South Africa’s Best Safari Parks and Camps
At a safari lodge on a private reserve, you’ll find hotel amenities like pools, spas, and gyms in the middle of the wilderness. You’ll also indulge in gourmet meals and go on game drives with professionally trained guides. Located mostly on the western outskirts of Kruger National Park, these private camps don’t have fences, so you’ll see the same wildlife here that you would in the greater park. Many have airstrips for charter flights, but are also accessible by ground transfers from regional airports should private planes not be in your budget. If you’re traveling with young kids, be sure to check whether your lodge has a minimum age policy—some properties don’t allow children under six years old.
andBeyond Ngala Private Game Reserve, Timbavati, 1380, South Africa
The &Beyond Ngala Safari Lodge is located on the Ngala Private Game Reserve, an unfenced private concession wedged between the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve and Kruger National Park. &Beyond leases the land from World Wildlife Fund...
Avoca Road, Thornybush Private Game Reserve, Hoedspruit, 1380, South Africa
Royal Malewane is a five-star lodge located on the 34,594-acre Thornybush Private Game Reserve within the Greater Kruger National Park region. Already quite glamorous, it underwent a refurbishment in 2018 and, in addition to several structural...
South Africa
Zulu for “protector of all living things,” Londolozi was established on the banks of the Sand River in the late 1920s. The founding owners were some of the first to promote photographic safaris, a theme that continues to this day since...
Sabi Sands Game Reserve, Kruger National Park, Hazyview, 1242, South Africa
An award-winning hotel company, Singita is lauded not only for its luxurious properties but also for its dedication to the environment and uplifting communities. To reach Singita Boulders Lodge, guests can fly direct from Johannesburg to Sabi Sand...
Ehlanzeni, 1260, South Africa
If you have your sights set on seeing the Big Five, then MalaMala Game Reserve is the place to be—it’s said that 98 percent of guests spot these illustrious animals over a two-night stay. One of the largest private game reserves in...
andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve, 3936, South Africa
The landscape surrounding Phinda Private Game Reserve is totally different from what you’ll experience in Kruger, Madikwe, or the Kalahari. Here, moisture from the Indian Ocean breathes life into gently rolling hills; flat, grassy wetlands...
Ottos Bluff Rd, Chase Valley, Pietermaritzburg, 3231, South Africa
Karkloof Safari Villas is the kind of luxury lodge you only find out about through word-of-mouth. A 45-minute drive from Pietermaritzburg airport, it’s tucked in the heart of KwaZulu-Natal Province, surrounded by rugged terrain, a wide...
Agert Pakhuis Pass, Clanwilliam, 8135, South Africa
Bushmans Kloof is a boutique wellness resort located in South Africa’s Cederberg Mountains. Just three hours north of Cape Town, the lodge sits on one of eight UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Cape Floral plant kingdom, surrounded by...
