Some of my most memorable safaris haven’t been bouncing along in the back of a Jeep, blanketed in dust. No, they have been gliding along a river as I watch herds of zebras pause for a drink.
Water-based safaris are magical game drives from a boat, where travelers can spot animals as they congregate by lakes and rivers (especially common viewing during the dry season). It’s an opportunity to slow down. You draw close to hippos and crocodiles that might otherwise be elusive on land; you spy species too small to notice when speeding by on a four-wheeler, like the jewel-toned malachite kingfisher and pearly flasher dragonfly.
The leisurely pace seems to suit the animals as well. The shocking roar of a vehicle’s engine can startle wildlife. But silently paddling past undisturbed waterbuck and kudu reveals a hidden world. In the water, you witness new behaviors, like lions swimming and elephants playing in the muddy shallows.
While Botswana is arguably the most famous African country for water exploration, there are plenty of destinations across the continent where travelers can book a boat safari. Each experience—canoeing across floodplains in Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park; cruising down Uganda’s Kazinga Channel with one of the world’s biggest hippo populations—will upend your safari perspective.
The Okavango Delta is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Courtesy of Abercrombie & Kent
Where to experience a safari on water
Okavango Delta
Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
- Where to stay: Chief’s Camp | Tawana
Traveling by mokoro, a traditional dugout canoe used by the native Bayei people for transportation and hunting, is an integral part of any Okavango Delta safari. “It’s a great opportunity to quietly admire the beauty of different small species you don’t usually see while you’re on a game drive,” says Kebby Arabang, a private guide who leads Abercrombie & Kent tours in Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Flowing gently through the channels’ water lilies provides ample time for conversation with Indigenous groups. “It gives you the opportunity to learn from them about their history, folklore, and traditions,” Abeng says. The Delta is immense: head to Moremi Game Reserve on the eastern side for some of the most pristine land.
The Rufiji River is the largest and longest river in Tanzania.
Courtesy of Sand Rivers
Rufiji River
Nyere National Park, Tanzania
- Where to stay: Laba Laba Siwandu | Sand Rivers
Nyere National Park, created in 2019 when the Selous Game Reserve was split into two, calls out to travelers seeking an old-fashioned—and wilder—safari experience. Here, the Rufiji River rushes through the marshy floodplains and woodlands, bringing life to the largest park in all of Africa. “There is a true wild factor to it—you’re going to get away from the tourists,” says Tamsyn Fricker, cofounder of Travel Artistry Africa. “[Nyere] is for those people who want that next level of adventure.” Observe unusually large groups of wildlife, including lions, elephants, giraffes, and zebras, as they drink from the water’s edge.
An estimated 2,000 hippos live in the Kazinga Channel.
Photo by Przemyslaw Skibinski/Shutterstock
Kazinga Channel
Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda
- Where to stay: Kyambura Gorge Lodge | Mweya Safari Lodge
While Uganda is best known for gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, another animal takes center stage during boat rides in the Kazinga Channel: the hippo. The natural waterway, which slices through the vast savanna in Queen Elizabeth National Park, is home to concentrations of the toothy mammal. “Our guests love to get up close to see an abundance of wildlife, including elephant, buffalo, crocodile, and antelope—an occasional lion or leopard may also be in the distance at dusk,” says Praveen Moman, founder of Volcanoes Safaris. “It’s an extremely popular choice as you do not have to travel long distances to find a variety of species.”
While visiting to Upper Zambezi, base yourself in riverside locations like Mpala Jena Camp.
Courtesy of Mpala Jena Camp
Upper Zambezi River
Zambia and Zimbabwe
- Where to stay: Matetsi | Mpala Jena
The world’s largest single-drop waterfall, Victoria Falls (known locally by its Indigenous name, Mosi-oa-Tunya) is a draw for tourism in Zambia and Zimbabwe. But many travelers miss out on exploring the falls’ lifeblood: the expansive Zambezi River, which flows through or forms the border of six countries.
“When I think of the Upper Zambezi River, it’s not about Victoria Falls,” says Fricker. “The entire region is very lush—it’s magic. So you want to stay at a property with a lot of river frontage, like Matetsi or Mpala Jena, that also does boat cruises.” Soak up the wonder of an African sunset on a traditional wooden dhow, search for crocodiles and elephants along the shore, or try catch-and-release tiger fishing.
Lake Navaisha is about 50 square miles.
Photo by Kirill Dorofeev/Shutterstock
Lake Naivasha
Nakuru County, Kenya
- Where to stay: Loldia House | Chui Lodge
Birders, this one’s for you. Located just two hours from Nairobi, Lake Naivasha “is renowned for its exceptional bird viewing,” says Fricker. The dense, swampy vegetation, listed by Kenya as a Wetland of International Importance, is an ideal habitat for waterfowl. Keep your binoculars handy for locating 400-plus bird species, including the Goliath heron, saddle-billed stork, and majestic African fish eagle, alongside over 1,500 chortling hippo. While East Africa’s flamingo population is declining, you can still spot hundreds of the waders here during the rainy season in a brilliant swath of pink across the lake’s surface.
Chobe River
Chobe National Park, Botswana
- Where to stay: DumaTau Camp | Chobe Chilwero
If it’s elephants you’re after, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better destination than Chobe National Park, which boasts Africa’s biggest population at around 120,000. During the dry season from May to October, the playful giants crowd around the river in search of a refreshing drink or swim. “On a lucky day, you can even witness elephants swimming across the river to Namibia,” says Arabang. Photographers should time their cruise to the end of the day. “Sunsets are a highlight—especially when elephants are silhouetted against the sky.”
Mana Pools National Park
Zimbabwe
- Where to stay: Tembo Plains Camp | Nyamatusi Camp
Mana Pools has earned a reputation for its gripping walking safaris. But the park’s open floodplains—many of which aren’t driveable—also offer a network of canoe trails that bring you equally close to lions, leopards, waterbucks, crocodiles, elephants, and the enigmatic African wild dogs.
The Mana Pools themselves, a UNESCO World Heritage site, are remnants of Zambezi River channels. “The floodplains are absolutely massive,” says Fricker. “Mana Pools still feels wild and untouched. Ideally, you want to go in October or November before the heaviest rains come.” From there, ambitious adventurers can even paddle along the Zambezi River to Lower Zambezi National Park in Zambia (which offers epic boat safaris of its own) on a multi-day journey with a certified guide, stopping along the way to camp—not glamp!—on the banks.
