To properly connect with nature when on safari it's important to get out of the vehicle and head out into the bush on foot. 

There’s nothing quite like the feeling when the hairs stand up on the back of your neck as your guide quietly whispers:

"lion tracks, fresh from this morning, let’s follow..."

All of a sudden, being on safari feels very, very real!

Read on to discover our Top 5 destinations for a walking safari:

South Luangwa - Zambia

Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park is THE home of the walking safari. 

From tracking leopards through river beds to admiring herds of elephants meandering across the open flood plains, the abundance of wildlife and diversity of landscape is like no other. 

Many of the camps within the South Luangwa are set-up within walking distance of each other so you can enjoy a longer stay in the area walking, without compromising on comfort.

Mana Pools - Zimbabwe 

Set on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River and under the canopy of winter thorn acacias, Mana Pools offers the best chance to walk close to elephants and lions. 

Another great draw of the area is that when you want to rest your legs, you can hop in a canoe, drift down-river past a pod of hippos before continuing on foot again. 

The quality and experience of the Zimbabwe walking guides is the stuff of legends.

Ruaha - Tanzania 

For a continuous walking experience where you'll not only have a good chance of tracking lions, elephants, leopards and the like, but also the opportunity to discover an awe-inspiring diversity of habitats, Tanzania's Ruaha is the place to go. 

During the heat of the day, your guide will find a shaded pool in the low river beds, where you can rest up before beginning the walk back to camp. 

Pafuri - South Africa

Quite possibly the most beautiful stretch of river in Southern Africa, the Pafuri is a hidden gem. 

Rudyard Kipling made the fever tree forests of this area famous with that wonderful line ‘the great grey-green, greasy, Limpopo River, all set about with fever-trees’. 

While this area in northern South Africa won’t provide you an abundance of wildlife viewing opportunities, the birding and the rare chance to see elephants dwarfed by the giant yellow trees is a spectacle like no other. 

Odzala - Republic of Congo

Time for something completely different. Walking safaris aren’t just about elephants and lions. The chance to trek through the Congo Basin in search of the forest adapted wildlife is a world unto its own. 

From tracking lowland gorillas through thick forest, to walking out onto a natural waterhole ‘bai’ where hundreds of unique animals come to drink, the ability to get close to nature is unparalleled.

These are, of course, many other destinations that offer incredible walking safaris that we haven't included here. We'd love to hear if you've had an amazing encounter on a bush walk that you'd like to tell us about.

For a chance to experience your own walking safari, whether it be a short hour stroll between game drives or a full 7 - 10 day trail, please do get in touch to start planning