Safari.

Hi Susan. Good, but would not say "as good as it gets."

You can explore Etosha on your own, but waterholes are often where game (and people) congregate. Would not use the word "crowded" though.

There are plenty of less visited parks in Tanzania that can provide the experience you crave. South Luangwa in Zambia is also excellent.

Botswana caters more to upscale safaris and lack crowds because of this.

Safe Journeys,

BB

Etosha upside--self-drive, clear lines of sight, good floodlit waterholes at night. I only had one rush-hour event in three or four days there, when I parked as close as I could get to a faroff group of cheetah, and by the time one ran in front of my car (after some small ungulate) there must have been six or seven cars there. Another plus is that it's in Namibia, which is beautiful--the stark salt-pan in the middle of Etosha is one cool sight.

Serengeti is big enough that you can get clear of most of the traffic if you have the kind of guide who likes to go off by himself (I did), but otherwise I hear it can get bad. There is no self-drive. I have not been to the parks outside the Northern Circuit.

South Luangwa is indeed fantastic (the elephants are a bit smaller than the average), but tough to get to. One of the best places on the continent to see leopard. You can also to walking tours there, but no self-drive.

Botswana was too rich for my blood at the time. Now I regret not having gone, but there is always next time...

CK

I haven't visited other parks in Africa, but I found Chobe rather crowed in Botswana. Lots of operator (and self-driver) ; but probably they hang out on the skirt of the park (Chobe in 3 hours? that's not enough!!!). Okavango was less crowded ( did mokoro-canoe trip and bush walk) and probably the very expensive Moremi.

chriskean1
Since when did South Luangwa NP and the Serengeti stop allowing self drive?

If they allow them, then it's just me being ignorant--I was in South Luangwa a few years back and it was my impression you couldn't do self-drive there--I didn't check it out as I had no car in any case. Apologies and thanks for the correction.

CK

Thanks everybody for your feedback, have written all your suggestions down. sue.