I’ve Planned Safaris for More Than 40 Years—Here Are My 5 Tips for Choosing the Best Lodge

A private view over the Serengeti from a lodge in Tanzania.Credit: stevenallan/Getty ImagesI started helping travelers plan safaris back when we still used telex machines, so I've seen lodges change a lot over almost 40 years. Areas that used to have just one lodge now offer many choices for different styles of travel.

Choosing the right safari lodge rarely depends on just one single thing; It must fit the traveler, the season, the place, and the purpose of the trip. People may think they are simply choosing a hotel, but they are actually choosing a lens through which they will experience the wild.

Two guests enjoying the sights of their safari lodging.Credit: Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images

When helping clients design a trip, we begin with the people—as this helps determine everything else. A honeymoon couple, for example, may start with a safari, then end at the beach or a great city. For them, romance and a slower rhythm matter as much as location. The experiences they'll remember most are sleeping in a luxury treehouse or a private bush dinner surrounded by glittering lanterns.

Groups may be best suited for the privacy of exclusive-use camps like Kalepo in Kenya, or retreats like Hippo Creek Villa at Victoria Falls River Lodge in Zimbabwe. For families, the right lodge does more than just tolerate children. Coot Club in South Africa has family rooms and offers way more than just a "kid's club"—with kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, volleyballs, a slip and slide, and fat bikes. Ol Malo in Kenya can also be a great fit. Families can go out with a member of the Samburu—a semi-nomadic tribe located primarily in north-central Kenya—to lead camel or game drives, have dinner with the owner's family, and share stories by the campfire.

A guide showing a woman the scenic view of a wildlife reserve.Credit: AJ_Watt/Getty Images

The question should not only be "where will I sleep?" but instead "what will I see and access from there?" Off-the-beaten-path doesn't have to mean compromising—it can mean a more authentic wilderness experience. A private conservancy, for example, offers more flexibility than a national park, with fewer vehicles at animal sightings, night and walking safaris, drives off the main roads, and distance from the masses.

Popular areas like the Maasai Mara and Serengeti get very crowded in peak season, so we recommend a private conservancy nearby, or traveling off-peak. Hwange in Zimbabwe, South Luangwa in Zambia, Ruaha in Tanzania, or Madikwe in South Africa—lesser-known national parks—can be extraordinary even within their boundaries.

A guest sitting on a terrace above the bushes in Africa.Credit: Maria Korneeva/Getty Images

When looking for a safari lodge, consider the whole picture: logistics, wildlife access, food, service, guides, and atmosphere. When ownership is African, every detail matters: where the honey comes from, who makes the furniture, and who is hired. Those choices ripple into schools, healthcare, women's empowerment, and conservation. Beautiful decor can't make up for poor guiding or a crowded wildlife area. Most people come to Africa for the wildlife but end up remembering the team at the lodge and guides. The best lodges have amazing guides who've made it a lifelong career. They interpret behavior, read tracks, and create meaning.

Lodge size also makes a real difference. Eight to 15 rooms typically deliver the most personal experience, such as sit-down meals rather than a buffet. The range of activities, such as game drives, walking, and boating, is only a part of it. What really distinguishes a lodge is how immersive those experiences are, and how willing the team is to shape them around the guest's interests. Getting there also needs to be factored in, as the most remote lodges often require more costly or private flights. Budgeting is always a part of the equation.

A guest taking photos outside her tent in the Kalahari Desert.Credit: Mint Images RF/Getty Images

Sleeping in a luxury tent does something more interesting than recreating a hotel room in the bush. Knowing that, just beyond the edge of the camp, the wilderness is so alive is incredible. You don't have to choose one or the other; a safari can have both lodges and tented camps. Canvas camps range from permanent tents with tile or wood floors, running water, and private plunge pools to mobile camps that come down at the end of the season. There is something for every traveler's comfort level.

A group of wild elephants in Hwange National Park.Credit: Tuul & Bruno Morandi/Getty Images

Getting a good value in Africa doesn't just mean getting the lowest rate. A less expensive lodge may be fantastic because it offers incredible guiding, sits in a private conservancy, and uses conservancy fees to support the local community. Safari costs vary drastically by country, season, lodge size, and service standards. An expensive luxury lodge is not necessarily the best if it doesn't fit the travelers. What we look for is alignment, and if we get that right, the lodge almost chooses itself.

Karin Jones is a member of Travel + Leisure's A-List and specializes in conservation and purposeful safaris. You can create a tailor-made itinerary with Jones by contacting [email protected].

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