Last Updated on June 18, 2022
Going on a safari creates memories that will stick with you forever. Exploring the African savannah, a desert safari where you trek across the desert on a camel or witnessing a group of mountain gorillas, are only a few of the ways you can experience the thrill of a safari while witnessing incredible safari moments. These days, there are also exciting unique safari options, from a hot air balloon ride to a safari on horseback.
When you go on a safari, you are treated to an authentic and breathtaking viewing experience that is unlike any other. Whether you self-drive your safari or join a lodge for the experience, you’ll feel a great connection to the natural works and each other. It would be hard to go on safari and walk away without gaining huge respect for conservation and the importance of preserving natural heritage.
You’ll feel the wonder of seeing that pride of lions and hearing them roar, a herd of elephants with their babies close by, spotting the elusive leopard, or seeing the stars light up the night sky as you have never seen before.
We asked some travel bloggers to share with us their most incredible safari moments. Below are 19 incredible safari moments that will make you want to pack your bags — When it is safe again, of course.
These bloggers truly have experienced several heart-stopping and incredible safari moments.
Table Of Contents
- Kruger National Park, South Africa
- Phinda Game Reserve, South Africa
- Maasai Mara, Kenya
- Liwonde National Park, Malawi
- Okavango Delta, Botswana
- Kumana National Park, Sri Lanka
- Kaudulla National Park, Sri Lanka
- Mosi-au-Tunya National Park, Zambia
- Kinabatangan River, Borneo
- Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
- Etosha National Park, Namibia
- Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
- Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, India
- Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia
- Merzouga, Morocco
Kruger National Park, South Africa
When we first entered the gates of Kruger National Park, we were thrilled to see many animal sightings on our way to our safari lodge. We came across three Rhinos in the middle of the road. We stopped to observe and give them plenty of space. After a few minutes, the rhinos made their way to the side of the road. We thought it would then be safe to pass wide around them.
One of the rhinos was clearly agitated, while the other two could care less that we were watching. Every time we tried to inch up, the agitated rhino would stop grazing, back up two or three steps, and turn its head to us with eyes that could only be understood as “don’t you dare move” as it dragged its hoof across the ground. These were several heart-stopping moments that felt like forever. Soon after, the rhinos decided that they could not be bothered with us and took off down the road.
It was quite the welcome to Kruger National Park, and it was the start of many incredible safari moments over the next few days. Adventure at Kruger National Park is everywhere you turn.

During our 5 days visiting Kruger National Park, we awoke well before sunrise to join the line of cars waiting for the camp gates to open. Those who stay inside the park are allowed in the park an hour earlier than the public and we took advantage every single morning. Lions slept on or near the roads at night to take advantage of the warm pavement and we were able to see countless lions this way (a reward that definitely made 4 am alarms worth it). As the day went on and crowds swarmed the park the big cats would retreat further and further into the bush.
One morning my husband spotted a male and female in the bush. They were slowly waking up and stretching. I stopped the car in my tracks and our eyes were glued to the left side of the car, watching the pair bathe each other and cuddle.
Then I glanced over to our right and realized… that’s where the show is! The sky was bright orange from the sunrise. And just meters from our car were 4 hyenas running all around us.
Lions to our left, hyenas to our right, and a yellow-orange sky… we stayed there for over an hour undisturbed. No other car found what we found or saw what we saw.
Pardon the cliché, but on safaris, the early bird truly does get the worm. I will never forget that morning.
Erin Mushaway from Sol Salute is a Texan ex-pat living in Argentina. She’s obsessed with wildlife and discovering the world around her, one of her favorite destinations outside of her two homes is South Africa and its safari game parks.

One of my most incredible safari moments came at the end of a long day. We’d left our lodge early in the morning, for a full-day safari in the Kruger National Park, in South Africa. It was my husband’s first safari (and visit to South Africa), and I was itching to show him all the animals and give him some insight into a different part of my country. We had seen elephants, hippos, crocodiles, and even a leopard, but we’d only managed to see the lions from afar.
We were driving back towards our lodge, half dozing in the back of a jeep when suddenly we noticed her. Plodding next to our jeep, she was much bigger than I’d expected her to be. Up close, we could almost stare into her eyes. The lioness barely acknowledged us, as our jeep slowed down to match her pace, she just kept walking alongside us, giving us occasional, side-long glances.
Sleek and powerful, I watched her muscles move, mentally comparing her to my cat, which is a similar color, and often pretends not to notice me in precisely the same way as the lioness. Her ears were rounder than a cat’s though, and when I looked down, her paws were huge. Then she yawned, and at that moment, I realized just how terrifying my playful cat would be if she were the same size as a lion.
We drove alongside her for a long time, looking at my watch, at least 20 minutes had passed. And then, very unceremoniously, she veered off the road and wandered away, disappearing into the thick bush. As we continued our journey, I reflected that there’s something about being in the South African bush, around wild animals quietly living their lives, that makes me feel in tune with the world.
Roxanne de Bruyn is a writer, researcher, and communications specialist currently based in Auckland, New Zealand. Originally from South Africa, she has traveled widely and loves telling stories at Far Away Worlds about different places, food, and cultures from around the world.

Phinda Game Reserve, South Africa
We were roaming the grounds of Phinda Game Reserve, in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa, in what had been a rather unsuccessful morning at tracking down the animals we wanted to spot. Moments before heading back to the lodge, word had reached our ranger that two young cheetah brothers had been spotted sleeping on top of a hill.
We decided to check them out – in fact, there they were, sleeping. Yet, something in the distance caught their attention soon. Binoculars in hand, we browsed the horizon and we could see it too: a lone impala, moving in circles as if lost. It was obvious the cheetahs were going to try to catch it. We could not move from our spot – that would give one of the two animals an advantage.
For the next 15 minutes or so the cheetahs walked slowly towards their prey, lying flat on the grass, at some point impossible for us to see anything else other than their shadow. It was only when they were about 20 meters away from the impala that they jumped out – once, twice and finally they caught it by its neck.
The actual hunting took no more than a few seconds, in which we went from being in disbelief to being in grief for the impala to pure excitement for having just admired one of the oh-so-African scenes and incredible safari moments. It was priceless.
Submitted by Claudia Tavani from My Adventures Across The World.

Maasai Mara, Kenya
My husband Kris and I were on our first safari. It was my husband’s second trip to Kenya and my first. This was in late February of 2020. We were on a three-day safari excursion through the Messiah Mara, staying at Salas Camp— A trip we had been planning for almost 2 years.
It was our second full day on the safari, we truly didn’t know exactly what to expect. We knew that certain animals like leopards, cheetahs, lions, and black rhinos were rare. The time was now 10:30 AM and we had just finished the first half of our morning game drive and game breakfast.
The previous day, we had seen a lion and a lioness in the tall grass, though we were viewing with 15 other vehicles while enjoying our sundowner. Then that morning we saw a single cheetah on the hunt. There were at least 22 vehicles watching the cheetah. I remember feeling uncertain seeing the multitude of safari vehicles and how there were so few of certain animals.
Leaving our bush breakfast, we were taking an alternate route back towards Camp, when all of a sudden underneath a large bush, we spied to lionesses. I remember I could hardly speak as I was pointing, saying: “humenah, humenah…!!” Then, almost as instantly, it felt like my heart leaped out of my chest when I saw the four lion cubs emerge from around that same bush.
It was the most incredible safari moment to see— not only because it was so unexpected, but because we were quite literally the only vehicle there for ninety minutes (except for 20 minutes when a vehicle from our same camp arrived and then departed).
First, the lionesses were sitting in the hot sun, and then they spotted an antelope that they were stalking for about 5 minutes, before retreating back to the bushes with the cubs once the antelope saw them. One of the cubs even had emerged to spy on the lionesses. Then, for more than an hour, it was the four cubs and the two lionesses relaxing under the shady bush together. I remember blinking slowly with my eyes at one of the cubs who was watching me, signaling that I was a friend.
The most incredible site was seeing how alert the cubs were, and how they played together. They were so content with us being there, and we were made about 25 to 30 feet away from them the entire time. Our vehicle was shut off and we ended up sitting and having a couple of refreshments and took endless amounts of photos. We took over 300 photos of them during the 90 minutes we were with them.
As our time with them that day drew to a close, the cubs were beginning to fall asleep, and both lionesses got up and began walking together away from the cubs. Our driver and guide suggested that they were probably going to look for food and that it was normal for them to leave the cubs behind during that time. Of course, we wanted to stay and babysit the cubs but it was now almost past lunchtime back at the camp. And, we wouldn’t want to accidentally scare off the lionesses when they try to return to the cubs.
Our guide also noted that this was quite rare to see a family of cubs without any other vehicles. Most of the vehicles will radio to one another to notify others of a spotting. This was truly the most special occasion of our trip to the Maasai Mara, one full of incredible safari moments, that I will never forget. It is incredible to realize, now a year later, that these cubs are now full adults! And, wouldn’t it be incredible to see them again during our next visit in the hopefully not too distant future!
Vanessa Gordon is the owner and publisher of East End Taste Magazine, a digital publication and media platform based in the Hamptons, New York. She lives in Sag Harbor with her husband and two children.

Experiencing an African safari is an incredible way to connect with nature unlike anything else in the world. Taking a hot air balloon ride over the Masai Mara during the Great Migration is one of the best experiences to have on safari in Kenya.
Waking up at 3:30 AM on vacation doesn’t sound like a really fun time, but it is definitely worth it. Sunworld Safaris coordinated our hot air balloon ride. They picked us up from our camp and brought us to the open field where there was a line of hot air balloons getting blown up and ready to go. If you have a fear of heights like me, this is when your stomach may start to turn. Don’t fret! Once you’re off the ground, it doesn’t feel like you’re up high and the views will put you at ease.
As your hot air balloon rises, so does the sun, and so do the animals. Since sunrise and sunset are the cooler parts of the day, the animals are more active. So keep an eye out for hyenas, giraffes, lions, and more! After the hot air balloon ride, we were treated to a champagne breakfast in the Mara.
Hot air balloons in the air, incredible wildlife below, and a peaceful quiet untouched by humans make this one of the best and incredible safari moments you can experience.
Submitted by Pamela from The Directionally Challenged Traveler

Liwonde National Park, Malawi
Shortly after I first met my now wife we packed in the day jobs to go traveling. Our first four months were spent traveling overland on public transport from Uganda to South Africa. We mixed up our accommodation using our small two-man tent but also staying in everything from hostels to the occasional luxury lodge. We also planned our route – in part at least – according to the national parks and safari and wildlife experiences
on offer as we worked our way down the continent.
After some amazing high-end safaris in Tanzania’s Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, we moved on to Malawi. Finding ourselves near Liwonde National Park we booked a three-hour canoe safari for $30 each and arrived at the camp at dawn excited to see what wildlife we might experience.
With a guide and someone punting our canoe, we set off down a channel through some high reeds, keeping an eye out for the native birds. After some time, the channel opened to a large expanse of water with a family of elephants to one side and just the heads visible of several hippos in the distance. We continued slowly around the edge of the open water taking photos of the hippos when suddenly there was a loud bang. Our canoe flipped over, sending the four of us into the water.
Swimming and scrambling up onto the riverbank, it became evident that one of the hippos from the group we had seen had been underwater and tipped our canoe. Soaked, scared, and feeling extremely vulnerable, we managed to pull the canoe to the bank and looked to the guide for what to do next. This basically involved emptying the canoe of water, jumping back in, and punting straight back to camp.
We have had incredible safari moments to talk about ever since.
Submitted by Ed Gold from SafarisAfricana.
Related Story – 10 African Safari Photography Tips

Okavango Delta, Botswana
One of the best ways to travel and experience Botswana landscape and wildlife is by driving and wild camping in remote safaris. During my 10-day self-drive safari in Botswana, I could enjoy the beauty, scale, and diversity of Botswana, while exploring the savannah, swamps, and woodlands with countless birds and wild animals.
When you go wild camping at a safari you will have animal encounters, this is a fact! I had many close encounters during my trip, but one, in particular, was my favorite of them all.
It happened one afternoon when I was at my campground preparing lunch on the open by the Okavango Delta, and suddenly I received a visit from a family of elephants who found cool shade to shelter in the middle of the midday heat. They sheltered and ate near the same tree I was using to escape from the sun and cook.
I was so excited, but I was also alert at the same time, because we know that animals can get very protective of the younger, and there were a couple of very small elephants too. At the first moment I saw 3 elephants, and then 5, and at one point I could count more than 10 elephants at my campground. I was literally surrounded by them, and luckily there were there just to eat and rest, and it seems that my presence did not bother them. What a magical and one of my incredible safari moments that I will cherish forever.
As a big elephant lover, I found it exhilarating and I still consider it one of the most beautiful moments of my travels all over the world.
Submitted by Paula Martinelli from Paula Pins the Planet.
Kumana National Park, Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has numerous national parks that are home to some incredible animals such as leopards, elephants, and, strangely enough, bears. For the most part, the best way to experience a safari in Sri Lanka is to go on an organized tour. These tours are conducted from an open 6-seater platform set up on the back of a 4-wheel drive. This is an awesome way to enjoy a safari but we discovered an even better way when we visited Arugam Bay along the East coast of Sri Lanka.
From Arugam Bay, you can rent a scooter and drive yourself down to the entrance to Kumana National Park. While you can’t enter the National Park on a scooter you can explore the 10 kilometers of roads that lead to the entrance of the park. If you visit at either sunrise or sunset this area is teeming with wildlife.
The second time we went at sunset (it was so good we did it twice in two days) we saw 11 wild elephants roaming through the fields and in the water. As we were driving down one particular road, we saw an elephant just a few meters down one of the side roads. We stopped for a brief look and got to come face to face with one of these magnificent creatures.
He looked warily at us for a while before eventually charging towards the scooter. Luckily we had it running so we were able to drive away quickly, but it was scary having an animal that size charge at you so quickly.
It was an exhilarating experience and the highlight of our time there, and all for the cost of a day’s scooter rental which was $5 USD. This is the best $5 you are ever likely to spend. If you get the chance to visit Sri
Lanka, we highly recommend making memories with incredible safari moments by a self-guided scooter safari near Kumana National Park.”
Submitted by Luke from WildAboutBC.com.

Kaudulla National Park, Sri Lanka
Going on an elephant safari in Sri Lanka during the time of the gathering is an incredible and unique experience. Going on a safari in central Sri Lanka’s national parks during this time is the only way to see more than two hundred elephants at once. Seeing wild elephants all around you is a safari moment that no one can ever forget.
The yearly gathering happens to be the largest meeting of elephants in the world. And as you are driving through the two national parks where the elephants gather during the dry season from August to September, you will spot elephants wherever you look.
As the jeep enters the national park, lone elephants start to show up. And once you hit the wide-open grassy areas in the center of Kaudulla and Minneriya National Park, the jeep is suddenly surrounded by the gigantic mammals.
The very best safari moment is when the jeep gets relatively close to a baby elephant and its mother without disturbing the animals and hindering their movement. It gives you the unique chance to see their interaction Sometimes you even get to see the young one drinking or the mother elephant teaching the baby crucial life lessons like how to shake the grass bundles to get rid of the dirt.
It is marvelous to go on a safari here and a must for everyone that loves elephants. If you are especially lucky, you might also spot a leopard in one of the two national parks.
Be sure to take a lot of photos during this safari – the ones I took are some of my favorite photos of Sri Lanka.
Steph Kloeckener is a travel blogger and photographer and started her website A Nomad’s Passport to inspire others to explore our planet in a sustainable and ethical way. She loves the outdoors and is a passionate diver and is always looking for the next great adventure.

Mosi-au-Tunya National Park, Zambia
Having been on safaris across Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana, one would think why yet another Safari? How is it any different?
We went on a horseback Safari in Zambia’s Mosi-au-Tunya National Park”, also called Victoria Falls National Park across the border in Zimbabwe. It was completely different from all other safaris, which were on vehicles.
On horseback, we were able to get deep into areas of the park that are not accessible by vehicles. Vehicles provide an extra layer of protection, but that is also a barrier. On horseback, we were much closer to nature and its inhabitants. We talked about the beautiful weaver bird nests, the enormous baobab trees, the animal tracks, and the vegetation destruction by elephants that devour roots. Unfortunately, all the elephants, zebras, giraffes, etc decided to be elusive. We saw fresh tracks, some antelopes and a whole lot of monkeys. Luckily, our horses didn’t get spooked by them. We were still happy to connect with the ecosystem and not be encountered by large animals. It created incredible safari memories in its own right.
Submitted by Jyoti from StoryAtEveryCorner.com. Nirmal and Jyoti travel the world and share stories of places, people, culture, and food.

Kinabatangan River, Borneo
One of my favorite safari moments was in Borneo. The best way to see pygmy elephants is to take a river safari on the Kinabatangan River. There are several lodges on the river’s edge that offer early morning and evening safaris in small boats in the nearby area to see proboscis monkeys, macaques, and hornbills. During the day, it’s possible to take an optional trip upriver to where pygmy elephants were recently seen. In the late afternoon, they often come down to the water’s edge to eat grasses and drink.
We had taken the boat a couple of hours upriver and had spent some time looking to try to see any elephants, with no luck. Then our boat driver and guide pulled over to the riverbank and headed through a curtain of overhanging vines that concealed a small pool of water with sloped sides, completely surrounded by jungle and hidden from view from the river.
To our amazement, a couple of pygmy elephants came out of the jungle and slowly walked down the banks of the pool and into the water and across the pool. They then emerged and headed up the opposite bank and disappeared back into the jungle. It was one of the most magical moments in all my travels.
We then pulled back into the main river, kept looking, and saw a few more elephants come out of the jungle to feed on the grass by the river’s edge. Nothing was quite so amazing as that first sighting in this hidden pool, surrounded by thick jungle.
On the way back, we saw more monkeys, a golden crocodile, and several brightly colored rhinoceros hornbills. The sunset was in a blaze of purples and oranges just as we got back to our lodge. It was a truly amazing day of incredible safari moments!
James Ian is the founder of Travel Collecting. He has been to more than 80 countries and all 7 continents. He uses his website to help others have incredible experiential travel experiences.

Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
One of my most memorable memories from Africa is from the budget safari I took in Tanzania, to Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. The highlight of the trip was supposed to be seeing black rhinos in Ngorongoro Crater, as it was the right season when they come out from the outskirts of the crater. There are around 60 black rhinos living inside the crater, but, taking into consideration that the park has an area of over 8,000 square kilometers, the chances of seeing one are quite slim.
The morning started with heavy fog and rain, as we started our descent to the crater, at around 6 AM. The permit for Ngorongoro Crater is only valid for half a day, so the safari companies take full advantage of the time so that their clients can see as much as possible.
I didn’t have my hopes up, but deep inside I would hope that we would see a black rhino. As we reached the bottom of the crater, we were greeted by a couple of lionesses, who were walking along the road, ignoring our jeep.
Nothing happened for the first two hours, we only saw the usual: lions, hyenas, elephants, antelopes, zebras, and lots and lots of pink flamingos. But, after a while, someone spotted a black rhino. As the drivers have walkie talkies and notice each other when they see a rare animal, we found out pretty quickly that we were just a few minutes away from the spot. We got there quite fast and saw not one, but two beautiful black rhinos. They weren’t very close, but with the help of the binoculars, we were able to see a momma rhino and her baby peacefully grazing alongside a pack of buffalos. It was such a special time that created incredible safari moments. As the morning went by, more and more rhino sightings were reported. In total, over the time we spent inside Ngorongoro Crater, we had managed to see 8 black rhinos.
Submitted by Joanna from The World In My Pocket
My husband and I traveled on a 16-day safari throughout Kenya and Tanzania. While the entire experience of being on safari was life-changing and full of incredible safari memories, one of the highlights came toward the end of the trip. In addition to experiencing and learning about the cultures of Kenya and Tanzania, including the Maasai people, we were blown away by the extraordinary animal encounters that never stopped mesmerizing us. But, my heart was set on seeing a lion cub. While we had the privilege of observing many individual lions and lion prides and even witnessed one hunt a Wildebeest, we did not see a cub. Not until one of the last days of the trip, when we visited the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. While we were parked for observation, we came upon a gorgeous lion pride, which included a few cubs! Not only did they graciously pose for us, but they also investigated our safari vehicle. One came up close and personal, right next to the van, observing us curiously as if she was on safari. Seeing the cubs with the pride was very special. They were playful and beautiful, and such a treat to see. We left with full hearts after such an incredibly enriching experience, having learned so much about these special places. And, after having the privilege to observe some of the most impressive and beautiful animals on earth.
Keri Baugh is a family travel blogger at Bon Voyage With Kids. She has lived abroad three times and traveled to more than 30 countries, and worked as a Cast Member for Walt Disney World and for an educational travel company. Keri travels with her family, including her three children, several times throughout the year, and loves sharing tips on traveling with kids.

Etosha National Park, Namibia
For a long time, I’ve been very unlucky with animal sightings at safaris. Besides my very first safari where we spotted a wild dog pack in the first 5 minutes, for the entirety of my first trip to South Africa, I haven’t spotted a single lion – in about 12 game drives, including three days at Kruger!
When we went to Etosha National Park in Namibia a few weeks later, everything changed. The day we visited was ideal for wildlife watching, and within less than an hour from our departure, we spotted rhinos, giraffes, elephants, and some lions, plus lots of antelopes drinking at a water hole.
Yet, the best sighting and incredible safari moments were yet to come. In the lazy hours of the afternoon, when animals are usually sleepy, we drove by a waterhole. Sure enough, a pride of lions was napping in the sun. We all took out our cameras, secretly hoping for some ‘action’… when a lion got up and stretched, and got close to a lioness. She wasn’t too bothered, and clearly preferred to keep sleeping, but got up anyway. She and the lion sniffed each other for a bit, he took it as a sign of approval, and they started mating! It was all over in a flash, and judging by the lioness’s reaction you can see in the picture above, she wasn’t at all pleased.
I think I was really lucky to see this ‘intimate’ scene – it wasn’t my first time seeing animals mating, but seeing lions do that was really cool! Plus I think the look on the lioness’s face is priceless, many women can definitely relate!
Margherita from The Crowded Planet is a travel blogger from Italy, she is passionate about nature, hiking, running, and cats (big and small ones!)

Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
Watching the silverback mountain gorillas in their natural habitat was one of the most incredible wildlife experiences we ever experienced. High and deep in the Virunga Mountains live different groups of gorillas. The region is split between three countries: Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Given the Congo’s political situation and the fact that the Uganda gorilla groups are harder to reach, Rwanda was our top choice for a gorilla safari trek. But wildlife being wildlife, you are never sure you will get to see them. After a couple of hours hiking through the Volcanoes National Park, our small group, accompanied by rangers, reached an area filled with small bushes and bamboo trees. There was the Hirwa group, the gorilla family we were permitted to see that day. Indeed, the mountain gorillas are among the most endangered species, and only a one-hour visit is allowed for each of the gorilla groups that reside in the park. This is a way to protect them from human interactions and potential diseases we might bring with us. Hence, the park rangers are here to protect the gorillas, ensuring that visitors will leave at any sign of distress from the gorillas.
And how lucky we were! Not only did we get to find the gorilla family, but what an encounter, full of incredible safari moments! Baby gorillas playing on the back of their mothers, watching us with their big eyes. Mothers plucking their kids’ heads in gentle manners. The huge dominant male snacking on the bamboo, sitting a short distance from us. His choice as he walked around us, pretending to ignore us while keeping an eye on his family around. And not bothered by our presence as, at some point, jumped up and pushed through our group, headed for more bamboo trees that were behind us. That silverback could have easily thrown us around like peanuts, but his controlled behavior was incredible. Our hour passed way too fast, but we knew how special it was to be there and for the gorillas to allow us to spend these moments with them. A lifetime experience for sure.
Patricia & Bruno are behind the Adventure Travel Blog ZeWanderingFrogs.com, where they share their passion for outdoor activities, wildlife, and local culture.

Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, India
The sun was up in the sky, we were still over an hour away from sunset. The temperature was around 40 degrees celsius on that April afternoon. We were waiting near the large waterhole in the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in the state of Maharashtra in Western India.
Our safari guide anticipated a possible sighting soon, as we could hear some roaring sounds coming from the dense forest behind the watering hole. We waited patiently with our eyes looking for any hint of yellow among the green.
After several minutes, we could finally see the tiger! She walked along the tall dry grassland, the black and yellow gleaming in the golden light. As she neared the waterhole, we found her sister following her behind. Both headed towards the waterhole. The events that followed, would be etched in our memory forever. The two tiger cubs engaged in sibling rivalry. First, the roaring got louder. They crouched, ready for the confrontation, and then pounced on each other. It looked like kung-fu as they attempted to attack with their front legs in the air while balancing on their hind legs. This went on for several minutes until they gave up, with no clear winner. The event remained as a highlight of all our incredible safari moments in the tiger reserve.
Submitted by Pubali and Indranil from Paradise Catchers.
Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia
One of the best places to see wild orangutans in the world is at the Gunung Leuser National Park. The park is located just outside Bukit Lawang on Sumatra in Indonesia.
While on most safaris around the world, you are required to sit in a car and watch the animals from a distance. In Bukit Lawang, you will walk through the forest with a local guide for a jungle trek into the wild. Best of all, you are guaranteed to see orangutans around Bukit Lawang. It is home to both wild and semi-wild orangutans. The semi-wild orangutans have been rescued and are being taught all necessary skills to survive in the wild on their own again. However, there are no fences so the orangutans are completely free here. Even though they hang around the forests just a few hundred meters from the village. You can arrange jungle treks for up to 4 days with local guides far into the Sumatran jungle to see wild orangutans.
Gunung Leuser National Park is home to various animals like the super-rare Sumatran tiger and the Sumatran rhinoceros. However, it is still the orangutans that people go there to see.
Submitted by Christian from Unusual Traveler.

Merzouga, Morocco
One of the most amazing adventurous and incredible safari moments was on a trip to Merzouga in Morocco. Merzouga is a small desert town in the Sahara. It is located near the Algerian border and next to the huge dunes of Erg Chebbi.
Going on a desert safari is a popular activity, that is offered here actually at any corner. Our absolute highlights had been the trekking tour on the vast dunes of a dessert. We started with a camel ride inside the deep Sahara Desert. After that, we climbed up a 220-meters high dune where we watched the most incredible sunset.
Later we went back to our campsite, singing songs next to an open fireplace and were talking until late. After that, we decided to sleep underneath the bright shining stars. That was such a unique thing; we will never forget it! There is nothing more romantic than spending a night in a desert camp, best without any WIFI or mobile phone. Just talking, laughing, and enjoying the magic silence of a dessert.
Such a romantic safari can be combined with some fun and exciting activities. In Morocco, for example, you have the possibility to ride a camel, do exciting quad tours, or helicopter flights. No matter which thing you decide on, a safari in Morocco is pure magic and should not be missed.
Submitted by Martina & Jürgen from PlacesofJuma.
Create Your Own Incredible Safari Moments
We hope these safari stories inspire you to create your own incredible safari moments and live your dreams while on safari. In these destinations, you are sure to make incredible memories that will last a lifetime.
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I absolutely reading this post. Also, thanks for allowing me to participate in this incredible and inspiring list of moments during the safari. African safari always brings great surprises, and each day is an adventure. Very inspiring post.
Thanks for joining in! It is so inspiring — gave us so many ideas for what we would like to do next too!
Kruger National Park wild safari is on top of my travel list. However, every experience that you have mentioned in your post looks really intriguing and exciting. Safaris are the best way to encounter wildlife in its natural wilderness.
Safaris are incredible. It is definitely the best way to encounter wildlife!