The Best Luxury Safari Camps in Africa

Africa is home to a dazzling selection of luxury safari camps, each offering guests the opportunity to immerse themselves in unspoilt nature, enjoying magnificent views and a parade of wildlife while staying in total luxury.

While the bedrooms are often vast with the finest linen, the bathrooms sumptuous and amenity filled, and shared spaces adorned with art and beautiful design, the real luxury of an African safari camp is in the experience.

From effortless and intuitive service by the camp team, to incredible food, and an exciting range of activities that get you closer to the wild, each camp has its own unique personality and approach that sets them apart from the rest.

If you’re looking for a luxury safari experience in Africa, there tend to be two primary options. You may be wondering what the difference is between a safari lodge and a safari camp – and often the distinction between the two can be quite subtle.

Generally, lodges tend to be larger with more permanent features, particularly in terms of the roofing and walls. Traditional materials like thatch and stone are often incorporated into the design, blending in with the surrounding landscape.

Camps are usually more intimate and offer an African safari glamping experience, capturing the romance of old-world adventure. There is something incredibly thrilling about sleeping in a luxurious bed with nothing but canvas between you and the wilderness as you listen to the night sounds of lions roaring and hyenas laughing in the distance. In the morning, wake up to birdsong and the beauty of an African sunrise without another soul in sight – except for grazing herds of elephants and journeys of giraffe wandering by. This is a glamping experience like no other.

While safari camps are often in remote locations, there are some incredibly luxurious options available that even rival hotels in terms of the level of comfort, space and indulgence on offer. You can be assured of gourmet dining, pampering wellness experiences and a thrilling array of activities. These are a few of our favourites that we recommend to our guests time and time again.

Loapi Tented Camp (South Africa)

Best for privacy

Designed to evoke a nomadic spirit, Loapi Tented Camp in South Africa’s Tswalu Kalahari Reserve may be tented, but the overall atmosphere more like a grand private home.

The camp has six individual ‘safari homes’, with the smallest spanning over 300 sqm, each spaced at least 50 metres apart from the next to ensure a sense of privacy and solitude. Each operates as a mini camp, complete with spacious tented bedrooms, an interactive kitchen with a private chef, a fully stocked bar, private study with WiFi, plunge pool, fire pit and range of indoor and outdoor living areas.

Little DumaTau (Botswana)

Best for unforgettable elephant sightings

Stylish and elegant, with a sense of off-the-beaten-track exploration, Little DumaTau is the sister of the larger DumaTau, but with the same remarkable view of the scenic Osprey Lagoon.

With easy access to the Linyanti Swamps, Savuti Channel and Linyanti woodlands, the 126,000-hectare reserve surrounding Little DumaTau is home to the greatest habitat diversity in northern Botswana. It attracts an extraordinary diversity of wildlife, including dazzling elephant herds that wander along ancient and submerged trails, along with thrilling predator sightings. With just four rooms in this charming camp, each sophisticated with a private plunge pool, comfortable lounge and a spacious bathroom.

The Highlands (Tanzania)

Best for adventure and activities

Bringing a bold and completely fresh take to the Ngorongoro Crater safari experience, The Highlands is a high-altitude camp comprising eight geodesic tented suites, inspired by the traditional Maasai bomas that pepper the landscape.

Positioned on the slopes of the Olmoti Crater, views extend all the way to the Serengeti. This is the perfect place to discover the wild and pristine Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you can enjoy an array of adventures.

From day-long game drives down to the crater floor, to climbing to the top of Olmoti or a hike down to the soda lake in Empakaai Crater where thousands of pink flamingos congregate – this is a place where you can enjoy unforgettable experiences by day and relive them in the cosiest of environments around a crackling fire followed by a three-course dinner by night.

Mombo Camp (Botswana)

Best for wildlife

Undoubtedly one of the most iconic camps in all of Africa, Mombo is renowned for its unrivalled location in the heart of one of Africa’s most wildlife-dense areas: Chief’s Island in the Okavango Delta.

Known as the ‘Place of Plenty’, game is abundant all year round, with a particular focus on the big cats. At the camp you’ll find eight spacious suites, with no luxury spared more than a touch of indulgence. The design retains the tradition of the original safari camp, raised off the ground to maximise the views.

Each tent includes an indoor lounge area, separate bedroom and bathroom, indoor and outdoor showers, elegant copper bathtub and an outdoor private sala with a double day bed, sunken couch and private plunge pool.

Mara Plains (Kenya)

Best for classic luxury

Situated in one of the most wildlife-rich conservancies in the Maasai Mara, Mara Plains offers a sophisticated safari camp experience, filled with adventure from the moment you walk across its suspended bridge and step into the opulent main area.

The camp is just one of three Relais & Chateaux properties in Kenya, blending excellent wildlife viewing with classic luxury. There are just five suites, each with deep canvas canopied ceilings, rough-hewn wooden floors, Persian rugs, and brass accents including a luxurious free-standing copper bathtub. The result is a camp that evokes a sense of old-world charm, complemented with incredible service and world-class guiding.

Singita Sabora (Tanzania)

Best for contemporary luxury

For those who prefer a more modern aesthetic, you can’t go wrong with Singita Sabora in Tanzania’s 140,000-hectare Grumeti Reserve.

The camp has been designed to create a contemporary interpretation of the quintessential elements that create a romantic luxury tented safari. Light, chic and elegant, each of the nine suites includes a meditation deck, an outdoor sala with daybeds, a private fitness area and an in-room ‘guest deli’ pantry and dining space. All of this is paired with an exceptional Big Five wildlife experience, including access to the route followed by the Great Wildebeest Migration at certain times of the year.

Time+Tide Chinzombo (Zambia)

Best for romance

In an incredibly picturesque location, right on the bend of the Luangwa River, you will find Time+Tide Chinzombo, a beautiful camp that provides privacy, space and award-winning design by one of the most famous architect duos in the safari industry – Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens.

It will be difficult to tear yourself away from your gorgeous luxury safari tent, each with a private pool, soaking tub and panoramic views over the river and its abundant wildlife. At the main lodge, lounge on the sundeck with a book from the library, enjoy dinner under the stars, or sit around the firepit suspended high atop the riverbank.

If you would are ready to set off on an African glamping adventure, then get in touch with our expert travel team on +44 (0) 20 3821 5994 (UK), +1 (833) 215 9353 (US), or at explore@niarratravel.com and begin planning your very own luxury safari camp experience now.