7 of the best new African safari lodges and camps

Suyian Lodge

A 44,500-acre unfenced conservancy in Laikipia, Suyian shares established wildlife corridors with four bordering conservancies. It is home to so-called “northern game” such as gerenuk, Grevy’s zebra and reticulated giraffe as well as black leopard and the rare African wild dog.

This is the spot andBeyond has chosen for its latest lodge, slated to open in July 2025. Understated yet sophisticated, it features 14 rooms that blend seamlessly into the surrounding landscape.

Joss Kent, andBeyond’s executive chairman and chief executive, says: “We hope to offer guests horseback, camelback and walking safaris or safaris with traditional vehicles. We will also offer night game drives, local community visits and experiences, catch-and-release fishing and scenic helicopter flights to striking landmarks such as Suguta Valley, Ololokwe and Mt Kenya.”

Book it: A seven-day trip taking in both the Maasai Mara and a stay at Suyian Lodge in Laikipia starts from £10,605pp in November 2025, not including international flights; andbeyond.com

A&K Tented Camp

A modern take on the traditional way of exploring Kenya’s wilderness, Abercrombie & Kent’s newest mobile tented camp can be set up in the wildlife-rich plains of the Maasai Mara or in Ol Pejeta, home to the last two northern white rhinos on earth. When guests depart, the camp can be dismantled leaving zero footprint.

Jackson Keiwua, safari guide at the mobile camp, says: “Every day brings a new adventure, whether it’s tracking lions on foot, gliding over the plains in a hot-air balloon or enjoying a sundowner by the campfire. The intimacy of the camp fosters a unique connection between guests and nature, something that’s truly unmatched by traditional lodges.”

Book it: A four-night trip starts from £6,999pp (four people sharing two tents). Price includes flights, one night at Hemingways Nairobi, three nights at A&K Tented Camp on an all-inclusive basis, park fees and transfers; abercrombiekent.co.uk

Surana Buffalo Springs

This camp opened in the great northern territory of Kenya in February 2023. Ash Sofat, chief executive of African specialist operator, Somak, explains that the land it is built on was so sought after, it received seven bids when the game park authority put it up for tender. The camp’s location on a river offers opportunities for game viewing all day with animals coming to the river at sunset and sunrise.

Executive chef Cheryl Booysen says: “Guests at Surana love the fact that you can see animals all day from your room and the incredible game drives. The cuisine is a huge focus too. I create contemporary five-course menus tailored to the guests we have staying with us each week.”

Book it: Somak offers an eight-night trip departing in October with three nights at Surana Buffalo Springs and a five-night all-inclusive beach stay in Mombasa from £3,799pp; somak.com

BOTSWANA 

Atzaro Okavango Camp

In a wildlife-rich spot between the Moremi Game Reserve and the Gomoti Plains there is a dynamic seasonal shift of animals and Atzaro Okavango, which opened in May, offers an ideal vantage point to view this constant migration.

Atzaro has partnered with African Bush Camps (ABC) to provide local bush knowledge and guiding expertise. There are guided safari hikes on foot, helicopter safaris, bush dining, open-air cinema, photography safaris, stargazing and fishing.

ABC’s owner, Beks Ndlovu, says: “As one of our guides aptly describes, Atzaro Okavango Camp offers more than just safaris; it’s a gateway to experiencing the Delta’s diverse eco-systems up close, from thrilling game drives to serene mokoro canoe excursions.”

In between safari activities guests can relax in the camp’s 12 suites all with plunge pools and elevated star beds and enjoy facilities including a wine cellar, pool, gym, yoga, wellness area and observation deck overlooking the Okavango Delta.

Book it: A three-night all-inclusive stay starts from $2,070pp; atzaro-okavango.com

Grays Eden

Welcoming guests to its northern Botswana safari experience, Grays Eden is a new hotel in the town of Maun – gateway to the Okavango Delta and Ker & Downey’s circuit of luxury tented safari camps. Due to open in July on the seasonal Thamalakane river, the hotel features vast verandas overlooking grassy lawns and the river itself.

Sandrine Morris and her husband Sam co-own the hotel. She says: “As long-time residents and visitors to the lodges, Sam and I saw a huge gap in the market here in Maun with no product available that could match the standards we see in the beautiful camps. We wanted to deliver a property that focuses on a sense of relaxation for travellers before or after the adventure of safari.”

Book it: A one-night stay starts from $255pp; kerdowneybotswana.com

ZIMBABWE

Molori Mashuma

Mana Pools National Park is one of the few Unesco World Heritage Sites in Southern Africa, and Molori Mashuma, a six-tented camp that welcomed its first guests in April, is located here in a private concession. Sister to Molori Safari in South Africa’s Madikwe, Mashuma overlooks a watering hole, offering guests front-row seats to a show that can include hippo, elephant and buffalo.

While wildlife is the star of the stage, luxurious surroundings come a close second. A viewing hide complete with a whisky and gin bar provides an ideal sundowner spot while a wine cellar, pool and restaurant all vie for guests’ attention.

Eric Ichikowitz, co-owner with wife Annie, says: “Being avid photographers ourselves and understanding the real joy that one gets from capturing that unique wilderness or animal interaction, Mana Pools has to be the holy grail… it’s just off the charts.”

Book it: A one-night stay at Molori Mashuma starts from $1,765pp in October; roraprivatecollection.com