10 best travel apps to take on safari
Exceptions to tech in the bush
Although we advocate for tech-free safaris as much as possible, there are exceptions. When used intentionally, the right travel apps and sites can maximize what you already know, further enhancing your time in the wilderness.
While many don’t always do exactly what they claim in the app store, there are a few we’ve tried and are happy to recommend to our travelers. With that in mind, here’s our list of the 10 best travel apps to take on safari.
Sasol eBirds of Southern Africa
Best for: Birders of all levels
For a once-off cost, this app provides an interactive version of the highly acclaimed Sasol Birds of Southern Africa. Not only is it user-friendly and easy to navigate, but you can even listen to the calls of various bird species. The illustrations are also a treat, having been commissioned by the original book illustrators: Normal Arlott and Peter Hayman.
Sasol eBirds of Southern Africa is available on iOS and Android
Roberts Birds Guide
Best for: Birders of all levels
If you’ve already mastered the Sasol eBirders app and want something new to play with, you can’t go wrong with Roberts Birds Guide. Based on the original Roberts birding book, it’s easier to carry around, allowing you to search and document species you’ve spotted in the area. Although you’ll need to pay for it, it’s worth every cent!
Roberts Birds Guide is available on Android
iTrack Southern Africa
Best for: Spoor enthusiasts looking to level up
Become an expert tracker with iTrack Southern Africa in your pocket. Developed by a South African field guide and an American wildlife biologist, it features accurate track information for over 60 mammals so you can easily decipher who made those prints outside your tent last night…
Download iTrack now on iOS
SkySafari
Best for: Astronomy geeks
Love stargazing on safari but don’t always know what you’re looking at? On your next trip to the African continent, download SkySafari. This free astronomy app maps out all the stars and constellations above you. If you love the Big Five, this is your chance to discover Africa’s very own celestial ‘Big Five’.
Get it on Google Play.
Herdtracker
Best for: Tracking the Great Migration
Want to keep up with those millions of wildebeest on the move? With on-the-minute updates, this safari app (and site) tells you exactly where the bulk of the herd is between Tanzania’s Serengeti and Kenya’s Maasai Mara.You can access their location and update other safari enthusiasts on your daily sightings as long as you have decent connectivity. What we love most is that Herdtracker is completely free and easy for tech dinosaurs to master.
Download Herdtracker here.
Kingdon Guide: African Mammals
Best for: Anyone with an interest in African wildlife
This interactive version of Jonathan Kingdon’s Pocket Guide to African Mammals is essential if you’re looking to broaden your knowledge of African wildlife. It covers most of Africa’s land mammals, including some of those smaller critters, too. To access its features, which includes high-quality pictures, descriptions, and locations, there’s a once-off cost of US$15.99. Added perk: It can be used offline.
Latest Sightings
Best for: Enhancing your Kruger Park experience
If you’re heading to South Africa’s Kruger National Park, the Latest Sightings app is worth downloading before you arrive. We love that it allows you to knowledge-share and interact with the global safari community by posting your personal wildlife sightings. In turn, you also get to see what other users have seen nearby.
Available for free on iOS and Android
Side note: We have yet to test Kruger Explorer and add it to our list of the 10 best travel apps to take on safari. The reviews are positive, so it could be worth checking out.
WildEarth TV
Best for: Game viewing back at home
The WildEarth TV app allows you to safari from the sofa by tuning into live wildlife experiences every day of the year. An extension of WildEarth TV, it offers behind the scenes content, catch-ups with the rangers and optional channels from multiple locations across Africa. The free version comes with adverts, so if you want an uninterrupted experience we highly recommend the paid version.
eTrees of Southern Africa
Best for: General safari-enthusiasts
There is more to a safari than wildlife. Understanding the greater ecosystems, including the flora will enhance your African experience. This app lists over 840 tree species of Southern Africa, which are also arranged in groups for ease of reference. The app also has scientific names, images, maps and descriptions of tree species. We love that it allows users to create a personal list. So when your guide says to check out the Adansonia digitata you’ll know just what she’s talking about.
Get it on iOS here.
Africa: Live App
Best for: General safari-enthusiasts
Next on our list of the 10 best travel apps to take on safari is Africa: Live App. As the winner of the Best Travel App in Africa and has already been downloaded more than 40 000 times. Despite being free to use, the features are incredibly generous: You can view and share wildlife sightings, use the map offline, and access audio commentary.
Get it on iOS here.
We hope this list of the 10 best travel apps to take on safari proves useful. However, if you’d like to ditch those digital tools in favor of human help, rather get in contact with our team here.
Big journeys start with small steps
~ African Proverb