I never used to understand what all the fuss was about when it came to safari. Then I went to Londolozi, five intimate luxury camps in South Africa’s Sabi Sands Game Reserve, and that changed forever. I discovered that it really is one of the best – and most magical – travel experiences on Earth.
Yet there is a lot that goes into planning a safari holiday. First you have to choose the destination, which is no mean feat. Every country and region is completely unique and not just culturally (there are more than 3,000 different tribes on the African continent) but physically; from the towering, terracotta dunes of Namibia, teeming with aardvarks, springboks and wild horses, to the lush, lemur and chameleon-filled rainforests of Madagascar. There’s a current wealth of innovation in the safari experience, with the luxury market carving the way. Now you can track gorillas on foot in Rwanda, try sound therapy in the South African bush and do your game viewing from a private island in Botswana by dugout canoe.
Then there are the reserves, camps and lodges to whittle down, both private and community-run, championing the conservation of wildlife and a positive working relationship between people and animals. The low impact design of many of these camps and lodges is focussed around the concept of the ‘lighter footprint’ with even the most luxurious lodges knowing they have a responsibility to tread softly; to blend thoughtfully into their setting and to implement the latest practices and technology to ensure they preserve their natural treasures for many generations to come.
So if you’re looking for inspiration, or just an escape from the everyday, here are 10 of the best luxury African safaris.
Londolozi Game Reserve in Great Kruger National Park is one of the best places in Africa to see leopards, lions and elephants. There is always something new and exciting going on here, from its creation of digital learning centres that aim to bring world class education to children in remote rural villages to the launch of its Healing House, a progressive, nature-based spa which offers therapeutic animal tracking on foot in the wild.