36 Best safari camps and lodges for unforgettable safaris

The oldest elephant camp on the continent, Abu specialises in elephant-back safaris, and allows incredible interactions between guests and these imposing beasts. The camp’s small herd of resident elephants is trained to transport guests through the surrounding Okavango Delta, so they can spot game from above.

This is the best African camp for seeing elephants up close – they have been handled here for more than two decades, so guides know what they’re doing. The Big Five can be seen in the area, among lots of other game – and you can take water safaris by local mokoro boat.

Camp decor is cool, contemporary and understated, decorated in shades of greys and creams, its furnishings made of light woods, leather and rattan, its textiles natural. The communal living space is spacious and airy, and houses a good library (with lots of books on elephants). Interiors are African-themed, but not traditional or particularly local: chandeliers made of shells, walls decorated with black and white photographs. Each tent has a deck overlooking the Delta with beautiful views, shaded by large jackalberry and fig trees. One suite has a private pool.

It’s one of the area’s most expensive camps, thanks to its exclusive set-up – just six A-frame tents on 180,000 private hectares, set high on wooden decks overlooking the Delta. As such, Abu regularly hosts presidents, royalty and Hollywood glitterati, who come for some of the best food, wine and service available in Botswana.

One of the most child-friendly camps in Africa: unpretentious, relaxed and ideal for first-timers safari-goers who want a slightly gentler experience.

Waterberg is a pretty area, with gentle hills, pretty forests and a couple of rivers. It’s tranquil, rather than stunning. There’s no elephant or lion – so it can feel a little tame.

Because it’s a former family bush home, it’s full of colourful, informal living spaces and child-friendly spots (from a pool, trampoline and sandpits to stables with 70 horses). The staff are brilliant with children, taking them on bug trails, spoor-tracking lessons, riding trails and even feeding them supper.

There are big hot baths for relaxing after horse rides but otherwise rooms are roomy, colourful and comfortable, rather than super-luxurious – ideal for families. The lodge is owner-run, and the staff exude the same warmth and friendliness. It’s a happy, relaxed place, though always full of children – which is not every holidaymaker’s dream.

This classic tented safari camp is on one of the loveliest and most game-rich spots on the Zambezi River. It’s owned by the Cumings – one of the first families to live in this area and highly respected for their standards of service and conservation.

The tents are among the most spacious, comfortable and luxurious in Africa, with treats such as river views from both bed and bath. The double-storey thatched bar deck offers some of the most beautiful views, and is a wonderful place to watch elephants swim while sipping a G&T. Sunsets on the Zambezi are spectacular, as are the stars.

The Zambezi is still wild and very beautiful, and Chiawa is scenically located right on its shores.

On the peaceful Chongwe River, a few minutes from the busier Zambezi, this property (four bedrooms, sleeping eight) is the most architecturally innovative safari house in Africa – a thatched, Gaudi-esque creation with a pool, shaded deck and big living areas for families to spread out.

Because it’s right on the riverbank, elephants and hippos often stroll by, while beautiful birds flit through the trees. There’s an ‘out in the bush’ feel, with the security of a house.

Treats include waterfall showers, private guides and chefs and excellent game sightings, from bee-eaters to some of the Big Five beasts.

The chef, the guides and the staff are all privately hired, so the entire experience can be tailor-made, from meals to times of activities – the big draw is not having to wake and live by a set safari-lodge schedule.

It’s ideal for private groups who want something a bit different.

Game in Sabi Sand is among the best in South Africa – the Big Five, plus leopard and sometimes wild dog – and Earth Lodge is the most striking of the four lodges here.

A futuristic eco-friendly building, it features rooms built into the earth, enormous cool open spaces and a contemporary design that marries local trees, rocks and geography with cutting-edge architecture.

There is no other camp like it in South Africa: built into the soil, its dome roofs peeking out from beneath the grass. Views are not therefore amazing, however, the bush around is pretty, with plenty of trees, streams and water features, and a Zen Garden for meditation.

Although this camp is architecturally cutting edge, it is still very African: its walls are plastered in local earth, light fittings are created from branches, and bedheads are carved from tree trunks.

Each large room is decorated in earth tones, and has its own plunge pool, living area, and verandah on which dinners can be served (some overlooking the watering hole). Private dinners can be also organised by a fire in the boma, by the watering hole or in the wine cellar.

The butler service, wine cellar and gourmet food make this a foodie destination camp, and there’s a spa for post-safari pampering.

On the top of a hill (or kopje), just above George Adamson’s former camp in the Meru National Park, and named after his lioness, Elsa, this place rarely disappoints.

Accommodation is rustic, but über-stylish – the perfect combination of ethnic, natural and open-plan and luxurious. The décor is ethnic but not overdone: Persian rugs mixed with local sculpture, plus deep baths with views. Luxuries are not the point here – although there is every comfort one could wish for. It’s how you’d want a bush home to be.

There are volcanoes on the horizon, bush beneath your feet, a relaxing and homely environment to relax in, including a library, a pool and big viewing decks to look out from. The pool here is set on the side of a hill, overlooking the bush, so is an ideal space to float in and watch the bushworld go by. The camp is blessed with far-reaching views.

There is plenty to do here, from bushwalks to night and day drives, cultural visits, and a day trip to a river to go fishing. The cuisine is always applauded and the guides are top-notch. It’s where safari-lovers go for a rich dose of fine life, and fine creature-watching without crowds. Elsa’s is the only operational camp in the Meru, so it feels like a reserve of your own.

Jack’s Camp is the most glamorous desert camp in Africa, offering colonial-style luxuries in the middle of a 4,000sq km private concession.

Safaris here are not about the Big Five, but rather the vast, extraordinary desert landscapes; experiences include tracking the enormous black-maned lion, sitting with meerkat, and desert quad-biking.

Once the bed of Africa’s biggest lake, the area is now littered with Stone Age tools – so its geology and archaeology is as fascinating as its fauna and flora.

Tents are spacious, furnished with antiques and four-poster beds, are upholstered in rich desert colours; they’re set far apart and overlook the Makgadikgadi Pans. Bathrooms have both an indoor and outdoor shower and handmade WC disguised as an armchair.

Food here is extremely good. Extra treats include a tea tent, floored with Persian carpets and cushions; delicious sweet and savoury treats for tea; and a tea tray delivered right to your bed in the morning.

You have to like desert landscapes: the camp looks out over golden savannah grass, and salt pans, but not much else. It’s splendid isolation, and space so vast you can see the Earth’s curvature.

This luxurious but rustically-designed camp sits away from the crowds, in a 60,000-hectare private concession in the northwest of Botswana’s Okavango Delta.

It specialises in water-based activities – you can head out on safaris by traditional mokoro (a wooden longboat) and speedboat – while onshore game drives take you to Handa Island, where the local game comes to graze.

It’s an exclusive set-up: there are six twin tents, two king-size tents and a family tent for up to five guests. Rooms are extremely comfortable, situated on raised decks with pretty views over the water, and decor is relaxed and neutral, featuring wood, natural fibres and ethnic accessories – it feels like you’re in the African bush.

Each room has a private outdoor ‘sala’, an outdoor living room that’s well-cushioned, set beneath trees and ideal for lazing about in the afternoon – or Champagne in the evening.

There’s a romantic vibe, and plenty of treats for urbanites, too: a full spa, a gym, two pools, and very good food and wine. Romantic treats include couples’ spa treatments, champagne dinners or private dining set up in scenic spots.

Big cat lovers should head here to see lion prides up close (they’re tracked by the camp, so they know where to look) and leopards protecting their cubs.

This private conservancy, bordering the Maasai Mara National Park, with just 11 camps in 74,000 acres, offers Mara game viewing and the chance to experience the wildebeest migration – without the crowds. Game here is prolific – particularly during the wildebeest migration – and often passes right through this tented camp.

The camp’s style is as impressive as the game viewing. Tents are enormous, with plenty of space from which to take in the views. Food is fresh, delicious and well-presented; on request they will pack picnics for breakfast, lunch or dinner in the bush.

It’s an exceptional traditional tented safari experience, with good food and guiding, and some unique extras like fly camping, hot air balloon trips and local Maasai village tours.

Built on one of the most magnificent sites in the northern Serengeti, the Kogakuria Kopje, Lamai overlooks the area’s rolling grasslands – through which the great migration pours from July to October.

The Big Five are regularly spotted on game drives, and leopards and lions often roam the camp (hence the presence of Maasai guards with huge spears).

Rooms have been moulded around the giant rocks on the kopje, cleverly hidden in the bush to be as unobtrusive as possible. Each has a different view and shape. They feel capacious, with inviting, mosquito-netted beds – and have enough distance between them to feel cut-off and romantic, even though it’s only a five-minute walk from the furthest room to the lodge centre.

There are 12 rooms – eight set on one side of the camp, four on another for small groups who want privacy. Private ‘family’ lodges have their own pool, living space and dining areas. Interiors are simple, natural Tanzanian textures, colours and fibres: creams and tans with dazzling Masai colours in accessories, local art and tribal designs.

The rooms sit on wooden platforms – each with its own deck to enjoy views in private. Views from all rooms are stonking: over thousands of miles of bush, with windows perfectly placed to take in the sunrise from bed.

This rare Botswana camp has a bit of everything: water-based activities, game drives and walking safaris – and a wondrous setting in a northern private concession of the Okavango Delta, teeming with birds and spectacular animals.

Set on an island in a pretty part of the Okavango, surrounded by beautiful trees and peaceful water channels, its tents are simple but comfortable, with indoor and outdoor showers – luxury is not the point here.

Being so small, it feels quiet and intimate – with communal meals providing a bit of company – and service is relaxed and happy. The intimate feel is a big plus – it never feels crowded here (other than with elephant and buffalo). The food is homemade and fresh, and the wildlife viewing exceptional.

There is no other spot like this: set on an escarpment above 60,000 acres of Kenyan bush.

The stone and thatch lodge feels unpretentious and homely, but has luxuries from tennis courts, croquet lawns and a pool to star beds and a spa. A wilderness in which one can indulge the soul – watching stars, treating the body in the spa, and working off excesses on bike rides, camel treks, canoe trips and bush walks.

There are three accommodation options – luxury bedrooms in the main lodge, the tented camp, and ‘star beds’ – four-poster beds you can wheel out onto viewing platforms. The star beds feel safe, and let you enjoy bush sounds, smells and sights.

As well as the main lodge, Loisaba has a private house (once the home of an Italian countess and beautifully decorated with locally-made furniture), suitable for two couples, and a cottage that sleeps eight. Each has a private pool, staff and vehicles.

All ages are welcome. Malaria risk is low.

Much of the camp is angled around the views: dining is on a deck with a 180-degree panorama; rooms in the main lodge have French windows that open onto a private deck; and the spa has treatment tents and pools from which to contemplate the landscape.

The property looks south to Mount Kenya, and over the waterhole below. There can be few places with views as spectacular as those from Loisaba’s escarpment. And somehow, from a bubble-filled tub or a lounger after a relaxing massage, they seem even more inspiring.

Londolozi has been a safari camp for eight decades, passed on through generations of the Varty family. Situated in 14,000 private hectares of the 56,000-hectare Sabi Sand Game Reserve, bordering the Kruger National Park, it’s known for its Big Five sightings, especially leopard.

There are five top-notch but differing camps aligned on the banks of the Sand River, offering a range of options from the uber-luxurious (and expensive) Private Granite Suites to the more family-oriented Varty Camp and Founders Camp.

Interiors are among the chicest in Africa: all monochrome, with beautiful tribal pieces offsetting modern linen sofas and elegant, understated four-posters.

There’s a strong spirit of conservation and community involvement, driven by passionate family owners, and food, service and style are all five star.

This architecturally innovative, two-storey bush house was built by safari experts Robin and Jo Pope using stone, thatch and the trunks of 25 leadwood trees. A castle-like retreat that’s completely open to the bush, it has large, mosquito-net-draped beds and huge baths, and overlooks a waterhole in an area that is often dry – so animals love this spot.

Game is excellent – it’s one of the best safari spots in Zambia – and there’s Big Five except rhino. Thorneycroft’s giraffe and Crawshay’s zebra – not found anywhere else – are found here, as well as the biggest concentrations of elephant and hippo in southern Africa.

You’re really connected with the elements here, with animals all around, so the night noises are often glorious, from elephants smashing trees to hyenas cackling under the moonlight. Views through the open-plan, double-height living room, overlooking the watering hole, are very pretty, and from the plunge pool, you can watch elephants drink while wallowing.

It’s brilliant value for four couples or a family who want to see fantastic Zambian wildlife, while staying in style and privacy. As this is a private rental, your group gets all the expertise of a Robin Pope Safari – but none of the other guests.

Robin Pope Safaris has been operating in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park for more than 30 years – and understands what is essential to a great safari (friendly staff, superb guiding, good food and lodging) and what is not (western luxuries).

Nkwali, one of Pope’s three South Luangwa camps, has six comfortable, rustic thatch and bamboo rooms, all with stunning views over the Luangwa River.

There’s fantastic wildlife in the area, from leopards, lions and elephants to unusual birds (including the Pel’s Owl). Sadly though, there’s no rhino in the South Luangwa; they have been poached out.

While the camp does have little treats, such as a swimming pool, riverside bar, and meals served in the bush, it isn’t a designer retreat – you’re here for the experience rather than the creature comforts.

Sleeping up to eight, this designer villa in South Africa’s Phinda Game Reserve feels like stepping into a glossy magazine, in the middle of the African bush. This is the game reserve the USA’s wealthy Getty family calls home – and the Homestead is furnished with the same pizazz as their property, with lashings of contemporary style and luxury.

Phinda Homestead is located in the subtropical northern KwaZulu-Natal, close to the Indian Ocean (and breeding ground of endangered turtles).

The 57,000-acre reserve was restored from farmland in 1991 and is now provides sanctuary to a wide range of endangered wildlife. There are seven ‘biomes’ on the property, so the vegetation – and thus the creatures – are extremely varied. It’s great for a first safari, to see all the game.

Although the decor is slick and service slick, the atmosphere is relaxed, with smiling, can-do staff, guides who can arrange helicopter trips to the beach or sunset drinks on a private hilltop. Ideal for the visitor who loves urban luxuries, but wants a Big Seven safari experience.

The Getty-financed Phinda, featuring four camps spread over 23,000 private hectares of the Phinda Private Game Reserve boasts not only the Big Seven – but whales too along the coast.

There are seven ‘biomes’ on the property, so the vegetation – and thus the creatures – are extremely varied. Great for a first safari, to see all the game.

Rock Lodge is the smallest and most intimate, offering a chance to see both conservation and community in action, as well as go on a slickly-run safari. It’s a small, intimate, and cosy cliff-top camp.

Architecture is more Mexican than African, but when you’re on the cliffside, looking from the balcony, it doesn’t matter. The views are gorgeous.

Rooms are spacious, comfortable and have all the basics, including a private balcony with plunge pool and outdoor showers which offer one of the best bathroom views anywhere.

On a private concession in the heart of the Okavango Delta, bordering the Moremi Game Reserve, Pom Pom offers a full Delta experience – at half the price of many other camps. Big game can be sparse though – for the Big Five you need to go to nearby Moremi – but the wildlife is diverse.

Set on a pretty lagoon right in the Delta, the main lodge is thatched, homely and comfortable, with nine en-suite tented rooms with pretty decks overlooking the water. Tents are medium-sized and simply furnished – but have hot showers (partially open to the skies), and there’s a small pool in which to cool off on boiling summer days.

Although not a luxurious camp, the food is surprisingly good (and the carrot cake at tea is particularly scrumptious). Staff are friendly. The kitchen staff make a real effort to make meals special, with prettily-laid tables and polished lamps.

This small, opulent game lodge, in a private game reserve outside the western Kruger National Park, is for those who want to see the ‘Big Five’ while staying in extreme luxury.

The food is gourmet, the wine lists extensive and the guides renowned – not to mention the spa, which is one of the best anywhere in the bush.

Dinners can be set up by the boma (fire pit), on private decks, or in the bush – ideal for honeymooners.

The setting isn’t particularly special and no real views; guests go for the camp, not the views. Although an opulent lodge, this was built to blend into the bush, using thatch, stone and wood. Spacious indoor and outdoor living areas feature beautifully designed interiors: Persian carpets, African art, four-poster beds and lavish bathrooms.

This stylish but rustic camp has nabbed the most beautiful spot in Africa’s biggest wilderness park, the unheralded Selous.

While oozing history and class, Sand Rivers isn’t over the top – it’s ideal for those who don’t want crowds, but do want big, comfortable rooms open to the breezes and sounds of the wild, along with good food and wine.

Don’t come here if you just want the Big Five, fast; this is true bush life – unspoilt, raw and vast, with a smattering of game to be found. One main perk is the amount of space – it is miles away from any other camps – but this does mean the best game is found on the plains an hour’s drive away.

The camp is a great place to hang out, swim, read and watch the (wild) world go by. In the camp’s raised, open-fronted stone and thatch cottages, beds are enormous, the showers strong and hot, and views of the mile-wide Rufiji River are spectacular. You can watch hippos from bed while sipping tea.

Sarara camp was set up to incentivise local people to put aside land for wildlife – for their own benefit. Today, their reserve has 850,000 acres, across which elephant and leopard roam, alongside Samburu and their cattle. It’s a proper community camp: owned and staffed by spear-wielding Samburu.

Six spacious, classic tents overlook this ancient scene. The views are terrific, 10/10, with the Matthews Range shimmering in the distance. The rooms have outdoor showers, with views to the horizon, and indoor WCs and basins. Tea is delivered to the bedside, for watching the sun rise from bed. The camp also offers Loimugi House, a two-bedroom tented family unit that includes a beautiful plunge pool, private dining, and its own sitting room.

The scenery, the lamplight, the willingness of the people to make it work all warm the heart. As does bush dinner set by the fire, under the stars.

A white-tented, romantic camp right on the Zambezi River, the Sausage Tree is ideal for guests who like their Western luxuries such as private pools (in suites) and gourmet food, as well as varied safari experiences.

It sits right on the river, shaded by trees, with pretty, reed-lined channels to canoe along and watch birds – or crocs. The crystal-clear swimming pool overlooks the river, surrounded by decking: a great spot to cool down and watch the Zambezi flow by. Few camps have pools – Sausage Tree has four (three private, one communal). The setting is stunning – overlooking a reed bank with extraordinary sunset views – and is right in the park, hence the range of game that ambles between the tents.

Tents are as comfy as any hotel room, and romance comes in the form of four-poster beds, private pools and glowing-red sunsets. Meals, however, are communal. The camp’s Australian and Italian owners clearly care about food: while many camps are content to provide good home-cooked food, Sausage Tree goes a step further, creating delicious, inventive meals.

Boulders is one of three Singita lodges in the Sabi Sand private game reserve, known for its iconic sightings – especially leopards. All three camps are luxurious – what makes Boulders different is its location, on the banks of the Sand River, where animals come to drink, surrounded by thorn, acacia and marula trees.

This small bush lodge feels local, modern and authentic: built from natural stone, wood and thatch around existing boulders. The 12 glass-fronted suites are enormous – contemporary but comfortable – with indoor and outdoor showers, stylish décor in natural bush tones and big, open decks with bush views and private, heated plunge pools.

Food and wine are both excellent – the well-stocked wine cellar, with more than 20,000 bottles, includes fine wines from South Africa – and there’s a wellness area for massages (ask about their ‘wholeness’ treatments), a Boutique & Gallery, as well as yoga mats in the suites. An art gallery selling only contemporary African art is a must-see for anyone interested in learning about Africa’s growing art presence. A percentage benefits Singita Lowveld Trust, for community enterprise initiatives.

Game in the Kruger is used to vehicles – so it can feel a little tame (unlike the Zambezi or Selous national parks). But it’s an excellent choice for first-time safari goers who value the simple essence of comfort, and complete immersion in nature, and are committed to meaningful travel.

Singita Pamushana is by far the most luxurious bush lodge in Zimbabwe. Atop of a rocky sandstone ridge, overlooking miles of wilderness, with gardens behind that attract stunning birds, it’s a little Eden. The views make your heart sing, particularly of the setting sun over a vast African panorama and the Malilangwe Dam.

Within the 130,000 acres are just two camps, so it feels really wild, its kopjes and grasslands teeming with game. Lions are wild, elephant herds huge, rhinos are in their natural environment – it feels raw, and very beautiful. You’ll see both white and black rhino, as well as rare Roan antelope and Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, due to the extensive conservation and regeneration efforts of The Malilangwe Trust over many years. Few people visit this area, so you’ll have most of this vast, untouched wilderness to yourself.

The Lodge’s eight elegant suites – all with private plunge pools – draw inspiration from the rich tribal history of ancient Zimbabwe. It’s a soothing and inspiring safari – with comfort, intuitive ease and a complete sense of freedom. There is also a five-bedroom exclusive-use villa (Malilangwe House), perfect for groups of different ages.

As well as having treats such as a big games room, a pool with incredible views, and distinctly Zimbabwean-inspired interiors; the organic-shaped buildings of Singita Pamushana Lodge are reminiscent of Great Zimbabwe. Detailed stonework lay the foundation for bold interiors. The camp has enthusiastic staff – and world-class guides.

The private, 140,000-hectare Singita Grumeti reserve borders the world famous Serengeti, with breathtaking views over hundreds of miles of plains. Sasakwa is one of only five lodges in the reserve – meaning you have much of the wildlife and scenery to yourself.

This is an elegant, contemporary lodge, situated on a hill with spectacular views from ten lavish, spacious private cottages – all stylishly decorated with antiques (four-posters, old trunks, silver, chandeliers), contemporary furnishings, and African art. They all come with huge bathrooms, private plunge pools and living areas and all mod cons, from wellness areas and helipad to wi-fi.

If you have trouble sitting still for 5 minutes, the camp also offers a Boutique & Gallery, lawn croquet, stargazing safaris, nature walks, and tennis as well a wine cellar and experienced sommeliers. They also have a wellness area, fitness centre and yoga to indulge the body after a safari.

Hillside Suite is a spectacularly private, romantic retreat, designed as a villa for two, offering guests solitude in an atmosphere of modern, barefoot luxury. With private entrance pool, chef and vehicle.

This elegant camp, owned by Kenyan legend Willie Roberts, is set in the Lewa Conservancy in the north of the country, and blessed with prolific game. In mere days you might see it all – the Big Five, including both kinds of rhino, cheetah and leopard. Lewa is known as one of Africa’s key reserves for the preservation of both black and white rhino (regularly seen).

With just six tents and two cottages, Sirikoi feels like an intimate home from home, thanks to the capacious living spaces, polished staff and delicious, locally-sourced food.

The variety of activities is a special bonus – from Masaai village visits to fly-camping, and unusual biplane, helicopter, camel and horseback safaris. Sirikoi can arrange overnight quad biking excursions, where you sleep in camp beds with mosquito nets underneath the starry sky.

This is a warm, reassuring camp whose family comforts are as appealing as its wildlife

Old-fashioned in spirit but relatively new in build, this bush camp in Zimbabwe’s best-known National Park, Hwange, is run by exceptional local guide Beks Ndlovu. Elephants are the star attraction here, and often come to drink from the pool (yes, while you’re in it) – as the guides are trained to walk in close proximity with these hulking beasts, you can also go for a stroll with them.

It’s set beside a watering hole, surrounded by pretty grassland and floodplains, and shaded by acacia woodland. The tents are simply furnished but immensely comfortable, with thoughtful touches such as bedside lights and trunks for valuables. Creatures regularly walk through camp at night – and with a torch you can watch them through netted windows from your bed.

This is a place to experience the real Zimbabwean wilderness, in safety and comfort.

This private, malaria-free retreat of the Oppenheimer family is set in 100,000+ hectares of arid savanana, with only two other camps around. The setting is miles and miles of nothing but desert sands and golden grass – and pinky mountains in the distance.

With so much solitude, with very little light pollution, the star-gazing is fantastic, and evenings can be spent around a campfire, learning about galaxies. Their malori – or star-bed – has been constructed out in the dunes so you can take in the stars from bed, without creatures coming (too) near.

This Upper Zambezi camp offers it all: spacious thatched riverside cottages, valets to provide personal service, 12 inclusive activities – and a beautiful position upriver from the Victoria Falls.

Set in a beautiful ebony grove on a wide stretch of the Zambezi, with spectacular river views, shade and cool breezes. Victoria Falls in 10 minutes’ drive away.

The rooms are open to the elements (even baths have views) and delicious meals are served in various spots, from a boat to a riverside deck.

It’s a place where both romantics and activity-lovers are happy, where one can do three activities a day – and return to five-star comforts.

This uber-luxurious home of Swedish IT billionaire Dan Oloffson is like a five-star hotel – but in the bush. Some of the world’s biggest names have stayed here, so the staff are trained to the highest standards. It feels polished and professional, as well as friendly.

The five suites are super-comfy; the decor opulent but stylish, with private decks and bomas. There is nothing you could want for in these rooms; they are extraordinarily luxurious.

The food world-class. Plus, it has a big lawned garden and private pool for relaxing around. It’s rare to find a bush house with a big heated pool and Jacuzzi. It’s also one of the few safari camps with a proper spa and well-trained therapists who use plant-based Africology products.

This isn’t old-fashioned bush living; it’s a millionaire’s retreat. Formerly a cattle ranch, it feels more like a park than African wilderness. You don’t get that raw African feel that makes a safari so special. But for a gentle introduction to safaris, and for seeing all the game without compromising on luxury, it’s ideal.

One of the best-known camps in Botswana for game, Mombo (and its smaller sister camp, Little Mombo) are built on Chief’s Island in the heart of Botswana’s Moremi Game Reserve. As one of the few camps permitted in this area, it feels extremely wild and isolated.

Set in beautiful thick hardwood and palm forest, Mombo overlooks grasslands into which game frequently wanders to graze and hunt. Sightings of the Big Five are common, as well as occasional cheetahs and wild dogs; the camp operates morning and afternoon game drives to see it all. Game at this nine-suite camp is so prolific that walkways are raised, so animals can walk beneath undisturbed.

Rooms all overlook the plains, as do the communal areas, such as the boma (where dinner is eaten) and splash pool (popular in the midday sun). Rooms are far apart enough to feel private, yet not remote. Private dinners can be set up on decks, under the stars.

Unlike most other delta camps, Mombo does not have water-based activities – it features only game drives. The diversity of its game means this is a great camp to combine with a more water-based camp in the Okavango. Remote, quiet and in tune with nature, this camp is expensive and often fully booked in high season.

This unique blend of sumptuous stately home, Baroque style and African chic is designed for sheer indulgence. This, and immaculate service, earn Crater Lodge a place amongst the world’s most luxurious safari camps.

What makes this camp most special is its unrivalled location – perched on the rim of Tanzania’s remarkable Ngorongoro Crater, and affording knock-out, uninterrupted views from all of its suites to the crater floor 600m below.

One of the best family-run camps in Zambia, Old Mondoro was started by the Cumings family, who also run the renowned Chiawa Camp.

With just four tents, this reed and canvas camp is incredibly intimate – and set right on the Zambezi River, which is surrounded by seriously wild game from big cats to hulking elephants – that regularly hang out between (very thin-walled) rooms.

There are few views as pretty as those from the bathrooms (of elephant munching leaves a few feet away, lion passing by). This is untouched Africa; you feel the wilderness, being so close to big beasts – it’s not for anyone who’d be worried about creatures watching them in the bath.

The set-up might look raw, but the guiding, food and service are of a standard you would expect in a city, not under a tree.

A highly affordable camp, on a very pretty tributary of the Rufiji River.

The camp is set on the riverbanks between two lakes, Mzizimia and Siwandu, behind reeds and riverine channels, which attract colourful birdlife. The dining platform offers good river views.

The camp might be simple, but its basics are good: excellent, fresh food, and super-friendly staff. Breakfast is delicious: home-made breads, fruit platters, espresso and orange-yolked eggs.

Local Maasai askaris, with heavy fighting sticks, are employed to escort guests to their rooms and protect them against wildlife. Book the tents furthest away from the main living area for the most peace and quiet.

Sabora is the most over-the-top, opulent safari camp anywhere. There’s nothing else like it: a sophisticated, modern interpretation of luxury tented safaris in the middle of nowhere.

It’s set in the private, 350,000-hectare Singita Grumeti reserve, bordering the world-famous Serengeti National Park; surrounded by grasslands, it’s pretty but not as spectacular a setting as at other camps.

The game, however, is prolific, including the Big Seven, and the Great Migration passes by in July and August. Sabora is one of only five lodges in the reserve – meaning all the game without the crowds.

The nine capacious, en-suite canvas tents are reasonably private, although set quite close together. They’re all romantically decorated with large four-posters swathed in fine linens, with meditation decks and secluded outdoor salas for lazy afternoons. With nothing separating them from rolling grasslands, every sight, sound and smell is amplified for a deeply restorative experience.

The attention to detail in the interiors is something special, with subtle décor and design elements reflecting Africa’s creative energy. Hand-stitched leather finishes, durable canvas and campaign furniture echo the spirit of classic East African adventures. Food is fresh, delicious and wholesome, with an excellent wine list to choose from; expect Farm-to-table dishes, mainly vegetables, fresh juice and blenders and a guest pantry in-suite for healthy smoothies. They also have a spa, yoga and gym facilities.

It’s the most glamorous, contemporary tented safari camp in Tanzania, great for simple sophistication and tented romance – only kids over 10 are welcome.