Private Safaris in Africa

The major private safari destinations include Kenya’s Maasai Mara and Amboseli, Tanzania’s Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, as well as Botswana’s Okavango Delta, which provide visitors with unique animal interactions, luxury lodgings, and personalized touring experiences. For luxury, private reserves in South Africa, such as Kruger National Park, Sabi Sands, or Madikwe, are the best, while Namibia provides secluded, dramatic, and remote experiences.

Kenya Private Safaris: The Masai Mara and Amboseli

Kenya continues to remain an integral part of the private safari experience, especially within the exclusive conservancies. Unlike the national reserve, the private conservancies around the Masai Mara offer less than tour vehicle access to a sighting and have the added benefit of allowing off-road access as well as nighttime tours. Amboseli National Park also offers a premier photographic experience in terms of the grand setting of massive tuskers (elephants) against the backdrop of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Masai Mara: Great for the migration and high density of predators in conservancies such as Mara North or Olare Motorogi.

Amboseli: Famous for the private view of huge elephant families, the park is close to Africa’s highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro.

Laikipia and Samburu: Known for private conservancies like Ol Pejeta and Loisaba, which emphasize rhino conservation and “star beds” for the more luxurious traveler.

Tanzania Private Safaris: Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater

Tanzania is the embodiment of scale and grandeur. A private game viewing experience in Tanzania utilizes the exclusive use of a safari vehicle to traverse the vast expanse of the Serengeti while monitoring the Wildebeest Migration throughout the year. A visit to the Ngorongoro Crater gives one a sense of The Lost World: although the Crater floor is accessible to everyone, staying in exclusive lodges on the Crater rim gives one pre-dawn access to the floor while avoiding all the tourists.

Serengeti National Park: It offers customized game drive experiences in different areas, including Central, North, or West, depending on when the migration takes place.

Ngorongoro Crater: Known for offering a picturesque venue in which to spot the Big Five in a gigantic volcanic crater.

Botswana Private Safaris: The Okavango Delta

Arguably, Botswana is the current leader of exclusive and low-impact tourism. The Okavango Delta is mostly comprised of private concessions where only a handful of small lodges have the rights to traverse the numerous hectares. What this means is that your water-based mokoro trips, or land-based game drives, will be private and uninhibited with the least chance of encountering any other vehicles.

Okavango Delta: Offers options for remote fly-in luxury camps, as well as water and land game experiences.

Chobe National Park: Best for private boat cruises on the Chobe River to view mass gatherings of elephants.

South Africa Private Safaris: Sabi Sands and Madikwe

South Africa is the global gold standard in terms of luxury and infrastructure. Private reserves like Sabi Sands (adjacent to Kruger National Park) and Madikwe are renowned for their high-end lodges and remarkable “Big Five” sightings. Privately managed reserves mean that your expert guide and tracker can drive off-road to get you within meters of a leopard or a pride of lions, something hardly ever allowed in national parks.

Sabi Sand Game Reserve: A premier location for leopard sightings and world-class luxury lodges.

Madikwe Game Reserve: Madikwe is a malaria-free reserve, ideal for private safaris with the family and catching as much wildlife variety as the day allows.

Namibia Private Safaris: Etosha, Sossuvlei, Namib Desert & Kunene Region

Namibia provides a distinct concept of a private experience characterized by silence and space, coupled with dramatic geology. Whereas Etosha National Park is excellent for spotting wildlife waterhole visiting in the wild, the Kunene Region is an off-the-beaten-path experience. Private flying safaris provide a unique opportunity to visit some of the most remote landscapes on Earth, including the Skeleton Coast and the elephant range.

Etosha National Park: Famous for its salt pan and the high density of wildlife around the springs in the desert.

Sossuvlei, Namib Desert, Kunene Region: Known for its remoteness, dramatic dunes, and exclusive and scenic views of desert-adapted species.

Uganda Private Safaris: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Queen Elizabeth Park

The premier destination for an intimate encounter with the rare mountain gorilla is Uganda. Having the mountain gorillas all to yourself during the trek ensures that the adventure through the old hills covered in mist is as personalized as possible. Outside the forest, Uganda boasts of other exciting experiences that promise encounters with the famous tree-climbing lions.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: The best place to go gorilla trekking worldwide; private treks provide an up-close encounter with a gorilla family.

Queen Elizabeth National Park: Known for having tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha area, as well as boat launches available on the Kazinga Channel.

Kibale Forest: The best location in East Africa to experience private chimpanzee habituation.

Rwanda Private Safaris: Volcanoes National Park and Akagera National Park

Rwanda has branded itself as the most luxurious and exclusive primate destination in Africa. The planning for a private safari in Rwanda is effortless, with luxurious lodges just minutes away from the national park headquarters. Rwanda is perfect for the traveler who is passionate about conservation, luxury, and exceptional service.

Volcanoes National Park: Provides the most accessible and luxurious experience in the world for tracking mountain gorillas.

Akagera National Park: A conservation success story where you can experience private ‘Big Five’ safari adventures in a breathtakingly beautiful lakeside location.

Nyungwe Forest: A private canopy walkway gives a bird’s-eye view of one of Africa’s oldest montane rainforests.

Zambia Private Safaris: South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi

Zambia is the place for the walking safari, making it the number one destination for an authentic, boots-on-the-ground private adventure. In Zambia, the guides are considered to be some of the best in Africa. In the Lower Zambezi, the emphasis is on the water, where private canoe safaris and boat safaris provide an opportunity to observe wildlife without the motor noise of other boats.

South Luangwa National Park: This park, called the Valley of the Leopard, is home to world-class private walking safaris that permit safe exploration.

Lower Zambezi National Park: Ideal for private boat trips and viewing elephants swimming across the Zambezi River.

Kafue National Park: One of the biggest parks in Africa, with its immense privacy, along with its water-covered Busanga Plains.

Zimbabwe Private Safaris: Mana Pools and Hwange

Zimbabwe is a personal favorite of pure-safari enthusiasts as well as professional photographers. Mana Pools is legendary for its ‘standing elephants,’ as well as the availability of tracking game on foot with top-notch private guides. Hwange provides a traditional but exclusive and private savannah experience with some of the greatest concentrations of elephants in Africa.

Mana Pools National Park: A UNESCO World Heritage Site known for private walking and canoeing safaris through the Zambezi floodplains.

Hwange National Park: Famous for a massive concentration of elephants, as well as private hides set up near waterholes for photography.

Matusadona National Park: Provides a rugged and private wilderness experience on Lake Kariba.