The New Safari Camps and Lodges that T+L Editors Are Eyeing for Next Year

Heather Richardson
·2 min read

T+L’s picks of the most noteworthy camps, lodges, and wildlife cruises to launch this year.

<p>Courtesy of Zambezi Grande </p> The riverside Zambezi Grande, in southern Zambia

Courtesy of Zambezi Grande

The riverside Zambezi Grande, in southern Zambia

Planning a safari in the year ahead? Here, T+L’s picks of the most noteworthy camps, lodges, and wildlife cruises to recently launch.

Angama Amboseli, Kimana Sanctuary, Kenya

Set on a community-owned conservancy near Amboseli National Park — known for super-tusker elephants — the plush property has 10 tented suites decorated in canvas and rattan, all with views of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Mokete, Mababe Depression, Botswana

Rarely visited by Americans, the Mababe Depression outside the Okavango Delta is home to vast herds of buffalo and elephants, plus predators such as lions. This temporary camp, where the tents have retractable roofs for stargazing, is a luxurious placeholder for a more permanent property from the operator Wilderness that is due to open in 2026.

Okahirongo Elephant Lodge, Kaokoland, Namibia

<p>Courtesy of Sanctuary Retreats</p> Namibia’s Okahirongo Elephant Lodge.

Courtesy of Sanctuary Retreats

Namibia’s Okahirongo Elephant Lodge.

After an extensive refurbishment by Sanctuary Retreats, this hideaway in Namibia’s arid Kaokoland region is the perfect place for spotting desert-adapted elephants, giraffes, and zebras.

Plains Camp, Samara Karoo Reserve, South Africa

The unique selling point of this camp, which has just four off-grid tents with antique furnishings, is the rugged environment of the Karoo, where the surrounding reserve has seen the Big Five reintroduced through rewilding efforts.

Tanda Tula Safari Camp, Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, South Africa

This spot near Kruger National Park has been completely rebuilt, so it’s an even better perch from which to see Kruger’s plentiful big cats, including leopards.

Zambezi Grande, Lower Zambezi River, Zambia

Right on the riverbank, this newly redesigned 10-room lodge, with its palette of dark woods, olive greens, and browns, is a great base for game drives, sunset cruises, and walking safaris.

Zambezi Queen, Chobe National Park, Botswana

<p>COURTESY OF ZAMBEZI QUEEN BY MANTIS</p> Guests of the Zambezi Queen take a game drive by tender.

COURTESY OF ZAMBEZI QUEEN BY MANTIS

Guests of the Zambezi Queen take a game drive by tender.

This luxurious vessel sails the Chobe River, which forms a portion of the border between Botswana and Namibia. It relaunched in April after a top-to-bottom refurbishment that brightened up its 14 suites and public areas. Two-, three-, and four-night cruises afford first-rate wildlife watching, as elephants and hippos roam the banks.

A version of this story first appeared in the September 2023 issue of Travel + Leisure.

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