Photo by: Frank Vassen

Africa’s big game animals such as lions, elephants, cheetahs, and others are commonly the dreams of many naturalists and wildlife lovers. Huge tracts of wilderness are sprinkled across this large continent. Dangers from poachers and the destruction of forests are an ongoing threat, but money funneled into these countries through tourism is a tremendous help. From the dry savannas of Tanzania to the tropical rainforests of the Congo and Madagascar, this is a continent on everyone’s list.

  1. Serengeti National Park, Tanzania Two world heritage sites and a biosphere reserve are found within this system of parks that hold the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Maswa Game Reserve, and the Loliondo, Grumeti and Ikorongo Controlled Areas. One of the oldest ecosystems on earth and where more than a million wildebeests and 200,000 zebras migrate each year.
  2. The Rainforests of the Atsinanana, Madagascar This collection of six national parks along the eastern side of Madagascar was named a joint UNSECO world heritage site in 2007. The parks are home to some of the rarest and most diverse flora and fauna in the world such as lemurs and primates.
  3. Volcano National Park, Rwanda Despite war and genocide, Rwanda’s population of Mountain Gorillas hangs on in this beautiful national park.
  4. Masai Mara Wildlife Reserve, Kenya Actually part of the larger Serengeti park system, but over just over the border in Kenya. The Masai Mara is Kenya’s largest game reserve and best known for its lions, black rhinos, cheetahs, and hippos.
  5. Chobe National Park, Botswana Chobe has one of the highest concentrations of game on the African continent. Victoria Falls, rich bird life, elephants, lions, warthogs and man other natural features can be found here.
  6. Loango National Park, Gabon This 932 square foot park is home to elephants that run along the beach and hippos that play in the surf.
  7. Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, Namibia/Botswana These two joint parks cross two borders for a combined 22,370 square miles. Wildebeests, antelope herds, lions, leopards, hyenas, and jackals all can be seen here.
  8. Kruger National Park, South Africa Roughly equal to the size of Wales, Kruger is home to all of the Big Five and more mammals than any other national park in Africa.
  9. Virunga National Park, Congo Volcanoes, lush jungle, and savanna create a rare biodiversity that is home to mountain gorillas, elephants, chimps, lions, and hyenas.
  10. Waza National Park, Cameroon Elephants, lions, giraffes, ostrich, antelopes, and rich avian life can all be found in Cameroon’s most famous national park.

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