Planning your first African safari is hugely exciting, and it’s natural to feel pressure to pick the right destination. 

So where is the best place to go on safari for your first time? 

There’s no such thing! 

Luckily for you, there isn’t a wrong answer. Our job at Bonamy is to help you find YOUR perfect place for your first safari. Everyone is unique, and what might be the ideal location for one person won’t necessarily be the best fit for someone else. 

Your perfect first-time safari spot ultimately depends on you as a person. It comes down to what you’re looking to get out of a trip, how comfortable you feel being in the wild, the kind of activities you enjoy, what animals you’d like to see, and so many other factors.

As a safari newbie, I am also in the exhilarating process of planning my very first safari with the Bonamy team. So, with the advantage of having four very experienced safari experts sitting around me, I asked them all where they would recommend that I go and what their top tips would be for someone new to the safari world.

Here’s what they said:

James Handley:

For you personally, and from what I have learnt about you over the past few weeks, I would suggest a first safari to Botswana or Zambia. 

You are clearly adventurous, and have a love of water (or at least I hope you do having spent so much time by the sea!). Botswana and Zambia both offer some of the best boating experiences in Africa, and it gives you a really diverse and exciting perspective on the wildlife that I think would feed your curiosity.

I'd also recommend heading out on a walking safari (best, from my perspective, in the Lower Zambezi National Park in Zambia). 

There's so much that you zoom past when on a game drive. Moving much slower through the bush with your guide gives you time to appreciate all of the smaller things - elephant tusk markings on trees, animal tracks in the sand, half-eaten sausage tree fruits in the bushes. 

It's these little things that you don't see on a game drive that provide you with the 'story' that is happening everywhere and all the time on safari.

Vanessa:

There are so many great options for a first-time safari that it's hard to pick just one spot. I'd recommend somewhere that has got a little bit of everything to give you the best possible introduction to the magic of being on safari. 

I'd look for a national park, or reserve, that has a huge diversity of wildlife, stunning landscapes and a variety of activities to keep you busy too. It's also nice to combine a couple of different areas to give you a broader experience, so my suggestion would be two of Zambia's national parks; the South Luangwa and the Lower Zambezi.

Why? Well, because the game viewing in both is absolutely exceptional. 

There are some amazing camps and lodges to choose from, catering to different interests and budgets. In the South Luangwa, you can enjoy game drives and walking safaris and then in the Lower Zambezi, you can head onto the water on boats and canoes, as well as the drives and walks. 

Between them, both parks have all of the wildlife you could imagine seeing (except for rhino) and will certainly give you the safari bug!

Top Tip: Put the camera down. 

Yes, we all want to come home with amazing wildlife photos to savour forever, but sometimes it pays to just sit and enjoy the moment. Some of my favourite and best memories are from just absorbing what is going on around me. 

I've got billions of photos of elephants, but can probably only remember the scenario of a handful of them, yet my safari memories all stem from being present in the moment.

James Connolly:

I am biased, but Botswana.

There is nothing like the untouched beauty and diversity of landscape that Botswana can offer any traveller - especially one looking to fall in love with safari right away.

You just can’t go wrong. From some of the most iconic ultimate luxury camps to amazing mobiles, there really is something for everyone.

The Okavango Delta and the incredible surrounding areas offer everything one could dream of in an African adventure. Combine this with a venture slightly south toward the greater Kalahari region or Makgadikgadi Salt Pans and you would not believe you are on the same continent, let alone an hour's bush flight away.

The people are friendly, the logistics straight forward and wildlife is teeming.

Don’t let the idea of cost scare you off either - if you are smart with seasonality and capitalise on the great specials that are offered you can pull together a trip of a lifetime and not break the bank. 

A huge plus is that nearly all camps are fully inclusive and once on the ground besides some extra money for tips or curios – everything would already have been covered.

Toby:

Last but not least… Whenever we have a chat with our clients we love to try and think a little out of the box, and will often share with them a ‘curveball’ itinerary. 

I love the suggestions the other three have for you and couldn’t agree more, but…

I’m going to suggest a beautiful rounded itinerary through the magic that is Kenya. It’s impossible to not fall in love with safari when you go to Kenya, the people, the light, the landscapes, the mix of activities, everything is pure wanderlust. It’s almost as though you have a warm glow filter on life when you are there. 

For you I think you would love the diversity in the areas, starting in the north where you would be able to meet many of the local cultures of the Samburu and Masai people around the Laikipia region. Knowing you love hiking, this area is great to also get on foot and explore stunning mountains. 

I would then suggest heading down to the Masai Mara for you to get your WOW safari wildlife fix. The abundance of wildlife, especially predators is sublime, and what I adore about the Mara is that you can be watching a pride of lions, but on the banks of the rolling hills behind you also watch herds of elephants, a coalition of cheetah on patrol and so much more. You would love it! There is such a sense of freedom and fun up here. 

Finally, now I’ll really get you, head to the Kenyan coast for some well-deserved R&R. It’s a beach, so I know I won’t have to convince you any further. 

Top Tip: Go with the flow and try everything! Hakuna Matata

My Takeaway

Can I pick all of them? 

Now I understand why they say there’s no such thing as a ‘trip of a lifetime’ in Africa… because one trip to one place just isn’t enough when there are countless beautiful landscapes, wildlife, and cultures waiting to be explored.

Taylor