Luxury Safaris: The Best High-End Safari Experiences in Africa

Luxury has a different definition for everyone, so let us unpack the ultimate Luxury Safaris for you

Sundowner stop on a Luxury Safari

Luxury safaris are high-end, exclusive safari experiences that offer travellers a more personalised, indulgent, and comfortable way to explore Africa's wildlife and landscapes. These types of safaris are typically more expensive than regular safaris, but they also offer a higher level of service, accommodations, and activities.


Why Luxury Safaris stand out?

What sets luxury safaris apart from regular safaris is the attention to detail and the level of exclusivity. On a luxury safari, guests can expect a more intimate and private experience, with fewer people and more personal attention from staff. Luxury safari lodges often have fewer rooms, which means that guests have more space and privacy. The lodges are also typically located in remote, exclusive areas, offering a more secluded and immersive experience.

One of the main draws of luxury safaris is the amenities that are available to guests. Luxury safari lodges often have top-notch facilities and services, such as swimming pools, spas, gyms, and gourmet restaurants. The lodges may also offer specialised activities, such as hot air balloon rides, helicopter tours, guided walks, and private game drives.

In addition to the amenities, luxury safaris are known for their high-quality accommodations. Guests can expect luxurious rooms and suites that are elegantly furnished and equipped with modern amenities such as air conditioning, WiFi, and private bathrooms. Some lodges also offer more unique accommodations, such as treehouses, tents, or villas with private pools.

Another key feature of luxury safaris is the food and drink. Guests can expect gourmet cuisine that showcases local and seasonal ingredients, as well as an extensive selection of fine wines and spirits. Many lodges offer private dining experiences, such as bush dinners, wine tastings, and picnics in scenic locations.

Guests enjoying a private sundowner on safari at Naboisho Camp ©Asilia Africa

Which destinations should you consider for a luxury safari?

Here are some of the top destinations in Africa that are known for their high-end safari experiences:


Serengeti National Park, Tanzania: The Serengeti is one of the most iconic wildlife reserves in Africa, known for its vast savannahs and annual wildebeest migration. Visitors to the Serengeti can expect to see a wide range of animals, including lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras and more.



A hot air balloon safari over the Serengeti

Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya: The Maasai Mara is another popular destination for luxury safaris, offering stunning landscapes and an abundance of wildlife. Visitors can expect to see big cats such as lions, leopards, and cheetahs, as well as elephants, giraffes, hippos, and more.

The Masai Mara - home to the greatest wildlife migration in the world

Okavango Delta, Botswana: The Okavango Delta is a unique and diverse ecosystem, featuring a network of channels, lagoons, and islands. Visitors can explore the delta by boat or mokoro (traditional dugout canoe) and see a variety of wildlife, including elephants, hippos, crocodiles, and a range of bird species.

Elephant swimming in the Okavango Delta

Kruger National Park, South Africa: Kruger is one of the largest game reserves in Africa, known for its diverse wildlife and landscapes. Visitors can expect to see the "Big Five" (lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, and rhinos), as well as giraffes, zebras, hyenas, and more.

A Leopard on Safari in the Kruger National Park

Sabi Sands Game Reserve, South Africa: Sabi Sands is a private game reserve that offers a more exclusive and intimate safari experience. Visitors can expect to see a wide range of wildlife, including leopards, lions, elephants, and buffalo, as well as a variety of bird species.

Hyena Cub in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve

Etosha National Park, Namibia: Etosha is a unique and otherworldly park, known for its salt pans and desert landscapes. Visitors can see a range of wildlife, including lions, elephants, giraffes, and a variety of antelope species.


Each of these destinations offers a different experience, but they are all known for their high-end safari experiences and exceptional wildlife sightings.


Wildlife congregating around a waterhole in Etosha National Park

Which luxury safari lodges do we recommend?

Here are some of the best luxury safari lodges in Africa, known for their exceptional accommodations, dining experiences, and wildlife sightings:


Singita Sabi Sand, South Africa: Singita Sabi Sand is a private game reserve located within the Sabi Sands Game Reserve. The lodge offers luxurious accommodations, including private villas with plunge pools and en-suite bathrooms. The lodge also features a spa, gym, and gourmet restaurant serving local and seasonal cuisine. The Sabi Sands Game Reserve is world renowned for its incredible leopard sightings.



Asilia Naboisho Camp, Kenya: This eco-friendly camp offers comfortable tents with en-suite bathrooms, as well as a communal dining area and campfire. Guests can enjoy guided game drives, walking safaris, and cultural experiences with the local Maasai community.




Royal Malewane, South Africa: Royal Malewane is a private game reserve located in the Greater Kruger National Park. The lodge offers luxurious villas with private pools and en-suite bathrooms, as well as a spa, gym, and gourmet restaurant serving local and international cuisine. Their new lodge Waterside at Royal Malewane was recently featured as one of the Top Lodges in the Condé Nast best new African Camps - read more here : https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/best-new-african-safari-camps



Zarafa Camp, Botswana: Zarafa Camp is located in the Selinda Reserve in northern Botswana, offering luxurious tents with en-suite bathrooms and private plunge pools. The lodge also features a spa, gym, and gourmet restaurant serving local and seasonal cuisine. Guests can enjoy game drives, bush walks, and boating excursions.




Little Ongava Lodge, Namibia:  offers only three spacious and private suites, each with its own plunge pool and outdoor shower. The suites are designed in a contemporary African style and offer stunning views of the surrounding landscape. The Ongava Game Reserve is home to a variety of wildlife, including lions, elephants, cheetahs, and black and white rhinos. Little Ongava Lodge is particularly known for its rhino conservation efforts, and guests can go on guided rhino tracking walks with experienced guides. This allows guests to learn about the conservation efforts being made to protect these endangered animals.

Each of these lodges offers exceptional accommodations, dining experiences, and wildlife sightings, making them some of the best luxury safari lodges in Africa.


Why do luxury safaris cost more?

Luxury safaris can be considerably more expensive than regular safaris, with prices ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars per person. The high cost is due to a number of factors, including the level of personalised service, exclusive access to wildlife reserves, and the luxurious accommodations and amenities offered.

One of the main factors that drives up the cost of luxury safaris is the level of personalised service provided to guests. Luxury safari lodges typically have a high staff-to-guest ratio, with personalised attention given to every guest. This includes customised itineraries, private game drives, and personalised dining experiences.

Another factor that contributes to the high cost of luxury safaris is the exclusive access to wildlife reserves. Many luxury safari lodges are located in private reserves, which offer a more intimate and exclusive wildlife viewing experience than public reserves. This exclusive access to wildlife reserves allows guests to see a wider range of animals in their natural habitats, including rare and endangered species..

Despite the high cost, luxury safaris offer travellers an unparalleled safari experience with a level of exclusivity and luxury that cannot be found on regular safaris.


Are you interested in booking a Luxury Safari? Allow our Journey Designers to guide you to your perfect vacation experience.


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