photo courtesy of Shenton Safaris
Each step draws you closer to the rhythms of the ecosystem – the rustle of grass hinting at a predator, the delicate footprints of an antelope, or the distant roar of a lion. Walking safaris transform the way you experience wildlife, turning every moment into an intimate encounter with Africa’s untamed landscapes.
For travellers who appreciate the richness of the wilderness up close, walking safaris offer a depth of experience unlike any other.
Our perspective is shaped by over 35 years of organising bespoke wildlife safaris across Africa, working closely with the continent’s most respected independent walking guides and camps. Through decades of on-the-ground experience, we understand where walking safaris are done best, how conditions change with the seasons, and which specialist guides consistently deliver safe, insightful experiences on foot. This knowledge allows us to curate walking safaris that are immersive and carefully matched to both landscape and traveller.
Africa remains the world’s pre-eminent destination for guided walking safaris. Vast, open ecosystems allow meaningful exploration on foot, while expert trackers turn every step into a lesson in behaviour, habitat, and survival. By aligning travellers with the right regions, seasons, and trusted independent guides, we ensure walking safaris that feel authentic, thoughtfully planned, and deeply connected to the wilderness.
photo courtesy of Lewa Wilderness
What Is a Walking Safari?
A luxury walking safari is an immersive journey on foot through Africa’s wilderness, combining expert guiding, comfort, and deep connection with nature. Unlike traditional vehicle safaris, walking safaris slow the pace, heighten the senses, and reveal subtle details of wildlife and landscape that often go unnoticed. When planned properly, it becomes one of the most rewarding ways to experience Africa, which is where we add value.
How Walking Safaris Differ from Traditional Game Drives
On a walking safari, every step brings discovery. The focus shifts away from ticking off species and towards understanding behaviour, ecology, and the interconnectedness of the wilderness. Moving on foot allows a slower, more deliberate pace, enabling closer observation of tracks, vegetation, and wildlife behaviour – and we work with specialist walking guides who know how to interpret these details safely and meaningfully.
Walking engages all the senses. You scan the plains for movement, track animals silently, feel the textures of bark and grasses, and listen closely for alarm calls or birdsong. Smell, taste, and texture all play a role in the experience. Safari days typically last four to five hours, whether on multi-day treks or shorter guided walks from camp.
What Makes a Walking Safari ‘Luxury’
Luxury walking safaris are defined by the quality of the experience rather than luxurious accommodation. At their core are highly trained guides with deep knowledge of wildlife, tracking, and ecosystems – and we work exclusively with independent specialists who have spent years honing these skills. A private guide provides flexibility, tailoring each walk to your interests, and we ensure you are matched with the right guide and location to deliver that level of personalisation.
Low guest-to-guide ratios create an intimate, personalised experience, while private concessions ensure quiet, undisturbed encounters. Comfort is provided without distraction. Camps are carefully sited for privacy and convenience, offering comfortable beds, excellent cuisine, and attentive service.
photo courtesy of Robin Pope Safaris
Who Are Walking Safaris Best Suited For?
African walking safaris are best suited to travellers who have the time and patience to fully engage with the bush. They appeal to those who enjoy slow-paced observation and discovery, rather than rushing from one sighting to another, and who are comfortable with extended periods on foot.
If you have prior safari experience, particularly on conventional game drives, walking safaris allow longer encounters with wildlife, detailed observation of behaviour, and a richer understanding of the ecosystem. The focus is on depth and connection rather than quantity of sightings, offering a more thoughtful and educational experience. Walking safaris are ideal for older teenagers and adults, and less suitable for younger children or tightly scheduled itineraries – which is why we take time to assess suitability and pacing during the planning process.
Fitness, Safety and Mindset Considerations
Walking safaris vary in intensity, from short morning or afternoon excursions to full-day walks, and sometimes multi-day treks between mobile tented camps. Typical daily distances range from 6 to 10 kilometres. The ground is generally manageable, with flat terrain and occasional streams to walk through.
Early morning walks take advantage of cooler temperatures, particularly during the African winter months. Patience, attentiveness, and careful listening are essential for your safety and enjoyment. We also plan in collaboration with specialist guides who understand animal behaviour, terrain, and seasonal conditions.
photo courtesy of Robin Pope Safaris
Why Africa Is the World’s Best Destination for Walking Safaris
A Long Tradition of Professional Walking Guides
Zambia and Zimbabwe are the spiritual homes of walking safaris, with a heritage of apprenticeship-style guide training. Guides spend years learning tracking, wildlife behaviour, and ecosystem dynamics, and we prioritise working with those whose experience and training meet the highest professional standards.
Landscapes That Allow Safe, Meaningful Walking
Africa’s open ecosystems, predictable wildlife movement, and long sightlines provide ideal conditions for walking safaris. Zambia, regarded as the spiritual home of the walking safari, offers some of the finest experiences in South Luangwa, North Luangwa, and the Lower Zambezi, where walking has long been central to how the bush is explored.
In Tanzania, walking safaris are found in private areas of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Highlands, as well as the remote landscapes of Ruaha and Katavi in southern Tanzania. In Kenya, Tsavo East offers superb walking opportunities in wide-open terrain. These regions provide some of Africa’s most rewarding walking safaris, led by highly experienced professional guides.
We work with specialist wildlife guides that consistently deliver safe, insightful experiences on foot. (photo courtesy of Time + Tide)
Africa’s open ecosystems, predictable wildlife movement, and long sightlines provide ideal conditions for walking safaris. (photo courtesy of Wayo)
Talk to a luxury Africa safari specialists
"Our perspective is shaped by over 35 years of organising bespoke safaris across Africa, working closely with the continent’s most respected independent walking guides and camps."
The Best Countries for Walking Safaris in Africa
photo courtesy of Robin Pope Safaris
Zambia – The Benchmark for Walking Safaris in Africa
Zambia is widely recognised as the birthplace of walking safaris, pioneered in the 1950s by Norman Carr. It remains unmatched for foot-based exploration, with landscapes that invite slow, immersive encounters with wildlife.
South Luangwa stands out for its high wildlife density and the largest leopard population in southern Africa, alongside lions, elephants, hippos, and the endemic Thornicroft’s giraffe. Every walk reveals something new across grasslands, lagoons, and forest pockets, while quieter western areas provide exceptional solitude.
The Lower Zambezi offers a contrasting experience along riverine floodplains and islands, where elephants, buffalo, zebra, and wildebeest move freely. Walking can be combined with canoeing or boating for varied perspectives of this dynamic ecosystem.
North Luangwa feels virtually untouched. Walking along the Mwaleshi River with specialist guides gives prolonged wildlife encounters with Cookson’s wildebeest, Crawshay’s zebra, hyenas, and leopards in landscapes largely free from tourism.
Other regions, such as Kafue National Park and the Liuwa Plains, offer additional opportunities for walking safaris in some of Africa’s most pristine and wildlife-rich landscapes. However, the terrain can be challenging from certain camps, so the duration and difficulty of walks vary – most are shorter excursions. Travelling with us ensures access to specialist independent guides and private walking experiences that few visitors ever enjoy.
photo courtesy of Chilo Gorge Lodge
Zimbabwe – Exceptional Guiding and Wild Spaces
Zimbabwe is home to some of Africa’s most highly trained walking guides, and we work closely with owner-managed camps whose guides have completed years of apprenticeship-style training. On safari, these specialist guides share detailed knowledge of wildlife, plants, and their traditional uses, turning every step into an educational experience.
What sets Zimbabwe apart are its owner-managed camps. Each is carefully located for prime wildlife encounters, and you explore with the very guides who run them, providing unmatched expertise and personal attention.
At Mana Pools, a UNESCO World Heritage site, track elephants and wild dogs on foot, encountering them in ways impossible from a vehicle. Among the predator-filled forests of Hwange National Park, elephants and lions may be glimpsed roaming the ancient landscape. In Gonarezhou, the dramatic Chilojo Cliffs provide a striking backdrop to your safari.
With low guest-to-guide ratios and camps positioned for the best sightings, each walk lets you observe wildlife behaviours, track animals, and experience the rhythms of Zimbabwe’s wilderness in a way only possible on foot.
photo courtesy of Shinde Footsteps
Botswana – Walking in Private Concessions
Botswana’s private concessions in the Okavango Delta and Linyanti make it distinctive for walking safaris. Here, explore on foot across islands, floodplains, and waterways – landscapes that shift with the seasons – where elephants, buffalo, and predators move naturally through shallow water and grass.
Private concessions mean low guest numbers and walking at your own pace, and we focus on securing access to these areas through long-standing relationships with camps and guide teams.
Northern Botswana is particularly notable, with dense populations of wild dogs, elephants, buffalo, leopards, and lions. Walking here in some camps can be combined with mokoro or boat safaris (depending on the concession and water levels), all while supporting local communities. Travelling with us provides access to these private concessions and trusted guides, offering a level of walking safari expertise and exclusivity rarely found elsewhere.
photo courtesy of Lewa Wilderness
Kenya – Walking Safaris in Private Conservancies
In Kenya, walking safaris are permitted only in private conservancies around the Masai Mara, such as Naboisho, Olderkesi, and Mara North, making them rare and highly exclusive. You can also walk in the Matthews Range, Northern Territories, and Laikipia, accompanied by specialist guides with deep knowledge of local wildlife and ecosystems, ensuring safe, personalised encounters.
Tsavo East offers contrasting terrain with dust-red elephants, large tuskers, buffalo, and lions, and is ideal for combining walking with selective game drives. In Laikipia and the Great Rift Valley, multi-day mobile-camp adventures allow you to observe rare species such as Grévy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, and Somali ostrich.
With few visitors and some of Africa’s finest guides, walking in Kenya is immersive and off-the-beaten-path – and we ensure you are walking in the right conservancies with guides who specialise in on-foot exploration.
photo courtesy of Wayo
Tanzania – Walking Safaris Away from the Crowds
Tanzania offers vast, under-visited landscapes for walking safaris, providing a quieter alternative to the northern circuit. In the Serengeti, private mobile tented camps within concessions allow you to walk each day, or even move between camps, following seasonal wildlife patterns including the Migration.
The Selous (Nyerere National Park) provides completely private, multi-day walks from fly camps, guided by specialists who help you observe elephants, hippos, and wild dogs, while maintaining comfort in the wilderness. Ruaha National Park offers similarly immersive walking experiences across savannahs and miombo woodlands, home to ten percent of Africa’s lions, making it one of the best locations to witness a hunt on foot.
Working with these specialist guides ensures each walk is private, safe, and insightful, and we coordinate access, logistics, and seasonal timing to maximise each experience.
What Wildlife You Can Expect to See on Foot
Big Game Encounters on Walking Safaris
While wildlife can never be guaranteed, our expert private guides know precisely where to walk to maximise your chances of encounters. Depending on the location, you may glimpse giraffe, elephant, zebra, buffalo, and a variety of antelope including kudu, impala, and waterbuck. Your guide will ensure safe navigation around hippos, crocodiles, and occasionally rhinos, while bird-watching opportunities are exceptional.
Why Smaller Details Matter More on Foot
Walking safaris offer a unique, ground-level perspective that reveals the subtle intricacies of the bush often missed from a vehicle. You’ll observe tracks, predator signs, birds, insects, and plants, gaining insights into wildlife movements and behaviour. Tracks and spoor reveal nocturnal activity, while even the smallest creatures demonstrate the delicate balance of the ecosystem. This intimate focus brings you closer to the natural rhythms of the wilderness.
photo courtesy of Robin Pope Safaris
When To Take A Walking Safari?
For the best walking conditions and wildlife encounters, plan your safari during the dry season, when grasses are low, visibility is high, and animals gather around water.
- Zambia: June to July offers cooler temperatures, short grass, and excellent visibility for walking, particularly in South and Lower Zambezi, and North Luangwa.
- Botswana: June to November is ideal for walking in private concessions across the Okavango Delta, Linyanti, and Moremi, with wildlife concentrated around water.
- Kenya: June to October provides the most reliable conditions in private conservancies near the Masai Mara and Tsavo East, and January to March is also a good time to visit.
- Tanzania: June to October is generally best for walking in the Serengeti, Ruaha, and Selous/Nyerere, though January–February is excellent for predator activity during the calving season in the southern Serengeti/Ndutu.
- Zimbabwe: June to October is prime for walking in Mana Pools, Hwange, and Gonarezhou, when waterholes draw wildlife and trails are firm.
While the wet season (November–May) can bring lush scenery, newborn animals, and superb birding, trails may be less accessible and walking conditions more challenging.
A mobile walking safari camp is set up for you each day by the camp team. (photo courtesy Robin Pope Safaris)
Bush camps provide a higher level of comfort to return to after a day or several days of walking. (photo courtesy of Tafika Camp).
Alternatively for true immersion and remote exploration, sleep out in a fly camp during your walking safari. (photo courtesy of Kaingo Camp).
For travellers who appreciate the richness of the wilderness up close, walking safaris offer a depth of experience unlike any other.
How To Plan Your African Walking Safari
What Type of Accommodation Will You Stay In?
Accommodation on African walking safaris ranges from simple mobile fly camps to luxurious tented lodges, allowing you to choose a style that suits your preferences. It’s also dependent on the walking safari requested.
Mobile Fly Camps immerse you fully in the African bush. Camps are set up for you daily by the safari team, complete with comfortable bedrolls or folding cots, a bucket shower, and basic but well-prepared meals.
Luxury Mobile Tented Camps elevate the mobile experience with additional comforts. These private camps often include large guest tents, proper ensuite bathrooms, fine dining setups with damask linens, and attentive service. They are moved between locations to follow wildlife, though less frequently than simpler fly camps.
Classic Authentic Tented Camps offer fixed accommodation with spacious suites, en suite bathrooms, and a full range of comforts. Many have bars, dining areas, and offer walking safaris from the camp, ideal for those who prefer a blend of activity and comfort.
Bush Camps strike a balance between rustic and refined. Tented or semi-permanent, they blend seamlessly into the environment while providing good beds, hot bucket-style showers, quality meals, and convivial evenings around a campfire with your guide.
How Many Nights Are Ideal?
For most travellers, especially on a first dedicated walking safari, three to four nights provides the ideal balance. It allows you to cover meaningful distances through varying habitats without feeling rushed, while still leaving ample time to rest and absorb the environment each day.
You can stay in dedicated mobile fly camps, thoughtfully set up by the safari team, and we plan routes and camp locations to maximise wildlife encounters while maintaining comfort and safety. These camps are quite simple yet comfortable, allowing you to immerse yourself fully in the wilderness without worrying about logistics.
Our team sequences camps and routes to maximise wildlife encounters, minimise walking distance between sightings, and ensure a seamless, safe, and private experience. We typically recommend beginning with a few nights in a permanent tented camp before embarking on the walking segment, and then finishing in a luxury lodge or camp. Everything is tailored to your preferences: for a more adventurous experience, we can arrange extended 5-7 day walks across multiple regions, or you might choose shorter daily walks from a fixed camp combined with other safari activities.
Combining Walking with Game Drives and Other Activities
Walking safaris can be seamlessly combined with 4×4 drives, boat safaris, or cultural visits.
Afternoons might be spent relaxing at your fly camp, observing wildlife, or engaging in other activities. After the walking portion, you can transition to a luxury lodge, continue exploring on foot or by vehicle in another region, or unwind in a private villa or beachside retreat. This balance prevents fatigue while offering a wide variety of experiences.
photo courtesy of Ila Lodge
Safety, Ethics and Responsible Walking Safaris
How Safety Is Managed on Foot
Your safety is paramount. Your guide constantly reads the environment, and we support this with detailed pre-safari planning, local knowledge, and clear safety protocols.
In areas with large predators, your guide may be accompanied by armed rangers as a precaution. Pre-walk briefings explain expected behaviour, and following your guide’s instructions is essential for a safe and rewarding experience.
Conservation and Low-Impact Travel
Walking safaris are inherently low-impact, reducing fuel use and limiting disturbances to wildlife. Staying on foot for multiple days between camps allows for deeper immersion and the opportunity to support local communities. This minimal footprint ensures that your safari experience preserves the ecosystems you are there to enjoy. Every safari we organise contributes to our Impact Programme, helping to conserve ecosystems, empower communities and protect wildlife. You can also visit and support one of our carefully selected charitable partners as part of your travel, making your journey infinitely more meaningful.
photo courtesy Kichaka Expeditions
Why Expert Planning Matters for Walking Safaris
Matching Region, Season, and Traveller
Every walking safari is carefully tailored to the season, terrain, and your interests. Success relies on the technical expertise of your guides and expert planners – knowing where to walk, when, and how to move safely through the bush. The emphasis is on quality guiding and thoughtful pacing rather than the accommodations.
Key Takeaways – Luxury Walking Safaris in Africa
- – Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Kenya, and Tanzania provide the continent’s most exceptional walking safari experiences, each with distinctive landscapes and wildlife.
- – Walking safaris are ideal for travellers seeking slow-paced, immersive encounters, where curiosity and close observation take priority over ticking off wildlife lists.
- – The expertise of your guide is paramount, often far more important than the level of luxury accommodation, ensuring you access wildlife and habitats safely and insightfully.
- – Focusing on fewer locations allows deeper exploration and meaningful wildlife encounters.
Frequently Asked Questions About Walking Safaris
Are walking safaris safe?
Walking safaris are conducted with the highest safety standards. Camps are staffed with experienced askaris and attentive personnel, and fires are lit at night to discourage wildlife. While these safaris take place in the wild, where animals have the right of way, and not all camps have guards overnight, you are always accompanied by skilled local and private guides who prioritise safety.
Do I need to be very fit?
Walking safaris are designed for a slow, immersive pace rather than endurance.
You need to be fit enough to navigate uneven terrain in the national parks for at least 3-4 hours at a time. Walks usually begin early in the cool morning, covering a few kilometres over varied ground, including gentle slopes, riverbanks, and grassy plains, and typically conclude by mid to late morning, depending on the weather, season and temperatures.
The pace is relaxed, giving you time to take in the sights, sounds, and scents of the bush, or linger at a wildlife sighting. For shorter excursions, guided walks from a lodge or camp are available for a few hours at a time. Groups are kept small, usually no more than six, fostering a close connection with your guide.
Can walking safaris be private?
Absolutely. A privately guided walking safari ensures full flexibility to focus on the wildlife, locations, and experiences that interest you the most. This is the true luxury on a walking safari.
Are walking safaris suitable for photographers?
Yes – and we can arrange private photographic guides to assist you with capturing exceptional wildlife shots. South Luangwa in Zambia for example, is famous for its concentration of wildlife hides, allowing photographers, birders, and naturalists to observe animals at close range without disturbance.
Are walking safaris suitable for children?
Our experts generally recommend 16 as the lower age limit for immersive walking safaris in big game areas. In some regions and private conservancies, younger children may be permitted on carefully guided walks. For example, in Zambia, children are usually required to be 16 or older, though in the Lower Zambezi, younger children from around eight years old may participate in short walks around the campgrounds and vicinity.
For families with younger children, guided nature walks near camp are usually available, particularly for ages 8-12, focusing on tracks, plants, insects, and bush skills rather than big game. Many family-friendly camps also run structured programmes such as Junior Explorer activities, making the experience engaging, educational, and interactive.
Age limits and walking policies vary by camp and region, so we carefully assess each itinerary to recommend the safest and most suitable options for your family.
Speak to a specialist to craft a walking safari that transforms your wildlife encounters – planned by us in collaboration with trusted independent guides, private camps, and decades of on-the-ground experience.
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