5 Celebrities who Love African Wildlife Safaris

Are you thinking of taking amazing selfies with majestic creatures and communing with nature in a completely new way?

As various celebrities have found out, having unfettered access to some of nature’s majestic beasts on an African wildlife safari is one of the best ways to recharge. 

Not only is going on an African wildlife safari an easy process, but it also opens your eyes to a whole other reality that most of us city dwellers seem to take for granted.

While on an African wildlife safari, you will come across some of the largest, fastest, and rarest land animals. You shall also interact with some of the world’s oldest ethnic communities, learn their cultural history and some pretty fascinating traditions.

Below, we mention some international superstars who have been to Arica and loved it. We shall also discuss some of the most outstanding experiences you are bound to find at the places they visited.

Let’s get started.

1. Ellen DeGeneres and Portia DeRossi

Ellen, a world-renown talk show host and comedienne, had a childhood dream of living in Africa and in her own words, ‘take care of gorillas.’ 

However, although she made a success of herself in a whole other way, she has never forgotten about that childhood dream. 

Not only has she been on a Kenya safari, Ellen also opened what is known as the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in Rwanda. It is a center that facilitates research on and conservation of the endangered mountain gorillas.

During their African visits, Ellen and her partner, Portia DeRossi love taking selfies with the amazing wildlife they find in Africa. 

From literally breakfasting with giraffes at the Giraffe Manor in Nairobi Kenya, to hiking with mountain gorillas in Rwanda, the couple sure knows how to live it up.

Since some Kenyan travel agents offer customizable safaris, visitors to the country can have their Kenya tour packages curated to include all the fun places they wish to visit.

You may for example, have a wildlife safari to the Maasai Mara Kenya, visit the Giraffe Manor in Nairobi, go on a beach safari in Diani, just to mention a few attractions. 

The flexibility of the itineraries is one of the reasons why Kenya is deemed to offer the best wildlife safaris in Africa

1. Oprah

Another celebrity who hopelessly fell in love with Africa, her animals and her people is Oprah Winfrey. 

One of her most remarkable safaris was to the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. She enjoyed a full course meal in the middle of the park with herds of wild zebras grazing a few feet away in the background.

The Serengeti is a large national park that is adjacent to Maasai Mara Kenya, and animals freely roam between the two habitats all through the year.

Among the fun activities visitors indulge in here are game drives and hot air balloon safaris.

Some of the most impressive creatures you are bound to encounter in these parks are the big five safari animals, which include the African elephant, lion, buffalo, rhino, and leopard.

The five were so named due to their massive sizes and the fact that they proved elusive to trophy hunters.

Depending on when you schedule your visit to Maasai Mara Kenya, you may also be able to witness the great annual wildebeest migration- one of the most spectacular wildlife events on earth.

Besides her safari excursions, Oprah also runs a leadership academy for young ladies in South Africa, which caters to the academic needs of more than a hundred girls of between grades 8-12.

1. Sir. Richard Branson

British business mogul Sir Richard Branson is yet another celebrity who was so awestruck by the continent’s beauty that he decided to sink some of his investment roots in Kenya.

The uber luxurious tented camp known as Mahali Mzuri sits smack at the heart of Maasai Mara Game Reserve. Mahali Muzuri uses the luxurious 4×4 safari land cruisers with open roof for game viewing. 

The business magnate also has a private safari game reserve known as the Ulusaba in South Africa. Talk about taking your love for wildlife safaris to the next level!

The private reserve is located near the largest wildlife habitat in South Africa, the Kruger National Park.

Visitors to the two parks can expect to see a range of animals such as the African wild dog, buffalo, hyena, impala, wildebeest, and many more.

1. Madonna

On her part, the queen of pop has had an interest in Kenya and Malawi and has even adopted four children from the latter country, besides founding a charitable organization.

Her charitable spirit could also be seen when she made her Kenya safari. As part of the trip, she toured one of the less privileged neighborhoods of Kibera.

As for her safari jaunts, she enjoyed one of the best wildlife safaris in Africa by going on a trip to one of Kenya’s apex parks, the Samburu national park.

The place is teeming with wildlife including the big five safari animals.

While most visitors are largely enamored with Africa’s wildlife more than anything else, Madonna’s interest seems to revolve more around the people she gets to meet while in Africa.

While visiting the Samburu national park, the pop icon also took time to interact with the indigenous Samburu people who inhabit some areas of the park.

1. Naomi Campbell

The legendary British supermodel Naomi Campbell’s love for Kenya is no secret.

Since the mid-1990s, the statuesque beauty has frequently visited the East African country and started several projects at the seaside coastal town of Malindi.

So bold and unabashed is her love for Kenya that she has voluntarily championed and advocated for Kenya’s tourism over the years. 

Due to her evident adoration and love for the country, she was recently crowned its  international tourism ambassador by the ministry of tourism.