When it comes to the most photogenic – and photographed – mega wildlife, Southern Africa pretty much has it all! As a wildlife destination, the continent has pretty much any storybook wildlife you could ever hope to see in real life.

© David Luck

And if you do have the opportunity of a lifetime to go on a wildlife adventure to Africa, you’re going to want to bring a much better camera than what is available on your iPhone, as the photo ops are truly mind-blowing. Here are a few of our camera’s favorite animals…

© David Luck

Botswana: African Lion & Giraffe

Truly the King of the jungle – and the entire continent – the African Lion is a true site to behold. You may be able to get a great shot with a strong lens and great guides in Linyonti Private Reserve in Botswana. Home as well in this region is the spectacularly bright and tall giraffe. Reaching an incredible 5.5 meters, the giraffe is the tallest animal on the planet!

Namibia: Desert Rhino & Springbok

Namibia is soul-stirring. Here on the southwest edge of Africa, orange sand dunes rise a thousand feet high against a cobalt sky. Inside are diamonds, tucked into the mountains of sand by currents, waves and wind. The coastal desert is washed by the relentless ocean, while inland the sun bakes the plains into a cracked puzzle of dried mud, pocked with grass and thornbush. Here there is just enough to sustain desert rhinoceros and other rare species such as Springbok, in the Ongava Game Reserve.

Zambia & Zimbabwe: Elephants, Zebras & and Hippos

 On safari in the lightly visited national parks of Zambia and Zimbabwe, touch the African wilderness as it existed over a century ago—a vast, raw landscape of rocky escarpments, powerful rivers and floodplains brimming with animals, including huge herds of elephant and Cape buffalo, great pods of hippo, and rare wild dog and rhinoceros.

To experience these other incredible African creatures, check out our world-class African safaris, and make the dream a reality!