If You’re Thinking Of Going On Safari, Read This First

Auberge Safari has introduced several developments this season, including a new helicopter offer, an updated camp and the launch of a permanent tented property. The Sky’s Yours promotion includes complimentary helicopter excursions for qualifying stays: book four consecutive nights at a Chem Chem property, Mwiba Lodge or Mwiba Plains for a 30-minute flight. Stays of seven nights or more, including an Auberge Safari Serengeti camp and at least two nights at a Chem Chem or Mwiba property, qualify for a 60-minute excursion with a scenic picnic. Meanwhile, Nyasi, the vintage-inspired camp in the northern Serengeti’s Lamai Wedge, has been refurbished with new gym and spa tents, plus elevated wooden decks for guest tents. On 15th December, Mwiba Plains is due to open in the Greater Mwiba Protected Wildlife Area. Designed around the Great Migration’s calving season, from mid-January to March, guests will have exclusive access to a private guide and vehicle throughout – without the visitor volumes that descend on the wider ecosystem during the annual event.

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Uga Resorts has opened its eighth property, Uga Ghiri, in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. Set across 11 acres of terraced hillside on the historic Sutherland Estate in Ella, the all-inclusive retreat comprises 15 standalone villas and a restored colonial-era manor house, which serves as the main house and culinary hub. An infinity pool and contemporary spa complete the offering, while views stretch across emerald tea plantations, rolling hills and the iconic Nine Arch Bridge. The surrounding landscape makes this a particularly appealing base for exploring the highlands and its amazing wildlife: Little Adam’s Peak can be reached on foot, while Ella Rock and Ravana Falls offer more adventurous excursions. Nearby tea estates provide a glimpse into the island’s long-established Ceylon tea-making traditions. Guests can also watch mountain trains cross the 1919 brick-and-stone viaduct from the property.

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At The Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari Camp, guests can explore the wildlife through the lens of a professional camera. The camp’s new photography studio offers Canon cameras and lenses, alongside guidance from resident Canon-certified wildlife photographers Kennedy Omungo, John Macharia and Duncan Ochieng. Before each game drive, guests can choose equipment suited to their experience and receive practical advice on composition, lighting and tracking wildlife. Back at camp, the studio becomes a space to review and edit images, with professional support and a secure digital gallery for the finished photographs. Camera equipment is available to guests at no extra cost throughout their stay, while private photography excursions with resident photographers can be arranged for an additional fee. Guests are assigned an open-air Safari Land Cruiser and dedicated guide, allowing them to set their own pace.

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In the Kalahari, celebrated South African chef Luke Dale Roberts has opened Boscia, an ambitious new restaurant on Tswalu’s 118,000-hectare private reserve. Built into the earth beneath a century-old farmhouse and surrounded by shepherd’s trees, it takes its name from the hardy tree species whose roots can reach 68m underground in search of water. The landscape informs the entire experience, with a menu shaped by regional ingredients, preservation techniques and the distinctive flavours of the Kalahari. Guests begin in the historic farmhouse, with snacks and cocktails before descending into a root cellar that doubles as a gallery, library and working larder. Shelves lined with fermented, pickled and preserved ingredients reveal how the kitchen responds to its challenging environment. Throughout the five-course experience, the menu will serve the likes of venison, tsamma melons, Kalahari salt, local dates and wild rosemary. Tswalu is home to three camps: Motse, Loapi and the exclusive-use Tarkuni homestead. Every guest is guaranteed a private vehicle, guide and tracker, with unlimited time in the field.

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For travellers keen to experience several of Africa’s defining landscapes in one trip, Yellow Zebra Safaris has introduced a new itinerary, A Safari Exploration. The journeys span six countries, bringing together the Serengeti and Great Migration, mountain gorillas, the Zambezi River, Victoria Falls, the Okavango Delta and Cape Town. Designed for those happy to travel extensively, the itinerary offers a wide-ranging introduction to the continent’s wildlife and scenery. The 22-night journey includes four at Wilderness Usawa in the Serengeti, three at Wilderness Sabyinyo in Volcanoes National Park and a night at Hemingways Retreat in Kigali. The trip continues with four nights at Chiawa Camp in the Lower Zambezi, two at The Victoria Falls Hotel, four with Beagle Expeditions in the Okavango Delta and a final four at Cape Cadogan in Cape Town. 

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Opening in time for the New Year, Khensani River Lodge is the latest addition to the Tengile MalaMala Collection. The nine-suite property sits directly on the Sand River within South Africa’s MalaMala Game Reserve, offering a safari experience shaped by life along the water. Fifteen years in the making, it is the collection’s most design-led lodge to date and its sixth property in a portfolio of heritage camps and contemporary lodges. The wider collection stretches along 27km of the Sand River in Mpumalanga, with an unfenced boundary to Kruger National Park offering access to the region’s wildlife. Khensani is owned in partnership by the local community and the Saad family, making it part of a small group of South African safari brands built around community partnership. 

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