Safari Face-Off: South Africa vs Kenya

Safari Face-Off: South Africa vs Kenya — which country draws more international visitors for game-lodge and safari experiences?

Safari tourism is one of Africa’s headline attractions — but it isn’t one-size-fits-all. In the safari face off between South Africa and Kenya, both boast world-class wildlife offerings, yet their tourism profiles are different. This article compares the two countries using official and trusted sources (Stats SA, SANParks, Kenya’s tourism authorities, WTTC and national reports) to answer: which country draws the most international visitors specifically for safari and game-lodge experiences — and what the numbers tell operators and investors.

---

Big picture: overall international arrivals (2024)

First, the macro view. South Africa recorded around 8.9 million international arrivals in 2024, a continued recovery toward pre-pandemic levels. This figure covers all international visitors and purposes, not only tourists who visit parks. Government of South Africa

Kenya recorded roughly 2.39 million international visitors in 2024, a strong rebound and record for that year. Kenya’s inbound market is smaller in absolute terms than South Africa’s, but it is heavily weighted toward nature and wildlife products. Tri+1

Takeaway: South Africa attracts many more international arrivals overall, but that does not automatically mean it attracts more international safari tourists — the composition of arrivals differs.

---

Park & lodge visitation: Kruger vs Kenya parks

South Africa’s flagship safari site, Kruger National Park, remains massively popular. SANParks’ tourism statistics and associated reports show Kruger routinely records visitor numbers approaching ~1.8–2.0 million visitors per year (this total includes both domestic and international guests and day visitors). SANParks+1

Kenya’s greatest wildlife draw is spread across multiple national parks and conservancies (Masai Mara, Amboseli, Tsavo, Samburu, etc.). Kenya’s national statistics and tourism performance reports show the country welcomed 2.4 million international tourists in 2024 and recorded ~18.6 million visitor days — many of these international arrivals are specifically visiting for wildlife and safari experiences. Individual parks also report high visitation (for example, Nairobi National Park and urban-adjacent reserves attracted hundreds of thousands of visits in 2024). Tri+2KBC+2

Interpreting the park numbers:

• Kruger’s ~2 million visitors is impressive, but a large share of Kruger visitors are domestic South Africans and regional travellers. SANParks
• In Kenya, a higher share of international arrivals are explicitly safari-focused — Kenya’s product is more narrowly positioned as wildlife tourism, while South Africa’s offer is broader (beaches, city tourism, business travel and safaris). Tri+1

Short answer: If you measure total park visitors, Kruger’s absolute numbers rival Kenya’s busiest parks combined. If you measure international visitors whose primary purpose is safari, Kenya likely draws a larger proportion of its internationals for wildlife—meaning more of Kenya’s inbound market is safari-centric. SANParks+1

---

Length of stay & visitor days: how long do safari guests stay?

Length of stay matters because it drives bed-nights and spend. South Africa’s recent quarterly performance reports show an average length of stay for international tourists around 13–14 nights in Q4 2024 (this is an average across all visitor types and source markets). South Africa Travel

Kenya’s 2024 data shows an average length of stay of roughly 11–12 nights (visitor days rose to about 18.6 million in 2024), with modest improvement year-on-year. Many safari itineraries to Kenya (Mara, Amboseli, Tsavo) are often packaged as 5–10 day loops within a longer trip including coastal beach stays. KBC+1

Implication: Both countries register multi-night stays — good for higher per-guest spend — but South Africa’s average trip length (across all tourists) can be slightly longer. For safari-only itineraries, both countries attract multi-day visitors commonly staying a week or more.

---

What this means for operators and investors

• If you want volume of international arrivals: South Africa wins (more total international visitors). Government of South Africa
• If you want a market where a higher share of arrivals are safari customers: Kenya is more safari-centric (a greater portion of inbound visitors come for wildlife). Tri
• If you want guaranteed park traffic: Kruger registers very large absolute visitor numbers (domestic + international) that underpin a strong local lodge and hospitality economy. SANParks
• If you want higher per-guest spending in nature products: both markets deliver premium guests; Kenya’s inbound spend and visitor-day growth in 2024 suggest strong receipts tied to wildlife. World Travel & Tourism Council+1

---

Final takeaway

Both South Africa and Kenya are world-class safari destinations — but they play different roles. South Africa attracts more international visitors overall and boasts powerhouse sites like Kruger (with very large total visitor numbers). Kenya attracts fewer total arrivals, but a larger share of those arrivals come for wildlife and safari, and the country reported a strong increase in international arrivals and tourism receipts in 2024. For safari-focused international tourism specifically, Kenya’s inbound market is especially concentrated on game-lodge experiences; South Africa’s safari sector is huge in absolute terms but sits alongside strong urban, beach and business travel demand.

---

Sources & further reading

• Statistics South Africa, Tourism Report 2024. Statistics South Africa
• South African National Parks, Tourism statistics (Apr 2023–Mar 2024) / SANParks reports. SANParks+1
• Tourism Research Institute / Kenya Ministry of Tourism, Tourism Sector Performance Report 2024. Tri+1
• WTTC and Kenya tourism press releases on 2024 performance and spending. World Travel & Tourism Council+1
• Industry analysis and news coverage (IOL, KBC, Tourism News Africa). Government of South Africa+1

What visitors from the UK & Europe love most about South Africa