Expert

Philip Briggs

Member of the SafariBookings Expert Panel

Country:: South Africa
Expert Reviews:: 154 Reviews
Website:: philipbriggs.wordpress.com

Philip Briggs is a guidebook writer and content creator with more than 30 years’ experience travelling in and writing about Africa. He acquired the bug whilst travelling through East and Southern Africa in 1986, and has been exploring the continent on-and-off ever since, most recently based out of the pretty village of Wilderness on South Africa’s Garden Route.

Over the course of the 1990s, Philip researched and authored several Bradt guidebooks to destinations that were then – and in some cases still are – otherwise practically uncharted by the travel publishing industry. These include the first dedicated guidebooks to Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Malawi, Ghana, Mozambique and Rwanda, all of which have since been revised on several occasions for new editions, and are still in print today.

More recently, Philip has authored the Rough Guide to the Game Parks of South Africa, Insight Guide to Madagascar, Eyewitness Top 10 Cape Town, as well as Bradt’s Kenya Highlights, South Africa Highlights and East African Wildlife. He also co-authored Eyewitness Kenya and has worked extensively on various editions of Eyewitness South Africa and Insight Guides to Namibia, Tanzania, Senegal & Gambia, East African Wildlife, South Africa, Cape Town and Kenya.

Expert Reviews 154 – Written by Philip Briggs

Botswana

Botswana country review

4/5
The thirsty Kalahari and swampy Okavango
Central Kalahari Game Reserve

4/5
The Great Thirstland
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

4/5
Desert splendours
Mashatu Game Reserve

5/5
Southern Africa’s best-kept game viewing secret
Okavango Delta

5/5
Southern Africa’s greatest inland swamp

Ethiopia

Ethiopia country review

4/5
Historical sites and endemic wildlife
Abijatta-Shalla National Park

3/5
Flamingo central
Awash National Park

3/5
A compelling volcanic landscape
Bale Mountains National Park

4/5
Multiple visits
Chebera-Churchura National Park

3/5
Tracking elephants on foot
Lake Ziway

3/5
Birding among the vineyard
Nechisar National Park

3/5
A tale of two lakes
Senkele Swayne’s Hartebeest Sanctuary

2/5
A one-trick pony
Simien Mountains National Park

4/5
The spectacular roof of Ethiopia

Kenya

Kenya country review

4/5
The home of the safari
Aberdare National Park

3/5
Life in the Treetops
Amboseli National Park

4/5
Giant tuskers in the shadow of Kilimanjaro
Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve

3/5
Home of Kenya’s largest ‘lost city’
Buffalo Springs National Reserve

4/5
Samburu’s southern twin
Hell's Gate National Park

4/5
Hike or bicycle through a valley full of wildlife
Kakamega Forest National Reserve

4/5
Kenya’s top birding site
Kora National Park

2/5
A little visited wilderness
Laikipia Plateau

4/5
Ranchland reclaimed for wildlife
Lake Bogoria National Reserve

3/5
The flamingos’ holiday home
Lake Nakuru National Park

4/5
Lake of birds and land of rhinos
Lake Turkana

4/5
The world’s largest desert lake
Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

4/5
Africa on horseback
Marsabit National Park

3/5
A forested island
Masai Mara National Reserve

5/5
Big Cat Diaries made flesh
Meru National Park

4/5
The Phoenix park
Nairobi National Park

3/5
A top safari experience bordering the capital
Ol Pejeta Conservancy

4/5
Laikipia’s main tourist focus
Saiwa Swamp National Park

4/5
Kenya’s Smallest & Most Pedestrian-friendly Park
Samburu National Reserve

4/5
A river runs through it
Shaba National Reserve

3/5
Samburu’s wilder eastern cousin
Shimba Hills National Reserve

3/5
Sables, squirrels and bush babies
Solio Ranch

3/5
Rhino overload
Tsavo East National Park

4/5
Kenya’s largest wilderness park
Tsavo West National Park

4/5
Kenya’s greatest wilderness park

Lesotho

Lesotho country review

3/5
Magical mountain kingdom
Sani Top

3/5
An Afro-alpine Paradise atop the Drakensberg’s Wildest Road Pass
Sehlabathebe National Park

3/5
A Giant’s Playground of Boulders & Rock Arches
Ts'ehlanyane National Park

3/5
Lesotho’s Most Accessible Hiking & Wildlife Destination

Madagascar

Madagascar country review

4/5
A world apart
Amber Mountain National Park

4/5
Chameleons great and small
Andasibe-Mantadia National Park

4/5
One-stop lemur shop
Andohahela National Park

3/5
An enjoyable forest walk
Anja Community Reserve

3/5
A rewarding community reserve
Ankarafantsika National Park

4/5
Forest of rarities
Ankarana Special Reserve

4/5
Mountains of pins
Berenty Private Reserve

3/5
A contrived ‘spiny forest’ primer
Isalo National Park

4/5
A sandstone jungle
Kirindy Forest

4/5
Fossas and baobabs
Ranomafana National Park

4/5
Top lemur viewing and hiking
Zombitse-Vohibasia National Park

3/5
A tiny and easily accessible gem

Malawi

Malawi country review

3/5
Land of the Lake…and some wildlife too!
Kasungu National Park

2/5
Peaceful bush retreat with low wildlife densities
Lengwe National Park

3/5
A engaging but low-key gem for self-drivers
Liwonde National Park

4/5
Archetypal African river setting
Majete Wildlife Reserve

4/5
Rising star of the south
Mwabvi Wildlife Reserve

2/5
For the hardcore only
Nyika National Park

4/5
A hiker’s paradise
Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve

3/5
Super-accessible elephant and hippo viewing

Mozambique

Mozambique country review

3/5
Beaches, history…and a bit of safari
Gorongosa National Park

4/5
Mozambique’s conversation flagship
Maputo National Park

3/5
Elephant and bird nirvana
Niassa National Reserve

4/5
As remote as it gets

Namibia

Namibia country review

4/5
Land of open spaces
|Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park

4/5
Land of the mutant plants
Damaraland

4/5
Desert-adapted elephants and rhinos
Etosha National Park

4/5
A photographer’s favourite
Kaokoland

4/5
The harsh home of the enigmatic Himba
Namib-Naukluft National Park

4/5
Gemsbok on the Dunes
Skeleton Coast National Park

4/5
Coast of ghost-ships
Tsau //Khaeb National Park

3/5
Namibia’s Forbidden territory

Rwanda

Rwanda country review

4/5
East Africa’s Phoenix State
Akagera National Park

4/5
A Resurgent Gem
Gishwati-Mukura National Park

3/5
Rwanda’s Phoenix Forest
Nyungwe National Park

4/5
Superb Forest All-rounder
Volcanoes National Park

5/5
Gorillas in the Mist

Réunion

Réunion country review

4/5
France’s tropical island Department

South Africa

South Africa country review

4/5
A World In One Country
Addo Elephant National Park

4/5
Elephants up close and personal
|Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park

4/5
Land of the mutant plants
Amakhala Private Game Reserve

3/5
The Big Five and the N2
Augrabies Falls National Park

4/5
Place of great noise
Balule Private Nature Reserve

4/5
Important Member of a Vast Unfenced Ecosystem
Camdeboo National Park

3/5
Desolate Karoo landscapes
Golden Gate Highlands National Park

4/5
Cliffs of gold
Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve

4/5
Home of the Rhino
Ithala Game Reserve

3/5
Hill country
Kapama Private Game Reserve

4/5
This well-run Big Five reserve is affiliated to a unique Endangered Species Centre
Karoo National Park

3/5
Sea of fossils
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

4/5
Desert splendours
Kruger National Park

4/5
South Africa’s most iconic national park
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve

4/5
The Eastern Cape’s last wilderness
Londolozi Private Game Reserve

4/5
Protector of all living things
Madikwe Game Reserve

4/5
Malaria-free Big Five viewing
Makalali Private Game Reserve

3/5
Canned game viewing
MalaMala Private Game Reserve

5/5
South Africa’s top private reserve
Mapungubwe National Park

3/5
Lost city on the Limpopo
Marakele National Park

4/5
Large Mammals & a Scenic treat
Mountain Zebra National Park

3/5
Endemics hideaway
Phinda Private Game Reserve

5/5
Big Five viewing in Zululand
Pilanesberg Game Reserve

4/5
The closest Big Five destination to Johannesburg
Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve

3/5
Stark sophistication in the bush
Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve

4/5
Best for a quick Big 5 fix
Shamwari Private Game Reserve

3/5
Big Five and more in the Albany thicket
Singita Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve

5/5
Sabi Sands in style
Spioenkop Game Reserve

3/5
Low-key game viewing in the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg foothills
Tembe Elephant Park

3/5
Southern Africa’s largest tuskers
Timbavati Private Nature Reserve

4/5
Home of white lions
uMkhuze Game Reserve

4/5
Photographers’ and birders’ paradise
Waterberg Biosphere Reserve

4/5
A Diverse Area of Reserves & Wildlife
Zulu Nyala Private Game Reserve

3/5
Zululand travel base

Tanzania

Tanzania country review

5/5
Africa’s Greatest Safari Destination
Arusha National Park

4/5
Below Mount Meru
Gombe National Park

4/5
Jane Goodall’s Chimp Reserve
Katavi National Park

4/5
A Forgotten Wilderness
Lake Manyara National Park

4/5
Tanzania in Microcosm
Mahale Mountains National Park

5/5
Primate Nirvana
Mikumi National Park

4/5
An Underrated Gem
Mkomazi National Park

3/5
In the Shadow of Kilimanjaro
Ngorongoro Crater

4/5
Nature’s Greatest Natural Stage
Nyerere National Park

4/5
Southern Tanzania’s Ultimate Wilderness
Ruaha National Park

5/5
The Connoisseur’s Choice
Saadani National Park

3/5
Where the Beach Meets the Bush
Serengeti National Park

5/5
Plains of Plenty
Tarangire National Park

4/5
Baobabs & Elephants

Uganda

Uganda country review

4/5
Gorillas in the mist – and much else besides!
Budongo Forest

3/5
The forgotten chimpanzee reserve
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

5/5
Rare birds and gorillas in the mist
Kibale National Park

4/5
Monkey Nirvana
Kidepo Valley National Park

4/5
Uganda’s forgotten savannah reserve
Lake Mburo National Park

3/5
Hilly gateway to the western safari circuit
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

3/5
Volcanoes in the mist
Murchison Falls National Park

4/5
Thundering waters and smirking shoebills
Queen Elizabeth National Park

5/5
Oasis of biodiversity
Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve

3/5
Uganda’s forgotten valley

Zambia

Zambia country review

4/5
Adventurer’s Africa
Bangweulu Wetlands

4/5
Home to the shoebill
Blue Lagoon National Park

3/5
A neglected bird-watcher’s paradise
Kafue National Park

4/5
Africa’s largest national park
Kasanka National Park

3/5
The world’s biggest mammal migration
Liuwa Plain National Park

4/5
Africa’s second-largest wildebeest migration
Lochinvar National Park

3/5
Dry scrub and lush wetlands
Lower Zambezi National Park

5/5
Canoeing the mighty Zambezi
Luambe National Park

4/5
Secret retreat in the Luangwa Valley
Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park

4/5
The Smoke That Thunders
North Luangwa National Park

5/5
Zambia’s only Big Five safari destination
South Luangwa National Park

4/5
Africa’s best night drives

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe country review

4/5
Adrenaline capital of southern Africa
Hwange National Park

5/5
Zimbabwe’s top all-round safari destination
Matobo National Park

4/5
Land of giant boulders
Nyanga National Park

3/5
Rhodes’s former estate in the Eastern Highlands
Zambezi National Park

4/5
The southern side of Victoria Falls:

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Philip Briggs

Member of the SafariBookings Expert Panel

Expert Reviews 154 – Written by Philip Briggs

Most Popular Blog Posts – Written by Philip Briggs

Other Expert Panel Members

Alan Murphy

Anthony Ham

Ariadne van Zandbergen

Brian Jackman

Christopher Clark

Dale R Morris

Emma Gregg

Gemma Pitcher

Harriet Nimmo

Heather Richardson

James Bainbridge

Kim Wildman

Lizzie Williams

Lucy Corne

Mark Eveleigh

Mary Fitzpatrick

Mike Unwin

Nana Luckham

Paul Murray

Stephen Cunliffe

Stuart Butler

Sue Watt

Tim Bewer