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The 10 Best Safari Lodges in Africa in 2022

The best safari lodges, according to Travel + Leisure readers, go beyond the traditional game drive with a wide range of cultural experiences.

Note: If you’re looking for our most recent recommendations, check out the 2023 list of our favorite safari lodges in Africa.

For Travel + Leisure readers, the best safari lodges in Africa aren't necessarily traditional safari properties — though plenty of those did make this list. Take, for example, Wilderness Safaris Bisate Lodge — a luxurious base for tracking mountain gorillas in the cloud forest of Rwanda. It seems that this once-in-a-lifetime experience elevated guests' memories beyond those of Big Five safaris: the word amazing appears repeatedly in Bisate reviews.

Every year for our World's Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels (including safari lodges) were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city hotel, resort, or safari lodge based on their locations and amenities.

This year's World's Best list reveals a growing interest in nontraditional safaris. In addition to Bisate at the top spot, there's another Rwandan lodge, One&Only Nyungwe House (No. 3), where the highlights are tracking chimpanzees, bird-watching, and visiting a tea plantation. "A gorgeous property in an incredible location," said one voter. And there's a second gorilla-tracking property on the list: Bwindi Lodge (No. 10), in Uganda. "How special to stay at Bwindi Lodge," wrote one guest, "and be so well cared for when setting out to see the magnificent gorillas."

At No. 2, Gibb's Farm is "the most unique lodge of any kind in East Africa," claimed one reader. Overlooking Tanzania's Ngorongoro Crater, a protected area known for its incredible density of wildlife, the 17-cottage property offers activities around its coffee plantation and gardens, as well as bush walks from the property and wildlife drives in the crater. One guest loved that it was "fun for adults and kids." It's "an incredibly beautiful hotel," said another. "The food was amazing, and I loved the farm-to-table philosophy."

Classic safaris are still well represented, with guests favoring wildlife-rich areas such as the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, the Masai Mara reserve in Kenya, and the South African Kruger National Park. As well as wildlife sightings and luxurious rooms, it was the people who made an impact on T+L readers. Of andBeyond Bateleur Camp (No. 6), in Kenya's Masai Mara, one reader said that "the guides are truly spectacular," while another described "warm, welcoming service."

1. Wilderness Safaris Bisate Lodge, Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

On the edge of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Bisate Lodge has six stylish and cozy villas, each overlooking the surrounding villages, forests, and misty mountain peaks. The main activity there is trekking into the national park to spend some time watching the mountain gorillas, but there are also opportunities to see golden monkeys, go hiking in the mountains, or visit the grave of renowned primatologist Dian Fossey. The staff are "amazing," said one reader, who added the food was "delicious," especially the homegrown vegetables. Another fan said staying at Bisate was "the absolute best...experience we have ever had. The food, service, and rooms were beyond amazing."

Score: 98.29

More information: wilderness-safaris.com

2 Gibb's Farm, Karatu, Tanzania

Score: 96.63

More information: gibbsfarm.com

3. One&Only Nyungwe House, Nyungwe Forest National Park, Rwanda

Score: 96.36

More information: oneandonlyresorts.com

4. andBeyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania

Score: 95.80

More information: andbeyond.com

5. Angama Mara, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Score: 94.95

More information: angama.com

6. andBeyond Bateleur Camp, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Score: 94.88

7. Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Score: 94.00

More information: fourseasons.com

8. andBeyond Ngala Safari Lodge, Kruger National Park Area, South Africa

Score: 93.09

9. Lion Sands Game Reserve, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa

Score: 92.47

More information: more.co.za

10. Bwindi Lodge, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda

Score: 89.68

More information: volcanoessafaris.com

Top 20 Resorts in West and Central Africa: Readers’ Choice Awards 2022

Condé Nast Traveler readers rate their top resorts and safari camps in Africa, outside of East Africa and South Africa . View all of the  2022 Reader’s Choice Awards winners here .

All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Virunga Lodge

Kyambura Gorge Lodge

Habitas Namibia

Mount Gahinga Lodge

Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort

Xigera Safari Lodge

The Bushcamp Company (Kuyenda, Chamilandu, Chindeni, Bilimungwe, Kapamba, Zungulila and Mfuwe Lodge)

Nyamatusi Camp

Wilderness safaris hoanib skeleton coast camp.

One&Only Gorilla’s Nest

Tongabezi & Sindabezi

Matetsi Victoria Falls

Linyanti Bush Camp

Thorntree river lodge.

andBeyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge

Somalisa Camp

Wilderness Safaris Bisate Lodge

Wilderness Mombo Camp and Little Mombo

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The 20 Best Safari Lodges in Africa

After living in Africa for almost a year now, I’ve had my fair share of safari lodges and experiences. But given safari is such a magical experience, whenever I can I keep going back for more. Over the years I have stayed at too many beautiful lodges to count, but like anything, I have my favourites! So these are the best safari lodges in Africa, tried and tested by yours truly.

Post updated May 2023

1. San Camp, Botswana

I’ll start with my favourite camp in all of Africa – San Camp in Botswana. While it is far from your ordinary safari camp, I personally think that is what makes it so special. While you won’t find the big five here in the Kalahari desert, this camp hones in on the smaller creatures found in the desert. But more than that, it is about truly disconnecting from your regular life and tuning in to your present. There’s no wifi or electricity in the tents, but there are plenty of opportunities to connect with nature.

2. Sandibe, Botswana

My second favourite lodge in Botswana goes by the name of Sandibe . This is the crowning jewel of AndBeyond’s Botswana portfolio, where they have a number of camps in the Okavango Delta and beyond. Sandibe is the most expensive camp from AndBeyond’s portfolio in Botswana, but it is also the most magical. If you’re looking for a unique honeymoon location, this is your best bet.

3. Sossusvlei Lodge, Namibia

Last year I finally had the chance to visit Namibia. Being based in South Africa next door has given me many more excuses to get out there and experience more of Africa. When we ventured North to Namibia, we checked in to Sossusvlei Desert Lodge . This lodge has recently been refurbished from top to bottom and the results are simply breathtaking. Waking up in the desert is a luxury I will certainly not forget in this lifetime.

Read more: The 12 most isolated lodges in Africa

4. Boulders Lodge, South Africa

Boulders Lodge in South Africa was not my first lodge experience in this country, but it certainly was my favourite! I will never forget sitting out on my deck as I noticed a young elephant drinking from my pool and popping over to say hello! I have since learned this is a regular occurrence at the lodge, so if you are looking for close animal encounters, this is a great lodge to stay for your safari.

5. Cottars Safari Camp, Kenya

When I checked in to Cottars Safari Camp in Kenya, I felt as if I had stepped back in time. The 1920’s safari camp is one of the oldest on offer and it is idyllically located on the fringe of the Maasai Mara. Because the park itself is inundated with safari goers, this is a great alternative to experience more serenity but still remain in close proximity to the park.

6. Mnemba Island, Zanzibar

Okay, I’m saying it: Mnemba Island is my favourite lodge in all of Africa. While it isn’t a traditional safari lodge, it still deserves a place on this list. With just twelve rooms located on a private island off the coast of Zanzibar, Mnemba Island is the ultimate in barefoot luxury.

7. Angama Mara, Kenya

Angama Mara is commonly considered the best safari lodge in Kenya’s Maasai Mara. This newly opened lodge came to the safari scene with much praise, particularly in celebration of the unique location this lodge occupies overlooking the Mara. If you’re looking for a honeymoon location with views for days, this is your best bet in East Africa.

8. Bush Villa, Kenya

Although the Bush Villa falls under the umbrella of Cottar’s Safari Camp, I think it is worthy of a mention of its own. This gloriously oversized villa is the perfect choice for large families or big groups to enjoy their own private oasis. The villa is sprawled out above Cottar’s Safari Camp, overlooking the Maasai Mara below. Even Angelina Jolie has been a guest of the Bush Villa!

9. Serengeti House, Tanzania

Serengeti House in Tanzania is the top property in Singita’s safari portfolio. This private villa boasts four bedrooms, an infinity swimming pool and a private gym. The villa also comes with a private chef, so you can really kick back and enjoy some alone time with your group.

10. Royal Malewane, South Africa

When I checked in to Royal Malewane a few years ago I had already visited a handful of nearby camps. But Royal Malewane has its own appeal, with a unique interior design that makes you feel as if you have stepped back in time. Be sure to visit the day spa where you will find this beautiful lap pool reminiscent of a Moroccan riad.

11. And Beyond Bateleur Camp

During my time in East Africa, I think it is safe to say Bateleur Camp was my favourite safari lodge. This newly refurbished lodge is the perfect mix of old meets new, with all the classic touches but all the mod cons to go with it. The service here was unparalleled to any other camp I stayed at in Kenya.

12. Botswana Sky Beds

For an unforgettable night in the bush, check yourself into Botswana Skybeds . The sky beds are located a short drive from nearby Sable Alley, making it the perfect addition to really immerse yourself in the bush. The sky beds are located up a three story tree house, meaning you are as close as possible to the animal activity throughout the night! This is not only one of the best safari lodges in Africa but also one of the most adventurous.

13. Singita Sweni, South Africa

Singita Sweni was one of the first safari lodges I ever stayed at, but that doesn’t mean I have forgotten about it! My experience at this lodge was so memorable, it is forever engrained in my mind. Singita really go above and beyond for their guests, providing gastronomic meals and unbeatable service. They have a few lodges in the area, but Singita Sweni is my personal favourite.

14. Sable Alley, Botswana

Sable Alley is one of the popular choices of safari camps in Botswana. While Botswana is one of the most expensive countries to visit for a safari adventure, this camp is more on the affordable end of the scale. If you are looking for a special escape without the hefty price tag, this camp is moderately priced.

Read more: The Best Animal Encounters in Africa

15. Bisate Lodge, Rwanda

Rwanda has become the most sought after country to visit in Africa. Over recent years it has sky rocketed in popularity, mostly thanks to the population of mountain gorillas which have drawn thousands of tourists to the landlocked country. Bisate Lodge is one of the most iconic lodges in the country, with their creative beehive like design.

16. Thorntree River Lodge, Zambia

Zambia and Zimbabwe are both considered the gateway to Victoria Falls, but if you are looking for something extra special then take a look at Thorntree River Lodge. This peaceful and serene lodge is the epitome of romance, set on the calm banks of the Zambezi river. There is no denying this is one of the best safari lodges in Africa, as it is certainly our top choice for the most romantic.

17. Ngorongoro Lodge, Tanzania

East Africa is where you should visit if you are looking for the iconic “Out of Africa” experience. Ngorongoro would have to be one of the most picturesque lodges to choose from, set overlooking the crater itself.

18. Jao Camp, Botswana

I know I know, another Botswana recommendation!? Believe me when I say no safari is as magical as one that takes place in the Okavango Delta. Jao Camp is another great option for honeymoon couples looking for something extra special. The carefully curated design makes it one of the most distinguishable camps.

19. Singita Kataza, Rwanda

Also in Rwanda, you will find two Singita properties to choose from when looking for the best safari lodges in Africa. Singita Kataza is an extra special lodge set in the mystical mountains of Rwanda, just a short trip from the famous mountain gorillas.

20. Chinzombo, Zambia

Last but not least, Chinzombo camp in Zambia is idyllically located on the banks of the Zambezi river. This camp is a popular choice for honeymoon couples who are seeking a serene location by the water. However, if you’re up for some activities, you can opt to canoe on the Zambezi river or partake in a microflight over Victoria Falls. Believe me when I say it is not for the faint hearted!

Safari Style

Brooke Saward founded World of Wanderlust as a place to share inspiration from her travels and to inspire others to see our world. She now divides her time between adventures abroad and adventures in the kitchen, with a particular weakness for French pastries.

Find me on: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

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Top 10 Best Luxury African Safari Resorts & Lodges

Heather Richardson is an award-winning travel writer, based in South Africa. She is interested in conservation stories, emerging destinations and adventure travel.

From classic Big Five safari camps to sumptuous riverside retreats, the range of five-star African safari lodges and resorts is nothing short of extraordinary. In no particular order, these are 10 of the continent’s best.

1. Singita Ebony – Sabi Sands, South Africa

The original Singita safari lodge is in the private Sabi Sand Game Reserve, which shares an unfenced border with Kruger National Park . Overlooking the Sand River, the lodge’s design is a comfortable take on traditional safari style. Ebony has 12 beautiful suites with glass walls, and plunge pools overlooking the river.

• When to go: May to September, the Dry season, is best for wildlife.

2. Time + Tide Chinzombo – South Luangwa NP, Zambia

Located along the banks of the Luangwa River, Time + Tide Chinzombo consists of six luxury safari tents, each with its own plunge pool – ideal for those seeking privacy. It is also a great option for families, as one of the villas is designed for up to five guests.

• When to go: The Dry season months of July to November are best for wildlife.

Chinzombo Tours

3. Londolozi – Sabi Sands, South Africa

One of the first best African safari lodges and still one of the best, Londolozi is made up of five separate lodges in its private reserve. The three Granite Suites are the most opulent options, with plunge pools and outdoor bathtubs in which you can soak whilst watching the world – or maybe just a herd of elephants – go by.

• When to go: The best time to see wildlife is May to September.

4. Matetsi River Lodge – Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

One of the reasons Matetsi is amongst the best African safari resorts is because it presents an opportunity to spot elephants, lions, hippos and buffalo just an hour outside the famous Victoria Falls. The suites and villas overlook the Zambezi 40km/25mi upstream of the falls, and lie in a large private pristine reserve that incorporates 15km/9mi of river frontage.

• When to go: The best time to spot animals is August to October, when it’s driest. Less spray means the falls are visible and attractions such as Devil’s Pool are accessible.

Matetsi River Lodge Tours

5. Sasaab – Samburu NP, Kenya

In remote northern Kenya, Sasaab is a lavishly appointed tented camp in the Samburu NP. Each of the Moroccan-influenced tents has its own alfresco bathroom with private plunge pool overlooking the Ewaso Nyiro River.

• When to go: Wildlife viewing is best in the Dry months, June to September and January and February.

6. Sabi Sabi – Sabi Sands, South Africa

Sabi Sabi has four camps: Bush Lodge, Little Bush Camp, Selati Camp and Earth Lodge. The latter is the most high-end, with a contemporary design that aims to blend in with the environment. Earth Lodge’s Amber Suite, with its grand tree-trunk headboard, is a honeymooner favorite.

• When to go: The best time to see wildlife is in the Dry season, May to September.

Sabi Sabi Lodges Tours

7. Chief’s Camp – Okavango Delta, Botswana

The Chief’s Camp is in one of the most wildlife-rich areas in the Delta – and in Africa. Exploration in game vehicles, on foot and in mokoros (traditional dugout canoes) are on offer. Spacious rooms have private plunge pools and floor-to-ceiling windows, and the camp is in keeping with its bush setting.

• When to go: The dry months, July to October, are best for wildlife.

Chief’s Camp Tours

8. Angama Mara – Masai Mara GR, Kenya

In one of the most popular safari areas in Africa, Angama Mara won a host of style awards when it opened. On the site of the famous ‘Out of Africa’ picnic scene, the lodge has sensational views from its escarpment perch. The two camps of 15 tents each have floor-to-ceiling windows and bright fabrics inspired by Masaai dress.

• When to go: June to October for wildlife; September and October for great migration river crossings.

Angama Mara Tours

9. Singita Faru Faru – Grumeti Reserve, Tanzania

In northern Tanzania, Singita Faru Faru is one of the best African safari hotels, especially for experiencing the great migration. Faru Faru has seven suites, a family unit and a two-bedroom villa, with infinity pools overlooking the waterhole and surrounding plains.

• When to go: June to September for general wildlife. Wildebeest river crossings are best in June and July at the Grumeti River and in September and October at the Mara River.

10. Jabali Ridge – Ruaha NP, Tanzania

In this seldom-visited park in southern Tanzania, Jabali Ridge has eight suites and a stunning infinity pool that all look out over the baobab-spotted landscape. Jabali Ridge is one of the top-end lodges in Ruaha, which is home to one-tenth of the world’s lion population, alongside wild dogs, cheetahs and sable and roan antelopes.

• When to go: June to October is best for wildlife.

Jabali Ridge Tours

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4-Day Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru Luxury Safari

$1,276 to $2,134 pp (USD)

Kenya: Private tour Luxury Lodge & Tented Camp

You Visit: Nairobi (Start) , Masai Mara NR, Lake Nakuru NP, Nairobi (End)

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5.0 /5  –  48 Reviews

5-Day Living Among Lions - Luxury

$2,590 to $3,510 pp (USD)

Tanzania: Private tour Luxury Lodge & Tented Camp

You Visit: Arusha (Start) , Lake Manyara NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)

Unlimited Expeditions: The Soul of Tanzania

4.9 /5  –  438 Reviews

11-Day Serengeti and Zanzibar Safari

$3,905 pp (USD)

Tanzania: Private tour Mid-range Lodge & Tented Camp

You Visit: Arusha (Start) , Foothills of Mt Kilimanjaro, Tarangire NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti NP, Zanzibar (End)

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7 of the Best Safaris in Africa, According to a Travel Expert

By Melissa Biggs Bradley

All products featured on Architectural Digest are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

After traveling to Africa dozens of times on safari, I have been asked, as founder of luxury travel group Indagare , to pick a favorite lodge more times than I can count. It is truly impossible for me to choose just one, which is why in Safari Style: Exceptional African Camps and Lodges , I cover many lodges in many regions, from the desert in Namibia, the Serengeti in Tanzania, the mountains in Rwanda, to the great concessions and parks in Botswana and South Africa. 

Every property in the book—there are 21 of them, across 7 countries—can be guaranteed to deliver an unforgettable safari and aesthetic experience. I have included the continent’s most luxurious lodges as well as incredible tented camps that showcase cutting-edge sustainable infrastructure, but these are illustrative, not definitive, because there are many amazing properties that didn’t make it in the book. Safari Style is meant to inspire discovery and broaden—not limit—one’s view of Africa and its safari lodges.

Here are seven properties that showcase some of the most impressive locations and innovations of Africa’s next generation of safari camps, and highlight the diversity of experiences that you can have in the bush.

A beautiful view from Singita Mara River Camp.

Singita Mara River Camp, Tanzania

For the Great Migration and epic wildlife viewing Its prime location in northern Tanzania, on the banks of the Mara River, means that each morning at Singita’s Mara River Camp you’ll wake under canvas in the middle of the Serengeti to the sound of bird calls and be perfectly positioned to observe the Great Migration (should you visit during the right time of year). Though watching a river crossing is a high-drama event that can typically attract dozens of vehicles, staying at Mara River Camp gives you the absolute privacy of the Singita Lamai concession and, rather than spending hours waiting for a crossing, you can leisurely watch the fabled river from the comfort of the lodge. From the game viewing to the location of the lodge along the iconic Mara River, it is hard to beat this under-canvas experience.

A cozy corner at Mwiba Lodge.

Mwiba Lodge, Tanzania

For community visits and cultural exchange Mwiba Lodge sits in an idyllic location overlooking a watering hole on the Arugusinyai River and is set on a 129,000-acre reserve bordering the Ngorongoro Conservation Area on one side and the Serengeti National Park on the other. The lodge balances the indulgences of a permanent safari lodge with the immersive wilderness experience of a tented camp: Though the 10 tented suites have hardwood floors and glass sliding doors, they also have canvas walls allowing you to fall asleep to the sounds of the bush at night. One of the standout experiences at Mwiba is the opportunity to go on a bush walk with the nomadic Hadza, a local hunter-gatherer tribe of only 1,300 members, who live as they have for centuries. Lodge guests can learn how they forage for food in the harsh landscape and, from the lodge, there is also the chance to visit a Maasai village to learn about their incredible culture and tradition. I believe that a combination of time in the bush and also with people—giving opportunities for cultural immersion and exchange—is what makes for a perfect safari experience, and Mwiba’s location allows guests to find that ideal mix.

One of the beautiful bedrooms at Segera Retreat.

Segera Retreat, Kenya

For blend of traditional safari vestiges and cutting-edge African art Segera is a nine-guesthouse resort-like property in Kenya’s Laikipia region that puts a large focus on sustainability and conservation programs and showcases an amazing collection of safari-related antiques and 21st-century African art. Safari traditionalists will appreciate the wonderful memorabilia such as signed Hemingway letters and the vintage plane used in the film Out of Africa (guests who stay at the property can experience a safari from the sky), as well as the pieces from owner Jochen Zeitz’s modern art collection, and the property’s “4C” vision (a balance of community, commerce, culture, and conservation), which Jochen pioneered by uniquely applying to sustainability.

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An elephant peacefully roaming the grounds at Mombo Lodge.

Mombo Lodge, Botswana  

For the Okavango Delta

There is no landscape in the world quite like Botswana’s Okavango Delta, a 6,000-square-mile wetland paradise covered by a labyrinth of waterways filled with animals. Mombo is an eight-suite intimate camp on Chief’s Island in the Moremi Game Reserve in the Delta. The camp can claim numerous distinctions, including being the priciest safari lodge in Africa, but most importantly, it changed the course of Botswana’s history and of ecotourism when it opened in 1991 by setting a new bar in the design of sustainable safari camps (the camp is 100% solar powered). The game viewing from the reserve is truly unparalleled—cheetahs, prides of lions, packs of wild dogs, elephants, leopards, and black-and-white rhino are all prevalent on the concession—and the wild floodplains that you can explore from camp ensure that every drive is filled with excitement.

A poolside view from Sossusvlei Desert Lodge.

Sossusvlei Desert Lodge, Namibia

For the sheer drama of the landscapes As a safari destination, Namibia is known for its intimate lodges set in remote, starkly beautiful places filled with fascinating desert-adapted wildlife. Sossusvlei, in the southern Namib Desert, is an area famous for having the world’s largest sand dunes, and it is also celebrated for its spectacular night skies (the area has been designated as a rare International Dark Sky Reserve). Sossusvlei Desert Lodge sits on a 30,000-acre private desert reserve. The bare minimalism of the interiors parallels the barren vistas in the 11 suites, each with its own plunge pool, as well as retractable skylights positioned to allow stargazing from the bed. The desert safari opportunities from the lodge are incredible: Guests can explore the Sossusvlei dunes and salt pans, take desert walks, go hot-air ballooning, and discover ancient San rock paintings.

A zebra in the wild at The Farmstead at Royal Malewane.

The Farmstead at Royal Malewane, South Africa

For walking safari and trackers The Farmstead at Royal Malewane is a groundbreaking public/private partnership in the Greater Kruger area (the lodge was built with the sole purpose of benefiting the community) and was created by the Biden family, one of South Africa’s leading hospitality families. The Farmstead beautifully merges modern farmhouse design with a vibrant palette of colors and contemporary African Art. With only three suites and a three-and-a-half-bedroom villa, The Farmstead is often considered one of the hardest lodges to get into in South Africa and also one of the best. The lodge has a number of master trackers and renowned guides (the highest of all the lodges in South Africa) and, right from the base of the lodge, you can head on multiple walking safari trails with an expert ranger. It’s an incredible way to experience the bush and a unique opportunity in South Africa.

The accommodations at Bisate Lodge are a dreamy escape.

Bisate Lodge, Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda  

For the endangered mountain gorillas, one of the most special animal-viewing experiences in the world Set on a hillside overlooking the volcanic peaks of Bisoke and Karisimbi in Volcanoes National Park, Bisate features six villas that resemble massive weaver nests. The interiors mix comforts like soaking tubs and fireplaces with elements of traditional Rwandan crafts, such as the colorful kitenge fabrics. Bisate is a perfect base for trekking to see endangered mountain gorillas as well as golden monkeys—though not your traditional safari experiences, both are extraordinary animal encounters—and Rwanda is a must-visit destination for outdoor enthusiasts and those who want to witness the positive power of safari tourism to preserve wildlife and empower local communities.

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Top 10 most exclusive safari lodges in Africa

Monday newsletters  always feature  top 10 travel lists  to inspire.

Today (March 11, 2019): Top 10 most luxurious safari lodges in Africa.

Africa offers some of the  best wildlife viewing opportunities in the world. The “Big Five” (lion, elephant, rhino, Cape buffalo, and the elusive leopard) take the center stage on a safari but the smaller, less glamorous animals (like impalas, zebras and hyenas) can be just as fun and exciting to see. When it comes to safaris, nothing can beat the observation of the Great Migration in Tanzania’s Serengeti or Kenya’s Masai Mara. Other great safari destinations are the Okavango Delta in Botswana and Kruger National Park in South Africa. No wonder that Africa’s 10 most luxurious safari lodges are all located within these areas. The majority of them is operated by the continent’s three most exclusive safari companies: &Beyond ,  Wilderness Safaris  and  Singita .

There is more information below the slideshow (with reviews & Youtube clips). Do you have a favorite safari lodge that didn’t make my list? Leave a comment  or take my  poll  below.

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10. &BEYOND NGORONGORO CRATER LODGE, TANZANIA

This lodge is located right on the rim of the ancient volcanic Ngorongoro caldera, offering not only some of the best views in Africa, but also the possibility of a classic Big Five safari as the crater floor is teaming with wildlife. Room interiors are reminiscent of an elegant baroque château (brocade sofas, gilt mirrors, beaded chandeliers and paneled walls). Ensuite bathrooms with a centrepiece of fresh roses feature huge showers and chandelier-lit bathtubs, while floor-to-ceiling windows ensure breath-taking views from all around of the incredible game-rich Crater. Versailles meets Masai in this unique African lodge!

• Hotel website :  &Beyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge
• Other accolades : &Beyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge also features in my top 10 list of the  world’s most spectacular cliffside hotels .

9. LITTLE KULALA,NAMIBIA

Little Kulala is situated in the private Kulala Wilderness Reserve and consists of 11 climate-controlled, thatched “kulalas” (the word means ‘to sleep’) which merge impeccably into the desert landscape, each with a private plunge pool and a rooftop bed for romantic star-gazing. Little Kulala’s interiors make use of neutral colors, gorgeous textures and natural light, and takes its inspiration from its surroundings, notably from the magnificent Dead Vlei. Desert-adapted wildlife such as ostrich, springbok and gemsbok eke out an existence and are sparsely distributed around Little Kulala. Larger carnivores, namely spotted and brown hyena and even cheetah are occasionally present.

• Hotel website :  Little Kulala

8. SINGITA LEBOMBO LODGE, SOUTH AFRICA

Like a collection of eagles’ nests perched along the rugged cliff faces above the N’wanetsi River, Singita Lebombo Lodge looks out regally across the landscape. This boldly dramatic lodge, home to fifteen loft-style suites, is situated on Singita’s private concession in the Kruger National Park. The exclusive concession is a richly diverse habitat, teeming with game, beneath endless African skies. Imaginative wood, steel and organic interiors, all encased in glass, create a stylishly contemporary feel in the suites and make the most of the astonishing views overlooking the river.

• Hotel website :  Singita Lebombo Lodge
• Other accolades : Singita Lebombo Lodge also features in my top 10 list of South Africa’s most insanely beautiful luxury hotels .

7. SINGITA FARU FARU LODGE, TANZANIA

Singita Faru Faru Lodge is set in Grumeti in northern Tanzania, which is part of the Serengeti Mara ecosystem. Built on a gently sloping hill, this riverine lodge, positioned on the renowned migratory route traversed annually by more than 2 million wildebeests, is a place where you can quite literally expect the unexpected. Informal, unconventional and surprising at every turn, Singita Faru Faru Lodge has seven one-bedroom suites, one family suite as well as one two-bedroom suite with private pool and is a mix of contemporary, organic style and the quirky practicality of a traditional botanist’s camp. With such close proximity to the river and plains, guests have the unique opportunity to experience a very close connection with the wilderness.

• Hotel website :  Singita Faru Faru Lodge

6. TIME + TIDE CHINZOMBO, ZAMBIA

Situated on a sweeping curve of the Luangwa River and designed by award-winning architects Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens, Time + Tide Chinzombo is Zambia’s most exclusive hotel. Six beautiful and wildly luxurious villas combine a modern architectural feel with natural materials such as leather, reeds and canvas. Each villa boasts its own private plunge pool and is situated on an elevated deck that boasts views of the tranquil river and the abundant wildlife that frequents its banks. A winding path connects the villas with a shared lounge and dining area set in the shade of msikizi trees. A boat ride across the river gives guests direct access into the game rich Luangwa National Park.

• Hotel website :  Time + Tide Chinzombo
• Review : read my review of Time + Tide Chinzombo  here .

5. ROYAL MALEWANE, SOUTH AFRICA

Situated on a private reserve within the Greater Kruger National Park in South Africa, this famous safari lodge hosts a maximum of 20 guests in utopian luxury and style, and is popular amongst celebrities such as Nicolas Sarkozy and Bono. Six suites with private infinity pools offer complete seclusion and stunning views, while the lodge itself has an atmospheric air-conditioned library, curio shop and dining and sitting areas with fantastic outlooks onto the bush. Two completely private suites (both sleeping 4) provide an even more exclusive safari experience, while the self-contained Africa House, a few minutes’ drive from the main lodge, is the perfect option for families or groups of up to 12.

• Hotel website :  Royal Malewane
• Other accolades : Royal Malewane also features in my top 10 list of South Africa’s most insanely beautiful luxury hotels .
• Review : read my review of Royal Malewane here .

4. ABU CAMP, BOTSWANA

Named after a very special bull elephant, Abu Camp is set in a pristine pocket of riverine forest and blends in seamlessly with the magnificent surrounding hardwood trees. Looking out over a large lagoon, an imaginative use of canvas has created a unique and luxurious style of tent. Each of the six en-suite units has its own distinctive furnishings and fittings, imparting an air of opulence in the bush. These airy tents feature an indoor and outdoor shower, an outdoor copper bath and a generous elevated teak deck. Well-lit pathways link the guest tents with the main lounge and dining area and a well-stocked library and study, gym and swimming pool will keep you entertained while at camp. Exploring the bush is done by game drive, mekoro, walks – or by elephant!

• Hotel website :  Abu Camp

3. MOMBO AND LITTLE MOMBO CAMP, BOTSWANA

Mombo Camp, situated in the northern point of wildlife-filled Chief’s Island in the Okavango Delta, is built under large, shady trees overlooking a floodplain generally filled with life. Its nine spacious en-suite tents are raised two metres from the ground, with a long veranda, a sala and indoor and outdoor showers. Mombo Camp’s main living, bar and dining areas are under thatch, while the boma adds traditional flavour to a delicious dinner under the stars. There are two plunge pools in which to soak and a gym to work off the excellent food. Little Mombo, situated on Chief’s Island, is a smaller and more intimate camp to its sister and has its own dining and lounge area and sparkling pool.

• Hotel website :  Mombo and Little Mombo Camp
• Other accolades : Mombo and Little Mombo Camp also feature in my top 10 list of the  world’s most expensive hotels .

2. SINGITA BOULDERS LODGE, SOUTH AFRICA

Singita Boulders Lodge is set along the banks of the Sand River in Singita’s privately owned reserve within the Sabi Sand Reserve, adjacent to the Kruger National Park in South Africa. Spanning more than 45,000 acres, Singita Sabi Sand is renowned for high concentrations of big game and frequent leopard sightings. The lodge has 10 one-bedroom suites and  2 two-bedroom family suites, all with private pool, and  is a celebration of the tranquillity, space, and light which flows throughout this incredibly vast area. Inspired by the geometry of the boulders on which it rests, Boulders Lodge is an inviting oasis where organic interiors integrate seamlessly with the raw African beauty outside.

• Hotel website :  Singita Boulders Lodge
• Other accolades : Singita Boulders Lodge also features in my top 10 list of the most spectacular hotel bathrooms in the world .

1. IVORY LODGE LION SANDS, SOUTH AFRICA

At Ivory Lodge Lion Sands, you can experience the African Bushveld in lavish comfort and style like only few will. “Unparalleled and extraordinarily beautiful in its simplicity and texture” is how Ivory Lodge has been described, and it has been recognised with various international awards. Each of the six suites is surrounded by untamed African Bush and are operated as a private villa. They all  include a private rim flow pool, exquisitely appointed bedroom and lounge, and simply more of everything. For the more adventurous, a once in a lifetime experience and the ultimate African bush experience, you may want to opt to stay at one of the ultraluxurious treehouses operated by the same management of Ivory Lodge in the same wildlife reserve.

• Hotel website :  Ivory Lodge Lion Sands
• Other accolades : Ivory Lodge Lion Sands, also features in my top 10 lists of the world’s most amazing outdoor hotel rooms , the world’s best honeymoon resorts , and South Africa’s most insanely beautiful luxury hotels .
• Review : read here my review of Ivory Lodge’s sister property, River Lodge Lion Sands.

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After a long dusty 4/5 hour drive from Swakopmund Little Kulala Lodge came into sight on the edge of the Namib Desert.Namibia is the largest wilderness in the world. Majestic dunes that took my breath away…climbing up Dune 45 (Big Daddy) just before dawn to watch the sunrise will always remain in my memory banks along with sleeping on the roof of our Kulala watching shooting stars across the inky black sky.They say that once you’ve been to Africa it will always remain in your blood…so true one day I hope to return. Wilderness Safaris whilst not cheap are the way to go when visiting this magnificent part of Africa.

Where’s Zarafa Dhow Suite? Chinzombo? Sandile? Chongwe House? Ol Donyo? Mara Plains? Camp Nomade (so exclusive there’s a three year waiting list!!!) King Lewanika…

no Zarafa or Duba Plains? No Bisate?

No Singita Sasakwa? No Singita Ebony? No Bisate? No Zarafa? Wow.

Palala lodge

RSR is an affordable safari resort, Rajasthan. Known for the wildlife safari and swimming pool. To stay in all sizes of rooms available that are a blend of modern and royal heritage aesthetics. For more info visit- https://ranakpursafariresort.com/

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12 Top African Safari Tours

Cross this must-do activity off your bucket list.

Courtesy of Micato Safaris

Spot the big five on your safari adventure.

Safari tours in Africa are just as diverse as the continent itself, though these types of trips typically require a large sum of money. Whether you want to spend a few days gorilla trekking in Uganda or a couple weeks spotting the "big five" – lions, leopards, African elephants, rhinos and Cape buffalos – in South Africa, you'll find an array of tours to best suit your needs. To help you narrow down your options, U.S. News compiled a list of 12 can't-miss African safari tours. Read on to find your once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Note: Some of the African countries in this article may require travelers to get an entry visa and certain vaccinations in order to visit. Jump to the list of visa and vaccination requirements by country at the bottom of this page for more information.

&Beyond

Courtesy of &Beyond

Visitors who don't want to sacrifice creature comforts while on safari will appreciate &Beyond's offerings. During the tour operator's 10-day Kings of the Jungle safari – which starts at $11,340 per person – travelers will see breathtaking natural wonders like the Ngorongoro Crater and the Maasai Mara savanna. But the highlight of this journey is its four-night stay at Tanzania's Serengeti National Park . After watching animals like wildebeest and zebras partake in the great migration while also spotting lions, giraffes and more, vacationers retreat to high-end tents and lodges with private bathrooms.

[See more of Serengeti National Park: Things to Do | Hotels | When to Visit | Photos ]

Wilderness Safaris

Courtesy of Wilderness Safaris

For some of Africa's most jaw-dropping scenery, opt for the seven-night Namibian Adventure Safari tour offered by Wilderness Safaris. This weeklong trip features visits to the Namib Desert's dune-filled Sossusvlei region (which you may recognize from the film "Mad Max: Fury Road") and the mountainous Palmwag Concession – a protected area with springboks, giraffes, black rhinos and more. The package's per person fee starts at $6,725, which covers most meals, park entrance fees, and transfers from Namibia's capital Windhoek and between the safari destinations. It also covers your stay at properties like the fully solar-powered Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp and the five-star Little Kulala lodge amid the stunning desert.

Wild Rwanda Safaris

Courtesy of Wild Rwanda Safaris)

Adventurous travelers sticking to a more conservative budget should consider Wild Rwanda Safaris' Bwindi Gorilla Safari. The three-day package features a full day in southwestern Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (a haven for silverback gorillas) and an adjacent Batwa Pygmy community. Wild Rwanda Safaris allows guests to choose between midrange, luxury and super luxury accommodation, which can help keep costs down if necessary. The company's packages include the $700 permit required to visit the gorilla park. The round-trip journey by safari vehicle to and from Kigali, Rwanda, and English-speaking guide services are also covered in all rates. The tour can begin from Kampala, Uganda, as well, although you'll spend longer on the road to the park.

Nomad Tanzania

Courtesy of nomad-tanzania.com

Sign up for Nomad Tanzania's Southern Tanzania safari and you're bound to get an up-close look at Tanzania's diverse wildlife. Offering eight days of activities, including game drives and boat trips in Ruaha National Park and Nyerere National Park, this safari gives you prime opportunities to spot lions, cheetahs, leopards and elephants, among other species. What's more, lodging at the company's campsites, select meals, and flights to and from Dar es Salaam are factored into the package's prices. Expect to pay a minimum of $5,700 per person; prices vary depending on the time of year, and the tour isn't offered in April and May.

Micato Safaris

If you want to explore multiple destinations while on safari with plenty of comfort (but a price tag to match), book the 15-day Micato Grand Safari. This outing by Micato Safaris starts with a two-day visit to Nairobi, Kenya, before continuing to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Maasai Mara National Reserve, and the Amboseli and Serengeti national parks for wildlife-viewing excursions. During your trip, you'll see Mount Kilimanjaro as zebras, gazelles and more roam in the foreground. The package costs at least $22,450 per person (based on double occupancy rates) and includes a hot air balloon ride, a camel tour led by members of the Samburu tribe, and lodging at upscale properties like Serengeti's Four Seasons outpost. The company also offers various extensions allowing you to explore other parts of Africa, from the island paradise of Zanzibar to the deserts of Namibia.

Rothschild Safaris

Courtesy of Rothschild Safaris

If your ideal safari vacation consists of customizing your trip from start to finish, consider an outing with Rothschild Safaris. The company offers itineraries in locales like Zambia and Madagascar , but if you're hoping to catch a glimpse of the big five animals, the Essence of Tanzania safari is a good bet. This nine-day experience, which embarks from Arusha and returns there by plane, includes game-viewing drives in Tarangire National Park and accommodations like canvas tents and farmhouse lodges. Elephants, zebras and lions are just some of the animals you may spot during your journey. You'll also have the opportunity to go on a nighttime safari to spot nocturnal wildlife.

Lion World Travel

Courtesy of Lion World Travel

As the trip name implies, Lion World Travel's 10-day Best of Cape Town & Botswana vacation package combines sightseeing in Cape Town, South Africa , with a classic safari in Botswana. During the latter half of the itinerary, visitors will explore Botswana's Okavango Delta (home to cheetahs, crocodiles, hippos and more) and Chobe National Park, which is believed to have Africa's largest elephant population. Prices start at $4,299 per person and cover game drives; many of your meals; and stays at luxury hotels, camps and lodges. You'll need to pay an extra charge for the flights within the tour (Cape Town to Botswana as well as Botswana to Johannesburg ).

[See more of Cape Town: Things to Do | Hotels | When to Visit | Photos ]

Bearded Heron Safaris

Neil Heron | Courtesy of Bearded Heron Safaris

Travelers keen on seeing South Africa's Kruger National Park through the eyes of a local naturalist will appreciate the 15-day safari with Bearded Heron Safaris. Led by Neil Heron, a nature guide and wildlife photographer and writer, Bearded Heron Safaris' longest option features small game drives that may include lion, rhino, zebra and leopard sightings throughout all corners of Kruger. Rates are inclusive of in-park cottage accommodations and all breakfasts, dinners, snacks and drinks. Flights and park fees are not included. For a 15-day safari, expect to pay 76,900 South African rand (about $4,500) per person.

[See more of Kruger National Park: Things to Do | Hotels | When to Visit | Photos ]

Discover Africa

Getty Images

For an inside-out trip through the natural wonders of Botswana, Discover Africa's nine-day Epic Botswana Adventure is a formidable option. You'll start out at a riverside lodge on the Chobe River – a great location for elephant spotting – before moving onto the marshy Okavango Delta, a wildlife-rich area where you can spot a huge range of animals from leopards to rhinos. The safari ends at the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, a good place to admire wildlife like zebras and buffalo on the savanna as well as salt pans from a former lake. You'll stay in upscale lodges and campsites within close reach of the wilderness. All meals and transport along the tour are included in the price tag (which starts at $4,800 per person), but international flights are excluded.

Wild Wings Safaris

If you're looking to have a broader experience that mixes in some history and beach time, consider Wild Wings Safaris' eight-day Battlefields, Bush and Beach Safari. You'll start off visiting some of South Africa's historic sites from the Boer wars, before moving on to the Phinda Private Game Reserve, which doesn't allow day visitors, so you should be able to look out for the big five without too many crowds. The tour wraps up at Thonga Beach Lodge, where you can snorkel or scuba dive near coral reefs in the Indian Ocean. As far as safaris go, this one is an affordable option, starting at about $2,795 per person with all meals included as well as a rental car; for the cheapest price, you will need to drive yourself between the destinations, but it's possible to pay an additional fee for a driver to guide you instead.

Cuckoo Safaris

This tour company kicks off its tours from the majestic Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, with a host of safaris that range from two days to nine, across Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana, including some family-friendly choices. For an affordable option, there's the four-day Discover Victoria Falls, Chobe and Hwange Park safari, which will take you on two full-day tours to Chobe National Park (across the border in Botswana) and to Hwange, Zimbabwe's largest national park, where you should keep your eyes peeled for lions, elephants and more. This safari also includes a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River. The price starts at $900 per person, which includes the tours plus breakfast, lunch and lodging in Victoria Falls; travelers will need to pay for entrance fees to the parks and dinner.

Compass Odyssey

Courtesy of Compass Odyssey

Explore the savanna and deserts of southwest Africa with Compass Odyssey's eight-day Namibia Wildlife Safari. You'll visit a community-based conservation area in Damaraland – known for its desert-adapted elephants, oryx, giraffes and other wildlife – while staying in the rustic-chic Doro Nawas Camp. You'll also spend two days in Etosha National Park, seeking wildlife at the park's bustling waterholes by day and embarking on an evening game drive as well. Starting at $3,750 per person, the tour includes most meals and all park entry fees, but not flights; the company does allow the tour to be customized on request.

Vaccination and visa requirements for African countries

Some popular safari destinations may require you to have received certain vaccinations in order to enter the country as a tourist. Inoculation requirements can include vaccination against COVID-19 and yellow fever, and you'll need to get these vaccines before departing on your trip. Be sure to bring proof of vaccinations with you. If you are transiting through another country en route to your safari tour, you must check that you also meet immunization requirements for the stopover location.

Note that, outside of what's required, there are a number of other vaccinations that are recommended, so ensure you're up to date and fully protected before you travel. In addition, many safari locations are prone to malaria; you should consult with your doctor to see if you need to bring anti-malaria medication on your trip.

Safari countries have varying visa requirements for travelers from the U.S. – these are detailed below. Depending on your itinerary, you may need a single- or multiple-entry visa, and some visas require you to apply in advance of traveling and/or have a certain number of blank pages in your passport. Regardless of your destination, your passport should be valid for at least six months before you leave for your trip.

Here are the vaccine and visa requirements for major safari destinations as of November 2022:

Botswana: If you have recently visited a country where yellow fever is common, you will need to be vaccinated against this illness. This does not include the U.S. but does include a number of countries in Africa, Central and South America. Consult the World Health Organization's website for a list of countries with risk of yellow fever transmission, including Kenya and Uganda.

U.S. citizens and nationals can stay in Botswana for 90 days without a visa.

Kenya: Travelers to Kenya must have been vaccinated against COVID-19 with the last shot administered more than 14 days before arrival in the country. Unvaccinated visitors can enter with a negative PCR test, conducted no more than 72 hours before departure. Proof of COVID-19 tests or vaccines must be uploaded to an online system called Panabios. Kenya is a country where you'll be at risk of yellow fever transmission; it also requires those traveling from other places with yellow fever or cholera outbreaks to be vaccinated against these illnesses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that you protect yourself against yellow fever before your trip here.

Americans need an e-visa to enter Kenya. You should apply online at the eVisa government website no more than eight weeks before your trip, as visas are not available upon arrival in Kenya. See more on the U.S. Department of State's website .

Namibia: Those traveling from a country where yellow fever is common need to be vaccinated against it. No visa is required as long as you're staying for 90 days or less.

Rwanda: If you're coming from a country where yellow fever is endemic, a yellow fever vaccination is required before departure.

U.S. citizens and nationals can be issued a 30-day visitor visa on arrival in Rwanda or through the Rwandan Embassy in Washington, D.C. A single-entry visa costs $50, and it's recommended you bring sufficient cash in U.S. dollars to pay for this (although credit card payment may be accepted at Kigali International Airport). Consult the State Department website for more information.

South Africa: A yellow fever vaccination is required if you're traveling from a country with a risk of transmission. No visa is required for stays of 90 days or less.

Tanzania: Travelers must be able to present proof of COVID-19 vaccination with a QR code to enter Tanzania. Unvaccinated travelers must take a PCR test no more than 72 hours before departure, and the test results should be accessible by QR code. Yellow fever vaccines are mandatory if you're traveling from a location where yellow fever is present – including if you spend more than 12 hours in transit in such a country.

Visas are required for tourism in Tanzania. You can apply for a single-entry, 90-day visa online for $50 – and be sure to print a copy of the approval to bring with you. The processing period takes up to 10 days. You can also obtain a visa on arrival for a $100 fee; it's recommended you bring cash to cover this. Find more Tanzanian visa information on the State Department website .

Uganda: To enter Uganda, you must either be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or present a negative test taken no more than 72 hours before departure. Like Kenya, Uganda is a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. All visitors must show proof of vaccination against yellow fever to enter Uganda, regardless of where you're traveling from.

American visitors to Uganda must apply online for an electronic visa before departure; arriving in Uganda without completing this process could result in your detainment. Visit the State Department website to learn more.

Zambia: Visitors who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 must show proof of vaccination but do not need a test to enter Zambia; unvaccinated travelers must undergo a PCR test no more than 72 hours before departure. Yellow fever vaccines are only required if you're coming from an area considered at risk.

Visas are required to visit Zambia, but these can be obtained online before your departure or at a port of entry. Check the State Department website for more details.

Zimbabwe: To enter Zimbabwe, travelers must either be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or must take a negative PCR test no more than 48 hours before your departure. As with other countries on this list, visitors from countries with yellow fever outbreaks also require a vaccine against this illness.

U.S. visitors can obtain a 30-day, single-entry visa upon arrival in Zimbabwe for $30. If you're taking a tour that requires you to leave and reenter Zimbabwe, be sure to get a double-entry visa for $45. You can learn more from the State Department website .

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Our Best Safari Lodges & Luxury Safari Hotels

Our luxury safari properties allow you to experience nature’s most majestic creatures in their natural habitat, while still offering the elegant touches and comfort you’d expect from a Kiwi Collection hotel. Whether spotting lions on the prowl in South Africa , or watching elephants roam the plains of Botswana , our luxury safari hotels , lodges and tented camps will let you see it all in style.

Our luxury safari properties allow you to experience nature’s most majestic creatures in their natural habitat, while still offering the elegant touches and comfort you’d expect from a Kiwi Collection hotel. Whether spotting lions on the prowl in South Africa , or watching elephants roam the plains of Botswana ,  our luxury safari hotels , lodges and tented camps will let you see it all in style.

Our luxury safari properties allow you to experience nature’s most majestic creatures in their natural habitat, while still offering the elegant touches and comfort you’d expect from a Kiwi Collection hotel. Whether spotting lions on the prowl in South Africa , or watching elephants roam the plains of Botswana , our luxury safari hotels, lodges and tented camps will let you see it all in style.

Top Safari Lodges & Hotels

Leopard Hills Private Game Reserve

Sabi Sand Reserve, South Africa

Mahali Mzuri

Masai Mara Reserve, Kenya

Singita Pamushana Lodge

Malilangwe Private Wilderness Reserve, Zimbabwe

Royal Madikwe

Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa

Gmundner Lodge

Brack, Namibia

Aman-i-Khás

Ranthambhore, India

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Explore our best luxury safari lodges & hotels

border-bottom: solid 1px #d0d0d0; "> Botswana

border-bottom: solid 1px #d0d0d0;"> India

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The best new African safari camps

By Condé Nast Traveller

An African safari is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that every traveller should have. To be among some of the world's most captivating  wildlife  and untouched landscapes  on the planet, just a few feet away from leopards lounging on trees or gazelles gallivanting across the Lower Zambezi, is a feeling far unmatched by a cityscape. And with a host of new African safari camps, there isn't a better time to venture into the wilderness than now…

Wilderness Usawa Serengeti

Given its presence across Africa, safari brand Wilderness has taken its time to arrive in the Serengeti, but last summer it made its move, partnering with local walking-safari pioneer and TV regular Jean Du Plessis. Solar-powered mobile camp Usawa is designed to leave no trace. It was joined late last year by a second camp and, in July, will become part of a trio, all three easy to disassemble and use at any of the nine walking zones scattered across 5,700 square miles of park. The concept? Seamless private on-foot access to the Great Migration, Africa’s 1,200-mile odyssey of life, death and rebirth. Days at Usawa are a timeless tapestry of wild species amid endless vistas – from lions, giraffes, elephants and hippos to the mega-herds of wildebeests, zebras and elands; and the crocodiles and hyenas who lie in wait. Du Plessis’s knowledge of the terrain curates a Serengeti seemingly devoid of other humans. The six tents were designed by glamping pioneer Luxury Frontiers (Camp Sarika by Amangiri, Nayara Tented Camp) and cater for 12 around a central tent where campfire dining unfurls below sprawling, star-strewn skies. From the tents to the acacia-thorn light fittings, handblown glassware and ebony furniture, everything has been commissioned locally. While the animal kingdom runs through the barks and shrieks of its nightly playlist, guests enjoy a prime selection of mainly South African wines paired with international and regional treats, including the moreish Zanzibari urojo, a coconut- and dhal-rich spiced stew. Andrew Harris

Website: wildernessdestinations.com Price: from about £750 per person

North Island Okavango

If the name sounds familiar, that’s intentional. Similar to its Seychellois namesake, this retreat occupies its own island, is surrounded by wildlife and has all the starry qualities set to make it a dazzling success. Some of the team who worked on the lauded Indian Ocean launch more than two decades ago have since founded Natural Selection, the management company overseeing this, Botswana’s sexiest new lodge. Set in a community-owned concession on the edge of the Okavango Delta’s panhandle shared with only one other camp, North Island enjoys a degree of exclusivity – although game drives often meander into the neighbouring concession, where Natural Selection also manages Duke’s and Duke’s East. Wild dogs are among the top animal draws here, with several known active dens attracting the likes of BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit, which filmed a sequence for Planet Earth III in the delta area. Spearheading a new trend for micro-camps, the lodge has three suites (with a fourth to follow in March) that horseshoe around a lagoon, fanning from an open-front dining area and marble-topped help-yourself bar – an ideal gathering spot for multigenerational buyouts. Especially glorious at dusk, a decking area snakes into the lagoon, negating the need to head anywhere else for a sundowner, and there’s a well-equipped outdoor gym and hot tub. Shaded by ebony and jackalberry trees, the villas sit on elevated wooden platforms tickled by reeds, with plunge pools, outdoor showers and wraparound verandas perfect for watching elephants munch on fallen fruit. Sarah Marshall

True Travel offers three nights at North Island Okavango from £7,700 per person all-inclusive, with regional flights and transfers.

Onduli Ridge

If the Flintstones were transported to Namibia , this is where they’d live: among the giant boulders of Damaraland in one of the least populated areas of the second-least populated country on earth. The landscape – part dry desert grasslands, part Mars-like miles of stone – is spectacular: scattered with rocks of all morphologies and colours, from black basalt to shards of glittering granite, and dotted with huge boulders and stunted, hardy trees. Ultimate Safaris’ Onduli Ridge sits on a neck between two inselbergs, with views from the rooms at dawn and dusk over wide, flat plains and, in the distance, the purply peaks of the Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain range. Every room is spacious and set high up on a deck among the rocks. In some, the showerhead juts from a hunk of granite; in all, bathrooms are partly open to the hills and sky, and the bed can be wheeled onto the deck for stargazing. Ultimate Safaris is renowned for upskilling local workforces, and the cooks, trained from the community, turn out inventive and fresh food, from tapas lunches served on multilayered wooden platters to wood-fired pizzas cooked by the pool under the stars. Local attractions include the  Unesco-protected Twyfelfontein rock-art sites, the Doros Crater, created by a meteorite, a petrified forest and strange geological formations such as the Organ Pipes and Burnt Mountain. Plus, if you’re very lucky, desert-adapted elephants and wild-roaming rhinos. Lisa Grainger

Website: ultimatesafaris.na Price: doubles from about £825 all-inclusive

Angama Amboseli

In a land where everything is big, the only option is to be bold. Africa’s tallest mountain and some of the continent’s last big tuskers set the scale for Angama’s new camp, close to Amboseli, one of Kenya’s prime national parks. Here, 10 canvas-roofed suites arc around the base of Kilimanjaro, with bedside views of the semi-dormant volcano rising from a magical fever tree forest. Taking up exclusive residence in the community-owned Kimana Sanctuary, the camp is set on an ancient elephant migratory route, protecting an area increasingly under threat from agriculture. Built in partnership with NGO Big Life Foundation, which leases the land from Maasai communities, Angama’s first project outside the Mara has its biggest conservation focus to date, and the best place to get a grip on the story is the mushroom-shaped observation tower. Sink into a rocking chair with a sundowner and watch elephant herds parade across swamps while lights twinkle below Kili – a reminder of the challenges cohabiting humans and wildlife face. Every design detail of the camp pays homage to the elephants who regularly pass through: exterior walls are made from dung and concrete, curved surfaces resemble their physical form and textured table mats mimic their coarse skin. A proposed new road will make Amboseli National Park accessible within 30 minutes, although there’s enough wilderness and wonder inside the sanctuary. Along with game drives and elephant tracking on foot, this is a place to rest and relax; a safe haven for four- and two-legged guests. Sarah Marshall

Africa Travel can arrange a three-night stay at Angama Amboseli from £5,490 per person all-inclusive, with international flights and transfers.

Muzimu Lodge

For years, Gorongosa National Park offered basic rondavels and tents with the bare necessities, and a campground for the more intrepid. Those who visited the park – which has undergone a two-decade restoration – weren’t seeking private plunge pools; rather, the extraordinary nature and wildlife. Set at the southern tip of the Rift Valley, Gorongosa has a rich and varied landscape, its dense jungles and infinite savannah roamed by lions and wild dogs. But 2023 ushered in a new era of smarter hospitality with the opening of Muzimu, an intimate tented lodge connected via wooden walkways on the banks of a river bed. The property’s six canvas tents are simple and restrained, with locally made wooden headboards and desks, as well as pendant lights and lounge chairs in colourful printed fabrics. Their wooden decks overlook a thick tangle of palms and acacia trees. In the main spaces, extraordinary salads and home-baked breads created by local chef Vália Dimitri (who did a stint at The Pot Luck Club in Cape Town) are served at dining tables scattered across the deck. There’s also a giant fire pit for late-night stargazing and a tempting pool fringed with sunbeds for a post-drive dip. The traditional daily game drives seem almost mundane compared with the other excursions on offer: you’ll be up mountains; visiting local research labs and coffee plantations; on epic bike rides; and exploring deep limestone gorges and waterfalls. Mary Holland

Website: gorongosa.org Price: from about £770 per person

Fothergill Island

Lake Kariba is like an inland sea in Zimbabwe: a 1.38-million-acre man-made lake bordering Zambia, fed by the Zambezi river and surrounded by spectacular conservation areas. Two wildlife lovers took over Fothergill Island, within the remote Matusadona National Park, in 2019, and transformed it into the lake’s smartest camp, reopening it in 2021. The five one-bedroom canvas-walled suites, two two-bedroom suites and one three-bedroom private retreat are more like mini villas than rooms, most with an outdoor sala, plunge pool, ponds and pretty gardens protected by electrified elephant-proof fences. A practised team of staff serve modern multicultural cuisine, serious international wines and sundowners around a starlit boma and in upscale safari-style living and dining tents, with views over the pool and lake. The real treats, though, are the activities on land and water: game drives with sunny, well-read guides to track lions, elephants and buffaloes; bush breakfasts on sandy river beds over which gem-coloured sunbirds flit; sunset trips into river gorges teeming with hippos and giant crocodiles; and catch-and-release fishing excursions to try to snag the lake’s famously ferocious tigerfish. For the restless there’s a gym, yoga deck and running track; for children, archery, swimming and wildlife excursions with guides who ooze enthusiasm for this special wild spot. Fothergill has a landing strip for charters, and smart speedboats for whizzing to Kariba airport. Lisa Grainger

Website: fothergill.travel Price: from about £590 per person

Khwai Lediba

Striking the balance between creature comforts and adventure isn’t always easy. But African Bush Camps (ABC), helmed by Zimbabwean former guide Beks Ndlovu, has mastered the art of delivering smart, Champagne-popping safaris without compromising on the thrill of waking up in the wild. Its latest project, Khwai Lediba, in the Okavango Delta, is a prime example, bridging a gap between the company’s portfolio of high-end and expedition-style camps. Hidden in a quieter corner of Botswana’s community-owned Khwai concession – now booming with camps – it neighbours slightly more upmarket sister property Khwai Leadwood, opened by ABC in 2020. Both are a decent distance from the mobile campsites used by self-drivers and Khwai’s main airstrip, though a helicopter can provide faster transfers for an additional fee. Much closer is the Khwai River crossing into the Moremi Game Reserve, where most game drives happen, clocking up sightings of lions, leopards and wild dogs. When four-wheel fatigue sets in, walking safaris and breezy late- afternoon mokoro rides unfold in the concession. Elephants frequently pass quietly through, leaving telltale footprints on sandy paths leading to seven wooden-framed canvas tents, including one honeymoon suite and a family room, both with bathtubs. In the main sitting room, bright murals and thatch-woven lampshades foreground local artists. And shared dinners are the place for the local staff’s storytelling skills to shine. Sarah Marshall

Abercrombie & Kent offers three nights at Khwai Lediba from £4,250 per person all-inclusive, with international flights and transfers.

Loapi Tented Camp

South Africa

Loapi is the newest and smartest addition to Tswalu, South Africa’s largest privately owned reserve, in the arid Kalahari. The reserve has been a 25-year passion project for the South African Oppenheimer family, involving three high-end properties, as well as land restoration and conservation initiatives focusing on animals such as rhinos, pangolins and meerkats. Loapi is the most ambitious arrival yet: a collection of six sustainable standalone homes with private house managers, chefs, guides and trackers. Gapp Architects’ striking glass, steel and canvas houses, spaced at least 165 feet apart, are self-sufficient and can be dismantled and moved, leaving the land untouched. Inside, interiors by Cape Town’s Gregory Mellor are flecked with mohair tapestries, clay sculptures, carved wooden panels and textured umber and cream sofas. But it’s all just backdrop for the main view of golden grassy plains and rust earth that bleeds into distant mountains and a cloudless, electric-blue sky. Tswalu is not for the first-time safarigoer who wants to see the Big Five all in one day. But those searching for rare pangolins or aardvarks, black and white rhinos, wild dogs and cheetahs, may be rewarded. At night, guests eat alfresco – a private chef prepares bright butternut salads, droëwors and biltong, tapas treats or cauliflower soup next to a roaring fireplace – so as to stay in nature. It’s big and bold, and, without another soul to be seen, invites introspection. Mary Holland

Red Savannah offers six nights in South Africa from £7,962 per person all-inclusive, with four nights at Loapi Tented Camp, including international flights and transfers.

Laura Fowler

Charlie Hobbs

Olivia Morelli

Connor Sturges

Duke’s Camp

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Thirty year ago, Jack’s Camp blazed on to the  safari scene , pioneering the under-canvas luxury safari in Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pans. Three decades later, sister camp Duke’s has opened in the northern Okavango Delta. It is named in honour of 80-year-old Sarefo “Duke” Sarefo, the official custodian of the land. The camp is set in the Moremi Game Reserve, home to hundreds-strong elephant herds, wild dogs, lions and leopards that occasionally lounge in trees. On the gin-clear water of the delta, which wiggles its way through the camp, sapphire-backed malachite kingfishers pose next to water lilies. They can be spotted from the camp’s mokoro dug-out canoes; from the sun-drenched deck and plunge pool; from the eight eccentrically styled tents (four more are in planning), with large decks for delta-watching. Inside the tents, wooden four-poster beds with scalloped canopies are topped with cosy feather-filled duvets and pinstripe linen. Paisley fabric is draped from the ceiling and vibrant floral cushions are scattered on armchairs. Bathrooms hark back to the 1920s, with brass fittings and mahogany dresser tables. There’s a theatrical vibe in the communal Bedouin-style dining area, where velvet sofas, Persian rugs and silky pouffes circle a low table often topped with silver tea pots and muffins. Sunlight floods in during the day; by evening it is transformed into a cosy lantern-lit dining area and bar.  Hannah Summers

Website:   naturalselection.travel/dukes-camp Price: From about £645 per person per night full board

Tembo Plains Camp

Mana Pools, Zimbabwe

It wasn’t always so easy to sit and watch a relaxed bull elephant tug grass from the ground at the edge of the Zambezi before gently shaking it off in the river. But Tembo Plains Camp, in the Sapi Reserve east of Mana Pools, is the result of a remarkable relocation project by conservationists Dereck and Beverly Joubert and their Great Plains Foundation. Having seen the wildlife overpopulation in the Savé Valley Conservancy in Southern Zimbabwe, the Jouberts began Project Rewild Zambezi, an ongoing plan to relocate more than 3,000 animals 600 miles north to the under-populated Sapi Reserve, including 400 elephants, painted dogs, lions, buffaloes, impalas and more. Tembo Plains, tucked into a forest by a hippo-friendly stretch of the Zambezi, is a classically styled camp, with canopied beds and wildlife-friendly cameras provided in each of the four suites, as well as wooden decks and private pools looking over the river. The staff are some of the warmest in southern Africa, including charismatic manager Lloyd Mushure, who serves G&Ts and stories while angling for tiger fish or on canoe trips spotting hippos and crocodiles. In camp, the steady flow of the river provides a hypnotic backdrop to massages, fireside drinks and Zimbabwean dishes such as Lake Harvest bream curry.  Hannah Summers

Website: greatplainsconservation.com/tembo-plains-camp Price:  From about £860 per person per night full board

Sanctuary Tambarare

Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya

In a corner of the 90,000-acre Ol Pejeta Conservancy, two females have achieved superstar status. Najin and her daughter Fatu are the last remaining northern white rhinos in the world. Their eggs are safely preserved in a hi-tech lab in Italy in the hope of continuing the species via IVF. For now, a new tented camp – Sanctuary Tambarare – offers a welcome base from which to visit these wildlife sensations, whose diets are lovingly and obsessively monitored and who are protected 24/7 by armed guards. Tambarare’s 10 luxury tents, each different but embracing a simple, golden-age-of-safari look, with billowing white curtains, are ensconced in fever trees under the shadow of Mount Kenya. Their deep-blue walls are dotted with Masai-inspired artwork, and there are private verandas with epic grassland views. Reports indicate that Africa’s rhino population dropped by a staggering 97 per cent in less than 30 years. In 1993, only 2,300 wild rhinos remained. Today that number has more than doubled, and Ol Pejeta is home to nearly 150 critically endangered black rhinos – the largest sanctuary for the animals in East and Central Africa. Here, you can ride horses alongside the rhinos and zebras, cycle across the Laikipia plains; walk past the hippos wallowing in the Ewaso Nyiro River or night-ride past polecats, bat-eared foxes and aardvark (a privilege banned in most Kenyan national parks and reserves). Tambarare can sign you up to meet the local anti-poaching canine unit (the bloodhounds are friendlier than you might imagine) and the park’s rapid-response team, who deal with everything from first aid to chasing bandits.  Divia Thani

Website:   abercrombiekent.co.uk/sanctuary-tambarare Price:  Abercrombie & Kent offers four nights all-inclusive at Sanctuary Tambarare and one night at Hemingways Nairobi from £3,995 per person

Sungani And Kulandila

South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

When the Davy family decided to create their own safari camp (having run Anabezi, on the Zambezi, for relatives), the far south-western part of Zambia’s game-rich South Luangwa National Park was fairly untouched. But it had access to nearly 70,000 acres of wilderness and only one other camp nearby. In 2019 they took up the challenge, moving into a couple of tents and designing and building eight-bedroom Sungani, as well as the nearby private-use safari camp Kulandila. Both feel like elegant, welcoming family bush homes, efficiently run by mother and father Lynne and Paul. Their son Michael expertly oversees the walks, canoe trips, boat rides and game drives, while moreish meals are masterminded by former Singita chef Quinton Spocter – from French-patisserie-standard tea spreads to evening feasts that might include delicate Malay-spiced fish or fire-cooked beef. Each of Sungani’s spacious villa-style, canvas-walled rooms is linked by wooden platforms, below which animals can roam – by day warthogs and, at night, hippos waddling from their lily-covered oxbow lagoon. With netted beds, airy living rooms, big baths and outdoor showers, the classic tents are soothing spaces from which to birdwatch or lounge by a plunge pool before heading into the wild to enjoy prolific game: leopards, lions and wild dogs, and almost 500 species of birds. The delivery of a plane and the new Luangwa airstrip means the bumpy if interesting three-hour road trip from Mfuwe is now optional.  Lisa Grainger

Website:   sungani.com Price:  Doubles from about £1,965 all-inclusive

Mila Tented Camp 

Western Serengeti, Tanzania

It’s easy to become blasé about the herds of eland, topi, Thomson’s gazelle, zebra, giraffe and wildebeest grazing around this explorer-style camp in the western Serengeti’s Nyasirori area. Very close to the Grumeti River, where hippos jostle and giant crocodiles bask, it’s free of crowds even at the height of the migration. Brilliant year-round wildlife viewing is the reason Mila went from being a seasonal camp to a permanent one, debuting this May with five tents and a two-bedroom family option in the tawny grasslands. The interiors are romantic yet restrained, and natural fibres rule, from deep khaki Italian-cotton bedsheets to linen throws, slip-covered sofas and handwoven jute underfoot. Reclining leather chairs and bean bags are perfectly positioned to spot jackals and hyenas slinking across the open plains. Multiple mess tents mean not having to share space, so private dining is the norm, and everyone gets a private vehicle. Chefs rotate between Legendary Safaris’ camps, keeping standards high in the humble tented kitchens. An authentic Swahili feast wows as much as chilled pea soup with a swirl of chilli oil followed by seared beef or gnocchi, butternut churros and masala chai. When the morning safari is too good to miss, breakfast is delivered wherever you are – fresh fruit, croissants with pineapple jam, East African-style omelettes and strong Tanzanian coffee. This is the way to safari, with a real sense of intimacy with the wild, vast landscape.  Jane Broughton

Website: cartologytravel.com Price:  Cartology Travel offers seven nights from about £7,210 per person, including transfers

Camp Sossus

Sossusvlei, Namibia

It’s no surprise that the deserts of  Namibia are regularly used as backdrops for sci-fi movies; few places look as unearthly. On a 60,000-acre private concession bordering the World Heritage Site of the Namib Sand Sea, Ultimate Safaris’ founder Tristan Cowley has created an eco desert camp that makes this Mars-like environment not only habitable but comfortable. Every detail has been designed so visitors can connect with nature: the six newly redesigned canvas-and-mesh-walled rooms, clad with protective, rust-coloured “skins” made from recycled oil drums, now have open-air bathrooms with star beds so guests can shower and sleep under the clearest skies on the planet. Private outside areas have shaded day-beds sited to trap cooling westerly breezes for afternoon naps, and a deck has been expanded for sunset yoga, sundowners and lamp-lit dinners. Unlike at most other desert camps, here guests have the  family-friendly private reserve to themselves: to walk or mountain bike, to watch zebras and oryx graze on shimmering grasslands, to swim in spring-filled bush pools, to dine on summits with views of the rippling Tsaris Mountains and the mammoth dunes of nearby Sossusvlei. Best of all, Cowley is one of Namibia’s leading guides, and for Sossus, as with the camp he launched on Onduli Ridge in Damaraland last year, he has created immersive experiences from children’s botany walks and family cycle rides to astronomy lessons by the fire. The camp can be taken privately, as can Namibia’s most inventively designed home, The Nest, tucked up in the hills like a giant thatched bird’s nest.  Lisa Grainger

Website:   ultimatesafaris.na/camp-sossus Price:  doubles from about £435 full board

Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge

Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

The site of the greatest migration on Earth, Serengeti National Park has become increasingly busy – with more than 40 vehicles at some river crossings. But because andBeyond’s Grumeti Serengeti property is in the far north-west, with few other camps around, wildlife spotting here is relatively private. That is, if you can tear yourself away from the rebuilt designer lodge. Strung above the Grumeti River, in which pods of hippos harrumph and baboons screech, 10 teak-clad modernist villas lie either side of an open-fronted living area, with decks dropping towards the water. As with the company’s other star project,  Lolebezi in Zambia , designers Fox Browne have made this Tanzanian outpost a showcase for contemporary pan-African design: kitenge-covered pouffes alongside hand-woven sisal tables; wooden bamileke tables from West Africa, beaded Namji dolls and a collection of artefacts. For those who don’t want to go on the twice-daily game drives (on which lions are pretty much guaranteed year-round, alongside hundreds of thousands of migrating wildebeest in June and July), there is a circular pool to laze beside, plus morning walks, in-room massages and yoga sessions. In the evening guests converge around a central domed bar lit by orbs of locally blown glass, before migrating to a boma dinner, cigars around a star-lit fire pit and late-night whiskies beside their private plunge pool.  Lisa Grainger

Website:   andbeyond.com/grumeti-serengeti-river-lodge Price:  from about £1,875 per person per night full board

Waterside At Royal Malewane

Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa

Along with enviable locations and pitch-perfect service, lived-in opulence has become a trademark of the Royal Portfolio’s South African hotel collection. Not too far from where it all began at Royal Malewane 22 years ago, this latest addition to Thornybush – a private game reserve that forms part of the Greater Kruger conservation area – feels more like a private home than a hotel. Owner Liz Biden has gone all out to create lavishly layered spaces where jewel-bright colours enliven everything from rugs to walls, antiques to repurposed junkyard salvages. This is a theatrical, transportive experience that amplifies rather than detracts from the vibrancy of the surrounding bush, which crackles with life deep into the night. Even the luminous fever trees, towering above the thatched lodge on the water’s edge, look like they’ve been touched up. There are seven suites with one or two bedrooms, as well as a four-bedroom villa – all with solar-heated pools and air-conditioning that runs on solar power and recycled water. A buzzing open-air bar serves cocktails made with local spirits, and a sommelier picks bottles from the wine cellar to enjoy with seasonal menus. There are many reasons to stay in camp, including a library, lap pool, gym, yoga studio and spa, plus a games room geared to children of all ages – but there are also 34,600 acres waiting to be explored by vehicle or on foot. From birding to epic sightings of lion prides and wild dogs, every outing is amplified in the company of experienced guides and trackers who, collectively, have the highest professional qualifications in the business.  Jane Broughton

Website:   theroyalportfolio.com/royal-malewane Price: from about £1,035 per person per night full board

Mara Plains Camp

Masai Mara, Kenya

This small, remote camp combines a splash of Indiana Jones with a great dollop of luxury in the middle of  Kenya’s Masai Mara . Tents are spaced apart amid a cluster of acacia trees, where the only sound at night is the occasional snort of a buffalo. The place has the air of a Thirties film set, with wooden campaign furniture and Eastern-inspired carpets. But channelling wilderness camping on a seven-star level is the new Mara Plains Jahazi Suite, a spacious two-bedroom tented pavilion set on raised railway-sleeper decking (past which a steady stream of wildlife parades). An indoor dining area leads to a private outdoor veranda and copper baths to melt into. By night, Mara Plains is an enchanting place: candles glitter in lanterns as chefs prepare dishes of tender grilled lamb, potato fritters, passion-fruit roulades and cheese platters with homemade chutney. Breakfast is a treat of orange-zest-flavoured pancakes and fresh coffee served on canvas chairs outside. Game drives reveal a pride of lions sprawled on a rocky escarpment, a breathtaking sight as cubs frolic and snooze in the pampas grass. Other wildlife surprises include kudus, fork-tailed drongoes, hippos mating in the river and mongoose hurtling across rutted tracks. This is the African safari dream, remote and restful, skies with fleeting Daliesque cumulus cloud formations in a landscape untouched for millennia.  Geordie Greig

Website: africatravel.com/mara-plains-camp Price:  Africa Travel offers stays from £1,190 per person per night full board, including game-viewing activities, park fees, flights and transfers (minimum two nights)

Xigera Safari Lodge

Sitting in the richly biodiverse Okavango Delta, Xigera has lions, leopards and semi-aquatic red lechwes on its doorstep. What’s maybe more surprising about this opening from global operators Red Carnation Hotels is that it’s home to one of the world’s largest collections of South African art and design, curated in collaboration with Cape Town’s forward-thinking Southern Guild gallery. This commitment to art shines in everything guests see and touch, from handmade black clay coffee cups by Cape Town ceramicist Chuma Maweni to the dining tables with warped fairy-tale legs by Kenya-born artist Stanislaw Trzebinski. The food is a few notches above most safari fare: a team of five bake the lightest, flakiest pastries for morning game drives and six-course chef’s-table meals, with each chef given free rein to follow obsessions (one menu has a dish dedicated to the much-overlooked onion). Food waste is composted and given to local farmers for free, with vegetables purchased back from them. Herbs are bought from a female-run collective in Maun, the closest city. The 12 suites, reached by a series of raised light-impact wooden walkways, are so large that the super-king beds look modest. Each is different, but all have statement lamps, colourful patterned sofas and indoor and outdoor rain showers stocked with all-natural tulip- and yuzu-scented toiletries. A remote three-storey steel baobab tree with a roof deck can be booked to sleep out in the bush itself. Hannah Summers

Website: xigera.com Price:  Doubles from about £2,355 full board

Usangu Expedition Camp

Ruaha National Park, Tanzania

Ruaha is one of those wildernesses that safari lovers keep to themselves. Unlike the busy Serengeti, Tanzania’s second biggest park has just 12 camps, and no one had ventured to this particular corner for decades until this summer, when Asilia constructed a light-footprint camp in the Usangu Wetlands in the far south. Poachers roamed freely and unchecked rice farms on the park’s perimeter drained the Ruaha River. Conservationists hope the opening of an expedition camp here will halt this destruction with the help of visitors. When not relaxing in the four solar-powered, mesh-fronted rooms overlooking the plains, guests help guides with research on game drives. Each of the camp’s recycled ethanol-powered four-wheel-drives is fitted with technology to feed information back to the Eco-Research Centre: telemetry systems to track collared cats, GPS radios to pinpoint sightings and thermal night cameras to spot nocturnal creatures. Half of the 16 Tanzanian staff are young villagers who are relishing Asilia’s training – from guide Anderson Pakomyus Mesilla, who three years ago didn’t speak English and now reels off Latin tree names, to Aly Mang’unda, the 22-year-old chef, who creates delicious dishes using just a fire. Beside each room is a square-netted star tent, so guests can sleep with the Milky Way above and the sounds of lions and hyenas roaring and whooping around. Treats on game drives include huge herds of topis, alongside sables, roans and cheetahs.  Lisa Grainger

Website:   asiliaafrica.com/usangu-expedition-camp Price:  Doubles from about £1,290 full board

• South Africa Safari Lodges, Camps & Hotels

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City lodge or tambo airport, nxamaseri island lodge, cape town hotels, abbey manor, cape cadogan hotel, cloud 9 boutique hotel, kensington place, moore quarters hotel, president hotel, the pepper club luxury hotel and spa, tintswalo atlantic lodge, trevoyan guest house, victoria & alfred hotel, vineyard hotel, winchester boutique hotel, durban hotels, protea hotel edward, teremok marine, the benjamin hotel, franschhoek hotels, avondrood guest house, babylonstoren, franschhoek hotel, greater kruger national park hotels, &beyond kirkman's kamp, &beyond ngala safari lodge, arathusa safari lodge, boulders lodge - singita, chapungu tented camp, dulini lodge, ebony lodge - singita, kapama river lodge, lion sands ivory lodge, moditlo river lodge, notten's bush camp, sabi sabi bush lodge, savanna private game reserve lodge, simbambili game lodge, simbavati hilltop lodge, simbavati river lodge, tanda tula safari camp, the royal malewane, thornybush game lodge, hermanus hotels, grootbos garden lodge, harbour house hotel, hluhluwe-imfolozi game reserve hotels, rhino ridge safari lodge, johannesburg hotels, fairlawns boutique hotel, protea hotel balalaika sandton, protea hotel or tambo airport, the peech hotel, kruger national park hotels, hoyo-hoyo safari lodge, perry's bridge hollow, rhino post safari lodge, oudtshoorn hotels, de opstal country lodge, surval boutique olive estate, phinda private game reserve hotels, &beyond phinda mountain lodge, plettenberg bay hotels, hog hollow country lodge, hunter's country house, port elizabeth hotels, radisson blu hotel, sabi sand private game reserve hotels, dulini leadwood lodge, dulini river lodge, tswalu game reserve hotels, tswalu motse, umhlanga hotels, the oyster box, zulu kingdom hotels, ghost mountain inn, south africa travel guide.

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• You Can Now Drive a Porsche Through 5 African Countries With This New Off-Roading Experience

Speed across the continent in a souped-up 911, Cayman, or Cayenne with a convoy of petrolheads.

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Kalmar Beyond Adventure is giving the Dakar Rally a run for its money.

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The driving itself will be as diverse as the landscape. Some days will require precise steering, while others will demand breakneck speed. Similarly, you’ll spend some time traveling in a convoy and other times solo. Each driver has to pass a short qualification test to ensure they’re up to the task.

Kalmar says guests will catch Zs in “superb accommodation,” including some of Africa’s finest lodges and villas. You’ll also have ample opportunities to experience the local cultures, cuisines, sites, and wildlife. Highlights include Victoria Falls, the local markets, and the game reserves.

“Trans-Africa 2025 will be the adventure trip of a lifetime,” Kalmar said in a statement. “It allows guests to explore new frontiers, get close to wildlife, and under the skin of the real Africa—all through the windscreen of an iconic Porsche sports car.”

The Trans-Africa adventure starts from €66,900 (roughly $71,600) plus taxes. For more information, visit the Kalmar Beyond Adventure website .

Click here to see all the photos of the Porsche Safari.

Rachel Cormack is a digital editor at Robb Report. She cut her teeth writing for HuffPost, Concrete Playground, and several other online publications in Australia, before moving to New York at the…

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Animals Around the Globe

10 Best African Countries for Safari

Posted: December 19, 2023 | Last updated: December 19, 2023

#1 Botswana

Recommended Tours:

Thus, poachers are seen as enemies of the people. As a result, Botswana has come into view as Africa's most sought-after ecotourism destination. Starting from the Chobe National Park to the Moremi Nature Reserve, you'll be able to witness numerous gems all around the country.

Back in 2014, Botswana widely banned the hunting of wild animals and implemented strict laws which are still in practice. The country resumes its zero-tolerance for poaching and their very own environmental minister, Tshekedi Khama, has even launched a shoot-to-kill policy for poachers.

Botswana, with its wildlife conservation and natural parks, is a haven for nature lovers. It is currently in the top 5, as its approach to the protection and conservation of wildlife is worth the praise. As a country, it is very forward-thinking, some may even call it aggressively forward-thinking when it comes to its preservation and anti-poaching laws.

Its fertile land provides a safe and comforting home to around 200 mammal species. This includes elephants, hippos, monkeys and so much more. Along with 650 bird species and 5,500 plants. Even though the country is still underdeveloped and most of the population live in rural households, its national parks, and sight-seeing destinations are on the top 10 of our lists.

Even though many would face some difficulties in locating Malawi on a map, given how tiny it is, the country is home to the world-renowned Lake Malawi National Park. This is practically one-third of the country and is the most biodiverse lake in the world.

Most of the land in Namibia is occupied by the Kalahari and Namib Deserts. Along with that, the country also has 12 national parks and many other areas which are protected. So, if you go there for a safari, you'll have many rich areas to see and explore.

When it comes to countries with the least amount of population, Namibia is one of them. Which proves to be a good thing for nature. This is because most of the land in Namibia is still unspoiled by human filth or any sort of development, giving nature a chance to breathe.

In the country's Volcanoes National Park, you'll find 10 habituated gorilla families. Groups of 8 trekkers can visit them for one hour per day. But that's enough to get the best African safari experience. And as a nature lover, you'll enjoy the experience to the max.

If you've been around for some time, you'll be familiar with Rwanda's mountain gorillas. They were famously broadcasted and their fight for survival was shown on  National Geographic . This was all thanks to the late  Dian Fossey  back in the 1970s who advocated for the rights of these mountain gorillas throughout her life.

Considering the tragic history surrounding the mass genocide of the people of Rwanda back in 1994, it's truly a blessing what the country has achieved in the past 25 years. There have been countless investments in infrastructure. This has resulted in the country being a very fast-growing destination for ecotourism.

#6 South Africa

But given all the advantages, it's safe to conclude that South Africa also suffers from over-tourism. I mean, if you have so many great attractions, people will flock towards it. Chances are that you'll find yourself in the middle of dozens of unruly visitors who are not too keen on obeying the rules. This occurs mostly during the peak seasons.

Annually, the country has one million visitors. Its biggest attraction is the Kruger National Park with its enrichment in biodiversity. Visitors there also have the liberty to self-drive, thus, getting a first-person private but superb experience. 

For some time now, South Africa has been climbing the charts to become one of the most popular destinations for African safaris. Given its location, South Africa is a very convenient and cheap destination for people from the United States. Besides that, the country also boasts a well-developed infrastructure which makes it perfect for luxury travelers as well.

#7 Tanzania

One of the most popular locations would be the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The country is also a haven for 1100 different bird species. It's no wonder that Tanzania gets this much rep. Especially when the country boasts so many wonders.

We talked about Kenya being the top destination for Safari. Now Tanzania here takes second place in being the continent's most popular safari destination. And why shouldn't it? The country has 16 national parks and an extraordinary amount of wealth and wildlife wonders for the people to witness.

Some of its natural attractions include housing the highest mountain range in Africa. It also has the world's largest free-standing volcano and the second-largest freshwater lake. With its 30 national parks and other wildlife reserves, Uganda boasts many more sanctuaries which are worth the visit. Especially if you're a lover of nature and wildlife.

Often called "The Pearl of Africa", Uganda is certainly a great pick for an African safari. Its reputation as being one of the best ecotourism destinations comes from the country's natural attractions and wildlife.

Out of its 20 national parks, the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park is home to many wildlife animals such as African elephants, Angolan giraffes, Cape buffalo, etc. Other than that, there are many private ownerships of National parks, notably the Kasanka National Park which is near the basin of Lake Bangweulu. It's a safe place where visitors can see 400 different avian species.

Zambia may be a bit far down the list of popular destinations for your African safari, but many consider it to be a destination for diversified and immersive safari experiences, and making a notable feature on our 10 Best African Countries for Safari guide. The country is steadily focusing on conservation as their president has shown a keen interest and is working on building the nation's economy as well as the infrastructure.

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Apart Hotel Yantar is one of the top choices for your stay based on our traveler data, and this 3-star hotel offers free parking and free WiFi. It's located 1.9 mi (3 km) from Electrostal History and Art Museum. Another good option is Apartments , located 4.6 mi (7.4 km) away.

Hotel Mys Otdykha Nadezhda : Offers spa services, an indoor pool, and free parking. Park Hotel Yahonty Noginsk and Areal Congress Hotel are a couple of other choices that feature an onsite pool.

Visitors can enjoy all that Elektrostal has to offer including its museums. There are 35 hotels and other accommodations in the surrounding area. Find out more about Elektrostal .

A favorite place to visit is Electrostal History and Art Museum . You'll also find History of Russian Scarfs and Shawls Museum and Central Museum of the Air Forces at Monino in the area. Check out what more to see and do in Expedia's Elektrostal guide .

The hottest months are usually July and August with an average temp of 63°F, while the coldest months are January and February with an average of 22°F. The snowiest months in Elektrostal are December, November, February, and January, with each month seeing an average of 38 inches of snowfall.

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Electrostal History and Art Museum

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Electrostal History and Art Museum - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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