The largest game reserve in South Africa, Kruger National Park is basically a synonym for the word "safari." Home to over 500 bird species, 100 reptiles, nearly 150 mammals, multiple archaeological sites, and a stunningly diversity of trees and flowers, Kruger is the country’s flagship national park. Adventurers can explore the park in a 4x4, take a bush walk or fly above in a hot-air balloon.

Maybe your local zoo has lions, leopards, zebras or elephants. Maybe they even have wildebeest. But we bet they don't have 1.3 million wildebeest—never mind 1.3 million wildebeest in migration, with predators in hot pursuit. It's one of the most awesome sights in nature, and you can see it at Masai Mara in southwestern Kenya.

The Maasai call the plains of Serengeti National Park "the place where the land moves on forever"—so prepare to be astonished by its vastness. And here, you can witness the famous Serengeti annual migration, the largest and longest overland migration on earth.

The world's largest inland delta, Okavango Delta (also known as Okavango Swamp) is formed by the emptying of the Okavango River into the Kalahari Desert at the place where an ancient lake once sat. An immensely wildlife-rich expanse of islands, islets and lagoons (many of which change shape and even disappear with the coming of every annual flood season), Okavango is home to many safari camps, most of which aren't reached by road but rather by small airplane from Maun, the area's main village.

Named for the river that runs through its stunning landscape, the Tarangire National Park offers visitors a unique experience of Tanzania. The park is home to the country’s largest population of elephants (during the dry season you can see herds of 300 digging in the Tarangire riverbed) and also features other native wildlife such as impalas, rhinos, and hartebeest buffalo. Though safaris are a popular attraction in the area, nature-lovers will delight in experiencing such native vegetation as the baobab tree—otherwise known as the tree of life—and the park’s complex network of swamps.