The 5 Best Luxury Safari Lodges & Resorts in South Africa

South Africa safari lodges are recognized around the world as being some of the best in Africa. Amid the spell-binding scenery, where wildlife roams free and billions of stars decorate the night sky, you will find a vast range of luxurious safari lodges, both elegant and eco-conscious. There are accommodation options for everyone; from remote and intimate lodges for honeymooners to thatched cottages that fit the whole family, exclusive farm stays for groups, and luxury tents for the adventurous.

Here are our top 5 best safari lodges in South Africa:

1. Londolozi Private Game Reserve, Sabi Sands, Kruger National Park

Perched on the banks of the Sands River, within one of the best game reserves in South Africa is the Londolozi Private Game Reserve, home to five exquisite camps each with its own personality. 

At the heart of this private game reserve lies a pioneering conservation ethos – just one of the many reasons that Londolozi makes our list of the best safari lodges in South Africa. Over the decades, the rangers and trackers at Londolozi have formed a unique relationship with the leopards, resulting in frequent close-up sightings of the elusive animals. Flourishing with the Big Five, it’s the leopards that make Londolozi famous and stand out among South Africa’s safari resorts.  

The camps here blend into their surroundings - stylish and understated. The most luxurious of the collection are the Londolozi Granite Suites, positioned perfectly for watching elephants amble past while you soak in an outside bathtub. Then there is The Tree Camp, six suites perched in the leadwood tree canopy, a place of peace and tranquillity. Perfect for group trips and honeymoons, both choices are adults only.  

For families (children must be six and over) there is the Pioneer Camp, which can be converted into a homestead, as well as Varty and Founders Camps, which have ‘sky-walk’ rooms.  

Londolozi was the first camp in South Africa to offer photographic safaris and they are still going strong today. They also offer tailor-made programs, like the Cub’s Den, for children to ensure they experience the thrill of being on a safari at their level. While the children explore the Cub’s Den, why not pop over to Londolozi’s spa Healing House, where world experts lead forward-thinking, nature-based retreats as well as offering relaxing treatments.  

2. Kwandwe Great Fish River Lodge, Eastern Cape

Kwandwe Great Fish River Lodge is the kind of place where you will swap your alarm clock for daily wake-up calls from a lioness and her cubs as animals roam freely around the landscape. Set within Kwandwe Game Reserve, on the banks of its namesake, this South Africa safari lodge is a collection of nine luxurious, glass-fronted, thatched cottages. Simple and stylish, they have an ‘Out of Africa’ vibe. Each comes with a private plunge pool and uninterrupted views of the seemingly endless wilderness.

Kwandwe offers first-class game viewing. It is one of the two largest game reserves in this malaria-free region, where you’ll get magnificent sightings for wildlife lovers of all ages.

Twice-daily game drives are led by the skillful eyes of a ranger and spotter who will point out the Big Five alongside:

• Cheetah (which this part of the Eastern Cape is particularly known for)
• Giraffe
• Zebra
• Warthog
• Springbok
• Kudu
• Wildebeest
• Monkeys
• Meerkat
• And maybe even the endangered black rhino!

3. Morukuru Farm House, Madikwe

What sets Morukuru Farm House apart and makes it one of the best safari lodges in South Africa is its team of staff who welcome you into the exclusive-use property like you’re long lost family.

The attention to detail is out of this world, from housekeeping three times a day, to gifts left on your pillow at night. Then there are the three-course meals cooked by your Michelin-level private chef – each served in a new location. Breakfast in the bush one morning, a barbeque at the top of a mountain the next – the beauty of this private rental is that you go at your own pace. You have total freedom to choose your meals and activities around your schedule.  

With a private vehicle and ranger/tracker team, game drives can be planned for when you want to do them. Early morning and sunset excursions bring fruitful discoveries. Plus, the sizable elephant population means you're bound to spot a few, along with their babies in tow. The expert guides know how to keep everyone engaged, especially hard-to-please teenagers.  

Back at the house, you’ll find five en-suite bedrooms, decked out in a warm, neutral palette. A wraparound veranda allows for 360-degree views and a private pool is an inviting sight after hours under the African sun.  

Morukuru Farm House welcomes children of all ages.  

4. Tswalu, Kalahari

First and foremost, Tswalu is an ambitious conservation project and the biggest privately-owned protected wildlife reserve in South Africa. It was the Oppenheimer family’s pioneering vision to restore the astounding biodiversity of the Kalahari and return overgrazed, neglected farmland to its original state. Tswalu’s combination of rolling savannah grasslands and ochre dunes means you find an exciting mix of wildlife. From giraffes and leopards to some of Africa’s rare and endangered species, such as the black rhino, cheetah, black-maned lion, and pangolin.  

You will also find three luxury tented camps built of red earth and rugged beams and a fine-dining restaurant like no other. At the helm of Klein Jan is Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen, the first South African chef to be awarded a Michelin star and who uses his food to tell a story. Tswalu sets the bar for ultimate off-the-beaten-track experiential dining and elevates the camp into one of the top luxury safari lodges in South Africa. 

Tswalu welcomes families with children of all ages and has fantastic activities for them, including stargazing and daytime meerkat tracking. There are interconnecting accommodation options, as well as a thatched homestead for up to 10 guests. 

5. Phinda Vlei, KwaZulu-Natal

Phinda Vlei Lodge is without a doubt one of the best safari lodges in South Africa.  

Intimate and romantic, it is set on the edge of Phinda Private Game Reserve’s rare 1,300-acre sand forest – of which there are only 5,000 acres left in the world – and overlooking a unique series of vlei (waterways). With a name that translates into “return to the wild,” Phinda has been encouraging guests (and animals) to do just that since it was transformed from overgrazed farmland in 1991.  

Today, Phinda is home to some of the best South African safari lodges run by &Beyond, whose commitment to environmental conservation and luxury experiences creates unforgettable holidays. Plantation-style, stilted, thatched suites are made from teak, with glass fronts to take in the incredible views.  

Neighboring the Indian Ocean, Phinda Vlei’s unique coastal setting means it has seven lush ecosystems. As well as the sand forest, there are also wetlands, woodlands, savannahs, and mountain bushes. The illustrious Big Five (elephants, buffalos, leopards, rhinos, and lions) are all easily spotted, and populations of giraffes and cheetahs also call Phinda home. There is a chance to explore the nearby ocean too, where divers can spot whale sharks and rainbow-colored reefs, and see loggerhead turtles lay their eggs at certain times of the year.  

Children of all ages are welcome at Phinda Vlei.