Africa is like no other place on Earth—vast, sweeping, diverse, complicated, and breathtaking," says Christine Dolan, a former spokesperson for Nelson Mandela, who's taken more than 50 safaris. "You'll have one of the most memorable trips of your life there."

To create our comprehensive Africa Travel Planner, we interviewed 18 Africa experts—including award-winning journalists, noted local guides, and famed wildlife photographers—to offer insider tips, key resources, helpful websites, book recommendations, and more.