Where should you start your African Safari

You’re probably planning your African safari and you may be wondering where is the best place to start it. You may be wondering which national park you should visit first and in what order you should visit the national parks. 

So where should you start your African Safari? When going on an African Safari, You should start with the less popular parks and work your way up to the most popular National parks. The reason for this is the fact that less popular parks have a lower selection of wildlife and should be used as preparation for larger parks. Let’s look at this in more detail.

I have lived in Kenya all my life and recommendations I’m going to give are based on my own experiences and a bit of research on how to operators order their safari itineraries. 

Which park should I start with on my African safari

When going on an African safari you need to start off with parks that are less popular and work your way up to more popular parks. 

This will allow you to get your feet wet with parks that don’t have a lot of animals and you will be a bit more experience in spotting animals when you get the mobile plans that offer a wider variety of animals. 

Parks that are less popular how a smaller selection of animals for viewing and going to these ones last will be anticlimactic. 

The first time you visit a national park in Africa is extremely exhilarating. you will be starstruck by nearly everything from the landscapes to the animals. this means that even though you’re going to be visiting a park that does not have as many animals as the more popular ones, you will still have a good time and enjoy yourself. 

Should I just visit one Park on my African Safari?

This may lead you to wonder, should you just visit one Park and be done with your African Safari? 

While this may be an option for you if you don’t have a lot of time in Kenya I would not advise you to just visit one Park since the different Parks have different things to offer and you we’ll enjoy your safari more if you mix it up with at least two or three parks. 

As an example of this, many safari itineraries in Kenya combine the Lake Nakuru National Park and Maasai Mara national reserve in one safari. The reason for this is the fact that you are more likely to spot rhinos in Lake Nakuru National Park  though it does not have as wide a selection of wildlife as the Maasai Mara. In addition, since lake Nakuru National Park is not too far off the way to the Maasai Mara it does not hurt to spend an extra day at Lake Nakuru before proceeding to the Mara.

How many parks should I visit on my African Safari

As I have recommended above you should visit at least two or three national parks on your African Safari. This will give you the widest variety of landscapes and wildlife. You will also get the chance to see a large parts of the country will be visiting since these parks are not normally located next to each other.

I would not recommend that you visit more than three national parks since once you see a number of national parks your excitement for more starts diminishing.  This is the reason why many organised tours have at most 3 safari destinations and a visit to the beach. 

Is more better?

So does it mean that going to more national parks mean that you’re going to have a better experience than if you go to fewer?

Not really. Going to two national parks on your African safari is more than sufficient. If well selected, two national parks are sufficient in allowing you to see the largest amount of wildlife and a large variation of landscapes in the short time that your budget allows. 

How much time should I spend in each Park

This usually depends on the size of the park and the variation of wildlife you expect to find there. In places like the Maasai Mara, at least three days are required for you to optimise your safari experience while in other smaller parks like the Nairobi National Park, all you need is about half a day. 

I have written some articles on how long you should stay at the Maasai Mara and you can look at it if you want details. 

Average safari itinerary for Kenya Safari

Many of the itineraries you’ll find for Kenyan safari is include the lake Nakuru and Masai Mara national parks. They will also include some beach time at either Mombasa or Watamu

Almost all Safaris in Kenya start in Nairobi so you will land in Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) and unless you will be going to Zanzibar for the beach time, Nairobi will still be the place where you will end your Safari.

Average Itineraries take the following order:

1. Nakuru National Park: 1 Night
2. Masai Mara National Reserve: 4 Nights
3. WatamuDiani: 2 Nights

A Final Word

As you prepare for your trip to Africa, I would like to recommend a few products that would help make your life easier. 

1. Information About Africa: I have created a YouTube channel that focuses on things about traveling to Africa that only Africans can tell you about. Check out the channel for insights about African culture and things you can do as a traveler to optimize your trip. You should also visit TripAdvisor forum posts (Here is the Kenya Forum) and ask questions about your particular situation. There are a lot of people who are happy to help you out. 
2. Choosing a Safari Company: I have written an extensive article on how to choose a safari Company. You can. Check it out before starting the process of searching for a safari company.
3. Safari Planning Services: If you’d rather leave the planning to an expert, I offer personalized safari planning services. I handle everything from helping you choose the right safari company, creating your custom itinerary, managing bookings, and even providing a packing list and reminders for important trip details. It’s like having a personal assistant dedicated to your trip, ensuring that everything runs smoothly, so you can focus on enjoying the adventure. Learn More in this article