Africa comes second in the list of continents when comparing sizes and is home to the most diverse wildlife. These animals are protected by so many outstanding game reserves and national parks across the continent. Some of these wild animals are within the Big Five including elephants, buffalos, rhinos, leopards, and lions.They live in environments that provide natural habitats so that they can live and behave freely. As tourists visit these parks, they view the wildlife through game drives, walking safaris, and hot air balloon rides.This article contains 10 of the best parks that tourists can visit in Africa to view the most diverse wildlife in their natural habitats.
10 Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania
Ngorongoro Conservation zone in Tanzania, East Africa has 3 unique volcanic craters, African bushes, and a dense forest covering around 8,300 square kilometers of land in Savannah. Consequently, it has great natural habitats for various types of wildlife. Some of the animals that travelers see include black rhinoceros, wild dogs, and leopards. There are also lions, cheetahs, leopards, and numerous kinds of birds. Although some of these animals are carnivorous and hence deadly towards humans, there are areas where tourists can enjoy walking safaris.
9 Kruger National Park, South Africa
Kruger National Park is one of the best game reserves in South Africa. It is not only the largest occupying about 2 million hectares but also the oldest national park in the country. It is beautiful land consisting of dense forest, fertile river systems, sweeping grasslands as well as unique archaeological sites. Tourists that visit it get to watch incredible wildlife, which comprises animals such as zebras and African wild dogs. It also hosts cheetahs, hippos, giraffes, alongside hundreds of bird types. As travelers view these animals, they are allowed to have self-drive safaris as well as self-catering accommodation, making the experience quite affordable.
8 Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Serengeti National Park is considered quite valuable to Tanzania. As one of the best in Africa, it comprises golden savanna and acacia-dappled plains that allow wildlife to survive. It is quite unique due to the Great Migration, which involves the migration of millions of wildebeests. This occurrence takes place between December and July. During this movement, tourists also get to see zebras and Thomson's gazelles, as they move between the park and Maasai Mara. Since this annual movement is unexplainable it is honored in Africa. Other animals to see include the Big Five, and various bird classes such as Fischer's lovebird.
7 Amboseli National Park, Kenya
Amboseli National Park in Kenya is also a tremendous place with great wildlife. It is famous for its spectacular view of Mount Kilimanjaro, which is the highest mountain in Africa. Tourists that visit this park get to see large herds of elephants, from infants to the old ones aging around 60 years, as they bathe in red dust. Other animals to view include many big cats such as lions and cheetahs. Travelers can also see impalas, gazelles, and waterbucks. The park offers more than just diverse wildlife since tourists also have the chance to capture iconic photographs.
6 Etosha National Park, Namibia
Etosha National Park is a game reserve whose existence began in 1907 in northwestern Namibia. It was created to assist in the region’s repopulation after large game animals like elephants and lions were hunted by poachers, which threatened their existence. It has other endangered animals such as black rhinoceros. The park is perfect for these animals due to its diverse range of landscapes that include grasslands and savannahs. It also contains a dry lake bed and dolomite hills that host numerous zebras.
5 Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
Hwange National Park is quite an underrated wildlife park in Africa. It is the biggest national park in Zimbabwe with a great diversity of mammals comprising about 108 species. Some of the animals that visitors see include a vast population of elephants, amounting to about 46,000. It also has lions, leopards, and hyenas. One can also see enchanting painted dogs.
4 Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya
Established about 55 years ago, Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya is considered the best place for people that love birds because it has one of the flamingos’ favorite foods, which attracts them every year. Experts believe that these birds fly into this park in millions for this purpose alone. The park has other types of animals beyond these beautiful birds, such as baboons, cheetahs, and giraffes. Others include warthogs and white rhinos. Recently the park was made bigger to help host the black rhino, which is not only rare but also endangered. Lake Nakuru also has certain unique birds such as the pied kingfisher. Lucky tourists have also seen the Goliath heron as well as the African fish eagle.
3 Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia
Namib-Naukluft National Park in Namibia is the largest national park not only in Africa but also in the world. It comprises certain aspects such as the Namib desert and Naukluft Mountains. It is also known for the salt pan and Sossusvlei clay. The park also has an incredible view due to the unique orange dunes. The region is considered too dry, but this does not stop various creatures from surviving. These animals include geckos and hyenas, as well as jackals, insects, and snakes. The park is quite close to the Atlantic coast. As a result, fog settles in the region to moisturize the environment for the native animals.
2 Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
In the entire Okavango Delta in Botswana, the only protected zone is Moremi Game Reserve. It is also considered the richest and utmost assorted ecosystem, compared to all others in Africa. It has vast floodplains that support the wildlife. Some of the animals to see include the Big Five, African wild dogs, hippos, kudu, giraffes, leopards, and numerous birds. The park allows great wildlife survival through its dense mopane forests, grasslands, lagoons, and pools. It is perfect for self-guided safaris although having local guides is better for better viewing.
1 Kgalagadi (Kalahari) Transfrontier Park, South Africa
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa stretches on 3.6 million hectares of land. It is a combination of Kalahari Gemsbok National Park and Gemsbok National Park. The wildlife that travelers view includes black-maned lions and cheetahs as well as hyenas and gemsbok.