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Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?Mary Oliver
Africa is not a place you only visit once.
While in other countries you might be able to satisfy your wanderlust in a single trip, see all the castles, tour all the battlefields, or enjoy a beach-side break on some or other popular tropical island, Africa is just different.
You can travel here once, go to one of the many safari destinations, and really only get treated to a small taste of what there is to see and experience.
This is because, unlike other popular destinations around the world, Africa is not static, and one kind of holiday, a safari for instance, can be experienced in multiple ways, with each giving you a totally different selection of sightings, lodgings, cultures, and more.
If you’ve been to Africa and had a safari just once, you’ve really only had an introduction. And this rings even truer if the safari you had was a fairly conventional one.
One of the most exceptional holidays you can book is from the luxury safari tours in Africa category.
This is the be all and end all of African trips. It’s indulgent down to the finest details, and those safari operators hosting such a trip never fail to hit the mark (and then some).
Luxury safari tours in Africa have become the natural choice for those planning a return visit to the world’s wildest continent. They bring travellers not only exquisite comfort but also an intimacy with Africa’s wild spaces that regular group tours simply cannot match.
Where is the best luxury safari?
There are very few first-time or returning visitors who are able to resist the allure of Africa.
It’s untamed in every sense of the word, home to some of the world’s last majestic creatures, and each destination, although sharing a continent, has its own unique character and is more than capable of giving each traveller a selection of experiences that linger long after their journey ends.
For those yearning to return in style, and enjoy unbridled convenience, and comfort, luxury safari tours in Africa promise to give you an odyssey.
And if you are trying to settle on a specific safari destination, these are some of the most enchanting places where you can expect opulence as well as iconic wildlife.
Botswana’s Okavango Delta
A safari vehicle is widely considered to be the best way to travel through a safari destination, but nothing quite beats drifting through a labyrinth of shimmering waterways, past isles of papyrus reeds, on a mokoro (a traditional dugout canoe).
The Okavango Delta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site within Botswana, and it is teeming with hippos, elephants, and colourful birdlife.
One of the best ways to tour the delta is by booking a stay at one of the exclusive, eco-conscious camps, which will give you endless views of the delta’s tranquil expanse.
Luxury in the Okavango is redefined by solitude and serenity, with bespoke experiences like guided stargazing or candlelit dinners, all a part of the experience.
South Africa’s Sabi Sands Game Reserve
Situated alongside the iconic Kruger National Park, and sharing an open fence which allows the wildlife the freedom to move as they please, Sabi Sands is a sanctuary of unspoiled beauty, and it is particularly renowned for its out-of-this-world leopard sightings.
The reserve’s ultra-luxury lodges, of which there are a few, are havens of peace and privacy, and guests can look forward to both elegance and a bit of a rustic atmosphere, a reminder that you are staying in the wild.
Kenya’s Maasai Mara
The Maasai Mara is well known for its cinematic drama, after all, it is here that the Great Migration takes place year after year, with millions of wildebeest and zebra braving crocodile-infested rivers and prides of lion as they migrate for the season.
Aside from this annual natural wonder, the Mara’s private conservancies give those looking for a luxury getaway an intimate escape.
Guests can look forward to sumptuous tented suites, delicious dining, private guides, and even hot-air balloon safaris. There’s nothing quite as luxurious as floating above the golden plains, sipping champagne as the world below awakens.
Tanzania’s Serengeti
The Serengeti, with its wide open sweeping grasslands that stretch forever in every direction, is one of the top-rated destinations for luxury safari tours in Africa.
Here, the circle of life plays out in vivid detail, and you’ll be treated to the sight of prides of lions lounging in the shade and cheetahs sprinting across the plains.
Luxury tented camps that redefine “camping” are the norm here, and they are adorned with hand-carved four-poster beds, crystal chandeliers, and private butlers who anticipate your every desire.
As the sun dips low, you’ll dine under a baobab tree, the distant roar of a lion reminding you of the wild just beyond your comfortable candlelit table.
Namibia’s Skeleton Coast and Etosha National Park
For those drawn to the surreal and the sublime, Namibia will deliver on every front.
The Skeleton Coast, with its haunting shipwrecks and desert-adapted wildlife, will leave you feeling as though you are taking a journey to the edge of the world. The area has a few luxurious lodges, most designed with a modernist look, but which still just about disappear into the dunes.
In Etosha National Park, the vast salt pan glimmers under the sun and attracts elephants, rhinos, and lions, which can be seen gathering at the ancient waterholes. Aside from camping, the park also has private villas with plunge pools and open-air showers that make it difficult not to surrender to the rhythm of the desert.
You’ll Have More Unique Wildlife Experiences
Your first safari might have been about spotting the Big Five or following the thundering herds of the Great Wildebeest Migration, and rightly so.
But a second journey is about going deeper, to look for specific wildlife encounters that few travellers ever experience, such as:
Desert-Adapted Elephants
Namibia’s dry landscapes might not seem like an elephant haven, yet they are home to remarkable herds.
With longer legs, leaner frames, and larger feet, these desert-adapted elephants are built for endurance, and they will cover unbelievable distances in search of food and water.
Watching them walk the shifting sands with such quiet determination is quite something.
Annual Zebra Migration
While the Serengeti migration of wildebeest steals most of the headlines, Botswana’s Kalahari Desert plays host to its own astonishing event, the zebra migration.
Twice a year, up to 30 000 zebras cross the arid salt pans in search of fresh grazing and water. The sight of endless stripes moving across the horizon is hypnotic.
Cape Fur Seal Breeding Season
On Namibia’s Skeleton Coast, the Cape Cross Seal Reserve becomes a hive of activity between late October and early January.
Thousands of Cape fur seals gather to breed, with males battling fiercely for dominance while females nurse their pups.
Walking along the reserve’s wooden pathways, surrounded by the sounds of barking seals, is a rare experience.
Wild Dogs in the Wilderness
Among Africa’s rarest predators, African wild dogs, also called painted wolves, are known for their intelligence and cooperative hunting techniques.
In reserves like Botswana’s Moremi or Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools, watching a pack in motion is electrifying.
Elephant Herds of Chobe
Botswana’s Chobe National Park is home to the world’s largest elephant population, and during the dry months, thousands of them gather along the riverfront.
Watching these enormous herds bathe, drink, and play together is one of Africa’s most extraordinary spectacles.
Pangolin Encounters
Perhaps the most elusive animal of all, the pangolin is a shy, nocturnal creature covered in scales.
Once nearly impossible to see, both due to their shy nature and a steep decline in their numbers, dedicated conservation efforts in South Africa and Zimbabwe now give travellers the chance to join researchers in tracking rehabilitated pangolins.
The Sardine Run
Off South Africa’s Wild Coast, between May and July, millions of sardines migrate north, attracting a feeding frenzy of dolphins, sharks, whales, and seabirds.
Known as the Sardine Run, this underwater ballet of predator and prey is often described as the greatest marine spectacle on Earth!
Visit Africa During a Different Season
One of the secrets to keeping your safari experiences fresh is timing.
If your first trip was during the dry winter months, when wildlife congregates around waterholes, then you might now consider returning in the green season. After the rains, everything becomes green and lush just about overnight, the migratory birds arrive in dazzling numbers, and newborn animals can be seen all throughout safari parks.
The season also means fewer visitors. This is the ideal time to travel if you want quieter sightings, and many lodges reduce rates without compromising on luxury.
By choosing luxury safari tours in Africa during a different season, you’ll gain a new perspective of the same landscapes and fall in love with their changing moods all over again.
How to Find and Book Luxury Safari Tours in Africa?
When planning, it’s tempting to browse online deals, but luxury safaris are not a one-size-fits-all kind of holiday.
The best way to book is through a specialist travel company that understands the nuances, like the difference between a lodge with ten rooms versus three, the importance of location within a reserve, and which months will bring you the best sightings.
A reputable operator can also put together multiple destinations, perhaps combining the Okavango with the Victoria Falls, and ensure easy transfers, private guides, and the little details that turn a holiday into a once-in-a-lifetime journey.
There’s always a good reason to return to Africa, and why not do it in comfort and style this time?
Luxury safari tours in Africa are not overrated, overly expensive holidays that will leave you wanting more. Instead, they are exclusive, intimate and personal in a way that you’ve probably never experienced on a trip before.
