Teletext Holidays Top 10 best safari locations

If you are lover of animals going on safari would be an ideal excursion for you. For an amateur, organised guides can tell you many a tale about the wildlife within the park. Whether you are a keen bird watcher or would just like to see numerous animals in their own habitat, there is a safari that is right for you.

Kruger National Park, South Africa
Kruger has 900,000 visitors a year. It has lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, Cape buffalo and more. The park has 336 tree species, 507 bird species and 49 species of fish.
Many of the animals here are used to cars so you can get quite close to them. It is busy, but you can avoid crowds during the week and in school term time. You can visit as part of an organised tour or drive yourself, but you should allow five days to do so.

Masai Mara, Kenya
Part of the Serengeti Plains, the Mara, which covers 1,510 square kilometres, affords some great views of migrating wildebeest, plus masses of other wildlife, including lions, elephants, buffalo, zebras, hippos, antelope and more. There are a few black rhinos, too, but you'll be lucky to see one.
As the roads are poor, organised tours are recommended. If you can afford it, a balloon safari, at £250, is unforgettable.

Find out more about Kenya via our Kenya Holiday Guide

South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
This is dominated by the Luangwa River, home to hippos and crocodiles. There are lions, buffalo, wildebeest, giraffes, leopards and about 15,000 elephants, plus more than 400 bird species.
You can stay in campsites, budget huts, chalets and top-notch lodges. Most lodges and camps organise wildlife drives and walking safaris. Mfuwe has lots of traffic, but it is easy to escape this. It is best to visit between May and September, when it is dry.

Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
The Serengeti's wide plains are home to up to two million migrating wildebeest, which are followed by their main predators, the lion and hyena. There are also giraffes and cheetahs here.
You can drive yourself in the park or take an organised tour. September to March are the best months to visit, though the best time to see wildebeest on the move is between May and July. The Ngorongoro Crater conservation area is right next door.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Uganda
More than half the world's mountain gorillas live in this park, which is part of the Virunga mountain range. To see them entails trekking through rainforests with experienced guides. This may take hours, but it is worth the effort.
There have been safety issues about visiting Uganda but, following increased security measures, tourists are visiting it again. Check with the Foreign Office before making plans.

Etosha National Park, Namibia
This park surrounds a huge salt pan which has water for only a few days a year, when many flamingos and animals come down. Water holes draw antelope, wildebeest, zebras, elephants and lions. There are black rhinos, and more than 300 bird species.
Independent reservations must be made in Windhoek. There are also many packages available to Namibia, offering anything from one to four days in Etosha.

Kanha National Park, India
Kanha, the setting for Kipling's Jungle Book, is excellent for viewing wildlife, especially tigers. The Project Tiger conservation scheme and careful management have seen tiger and leopard numbers increase, although there are still only about 100 tigers here. There are also Indian bison, deer and many birds.
It closes from July 1 to October 31 - monsoon season. Tours can take in central India's other big tiger reserve, Bandhavgarh.

Find out more about India via our India Holiday Guide

Okavango Delta, Botswana
This floodplain has hippos, crocodiles, buffalo, antelope and oryx. The Delta's southern regions are home to elephants, lions, zebras and buffalo, plus more than 500 bird species, including African fish eagles, herons, kingfishers, hornbills and parrots.
Camps and lodges offer great views here, while dug-out canoes, or mokoros, are great for exploring the area. The Foreign Office advises taking anti-malarial prophylaxis to combat malaria.

Tsavo National Park, Kenya
Kenya's largest park is great for getting off the beaten track - though you need a four-wheel-drive vehicle. After much poaching, at least some of Kenya's black rhinos are safe in Tsavo West - the Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary has 42 here.
There is much wildlife at the watering holes at Kilaguni and Ngulia. Tsavo East has many elephants, as does Mudanda Rock in the dry season, while the Aruba Dam attracts many creatures.

Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe's largest national park has large elephant herds of up to 100, and between June and October, up to 20,000 assemble here. Zebras, giraffes, lions, leopards, buffalo and antelope can be seen, plus more than 400 bird species, including ostriches.
Drives are organised here, while remote camps offer safari walks. At the time of writing, the Foreign Office advises it's safe to visit Zimbabwe but, due to its political unrest, you should check first.

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