Why Safaris Are This Year’s Hottest Travel Trend

Abercrombie & Kent pioneered luxury adventure travel with its first African safaris in 1962 when founder Geoffrey Kent brought refrigeration and champagne glasses to the Masai Mara on an ethos of ‘adventure by day, luxury by night’. Now, the A&K Sanctuary portfolio includes 13 beautiful safari lodges and camps across Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and Uganda). 

Jennifer Morris, senior global tailormade product manager at A&K, agrees that there’s been an uptick in interest. “Safaris have always held a timeless appeal but we are seeing renewed interest across all age groups, including a slightly younger demographic with honeymooners and families,” she says. “What has changed is the motivation behind travel – there’s a growing desire for something more meaningful and immersive and the adventure of a safari offers.”

Tarryn Lee-Slabber, head of reservations at Time + Tide, which has beautiful safari properties in Zambia and Madagascar, believes that safari delivers that in a way few other trips can. “There’s very little separation between you and the natural world, which creates a rare sense of perspective,” she says. “Safaris allow guests to slow down and delve deeply into a destination – and they’re becoming popular as part of a broader shift towards multi-layered travel. People are looking for journeys that offer contrast and progression. Safari lends itself naturally to that.” For example, guests might combine different regions within Zambia so they can experience distinct styles of safari, then extend into Madagascar for a bush-to-beach experience. Or they might combine time in Kreuger National Park with Cape Town for a city-to-safari escape. “That sense of moving through different landscapes and ecosystems, and experiencing them in different ways, is a big part of the appeal,” Tarryn says.

This concept of time and place isn’t just down to the animals you might spot day to day. Tom Barber, co-founder of luxury global tour operator Original Travel, says the USP of a safari experience is the meaningful interaction with local culture and communities. “We prioritise community-run lodges and work with local guides who consider themselves custodians of the land, so guests are immersed in the local way of life in a non-performative way,” he explains.

This is something Polly enjoyed on her own safari experience in Kenya, where she had the opportunity to visit a Maasai village. “Our safari lodge was largely staffed by local Maasai, so it was really interesting and humbling to see how their communities live and work alongside the wildlife,” she says. “They were very welcoming and explained in detail how they live off the land and the roles of men and women in the community.” Billie agrees. "Safari is more than just the animals, it’s watching nature creak open at dawn and wind down at sunset, it’s seeing what a sky full of stars actually looks like and witnessing a landscape so far removed from your own. The people also make up a huge part of what safari means, understanding different cultures and communities is what brings this whole travel experience to life and it’s that combination of all things – people, animals, place – that makes safari so incredible."

Apart from using it as a camera, there’s a connection between being in nature and not being on your phone. “A safari offers a kind of immersion in the natural world that’s almost impossible to replicate elsewhere,” says Tom. “You’re not observing wildlife in passing, you’re entering an ecosystem and experiencing unscripted, real-time encounters. Nothing is staged and nothing is guaranteed, which is exactly what makes it so powerful. There’s also a rare sense of perspective that comes from being in vast, unspoilt landscapes. Whether it’s the endless plains of the Serengeti or the waterways of the Okavango Delta, you feel both small and incredibly present. It’s a digital detox in the truest sense – no distractions, just a reconnection with nature and with each other.” The remote locations and lack of signal of many safari camps provide the perfect excuse to properly shut off from work and the online world and Tom suggests some of this time can be used to learn some ancient skills, such as “tracking and foraging”.

Safaris are the ultimate off-grid experience. “By the third day, something shifts,” Pride explains. “Your senses sharpen; you begin to see further, hear more, notice more. You become more attuned – not just to the environment, but to yourself. And in that heightened awareness, there is a deeper connection, both inwardly and with those around you. It’s a way of experiencing the world that is very difficult to replicate elsewhere.”

“Luxury has changed. It’s no longer defined by accumulation, but by meaning,” she continues. “There was a time when luxury was expressed through design, exceptional food and wine, and a sense of exclusivity. Those elements still matter, but today, what people are seeking goes deeper than that. The greatest luxury now is space, time and access to nature, people and moments that feel rare and deeply human. Space to breathe and think clearly. Time to slow down and be present. Those moments are where the real value lies.”