (8.89 mi) Hilton Garden Inn Kitchener
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• (0.14 mi) African Lion Safari
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African Lion Safari in Ontario

African Lion Safari

Unlike the traditional zoo where visitors freely roam the grounds observing animals in cages, the African Lion Safari near Toronto , Ontario, is set up to allow visitors to drive at their own pace around multi-acre reserves in which the animals roam freely.

Open daily between May and October, the African Lion Safari also stages animal shows and workshops and has a splash pad and playground.

Though the African Lion Safari is more acceptable in terms of animal welfare than zoos and amusement parks like the atrocious Marineland in Niagara Falls , which has been criticized for its animal cruelty, the elephant shows and rides at the African Lion Safari do seem archaic and humiliating to the animals while offering no educational value for viewers.

Tips for Visiting

Dennis Jarvis / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

• Driving your own vehicle around the animal reserves is at your own risk. Baboons have been known to jump on and scratch cars, pull at antennas or remove windshield wipers. Take the Safari Bus if you are concerned about your car being damaged.
• If you decide to drive your own vehicle, you have the option of a monkey-free route; monkeys tend to be the biggest car hazard.
• The park is less busy and not so hot if you arrive for the 10 am opening.
• As with most theme parks, food is generally unhealthy and overpriced. Pack a picnic lunch or at the least bring a snack and a water bottle.
• July and August can be very hot; be prepared with water, sunscreen, hats, and bring bathing suits for the kids to take advantage of the splash pad.
• Slightly rainy days are good days to visit, with fewer visitors and animals that are more active than on very hot, humid days.
• If you want to see some of the shows (Birds of Prey, Parrot, Elephants), find out their start times before you do anything else, and plan your activities around these times.

See the Animals

Derek Hatfield / Flickr / CC BY 2.0 

Animals wandering the African Lion Safari reserves include giraffes, zebras, rhinoceroses, ostriches, lions, cheetahs, baboons, and more.

Birds of prey, including eagles, hawks, owls, vultures, and falcons as well as parrots can be seen during demonstration and shows.

Gentle animals, such as baby goats, can be handled and pet at the Pets' Corner.

How Much Time to Spend at the Safari

African Lion Safari 

Visitors should plan on spending at least three hours at the African Lion Safari. The drive through the animal reserves takes between an hour and two hours, but the other amenities will keep you at the park for longer. Many people arrive for the 10 am opening and stay the whole day.

Getting There

Google Maps

Located in a rural part of Cambridge, Ontario, the African Lion Safari is about an hour from Toronto and 1.5 hours from Niagara Falls. Note that depending on your source, the location may be given as - not Cambridge - but Hamilton or Flamborough.

The route is marked clearly with blue Ontario attraction signage.

While You're in the Area

Little Louie's Burger Joint & Soupery

• Where to eat:  Enjoy delicious Mexican food in a casual atmosphere at Latinoamerica Unida. Slightly more sophisticated than a food truck, Little Louie's Burger Joint & Soupery serves up delish fast food.
• Where to stay: Several hotels are in the vicinity of the African Lion Safari - mostly mid-range. Homewood Suites by Hilton is particularly convenient for families as each guest room has at least one bedroom plus full kitchen and double sofa sleeper. If you're looking for something a little swankier, Langdon Hall is a Relais & Chateaux property in the area.
• Other attractions: A lot of green space, farmland, and conservation areas surround the African Lion Safari. Some charming towns within 20-minutes travel include Elora and Fergus - famous for 19th-century architecture and a preserved mill - and St. Jacobs Country - popular with tourists because of the hiking trails, strong Mennonite presence, and artistic offerings.
• The Donkey Sanctuary of Canada is a less touristy, quieter way to observe animals roaming freely, namely, donkeys who have been rescued from abuse and/or neglect.

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Wild Wilderness Drive-Through Safari

African Lion Safari

For a unique family-friendly adventure, embark on a driving tour through wild game reserves at African Lion Safari. Travel through habitats with seven different wildlife themes, featuring animals from across the African continent, the Australian Outback and the high plains of North America.

Weave through different ecosystems and explore over 300 hectares with animals roaming free, including some threatened or endangered species. Spot lions, zebras, giraffes, kangaroos, bison and more. After your “safari,” learn more about the park’s conservation efforts, breeding programs and research teams.

Visit the African Lion Safari website

African Lion Safari | Waterloo Region

How to get to African Lion Safari

Location: 1386 Cooper Road, Cambridge

By car: Access the African Lion Safari via Highway 401 and Highway 8. If you’re coming from Niagara Falls or the U.S., take the Queen Elizabeth Way. Free parking is included with admission.

By transit: GO Transit provides regular train and bus service to Kitchener and bus service from Kitchener to Cambridge. From there, take a local taxi to the African Lion Safari.

Know before you go

Purchase timed tickets in advance online . You must select two times: one for entry into the park and one for the drive through Game Reserves.

Your vehicle will receive a safety inspection before entering the Game Reserves. Check the vehicle restrictions page before your trip. If you’d rather not drive, opt for the Safari Tour Bus .

Wheelchairs and wagons are available for rent at the Safari Bazaar Gift Shop.

Things to do at African Lion Safari

Discover more activities and experiences.

See over 1,000 animals and birds

Observe thousands of animals in the African Lion Safari’s seven Game Reserves , containing nine kilometres of trail through open grasslands, shaded forests and expansive marshy wetlands.

Ride the tour bus

Leave your car in the parking lot and hop on the Safari Tour Bus . Educational tours are 60 to 90-minutes long and offer great opportunities to take pictures of the animals.

Take a self-guided tour

Listen to an audio tour by expert guides while going through the park. Learn about all the animals you see, how to identify them, what they like to eat and how they behave.

Play in the water park

Grab the sunscreen and let the kids cool off in Misumu Bay Wetplay , the African Lion Safari’s water park. Enjoy waterslides, splash pads and the ever-popular fish-tipping buckets.

Eat in the park

Grab a bite to eat with the safari’s onsite dining . Choose from gourmet barbecued hamburgers, sweet soft-serve ice cream, the signature Elephant Tail fry on a stick and more.

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Interesting facts about African Lion Safari

The African Lion Safari was established in 1969 by the late Colonel G.D. Dailley, who opened it in the name of conservation. The park contained 40 lions in three reserves; today, the park houses over 1,000 animals and more than 100 species.

Over 100 hectares of bush, grasslands and forest allow mixed species of animals to roam and interact as they would in the wild.

African Lion Safari leads numerous conservation initiatives , supporting research and breeding programs to protect endangered animals and their habitats.

Accessibility features

Accessible entrances/exits, accessible parking, accessible restaurant, accessible seating, accessible washroom, service animals welcome, support persons welcome, wheelchair and/or mobility devices available.

Last updated:  April 26, 2024

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African Lion Safari, Ontario

Captured in the lion area of the safari

Looking to get up close and personal with some incredible wildlife this summer?  African Lion Safari might be the activity you’re looking for.  Located in Cambridge, Ontario, African Lion Safari is Canada’s original animal safari.  It started as a zoo type experience where the owner felt like people would be in cages (aka their cars) while animals roamed free in a reverse-tourist type experience.  This seemed to appease some of those against the concept of zoos.

c/o Lionsafari.com

Visitors to the park can choose to drive their own vehicles through the safari course or hop onto a safari bus for a personalized tour experience.

While zoos take a lot of heat due to their treatment and confinement of animals (and we often keep away from posting about them) we got a lot of questions about this specific activity.

Here are our thoughts on the experience, what to expect and whether or not it’s worth the money:

OUR TIPS FOR VISITING AFRICAN LION SAFARI:

(1) If you plan to visit the Southern Ontario area more than twice in a season (May to September) we recommend opting for the season’s pass to save money.  If you’re unsure of whether or not you want to do this, you can always buy a single day pass, go for the tour, check out the sites, and then upgrade your day pass to a season’s pass at customer service (which is located near the water park and food areas).

(2) Bring your swimsuits, towels and water shoes.  The water park is a big attraction here (which might not be at the forefront of your mind).  It’s exciting, fun and a big part of the experience.  Towels are not provided and it’s quite extensive so you’ll want water-park friendly footwear.

(3) Take your own vehicle. If you can, taking your own car is a really fun experience for the family. You can control how long you spend alongside each animal and kids can enjoy a close up experience.  Don’t get us wrong, the bus is fun too because you’re higher up and you get to hear all about what you’re seeing, from a professional, but it moves along at its own pace and you’ve got a lot of heads around you that you’ll need to see passed.

Angie up close with an Emu through our van window

c/o Tripsavvy.com

(4)   Pack lunch and snacks.  There are great food options on the premises, but the picnic areas are beautiful and it seems to be apart of the whole experience.  We saw families everywhere unloading coolers, setting up in the shade and enjoying the outdoors.  There’s sort of that communal, summertime vibe in the picnic areas.

(5) Explore the walking area too.  We went a few times and only focused on the safari tour.  Slowly, we starting making our way through the actual park portion (with the souvenir shop, boat tour, bird attraction, water park etc).  There’s a lot for families to do in that area as well so make sure you check it out.

(6) Set aside one hour for the driving portion.  In some sections of the safari, there really isn’t that much to see.  People seemed to rush toward the lions, then the monkeys, and then the rhinos/giraffes/zebra, which all roam in the same area.  In between those exhibits are what feel like filler (geese, deer, mountain goats, elk etc).  Kids aren’t as captivated.  We find that it takes about 40 minutes to one hour to drive through it and spend quality time at the fun attractions.

(7) Prepare your vehicle.  Make sure you arrive at the park with a full tank of gas, beverages and snacks. Once you start the safari drive, in your vehicle, you cannot stop anywhere or get out.  Bathrooms are located close to the park entrance so make sure you use them (and get the little ones to go to).

Unscrew any antennas, remove decals and detach your wipers if they mean a lot to you (meaning you’ve spent $$$ on them).  Those seem to be the popular items for the baboons to grab on to.  We’ve been through multiple times (likely a half a dozen) with NO damage to our vehicles whatsoever. But we’ve seen monkeys munch on radio antennas etc.

(8)  Plan to spend a full day at the park (but not in the safari).  If you arrive for gate opening (10:00am for the safari) you’ll likely emerge from it right around lunch time.  Then, you can picnic and do the other activities (like the elephant show, bird show, water park, boat tour, train ride etc).  You’re also welcome to drive back through the safari as often as you want in that same day.  So you can always re-enter to check out your favourite animals before you leave.

(9) Manage your expectations.  If you’re expecting to get that jungle feel from this place, you’re in the wrong park.  Remember, it’s southern Ontario so that’s the type of foliage you’re going to see.  On dry days, it can be dusty, animals roam through Canadian trees/plants, and ponds are a bit murky and muddy.  If you’re expecting a very basic tour, where you get to drive close to animals, then you’re in the right spot.  But don’t expect anything similar to a National Geographic or Planet Earth type vibe.  It’s pretty bare bones with piles of rocks and rubble scattered here and there.

Overall though, it’s a fun place.  It might be a bit too old for toddlers (ours didn’t seem to have the attention span to watch as long as the adults could).  But, we live approximately 30 minutes away from the park so we opted to pick up a season’s pass this year.

If you’re interested in the facts about the park, click here to see WIKI.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on African Lion Safari so please let us know what you think.

Happy summer travels!

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African Lion Safari

Type: drive-through wildlife park Location: RR #1 Cambridge, Ontario Phone #: 1-800-461-WILD Website: www.lionsafari.com Rates: Click here for rates Visit our large drive-through wildlife park and you will surely have a wild experience! View and photograph 1000 unique and rare mammals and birds who are roaming freely, waiting to meet you. The Safari Trail takes you through prides of lions, troops of baboons and herds of zebra. You will see big cats, baboons, white rhino, ostrich, aoudad, eland, giraffe and many other exotic and native species. Travel through the reserves in your own vehicle (keep your windows closed!) or park your car and let an informative tour guide drive you through this wild kingdom in our air-conditioned Safari Tour Bus (additional cost). The drive through tour will take about one hour, the rail and boat tours and shows take approximately twenty minutes each and the average stay for a family visit is five to seven hours. Relax and enjoy yourself! Explore our thrilling mammal and bird performances. The shows include the Birds of Prey flying demonstration, Parrot Paradise show, and Elephant Round-Up, all weather permitting. Take a cruise aboard the "African Queen" boat. Your guide will point out exotic birds and primates during your pleasant tour around Water Safari Lake. Inhabitants of this area include the Ring-tailed lemur, Ground Horn-bills, Spider Monkeys, Celebes crested macaques and the endangered Angolan Colobus monkeys. Venture off to Waterfowl Lake and take a journey on the "Nature Boy" scenic railway. As you travel through this natural forest you will see some unique wildlife, watch out for the snapping turtles! Come and see our daily elephant bathing. Here you will see Kitty, Jenny, Maggie and baby Opal, the new jewel of our Asian elephants frolic in the giant recreational lake. Visit Pets' Corner and see a variety of animals and birds. Take a moment to pet and feed some baby goats. Children are encouraged to monkey around in the Jungle Playground featuring the Safari Venture, and Toddlers' Play. Then cool down in the Misumu Bay Wet Play area (height restrictions apply). Hungry on Safari? Check out Mombasa Market Restaurant (licensed) offering flame-broiled burgers, fries, pizza, Safari fried chicken and snacks, or the Cabana Grill (licensed) on the back patio, for BBQ delights!

African Lion Safari

Review Highlights

“ We also gained a lot of information in the bird shows as well as the elephant show . ” in 10 reviews

“ .but it was seriously my favorite part of the zoo beside the amazing giraffe s putting there heads inside the car.. ” in 16 reviews

“ Also on the bus the driver tells you about the animals ( names, where from, etc) It was hot while we were there so the kids used the water park . ” in 10 reviews

Location & Hours

Suggest an edit

1386 Cooper Road

Cambridge, ON N1R 5S2

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Overall rating

Oh my goodness what an awesome experience love love loved this place ... not only are they helping the animals that are going extinct but also saving the ones that are endangered of going on those lists ! Also we got to see two babies born today so beautiful!!

See all photos from Sasha C. for African Lion Safari

The park was extremely crowded on the rainy day we went. I shudder to think what it would have been like on a nice day. The crowds meant that the bus ride through the animal reserves was agonizingly slow and significantly tempered our enjoyment of the animals. The shows were very good. Plenty of seating, fun, and not too long. Glad to have done it but would likely not return.

At the birds of prey show.

Very good experience. We took the bus guided tour. Much more info than just driving through. Very informative. Baboons, cheetahs, lions, rhinos, deers, goats, sheep, bison, zebra... Elephant, birds- Eagles in particular. :) Family had a great time. 2 year old thinks it's the best thing-still talking about it. Down side: Was hot. ?31 degrees I think. Bit expensive. Bit out of the way. Conclusive remarks would be: just do it! Well worth it!

This place was EVERYTHING! I went with my relatives in Toronto and they opted for the guided bus tour which was fine but secretly, I wanted to drive myself to be even closer to the animals. Ostriches, zebras, gazelle, giraffes, elephants all came up to the bus! The lions and baboons were SOOO close. This really was an amazing experience. The petting zoo was also cool and the food was pretty tasty. The birds of prey show was da bomb and I learned so much. The elephant feeding in the lake was also awesome and admission was way less than the San Diego Zoo! I highly recommend this attraction for all families, couples and educational groups!

This is such a great place for young kids. There is a huge splash pad as well as dry playgrounds for kids of different ages. It keeps them busy which means us parents can take a break on the bench here and there. I really appreciated the set up for the kids. The shows are interesting. I missed the elephant bath wish they had more times. And we almost forgot to do the safari drive we were so busy at the splash pad! We took our own car-you can detour around the monkey area which is clearly marked with a sign warning you rush of vehicle damage. Or you can take the shuttle. Which I did in the past. It's a better experience in your own vehicle. There are many places to eat, but mostly pizza fries and ice cream. We brought our own cooler lunch and there are plenty of picnic benches scattered. They need more water fountains for drinking water

I love this place. I have come 3 times and live about 6 hrs away in NY state. I brought my kids all the way up here (from NY) just recently because of how much fun it is to drive through the game reserve. The animals are up close to your cars. It is beautiful and amazing to see them up close. The monkeys often jump on the cars - which makes for great pictures. You have to check this place out and definitely drive through the game reserve.

The elephants have a swim time each day.

Monkeys jump on your car as you drive through.

The African Safari feels like you are in a zoo. The only exception is that, the animals are watching you and you're the one locked up in a cage this time. Your cage is your car! We came here and the entrance was filled with cars, as a lion mascot and an employee walked around to greet us and give us heads up instructions. Tickets can be a little pricey, costing $35 per adult during peak season and around $31 per adult during may and in fall. We exchanged our tickets through our aeroplan points, so we didn't need to pay for that admission. At the ticket booth, we showed the employee our points and we were then provided a map. We followed the rest of the cars in our car through the gates. There were plenty of animals including cheetahs, lions, rhinoceros, goats, giraffes, deer and my favourite part - the monkeys! There was a monkey that hopped on everyone's car and that's where the "traffic jam" began because non of the cars wanted to move when the monkey was on our car. The zebra painted safari cars had to come and tell people to continue moving, also reminding us to not feed the animals. The monkeys didn't make any dents on our car, even though they jumped on it, which is an extra bonus. The safari also has a boat ride after you're done the safari and additional souvenir shops for you to visit! It's a pretty cool experience if you've never been to a safari!

See all photos from Kristy N. for African Lion Safari

Lions, tigers and bears... Oh my! Okay you won't see any of the aforementioned at African Lion Safari except for the lions, but you get the picture here. Much like the Wizard of Oz, you will follow a yellow brick road through a maze of adventure and possibility. I confess, this analogy may be a little exuberant, but you will actually take a vehicle through a windy safari full of animals. Excellent for families! We decided to go for a quick road trip to visit African Lion Safari. We had an amazing time and it was certainly an experience to remember. All of the animals were so beautiful and appeared to be in much better condition than what you'd typically see in a zoo. If coming from Rochester, Buffalo or Syracuse, the drive to Hamlin isn't very far from Western NY, but make sure to map out the actual address of the park because it is several miles away from the expressway. There is plenty of signage available for guidance, so be sure to look around to ensure that you're heading in the right direction. The total drive took us around two and a half hours from Rochester. When visiting the safari, plan to take your time and stay for the day (especially if you're bringing little ones). My husband and I were able to effectively cover many of the main attractions within four hours or so. The entry fee is around $30.00 Canadian, but AAA members can get a discount at the gate if you present your card upon arrival. Within the park, the main attraction is obviously the safari, but there's plenty else to keep you occupied. There's a boat, train and elephant rides available as well as a kiddie waterpark area for small kids. Of the several shows they offered, we checked out the elephants and birds of prey. The elephant one was definitely better and worth seeing. Food options are limited, so most families pack their coolers for a picnic. There are several picnic areas on the premises, so I'd recommend bringing your favorites along the way. There is a large food court that serves sandwiches, fries and pizza, however a slice will run you about $5 each and the pizza is subpar. Visitors have the option to either pay extra and take the tour bus or drive your own car through the reserves. I have done both. This time around, in order to protect my vehicle, we opted for the tour bus. It was nice because the guide was able to point out all of the species and locations of each animal. It was worth the extra $5 fee. If driving your own car, you can tour through the reserves as many times as you'd like. There are no barriers between your vehicle and the animals. It was cool getting an up close and personal look as many animals crossed in front of us and walked near the roads.

We made a few stops on our way up to Toronto a few weeks back. The first was a visit to the African Lion Safari outside of Hamilton, Ontario and just an hour or so outside of central Toronto. Last year my family and I went through northern Ohio's African Safari Wildlife Park, and this one is similar to that but even wilder. In addition to the deer, bison, bongo, zebra, and giraffes, the African Lion Safari's drive through game reserves also feature African lions, cheetahs, and baboons! There is nothing between your car and any of these animals. Feeding of the animals is not allowed, though one of the cars in front of us was feeding the baboon bananas causing the group to climb all over our cars. This was definitely the highlight of the drive through safari. Though it was also really cool to see the African lions up close and without a cage blocking the view. After exploring the game reserves we spent even more time taking in the elephant round-up show, looking at the bird aviaries, petting the goats in the petting zoo, and playing in both the jungle playground and Misumu Bay wet play area. The elephant show featured Asian elephants showing their strength, playing sports, and even making a painting that would later be for sale. As much fun as my kids had seeing the animals, they had as much fun in the play areas, even the wet play when the temperature couldn't have been more than 65 degrees. We came for the drive through safari but enjoyed the other aspects of the park just as much. In the end we stayed for hours longer than I initially thought we would. With so much to do it is easy to spend the entire day there.

I'd recommend taking the safari bus because you'll learn more about the animals that you'd be seeing. Their names, their family members, how old they are and all those interesting facts! On a busy and crowded day, buses also move more quickly than driving your own vehicle through the Game Reserves. You might miss out on the baboons jumping up and down on your car with a banana on their hand but you can still enjoy such sight on other people's cars from the tour bus, lol. I got to see so many animals. I wish I could have seen them more up-close. Some memorable ones were: Lemur, Giraffe, White Lion, Zebra, Ostrich, Black swan, Stork, Vulture, Elk, Falcon, Llama, Elephant, Turtle and Rhino. Stuff to do all included in the price of admission: -Animal shows & Bird shows -Boat ride -Train ride -Petting zoo for kids -Water park for kids -Parking Kids can ride an elephant or pony for extra charges. There are so much to do so a family with kids could easily spend the whole day here. I think they added more attractions since the last time I had visited this place many years ago. Staff are very professional and they do a great job of managing traffic inside and around the Game Reserves. The official address is in Hamilton, but the safari is actually located about half an hour drive away from downtown Hamilton. It is close to Cambridge, Ontario

Ostrich walking towards us; its face is actually really cute

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12 Ultimate Safaris in Africa for Your Bucket List

Posted: April 26, 2024 | Last updated: April 26, 2024

Africa is known to offer thrilling safari experiences through the hearts of its wildernesses. Whether you are looking to encounter the Big Five up close, see predators hunting down their prey, add to your collection of wildlife photographs, or relax in the tranquility of undestroyed landscapes, there is something for you in the national parks in Africa. 

From the vast savannahs of the Serengeti to the lush rainforests of Bwindi, each safari offers a unique and unforgettable adventure. 

If you are looking for safaris to add to your bucket list, you will never go wrong with the national parks we review here; they offer unforgettable experiences that are sure to captivate wildlife and nature enthusiasts. 

Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Witnessing the great migration of wildebeests is undoubtedly Serenegti’s most iconic highlight. 

But there is much more to enjoy other than the migration of the wildebeests. Serengeti is renowned as one of the best places in Africa to see the Big Five (lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhinoceros) in their natural habitat. Other animals you may see on your safari through Serengeti include zebras, cheetahs, hippos, crocodiles, giraffes and various species of antelopes.

Serengeti is also known for its high concentration of big cats, such as lions, cheetahs and leopards. These are typically elusive, and many people going on safaris do not get an excellent chance to spot them. 

Besides the animals, the vast plains of Serengeti, featuring acacia trees, are so calming to look at, especially when they burst into greenery during the rainy season. Whether you are looking for a once-in-a-lifetime safari experience or you are into wildlife photography, Serengeti offers amazing exploration opportunities you need to experience.

Read also: Hidden Gems Across the Globe

Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

The Maasai Mara on the Kenyan side and the Serengeti on the Tanzanian side are interconnected. If you want to witness the wildebeest migration, you can do it on either side. You will be treated to views of the animals moving across the vast plains from one park to another in search of grazing pastures. 

The thing, however, about viewing the migration in Masai Mara is that you may get to see the animals cross the Mara River. If lucky, wildlife photographers may get to catch snaps of crocodiles preying on wildebeests as they cross the river. 

Besides the wildebeests, Masai Mara is also home to the Big Five, which includes large populations of lions, elephants, and buffaloes. Cheetahs, leopards, giraffes, hyenas, and various antelope species are also commonly sighted.

There are so many ways to experience the vastness and beauty of the Masai Mara other than riding on safari vans. You can have a bush breakfast, take hot air balloon safaris for panoramic views of the park, visit the Maasai villages around the park for an immersive experience, or watch sunsets from the viewpoints in the park. 

The Maasai Mara offers many accommodation options, including luxury lodges, tented camps, and mobile campsites. Many of these accommodations are within or near the reserve, offering convenient access to wildlife viewing areas.

Read also: Safaris Beyond Africa

Kruger National Park, South Africa

South Africa offers many opportunities for nature lovers, and Kruger National Park is an icon you cannot afford to miss when visiting the country. Kruger, the country’s largest national park , boasts diverse landscapes, including vast open grasslands, dense bushes, and rivers such as Sabie and the Crocodile. 

 In addition to the Big Five, Kruger is home to a huge population of hippos, crocodiles, numerous bird species, giraffes, wildebeest, hyenas, and zebras. 

You can choose to go on guided bush walks, daytime safaris, or nighttime safaris to better your chances of spotting nocturnal animals like leopards and hyenas. 

When visiting Kruger National Park, you can stay at the rest camps, luxury bush lodges, or private concessions. You may also choose to stay in accommodations within the park limits, many of which offer panoramic views of the park and have animals walking by the decks.

Read also: Must-Visit National Parks

Okavango Delta, Botswana

As the Okavango River flows into the Kalahari Desert, it warps at some point, forming the Okavango Delta. This delta has become a rich haven for wildlife and attracts wildlife enthusiasts from all corners of the world. 

During your safari at the Okavango Delta, you can spot a wide variety of animals, including the African Bush Elephant, buffaloes, hippos, giraffes, Nile crocodiles, lions, cheetahs, brown hyenas, spotted hyenas, warthogs, Black rhinoceros, white rhinoceros, and a wide variety of antelope species. 

An unmissable activity at Okavango Delta is exploring its pristine waterways. Riding a mokoro (traditional canoe) or motorized boat allows you to enjoy different perspectives of the rich ecosystem. 

Whether exploring the waterways on boats, tracking the wildlife on foot, or going on game drives, the Okavango Delta is a destination that will surely enchant nature and safari enthusiasts.

Read also: Spectacular Hiking Trails Around the World

Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe

Mana Pools is known for its stunning landscapes characterized by the meandering Zambezi River, floodplains, woodlands, and the Mana Pools, a series of oxbow lakes. Mana Pools National Park is an excellent opportunity to explore unspoiled natural beauty graced by various animals like elephants, buffaloes, hippos, and crocodiles that can typically be spotted along the Zambezi River. You may also spot elusive predators such as lions, leopards, and hyenas. 

The walking safaris at Mana Pools National Park are a highlight you do not want to miss. It is an opportunity to witness friendly wildlife up close, like giraffes and zebras. For an immersive experience, you may go on canoeing or bird-watching excursions or cultural visits to the local communities.

Read also: Incredible Natural Wonders Around the World

South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

Leopards are known to be nocturnal, secretive, shy, solitary, and masters of camouflage, making them the most difficult to spot among the Big Five. Many people on safaris do not get lucky to spot this big cat. 

However, if you would like to enhance your chances of spotting leopards, your best bet would be at South Luangwa National Park, which is known to have a high population of leopards. 

Beyond leopards, the park is also home to elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, and antelopes. Driving along the Luangwa River is also an opportunity to see crocodiles and hippos. 

South Luangwa National Park offers a range of accommodation options, including luxury lodges, tented camps, and rustic bush camps. Many of these accommodations are located along the Luangwa River, offering stunning views of the river and wildlife that come to drink at the river.

Read also: Interesting Natural Phenomena To Witness

Etosha National Park, Namibia

Etosha National Park is home to one of Africa’s largest salt pans, with waterholes and a large wildlife population. Surrounding the pan are expansive grasslands, mopane woodlands, and acacia savannahs, offering an excellent opportunity to connect with Mother Nature in its unspoiled state. 

Etosha is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including the Big Five, as well as large herds of plains game such as zebras, giraffes, and various antelope species.

The park is mainly known for its large populations of elephants and black rhinos, which can often be seen at the waterholes. It is also a haven for birdwatchers, with over 340 recorded species. Some notable birds to watch out for include ostriches, flamingos, and eagles. 

Besides viewing the wild animals, the salt pan is also a site to behold, especially during the sunrise and sunset.

Read also: Spectacular Desert Landscapes

Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda

As the powerful Nile River squeezes through a narrow gorge, it forms the picturesque Murchison Falls, the highlight of Murchison Falls National Park. The park features a mix of diverse landscapes, including savannah grasslands, dense woodlands, and forests, offering a perfect ecosystem for its large wildlife population. 

The park is home to the Big 5, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, and numerous antelope species such as Uganda kob and waterbuck.

On your safari, you can go on boat cruises to experience the Murchison Falls up close, go on fishing trips on the Nile River, or just spend the evenings relaxing in the tranquility of your safari lodges or tented camps.

Read also: Surreal Landscapes on Earth

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda

Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is known for its gorilla trekking experience. It involves trekking through dense vegetation to encounter endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. 

The name “impenetrable” is very intentional. The forest is characterized by dense woodlands, bamboo forests, thick ground cover of ferns and vines, and mist-covered hills. The thick vegetation you need to traverse offers an immersive experience in the pristine wilderness of Uganda.

While gorillas are the show’s star when visiting Bwindi, the safari also allows tourists to see elephants, chimpanzees, and monkeys. 

The forest has also been described as the world’s best place to see primates.

Read also: Exciting Adventure Destinations Across the World

Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

Hwange National Park is the largest national park in Zimbabwe. It is known for its large elephant population, which gathers around waterholes during the dry season. The park is rugged and beautiful, with stunning vistas and dramatic sunsets perfect for photography

In addition to elephants, Hwange National Park has lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, zebras, buffaloes, and numerous antelope species.

Hwange is also home to a rich birdlife, with over 400 recorded species. Wildlife photographers will have a great time capturing this birdlife, with the most famous sightings including raptors, waterbirds, and migratory species.

Read also: Extreme Travel Destinations Across the World

Amboseli National Park, Kenya

Large herds of elephants, with a stunning background and the highest peak in Africa, is an experience Amboseli National Park is renowned for. The imposing presence of Mount Kilimanjaro in the background makes exploring Amboseli even more fascinating. 

Other than the stunning peaks, visiting Amboseli lets you relax in the tranquility of open plains, acacia woodlands, and surrounding wetlands, all of which create a picturesque setting for spotting wildlife. 

Lions, cheetahs, leopards, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, and antelopes are some of the park’s most famous sightings. 

Enjoy views of Mount Kilimanjaro, especially during sunrise and sunset; take hot air balloon trips for panoramic views of the park, or photograph the large herds of elephants in the heart of Kenya’s wilderness.

Read also: Spectacular Glaciers To See

Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

Taking safari drives or trekking tours across Volcanoes National Park offers the opportunity to encounter endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. 

Dramatic volcanic peaks, including the famous Virunga volcanoes, dominate this park. The landscape is characterized by lush bamboo forests, montane rainforests, and alpine meadows, all of which create a great and calming environment perfect for unwinding in nature.

This park is also home to various monkey species, forest elephants, and numerous bird species. 

If you like hiking, plan to summit the Virunga Volcano, which offers stunning panoramic views of the park and its surroundings.

Read also: Spectacular Volcanic Destinations

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Turn your wanderlust into reality with our list of  must-visit European cities .

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Read the original thread on 12 Ultimate Safaris in Africa for Your Bucket List .

This article was produced and syndicated by World Wild Schooling .

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What’s Next for Jane Goodall? An Immersive Spectacle in Tanzania.

“Dr. Jane’s Dream” is going up in East Africa, where visitors can experience the primatologist’s scientific breakthroughs (complete with termite mound).

By Ralph Blumenthal

Are you ready for the Jane Goodall Experience?

It’s getting ready for you.

“Dr. Jane’s Dream,” an immersive spectacle by former Walt Disney Imagineers and African artisans celebrating the groundbreaking English primatologist and environmental activist, is taking form in a cultural complex in Tanzania.

Its debut, in the safari gateway of Arusha, between Mount Kilimanjaro and Serengeti National Park , is planned around World Chimpanzee Day, July 14, 2025 — 65 years since Goodall, then a 26-year-old novice researcher chaperoned by her mother, landed at the Gombe forest reserve to begin her field work for the anthropologist Louis Leakey .

Within months she upended scientific doctrine by observing an adult male chimp she called David Greybeard raid a termite mound, stripping leaves from a hollow branch to extract and eat the insects. The making and using of tools was long thought a hallmark of humans.

Since then, the nonstop Goodall, who turned 90 on April 3 during a typically exhausting American tour, has been lionized (or aped) in books and movies. She’s a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire and a United Nations Messenger of Peace. And champion of a global crusade of young people and celebrities from Prince Harry to Leonardo DiCaprio fighting deforestation, climate change, pollution and factory farming.

Her nonprofit Jane Goodall Institute in the U.S. is projected to raise $30 million this year, with additional millions raised by the other 25 chapters worldwide, a spokesman said. Her youth movement, Roots and Shoots, is operating in 70 countries.

But she has never been presented like this — in an immersive tribute by African artists and Disney veterans. Disney has called Imagineering the “blending of creative imagination with technical know-how.” But “Dr. Jane’s Dream” is not a Disney project; rather, it taps into storytelling techniques by some of its former innovators.

At “Dr. Jane’s Dream,” Goodall said in New York last week, “There’s a tent where my mom and I were and two little peepholes looking out into the world of the chimps.” Visitors will be challenged. “They go into this dream world and are going to have to investigate. It’s like an adventure.”

Goodall is now on one of her globe-circling jaunts that keep her on the road some 300 days a year. She flew in from the West Coast at the end of March and after Canada and a few days back home in her native Bournemouth on the English Channel, she is booked to Europe, Africa, Australia, South America and Asia.

Since Jan. 12, she calculated, she has slept in her own bed five nights.

On April 2, Goodall was on East 54th Street at the Hotel Elysée with its Monkey Bar — a coincidence, she insisted — along with the fact that her top floor suite had been the last abode of the playwright Tennessee Williams, who died there in 1983 at 71, choking on the cap of a bottle of barbiturates.

Her latest project, “Dr. Jane’s Dream,” is unfolding at the Arusha Cultural Heritage Center, opened in 1994 by Saifudin Khanbhai, whose great-grandfather from India established a trading outpost in British colonial Tanganyika in the 1800s.

Khanbhai offered Goodall a location on the five-acre heritage site, amid a complex of half a dozen buildings and four huts displaying the work of some 3,000 artists and jewelers and showcasing the region’s unique blue gemstone, Tanzanite.

“We just connected so well,” Khanbhai said in an interview. “I’m a man of chemistry. If it works it works.”

Her building’s shell of round drumlike forms is already up, with the interior exhibits coming over the next year.

“Basically, she is getting the deep storytelling, design and immersiveness of Disney Imagineering because — well, we adore Jane,” said Tom Acomb, an architect with his own firm, AOA, and a former Imagineer who teamed up with colleagues including Joe Rohde , creator of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park in Florida, to donate hundreds of thousands of dollars of free design services for “Dr. Jane’s Dream.”

But Acomb said, “Disney has nothing to do with the project, nor is any technology of theirs deployed in any way. What is in the mix is a process — the process that was unique to Disney Imagineering’s ability to tell a story.” He said they still did support work for Disney when called upon.

The idea, Rohde explained, was to create “much more of an experience center than an expository center.”

“What we’re trying to do,” he added, “is sort of take all the feelings and emotions that made Jane Goodall Jane Goodall and transfer that into a series of objects and encounters.”

It was not so much “about” Goodall, he noted, as “feeling her.”

He said it would feature a kiosk with a recording of Goodall translating chimp cries into English; a ceiling of 800 leaflike tiles painted by various African artists, models of animals wrapped in information about them (requiring close study by visitors, just as Goodall had to closely study her subjects); and elaborately carved and painted tree trunks in a style of artmaking called Makonde .

And, of course, the famous termite mound.

“Rather than just telling people that this is the way chimps fish for food,” Rohde said, “we want to compel people to do something like what the chimps do — use these little probes to stimulate something within the termite mound. You’re not learning about what chimps do — you’re learning what they do.

“It’s a very Jane Goodall thing.”

To keep “Dr. Jane’s Dream" maintainable locally, it will limit fancy technology, and allow for improvisation, Rohde said.

“It’s going to be what it becomes as the artists make it.”

Born in London in 1934, Goodall grew up cherishing animals, even, as a not-yet-2-year-old, taking earthworms to bed with her. Her mother, Vanne, convinced her that the worms would do better in the ground. At 4½ she lost herself in the henhouse trying to figure out where eggs came from.

Her parents separated when she was little and, amid Nazi bombings, she relocated with her mother and younger sister to her grandmother’s home in Bournemouth. The first book she read was “The Story of Dr. Dolittle,” about a country physician who talks to the animals. Another early book, “Tarzan of the Apes” left her jealous, she remembers: “He marries the wrong Jane.”

Set on visiting Africa, Goodall saved her waitressing money and, at 23 in 1957, sailed to Kenya where, though lacking a college degree, she sought out Leakey who with his wife, Mary, was excavating early human fossils in Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania.

One day at the site, out walking with another assistant, Gillian Trace, and the Leakeys’ two protective Dalmatians, Toots and Bottom-Biter, Goodall noticed they were being trailed by a young male lion. The dogs, off leash, were busy chasing a mouse.

“Gillian wanted to hide in the vegetation at the bottom of the gorge,” she recalled last week. “I said no, the lion would know where we are, we won’t know where the lion is. We have to climb up on the plains so the lion could see us. I had this firm belief that animals wouldn’t hurt us if we are not a threat to them.”

Goodall said she was less worried about the lion than coming back to Mary Leakey without the Dalmatians.

Afterward, Louis Leakey, impressed, offered her a job studying chimpanzees for clues to man’s earliest ancestors. She became one of his three ape mentees, “the trimates,” who also included Dian Fossey on gorillas and Birutė Galdikas on orangutans. Fossey would be murdered in Rwanda in 1985.

Goodall returned to England but sailed back to Africa with her mother in 1960 to begin her research in Gombe, on Lake Tanganyika.

Alone in the jungle with only their cook, both were felled by malaria. Her mother nearly died. “We just lay in our beds and handed the thermometer back and forth,” Goodall recalled. Somehow, without quinine, they recovered.

She tried repeatedly to make contact with the chimps but they remained aloof, as recorded by an old movie camera she propped up in a tree fork.

Until, after nearly four months, David Greybeard let her get close enough as he made his tool of the tree branch.

“It was held in the left hand, poked into the ground, and then removed coated with termites,” she recorded in her field book. “The straw was then raised to the mouth and the insects picked off with the lips, along the length of the straw, starting in the middle.”

Goodall said she knew immediately that her breakthrough would thrill Leakey. He cabled back: “Now we must redefine ‘tool,’ redefine ‘man’ or accept chimpanzees as human.”

But Goodall also observed the primates in warfare and cannibalism — along with manifestations of empathy and communal rearing of offspring orphaned by poachers. At a waterfall, she observed chimps dancing as if in religious awe.

Sergio Almécija , senior research scientist in primates and human evolution at the American Museum of Natural History, said Goodall revolutionized the way we understand primates and other animals — “like the transition from radio to color TV.”

Starting in 1961, Goodall returned periodically to Cambridge for what became four years of doctoral studies in ethology. “I was told you must focus on feeding behavior or maternal behavior, but not everything,” she recalled.

She focused on everything. She also rejected complaints that she was giving names, not just numbers, to her chimp subjects and recognizing their humanlike traits.

When National Geographic sent a renowned Dutch wildlife photographer, Baron Hugo van Lawick, to Gombe in 1962 to document an irresistible story — a young Englishwoman among the apes — a romance blossomed. They married in London in 1964 and had a child, Hugo Eric Louis, nicknamed Grub. (Now a house builder in Africa and Latin America, he has two sons and a daughter, Goodall’s grandchildren, who work on some of her projects.)

A slowdown in assignments sent van Lawick in search of work in the Serengeti and he and Goodall divorced in 1974. A year later she married the Tanzanian national parks director, Derek Bryceson . He died of cancer in 1980, when Goodall was 46.

In 1986, she helped organize a conference in Chicago, and was shocked to learn how deforestation and pollution were decimating animal populations.

“I went to the conference as a scientist and I left as an activist,” she said.

After revelations of terrible conditions at the Brazzaville zoo in the Republic of Congo, she persuaded the American oil company Conoco to help build a chimp sanctuary in that country. She convinced leading research laboratories like Harvard’s that chimps, after all, made poor models for medical experimentation to benefit humans. Many long-captive animals were released to sanctuaries (though ape-trafficking remained rampant).

She widened her focus to human behavior as well, and became a vegan. “How can we even save the precious chimpanzees,” she asked, “when people all around are struggling to survive?”

Some of her favorite stuffed animals that she carries around in her hand luggage sat last week on a mantle in her New York hotel room: Mr. H, a monkey from a blinded United States Marine, Gary Haun, who became a proficient magician, skier and sky diver; Pigcasso, a South African pig taught to create artworks with a paintbrush in her mouth; an octopus from the movie “My Octopus Teacher”; and Rattie, an African pouched rat trained to detect land mines.

Two other items were away on display at a National Geographic Museum traveling exhibition called “Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall” — a piece of the Berlin Wall and a limestone rock from Nelson Mandela’s Robben Island prison.

All symbols, Goodall says, of her mantra — hope.

“I’m seeing humanity as at the mouth of a very long dark tunnel,” she said, “and right at the end is a little star — that’s hope. But in order to get there we’ve got to roll up our sleeves and climb under and crawl over all the obstacles that lie in the path, like climate change, and loss of biodiversity. And a very important one is poverty. We must alleviate poverty because really poor people destroy the environment to survive.”

In her hotel suite, the living room lights and brass chandelier were lit. A photo of Tennessee Williams glistened in a vitrine.

Goodall was in a bedroom, resting her eyes from her travels and lectures into the spotlights. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, the chandelier began to sway.

Goodall didn’t seem surprised to hear of it. Once, she said, staying in another suite on the same floor, she had seen an apparition.

Did she believe in a hereafter?

There’s either nothing or there’s something, she said. Finding out the answer would be “the next great adventure.”