The 6 Wildlife Trips in Africa That Earn Their Price

1.Marine Wildlife Tour from the V&A Waterfront

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,118 reviews · 1h 30m · from $61Our pick

Join African Eagle Daytours for a 90-minute marine wildlife cruise from the V&A Waterfront. Your English-speaking skipper searches Table Bay for dolphins, seals, penguins, sunfish, seabirds and seasonal whales, while sharing facts about Cape Town’s coast. Hotel pickup may be added, but the small boat can be bumpy and boarding requires mobility.

“Simply AMAZING!! The boats are in perfect condition, the staff is very professional and knowledgeable. We saw a huge pod of dolphins, a couple of heavy side dolphins, seals, a juvenile penguin and a humpback whale. Truly a lucky day!! We were thrilled!”

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2.Big Five Game Reserve Wildlife Safari from Cape Town

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 576 reviews · from $184

Spend about nine hours traveling from Cape Town to Aquila Game Reserve, a malaria-free private reserve in the Karoo. An open-vehicle drive lasts about three hours, followed by a buffet lunch. Guides such as Mike, Abriel, and Habibi have earned praise for their animal knowledge and warm style. Expect a scenic but bumpy day.

“Our driver to the safari was Denver. He was amazing. He was accommodating, personable and professional. I had terrible motion sickness and he stopped and allowed me to get a stomach remedy from a nearby pharmacy so my daughter and Read more”

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3.South African Wildlife and Safari 2-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 411 reviews · 2 days · from $322

Leave Cape Town or Stellenbosch early with guides such as Nev, Denver, Dylan, or Ulrich, then cross to Oudtshoorn for two shared 4x4 drives at Botlierskop and Buffelsdrift. Expect long road hours, Big Five possibilities, a choice of accommodation, and an optional close observation of three rescued elephants.

“Honestly, the best experience we could have ever imagined. Our guide was so kind, informative and just incredibly thoughtful/ helpful. Every minute of the trip was planned out in such a way to optimize enjoyment, relaxation and really experience what it was that we went to South Africa for! I would highly recommend this trip to anyone, not just if you are in the area, as in actively get yourself in the area for this experience alone. Thank you so much. A bit of luck is needed for the safari's to really get lucky with seeing all of the animals, but at one of the Safari's we came on a…”

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4.Tanzania Wildlife Encounters – 6 Days

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 277 reviews · from $3,413Top rated

Travel privately from Arusha through Lake Manyara, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro in a Toyota Cruiser with an expert driver-guide. You get five nights, park fees, meals, and game drives included. Guides such as Aniny, Edward, Mohammed, and Ombani are known for sharp animal spotting and strong local knowledge, while the tented camps keep you close to the wild.

“We just returned from the most amazing safari experience in Tanzania, and I can’t say enough good things about our trip! I traveled with my family, including our 2-year-old daughter, and every moment exceeded our expectations. From start to finish, Easy Travel made everytRead more”

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5.Breathtaking Nature, Wildlife and Cave Church Tour – Free Pickups

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 225 reviews · from $80

Leave Addis Ababa with an English-speaking guide such as Teka or Zee, then visit Debre Libanos, the Portuguese Bridge, Jemma River Gorge and Entoto Maryam Church. Expect striking views, gelada baboons, birds, Ethiopian coffee, lunch and a long, bumpy drive. Hotel and airport pickup are included.

“I had a fabulous tour on March 10 to the Entoto Mountain and the Debre Libanos Monastery with Seid and Muse. This is my second time in Ethiopia and I follow events in Ethiopia back in the United States. I was looking for a guide with an in-depth knowledge not only of the sites we visited but also of the history, politics and culture of Ethiopia. That is exactly what I got with Seid. He explained the changes in Addis Ababa and surrounding areas in Oromia since I was last here in 2018, made sure I got some great photos of the gelada monkeys, and took me to a great…”

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6.Schotia Safaris: Best Wildlife Encounters in Port Elizabeth

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 89 reviews · 6 hours · from $227

Leave your cruise ship in Port Elizabeth for a six-hour Schotia Private Game Reserve safari. A local English-speaking guide leads a four-hour drive in an open 4x4, with chances to see elephants, lions, zebras, and giraffes. Port pickup, reserve entry, water, snacks, and refreshments are included.

“Mir ist klar, dass es in einem Reservat keine "normalen" Straßen gibt, dass es eben einfache Wege sind. Aber in diesem Reservat sind die Wege dermaßen stark ausgefahren, dass riesige Löcher und Fahrrillen entstanden sind. OK - das kommt vor. Aber wenn dann der Fahrer mit Vollgas in diese reinfährt, damit er auf der anderen Seite auch wieder rauskommt, dann passiert es leider mehrfach, dass es einen aus dem Sitz katapultiert und man mit dem Kopf gegen das Dach des Fahrzeuges knallt. Das hätte ich nun wirklich nicht gebraucht. Wir haben mit anderen Besuchern gesprochen, die die Safari in diesem Reservat über einen anderen Veranstalter gebucht hatten - die hatten…”

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