8 of the World’s Wildest Safari Destinations

One of Africa’s most-renowned national parks, Kruger National Park is also one of the world’s biggest, covering more than 7,523 square miles (19,000 square kilometers). Here at Kruger, you have a good chance of ticking off the famous “big five” (lion, elephant, rhino, leopard, and buffalo), as well as other wildlife including cheetah, wild dog, and bountiful birdlife, while on a multi-day safari. The park’s accessibility means that even if you're pressed for time, you also have the option of taking just a 1-day (or even a half-day) game drive.

Related: The 8 Best Places To Go Birdwatching Around the World

Witnessing the annual migration of thundering masses of wildebeest and zebra across the plains of the Serengeti is an experience much-coveted by wildlife lovers. For a front-row seat, plan a safari during the peak season between June and September when you can see wildebeest and zebras crossing the crocodile-filled Mara River. Throughout the year, multi-day safaris of northern Tanzania can take you to the classic destinations of Tarangire, Lake Manyara, and Ngorongoro, as well as to the Serengeti to see lions, cheetah, elephants, and buffalo.

Over the international border, the Maasai Mara National Reserve makes up the other half of the great Mara-Serengeti ecosystem. Wildlife viewing here includes all of the “big five” animals, as well as giraffes, hippos, and the million-plus wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle that journey here en masse during the annual Great Migration between July and September and again from October to early November. Multi-day game drive safaris depart from Nairobi while the availability of shorter trips open up the reserve even if you have limited time.

A glittering freshwater wetland in the heart of Botswana, Okavango Delta boasts a huge diversity of wildlife. Animals migrate here in their thousands and you don’t have to go on a game drive to see them. Instead, you can travel by horse or cruise the delta’s channels and islands by canoe in search of hippos, elephants, giraffes, and wading birds. Multi-day safaris also depart Maun and include overnight accommodation in mobile tented camps so that you’re never far from the heart of the bush.

Related: 7 of the World’s Best Wetlands for Wildlife Watching (and How To Visit Responsibly)

While African countries have the “big five,” tigers are India’s top wildlife draw. Wildlife watchers should head for the UNESCO–listed Ranthambore National Park, once the royal Maharaja’s private hunting grounds, and go looking for tigers, leopards, crocodiles, and more on an open-air Jeep safari. You can visit on a day trip from Jaipur but for an even better chance of spotting tigers, book two days and spend the night in the park.

The world’s largest land carnivore lures travelers to the tiny, isolated northern Manitoba town of Churchill. From July through November, specialized tundra vehicles can take you along the coastline for safe up-close encounters with polar bears who are waiting for the Hudson Bay to freeze up. The peak season to see bears is from October to November but if you visit in July and August you can also see beluga whales swimming in the Churchill River.

Grizzly bears, black bears, moose, caribou, horned Dall sheep, wolves, and bald eagles are some of the reasons wildlife lovers head for “the last frontier” in summer. Some of the best (and most accessible) excursions on offer include a backcountry safari by off-road vehicle in Denali National Park and a combined land and water safari by canoe and Jeep to the Tongass National Forest and Harriet Hunt Lake from Ketchikan.

The Amazon Rainforest—which spans Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana—is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. The world’s largest rainforest and river system is home to jaguars, pumas, pink river dolphins, sloths, black spider monkeys, and harpy eagles; in fact, it contains a tenth of all known species on Earth. Explore this remarkable place by booking a multi-day guided tour from Iquitos, Peru.