The hook
One of the last strongholds of wildlife in West Africa, a remote savanna park in Benin's far north that shelters some of the region's last lions, elephants, and hippos, far from the famous safari lands of the east and south.
01Why it's worth it
West Africa has lost most of its big wildlife to hunting and habitat loss, which makes Pendjari, in Benin's remote northwest, precious: part of a large transboundary protected area (the WAP complex, shared with Niger and Burkina Faso), it is the finest wildlife destination in the region and one of the last places in West Africa to see savanna big game. Its rolling grasslands, wooded hills, and waterholes below the Atacora mountains support elephants, buffalo, hippos, many antelope species, baboons, and, critically, one of West Africa's last surviving lion populations, along with rare cheetah and leopard. Under a conservation partnership it has seen renewed protection and anti-poaching efforts in recent years. The wildlife is sparser and shyer than in East Africa, and the experience is wilder and more low-key, but for the adventurous traveller it offers a genuine and meaningful safari in a part of the world where such a thing has become rare. Access is remote, and the surrounding Sahel region has had security concerns, so current advice matters.
02How to experience it
Do game drives from the park's lodges in the dry season, when animals gather at the waterholes; expect wilder, sparser viewing than East Africa and value the rarity of the lions and elephants here. It is a long journey to the north; check current security advice for the wider Sahel region before planning.