Africa is among the Continents of the world with several touristic destinations to go for wildlife & primate safaris, cultural and adventure tours.
This continent is divided in East, West, North, South and Central Africa but East Africa is the most gifted with several beautiful destinations to visit for your lifetime safari, below is a list of top ten destinations visited in Africa for the year 2017.
Uganda
Uganda was termed “The Pearl of Africa” because of its wide scope of attractions in stock; it is located in the Eastern part of the African Continent bordering Kenya in the East, South Sudan in the North, Democratic Republic of Congo in the West, Rwanda and Tanzania in the South.
Uganda is very reach in Wildlife (Species and Mammals) and Culture plus different attractive adventure sites, Its Wildlife includes the African Big Fives (Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Buffalo and Rhinoceros), Mountain Gorillas, Chimpanzees, Golden Monkeys, Black and White Colobus Monkeys, Vervets, Blue Monkeys, Red tailed Monkeys, Zebras, Giraffe, Elands, Kobs, Impala, Bush babies, Tree Climbing Lions, Aquatic species (Hippos, Crocodiles, Lizards and more), Reptiles like Snakes, frogs, different bird species including the rare shoe bill.
When it comes to culture there are several cultural sites to visit in Uganda which include the Kasubi tombs, Uganda Martyr’s Shrines in Namugongo, Kabaka’s lake, craft shops plus some cultural tribes to visit and these are the Batwa people.
Uganda’s climate is favorable with both rainy and sunny season; both the tarmacked and marram roads are in good conditions favoring clear passage of the safari jeeps that are provided on escorted trips or self drive in Uganda.
Where to find wildlife in Uganda? Uganda is really gifted with wildlife which is situated in its top destinations to visit, research puts that most visitors to Uganda come with interest of seeing the shy endangered mountain gorillas which can only be found in Bwindi impenetrable National park and Mgahinga Forest National Park.
Chimpanzees rated to be the second most visited attraction in Uganda can be found in Kibale Forest National park, Queen Elizabeth National Park (Kyambura gorge) and Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary but those in Queen are rarely seen, Golden Monkeys are found only in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, African Big Fives which include lions, elephants, leopards, buffaloes and rhinoceros are found mostly in Kidepo Valley National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Semuliki National Park, Murchison Falls National Park except the Rhinoceros which is only found in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Zebras are found in Lake Mburo National Park and Kidepo, Tree Climbing Lions are found in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Giraffe are found in Murchison and Kidepo Valley National Park, different bird species are almost found in all national parks except the rare shoe bill, Mabamba swamp is the most generous home to the rare shoe bill plus other swampy areas in Uganda, other primates and species not specified are found in all the National parks.
Interested in visiting the Batwa people for cultural experiences they are found in western Uganda in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Kenya
Kenya is known to be reach in wildlife, it is also located in the Eastern part of the African Continent bordering Somalia in the East, Uganda in the West, Tanzania in the South, and Ethiopia in the North.
Kenya’s Wildlife includes the African Big Fives (African Elephant, African Leopard, African Lion, African Buffalo and the Rhinoceros, to add on these animals are called the African Big Fives because they were very difficult to hunt by hunters and very dangerous to human beings), Wildebeest which are the major Kenya tourists’ interest, Giraffe, Zebras, Hippos and different bird species which are recorded sightable.
Kenya is a good destination to visit with a stable economy security wise and favorable climate which favors travelers; roads heading to the strategic destinations to visit are in good conditions favoring proper hauling of the Safari Jeeps. Masai people are one of the Cultural tribes to visit while in Kenya for your cultural experience.
What to see in Kenya
Most of the Visitors or travelers to Kenya come with the interest of sighting the mostly known Wildebeests, these popular animals are sighted clearly in Masai Mara National park when crossing to Serengeti national Park in Tanzania in search of what to eat, they are usually in large numbers of a thousands, they mate on the way and young ones are produced.
Not only Wildebeest migration but Maasai Mara is reach in Wildlife and while there you are able to sight the African Big Fives feeding which include the Elephants, Lions, Leopards, Buffaloes and Rhinoceros.
What makes Uganda to be unique than Kenya are the shy endangered Mountain Gorillas which are not residents in Kenya.
Tanzania
This is also commonly for its wide range of Wildlife primates and species in its diversity, when compared with Kenya and Uganda its bigger than them and it’s also located in the Eastern part of the African Continent bordering Uganda and Kenya in the North, Democratic Republic of Congo in the West, Rwanda, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo in the North west, Indian ocean in the East, Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique in the South.
Its Wildlife also include the mostly known and wanted Wildebeest, African Big Fives (Elephants, Leopards, Lions, Buffaloes, and the Rhinoceros), Zebras, Giraffe, Monkeys, Bush babies, the rare Tree climbing Lions, Elands, impala, kobs and different bird species recorded sightable in Serengeti national park Tanzania’s top destination to visit for your life time Wildlife Safari, also the Masai people are residents in Tanzania.
What to see in Tanzania
While in Tanzania visit Serengeti National Park for its Wildlife, most Visitors to Serengeti go with the interest of sighting the crossing Wildebeest which usually cross from Tanzania to Kenya and back in search of pasture for eating while some Females are searching for Males to mate.
Other Wildlife in Serengeti include the African Big fives (Elephants, Leopards, Lions, Buffaloes and the Rhinoceros) and the rare Tree Climbing Lions, these tree climbing lions are of two populations in Africa with one found in Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda and the other found in Lake Manyara National Park Tanzania.
Rwanda
Rwanda is one of the popularly known destinations to visit in Africa for Wildlife Safaris, Cultural tours and adventure tours, it’s located in the Eastern part of the African Continent bordering Uganda in the North, Tanzania in the East, Democratic Republic of Congo in the West, Burundi and Tanzania in the South.
Rwanda is commonly known for the shy endangered Mountain Gorillas and its Volcanic Mountains; these Mountain Gorillas are found in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda’s top destination to visit.
Other Wildlife in Rwanda include Chimpanzees which are found in Nyungwe Forest National Park, Golden Monkeys which are found in Volcanoes national Park, African Big Fives which include African Elephants, Lions, Buffaloes, Leopards and the Rhinoceros which are found in Akagera National Park, Zebras, Hippos plus different bird species.
Rwanda is another place to find the Batwa people in IbyI’wacu cultural village for Cultural experiences without forgetting the Kigali Genocide memorial.
Where to go in Rwanda
Rwanda has its top three National Parks to visit for Wildlife which include Volcanoes National Park commonly known for the shy endangered Mountain Gorillas and Golden Monkeys, Volcanoes National Park is located in the Northern part of Rwanda in Ruhengeri and its rated to be suitable for all your Rwanda Safaris, Nyungwe Forest National Park located in the southern part of Rwanda commonly known for the Chimpanzees is another place to go while in Rwanda and for other Wildlife Primates which include the African Big Fives Akagera National Park located in the Eastern part of Rwanda is the right place to visit for a rewarding and amazing Wildlife Safari in Rwanda.
Botswana.
Botswana is located in the Southern part of the African Continent bordering Zambia in the North, Zimbabwe in the East, South Africa in the South and Namibia in the West.
Botswana is rated to be one of the best places to go for Wildlife Safaris in Africa because of its wide scope of primates and species recorded sightable in its diversity, Wildlife primates in Botswana include the African Big Fives (Elephants, Lions, Leopards, Buffaloes and Rhinoceros), different bird species and more. Below are some of the destinations to go while in Botswana for all this Wildlife Viewing.
- Makgadikgadi Salt Pans. The salt pans restrict anything from growing and during certain seasons appear to be completely devoid of anything living. Once the wet season arrives though, the lands become an entirely new place.
- Okavango Delta. This delta is fed by the Okavango River which flows in from the Angolan highlands. The Okavango is produced by seasonal flooding on the otherwise flat land. Due to the gentle slope of the delta, it takes around six months for the flood waters to make their way down from Angola.
- Chobe National Park. This park is located in the north-east of Botswana, is home to wide range of wildlife primates like Elephants, Zebras, Buffaloes and more.
- Kalahari Desert. This is a large semi-arid savannah that’s both vast and beautiful. This desert covers much of Botswana, and stretches into Namibia and South Africa.
South Africa
South Africa is a good place to visit for adventure and is located in the deeper southern part of the African Continent bordering Botswana in the North, Mozambique in the East, surrounded by the Pacific Ocean in the south and Namibia in the North West.
South Africa is rewarded with a lot of Wildlife which include the African Big Fives you can sight and do not think of visiting other places for Wildlife.
Below are some of the best places to visit in South Africa for Wildlife Primates and Species plus adventure sites.
- Kruger National Park. This is known to be the largest National park in South Africa and South Africa’s main tourist attraction. It has wide range of wildlife primates which includes the Big five, Cheetah, Giraffe and more.
- Table Mountain. This is located within a national park, reaching the pinnacle of the Table Mountain is a thrilling experience that offers phenomenal, birds-eye views overlooking the city of Cape Town, Robben Island to the north, and the Atlantic seaboard to the west and south.
- Drakensberg Mountain. It is the highest mountain range in Southern Africa, rising to 3,482 meters in height. The name is derived from the Dutch and means “Dragons Mountain”.
- Durban Beaches. These are the most popular beaches in South Africa where travelers to South Africa go for holidays. Durban beaches are lively areas that are remarkably clean & safe, and many of the beaches offer varietal entertainments throughout the day.
Democratic Republic of Congo
This is one of the biggest countries in Africa also popularly known for both the shy endangered Mountain Gorillas and Lowland Gorillas; it is located in the Central part of the African Continent bordering Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania in the East, Central African Republic in the North, Zambia and Angola in the South and Congo Brazerville in the West.
This popular destination to visit is commonly known for the Gorillas although even Chimpanzees are residents in Tongo forest plus Okapis in Okapi National park.
The other mostly wanted attraction in Democratic Republic of Congo is the Nyiragongo Volcanoes in the Virunga Massif which is usually hiked in two days. You can better reach Congo when you land in Rwanda at Kigali airport and cross Goma border.
What to see while in DR Congo
The mostly wanted attraction in DR Congo is the shy endangered Mountain Gorillas which are found in Virunga National park which is DR Congo’s top destination to visit and it’s rated to be the oldest National Park in Africa, it was gazetted mainly to provide home to these shy endangered Mountain Gorillas.
Kahuzi Biega National Park is the second most destinations to visit in Democratic Republic of Congo and its commonly known for the rarely seen Low land Gorillas, research put it that these species of Eastern Low land Gorillas in Africa are found only in Democratic Republic of Congo.
Nyiragongo Volcanoes is another place to go which takes two days to hike and descend back from the top of the Volcanoes, the starting point is in Kibati and day one is for hiking from Kibati Starting point up to the top with a guide to lead you through the Journey, always the Journey is started in the Morning at 10:00am and you will reach at the top in evening.
You will have to spend a night at the top in the reserved accommodation to sight the night view of the burning Lava.
