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An African safari is the quintessential way to experience the world’s wildest continent.
Leaving the camp before dawn, entering the Kruger National Park, or one of its surrounding private reserves, and slowly meandering up and down the gravel roads, looking for the Big 5 and other wildlife, is the most conventional safari experience.
But it’s not for everyone.
For travellers looking for something truly special, there’s nothing quite like a Private Safari in South Africa.
Unlike the more common safari experience, this one will have you waking up, unrushed, to the distant roar of lions, sipping champagne while overlooking the savannah, and enjoying exclusive game drives led by expert rangers who know the land like their own backyard.
Unlike the usual group tours, a private safari gives you the freedom to have a holiday that suits your own pace.
Having the time to pause a little longer to watch a herd of elephants drinking or playing at a watering hole, following the stealthy path of a leopard at dusk, or returning early to your private lodge for a sunset soak in a plunge pool, are all what make a private safari so very different from the more conventional trip.
And while there are plenty of exceptional places to have a safari in Southern Africa, South Africa ranks up there among the very best and is home to some incredible luxury safari destinations, many of which you are probably already familiar with.
Why book a private African safari?
There’s travel and then there’s luxury travel. And a private safari in South Africa certainly falls into the latter category.
A private safari in South Africa is specifically designed to provide travellers with a bespoke adventure, one that is designed to ensure that every need and expectation is met.
Unlike group tours that have fixed schedules, a private tour lets you spend more time at sightings, while also giving you plenty of free time to kick back and relax instead of feeling as though your day is spent rushing from one thing to the next.
With a private safari, you can expect your guide to plan each day around your interests, from rhino tracking to stargazing, and you’ll have the absolute privilege of being able to venture into some restricted reserve areas, giving you the most intimate wildlife encounters. You’ll also have a safari vehicle to yourself and those you are travelling with, rather than a group of strangers.
Aside from the safari itself, this holiday also often includes private chefs and the most luxurious lodge settings, where you will have the most comfortable and, most importantly, private spaces.
A private safari in South Africa, a destination often dubbed a whole world in one country, allows travellers to look forward to a trip that leaves plenty of time for introspection as well as ample opportunity to socialise.
Which is the best private game reserve in South Africa?
South Africa’s private game reserves are all about exclusivity and wildlife encounters, which are often a lot more frequent due to these reserves being home to larger wildlife populations compared to those in public reserves.
These are the best private game reserves in South Africa:
Sabi Sands Game Reserve
Sabi Sands Game Reserve is a safari destination that you are more than likely quite familiar with.
Renowned for its leopard sightings (the reserve has around 12 leopards per 100 km²), Sabi Sands spans a massive 65 000 hectares and, with unfenced borders between it and the Kruger National Park, most guests enjoy prolific Big Five encounters, making it a high-end safari destination.
Lodges like Londolozi and Singita make the experience of staying here even more luxurious by providing guests with private decks, plunge pools, and the finest dining. Those planning a safari through the lodge can look forward to game drives conducted by expert rangers who often go off-road.
Conservation-focused since 1948, the reserve also has night drives, giving guests the opportunity to see nocturnal creatures like aardvarks, and bush walks.
Timbavati Nature Reserve
Famous for its rare white lions, Timbavati covers 53 000 hectares of pristine African landscapes.
With no fence between Timbavati and the Kruger, its open savannahs and riverine forests teem with all sorts of wildlife, including elephants, buffalo, and leopards.
Lodges like Tanda Tula allow guests to stay in luxurious safari tents complete with private verandas and outdoor showers.
Along with luxurious lodgings, guests can join private game drives with expert trackers who will teach them about medicinal plants and animal behaviour.
Madikwe Game Reserve
A malaria-free haven near Botswana, Madikwe covers an impressive 75 000 hectares and is well known for its wild dog conservation efforts and Big 5 sightings.
The reserve has several Family-friendly lodges, like Madikwe Safari Lodge, which has private suites, kids’ programmes, and infinity pools overlooking waterholes.
Private tours include bush dinners and photography safaris, and its remote location ensures fewer visitors, which gives those who travel here a lot more privacy than they would have elsewhere.
Kwandwe Game Reserve
Now, this is one reserve you have probably not heard of before.
Kwandwe is in the Eastern Cape and consists of 22 000 malaria-free hectares. The reserve is not just a safari destination but also a rhino conservation project. If you are looking for a private safari in South Africa that isn’t overcrowded, this is the ideal destination to venture to.
Guests can book a stay at lodges like Great Fish River Lodge, which has private villas with plunge pools, and activities in the reserve include river cruises, fly fishing, and rhino tracking on foot, giving guests a personal connection to the land.
Phinda Game Reserve
In KwaZulu-Natal, Phinda’s 29 000 hectares boasts an astounding seven ecosystems, including sand forests and wetlands, that are home to cheetahs, lions, and black rhinos.
Eco-conscious lodges like Phinda Forest Lodge offer guests incredible glass-walled suites and private decks.
And with private game drives, Zulu village visits, and ocean safaris, a safari here is full of depth.
What is the private game reserve next to Kruger?
Sabi Sands, which sits right on the border of the Kruger National Park, sharing an open fence, is the premier reserve for a private safari in South Africa.
The unfenced boundary allows the wildlife to walk back and forth along ancient migratory paths, creating a vast ecosystem the way nature intended.
Unlike the far busier Kruger, Sabi Sands restricts its access by only admitting entry to those staying at its exclusive lodges.
What is the most luxurious safari lodge in South Africa?
Part of what makes a private safari in South Africa such a sought-after experience is the luxury lodges, of which there are many.
Luxury lodges usually have a few things in common, like comfort, opulence, exclusive activities, and hosting only a select number of guests at any given time.
Of all the many luxury lodges you can stay at, these are our top 5:
Londolozi Private Granite Suites (Sabi Sands)
With just three suites, this ultra-exclusive retreat, with its private plunge pools, river views, and air-conditioned bedrooms with mosquito nets and outdoor showers, is up there among the very best places to stay. It’s ideal for couples, and the perfect honeymoon retreat, and if yoga on tree platforms and gourmet meals sound good to you, this lodge should be on your radar.
Singita Boulders Lodge (Sabi Sands)
Inspired by the Sand River, this lodge has glass-walled suites, private heated pools and a world-class wine cellar. As a guest, you can look forward to bespoke game drives and drinks in the lodge’s interesting sunken cocktail lounge.
Kapama Karula (Kapama Game Reserve)
This tranquil lodge has 12 suites with heated pools, wraparound views, and a top-tier spa. Its glass-walled villas include indoor/outdoor showers and Nespresso machines, to give you the most divine coffee to wake you up before your sunrise game drive.
Tswalu Motse (Tswalu Kalahari)
Deep in the Kalahari, this intimate lodge hosts up to 18 adults in nine suites that feature gorgeous freestanding baths, wood-burning stoves, and private verandas.
Rare pangolin and black-maned lion sightings, plus a spa and photographic studio, make it a secluded and exclusive haven for wildlife enthusiasts.
Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge (Sabi Sands)
Almost disappearing into the bushveld, its 13 suites are designed to bring you closer to nature, but in the most comfortable way.
Its organic design, day bar with ankle-deep waters to cool off in, and the Amani Spa with its botanical treatments all create an earthy yet luxurious escape, just the place for modern adventurers.
What is the best time of year for an African safari?
The dry season (April to October) is ideal for a private safari in South Africa.
From around the middle of May to the end of September, the bush dies back due to the lack of rain, giving safari travellers excellent visibility. And the cooler weather is without a comforting bonus.
June to August is the best time to travel to reserves like the Kruger, Sabi Sands and Madikwe. This is peak safari season, so if you are hoping to avoid large crowds, you should instead travel here during April and May or September and October. The weather will still be mild and pleasant, and the reserves won’t be too overgrown.
From the pleasant birdsong of the bush to the comfort of exclusive lodges, the private safari is a holiday planned just for you.
A private safari in South Africa is a bespoke adventure, one that will give you the thrill of the wild and all the spoils of luxury. You don’t have to settle for crowded game vehicles when you can plan a perfectly private escape like this.
Contact our travel experts and allow us to design your private safari in South Africa.
