Check our pick of luxury and comfort in Africa’s pristine plains and exotic wildlife!
Sip a steaming cup of coffee, gazing at the majestic herd of elephants from your private balcony. Ethereal right? This is the magic of a luxurious African safari! The sounds of roaring lions and chirping birds amidst pristine and breath-taking landscapes is outrageously stunning. A trip to the African wilderness is on everyone’s bucket list and witnessing all of it from the comfort of your plush accommodation is just cherry on top. Surrounded by a vast array of rare and elusive wildlife to catch sight of, the opulent lodges in Africa will blow your mind and create unforgettable memories. These bespoke accommodations are more than just a place, they’re an extension of the whole safari experience. To rest after a thrilling game drive (a guided excursion in the wild), choose an ultra-luxurious villa or camp with impeccable service to add to your trip. We know that planning these trips and choosing the right safari is a task. But, to make your work a little easier we’ve rounded up a few best African safari resorts and lodges to make the most from your Africa escape.
Ulusaba Safari Lodge, Sabi Sand Reserve, South Africa
Wake up to cute-sight of elephants drinking water by your plunge pool at Ulusaba Safari Lodge. Hidden among a canopy of trees on a dry riverbank in the Sabi Sand Reserve, this lodge is part of billionaire Richard Branson’s Virgin enterprise. The lodge offers unmatched luxury featuring a world-class spa, private walled gardens, and plunge pools designed by South African designer Franci du Toit. Its proximity to Kruger National Park allows the travellers to enjoy wild scenery and venture on safari hikes. Here, you can either choose Rock Lodge boasting the best view of Sabi Sand or Safari Lodge built along the banks of the Mabrak riverbed with treehouse-style rooms for an ultimate stay.
Mara Plains Camp, Masai Mara, Kenya
Live out your Indiana Jones dreams with a dollop of luxury at Mara Plains Camp in the middle of Kenya’s Masai Mara. These small yet lavish tents are spaced apart amid a cluster of acacia trees, and the place is adorned with wooden campaign furniture and Eastern-inspired carpets. In Mara Plains Jahazi Suite, a spacious two-bedroom tented pavilion, offers seven-star feels in a camp set in the wild. Enjoy a delicious meal in their indoor dining area watching a parade of exotic wild creatures in the compound. While wanderingin the iconic wildlife haven you can catch sight of fork-tailed drongos, hippos mating in the river and mongoose apart from majestic lions and their clubs.
Xigera Safari Lodge, Botswana
Xigera Safari Lodge is a stunning property with lions, leopards and semi-aquatic red lechwes on its doorstep. Boasting a breathtaking landscape of seasonal floodplains, riverine forests, tawny grasslands and verdant papyrus wetlands, the lodge is situated in richly biodiverse Okavango Delta. Nestled behind a canopy of spectacular indigenous trees, Xigeria provides 12 spacious suites, each uniquely decorated. The spacious two-bedroom Family Suite is ideal for safari groups. The food here is a cut above conventional safari fare with a staff of five baking the lightest, flakiest pastries for morning game drives and mouth-watering six-course chef’s meals. Here, you can book a distant three-storey steel baobab tree with a roof deck for sleeping out in nature.
Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge, Tanzania
For a private Serengeti safari experience with resident hippo pods and remarkable lion prides, Grumeti Serengeti Lodge is perfect! The suites of the lodge are adorned with Kitenge fabrics and accentuated with stone walls, featuring vibrant colours of the fishing communities surrounding Lake Victoria. Here, visit on the twice-daily game drives (on which lions are pretty much guaranteed year-round, alongside thousands of migrating wildebeest and clans of hyena) or relax in their circular pool and take in-room massages and indulge in morning yoga sessions. For dinning, immerse in the lodge’s exquisite meals, from breakfast to dinner made freshly from locally-sourced ingredients.
Sanctuary Tambarare, Kenya
Sanctuary Tambarare is one of the most exclusive lodges in Kenya, nestled amongst fever trees in the shadow of Mount Kenya for a luxurious and eco-friendly safari experience. Here, not only can you find the big five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and African buffalo) roaming freely, but you can also encounter the largest black rhinos in Ol Pejeta Sanctuary. Tambarare has only 10 luxury tents (each different yet edgy) and a private villa set deep in 90,000 acres of pristine African plains. The camp’s lounge is beautifully decorated with Afro-centric chandeliers and gorgeous paintings of lovely Samburu women. It also boasts comfortable sofas and rockers that invite guests to linger and soak up the soothing atmosphere. Here, you can also 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 let loose the wild in you!
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