The Best New Safari Camps of 2025

Singita Kilima — a hilltop lodge above the Serengeti

Singita's newest Kenyan lodge: a hilltop property above the Serengeti ecosystem with an infinity pool that seems to pour into the savannah — the most dramatically positioned new safari lodge in East Africa.

Singita Kilima is positioned on a hilltop in the Lamai Wedge — the northern extension of the Serengeti ecosystem — with views that extend across the savannah to the Mara River and the Masai Mara beyond. The lodge's eight cottages are designed in a style that combines East African vernacular architecture with the refined luxury that Singita has made its signature: stone walls, thatched roofs, and the kind of considered detail that makes every space feel genuinely personal.

The lodge's position in the Lamai Wedge makes it one of the finest bases for witnessing the Great Migration: the annual movement of over 1.5 million wildebeest across the Mara River is one of the great wildlife spectacles on earth, and Singita Kilima's hilltop position provides a panoramic view of the crossing that few other lodges can match. The infinity pool, positioned to face the savannah, is one of the great hotel swimming experiences in Africa. The all-inclusive format — which includes all meals, game drives, and guiding — makes Singita Kilima one of the most complete luxury safari experiences in East Africa.

Book it ifYou want to witness the Great Migration from a hilltop lodge above the Mara River, with Singita's signature service and an infinity pool that pours into the savannah.

Singita Milele — an infinity pool above the Serengeti plains

Singita's most exclusive Kenyan property: a private villa camp with an infinity pool that overlooks the vast Serengeti plains — the ultimate private safari experience in East Africa.

Singita Milele is Singita's most exclusive property in the Grumeti Reserve — a private game reserve adjacent to the western Serengeti that is home to one of the most diverse wildlife populations in Tanzania. The camp is designed for exclusive use: a private villa with its own infinity pool, kitchen, and guide team, accommodating up to eight guests in four suites. The infinity pool, positioned to face the vast Serengeti plains, is one of the great hotel swimming experiences in Africa.

The Grumeti Reserve's wildlife is extraordinary: lions, leopards, elephants, and the full cast of the Serengeti ecosystem, with the added advantage of the reserve's exclusivity — guests rarely encounter other vehicles on game drives. The all-inclusive format includes all meals, game drives, and guiding, and the private kitchen team can prepare any cuisine the guests request. Singita Milele is the definitive expression of the private African safari experience: complete exclusivity, extraordinary wildlife, and the service quality that has made Singita the most celebrated safari brand in the world.

Book it ifYou want the most exclusive private safari experience in East Africa — a private villa camp with an infinity pool above the Serengeti, exclusively yours.

AndBeyond Suyian Lodge — a new lodge in the Kenyan highlands

AndBeyond's newest Kenyan lodge: a dramatic stone building on the edge of the Laikipia Plateau with an outdoor fire pit and views that extend across the savannah to the distant mountains.

AndBeyond Suyian Lodge is positioned on the edge of the Laikipia Plateau in northern Kenya — one of the most biodiverse wildlife areas in Africa, home to the largest population of black rhino outside South Africa, as well as lions, leopards, elephants, and the endangered Grevy's zebra. The lodge's eight suites are designed in a style that combines Kenyan vernacular architecture with the refined luxury that AndBeyond has made its signature: curved stone walls, thatched roofs, and the kind of considered detail that makes every space feel genuinely personal.

The lodge's outdoor fire pit — positioned on a curved terrace that faces the savannah — is one of the great evening experiences in Kenyan safari hospitality. The all-inclusive format includes all meals, game drives, and guiding, and the lodge's conservation programme — which supports the local Samburu community and the protection of the Laikipia ecosystem — gives the safari experience an ethical dimension that few properties can match. AndBeyond Suyian is the most exciting new lodge in northern Kenya, and for guests who want to experience the Laikipia Plateau at its most dramatic, it is the definitive choice.

Book it ifYou want to experience the Laikipia Plateau — one of Kenya's most biodiverse wildlife areas — from a dramatic new lodge with an outdoor fire pit and savannah views.

Mbamba Camp — a mobile camp in the Okavango Delta

Natural Selection's most intimate camp in the Okavango Delta: six open-fronted canvas tents under ancient acacia trees, with the Delta's extraordinary wildlife as your constant companion.

Mbamba Camp is Natural Selection's most intimate camp in the Okavango Delta — one of the world's great wildlife destinations and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The camp's six open-fronted canvas tents are positioned under ancient acacia trees on a private island in the Delta, with the extraordinary wildlife of the Okavango as a constant presence: elephants drinking at the water's edge, hippos surfacing in the channel, and the extraordinary birdlife of the Delta filling the air with sound.

The open-fronted design of the tents — which allows guests to sleep with the sounds of the Delta all around them — is a deliberate choice that reflects Natural Selection's philosophy of immersive, low-impact safari experiences. The camp's small size — six tents, maximum twelve guests — ensures an intimacy and exclusivity that larger camps cannot match. The all-inclusive format includes all meals, game drives, and guiding, and the camp's mokoro (dugout canoe) excursions through the Delta channels are among the most extraordinary wildlife experiences in Africa.

Book it ifYou want the most intimate and immersive experience in the Okavango Delta — six open-fronted tents under acacia trees, with the Delta's wildlife as your constant companion.

Sarara Camp — a Samburu camp in the Mathews Range

A community-owned camp in the Mathews Range of northern Kenya — one of the most remote and extraordinary wildlife destinations in Africa, with an infinity pool that faces the mountains.

Sarara Camp is positioned in the Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy in the Mathews Range of northern Kenya — one of the most remote and extraordinary wildlife destinations in Africa. The camp is community-owned by the Samburu people of the Namunyak Conservancy, and the revenue from the camp is used to fund conservation and community development in the region. The camp's six tents are positioned on a rocky outcrop above the conservancy, with views of the Mathews Range and the extraordinary landscape of northern Kenya.

The infinity pool — positioned on the camp's main terrace, facing the mountains — is one of the great hotel swimming experiences in Africa. The camp's wildlife is extraordinary: elephants, lions, leopards, and the endangered Grevy's zebra are all regular visitors, and the camp's guides — all members of the local Samburu community — have an intimate knowledge of the landscape and its wildlife that few other camps can match. Sarara is the camp that makes you understand why community-owned conservation is the future of African safari tourism.

Book it ifYou want to experience the most remote and extraordinary wildlife destination in northern Kenya, from a community-owned camp with an infinity pool facing the Mathews Range.

Gorilla Forest Lodge — at the edge of gorilla country in Uganda

An Abercrombie & Kent lodge at the edge of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda — the most luxurious base for mountain gorilla trekking in Africa.

Gorilla Forest Lodge is positioned at the edge of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in south-western Uganda — one of the last remaining habitats of the mountain gorilla, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the most biodiverse forests in Africa. The lodge is operated by Abercrombie & Kent, and its eight bandas — individual forest villas with bamboo ceilings, canopy drapes, and private verandas overlooking the forest — are the most luxurious accommodation available for mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda.

The gorilla trekking experience at Bwindi is one of the great wildlife encounters on earth: a guided walk through the ancient forest to find one of the habituated gorilla families, and an hour spent in their presence. The lodge's guides — all trained by the Uganda Wildlife Authority — have an intimate knowledge of the forest and its gorilla families that makes the experience both safe and deeply personal. The all-inclusive format includes all meals, gorilla trekking permits, and guiding, and the lodge's conservation programme supports the protection of the Bwindi ecosystem and the local communities that depend on it.

Book it ifYou want the most luxurious base for mountain gorilla trekking in Africa — at the edge of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, with Abercrombie & Kent's signature service.

Asilia Kokono Camp — a new camp in the Serengeti

Asilia Africa's newest camp in the Serengeti ecosystem — a small, intimate camp with a focus on conservation and community, in one of the world's great wildlife destinations.

Asilia Kokono Camp is Asilia Africa's newest camp in the Serengeti ecosystem — positioned in a private conservancy adjacent to the Serengeti National Park, with access to the extraordinary wildlife of the ecosystem without the crowds of the national park itself. The camp's small size — a maximum of twelve guests — ensures an intimacy and exclusivity that larger camps cannot match, and the all-inclusive format includes all meals, game drives, and guiding.

Asilia Africa is one of the most respected safari operators in East Africa, known for its commitment to conservation and community development: a significant portion of the camp's revenue is used to fund conservation programmes and support the local communities that share the landscape with the wildlife. The camp's guides have an intimate knowledge of the Serengeti ecosystem and its wildlife that makes every game drive a genuine discovery. Asilia Kokono is the camp that makes you understand why the Serengeti remains one of the world's great wildlife destinations — and why conservation-focused safari tourism is the future of the industry.

Book it ifYou want an intimate, conservation-focused safari experience in the Serengeti ecosystem, with Asilia Africa's commitment to community and wildlife.

Our verdict on the new safari camps

The finest new safari camps of 2025 share a quality that distinguishes them from the established lodges: a freshness of vision, a commitment to conservation, and a relationship with the landscape that goes beyond the conventional safari formula. Whether you choose a Singita hilltop lodge above the Serengeti, a community-owned camp in the Mathews Range, or a forest villa at the edge of gorilla country in Uganda, you will find a property that has made the African landscape its purpose. The best time to visit East Africa is July to October for the Great Migration and dry season game viewing; southern Africa is best from May to October.