Tanzania

The place to be at one with nature, where over two million wildebeest, zebra and gazelles crowd the plains each year and carnivores roam the 350,000 acres of the Grumeti Reserve, adjacent to the Western Corridor. Migration times change each year, so the central point is probably best for year-round game viewing.

The highest point in Africa, at 5,895m high it is classed in climbing parlance as ‘extreme’, but a choice of local routes make the ascent a little easier, varying in duration and level of difficulty. From Uhuru Point, the actual summit, or Gillman’s Point on the crater lip, the views are breathtaking.

Superlative in name and nature, the Ngorongoro is said to have been higher than Kilimanjaro before it erupted. The crater isn’t only the largest intact caldera in the world, but also home to the densest population of lions across the globe. It’s also the only place in Tanzania to see endangered black rhinos.

Unfairly overlooked for its game viewing potential, Tarangire is for a slower pace of safari. Roamed predominantly by herbivores, the area benefits from watering holes that attract a profusion of elephants. Carnivores aren’t too far though, with the lions of nearby Lake Manyara defying feline stereotypes by climbing the trees.

You’ve never felt as remote as in Botswana, with its placid lagoons, eco-diverse island game reserve and the lunar-like salt flats of Makadikadi Basin.

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.

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.