Which Odysseys Safari Tour Suits You Best?

An African safari ranks as one of the world's greatest travel highlights. Traveling in a small group through the bush, sounds seem clearer, sunsets look richer, and the horizon seems to extend infinitely in all directions.

Not to mention, the wildlife on display is breathtaking.

And as no one possesses an unlimited supply of travel days (not to mention travel dollars), we realize that you may only make one pilgrimage to sub-Saharan Africa. With this in mind, we present our safari primer, wherein we break down our different safari tours by duration, destinations, potential wildlife sightings, and more!

Click the tour names to visit the tour pages and learn more.

Africa's Wildlife

Duration: 14 days

Countries visited: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia

Days on Safari: 7

Wildlife Parks/Preserves/Refuges visited: 3

Potential wildlife sightings:

• Endangered black rhino near Victoria Falls
• Hippo, crocodiles, buffalo, zebra, lion, giraffe, the world's largest elephant population, and some of the 450 bird species in Chobe National Park
• Prides of lions, herds of elephants, Cape buffalo, leopard, giraffe, zebra, hippos, wild dogs, antelope, and almost 400 species of birds in South Luangwa National Park

Other tour highlights:

• Guided exploration of Johannesburg, including infamous Soweto district and Nelson Mandela's home
• Three-night stay in Victoria Falls town, with a guided visit to the falls, touring the town, and time at leisure
• Visit to a local school and a borehole project
• Excellent hotels and safari lodges, and free time during safari days to enjoy the amenities therein

Extension: Three nights in Cape Town, with visits to the Cape of Good Hope and its nature reserve, historic Simons Town, Boulders Beach, Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, and a trip to the Cape Winelands region.

Africa's Wildlife in brief: An aptly named tour, Africa's Wildlife brings us through four distinct and vibrant African nations. During the first half of this tour, we explore Johannesburg and then Victoria Falls, enjoying a short excursion into a local preserve in search of the highly endangered black rhino.

Our wildlife spotting begins in earnest in Chobe National Park on Day 7. During the second half of our tour, we head out on a series of game drives in both Chobe and South Luangwa National Park, enjoying ample opportunities for wildlife spotting and incredible photo opportunities.

Classic Safari: Kenya & Tanzania

Duration: 16 days

Countries visited: Kenya and Tanzania

Days on Safari: 10

Wildlife Parks/Preserves/Refuges visited: 6

Potential wildlife sightings:

• Rothschild's giraffes at the Giraffe Center
• Elephants, wildebeest, zebra, impala, giraffe, and 400 bird species in Amboseli National Park
• Baboons, monkeys, hippo, flamingos, and hundreds of other bird species in Lake Manyara National Park
• Africa in microcosm on the floor of Ngorongoro crater, including Africa's "Big Five" (elephant, buffalo, rhino, lion, leopard)
• Lion, leopard, cheetah, wildebeest, zebra, and many more in the Serengeti, which boasts the highest concentration of large animals on the planet
• Some 95 mammal species and nearly 500 bird species in the endless plain of the Masai Mara

Other tour highlights:

• Nairobi touring, including a visit to the house and museum of Karen Blixen, aka Isak Dinesen, author of Out of Africa
• Visit to a Maasai village
• Visit to Olduvai Gorge, the "cradle of mankind," where in 1959 anthropologist Mary Leakey discovered the 1.8 million-year-old skull of Australopithecus boisei
• Excellent hotels and safari lodges, with time during safari days to enjoy the amenities therein

Extension: Two days exploring the area near Mount Kenya, the country’s highest peak.  We visit the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy and Animal Orphanage located on the grounds of the Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club, spend a morning at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy (including a game drive and a visit to the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary), and enjoy a free afternoon at our luxurious hotel located in the foothills of breathtaking Mount Kenya.

Classic Safari in brief: With its singular focus on incredible wildlife encounters from beginning to end, Classic Safari will satisfy even the most ambitious animal-loving traveler. We enjoy multiple days with extensive game drives, a variety of diverse landscapes and animal habitats, and an optional extension with even more time to enjoy Kenya's natural world.

Tanzania Adventure

Duration: 14 days

Countries visited: Tanzania

Days on Safari: 8

Wildlife Parks/Preserves/Refuges visited: 4

Potential wildlife sightings:

• Waterbuck, zebra, giraffe, flamingoes, monkeys, and 400 bird species in Arusha National Park
• Elephants, wildebeest, zebra, Cape buffalo, giraffe, lion, leopard, and cheetah, along with some 550 bird species, in Tarangire National Park
•  Africa in microcosm on the floor of Ngorongoro crater, including Africa's "Big Five" (elephant, buffalo, rhino, lion, leopard)
• Lion, leopard, cheetah, wildebeest, zebra, and many more in the Serengeti, which boasts the highest concentration of large animals on the planet

Other tour highlights:

• Visit to Olduvai Gorge, the "cradle of mankind," where in 1959 anthropologist Mary Leakey discovered the 1.8 million-year-old skull of Australopithecus boisei
• Two-night stay in tropical Zanzibar, Tanzania's semiautonomous Indian Ocean archipelago, including touring of ancient Stone Town and spice plantation tour
• Excellent hotels and safari lodges, with time during safari days to enjoy the amenities therein

Tanzania Adventure in brief: If you have to choose one African country in which to plan a safari vacation, it's Tanzania, hands down. Tanzania Adventure allows us to fully appreciate the diversity and vitality of this wildlife haven, while offering a few days of touring in exotic Zanzibar.

Southern Africa Odyssey

Duration: 18 days

Countries visited: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia

Days on Safari: 5 (including extension)

Wildlife Parks/Preserves/Refuges visited: 4

Potential wildlife sightings:

• Endangered black rhino near Victoria Falls
• Hippo, crocodiles, buffalo, zebra, lion, giraffe, the world's largest elephant population, and some of the 450 bird species in Chobe National Park
• Cape fur seals, pelicans, flamingoes, and copious other seabirds during our cruise along Namibia's coastline
• Three full days in Capetown exploring the Winelands, the Cape of Good Hope, the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, and Table Moutain

Other tour highlights:

• Guided exploration of Johannesburg, including infamous Soweto district and Nelson Mandela's home
• Four-night stay in Victoria Falls town, with a guided visit to the falls, touring the town, visit to a local school, and time at leisure
• World's largest crested dunes at Sossusvlei
• Namibian coast boat excursion
• Four-night stay in beautiful Cape Town
• The Winelands touring

Extension: Animal enthusiasts will find the extension to Kapama Private Game Reserve, adjacent to Kruger National Park, an absolute must. We take five game drives here across three days. Also, as we stay at a lodge in a private reserve, we are allowed longer game-viewing hours, off-road driving privileges, and the ability to explore on foot from our safari vehicles, none of which are allowed in Kruger.

Southern Africa Odyssey in brief: Though not safari tour, Southern Africa Odyssey offers nearly three weeks of in-depth exploration across the four nations of southern Africa, including a day of game viewing in Chobe National Park. When combined with the extension to wildlife-rich Kapama Private Game Reserve, this trip's comprehensive itinerary offers history, culture, landscapes, animal life, and contemporary city touring in equal measure.

We hope this short primer helps you plan your next African safari... and we'll see you in Africa!