Safari destinations you may not have thought of…but you should
Jack’s Camp is the only safari camp in Africa that has a swimming pool tent…and a tea tent!
Jack’s camp, botswana
If I said Botswana safari to you, the Okavango Delta may spring to mind. And rightly so, because this vast inland river system is arguably the best place for game viewing in the whole world. If you’re planning a safari, you should absolutely include the Okavango Delta in your itinerary.
But you probably knew that already. What you might not have thought about, is pairing a trip to the delta with a few days in Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, the remnants of an enormous super-lake that used to cover most of Southern Africa and a place like nowhere else on Earth. It’s remote and otherworldly; a sparse desert that’s teeming with wildlife.
Right at the heart of Makgadikgadi is Jack’s Camp, an incredibly glamorous grand dame of safari lodging that’s just one of three in a one million acre private wildlife reserve. Looking for social distancing...voila!
If you’re after wildlife, you won’t be disappointed - the reserve is home to a rich community of zebra, wildebeest, springbok, steenbok, elephant, brown hyena, oryx, Kalahari lion and cheetah...and some of the most experienced guides in the country. But a trip to Jack’s is about more than game viewing - it’s about discovering your freedom, in your own way, whether that’s flying across the plains on a quad bike, on horseback or by your own 2 feet on a bushman’s walk.
Back to the camp, Jack’s is the only camp in Africa that features a swimming pool tent...and a tea tent...and its own Natural History Museum tent featuring ancient local artefacts collected by the owner’s family over decades, as well as a pool table and a well-stocked drinks chest. Jack’s is all about proper 1940s campaign style decadence. If you want to feel like somebody, in a place surrounded by absolutely nobody, this is the place for you.
Jack’s Camp is the place for you if you like:
Genuine adventure
Going somewhere your friends haven’t been to
Luxury with a twist
Safari all year round
Jack’s Camp is a year-round destination. Head there from April to October to experience the desert as you know it. Or visit from November until March when the rains come and the parched earth is transformed into emerald green grasslands.
Like the sound of this? Get in touch
Mfuwe Lodge was built on an ancient elephant path…but it doesn’t deter them!
Mfuwe lodge, zambia
What happens when you come between an elephant and its favourite food? The founders of Mfuwe in Zambia did just that when they unwittingly built their lodge over a traditional elephant path back in 1998. No one was quite sure what the outcome would be but happily the elephants were completely unfazed by the upgrade in their stomping ground.
So if you visit Mfuwe between late November and the end of December you might well encounter one, or even ten elephants casually wandering through the lodge’s lobby en route to find the juicy wild mangoes that grow in the grounds beyond.
This is the only place in the world where elephants get so freely close to humans. Which is even more remarkable given that Mfuwe is located just inside the South Luangwa National Park and under an hour’s drive from the international airport. But despite how easy it is to get to, when you arrive you’ll feel instantly deep in the bush; far from humans but right in the heart of a community prolific with game.
It’s hard to feel FOMO when you’re at Mfuwe, because whether you’re lounging by the pool, or enjoying the peace of your chalet’s own private deck with a book from the library, the reserve’s wildlife will never be far away; look up at any point and you’ll see a constant stream of giraffe, antelope, buffalo and crocodiles visiting the lodge’s lagoon. Ready for adventure? There are game drives or guided walks to suit every taste, led by experienced and incredibly knowledgeable guides. Just want to relax? Settle in a comfortable spot in the library or head to the Bush spa for treatments inspired by the rhythm of the bush. Whatever you decide to do with your time at Mfuwe Lodge, it will be a good choice.
Mfuwe is the place for you if want to:
Get really close to nature without having to trek too far
Experience elephants in a way you won’t anywhere else in the world
To take a safari at your pace
Sound appealing? Get in touch
At Kwandwe you don’t need to worry about your kids spoiling someone else’s honeymoon
Kwandwe, south africa
Safari is incredibly romantic. Which is why it’s a brilliant option for a honeymoon. But when you’ve got kids, or a rabble of friends in tow, it might not make for the most comfortable co-existence with the loved-up couples who happen to be there at the same time as you.
If this is your predicament, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve in South Africa might be for you. The reserve is home to six, award-winning safari lodges, villas and camps, all with completely different vibes so everyone can enjoy themselves. The understated but incredibly chic villas are spot on for families, or groups of friends travelling together and if you take one of the villas on an exclusive use basis you can plan your safari around you and your group, which is handy if you’ve got differing interests and needs. Also worth a note is that kids of all ages can go on game drives here, which is unusual for many reserves where there’s normally a lower age limit.
There are other reasons why Kwandwe deserves a nod in this round up. Firstly, its location. Kwandwe lies in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, which is a relative newcomer to the safari map compared to the stalwart Kruger. This is partly because the parks and reserves in this part of the country are smaller than their northern counterparts. But as with most things, quality triumphs over quantity; the former farmlands of Kwandwe are rich in biodiversity, and a celebration of conservation as home to endangered species including black and white rhino, and cheetah.
Expect to get your hands dirty if you head to Kwandwe; guests are very much encouraged to get involved in the reserve’s conservation work during their stay. So if you want to inspire your children with a lifelong passion and support for conserving nature, this would be a pretty brilliant place to start.
Kwandwe is the place for you if you:
Are travelling with young children or teenagers
Like your own space on safari
Are combining your safari with other experiences in South Africa
Making you think about safari for your next trip? Get in touch
Arijiju is one of the most beautiful houses in Africa but it is more than just a pretty face.
Arijiju, Kenya
Arijiju might be the most amazing place you’ve ever seen. Let alone been. It’s one of the most beautiful houses in Africa, that’s all there is to it.
Except that it isn’t. Arijiju isn’t just a very pretty face (more on that later). Meaning ‘house on the hill’ in Maasai, Arijiju is a private house that sits in the rolling Kenyan hills of the Borana Conservancy. Unlike most reserves which are pristine in their wilderness and notable for lack of human life, Borana is both a working cattle ranch, traversed by nomadic Maasai with their cows and goats, and also a wildlife sanctuary. Arijiju sits at the heart of this successful conservation model and the owners work with local properties and communities to protect Borana’s wildlife and migration corridors.
If you’re planning a much awaited post-pandemic reunion with family or friends, you will completely knock it out of the park if you choose Arijiju.
The house itself is a marvel of modern architecture with Ethopian and Swahili influences throughout that make it feel like it’s been there forever. With only five suites, it is available for private use only, so choose nine of your favourite people and get ready to experience Africa like you have never before.
Picture sun-trapped garden courtyards leading to a waterhole-overlooking infinity pool. Imagine curling up with a book in a bright and airy library. Take a break in the cinema room, charming spa or the hot tub, or get competitive in the games room or gym. You’ll eat like kings and queens too - whether that’s a leisurely lunch on the sunny terrace, a rustic picnic in the bush or a decadent safari dinner.
The beautiful thing about having the place to yourself is that there’s no schedule. You can take private game drives or walking safaris in the game-rich conservancy whenever you fancy. You can explore the vast area by mountain bike, quad bike, horseback or even by helicopter if you’re feeling flush, for incredible views of Mount Kenya.
We’ve all spent a year simultaneously dodging people and missing human touch. I can’t think of anywhere better to reconnect with the people I love than this showstopper of a house in the most magical of places.
Heading there with friends? Go in January or February when it's hot and dry. Taking the kids? July and August are a great bet.
Arijiju is the place for you if you want to:
Knock it out of the park for your next family reunion or celebratory get together with friends
To enjoy safari on your terms and your schedule
Experience successful conservation in action
Enjoy complete isolation from other people
Fancy an awesome trip with your favourite people? Get in touch
Peer over the infinity pool at Jabali Ridge to see for miles
ruaha national park and jabali ridge, tanzania
If you prefer the company of animals and birds to people, the wilderness of a game reserve may strongly appeal. But choosing the right spot anywhere in Africa can be a gamble; new lodges are popping up across the continent’s most popular reserves, which can make even the most exclusive of spots feel quite busy.
There are still remote corners to be discovered, you just need to know where to look. Ruaha National Park bang in the middle of Tanzania is one of them. It’s a good rule of thumb that where there aren’t many people you’ll find plenty of wildlife so if you head to the Great Ruaha River you’ll enjoy a private viewing of elephants frollicking with the little ones and thirsty waterbuck, impala and gazelle splashing about on the riverbank. Of course the predators are never far behind, so get the binoculars out and you’ll spot a lion or leopard prowling watchfully, maybe a cheetah lying in wait for his moment to pounce, or a Jackal skulking about.
Stay at Jabali Ridge, a rather stylish camp set on an outcrop overlooking the Mwagusi River and Ikuka escarpment. The camp is built in and around huge granite boulders with buildings on stilts connected by wooden walkways; which given the camp’s already elevated position enhances what are already ridiculously special views. Top tip, ask for room one - it has the best sunrise!
If you’re going all that way, I’d recommend combining Ruaha with a stay in the Serengeti or Zanzibar...or even both...go on!
Ruaha and Jabali Ridge is the place for you if you want to:
Get away from the crowds
Enjoy the gentle rhythm of nature
Experience a completely new safari setting
Plan an epic African adventure
For the best game viewing, June to November is a good time to go when the weather is hot and dry. However, if you’re snap happy, grab your camera and head out between November and April when the rains transform the savannah into sparkling green grasslands.
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