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Luxury African Safaris & Tours
Are you dreaming of a luxury African safari? Picture the scene. The sun is sinking slowly into savannah grasses and the sky is tinged with pink and red streaks. You’re sitting atop a granite rock boulder that’s warm to the touch. A man hands you a gin and tonic and points towards a small group of trees. As if on cue, a pair of lionesses stroll out of hiding. It’s the ultimate African safari fantasy and one that every African safari-goer dreams of living. But just how do you go about organizing an upmarket luxury safari tour? Well, it’s easier than you might think.
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Top Rated Operator
4-Day Manyara, Serengeti & Ngorongoro Luxury Adventure
$1,950 to $2,140 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Lake Manyara NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Savannah Explorers Ltd
5.0/5 – 311 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
4-Day Touch of Wilderness - Luxury
$1,990 to $2,290 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Lake Manyara NP, Southern Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Soul of Tanzania
5.0/5 – 271 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
7-Day Off the Beaten Path - Luxury
$2,010 to $2,590 pp (USD)
Kenya: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Aberdare NP, Samburu NR, Lake Nakuru NP, Masai Mara NR, Nairobi (End)
Spirit of Kenya
5.0/5 – 311 Reviews
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4-Day Right Choice Luxury Safari/Mara and Lake Nakuru
$1,445 to $1,680 pp (USD)
Kenya: Private tourLuxuryTented Camp
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Masai Mara NR, Lake Nakuru NP, Nairobi (End)
Right Choice Tours & Safaris
4.9/5 – 174 Reviews
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7-Day Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro & Serengeti Luxury Safari
$3,001 to $4,210 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Lake Manyara NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Wayfairer Travel
5.0/5 – 100 Reviews
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4-Day Imbali Safari Lodge, Kruger National Park
$1,877 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
BST Tours
4.8/5 – 26 Reviews
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Best Seller
5-Day Kruger & Sabi Safari
$2,928 to $3,326 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Kruger NP, Johannesburg Airport (End)
Discover Africa
5.0/5 – 177 Reviews
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4-Day 5 Star Lukimbi Safari Lodge - Kruger National Park
$1,929 to $2,325 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Nelspruit (Start), Southern Kruger, Nelspruit (End)
Mmilo Tours
5.0/5 – 104 Reviews
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Best Seller
7-Day Safari in South Africa
$3,103 to $3,483 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kapama GR (Greater Kruger), Timbavati NR (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg (End)
Greatest Africa
5.0/5 – 25 Reviews
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8-Day Adventure and Safari
$3,554 to $3,823 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Dullstroom (Town), Panorama Route (Highlight), Songimvelo, Hartbeestpoort, Pilanesberg GR, O.R. Tambo Airport (Johannesburg), Johannesburg (End)
Go Touch Down Travel & Tours
4.9/5 – 68 Reviews
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5-Day Open Vehicle Kruger Park Safari from Luxury Lodge
$1,350 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Shinzelle Safaris
4.9/5 – 43 Reviews
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14-Day South Africa and the Tropics
$9,559 to $10,164 pp (USD)
South Africa & Réunion: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Cape Town (Start), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Saint Gilles (Town & Beach), Sainte-Marie (End)
Timbuktu
5.0/5 – 21 Reviews
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4-Day Luxury Lake Nakuru / Masai Mara Safari
$895 to $1,945 pp (USD)
Kenya: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Lake Nakuru NP, Greater Masai Mara, Nairobi (End)
Explorer Kenya Tours & Travel
5.0/5 – 112 Reviews
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3-Day Fly-in to Bwindi Gorillas Safari
$3,700 pp (USD)
Uganda: Shared tour (max 6 people per group)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Entebbe (End)
Azas Safaris
5.0/5 – 6 Reviews
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3-Day Maasai Mara Safari
$695 to $1,085 pp (USD)
Kenya: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Masai Mara NR, Nairobi (End)
Tekko Tours and Travel
4.8/5 – 92 Reviews
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8-Day Luxury Safari and Beach Holiday
$3,660 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Resort
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Stone Town (Zanzibar), Zanzibar (End)
Tanzania Roadside Expeditions
5.0/5 – 152 Reviews
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4-Day Safari & Private Reserve Highlight
$989 to $1,069 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge & Guest House
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Greater Kruger, Johannesburg (End)
Elephant Herd Tours & Safaris
5.0/5 – 13 Reviews
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6-Day Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli National Park
$1,201 pp (USD)
Kenya: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Masai Mara NR, Lake Nakuru NP, Amboseli NP, Nairobi (End)
Entice Africa Safaris Limited
4.5/5 – 8 Reviews
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3-Day Kapama River Lodge Safari - Greater Kruger
$871 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Hoedspruit (Start), Kapama GR (Greater Kruger), Hoedspruit (End)
Africa Incoming
5.0/5 – 5 Reviews
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10-Day Samburu & Mara Flying Safari
$4,841 to $6,352 pp (USD)
Kenya: Private tourLuxuryTented Camp & Hotel
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Samburu NR, Masai Mara NR, Nairobi (End)
The Safari Partners
5.0/5 – 100 Reviews
6 Questions About Luxury Safari Tours

Answered by
Stuart Butler
Stuart Butler is a travel writer, photographer and author of many guidebooks for Lonely Planet, Rough Guides and Bradt, including guides to Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Tanzania. He has traveled widely in Africa, visited many top-end safari camps and been on a number of luxury safaris.
6 Questions About Luxury Safari Tours

Which African countries have the best choice of luxury safaris?
“Eastern and southern Africa are saturated with luxury top-end safari lodges and camps. Most countries in the region, except for Burundi and South Sudan, offer safaris and top-end accommodation to equal the Hollywood African dream. However, if we had to pick the countries that truly set the standard for a luxury African safari, it would have to be Botswana, Namibia and Kenya. These countries offer a number of luxurious, leading-edge and conservation-minded safari camps. As well, there’s a whole array of top-end safari companies offering exciting, and perhaps even life-altering, safari experiences. Not far behind these three countries in the luxury stakes come South Africa, Tanzania and Rwanda.”
1What is and is not included if I book a luxury safari?
“Almost everything is included in a luxury safari package. Depending on the exact tour that you opt for, you can expect to have two safaris a day as part of your package. There are also other activities on offer, such as walking safaris and boat safaris, where available. All accommodation fees, park entry fees, meals and most alcoholic drinks will be included. What isn’t included in your safari price varies depending on the type of safari and the package you’ve opted for. You might have to pay for transfers between camps and parks. However, in very top-end safaris these are often included as well. You’ll certainly have to pay extra for any internal flights from your airport of arrival to your chosen parks and camps. Visas and airport hotels are also rarely included in the overall package.”
2What are the differences between a luxury and budget safari?
“Don’t be surprised to see safaris costing around US$1,000 a night. A luxury African safari can be eye-wateringly expensive. But if you can afford it, even for just a couple of days, you won’t regret it. A top-end luxury safari is simply the best safari holiday experience you can ever hope to have. You’ll have the best wildlife guides in the business, best accommodation, best vehicles and best food and drink. More than that, you’ll also likely be making a positive and considerable contribution to conservation. Many top-end companies invest a significant percentage of their income into conservation and community development projects. In countries such as Kenya, Botswana and Namibia these safari companies are often leasing land from local communities. They manage that land for the benefit of wildlife. This is called a conservancy. This costs a massive amount of money. You paying to stay at a camp located in one of these wildlife conservancies contributes to the preservation of that land. On a budget safari you get the basics but no extras and no frills. You’ll be camping or staying at budget safari lodges, often outside the parks. The accommodation is simple, and if you’ve booked through a good operator, clean and comfortable. Check out what’s included, so you are clear about any extras you will need to pay for. On game drives, there will probably be more people per vehicle, which can feel crowded. Make an inquiry about the maximum number of people per vehicle.”
3What type of vehicles can I expect?
“All top-end luxury safari camps and lodges use the best-quality safari jeeps. These are highly customized long-wheel-base 4x4s. They will have extra suspension, which gives a fairly smooth ride over even the bumpiest roads. Most will be open-sided and have raised seats. This ensures every safari-goer has a superb view of the animals no matter which side of the vehicle they are on. Those open sides also provide some up-close encounters with curious big cats! Most of the vehicles will have cool boxes filled with drinks, power sockets for charging camera batteries and camera support bases built into the vehicles. The quality of the driver and guide is as important as the quality of the vehicle. On a luxury safari, your driver and guides will be highly trained and have superb wildlife knowledge. Equally, they will be accomplished hosts. You can expect them to always switch off the vehicle engine when you want to see an animal. They will always try and position the vehicle so that you have the best viewing angle of the wildlife. During a safari the best guides will turn and face you when they talk, so that you can hear them clearly.”
4What kind of accommodation can I expect on a luxury safari?
“Some of the top-end safari camps and lodges are among the most exclusive places to stay on Earth. The best camps and lodges will have only a handful of rooms or tents. Six to eight are the norm. This provides exclusivity. Most have a safari-chic look and feel, with high-quality antique arts and crafts, subtle design and, often, a strong colonial style. Don’t expect mod-cons, gyms, spas and so on, though some do offer massages. Quite a few accommodations have small infinity pools, or even private plunge pools. All will offer sundowner drinks and snacks by a firepit, gourmet meals and beautiful settings and views. There’ll also be service that’s second to none.”
5What should I consider when choosing a luxury safari?
“Essentially, you need to think about when you want to go and what you want to see. There are some other things worth considering in order to make your trip that little bit more special. Exactly what sort of accommodation are you after? Some camps are high on the luxury scale, with tents that have in-floor lighting, brass bath taps and a striking design. This can feel a little isolated from the environment. Other camps are relatively down-to-earth and simple but have much more of an authentic bush atmosphere. The other thing to consider is how exclusive you want to go. Will you pay a premium to have a safari vehicle and guide all to yourself? Or are you happy to share with some other camp guests? You can’t really go wrong when booking a top-end, luxury safari. The tour operator will work with you to create a seamless and near-perfect safari experience. Staff at the lodges, safari guides, drivers and camp staff will do all they can to give you the most personalized and memorable safari possible.”
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