SELECTED ARTICLE FROM OUR SPECIALISTS

There’s a pretty staggering variety of animals that can be seen on an African safari – but, of course, you are unlikely to have the time and resources to see all of them. Below are what About.com Africa Travel Expert Anouk Zijlma considers the top ten of these animals.

Lion

As, unlike other cats, lions live in prides, you should find them easier to spot than, for example, leopards or cheetahs. Parks where you are especially likely to see them include Kruger and Serengeti, both of which you can enjoy when you book through us.

Elephant

Time to address an elephant in the room: yes, you can see elephants in Africa. Furthermore, the African elephant is the world’s largest land mammal – so, provided you visit the right places, you can easily see an elephant even out of the room.

Giraffe

Hardly surprisingly considering its neck, the giraffe is the planet’s tallest mammal. This wouldn’t make giraffes good at playing hide and seek, as they can be readily visible even among thick bush and tall grass. They remain, however, very quiet creatures.

Leopard

People who own domestic cats will know that they often like to look down on their owners. Leopards are similar in that they like to use trees as platforms from which to observe their surroundings – so, when seeking sight of the leopard, don’t forget to look up!

Rhino

Africa is home to two species of rhino: the Black rhino and the White rhino. There’s a high concentration of White rhinos in Southern buy generic acyclovir online Africa; on the other hand, Black rhinos are rare, though you can more easily see them when you head to Etosha National Park in Namibia.

Cheetah

Rare but beautiful, Cheetahs are worth looking out for. You can better your chances of seeing these cats by visiting Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, which you can book a safari trip to through our website. We don’t want you to feel – ahem – cheated.

Mountain Gorilla

You should feel a big sense of achievement if you see a Mountain Gorilla! This species is, these days, very rare. It also resides in a relatively tiny part of East Africa – but, during a traditional safari in that part of the continent, seeing them only requires an easy side trip.

Hippopotamus

If you want to see a hippo, keep an eye on lakes and rivers when on safari in sub-Saharan Africa. There are various fascinating facts about hippos, including that an adult male hippo is capable of running at up to 20mph – despite weighing up to 3.5 tonnes!

Nile Crocodile

Almost every major African river can visibly be a spot for a Nile Crocodile. Don’t be surprised to see many of these creatures with wide open mouths as they lie on river banks. An adult male Nile Crocodile can reach up to 18 feet in length.

Zebra

National parks and reserves in East and Southern Africa are highly suitable places to spot zebra. Did you know that each zebra’s stripe pattern is as unique as a human fingerprint?