I’ve wanted to experience an African safari my entire life.

Lions, zebras, elephants, giraffes, hippo, cheetah. You name it, I want to see them all — and in their own habitat, roaming freely outside of the confines of a caged area. Justin has gone on many safaris in his lifetime as he spent a significant portion of his childhood living in South Africa. Some of his greatest childhood memories are of spotting the Big Five (elephant, leopard, cape buffalo, rhino, and lion) from the back of a safari vehicle. But if all goes according to plan, this Fall, that dream will finally come true for me, too. We’re planning to visit Justin’s parents in South Africa in October and high on our list of things to do is a safari (or two, or three …).

But the question is … where do we go for our safari? Should we visit more than one park? Which parks are the best? And where can we see a cheetah?!

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There’s no doubt that South Africa is one of the best places to go for safari in Africa. It boasts some of the greatest variety of wildlife, as well as some of the most developed parks with a great tourist infrastructure. But there are just too many options to choose from in this rather large country! To help us narrow down our decision, we’ll be researching which parks and the most recommended and for what reasons. We’ll keep you posted on our progress and update you on our decision over the coming months, but for now, we’ve identified three top places to go on safari in South Africa:

1.) Kruger National Park

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Kruger National Park safaris are an extremely popular choice for anyone looking for the best African safari experience. The area is famed for it’s incredible array of wildlife, including the Big Five. It’s also easily accessed and the surrounding area offers many accommodation options for every budget, whether you’re looking to stay in a luxury lodge or a primitive tent. Experienced rangers are on hand to guide you through open vehicle game drives in the park. Kruger National Park is also fringed by spectacular mountainous terrain, making it an all round must do. If location was not an issue for us, Kruger would hands-down be my pick for safari in South Africa. But our other travels in South Africa will likely have us sticking to the southern coast, which means, unfortunately, Kruger might not be the right choice for us.

2.) Addo Elephant Park

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Although it’s not as well known as Kruger, at nearly 450,000 acres, Addo Elephant Park is actually the third largest national park in South Africa and it’s where I am leaning toward most for our safari. It is located conveniently outside of the city of Port Elizabeth, where we’ll be spending some time visiting Justin’s family. Contrary to what its name may imply, the park holds more than just elephants. Lions, zebra, black rhino, leopard, cape buffalo, and spotted hyena roam its protected plains. The combination of convenient location with abundant wildlife makes this my top choice.

3.) Pilanesberg National Park

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Pilanesberg National Park is located in the northern part of South Africa, close to Botswana. This park is interesting because it lies in a volcanic crater where the unique geological formations are a bonus attraction to its varied range of wildlife. If you’re looking for a completely different experience to the traditional African Safari, there is also the family friendly resort Lost City, which offers wave pools, beaches, water slides, amusement park rides, and championship golf courses, adjacent to the game park. Although this park sounds unique and I have no doubt we would find it amazing, we will probably be unable to visit there as it is so far from South Africa’s coast.

There are a broad range of African safaris available in South Africa, many of which are suitable for the whole family. Companies such as Wild Africa offer a host of family friendly safari options. For more information on choosing the best African Safari for you and your family, visit www.wildafrica.com.au

Stay tuned over the coming months to see which South African safari we choose — and what else our South African itinerary will hold!

Have you visited South Africa? What safari experience do you recommend?

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This post was supported by www.wildafrica.com.au