Postcard from Safari
The world is wide and there's always more to see, and we know that keeping track of the wheres, whens, whats, and hows of travel is quite a task. But that's what we're here for! The Postcard is Local Foreigner's guide to the quick hits of a trip - the highlights we want to send back to travelers when we're on the ground in a place.
There are few trips that inspire as much rapture (and have as many moving parts) as a safari. It's something almost everyone wants to experience at least once, but starting the planning process can be daunting. In this safari primer, we're skimming the surface on different safari destinations, plus when you should travel and how far in advance you should plan.
A safari is a singular trip - something almost every traveler has pinned to a mental (or physical) vision board. The wonders of sub-Saharan Africa leave people at a loss for words, keen to describe the sense of joy and wonder you're left with after time "in the bush." For many, what begins as a one-time, bucket-list trip becomes a love affair that leads to decades of return visits.
Most people will tell you to go during the dry season (June-October), when thin vegetation and limited water sources raise the stakes on game viewing. But green season (January to March) means lots of babies, and the holidays are always a popular time to visit - in short, there's always something to see in the bush. But to make your decision easy, we outlined some quick hits on seasonality in the Big Five major safari destinations.
South Africa
May-September (winter dry season) for visibility and reliable game viewing.
Tanzania
June-October for classic dry-season safaris, or January-March for the Serengeti calving season (huge herds + predators).
Kenya
June-October for dry weather and peak wildlife viewing (including the Great Migration), with January-March as a strong secondary window.
Rwanda
June-September (and December-February) for the driest conditions, ideal for gorilla trekking.
Botswana
June-October (ironically called dry season) for concentrated wildlife and top Okavango Delta flood conditions.
Safari lodges are small, and piecing together an itinerary is an art, so we recommend planning well in advance - think 18-24 months ahead of time for peak season, especially the December holidays. 12+ months is best for all other times of the year.
Peppered across Africa, you'll find some of the world's best places to stay (period). Figuring out which ones are right for you is where the alchemy comes into play. Below are a couple of our favorites in each country, but there's lots more where these come from, most with no more than 15 rooms and all with their own brand of magic.
South Africa
South Africa offers one of the most well-rounded safari experiences in Africa, combining exceptional Big Five game viewing with polished infrastructure and world-class lodges.
Tswalu Kalahari
Founded by the Oppenheimer conservationist family, this 13-suite lodge exists to restore the Kalahari to itself. Set within South Africa’s largest private reserve, guests enjoy rare wildlife, ancient cave art, vast desert landscapes, and fully customized days—from walking safaris and horseback rides to spa time and meetings with the resident ecologist.
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Londolozi
Family-run since the 1920s, this 17,000-acre Sabi Sand Reserve icon spans five lodges along the Sand River. With Ralph Lauren–meets–safari design, excellent guides, organic farm-to-table dining, and pioneering conservation efforts, it’s beloved for both families and adults (and famed for some of Africa’s best leopard sightings).
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Tanzania
Everything about safari in Tanzania is vast - the scale of the Serengeti, the scope of the Great Migration - except for the lodges, many of which are intimate and excellent.
Little Chem Chem
Known as “The Sunrise Camp,” Little Chem Chem features five tented suites in a private concession bordering Tarangire National Park. Surrounded by baobab trees, it offers superb birdlife, walking safaris, expert guides, and unforgettable sunrises—an ultra-exclusive experience with just ten guests across 39,500 acres.
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Singita Sasakwa
This ultra-luxe manor in the Grumeti Reserve overlooking the Serengeti is one of the world's ultimate safaris. Ten elegant cottages are outfitted in chic safari-prep décor, a library brims with antique globes and first edition Laurens van der Post novels, and then there's some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities in all of Tanzania.
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Kenya
Cinematic Kenya is the birthplace of the modern, Hemingway-esque safari, and is what you're picturing when you think of Out of Africa or The Lion King.
Cottar's 1920s Safari Camp
Founded in 1919, Cottar’s 1920s Camp revives the golden age of safari with elegance, expert guiding, and deep heritage. Set within a 22,000-acre private concession, it offers exclusive game drives and bush walks, followed by evenings around the fire or in vintage tents filled with family heirlooms.
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Lenguishu
Set in Kenya’s Borana Conservancy, Lengishu is a six-bedroom stone lodge in Laikipia with warm, rustic design and sweeping savannah views. Built from local materials, it offers private game drives, bush walks, and Mount Kenya sundowners, pairing eco-luxury with strong conservation and community impact.
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Rwanda
Centered on Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda offers one of the world’s most extraordinary wildlife encounters: trekking endangered mountain gorillas through misty bamboo forests.
One&Only Nyungwe House
Singita Kwitonda
On the edge of the Nyungwe Forest, the One&Only features rooms and suites with private decks overlooking lush tea plantations and rainforest. The design is bold, with graphic black and white textiles, and activities include guided chimp trekking, canopy walks, tea plantation tours, and bird watching.
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Chosen by President Paul Kagame to set Rwanda’s luxury standard, Singita Kwitonda sits at the edge of Volcanoes National Park. Striking volcanic architecture, deep community ties, and otherworldly design create an unforgettable setting, matched only by the extraordinary experience of gorilla trekking.
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Botswana
Gliding through the floodplains of the Okavango in a hollowed-out canoe is varsity safari. It's also where you'll find some of the smallest, most luxurious lodges.
Selinda Camp
Xigera Safari Lodge
Xigera is an ultra-luxurious, design-driven retreat in Botswana’s Okavango Delta. There's no "roughing it" happening here - just hand-carved furnishings, bespoke African art in every corner, and sleek electric game vehicles framing an immersive wilderness experience.
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Selinda is an ultra-exclusive retreat, with three tented suites and a private villa overlooking Botswana’s floodplains (also home to a large resident population of hippos). Founded by conservationists Dereck and Beverly Joubert, you'll find classic safari style, plunge pools, and immersive game drives, walks, and boating.
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Coming Soon: Singita Elela
The opening of Singita Elela on 170,000-hectares of the former Abu Concession, in the northwest corner of the Okavango Delta, is very exciting for safari itineraries everywhere.
Being in the middle of nowhere is one of the best parts of being on safari, but let's be honest - it takes a long time to get there (and get home again). If you have a few extra nights to spend, see below for some of our favorite stopovers on your way in to and out of Africa.
Stopover in Istanbul en route to South Africa
Swap spice markets and minarets for lions, leopards, and sunrise game drives.
Spend some time in Amsterdam on your way home from Tanzania
Post up in a canal-side cafe to rehash your favorite wildlife sightings.
Stop and shop in Paris before jetting to Kenya
If there's a place on earth where you could hunt down chic cargo pants, Paris is it.
Wind up in Doha before trekking in Rwanda
Just in case you want the contrast between modern life and time with the gorillas to be even starker.
Wine and dine in Cape Town before heading home from Botswana
One of the world's coolest cities, Cape Town's food scene is vibrant and creative (even if you've decided to go vegetarian after one too many game drives.)
