All Photos 2017 by Laurel Christine | Taken with Nikon CoolPix B700 Chiawa Safari Camp | Zambia
Animals have a way of bringing us such a natural, easy type of joy. Going on safari in South Africa and Zambia was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. Still, venturing out onto a live safari isn’t always a feasible option.
Those of us working towards being more environmentally conscious travelers may be choosing to fly less and go on fewer trips.
Virtual safaris offer the best of both worlds: you get to see beautiful wildlife without disturbing its habitat or having any negative impact on the planet. Check out these awe-inspiring virtual safaris that are just about as amazing as the real thing:
Go on a Virtual Safari From Home
WILDwatch Live
WILDwatch Live offers live-streaming virtual safaris from several wildlife reserves in Africa, including the Ngala Private Game Reserve, Djuma Private Game Reserve, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, and Phinda Private Game Reserve. You get a peek into four different communities with rich arrays of protected wildlife.
Grace Gorillas
It’s no surprise that people have such a fascination with gorillas. It’s too easy to fall in love with their human-like mannerisms. Grace Gorillas allows you to indulge any time you choose. It streams live from the Gorilla Forest Corridor in the GRACE Center in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Tembe Elephant Park
Located in Emangusi, South Africa, the Tembe Elephant Park is a safe haven for African elephants. The park is known for having the largest elephants in the world, in addition to other happy locals: leopards, lions, rhinos, and buffalo. Their live stream allows you to enjoy the entire crew from the comfort of your home.
The Ark Cam
Located in beautiful Kenya, The Ark is home to countless types of African wildlife. Their webcam overlooks a popular watering hole and salt lick, attracting animals from all over the park to lounge and sip. Sit back and relax to catch views of leopards, cheetahs, buffalo, rhinos, zebras, and more.
Tau Waterhole
The Madikwe Game Reserve is one of the largest wildlife reserves in South Africa, and Tau Waterhole is a guest favorite throughout the park. Zebras, lions, giraffes, elephants, cheetahs, and other wildlife every safari guest dreams about will frequent this watering hole, and the live stream gives you a front-row seat.
Mpala Live
In the Laikipia area of Kenya, the wildlife find a safe place to call “home.” If you want to catch a glimpse, there’s no better place than an oasis known as the hippo pool. Luckily for all of us, Mpala Live broadcasts a live stream of this hippo pool so you can spot all the animals who come to enjoy it.
Don’t let the name fool you, though. Hippos are popular stars on the live stream, but you can also spot elephants, buffalo, wild dogs, aardvarks, oryxes, camels, cheetahs, and many other neighbors.
The Naledi Cat-EYE
Lions are among my top favorites, and every safari adventurer wants to see them, but they can be difficult to spot. The Naledi Cat-EYE solves that problem.
This live stream comes from the Olifants West Game Reserve in South Africa. The webcam has captured close-up views of lion prides as well as cheetahs, giraffes, meerkats, impalas, baboons, warthogs, and more. It streams 24/7 so you won’t need to miss a moment.
Virtual Safaris: An Adventure from the Couch
Not many of us have the time or the funds to travel all over Africa, exploring the wildlife with live safaris. Thanks to technology, you don’t have to. The virtual safaris above can give you views of all your favorite African wildlife, up close and personal, without disturbing their natural environments or disrupting their lives.
Disclosure: Please note that some of the above links are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase.
