10 Ways You’re Planning Your African Safari All Wrong

Rethink the classic safari checklist and discover how choosing the right season, scale, and location can change the way you experience Africa's wildlife.Planning an African safari often follows a familiar formula: fly into a major hub in Kenya or South Africa during the dry season, board a 4×4 and look for the Big Five. That approach can deliver spectacular wildlife encounters. It can also exclude other experiences from the itinerary. Malawi challenges some of those assumptions. Often overlooked by travelers heading to better-known safari destinations, the country offers smaller reserves, dramatic seasonal changes, and landscapes that extend well beyond the classic savanna. The dry season has its advantages. Traveling during the rains reveals a very different side of the bush. If you are planning your first safari, it pays to question some of the assumptions built into the standard itinerary, from when you travel to how long you spend in each reserve. 1 OF 10 You're Only Considering the Famous Safari Countries WHERE: Majete Wildlife Reserve, Malawi Many travelers look exclusively to established parks when booking their first safari. Those famous destinations offer incredible sightings, but popular wildlife areas can become busy around major sightings. Looking at less-established destinations opens up different opportunities. Malawi provides a strong argument for looking beyond the usual routes. In Majete Wildlife Reserve, more than 3,000 animals from 17 species have been reintroduced since African Parks began managing the reserve in 2003. The result is one of Malawi’s strongest conservation recovery stories. Choosing a less prominent destination means fewer vehicles around a sighting. Fewer vehicles mean you can stay at a sighting for as long as you want without being pressured to move on.INSIDER TIPMajete is now a donor park. It... EXPLORE THE WORLD LIKE A LOCAL Unlock exclusive content, tools and guides for your next unforgettable adventure. Members-only insider content Unlimited access to Fodor's AI assitant Instant, free e-Guidebook Unlimited AI Exclusive Content Early Access Everything included in the monthly version. A free e-guidebook as a gift (valued up to $26.99) each year.