What is luxury? The word gets thrown around constantly, but it is impossible to define, and it means vastly different things to different people. We all know what a 5 star hotel looks like, and I know I often imagine myself lounging in a fancy suite being served chocolate coated strawberries. No kids, no cooking, just a fawning husband catering to my whims…I digress! Fantasies aside, what makes for a luxury safari?
I often get asked to put together a luxury safari itinerary. The important thing for me is to ascertain what my client means by luxury. Do they mean that they want the most expensive safari lodge, or do they mean they want the most privacy, do they want to ride an elephant in a reserve, the best kids programme, or the best leopard sightings? Just from this, you can see it’s a wide spectrum.
For me, luxury is all about getting off the beaten track – getting into nature and smelling the wild eucalyptus, hearing the roar of a lion in the distance, experiencing the lonely cry of a fish eagle. I love a private plunge pool and a veranda with a comfy chair for my afternoon (G&T infused) sofa safari.
Which begs the question: Is the most expensive safari lodge always the best choice? Well, honestly, you aren’t going to be crying if you spend a few nights in 5 star bliss. The top lodges often have superb locations and can afford top staff to keep you manicured and nibbling foie gras. You can’t go wrong. But if you weren’t born with the proverbial silver spoon, there are other forms of luxury. And even if you do usually prefer total opulence, why not try something different – this is Africa after all! Perhaps something like a private tented camp, just for your group of friends, set in the middle of the Okavango Delta or Hwange National Park. Run by a passionate safari lover who wants nothing more than to impart his knowledge of the wild to you. Someone who knows all the secret places in the bush, and is invested in giving you the best safari experience. And best of all, with no one else around (except perhaps a hyena stalking its prey).
Or imagine a family-friendly lodge in the malaria-free Madikwe or Eastern Cape, where energetic staff take your kids off to track frogs, or teach them to make spears, while you soak up the peace and quiet you deserve. Bake bread together over the fire while your ranger tells you stories of growing up in Africa. A place where your kids have so much fun learning about animals that they forget about their iPads.
Have your guide drop you off in a treehouse in the depths of the Kruger Park with nothing but a 2-way radio connecting you to him. Sip bubbly with your Love as the sun sets and the bush comes alive with the sounds of the night, knowing that a lion could walk past you at any time.
Get out of the safari vehicle, and walk or canoe through the bush. Feel the earth move as a herd of buffaloes gets tetchy. Trail your fingers in the shallow waters as antelope come down to drink. Or sit around a campfire while inquisitive elephants come to check you out.
This is what a luxury African safari is all about. This is what you come to Africa to experience. Does this mean you need to rough it? Not a chance. You can still have your private bathroom, comfy bed and fantastic food. The beauty is in matching you to the lodge that will bring your safari dreams to life.
