The Best Luxury Safari Lodges in South Africa — Molinari Travel :: Luxury Travel Advisor Leah Molinari | Travel Concierge Services | Personalized Itinerary Travel | Custom Luxury Travel Planner | Travel Inspiration Websites & Blogs | Luxury Travel Expert | Unique Luxury Travel Experiences | High End Travel Agent | International Trip Planner | Custom Group Travel Planning | Private African Safari Tour | River & Expedition Cruise Planning | Multi Generational Travel Agency | Virtuoso Travel Agent

It’s no secret that South Africa has a special place in my heart and is my favorite travel destination. What was supposed to be a one-time bucket list trip for my honeymoon in 2015 has since turned into 4 separate trips and was the catalyst for launching my travel business. When people ask me “why South Africa?”, there is no easy answer. It’s the people, culture, gorgeous landscapes, and of course the opportunity to see animals in their natural environment.

All of my trips have included some combination of time in Cape Town, the gorgeous cape winelands, and of course safari, which is always the highlight of the trip. For my most recent trip with my husband, we extended the trip from our usual 2 weeks to 3 weeks in order to take the opportunity to experience 3 different safari lodges, all of which are some of the best luxury safari lodges in South Africa, and really some of the best luxury safari lodges in the world.

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When designing a trip to South Africa for my clients, it’s important for me to make sure I am recommending the safari lodges that best fit the client’s interests and needs. Not all safari lodges are the same, and when you are considering luxury safari lodges in South Africa, the best of the best are all “luxury”, so what sets them apart? Who would be a good fit for one luxury safari lodge over another? As a luxury travel advisor, the only way to truly get a feel for which luxury safari lodges are the best fit for my clients is to experience them myself, and that is exactly what I did on our most recent trip in December (yes, right at the height of Omicron). There will be a part 2 post about traveling to South Africa during COVID as well as our Cape Town and winelands adventures so stayed tuned for that and if you aren’t already subscribed to the Luxe Travel Digest, sign up here so you can be notified when new blog posts go live and get updates on the latest travel trends, COVID-related updates, and destination and property spotlights.

Let’s dive into 3 of the best luxury safari lodges in South Africa…

Royal Malewane

Our first stop was the gorgeous Royal Malewane, located in a private reserve adjacent to Kruger National Park. This luxury safari lodge has multiple accommodation options split into two different areas-the main lodge which has the most traditional safari-style design of all the lodges we visited, while the more intimate Farmstead offers a brighter contemporary design. The main lodge consists of 6 individual suites nestled into the bush and overlooking the waterhole with opportunities to enjoy wildlife viewing from the comfort of the private deck and plunge pool. There are also two royal suites with two bedrooms each perfect for families or friends traveling together. The main lodge individual suites accommodate children over 10 while the two royal suites allow children of all ages. The royal suites also include private services such as a private chef, butler, and safari vehicle. For a larger family or friend group traveling together, there is also the opportunity to stay in a large private villa Africa House, which sleeps up to 12 in 6 bedrooms and welcomes children of all ages and also includes full villa staffing for the ultimate luxury safari experience.

While we spent our stay at Royal Malewane in one of the gorgeous main lodge suites, we had the opportunity to visit Farmstead and tour the suites and private villa Farmhouse. The Farmstead lodge is more intimate with only 3 individual suites, also welcoming children 10 and older. These suites have a more contemporary design with private decks and pools overlooking the bush. Finally, The Farmhouse is a three and a half bedroom private villa. The Farmhouse has its own private services including a chef, housekeeper, butler, private safari vehicle, ranger and tracker. There are three main bedrooms as well as a smaller children’s room. There is a magnificent deck with a large swimming pool flowing out into the bush. Children of all ages are welcome in the Farmhouse. Out of all the accommodation options available at Royal Malewane, the Farmhouse was my favorite and completely blew me away by its gorgeous interior design and outdoor living areas. This is my top pick for a client looking for a luxury safari experience but wanting the privacy of a villa and personal staff.

Royal Malewane is one of the best luxury safari lodges in South Africa for a variety of reasons; the quality and unique design of the lodge suites and private villas, incredible service and hospitality from the lodge staff, outstanding expert guides and master trackers, and one of the top spas on the continent where Internationally qualified therapists are on hand to provide therapeutic massage, luxurious body treatments and hydrotherapy. No one will ever go hungry at Royal Malewane either. If you are staying in one of the suites at the main lodge, you are treated to full breakfast, lunch, high tea, and gourmet dinner with meals enjoyed in a variety of locations around the lodge and deck, boma, or even set up in the privacy and comfort of your suite. Special requests and dietary restrictions can be accommodated and are welcomed. We even had the opportunity to test out one of the lodge’s newest features-a stone pizza oven built on the deck where we could watch the chef prepare our custom wood-fired pizza, and of course it was amazing. For guests staying in the royal suites or private villas, you have your own private chef to create menus and unique dining experiences to your exact requests.

I can’t forget the actual safari part of Royal Malewane, and its location offers guests a traditional safari experience with the opportunity to see all the most popular animals, from elephants to lions to leopards to hippos. We had wonderful wildlife sightings over our three days and even got lucky with some up-close leopard, lion, and wild dog sightings. The lodge is located in Thornybush reserve, which is unfenced with Kruger. It is important to note that there are other lodges in the reserve so you will likely see other vehicles out on game drives, but it is not as congested as some of the other private reserves in the area.

Our guide Rudi and tracker Lodrick were both outstanding and so knowledgeable. Even on our 4th safari trip, we learned so much from them. Due to traveling at the height of Omicron, there were sadly many last-minute cancellations due to UK border closures so we ended up with our own private vehicle with Rudi and Lodrick, but traditionally Royal Malewane will limit guests to 4-6 per vehicle so you will never be crammed in a middle seat (unless it’s a family group traveling together and they request to all be in one vehicle). We were also fortunate to have Rudi (who is an extremely talented wildlife photographer) offer to take photos for us and send us the images following our trip so we could sit back and just enjoy the sightings without having our camera or iphone in our face. This was such a nice touch and greatly appreciated. It allowed me to focus on getting some wonderful videos on the iphone and then spend the rest of the time just enjoying being present with the animals and beautiful landscapes.

Singita Lebombo

After 3 amazing days at Royal Malewane, we had a private road transfer to our next stop, Singita Lebombo. Singita has safari lodges and camps across multiple countries in Africa and is well known to have some of the best luxury safari lodges in the world from South Africa to Zimbabwe to Tanzania to Rwanda. Singita is a luxury to ultra-luxury safari brand, but it also places a huge emphasis on conservation and ecotourism with so many initiatives from wildlife conservation to supporting the local communities.

In South Africa, Singita has two lodges and a private villa in the Sabi Sands reserve along with two lodges in a fully private concession within Kruger National Park. These lodges and exclusive use villa are all up there with the best luxury safari lodges in South Africa. Singita’s exclusive concession along the far eastern reaches of the Kruger National Park boasts spectacular scenery and a high concentration of wildlife. Singita Lebombo, which overlooks the N’wanetsi River, boasts elevated contemporary loft-style suites inspired by eagle’s nests, while intimate, romantic Singita Sweni, down on the banks of the Sweni River, offers modern conveniences in the heart of the wilderness. Having stayed in Sabi Sands on two previous safari trips, I wanted to experience one of the lodges in Kruger National Park and decided to stay at Singita Lebombo which has a completely different design compared to Royal Malewane.

At Singita Lebombo, there are 13 individual suites along with two 2-bedroom suites and a 4-bedroom private villa. Children ages 10 and older are welcome in the individual suites while children of all ages are welcome in the 2-bedroom suites and private villa. Singita has excellent programming for children and not only “allows” them, but makes an effort to make the experience for kids very unique and engaging. The regular suites at Lebombo do not have private pools like the suites at Royal Malewane, but the 2-bedroom suites and villa offer private pools. The main lodge area offers a wine studio and excellent wine program, library and rooftop terrace, interactive kitchen, espresso bar and helf-yourself deli, and gorgeous lap pool and loungers to relax between game drives.

Singita is known for outstanding service, attention to detail, and highly respected guides and trackers. Again due to sudden emergence of Omicron while we traveled, there were a lot of cancellations so we only had one other couple with us on game drives. Typically Singita will limit guests to 6 per vehicle. Our guide Garry was wonderful and had a great sense of humor, managing to educate us and entertain us throughout our visit. Due to a family emergency the morning of our arrival day, Garry’s tracker had to return home so Garry was on his own, but he was a rock star and managed to find us some amazing wildlife encounters, with a cheetah and her two very young cubs being a highlight for us. At Singita Lebombo, you are on a private Singita concession which means the only other vehicles you may encounter while out on morning or afternoon drives are other guests from Singita Lebombo or the sister property Sweni. The landscapes are beautiful, and Garry managed to find some incredible stops for our evening sundowners, even a stunning elevated viewpoint overlooking Kruger right on the border of Mozambique.

Singita Lebombo has outstanding food, with a la carte menus for all meals and a lively bar area where we often found ourselves during our downtime sampling the amazing local gins and chatting with the friendly staff and lodge manager. Something small but unique to Lebombo compared to other lodges we stayed at was the opportunity to bring a “roadie” with us on safari drives. The Singita vehicles had cup holders and there were tumblers available for guests to bring drinks along on the drive-typically a coffee or latte in the morning and a gin and tonic in the afternoon. Again, a simple detail but something I had not encountered at other lodges! Singita Lebombo also has an outstanding wine collection and cellar, and the sommelier Dickson was always present during meals and checking in with us offering wine pairing suggestions and presenting an amazing private wine tasting in the cellar for us along with the other couple who we shared game drives. We had an amazing time at Singita Lebombo and wish we had more than a couple of days to enjoy the reserve and lodge. Not only is Singita Lebombo one of the best luxury safari lodges in South Africa, but all the Singita properties in South Africa are incredible. There is a Singita lodge for everyone looking for a luxury safari experience, and when working with a client I will make sure to help present the best option based on client interests and style preference.

Tswalu Kalahari

Following two days at Singita Lebombo, we flew via one of the Federal Air charter flights from the private Singita airstrip to Johannesburg for a quick overnight before flying out the following day for our last safari stop. The luxury safari experience at Tswalu actually starts before you even arrive at the reserve. Due to the remote location and lack of development nearby, there is no easy way to access Tswalu without traveling via private charter flight. Tswalu contracts with private air companies and FBOs in Cape Town and Johannesburg to offer daily charter flights direct from both cities to the reserve. We flew from Johannesburg to Tswalu with the flight operating out of Fireblade Aviation. Both Tswalu and Fireblade are owned by the Oppenheimer family, and therefore there is a special VIP lounge at Fireblade just for Tswalu guests. It is worth arriving early for the flight to enjoy some time relaxing in the lounge. We had no idea this was happening and had a late breakfast at the hotel only to be welcomed by our personal attendant at Fireblade who brought us drinks and prepared an incredible food spread of hot and cold appetizers to enoy while we waited for our flight. This really helped set the tone for the unique and luxurious experience we would have at Tswalu.

Tswalu is a truly unique luxury safari experience in South Africa as it is the largest private reserve in South Africa and it’s located in the Kalahari, a completely different region and ecosystem than Kruger. Tswalu is the only property on the reserve, meaning complete privacy, stunning landscapes, and unique wildlife experiences you won’t be able to see in the Kruger region.

In addition to the unique location of Tswalu, some other aspects of this lodge that make it special include the fact that every suite booked gets their own private vehicle, guide, and tracker for the duration of the stay. Other lodges in the Kruger region may offer the private vehicle option at an additional cost or if guests book one of the private villas; however with Tswalu the private vehicle is automatically included. Accommodations include the five-suite Tarkuni homestead for family or friend groups wanting to stay together, which comes with a chef, swimming pool, and a private vehicle. The main lodge area called The Motse consists of nine individual dwellings – including three for families – and offer a fireplace, outdoor shower, and private deck. We had some wonderful animal sightings within feet of our private deck including herds of Sable and Oryx and the daily afternoon commute past our room of a large leopard tortoise. The individual suites do not have private pools, but there is a beautiful pool at the main lodge for those hot summer days between game drives. Children are also welcome at Tswalu and the staff go above and beyond to make sure they have a wonderful experience.

tswalu kalahari klein jan best luxury safari lodge south africa luxury travel advisor molinari travel — dinner at Klein Jan, Tswalu

At Tswalu, you’ll experience traditional safari dining with full breakfast, lunch and dinner prepared at the lodge; however there is one very unique dining experience that recently became available for Tswalu guests. Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen is a Michelin-starred chef from South Africa and launched Klein Jan in 2021, an intimate dining experience within the Tswalu reserve. Each Tswalu guest has the opportunity to experience a dinner here during their stay. It is not open to the public with the exception of select dates and times for lunch, so it is truly a unique private dining experience in the most remote and beautiful location. Having visited Jan Hendrick’s flagship restaurant in Nice on a previous trip to France in 2018 I knew the Klein Jan dining experience would be amazing, but it really was on another level and probably the best dining experience I have ever had when considering food, presentation, service, and just the overall experience.

tswalu kalahari meerkats best luxury safari lodge south africa luxury travel advisor molinari travel — Tswalu meerkats

In addition to the unique location, private vehicle, and dining experience, Tswalu also stands out for having unique wildlife experiences compared to other lodges. The Kalahari location means an opportunity to see animals that you can’t find in Kruger, but at the same time, there are some animals commonly found in other destinations that you won’t see at Tswalu such as elephants. For this reason, my suggestion for clients who have never been on a safari before will often be one of the Kruger-based lodges OR if there is enough time, a combination of a Kruger lodge with Tswalu. For clients who have already visited Kruger and are looking for something different, I can’t recommend Tswalu highly enough as it offers a completely unique experience. The vast landscapes, dunes, and desert are stunning, particularly when we traveled during the green season in December. We got to witness the beauty of thunderstorms and lightning against the backdrop of the desert landscape, and the stargazing here is incredible thanks to the complete lack of light pollution.

The food, staff, and service at Tswalu were all wonderful and we had some excellent wildlife encounters thanks to our guide Barry. Because the reserve is so massive and the fact that there are so few guests at any given time, it makes finding the animals more challenging so there may be more downtime between sightings, but part of the Tswalu experience is just taking in the beautiful landscapes and appreciating the remoteness of where you are. It also makes the animal sightings you do have that much more special, and we had some great sightings including cheetah, lions, meerkats, and even the elusive and very rare black rhino. Having already been to two Kruger-based lodges during the trip, we didn’t feel any pressure to see anything in particular or check any boxes, so we were able to relax and enjoy whatever animals we were lucky enough to spot.

What Luxury Safari Lodge Would You Choose?

So with three of the best luxury safari lodges in South Africa, which one would you choose? Do you like the more traditional safari-style lodge or perhaps prefer a contemporary design? Are you looking for a family safari experience with kids who will also have a great experience, whether out with you on game drives or enjoying customized activities back at the lodge? Perhaps you’re looking for a honeymoon or anniversary safari trip and don’t want to be around kids, in which case there are other luxury lodges that do not allow children so it will be an adults-only experience and I can certainly offer some wonderful options.

No matter what type of safari experience you are looking for, there is a lodge that can fit your needs. As a luxury travel advisor, I make sure the safari lodges will be a good fit for the client’s travel style, budget, and interests. All three of the luxury safari lodges highlighted here are a great fit for certain clients, while perhaps they won’t work for others. If you’re considering a luxury safari trip to South Africa, please contact me directly so we can discuss what you are looking for and how I can design the perfect luxury safari trip for you. I love to share my passion for South Africa and safari travel in general and will go above and beyond to make sure my clients have an exceptional trip.

Stay tuned for part 2 of my December South Africa adventure where I’ll highlight what it was like to visit South Africa at the height of Omicron and our experiences and property spotlights in Cape Town and Stellenbosch in the beautiful Cape Winelands!

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