Botswana

If elephants are on the safari dance card, then Chobe River is the place to come. Meandering between low islands and beds of reeds, the water provides a haven for game to drink and bathe. A cruise aboard Zambezi Queen while here is the best way to experience life on the river banks.

The largest inland delta in the world, it’s all about experiencing nature from different perspectives here. A mokoro canoe gets visitors down to river level, viewing water-adapted species like red lechwe and sitatunga antelope. The other side of the coin is getting a sense of the grandness of the delta by taking to the air. And a splash through the water on horseback brings safariers even closer to the wild residents.

From delta to desert, the Makgadikgadi Pans are totally removed from the country’s greenscapes. This scorched, lunar-like landscape sees the adventurous souls opting for an overnight trip, sleeping under the stars at Kubu Island. There’s also a chance to meet a family of habituated meerkats to see the desert through their eyes.

These ripples of rusty sand may look uninhabited, but that’s just a clever disguise. From December to April, the monochrome silhouettes of thousands of zebra lay tracks in the sand on their migration; and further on there’s the ‘Louvre of the desert’ UNESCO Tsodilo, where the world’s highest number of ancient rock paintings graffiti the hilled walls.

Bright red shukas, the savannah’s most notable characters, and a landscape of flat plains that billow into hills, Kenya is archetypal Africa.

Unspoilt and uncrowded, Madagascar is the land of the ‘blue safari’ – where snorkelling, diving and sailing in the warm turquoise waters is only paused for a bit of lemur spotting.

Arabia’s mystical allure and Africa’s vibrancy converge in Morocco, refusing to give in to Western ways and instead delivering a splendid culture contrast that’s sure to stay rooted in traveller’s minds forever.  

A country still with some growing to do, these lesser-trodden coastlines that often act as an add-on to a South African safari are a rare find of authenticity-meets-blissfully-beachy break.

Ethereal expanses of dunes merge into wild, coastal wilderness in this sun-baked land, casting the spooky spell of the sands that’s all too exciting and easy to succumb to.

Untamed and mysterious, the sulky rainforests of Rwanda are a wildlife wonderland, where golden monkeys peak out from behind dense leaves, bushbuck scarper at the slightest of sounds and gorillas take over the mountains.

The ‘Rainbow Nation’ that earnt her stripes in a cacophony of languages, three buzzing cities, and everything from safaris to Winelands in-between; it’s not just a colourful diversity, but the sheer joy for surprises that keeps familiar feet coming back for more.

Tanzania is a Great Migration, the volcanic peaks watching over herds as they cross vast plains and indented craters, eyed intensely by the climbing lions from their treetop perches; but this book holds more than just its front cover.

There may be no need for the classic beige suit, but the boots are essential in this home of the iconic walking safari that encapsulates the memory of 70s treks gone by.

The archipelago of Zanzibar is somewhat of a wildcard, but with its bohemian vibe, mellow pace and decidedly quieter yet still sugar-white sands, it gives the Maldives a run for its money.

Bringing off-the-beaten-track safari experiences that’re just as active as its dramatic Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe is no stranger to a thrilling escapade.