Where to see Giraffes during your wildlife Safari in Africa: The giraffe is the animal kingdom’s skyscraper. It is the world’s tallest terrestrial mammal and is arguably the most spectacular of Africa’s wildlife icons. It may reach a height of 6 meters due to an extended neck with just seven foot long vertebrae. Without a view of these gorgeously gangly creatures, no African trip would be complete.

If you’re wondering where to view giraffes in Africa, the good news is that they’re plentiful and visible in most safari locations. However, a few locations stand out as maybe the finest sites in Africa to watch giraffes, and here are some ideas that I have found extremely gratifying over the years.

Where to see Giraffes during your Wildlife Safari in Africa.

Murchison Falls National Park

Around 1,250 Rothschild’s giraffes live in Uganda’s Murchison Falls national park, accounting for more than half of the global population of this isolated subspecies. The giraffe herds here are among the biggest I’ve seen, with groups of up to 30 animals marching across the borassus grassland in the park’s north. I’ve also spotted giraffes on the boat rides that follow the Nile River to the foot of the park’s name-giving waterfall.

Giraffe Manor in Kenya.

This family-friendly breeding institution, located in the green northern suburbs of Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city, has played an essential part in the conservation of Rothschild’s giraffe. A raised platform lets day visitors to get up and personal with the world’s tallest mammal, as well as examine those long flirty brows. Breakfast at Giraffe Manor, an associated boutique hotel, is regularly disrupted by an inquisitive giraffe sticking its head through the glass.

Arusha National Park in Tanzania.

Tanzania’s northern safari circuit, which includes the world-famous Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, is one of the best wildlife sites in Africa. The circuit’s gem for giraffe viewing is the undervalued Arusha National Park, where guided hikes give a sobering opportunity to observe these majestic beasts up close. The spectacular backdrop given by Mount Meru (and, if you’re lucky, more distant Kilimanjaro) is an added treat. Arusha National Park is 45 minutes’ drive from either of Tanzania’s two main airports on the northern circuit; why not start or end your Tanzanian safari with a night there?

Amboseli National Park in Kenya.

Amboseli is dominated by ashy plains and permanent marshes, and it is home to numerous enormous stands of umbrella thorn, a flat-topped acacia that is catnip to a hungry giraffe. The park’s greatest distinguishing feature is the snow-capped Kilimanjaro, which looms 5 kilometers above the plains and offers for a spectacular picture backdrop when the giraffes and acacias line up right.

Lake Naivasha National Park in Kenya

It wasn’t all that long ago when giraffes roamed freely over unprotected East Africa. Sadly, they are now almost totally restricted to national parks and wildlife reserves. A notable example is Naivasha, Kenya, a stunning Rift Valley lake where giraffes may be seen grazing in the surrounding fever trees. The  giraffes of Naivasha are quite peaceful and may frequently be approached on foot – a neck-craning posture that lets you to fully appreciate their height.

Kidepo Valley National Park in Uganda.

While other Ugandan wildlife parks may host a far higher biomass of species, Kidepo Valley National Park provides a larger diversity. Of the 80 animal species in the park, 28 are unique to the Karamoja area and are protected within Kidepo, including the Caracal, Stripped Hyena, Aardwolf, Cheetah, Bat-eared Fox, and Hunting Dog.

Kidepo Valley national park in Uganda also has 5 other unique species, including the Kavirondo Bush Baby, which is unique to the area. The Greater and Lesser Kudu, Chandlers Mountain Reedbuck, Klipspringer, DikDik, Bright Gazelle, Beisa Oryx, and Roan Antelope are all found in the park.

Kidepo possesses extremely tiny crocodiles that may reach a maximum length of 2.5m, as opposed to Nile crocodiles that can reach lengths of 4m. The modest stature is supposedly due to the scarcity of food.

Elephants, Zebras, Bush Pigs, Rothschild Giraffes, Eland, Jackson’s Hartebeest, Buffalo, Oribis, Lion, Leopard, Spotted Hyena, Black-backed and Side-backed Jackals are among the common creatures. Kidepo is Africa’s greatest park for large buffalo herds!