Best Hotels & Lodges

Sanctuary Olonana is an elegant tented camp in the heart of Kenya’s finest safari region. It's situated within a private concession alongside the Masai Mara Game Reserve, overlooking a stretch of the Mara River with a resident pod of hippos. A mix of classic safari elements – canvas tents, timber and thatch – together with a strong Maasai influence gives this camp an authentic African feel, with luxury all round. Game viewing is excellent, and one of the highlights is the chance to spend a day at a Maasai village, and participate in some of the daily rituals and routines.

This relaxing tented camp is located deep in the south of the Serengeti National Park. Comfort and charm are priorities and it’s an extremely affordable camp with some lovely extra touches. Raised wooden decks optimise the sweeping views of Lake Masek, whilst an eco-friendly, solar-powered setup ensures a minimal footprint on the pristine surroundings. Add to that superb game viewing when the Great Migration floods throughthe area from December to March (hundreds of baby wildebeest, everywhere you look!) and a healthy population of big cats year-round, and you have yourself a wonderful Serengeti option, whatever season youchoose to travel in.

This is the Okavango of your dreams, with a vast seasonal floodplain and wildlife to your left and right. And Kadizora Camp delivers it all in spades. Lying in the remote northern delta, this camp offers luxury in both its tents and wildlife encounters. Tear yourself away from the comforts of the lounge, bar and panoramic floodplain views to meander along the waterways in a mokoro. Too hot to move? Rest in the shade of the giant marulas, sycamore figs and rain trees, or cool off in the pool.

Masek is an intimate tented camp in the Ngorongoro Conservation area bordering the Serengeti. Open from the beginning of December to the end of March, it witnesses all the glory of the Great Migration. Its woodland thicket setting makes for a successful combination of privacy and the opportunity to be close to all the action in the surrounding Serengeti. Guests can expect relative luxury for an affordably priced option and a true African adventure. The eco-friendly nature of the camp’s solar powered setup fits with the authenticity of the experience on offer.

Experience timeless safari tradition in secluded luxury, within one of Africa's most prolific wildlife regions. This intimate villa is perched on a hillside in Cottar's Private Conservancy, within the Masai Mara region but just outside of the Masai Mara National Park itself. An indulgent and romantic homestead linked to Cottar's 1920's Camp, Cottar's Bush Villa is utterly exclusive. It comes with a discreet and professional staff, including a butler, private chef and guide. The ecosystem is hugely fertile, with abundant game (keep an eye out for the Big Five) and stunning landscapes to be explored by vehicle or on foot.

Located on Orange Street, right in the heart of Cape Town, 15 on Orange couldn't be any closer to the city's trendy shops, restaurants and bars. In fact, it's also pretty close to the city centre museums and markets, vibrant Long Street, and the beautiful Company's Gardens. A big tick, then, for a fantastic location, but what about the hotel itself? Well, we don't think you'll be disappointed - there's a fine-dining restaurant, swimming pool and spa, and 129 Afro-chic bedrooms, with views of the iconic Table Mountain straight from your bed.

Ndutu under canvas is a simple, charming little camp that invites adventure and excitement. It follows the Great Migration as the animals move from one section of the park to another in search of water and greener pastures. From December to March the camp is set up in the southern plains of the park, moving into the Western Corridor for June and July, and finally onto the Northern region of the National Park from August to November. Its movement ensures action-packed migration magic regardless of when you check in.

Villa Zest is a small boutique hotel in the lively district of Green Point, one of Cape Town’s most fashionable suburbs. What sets this hotel apart is its strong retro feel throughout. Each of its seven rooms has a unique 70s-themed design teamed with modern state-of-the-art technology, and unexpected touches like the somewhat bizarre collection of vintage radios on display. Green Point is renowned for its Riviera-style palm-fringed coastline, upbeat urban vibe, café culture and non-stop nightlife, and Villa Zest is perfectly positioned to experience the very best that this part of Cape Town has to offer.

A new Northern Delta lodge on a private island where the Okavango bleeds into Linyanti.

Mapula sits on a private island along the Selinda Spillway, the seasonal channel that links the Okavango Delta to the Linyanti Wetlands. It's in the lightly-visited Sekwana Concession (NG12), where mopane forest opens into floodplain, palm islands rise from marshy channels, and grasslands break against stands of acacia — a habitat mosaic that supports an unusually wide spread of wildlife. The lodge has been taken on by Desert & Delta Safaris (in partnership with the Botswana Public Officers Pension Fund) and rebuilt from the ground up, with twelve safari suites and the full Desert & Delta activity slate running year-round. It opens on 1 March 2027, with bookings open now.

Serengeti Under Canvas is a luxurious semi-permanent tented camp that moves around the Serengeti, following the herds as they stampede across the grasslands in search of new grazing. This annual movement of more than two million wildebeest and other herbivores – and the predators that shadow them – across the Serengeti–Mara ecosystem is one of the greatest spectacles in the natural world. When you've had your fill of animals for the day, return to this sophisticated camp, with its luxury accommodation (with chandeliers, fluffy duvets and your own butler) to relax and be wined and dined in style. Heavenly!

The Serengeti National Park is one of Tanzania's oldest and best-known parks; a spectacular landscape with vast plains and iconic acacia trees. Every year, during the Great Migration, thousands of animals move across the plains; and a unique way to experience this phenomenon is to park yourself in a safari camp right in the migratory path. Situated next to the famous Grumeti River, Elewana Migration Camp is subtle, charming, and packed with game-viewing potential. It's also the place to sit back with a sundowner in hand, as you listen to the sound of hippos wallowing away into the twilight hours.

Along a bend in the Talek river, reached by a swinging footbridge sits Mara Intrepids camp, tucked in a prime position inside the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Shaded by large trees along the river bank with everything being a short drive away this camp blends the wondrous comfort of permanent camping with efficient and welcoming staff and some lovely sweeping views over the surrounds. Close by is some exceptional game viewing-expect some thrilling river crossings! Enjoy drinks by the campfire, dinners in the bush or simply sitting on your porch listening to the grunts of hippos and the splash of crocodiles.