Eight safari countries, side by side
The page people try to build in five browser tabs. Cost, season, malaria, self-driving, children, visas and the one sighting each place is famous for.
| Country | Cost | Best months | Malaria | Self-drive | With children | Visa (UK/EU/US) | Signature sighting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | ●●●● | May–Sep | Malaria-free options | Excellent | Yes, incl. malaria-free | None for 90 days | Leopard in Sabi Sand; Big Five on a self-drive |
| Namibia | ●●●● | Jun–Oct | Low; Etosha seasonal | The self-drive country | Older children | NAD 1,600 on arrival | Rhino at the Okaukuejo waterhole after dark |
| Botswana | ●●●● | Jun–Sep | Yes, take prophylaxis | 4x4 only, experienced | Many camps 12+ | None for 90 days | Elephant herds in the Okavango by mokoro |
| Kenya | ●●●● | Jul–Oct; Jan–Feb | Yes | Possible, not easy | Conservancies welcome kids | eTA ~US$30–50 | The Mara River crossings |
| Tanzania | ●●●● | Jun–Oct; Jan–Feb | Yes | Rarely | Lodges vary | US$50 on arrival (US$100 US) | The Great Migration on the Serengeti plains |
| Zambia | ●●●● | Jun–Oct | Yes | No | Walking camps 12+ | Visa-free (most) | Walking safaris in South Luangwa |
| Zimbabwe | ●●●● | Jun–Oct | Yes | Hwange yes | Hwange yes | ~US$30–55 / KAZA US$50 | Victoria Falls, then Hwange's elephants |
| Rwanda & Uganda | ●●●● | Jun–Sep; Dec–Feb | Yes | No | Trekking is 15+ | Rwanda US$50; Uganda US$50 | An hour with a mountain gorilla family |
●●●● Cheapest●●●● Most expensiveVisa facts for UK, EU and US passports, checked October 2026; always confirm with the embassy.
How to read it
If it is your first safari, South Africa wins on nearly every line: cheapest, easiest, malaria-free options, child-friendly, no visa. Namibia is the second easiest and the best road trip on the continent.
If you have been before and want the big, wild, remote version, Botswana and Zambia are the step up. They cost more because there are fewer beds and you fly between them.
If you want the migration, the only question is Kenya or Tanzania, and the answer is the month: Tanzania from January to March and June to July, Kenya from late July to October.
If you want gorillas, it is a separate trip or a separate week, and the permit is the budget.
Checked October 2026. Entry rules, fees and seasons change; confirm with official sources before you book.
