The animal kingdom’s skyscraper is the giraffe. It is the tallest terrestrial mammal in the world and arguably the most remarkable of Africa’s wildlife icons. Thanks to its elongated neck made up of only seven foot-long vertebrae, it may reach a height of six meters. It goes without saying that a safari in Africa wouldn’t be complete without seeing these amazing gangly animals.

The good news is that giraffes are widespread and noticeable in the majority of safari locations, so you don’t have to worry about where to find them in Africa. Here are several recommendations that I have found to be really fruitful over the years, however there are a few locations that do stand out as possibly the greatest spots to watch giraffes in Africa.

1. Kenya’s Amboseli National Park

Ashy grasslands and permanent marshes predominate in Amboseli, which is home to numerous big stands of umbrella thorn, a flat-topped acacia that giraffes love. The acacia forests in the park’s eastern region, close to Kimana Gate, are the primary habitat for giraffes.

The most notable feature of the park is the snow-capped Kilimanjaro, which rises 5 kilometers above the plains and provides an amazing backdrop for photographs when the acacias and giraffes are in the right positions.

2. Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park

At least 1,250 Rothschild’s giraffes, or more than half of the world’s population of this restricted subspecies, can be found in Uganda’s Murchison Falls. As they march over the borassus grassland in the park’s north, the giraffe herds—which are frequently composed of more than thirty individuals—are possibly the biggest I’ve ever seen.

From the boat tours that follow the Nile River to the base of the magnificent waterfall that the park is known for, I have also frequently spotted giraffes.

3. Kenya’s Lake Naivasha

Giraffes used to be common in unprotected areas of East Africa not too long ago. Unfortunately, they are now largely restricted to game reserves and national parks. Kenya’s Naivasha, a stunning lake in the Rift Valley where giraffes are regularly spotted browsing in the fever trees that border it, is a noteworthy exception.

The giraffes of Naivasha are quite calm and frequently approachable on foot, which gives you a neck-craning perspective and lets you experience their height to the fullest.

4. South Africa’s Kruger National Park

One of the greatest sites to watch giraffes in Africa is South Africa’s largest national park, which is also renowned as an excellent Big Five destination. It is designed for self-drivers who want to see the park’s accustomed giraffes in action and have the freedom to explore at their own speed.

Necking, a type of ritualized combat in which two males repeatedly beat each other’s necks to establish dominance, is an intriguing behavior that may be observed.

5. Tanzania’s Nyerere (Selous) National Park

Interestingly, giraffes are not found in southern Nyerere (previously Selous Game Reserve), but they are so prevalent in the park’s northern tourist circuit that it has been dubbed “Giraffic Park.” Giraffes can be seen drinking on boat tours on the Rufiji, a stunning tropical stream teeming with birds, crocs, and hippos.

The animal must spread its legs wide apart and then carefully descend its lengthy neck until its head reaches the water in order to accomplish this unlikely feat of natural engineering.

6. Tanzania’s Arusha National Park

Tanzania’s northern safari circuit is one of Africa’s best places to see wildlife, with a focus on the famous Serengeti and Ngorongoro. The circuit’s highlight for giraffe watching is the underappreciated Arusha National Park, where guided hikes offer a humble chance to see these majestic animals up close.

An added benefit is the breathtaking scenery offered by Mount Meru (and, if you’re lucky, the farther-off Kilimanjaro). Why not spend a night at Arusha National Park before or after your Tanzanian safari? It’s only an hour’s drive from either of the two major airports on the northern circuit.

7. Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park

Despite being no more prevalent in Hwange than in many other significant African reserves, two peculiarities in giraffe behavior make Zimbabwe’s largest national park noteworthy. It is the only location that I am aware of where giraffes frequently lie down throughout the day and stoop to graze on grass. Considering that it’s only two or three hours’ journey northwest, I would suggest this great Big Five reserve as a practical addition to the well-known Victoria Falls.

8. Zambia’s Luangwa Valley

Leopard sightings and guided walking safaris are the main draws of this enticing southern extension of the Great Rift Valley. The remaining 550 Thornicroft’s giraffes in the world, an endangered subspecies that is unknown in captivity or anywhere else in Africa, call it home.

9. Kenya’s Giraffe Center

This family-friendly breeding facility, which is located in the lush northern suburbs of Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, has been crucial to the preservation of Rothschild’s giraffes, which can be identified by the absence of marks beneath their knees. Day visitors may get up close and personal with the tallest animal in the world and examine its long, seductive eyelashes thanks to a raised platform.

At the upscale, nearby boutique hotel Giraffe Manor, guests’ breakfast is regularly disrupted by an inquisitive giraffe peeking through the glass. Some of the giraffes are moved to the wild once they turn three, including to Lake Nakuru National Park, which is a few hours’ drive away.

10. Kenya’s Meru National Park

Of the nine known subspecies, the reticulated giraffe is the most remarkable and exquisite. Its unique coat pattern of dark orange polygonal dots surrounded by crisp white lines makes it an endangered species. Originally found throughout northeastern Africa, reticulated giraffes are now essentially restricted to northern Kenya. Meru National Park, where tiny herds walk photogenically between the huge palm trees that border the streams, is my favorite spot to watch them.