As we slip into a new year, a host of exciting safari lodges and camps are preparing to welcome their first guests. Here are some of our favourite new arrivals.
Picture yourself surrounded by the vast expanse of the savannah, the rhythmic beat of nature’s symphony filling the air. Each moment on safari promises an encounter with the extraordinary, from witnessing the majestic stride of a lion to the graceful dance of a herd of elephants. And before and after each unique safari encounter, there are the lodges and camps that make the experience all the more memorable, where expert guides lead you on exhilarating game drives, and chefs and camp staff immerse you in Old World hospitality punctuated by the dramatic landscapes of Africa.
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Angama Amboseli – Kenya
Tucked in the 2,300 hectare Kimana Sanctuary, where some of the last ‘Super Tusker’ elephants roam, the new Angama Amboseli, which officially opened in November, leans into the complex realities of human and wildlife coexistence. Set along a historic migratory route traversed by animals journeying between Amboseli National Park, the Chyulu Hills, and Tsavo West National Parks, the Sanctuary sits at a critical “pinch point”. Bustling with humans and their livestock by day, the active highway transitions into the domain of wildlife at night.
Developed by the team behind sister property Angama Mara and guided by a passion for conservation and sustainability as the country’s first community-owned conservancy, Angama Amboseli promises an immersive experience inspired by the ‘Super Tusker’ elephants that grace the landscape, befitting conscious travellers. The new camp sleeps a maximum of 20 guests in ten guest suites, including two sets of interconnecting family rooms. Each suite is an ode to the majestic elephants of the region and has been built to feel like a private sanctuary, complete with outdoor patios with spacious lounge areas, outdoor showers, and Angama’s signature rocking chairs. Guests can expect to be embraced by awe-inspiring vistas of Mount Kilimanjaro throughout their stay.
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Each element of the lodge, which works hand in hand with Big Life Foundation, a non-profit organisation committed to the preservation of the Greater Amboseli Ecosystem, has been thoughtfully navigated to preserve its surroundings, with trees incorporated into and around the buildings, and provides an idyllic base from which to undertake once-in-a-lifetime wildlife experiences while gently contributing to community upliftment through environmentally-sensitive luxury. Moreover, Angama Amboseli proudly empowers women from the Maasai community through meaningful employment at its Weaving Studio, which creates authentic and bespoke items for discerning lodge guests while serving as a platform for sharing the rich artistry of Kenya.
Sitatunga Private Island – Botswana
Eco-tourism company Great Plains is set to open the superbly intimate Sitatunga Private Island, a water-based Réserve-Collection Safari Camp in the upper reaches of Botswana’s Okavango Delta. Built on a raised, wrap-around railway sleeper private deck, Sitatunga Private Island can accommodate a maximum of four adults in two separate and stunning private suites. The spacious double-bedroom Sitatunga Private Island Suite hosts four adults or a family of two adults and up to three children. In total, Sitatunga Private Island can host up to eight guests, sharing the two suites and the two-bedroom Sitatunga Private Island Suite.
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Constructed almost entirely of recycled materials, breathing new life into old treasures, the new camp offers discerning explorers a ‘slow safari’ experience that is as sustainable as it is luxurious. Each of the two guest suites, as well as the two bedroom. Sitatunga Private Island Suite comes complete with an indoor lounge, gorgeously appointed bathrooms with baths and separate showers, a private deck with outdoor lounging and seating areas as well as a private pool with expansive views over the lagoon that stretches in front of the camp itself.
Sitatunga Private Island will provide guests with the most authentic Robinson-Crusoe-inspired experience, one that includes boating safaris, mekoro excursions, walking safaris, game drives and more.
Onduli Enclave – Namibia
Multi-award-winning Ultimate Safaris has just opened its brand-new Onduli Enclave, a completely private safari villa located in the Doro !Nawas Conservancy in the heart of Damaraland. Open year-round and privately serviced, the new camp features wood-fired hot tubs, a private swimming pool, a campfire circle, a pizza boma, inside and outside rain showers, private butlers, and a private lounge – be sure to book one of the three super-king-sized suites, which have beds that can be rolled onto a private deck for a night beneath the stars.
Guests can also expect sensational safari adventures from Onduli Enclave through the fragile wilderness of Damaraland, home to one of only two populations of desert-adapted elephants in the world. Search for the world’s last population of free roaming black rhino in collaboration with the Save The Rhino Trust; explore the rustic landscape using solar e-bikes; discover the history of a bygone era by viewing ancient rock art; or take in the beautiful surroundings on nature walks while learning about the smaller factors that impact the ecosystem.
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The Onduli Enclave, which is 100 per cent solar powered, blends into the rustic environment, seamlessly maximising views of the Doros Crater, cathedral-like granite inselbergs, and the Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain, thanks to frameless glass stacking doors.
Melote House – South Africa
Lepogo Lodges, one of Africa’s few entirely non-profit safari lodges in the heart of the Limpopo Province, has opened its second accommodation, Melote House, an exclusive-use, luxury safari lodge in an enviable off-the-grid setting. Melote House is built in tiers to maximise the magnificent views over the Lapalala Wilderness, a 48,000-hectare private concession that’s home to lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, black and white rhinoceros, cheetah, wild dog, spotted hyena and much more.
The House’s design is carbon-neutral and features impressive, rammed earth walls, built with the earth taken out of the hillside it sits on. To suit multi-generational family living, the main house sleeps 12 and an adjacent separate cottage sleeps four in two ensuites and includes a central kitchen, a living and dining area and a rock pool.
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The spacious Baobab Suite, situated on the third tier, boasts a staircase leading to an integrated private sky bed deck, ideal for stargazing, and features its own pool, double indoor shower, underfloor heating, outdoor shower, walk-in wardrobe and a bioethanol-fuelled cocoon fireplace. The Marula Suites, located on the second tier, offer interconnected options for families, with each suite featuring a double indoor shower, double vanity, bath, and outdoor shower.
Leave time for a tipple at the the Seringa Bar and Lounge, home to a library, study, main living area, dining room, bar, wine cellar, guest kitchen, and an outdoor living area. Additionally, a lookout deck offers a vantage point near the waterhole and the relaxing spa area offers decadent treatments.
Savute Safari Lodge – Botswana
Desert & Delta Safaris will reopen Savute Safari Lodge, a stunning lodge that has undergone a full renovation and rebuild, in June. The new Savute Safari Lodge will elevate the safari experience to new luxury standards with all 11 rooms and one family room boasting spectacular views of the famous Savute Channel. Each guest space will feature natural thatching and canvas to help with temperature control during hotter months, as well as to draw inspiration from the striking contrasts of the Kalahari. For the first time for Desert & Delta Safaris, outdoor showers will be installed, providing guests with the chance to shower beneath the stars.
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After game drives of the Savute Marsh in an open 4×4 in search of Botswana’s famous lion Sekoti as well as cats from the Savuti Northern Pride and the Marsh Pride, be sure to take sundowners in the reenvisioned communal space, the elevated deck and fire pit of which overlooks a waterhole that has been featured in world-renowned documentaries including National Geographic’s Savage Kingdom and the BBC’s Planet Earth series.
Karangoma – Botswana
A small and exclusive tented camp, where guests can be fully immersed in the magical wilderness of the secluded northeast of the Okavango Delta, Karangoma opens in May. Offering a plethora of both land and water-based safari activities, Karangoma’s five spacious ensuite tents and one family unit (comprising two ensuite tents) will be set back on a shaded peninsula with spectacular views out across the floodplains.
The camp, available through Aardvark Safaris, has intentionally removed unnecessary trappings of urban luxury, allowing guests the space and opportunity to focus on the truly special wildlife experiences and to reconnect with nature in a meaningful way, whilst supporting the local community.
Atzaró Okavango Camp – Botswana
Opened in March, Atzaró Okavango Camp promises to be a uniquely premium safari lodge in an unrivalled location on its own vast 1,100 sqkm private Okavango Delta concession located between the Moremi Game Reserve and the Gomoti Plains, allowing for complete isolation and an unforgettable experience.
The lodge will boast 12 romantic suites, eight standalone, plus two private villas which contain two suites each, all with plunge pools and elevated ‘star beds’ for the ultimate starry sky views at night. Interiors feature parquet flooring, mid-century furnishings, and antiques, creating a feel between colonial and relaxed, with luxurious fabrics and amenities. Every suite enjoys a private deck overlooking the majestic lagoon and wildlife-filled waterways as well as air conditioning, heating for chilly mornings, high-speed wi-fi, en-suite bathrooms, and an outdoor bath and shower for a true bush experience.
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Nestled in the pristine African wilderness of the wildlife rich Delta, the lodge will offer guests personalised game viewing experiences – in conjunction with African Bush Camps – that will be free of the overcrowding often found in other safari destinations. Explore by foot, dug-out canoe or helicopter, or take in a spot of bush dining or an open-air cinema experience.
Afterwards, retire to the Palm Bar, an exquisite fine dining area with a fire-lit boma, a curated art gallery and boutique, and a delightful wine cellar, or soothe the soul at the camp’s unique wellness offering, which includes a state-of-the-art gym, yoga shala and an indulgent spa offering rejuvenating treatments. Guests can also partake in sommelier-led wine tastings, and high-tea served on the observation deck or enjoy cocktails at the 20-meter-long pool area adjacent to the lagoon, where hippos and elephants become constant companions.
Singita Milele – Tanzania
The latest property to join Singita’s remarkable collection of African lodges and camps, Singita Milele, opening in May, is an expansive one-of-a-kind private villa set in the heart of Tanzania’s Serengeti. Offering privacy, scenery, and a front-row seat to the Great Migration, this astounding destination is situated within the 140,000 hectares of pristine wilderness in Singita Grumeti in northern Tanzania, making it perfect for families or friends travelling together.
Three years in the making, South African-based Hesse Kleinloog Studio has led this ambitious project, intentionally designed to minimise the barriers between guests and nature, visually, acoustically, and physically. Weaving a contemporary take on the iconic motifs of the African safari into every aspect of the villa’s aesthetic, Singita Milele offers up to ten guests, five individually designed suites, each capturing a unique identity and each inspired by the collective nouns of the region’s most renowned species: giraffe, lion, cheetah, zebra, and rhino (called Journey, Pride, Coalition, Dazzle and Crash). Comprising two bedrooms adjacent to each other, the Pride and Coalition Suites are ideal for families with children, with dramatic floor-to-ceiling glass doors, dressing rooms, fitness centre, infinity pool, private jacuzzis and expansive decks.
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Guests can also look forward to an unforgettable safari stay, from exploring the bush on foot or in an open-air vehicle, to indulging in wellness treatments inspired by nature’s local ingredients, or for laidback days, enjoying the 10-person movie room. Private dining, fully stocked ‘bar-deli’ fridges with freshly made delicacies, and tailormade wine tastings offer a luxurious food experience, while a private boma and firepit ensure enchanted starlit evenings to recount the adventures of the day.
Tawana – Botswana
On the banks of the Gomoti River in Botswana’s iconic Moremi Game Reserve, Natural Selection’s Tawana Camp, opening in May, has been designed in harmony with the lush forests and grasslands of its surrounding 5,000-sqkm wilderness. With the camp, available through Aardvark Safaris, unfenced the wildlife will be free to wander, allowing guests a breathtaking safari experience under the close guidance of the camp’s experienced staff.
Luxurious accommodation will be provided in eight generous suites (including three family suites), each with its own lounge and private terrace with plunge pool and outdoor sala. A 16-metre lap pool and in-room spa treatments will also be on offer for those balmy afternoons.
Camp Doros – Namibia
The newly opened Camp Doros, nestled in the heart of Damaraland, one of the few homes of the elusive black rhino, offers a unique connection to the fragile wilderness and wildlife of its semi-arid mountainous savanna landscape. Perched on a high bank overlooking a riverbed and completely hidden by Mopane trees, each of the six shaded tents (one of which is a family unit) of the new Ultimate Safaris property is constructed using recycled materials, is raised on platforms, and uses solar-powered energy.
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In the expert care of an Ultimate Safaris naturalist guide, guests can marvel at ancient rock art; follow the world’s last population of free-roaming black rhino with master trackers on foot; learn about desert-adapted elephants; enjoy nature drives in search of cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, mountain zebras, giraffes, kudu, and springboks; and finish the extraordinary day with a star gazing tutorial under the vast expanse of the twinkling night sky.
Phinda Forest Lodge – South Africa
Conservation-focused luxury travel company andBeyond has reopened one of its most iconic lodges, Phinda Forest Lodge, situated in andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu Natal, after an extensive and exciting rebuild. The property has been reimagined within the context of the contemporary luxury safari, while retaining subtle references to its original ‘Zulu-zen’ décor.
Design firm Fox Browne Creative partnered with architectural designer Jack Alexander to reimagine the new property in a style that will offer past guests the comfort and familiarity of one of their most loved lodges while also providing exciting improvements in room flow and functionality. Rooms and main guest areas feature new fixtures and finishes that draw inspiration from the surrounding sand forest, blending aspects of Japanese minimalism with an ode to local culture.
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Major structural additions include a family suite, a library and lounge, a walkway with a central fire pit, a newly reshaped and tiered pool, and significant upgrades to the main dining and bar areas. An all-new massage sala has also been constructed next to the pool, the perfect spot to relax after an insightful game drive or a diving or ocean safaris at nearby Sodwana Bay.
Kibale Lodge – Uganda
Volcanoes Safaris, the pioneer of gorilla and chimpanzee ecotourism in Uganda and Rwanda since 1997, opens its fifth lodge in May. Kibale Lodge will be perfectly positioned for chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park in Uganda, one of the best parks to view chimpanzees in Africa, with a community of 1,500 chimps.
Kibale Lodge will comprise eight deluxe rooms and a villa, plus a spa, sauna and pool. Three deluxe bandas will be open by May and five more by the end of 2024. Hand built by Praveen Moman and the Volcanoes Construction team, Kibale Lodge will bring out the characteristics of a site dominated by a rocky outcrop with stunning views of the Rwenzori Mountains.
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Kibale Lodge is an hour’s drive from the historic hill town of Fort Portal and an hour from the Kasese airstrip, from where there are daily flights to and from Entebbe, and to Volcanoes Safaris’ four other lodges. Kibale Forest, the base for chimpanzee trekking, is a thirty-minute drive from the lodge.
Kokoko Camp – Tanzania
Asilia Africa will welcome its newest Tanzanian camp in July with the opening of Kokoko Camp in the Ruaha National Park. This intimate camp – it only has three tents – puts the focus entirely on the safari experience, keeping the accommodation pared back and simple in style, ensuring nature is the real star of the show. The camp is located in the prime wildlife region of Ruaha, on the banks of the Mwagusi River, at the site which was previously home to Kwihala Camp.
Each of the tents, made from mosquito net mesh to maximise the views, features an en suite bathroom with flush toilet, bucket shower, and hand basin, and a weatherproof cover which can be folded back on clear nights to sleep under the stars. The camp is booked on an exclusive-use basis for up to six guests, who can enjoy exploratory walking safaris, game drives in all-private vehicles, and night drives, star gazing, and dinners surrounded by lanterns in the riverbed.
Serengeti Explorer – Tanzania
Part of the new Explorer by Elena collection, Serengeti Explorer has opened high up in the Nyaboro Hills, offering an alternative between budget and full luxury. Overlooking the its namesake national park, Serengeti Explorer offers easy access to the Great Migration. The property is slightly larger than the existing footprint of the Elewana Collection with 68 well-appointed explorer rooms and six suites. All rooms have a private balcony offering the famed Serengeti views and configurations will cater for couples, friends, families and special groups of all sizes with interconnecting rooms and rooms with wheelchair access.
You’ll dine well at the chef’s table, located within an extensive wine cellar, or at the Boma restaurant with its Swahili signature dishes served under the Serengeti sky. In addition, a main restaurant, poolside bistro and bar and deli and coffee shop serves up a delicious array of dishes celebrating the farm-to-table culture.
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Serengeti Explorer aims to offer guests a fully immersive holiday experience, with a plethora of activities aside from the game drives being introduced. A children’s bushcraft centre will cater to families, whilst an outdoor cinema will show African movie classics as well as more current releases. African culture will also be a central theme of Serengeti Explorer with an art gallery showcasing local talent as well as local crafts available for purchase in the retail centre.
A creative photo studio will be equipped with useful technology and an on-site expert to ensure that guests take away their best images from the experience. Walking safaris with experienced guides will also be available while a stargazing deck with on-site astronomy guide will allow guests to enjoy a galactic night safari under the sparkling African sky.