Best Luxury Safari Tours 2026: Top Africa Destinations Guide

Planning a safari tour for an adventurous and enjoyable experience this year? Luxury safari tours offer a unique, close-up experience with nature, an eco-tourism experience in Africa.

Luxury safaris offer diverse wildlife experiences with exclusivity, comfort, and personalised service. It’s all about private vehicles, gourmet dining, and stunning lodges with a breathtaking view of the wildlife adventure.

What Defines Luxury Safari Tours

For a luxury traveller, luxury safari tours offers a high- end luxurious accommodations, personalised service, custom itineraries and exclusive activities experience.

• Luxurious accommodations: Safari lodging private villas, permanent tent camps, butler service, spacious rooms, and en-suite bathrooms with cosy amenities,(private pools, Wi-Fi, and electricity).
• Personalised service: Private guides and vehicles for exclusive and fully customised in-depth wildlife viewing.
• Custom itineraries: Itineraries are tailored to offer unique experiences like,(helicopter, hot air balloon rides, and specialised excursions,(photography or birding).
• Exclusive activities: Many luxury tours have access to private conservancies or remote areas offering exclusive access and uncrowded wildlife viewing and activities such as,(private bush dinners, guided walking safaris, spa treatments, and night drives).

Top Luxury Safari Tours Destinations

Masaai Mara National Reserve (Kenya)

The Maasai Mara  hosts the majestic Big Five of Africa,(the lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino), which draw tourists from all over the world.

The Great Migration is best attractions and a lifetime opportunity for photographers and environmental enthusiasts. Over 1.3 million of wildebeest, gazelles, and zebras migrate across Tanzania’s and Kenya’s Plains each year in search of new grazing land.

It is one of the fantastic and breathtaking wildlife occurrences on Earth, making it one of the “Seven Natural Wonders of Africa” and one of the “10 Wonders of the World”.

As animals brave powerful currents and predators, (crocodiles and lions) that await in the Mara River, the scene is particularly dramatic and breathtaking natural spectacle.

Mara Reserve is also an important home area for more than 500 species of migratory birds and almost 60 species being raptors. Threatened birds, such as,(vultures, marabou storks, secretary birds, hornbills, crowned cranes, ostriches, long-crested eagles, African pygmy-falcons, and the lilac-breasted roller), find Mara home for at least part of the year.

Top Lodges: Angama Mara, Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp, &Beyond Bateleur Camp, Mara Plains Camp, Sanctuary Olonana Safari Lodge.

Pricing: Approximately $1,200- $3500/night

Tip: The best time to witness the Great Migration is between July to October. January and February are less crowded, but still offer excellent wildlife viewing.

Also offer luxury safari tour: Amboseli National Park,( Kilimanjaro views), Lake Nakuru National Park( Flamingos watching), Tsavo East & West National Parks, Diani Beach, Samburu National Reserve.

Serengeti National Park (Tanzania)

Serengeti Park is a world-renowned UNESCO Heritage Site famous for the annual migration of over 1.3 million wildebeest, gazelles, and zebras.

The park forms a lion conservation unit together with the Maasai Mara National Reserve, with more than 3,000 lions living in the protected ecosystem.

The migrating herds have to cross the Grumeti and Mara Rivers to get to the Maasai Mara, where around 3,000 crocodiles lie in wait. Around 250,000 wildebeests and 30,000 plain zebras die annually from drawing, predation, exhaustion, thirst, or disease, and yet this remains the breathtaking natural wonders of the World.

The park is divided into three regions:

• Serengeti plains: Almost treeless grassland in the South. It has poppies, granite formations that serve as observation posts for predators and volcanic landscapes.
• Western corridor: The great migration passes through the corridor from May to July. It features the pair of rivers,(Grumeti and Mbalageti) and small mountain ranges.
• Northern Serengeti: Dominated by open woodlands, predominantly Commiphora and hills ranging from Seronera in the south to the Mara River on the Kenya border.

Top Lodges: Four Seasons Safari Lodge, One Nature Nyaruswiga Serengeti, Mapito Safari Camp.

Pricing: Approximately $800-$2,000/night

Tip: Combine the adventure with Ngorongoro Crater  (the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera).

Okavango Delta (Botswana)

An Okavango Delta Safari features a unique adventurous experience to abundant wildlife,(African elephant, buffalo, hippo, lechwe, topi, lion, leopard, cheetah, African wild dog (highly endangered), white rhino, black rhino) and the chance to experience dramatic changing moods and seasons.

The Delta is the largest inland Delta formed when the Okavango River empties into a swamp in an endorheic basin in the Kalahari Desert. It is also a bird’s paradise with over 400 species of birds.

Okavango Delta offers a walk to an ancient baobab with the San Bushmen, Mokoro (traditional canoe) safaris, quad bike across the salt pans, a night under the stars in the Kalahari, a helicopter view over the Delta, a night on an island in the Delta, and next to an active waterhole, and a private mobile safari into remote corners.

The safari tour hosts some of the world’s adventurous and luxurious safari lodges: Xigera Safari Lodge, Eagle Island Lodge A Belmond Safari, Camp Okavango, Chief’s Camp, An A & K Sanctuary, Camp Moremi.

Pricing: Approximately $1 800-$3,000/night all-inclusive

Tip: Best time to visit, Peak season (May to October) for best wildlife viewing and water activities. Off-peak season (December to March) greener landscape and birding season as it is hotter and wetter.
Also offer luxury safari tours: Moremi Game Reserve.

Sabi Sands Nature Reserve (South Africa)

Sabi Sands Nature Reserve is an extension of Kruger National Park with relatively thick vegetation of woodland savanna. The riverine vegetation makes the reserve an excellent habitat for leopards and other wildlife.

The reserve is the most prestigious game reserve and is famous for incredible leopard and lion sightseeing. Even though the reserve has 50 50-kilometre unfenced boundary with the Kruger National Park, the well-habituated wildlife results in extraordinary close encounters and an adventurous sightseeing experience, including (elusive leopard).

The reserve also offers exclusive high-end accommodation, great service, and excellent food for an adventurous experience. Day and night game drives, and off-road driving add to the exceptional experience.

Top Lodges: Tengile River Lodge, Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge, Singita Boulders Lodge, Lion Sands Ivory/River Lodge

Pricing: Approximately $1,100-$3,200/night.

Tip: Low/dry seasons, (May to September) are best for wildlife viewing as the reserves are less crowded and animals are easy to spot. September is the best and most attractive month to visit since it is warmer in the winter and animals tend to gather often at waterpoints.

Skeleton Coast Safari (Namibia)

The Skelton Coast safari offers an incredible and stunning safari tour experience. The dramatic desert landscape is home to,(bush elephants, Chacma baboons, southern giraffe, lions, leopard, black rhinoceros, spotted and brown hyenas, black faced Impala, gemsbok, and springbok).

Skeleton Coast offers adventurous activities like,(walking, drives, sundowners, hot-air balloon over red dunes, pool relaxation or soak up the desert life around you).

Top Lodges: Sossusvlei Desert Lodge, Shipwreck Lodge, Hoanib Valley Camp

Pricing: Approximately $1,300-$2,400/night

Tip: The Best time to visit is between May to September. January to April are also interesting months.

Gorilla Trekking (Uganda and Rwanda)

Gorilla trekking is one of the breathtaking wildlife experiences in Africa. The endangered creatures can be tracked from either Rwanda or Uganda.

The Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, is the best place to trek the rare Mountain Gorilla. The park is also home to,(buffalo, black fronted duiker, spotted hyena and bushbuck, and sometimes elephants, and 178 recorded bird species).

At the Park, one can also track the rare golden monkeys or visit Diane Fossey’s memorial.

Top Lodges: One & Only Gorilla’s Nest, Bisate Lodge, Virunga Lodge

Pricing: Approximately $850-$3,500/per person/night

Tip: You can combine the Kenya and Tanzania safari to enjoy the Mountain Gorillas experience, and get to see the incredible endangered species in their natural habitat.

Other Luxury Safari Tours Destinations

• South Luangwa National Park and Victoria Falls (Zambia)
• Hwange National Park (Zimbabwe)
• Bazaruto Archipelago (Mozambique)

Planning a Luxury Safari Tour Tips

Planning a unique, adventurous, and enjoyable luxury safari tour is important for an authentic experience. Whether as a solo traveller, family, or couple, planning a luxury safari tour consider these exclusive factors:

• Itinerary and experiences: Are you looking for a Great Migration experience or just a Gorilla Trekking experience? Decide on the best itinerary based on your preferred experience.
• Budget: The key to luxury budgeting is not spending more but rather spending strategically. What matters to you most is what’s important. You may prefer to have a comfortable safari while still investing in life-changing experiences.
• Travel off-peak season: Travelling just before or after peak spring break can save money. For example, visiting the Sabi Sand Reserve during the low season guarantees fewer crowds and the best wildlife viewing.
• Logistics: Consider earlier planning, packing, and strategic budgeting.
• Travel insurance: A Travel insurance policy is a smart budget tip as it may pay for your voyage. It also opts to offers medical insurance and accident-based.

Respect Wildlife and Natural Areas

Respecting wildlife and nature a certain you as eco-friendly traveller and help promote eco-tourism.

Be a responsible nature lover:

• Never ride, feed, or take selfies with wild animals
• Avoid unethical attractions like elephant rides or tiger petting zoos.
• Respect the environment and keep it neat,(don’t litter, pick plants, or go off-trail).
• Use reef-safe sunscreen when swimming or snorkeling.

Final Thoughts

Safari tours offer a breathtaking scenery experience and a chance to connect with nature and understand the wildlife.

Just remember that true luxury is not about the price, but the memories and personal experience created by extraordinary events shared with the exceptional wildlife.

Plan, budget and get on the exclusive safaris!

FAQs

Can I do a luxury safari with kids?

Absolutely, luxury safari specializes in family safaris with junior ranger programs, child-friendly guides, and private vehicles. Minimum age varies depending on the safari tour company. For instance; often 6+ for game drives, 15+ for gorilla treks.

Is a luxury safari worth $3,000/night?

Yes, you are paying for exclusivity,(private camps and lodges), private expertise, conservation impact, and seamless logistics.