Tired of the boring lifestyle and routine? It is time to take a pause and focus on how you can rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul. Stepping into the wild is one way to get things done, where your day begins with lion calls and ends with a lovely dinner under starlit skies. A safari holiday is more than a vacation; it’s a chance to reconnect with nature.
Africa remains among the top contenders for those thinking of safari holidays. With its vast savannahs, iconic wildlife, and centuries-old conservation legacies, it is the ultimate safari playground.
You can think of private game drives tailored to your pace, luxury tented camps with panoramic views, and curated itineraries that align with your interests. Choosing the right destination is where it all begins.
With tailor-made safari holidays by Sundowner Holidays, you can make the most of your time exploring the golden plains of the Serengeti, or the remote waterways of the Okavango Delta, and ensure you have an unforgettable experience.
Here are 7 destinations in Africa that can provide you with bespoke and luxury safari experiences.
Selinda Reserve, Botswana
Located between the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park, Selinda Reserve is Botswana’s best-kept luxury safari secret. Known for its exclusivity and untouched wilderness, Selinda offers a more intimate and personalised safari experience than the busier Okavango routes.
This private reserve is a dreamscape of floodplains, palm-fringed islands, and riverine forests. It’s especially famous for rare predator sightings and dramatic wildlife interactions.
Luxury camps like Selinda Camp and Zarafa redefine safari indulgence with expansive suites, plunge pools overlooking the lagoon, and open-air bathtubs for stargazing soaks. Guests enjoy private game drives, boating safaris, and curated walking trails with expert guides.
Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa
Far from the crowds and clichés, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve is South Africa’s largest private game reserve and arguably its most exclusive.
Nestled in the southern Kalahari, it delivers a wild, cinematic experience with sweeping red dunes, golden grasslands, and soulful stillness you won’t find in more trafficked parks. This allows you to explore more than just popular national parks in South Africa.
Tswalu is one of the best places in Africa to see rare and elusive species like pangolins, aardvarks, and meerkats in their natural habitat.
The reserve’s two ultra-luxurious lodges, The Motse and Tarkuni, offer complete privacy, gourmet cuisine inspired by the Kalahari, and spa treatments that harness local botanicals. You can enjoy private game drives, horseback safaris, and guided walks led by expert trackers with an almost mythical understanding of the land.
Mathews Range (Samburuland), Kenya
Looking for something different from the regular Maasai Mara National Reserve experience? Located in northern Kenya, the Mathews Range offers a remote and refined escape for safari-goers seeking something truly exclusive. This mountainous wilderness is home to ancient cycads, shy leopards, and the rich traditions of the Samburu people.
Unlike other spots in Kenya, luxury here takes the form of intimate, low-impact experiences. For instance, you can stay at Sarara Camp, perched dramatically over the valley, where you can soak in a rock-hewn infinity pool with elephants gathering at the waterhole below, offering a meaningful connection to local life.
You can dine privately under starlit skies, take open-air bush bathrooms with mountain views, and helicopter rides over the unexplored land at Samburuland.
Anjajavy Private Reserve, Madagascar
Anjajavy Private Reserve in Madagascar offers a luxurious escape with a twist unlike any other in Africa. This remote coastal sanctuary combines wildlife, beaches, and opulence in one surreal package. Accessible only by private plane, it’s where lemurs leap across baobabs and turquoise waves crash just beyond your villa’s veranda.
The Anjajavy L’Hôtel is the crown jewel here, with some of the most beautiful beaches in Africa to elevate your safari experiences. This is an exclusive Relais & Châteaux property with beachfront villas, fine French-Malagasy cuisine, and candlelit dinners in mangrove forests. Nature lovers can spot Coquerel’s sifakas, rare chameleons, and over 130 bird species during private forest walks or boat rides through mangroves.
Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique
Mozambique offers an unforgettable experience, despite not being high on the safari expedition list. Gorongosa is Mozambique’s best-kept safari secret, a spectacular park that blends raw wilderness with meaningful conservation and high-end comfort.
The park has become a stage for one of Africa’s most impressive wildlife restoration stories despite remaining a low-key destination, making it an ethereal safari to explore.
If you love luxury without crowds, staying at Muzimu Tented Camp or Montebelo Lodge for an intimate, eco-luxury experience with sweeping views over riverine forests makes Gorongosa an immersive and soulful experience.
Skeleton Coast National Park, Namibia
This is not your typical lush green landscape; Namibia offers a more desert-like adventure. If you wish for a unique experience, the Skeleton Coast offers an otherworldly experience.
This is where the Namib Desert meets the Atlantic, creating a beautiful and haunting picture and offering Africa’s most surreal safari settings. Known for its fog-shrouded beaches, shipwreck remains, and lunar-like landscapes, this destination is a magnet for those who crave ultra-exclusive, off-grid luxury.
While you are here, you can stay at Shipwreck Lodge, a design-forward eco-retreat tucked between rolling dunes and the roaring ocean. With exclusive activities, you can transform your private game drives into desert adventures like tracking desert-adapted lions, elephants, and hyenas along riverbeds.
Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia
If you are looking for luxury and bespoke experiences, opt for Lower Zambezi National Park. Nestled along the Zambezi River with Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools across the water, this park offers a dramatic backdrop of escarpments, forests, and floodplains, and far fewer vehicles.
Stay in style and comfort at various luxury accommodations, like Chiawa Camp or Lolebezi by African Bush Camps. You can opt for sunset boat cruises, canoe safaris, fishing excursions, and walking safaris for exclusive activities that provide a perfect blend of luxury and action.
