"In 2001, Singita was granted a 25-year lease on a 33,000-acre concession within Kruger National Park. It was in this midsection of Kruger, a stone’s throw from South Africa’s border with Mozambique, that the company opened its Lebombo Lodge. The eco-friendly camp is designed to have minimal impact on the surrounding ecosystem, while still featuring top-notch amenities like a roof terrace, wine studio, and 82-foot lap pool. Guests can even learn to cook traditional South African dishes at the on-site Singita Community Culinary School, or rent Canon and Nikon cameras to capture their game drives on film. The lodge also features a small photo studio with Lightroom- and Photoshop-equipped computers so visitors can edit their photos post-drive. Lebombo features just 13 suites and one private-use villa, offering guests the ultimate in exclusivity. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows bring the outdoors in, while wooden decks provide sweeping views over the N’wanetsi River. On game drives, guests can look forward to exploring more than 93 miles of private roads, where they’re more than likely to encounter the four prides of lions that call this region of Kruger home. While Lebombo is about a 2.5-hour drive from the Hoedspruit and Skukuza airports, Federal Air operates shuttle and charter flights to the Satara airstrip, just 45 minutes from the lodge."

"The &Beyond Ngala Safari Lodge is located on the Ngala Private Game Reserve, an unfenced private concession wedged between the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve and Kruger National Park. &Beyond leases the land from World Wildlife Fund South Africa and donates a portion of its profits to the South African National Parks Trust. As a result, the trust has been able to fund special projects and maintain West Coast National Park, located just an hour north of Cape Town. Conservation efforts aside, &Beyond Nagala Safari Lodge is most known for offering a luxury safari experience. Guests can spot wildlife from the lounge, then be completely surrounded by the bush in their air-conditioned rooms. Have breakfast under the shade of an enormous weeping boer bean tree, while away hours at the pool with a book and your favorite drink, and indulge in a fireside dinner, surrounded by lanterns and candles. During their stay, guests even enjoy a dedicated vehicle and tracker team to guide them on twice-daily drives, bush strolls, and walking safaris. The lodge is about an hour’s drive from Hoedspruit Airport, but Airlink also operates daily direct flights from Johannesburg and Nelspruit to Ngala’s private airstrip."

"Spread over 28,417 acres of bushveld, the ThornybushPrivateNature Reserve shares an unfenced border with Kruger National Park. The surrounding savanna, together with several rivers and tributaries, attracts the Big Five as well as cheetahs, guaranteeing guests the quintessential safari experience. During your time at Thornybush, you’ll be paired with a resident tracker and safari guide, who will share with you their encyclopedic knowledge of the South African bush and help you spot everything from antelope to elephants. All of the common areas at Thornybush Game Lodge have beautiful thatched roofs and plenty of plush couches tucked into quiet nooks for relaxing. In the 20 suites (two of which accommodate families and feature private plunge pools), guests can also look forward to spacious living areas that open up to wooden decks overlooking the seasonal Monwana River. After a hot afternoon walk with your guide, an outdoor shower or dip in the common pool is a must. Thornybush Game Reserve is an easy 45-minute drive from Hoedspruit Airport; transfers can be pre-arranged through the lodge."

"Royal Malewane is a five-star lodge located on the 34,594-acre Thornybush Private Game Reserve within the Greater Kruger National Park region. Already quite glamorous, it underwent a refurbishment in 2018 and, in addition to several structural upgrades, now features a kosher kitchen and a gin-and-whiskey bar dedicated to the late Wilson Masiya, one of the lodge’s original trackers. All of the guides at Royal Malewane are certified by the Field Guide Association of South Africa, and most have been working in the Greater Kruger National Park area since the early 1990s. Two are Master Trackers, a qualification currently held by only seven rangers in the world. Royal Malewane is so focused on quality guiding that it even started an apprenticeship program in 2008. Students work for two years under the tutelage of the lodge’s senior team, then graduate and move on to jobs at safari lodges in the region. Amazing wildlife experiences aside, what makes Royal Malewane unique is its sense of style. Owners Liz and Phil Biden have seamlessly melded contemporary furniture with colonial-style accommodations, all at their family-home-turned-safari-lodge in the middle of the South African bush. In 2019, they plan to open a new lodge on the property called the Farmstead at Royal Malewane, giving guests even more reason to book a stay."

"An award-winning hotel company, Singita is lauded not only for its luxurious properties but also for its dedication to the environment and uplifting communities. To reach Singita Boulders Lodge, guests can fly direct from Johannesburg to Sabi Sand Game Reserve on Federal Airlines’ daily jet service. Once there, they can expect open-air common spaces that provide a continuous connection to the outdoors, as well as spacious suites with game-viewing decks and private plunge pools. Also on-site is a swimming pool in the main lodge area, spa and gym facilities, and a wine boutique selling premier South African vintages. In addition to daily game drives, guests can indulge in activities like guided safari walks, photography lessons, stargazing, and archery, making for the stay of a lifetime."

"If you have your sights set on seeing the Big Five, then MalaMala Game Reserve is the place to be—it’s said that 98 percent of guests spot these illustrious animals over a two-night stay. One of the largest private game reserves in South Africa, MalaMala shares fenceless, uninhabited borders with both Kruger National Park and Londolozi Game Reserve. Its location, along with its team of highly skilled rangers (including members of local tribes), has helped the reserve gain a reputation as one of the best places in Africa for wildlife viewing, especially if you’re hoping to spot leopards. Additionally, MalaMala only allows shared traversing on 30 percent of its land and a maximum of three vehicles at any sighting, ensuring that guests enjoy an exclusive experience. There are three camps on the property—MalaMala Camp and Sable Camp are to the north of the private airstrip, while the luxurious Rattray’s Camp is to the south. MalaMala Camp is unfenced, so it’s not uncommon to see a nyala or elephant wander past your air-conditioned room. It’s also the best option for families with young children, as it offers babysitting services for an additional fee. Sable Camp features six private suites and a common pool area overlooking the floodplain, while Rattray’s includes eight luxurious villas, complete with private plunge pools and verandas over the river."

"If you’re seeking a sophisticated safari experience with a touch of modern style, look no further than Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge. Here, everything is designed to blend into the beautiful surroundings. The entrance is constructed from natural materials and obscured by tranquil gardens, while the decor is minimalist, helping to emphasize unobstructed views of the bush. Amenities include private plunge pools, an indoor-outdoor restaurant overlooking a water hole, an underground wine cellar, and a luxurious spa. To get here, guests can fly to either Nelspruit or Skukuza, or arrange a private charter to the Sabi Sabi airstrip."

"Sanctuary Makanyane Sanctuary Makanyane is situated on 4,447 acres of private land within the malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa’s Northwest Province. Known for its exclusivity, it’s earned somewhat of a cult following among small wedding parties, honeymooners, and even celebrities (the Obama family stayed here in 2011). Since the lodge can only accommodate 16 people at once, guests can expect the ultimate in privacy and attentive, personalized service. Equipped with air-conditioning, the eight suites feature floor-to-ceiling windows with views of either the forest or the Marico River. Between August and May, guests can also sleep under the stars (and mosquito netting) on a two-story deck in the middle of the private reserve. Makanyane is approximately a 30-minute drive from the Madikwe Game Reserve airstrip, which receives daily shuttle flights from O.R. Tambo International Airport, or a four- to five-hour drive from Johannesburg. It’s also quite close to the South Africa–Botswana border, and half-day tours to Gaborone (the capital city of Botswana) can be arranged."

"!Xaus (pronounced Kaus ) Lodge is located within Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, in the arid Northern Cape Province of South Africa. This large, sandy swath of protected land is part of the greater Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park—the first ever transboundary park in southern Africa, meaning its political borders remain unfenced and wildlife moves freely between South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana. In addition to black-maned lion sightings, a stay at !Xaus promises to directly benefit the surrounding community. The oldest hunter-gatherer tribe in southern Africa, the San Bushmen were greatly disrupted when Kgalagadi was established in the 1930s. In 2002, however, they reached a settlement with SANParks and the government of South Africa. They now own !Xaus Lodge and the neighboring land, and receive a portion of the revenue it generates. It’s not hard to enjoy an off-the-grid experience at !Xaus. The 12 clay, thatched-roof cottages sit above a salt pan and freshwater hole, meaning guests can often see animals from the comfort of their cabin. The lodge’s remote desert location also makes it an ideal place for stargazing. There’s no cell service or Wi-Fi, but a generator runs during daylight hours to provide the camp with electricity. There’s also bottled water for drinking and limited borehole water for bathing. From the Twee Rivieren border post, !Xaus is a two-hour safari drive through the rolling sand dunes of Kgalagadi."

"Tswalu Kalahari Located in the Northern Cape Province, Tswalu Kalahari is set in South Africa’s largest private game reserve. While it caters to families with its malaria-free grounds, the reserve can only accommodate 30 guests at a time, so everyone enjoys maximum serenity and seclusion. Activities include private game drives, walking safaris, horseback rides, scenic helicopter flights, and sleep-outs under the stars. In addition to the Big Five (except elephants), Tswalu boasts regular sightings of rare and unique species, including black-maned lions, meerkats, pangolins, and aardvarks."

"The landscape surrounding Phinda Private Game Reserve is totally different from what you’ll experience in Kruger, Madikwe, or the Kalahari. Here, moisture from the Indian Ocean breathes life into gently rolling hills; flat, grassy wetlands attract hippos, antelope, and far too many bird species to list; and dense forests house the Big Five and even cheetahs. The 25 rooms at &Beyond’s Phinda Rock Lodge sit atop a granite outcropping, overlooking these lush surroundings. No matter which one you’re in, you’ll feel as if you’re hovering high above the treetops and the valley below. A stay at Phinda Rock Lodge is all-inclusive, complete with twice-daily safari drives, a Zulu village tour, bush walks, and other conservation experiences. Since the lodge is so close to the Indian Ocean, guests also have the unique opportunity to explore South Africa’s marine life. In the summer, you can join a nighttime excursion to watch leatherback and loggerhead turtles lay their eggs on the beach, or go snorkeling or scuba diving to explore the coral reefs near Sodwana Bay. While Phinda is approximately a two-hour drive from Richards Bay Airport, Airlink flies direct from Nelspruit to the lodge’s private airstrip, making it easy to connect a safari in the Greater Kruger National Park with a visit to Phinda."

"Karkloof Safari Villas is the kind of luxury lodge you only find out about through word-of-mouth. A 45-minute drive from Pietermaritzburg airport, it’s tucked in the heart of KwaZulu-Natal Province, surrounded by rugged terrain, a wide variety of plants and animals (the Karkloof blue butterfly is endemic to the area), and awe-inspiring waterfalls (the highest of which plunges some 288 feet into the ravine below). Perched on a hillside, its 16 villas are connected by floating wooden walkways that wind their way above 74,000 acres of lush, misty forest. Since there are no apex predators in this reserve, safaris—available as game drives or walking excursions—afford travelers the opportunity to learn more about Karkloof’s unique white rhinoceros breeding program. When not exploring, guests can take advantage of the lodge’s spa (considered one of the best in the country) and gourmet meals (which can be tweaked to accommodate all kinds of dietary restrictions, including detox plans)."

"Bushmans Kloof is a boutique wellness resort located in South Africa’s Cederberg Mountains. Just three hours north ofCape Town, the lodge sits on one of eight UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Cape Floral plant kingdom, surrounded by open plains, sandstone formations, and scrubby fynbos. Beyond its natural appeal, the land also has incredible cultural significance—guests can find more than 130 Bushman rock paintings, thought to be over 10,000 years old, across the property. The all-inclusive lodge can accommodate up to 34 guests at a time in a combination of rooms, suites, and a private villa with a pool. Activities include biking, hiking, fishing, canoeing, and nature drives in a safari vehicle. There’s also a gym, pool, organic vegetable garden, and award-winning spa on premises."

"Grootbos sits on a stretch of coast famed for its fynbos, an incredibly diverse natural shrubland. Guests may see one of 765 plant species while hiking the property’s trails. The ocean’s “big five” are the other draw: Boat trips from Walker Bay seek out seals, sharks, penguins, dolphins, and, from June through December, whales. Rooms are peaceful, set against ancient milkwood trees or fynbos gardens, and the restaurant is good enough that Cape Towners will drive two hours for a meal. Before you head home, plant a tree as part of the lodge’s Future Trees Project. You’ll get the GPS coordinates so you can find it on your next visit."