King of the Jungle

We have included a good number of our absolute favorite safari properties keeping value in mind when possible. For those of you seeking more luxurious properties in some, or all areas, we have included notes below.

On day 2 enjoy a personalized private full day Cape Peninsula tour including the Company Gardens, Desmond Tutu’s Church, the colorful BoKaap neighborhood, Long Street, the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Cape Point Nature Reserve and lighthouse, Chapman’s Peak Drive, and the penguins at Boulder’s Beach with a lavish picnic lunch. On day 3 take the cable car up Table Mountain before sipping your way through the winelands with your private guide. If you have the time to add 1 or 2 days to your trip there is plenty more to see and do in Cape Town. Walk the historic city, explore the castle, or take the boat to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years in prison. Feeling adventurous? Go dive with great white sharks! Prefer something a little slower paced? The afternoon tea at the Mount Nelson Hotel is a Cape tradition.
Accommodations: Cape Grace Hotel, 3 nights, bed and breakfast in a Table Mountain Luxury Room with a picnic lunch on your Peninsula tour and lunch at Le Petite Ferme on your Table Mountain / Winelands tour.

Cape Grace Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa – This hotel’s prime Victoria and Alfred Waterfront location puts you in the heart of action. Watch sea lions play in the harbor waters with iconic Table Mountain in the background. Step outside and explore the numerous wharf side shops and restaurants. Rooms are spacious and super comfortable. Voted by Conde Nast as the “Best Hotel in the World” with the highest score ever in addition other awards including “Best Hotel in Africa”, “Best City Hotel in Africa and the Middle East” and “Best Value in the World”.
What we do: After a full day’s touring relax on the wharf with a glass of South African wine. The next evening take a steam in the spa before watching the sunset on Table Mountain from the spa’s rooftop patio – your own private piece of Cape Town!

Ultimate Africa Exclusive: Grab a bottle of wine from our private wine bin (we suggest the Pinotage), and enjoy breakfast served in bed one morning – it is the height of indulgence.

The big 5 species – elephant, rhino, lion, leopard, and buffalo are ever present and may be viewed on day and night wildlife viewing drives in open safari vehicles and on professionally guided walks. Add to this the flexibility to go out on full day drives and you have a real winner. On a recent afternoon, in addition to loads of general game such as zebras and giraffe, I encountered elephant seemingly around each turn, 3 prides of lion, a mother white rhino with a baby, and 7 different leopards! Simply astounding!
Accommodations: Mala Mala Rattrays, 3 nights, all inclusive

Mala Mala Rattray’s Camp, Sabi Sands, South Africa – Rattray’s is a gem! Not only is the exclusive use wildlife viewing area the largest in all of the Sabi Sands (i.e. no crowds), the 8 colonial styled villas are incredibly spacious and ultra comfortable – we’re talking his and her’s bathrooms and private plunge pools! Fronting the wildlife rich Sand River and Kruger National Park Rattrays’ offers the hands down, most consistent Big 5 wildlife viewing in the area. No joke… and they have the daily stats to prove it. Jointly owned by both the local community and the Rattray family the property is at the forefront of sustainable tourism / conservation development.

You will be met by professional guide Robin Binckes who will take you on a private ½ day tour visiting the Apartheid Museum, the vibrant township of Soweto, and Nelson Mandela’s former home. End at the Doreale Grande Hotel. Located only 5 minutes from the airport the Doreale is a 5 star hotel with a 3 star price. It knocks the socks off other similarly priced airport hotels. Surely this place is subsidized by the adjoining casino. There is also an attached shopping mall with a number of restaurants. This night is about logistics and convenience… it is not considered “bucket list”.
Accommodations: Doreale Grande Hotel, 1 night, breakfast included

Johannesburg Airport Doreale Grande, South Africa: A 5 star hotel with a 3 star price located a couple minutes drive from the airport. We are pretty sure the adjoining casino / mall, which are great for people watching, subsidizes this place. Weather permitting we recommend taking your breakfast on the outdoor patio overlooking the pool, lawns and gardens.

The Okavango is the world’s largest inland river delta and this particular area offers some of Africa’s best game viewing in a pure wilderness setting. In fact it has been producing even better wildlife viewing than the Moremi Reserve the last several years. Head out in an open 4×4 vehicle for both day and night wildlife viewing drives or explore on foot with your professional guide! You can even opt to spend a night “Under African Skies”!
Accommodations: Chitabe Camp, 3 nights, all inclusive

Chitabe Camp, Okavango Delta, Botswana – Flying into Chitabe one year we had to circle the runway while the guides dragged a buffalo off the airstrip – with lion’s hanging on! This area has been pumping the last few years providing some of Africa’s best wildlife viewing. Wild dog, lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, giraffe… you name it. The rooms are just right with wooden floors, big comfy beds, hot / cold running water, flushing toilet, and shower. It is very common to have wild animals walking right through camp. One of our top “go to” properties in Botswana.

Known locally as “the smoke that thunders” they are a mile wide and 300 feet tall. You will stay 2 nights at the stately Royal Livingstone Hotel – a 5 minute walk from the Falls themselves. We will arrange a privately guided tour of the falls, a quiet sunset cruise on the Zambezi River, and a morning elephant interaction / safari. Feeling adventurous? We suggest a helicopter flight over the Falls or a swim in the Devil’s Pool on the lip of the Falls themselves! Want to experience a bit of local fare? For dinner one evening ask if the chef will prepare a plate of Nshima (maize porridge) with beef stew.

Accommodations: The Royal Livingstone, 2 nights, bed and breakfast

Royal Livingstone Hotel, Victoria Falls, Zambia – The colonial Royal Livingstone Hotel, set just above the Falls on the Zambian side of Zambezi river, is one of the most beautiful hotels in all of Africa. The rooms are a bit on the small side but the main areas make up for it. The bar, lounge, and dining areas are wonderfully comfortable and it feels good to be seen by others enjoying them… a sense of “I have arrived” pervades the premises while giraffe and zebra wander freely across the expansive lawns.

What we do: Wake for a few laps in the expansive pool before taking breakfast on the verandah – what a pleasure!

You will be met upon arrival and transferred by road to Giraffe Manor for 1 night. This place is a superbly unique experience and is often fully booked more than a year in advance! There is simply nowhere else in the world where you have the opportunity to interact with giraffe from the comfort of your room or while enjoying breakfast!
Accommodations: Giraffe Manor, 1 night, dinner, bed and breakfast

Giraffe Manor, Nairobi, Kenya: Originally built in 1933 by the Macintosh Family, famous for their Macintosh Toffee, Giraffe Manor allows guests to get up close and personal with a bevy of giraffe! I am not much of a morning person but being able to share my breakfast with a long lashed beauty (other than my wife) is good reason to get out of bed. Betty, our favorite room, is located upstairs in the main house and has a fireplace, the original bathroom from the early 1930s, and a large balcony from which you can feed the giraffe. Often completely booked 1 year in advance some rooms are more basic than others. Bucket list all the way!

It has gained more recent fame on the BBC as the location where Big Cat Diary is filmed. Set within the Mara itself, unlike most safari properties where game drives include more cattle and goats than wild animals, Little Governor’s is tucked into a forest overlooking the plains. With a great number of resident animals it offers terrific year round wildlife viewing in addition to the wildebeest migration during the months July through October. Activities include day time wildlife viewing drives in open 4×4 vehicles. Hot air ballooning is an option as well. Keep a look out for cheetahs that have become famous the world over for sitting atop safari vehicles!
Accommodations: Little Governors Camp, 3 nights, all inclusive

Little Governor’s Camp, Masai Mara, Kenya – Little Governors is our favorite Governor’s property. The location overlooking the marsh has a great feel to it and with 17 rooms the smaller size is ideal. I also like that you have to take a small boat across the Mara River to get there – quite an adventure. Resident warthogs mow the lawn and elephant can be spied at lunchtime. Here is it all about the safari – there are no swimming pools. Just comfy rooms, great food and drink, and excited guides. Please note that Governor’s hot air balloons launch from Little Governors at sunrise and this can be a bit noisy for those trying to sleep in.

Nights under canvas and days surrounded by wildebeest and wildlife! We chose Olakira for 2 reasons – it is in our opinion the very best value yet high quality experience in the Serengeti and importantly the camp moves with the migration throughout the year. Open 4×4 vehicles put you right in the action. Depending upon the time of year visit Olduvai Gorge or catch the migration crossing the Mara River. Optional hot air ballooning.
Accommodations: Olakira Camp, 3 nights, all inclusive

Olakira Camp, Serengeti, Tanzania – No safari to Tanzania would be complete without a few nights spent in a comfortable tented camp right amongst the migration. It is so cool to fall asleep to the sounds of lion roaring and wake to thousands of wildebeest and zebra within arm’s reach. Each of the 9 tents offer comfortable beds, a flushing toilet and bush shower which is filled with hot water upon request.

When it comes to the wildebeest migration location is EVERYTHING. When the migration is in the northern Serengeti late July through early October Olakira is located a 5 minute drive from the Mara River. Only Singita Mara River Camp is closer. When the migration is in the south, January through March’ish, Olakira moves to Ndutu – the same area chosen by legendary wildlife photographer Hugo Van Lawick (one time husband to Jane Goodall) as his base from which to live and work.

Ultimate Africa Exclusive: Enjoy a complimentary private bush breakfast on the Serengeti Plains one morning!

The afternoon of day 20 will be spent with your private guide looking for tree climbing lions in Lake Manyara National Park. Early the next morning your guide will drive you to Ngorongoro Crater for a full day wildlife viewing. A picnic breakfast on the crater floor is a bucket list experience.
Accommodations: Gibbs Farm, 2 nights, all inclusive

Gibbs Farm, Ngorongoro Highlands, Tanzania – This utterly charming property, built on a lush hillside within a 40 acre organic farm, is the ideal base to explore nearby Lake Manyara, the town of Karatu, and Ngorongoro Crater. The 17 rustic, yet wonderfully comfortable rooms, each with its own fireplace, are surrounded by incredible flowering gardens with views of the misty Ngorongoro Highlands. The farm fresh meals are wholesome and hearty – so good I wish I were married to the chef (please don’t tell my wife). When not out on safari you can watch coffee being roasted, take a hike to the elephant caves, or learn to bake bread. Voted #2 hotel in Africa and #16 in world according to Conde Nast in 2016. Please note this great value property is not set within a wildlife area.

Ultimate Africa Exclusives: As an Ultimate Africa guest enjoy a private fireside dinner in the gardens your first evening. UA guests also receive a complimentary bag of Gibb’s Farm organic coffee beans.

Your private guide will meet upon arrival at the airport and transfer you by road to the Kigali Serena – the only quality place to stay in the capital.
Accommodations: Kigali Serena, bed and breakfast

Kigali Serena, Kigali, Rwanda – Not the type of place we typically recommend but realistically it is the only quality option in town. Catering mainly to business people the rooms have all the comforts a world traveler would expect. They also have a lovely pool area with lush tropical gardens. Breakfast on the verandah overlooking the pool is a nice way to start the day.

High in the clouds with jaw dropping 360 degree views you will be welcomed with open arms to this rustic mountaintop hideaway. Days 24 and 25 will be spent trekking for mountain gorillas.
Accommodations: Virunga Lodge, standard room, 3 nights, all inclusive (if you prefer a 25 helicopter transfer to / from Virunga Lodge this can be arranged at extra cost)

Virunga Lodge, Parc National Des Volcans, Rwanda – The staff at Virunga Lodge easily makes this our favorite lodge in the area. They are some of the friendliest and most accommodating people we have ever met in Africa. Did I mention the truly jaw dropping 360 mountaintop views? While at the lodge don’t miss the local Intore dancers. We normally don’t go for the touristy dance thing however this is a whole different ball game. If you prefer the slightly more luxurious Sabinyo Lodge we are happy to book it – be forewarned however there are 283 stairs from the car park to the main lodge at just over 8,000 feet… a stretcher is available for those who can’t handle it – seriously!

Ultimate Africa Exclusive: Enjoy a free massage and boot cleaning.

A visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial is one of the most moving emotional experiences you can have in Africa! The day ends back at the Serena Hotel.
Accommodations: Kigali Serena, 1 night, bed and breakfast

Kigali Serena, Kigali, Rwanda – Not the type of place we typically recommend but realistically it is the only quality option in town. Catering mainly to business people the rooms have all the comforts a world traveler would expect. They also have a lovely pool area with lush tropical gardens. Breakfast on the verandah overlooking the pool is a nice way to start the day.