6 places for an amazing African safari

There aren’t many travel experiences that top an African safari. They can transport you into a whole new world of beauty, nature and wildlife. This article covers ideas for safaris in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Botswana. Make sure you plan a special safari holiday in 2025!

Safaris in Zimbabwe

Where you’ll stay in Zimbabwe

Mana Pools is a UNESCO World Heritage Site situated along the Lower Zambezi River. It’s a supremely remote and wild location, offering spellbinding vistas from the seasonal camps that open from April to November. In that period, abundant wildlife is attracted to the area. For example, it’s not unusual to have elephants meander through camps daily. 

Renowned for its cathedral-like trees, this is a spellbinding location where you can enjoy the tranquillity from the water’s edge, or bravely canoe the pools to view what is the highest concentration of hippos and crocodiles in the country. You can also take game vehicle drives to seek out buffaloes, lions, leopards and antelopes. The riverbanks offer a birder’s delight, too, with dazzling crimson-coloured carmine bee-eaters.

What to expect on this African safari

You’ll find warm, friendly Zimbabwean people with a positive outlook after years of challenges, including environmental droughts. It’s a destination where you can travel confidently and enjoy the adventure spirit of the place. The meet-and-greet services of luxury safari operator Wilderness are reassuring and efficient, connecting you from airport to lodges. Stay in Chikwenya or Ruckomechi tented camps situated under the shaded banks of the mighty Zambezi river, overlooking countless hippos in the water or, with their comical bodies, grazing on the river banks. The pods of the acacia trees also attract countless elephants. It’s a delight to see them reach their trunks and lifting their heavy bodies to get to this nutritious food source, making for iconic photos typical of the region.

How to extend your experience

After your safari, take a side trip to see the impressive 1.7km-wide Victoria Falls, with its astounding drop of well over a hundred metres, and abundant spray of water that captures striking rainbows. The Zambezi river forms the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, but there’s easy passport control in place, and crossing over the bridge between the two neighbourly countries enables an array of activities from zip-lining to sunset cruises. 

Toka Leya (another worthy camp by Wilderness on the Zambian side) offers river frontage accommodation upstream, away from the fray of the busy towns of Livingston and Victoria Falls, but within reach of all kinds of adventures. For example, embark on specialised guided excursions tracking endangered and protected rhinos, waterfall tours, community or museum visits. You can even a plunge in the infamous Angel’s and Devil’s Pools on the precipice of the falls.

travel@curated-africa.com | curated-africa.com

Safaris in Kenya

Great Plains Conservation’s safari camps are redefining eco-tourism with a seamless blend of safari experiences and conservation. Founded by renowned conservationists Dereck and Beverly Joubert, a stay here provides an intimate and considered experience while contributing to its preservation.

Where you’ll stay in Kenya

There’s a curated array of Relais & Châteaux Réserve and Explorer-Collection camps and lodges to choose from, each one set against a breathtaking Kenyan landscape.

For example, the Mara Plains Camp is in the southern section of the Olare Motorogi Conservancy which borders the northern boundary of the Maasai Mara. The accommodation is designed with deep reds, Lamu wood and brass accents. Mara Nyika Camp offers a safari tented camp with canvas suites beside a small river, while the Mara Expedition Camp has a “back to the classic” safari style. Alternatively, the ol Donyo Lodge has been designed with ancient lava rock from Kilimanjaro.

What to expect on this African safari

Picture waking up to the sight and sounds of 200,000 zebras on their lesser known but important migration. A sight of this magnitude is felt rather than only seen as they graze outside your tent or suite. Imagine dining under a starlit African sky, watching the shimmering constellations and knowing your presence contributes to preserving Kenya’s natural treasures. Expert-led safari drives take you to territorial predators prowling their lands, alongside Kenya’s abundant wildlife. In addition, encounters with the Maasai offer a profound glimpse into a rich heritage, weaving culture, and wilderness into an unforgettable journey.

How to extend your experience

You can select from a range of accommodation options that are set in hectares of protected land. This idea to conserve wildlife, empower local communities and support fragile ecosystems is at the heart of Great Plains, with proceeds from your stay going directly to these programmes and initiatives. It’s a sustainable tourism model where you can have an extraordinary experience and help leave a lasting legacy for future generations.

travel@curated-africa.com | curated-africa.com

Safari holidays in Tanzania

African Wildlife Safaris has been exploring the continent and creating wildlife safari holidays for clients for over 40 years. The team are experts in custom-designed holidays; here we take a look at what you might see and experience on just one of their escorted small-group safaris to Tanzania.

Where you’ll stay

On 14 November this year, join the company’s General Manager and Africa aficionado Anne-Marie Zambelli on a 15-day safari to northern Tanzania’s iconic game parks. The accommodation has been handpicked by Annie so you can enjoy a more intimate adventure. Throughout the trip, you’ll stay in luxury tented camps and lodges. These are all small properties located along rivers or hilltops and close to fantastic game areas.

What to expect on these African safaris

This escorted safari is designed to take advantage of shoulder season pricing while experiencing the wilderness with fewer vehicles. The trip will explore the open plains of the Serengeti, famous for the annual migration of nearly two million wildebeest and zebra. You’ll find lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas and jackals following along too. You’ll also enjoy game drives inside the World Heritage listed Ngorongoro Crater – a volcanic caldera teeming with wild animals – and visit Tarangire National Park with its giant baobab trees. Another highlight is meeting some of the Maasai tribal people who have lived in this region for hundreds of years, herding their cattle amongst the native wildlife.

How to extend your experience

The experts at African Wildlife Safaris can advise on any extensions to this escorted safari, such as a visit to the spice island of Zanzibar or gorilla trekking in Rwanda. As specialists in tailor-made holidays, they know the best wildlife reserves to visit at different times of the year.

A top benefit of picking a company that creates experiences around your needs is that your holiday can be in a style and budget that works for you. You can also avoid the crowds! So there’s no limit to what your Africa adventure could look like, from where you stay to what you get to explore and do. You can also ask them about other destinations in Africa and beyond.

info@awsnfs.com | africanwildlifesafaris.com

Game viewing in Zambia

Time + Tide can take you on a journey to two of the most exceptional regions in Zambia, the South Luangwa and the Lower Zambezi, famed for their wild authenticity.

Here you can go on a boat cruise, game drive or safari walk to catch sight of lions, leopards and other predators in action or resting beneath ancient msikizi trees.

Where you’ll stay in Zambia

There are various properties you can choose from to explore this part of the park. They’re all inspired by the surroundings, with an added touch of luxury. One highly recommended option is named after a type of tree that grows near camp: Time + Tide Chinzombo is a modern bush safari camp made with natural materials. There are six spacious luxury safari tents, with two-bedroom and two-bathroom options for large families. During the heat of the day, lounge on your shaded verandah or have a swim in your private pool, while watching wildlife wander to the river for a cool down.

What to expect on this safari holiday

The area around the property is rich with wilderness and wildlife sightings, from elephant herds, prides of lions and a large leopard population to packs of endangered wild dogs. Needless to say, the game viewing here is fantastic.

During your stay, game drives take place in the cool of the morning and evenings, which allows you plenty of time to relax or choose to explore more! One way to do this is by combining a walking safari of the South Luangwa to the Lower Zambezi’s dramatic landscape. During this experience, you can also go on a boating safari and canoeing.

How to extend your experience

On top of exploring Zambia’s natural beauty and wildlife, you can learn about the region’s warm and welcoming culture. Zambia is a country that is dedicated to protecting some of the world’s best-kept destinations, and it has always been renowned for its expert safari guides.

While you are relaxing between experiences, take a sip at the lodge bar while browsing through a special selection of collected books and photos. When you return to camp at night, you can delight in a dinner under the stars made with fresh produce grown by Time + Tide or sit around the suspended fire pit, high atop the river bank.

Special offer: Spend seven nights on safari, and receive one complimentary night’s accommodation.

travel@timeandtideafrica.com | timeandtideafrica.com

South African safaris

Samara Karoo Reserve is a conservation-first destination restoring an entire ecosystem. By staying here, guests directly support re-wilding, habitat restoration and species protection, ensuring a lasting impact.

Where you’ll stay in South Africa

Samara offers three distinct stays, each designed to immerse guests in the Great Karoo. Karoo Lodge blends comfort with old-world charm, featuring wrap-around summery verandas and cosy winter fireplaces. The Manor, an exclusive-use villa, is a private retreat, ideal for families or groups seeking space and seclusion. For a truly off-grid experience, Plains Camp offers tented luxury in the vast plains of Camdeboo, where lantern light, open skies and nature replace modern distractions.

What to expect on game drives and walks

Guests at Karoo Lodge and The Manor set out on two daily excursions – one at sunrise and another at sunset – on game drives or guided bush walks. A highlight is tracking cheetahs on foot, a thrilling encounter with the world’s fastest land mammal. Wildlife sightings vary, from black rhinos and giraffes by day to nocturnal aardvarks at dusk.

At Plains Camp, walking safaris provide an immersive connection to the bush, revealing the land’s hidden details and fostering a deeper understanding of the ecosystem.

How to extend your experience on this safari holiday

Unwind with a daytime picnic overlooking the iconic landscape, relaxing at the lodge pool, and taking sundowners on the plains. As night falls, the stillness of the Karoo takes over, with only the crackle of the fire and a sky dense with stars.

Meals feature local flavours and seasonal ingredients, best enjoyed under the open sky or around the boma with a glass of fine South African wine.

reservations@samara.co.za | samara.co.za

Botswana safari lodges

Luxury hospitality and conservation company Wilderness offers a selection of incredible lodges in the Natural Wonder of the World that is the Okavango Delta. Under the tree canopy, on the edge of picture-perfect floodplains bristling with water-loving wildlife, is Wilderness Tubu Tree: A Treetop Hideaway, located on an Okavango island. Elsewhere, DumaTau is a lodge set along the Linyanti River, offering a superb safari experience in the heart of elephant country. Positioned between two major elephant corridors, this camp provides front-row seats to viewing Africa’s largest elephant herds as they traverse ancient pathways, frolic in the water, and feast on waterlilies.

Where you’ll stay in Botswana

Tubu Tree provides a retreat tucked deep within the heart of Hunda Island. Elevated among towering jackalberry and marula trees, the camp features elegant tented suites on raised platforms, each with private deck and panoramic views stretching across the floodplains. The newly reimagined suites offer a serene sanctuary, where comfort and nature merge, serving as an extension of the wild inspiration just outside.

Duma Tau, meanwhile, has eight expansive tented suites, each with its own private plunge pool. They’re elevated on wooden walkways mere steps from where wildlife wanders peacefully through camp. Inside, the interiors, crafted from hand-laid mosaic tiles, rich acacia wood and locally sourced textiles, beautifully capture the spirit of the Linyanti, one of Botswana’s most cherished wildlife havens.

What to expect on this safari holiday

The Okavango Delta has a rich and diverse habitat. You’ll most likely start the day with a family of elephants coming into camp. Then you’ll head out on game drives to spot lions, leopards, hyenas, wildebeest, giraffes and endangered wild dogs. Small aircraft flights between lodges provide a remarkable perspective of this natural marvel. The waterscapes below are captivating.

How to expand the experience

Take to the water on a mokoro to float past hippos, reed frogs, kingfishers and more. If you’d like to see the Delta from an elevated perspective, you can also organise a helicopter safari. More options include birding with wilderness guides, or catch-and-release fishing. For birders, there are well over 450 bird species that thrive here. If you’re lucky, you may catch sight of an elusive Pel’s fishing-owl.

travel@curated-africa.com | curated-africa.com

More on Curated Africa

Curated Africa is a travel company that designs inspirational, bespoke journeys to awe-inspiring natural locations in Africa, for those embarking on their first safari or seasoned visitors looking to discover new untamed places.

Over two decades of travel writing, Curated Africa’s founder Lara had many readers reach out for first-hand advice on destinations. This gave her the idea of offering unique, individually-tailored Africa recommendations aimed at multinational travellers.

“On a safari, personal wildlife encounters form the intimate memories of your journey,” says Lara. “The experience is further  defined  by the landscape, enhanced by the design of the lodges you stay in, and enriched by the cultures and personalities of the people you meet.”

Lara recommends lodges and service providers that she has experienced first-hand. Amongst her trusted recommendations are Great Plains, Samara, Time + Tide, Wilderness Safaris and AWSNF.

A childhood of family safaris sparked a passion in Lara for wildlife and conservation. This extended to travel writing for international publications. Having personally visited nearly 50 lodges in Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, she’s well placed to guide your booking of a superb safari experience. Lara is Africa based, connected with people in the industry and able to source favourable packages and promotions. And, having lived as an expat abroad, she understands and can address the concerns of foreign travellers.

Lara’s safari highlights:

“Among my most memorable safari sightings was the birth of a baby elephant. A trio of elephant midwives surrounded the mother, kicking up dust to hide the vulnerable new arrival. Additional elephants then formed a barrier line between our viewing vehicle and the mother. Astounding! When the baby got to its feet, its little trunk raised to smell its new world, the rest of the herd appeared out of the vegetation, trumpeting in greeting and celebration. Then, as if nothing had happened, the baby joined the herd and they vanished into the vegetation again. It still gives me goosebumps to recall!

“Another time, we watched a male leopard intently following a scent. To our delight, he found what he was looking for: a female leopard reclining high in the boughs of a sausage tree. He scaled this effortlessly, but she wasn’t interested in his arduous attention. A mighty cat fight broke out above our vehicle, with leaves and fruit crashing down, while the two leopards lashed at each other, balancing as if on a tightrope. The ferocious standoff left them clinging to branches only by their claws! The female then chased her suitor off down the trunk of the tree. He slunk away, unsuccessful in his endeavours on this occasion.”

travel@curated-africa.com | curated-africa.com

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