For many people, an African safari is the trip of a lifetime. The costs can be high, either eliminating a dream trip for many or cutting it short for others. This doesn’t have to be the case, however. Southern Africa has a wide range of offerings. We have identified a number of affordable lodges that still offer exceptional experiences, and when coupled with other budget-friendly options such as travelling in the shoulder season we can really maximise your budget and ensure your trip of a lifetime doesn’t break the bank.
AMALINDA CAMP
It’s very important to us that anything we recommend is truly a great option and this is where it is so important that we live locally and love to travel. We personally experience the products we recommend, and so you can be confident in our opinion.
OUR TOP PICKS FOR BEST VALUE IN CHOBE NATIONAL PARK, BOTSWANA
- Chobe Bakwena Lodge is an eco-luxury retreat on the banks of the Chobe River, located in Kasane right next to Chobe National Park. Bakwena has 4 game vehicles allowing extended drives to suit guests.
- Tlouwana Camp offers a luxurious and affordable tented safari experience for couples and families. At Tlouwana, the lodge owners welcome families and encourage parents to bring little ones on their first African adventure.
- Elephant Valley Lodge is surrounded by the peaceful wilderness of the African bush. It lies in a unique position over-looking the Lesoma Valley in the Chobe District. From the comfort and tranquillity of the lodge, you can watch animals at the lodge’s waterhole. Guests can enjoy 4 x 4 game viewing safaris and boat cruises in Chobe National Park.
OUR TOP PICKS FOR BEST VALUE IN VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE
- Masuwe Lodge is surrounded by natural bushland and wildlife and offers safari accommodation and experiences just a few minutes drive from all the adventures of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
OUR TOP PICKS FOR BEST VALUE IN HWANGE NATIONAL PARK, ZIMBABWE
- The Hide. Located in a prime position in the Park, The Hide offers a life-enriching safari experience for its guests, from its fantastic game viewing right on your doorstep, to a variety of daily activities. Incredibly kids under 12 go free in the low season and they offer up to 4 activities per day.
THE HIDE
- Elephant’s Eye is 13 km from the entrance to Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, on a private concession of 2500 hectares. It offers a secluded escape in the heart of the African bush where attention to detail and a passionate team of guides invite guests to fall in love with the wilderness. They have a great deal for families as kids under 17 staying with adults are free!
OUR TOP PICKS FOR BEST VALUE IN MANA POOLS NATIONAL PARK, ZIMBABWE
- Camp Zambezi offers rustic luxury set up on the bank of the mighty Zambezi River. Guests can experience the full range of safari activities including game drives, canoeing and walking. Each trip can be customised to the expectations of each individual group.
- Kavinga Safari Camp is a new 14 bedded semi-tented camp overlooking the dry Ruckomechi Riverbed, within a private concession on the southern boundary of Mana Pools, Zimbabwe – just 8 km away from the famous Chitake Spring.
OUR TOP PICKS FOR BEST VALUE IN MATUSADONA NATIONAL PARK, ZIMBABWE
- Musango Safari Camp is on Lake Kariba situated just off the shoreline of the Matusadona National Park. The exclusive, 16-bed, owner-run camp offers an abundance of both wildlife and bird life, with a large selection of activities available, or the option to simply relax.
MUSANGO
- Rhino Safari Camp is also on the shoreline of the Matusadona National Park. The small, luxurious yet rustic safari camp hosts a maximum of 14 guests in 7 twin-bedded rooms and is known for offering a highly personalised safari experience that blends comfort and wildness.
OUR TOP PICKS FOR BEST VALUE ZIMBABWE COMBINATIONS AND CIRCUITS
Some groups of lodges offer deals if you stay in several of their accommodations, allowing a great way for you to travel around the country at a great rate.
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- Camelthorn Lodge, Hwange National Park. Nestled in the cool woodlands on the southern edge of Ngamo’s famous Plains. Here, you will be treated to a truly memorable safari experience, in pure comfort and style. A great authentic African style camp.
- Nehimba Lodge, Hwange National Park. Deep inside a private concession, nestled inside the remote northern region of Hwange National Park, hides Nehimba Lodge. 9 spacious thatched tents built on teak decks, overlook the magnificent lodge pan – a favoured spot frequented large numbers of elephants.
- Bomani tented lodge, Hwange National Park. If you are looking for an exciting safari destination – in a remote and exclusive area – with great game viewing all year round, and one that actually makes a difference to the local communities and wildlife, then you need look no further than Bomani.
- Jozibanini Camp, Hwange National Park. In the remote south-west of Hwange National Park in a wilderness unused for nearly 20 years, once roamed by San people. This is a small, truly exclusive camp in a truly wild place, providing a unique, untamed wilderness experience. The ecosystem here is semi-desert akin to the Kalahari in neighbouring Botswana.
- Zambezi Sands Camp, Zambezi National Park. Zambezi Sands offers a wealth of picturesque game viewing opportunities in Zambezi National Park, the majesty of Victoria Falls, a mere hour away, or just relax in your private deck splash pool – whilst overlooking the Zambezi.
- Gorges and Little Gorges Tented Lodge, Victoria Falls. Gorges and Little Gorges is a mere 30-minute drive from Victoria Falls town and offers a unique experience from a peaceful base on the edge of the Batoka Gorge. Gorges is famous for its spectacular views, described by some as the best in southern Africa.
- Save big with our Stay 6/Pay 5 special! This special combines the Hwange region with the Matopos. Spend 3 nights at Amalinda Lodge & 3 nights Khulu Bush Camp or Ivory Lodge and receive your last night free. This also includes a free3 Hour transfer between these destinations.
- Amalinda Lodge: In the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Matobo Hills, the oldest National Park in Zimbabwe. The granite domes and castle kopjes echo the essence of tranquillity and majesty of untamed Africa. Famous for its healthy population of endangered rhino.
- Khulu Bush Camp: Hwange National Park’s quintessential luxury safari lodge. Inspired by the breathtaking splendour of its natural surrounds, Khulu Bush Camp reflects Africa’s timeless wonder and natural beauty. Khulu Bush Camp is the smaller, more intimate sister lodge to its neighbouring Ivory Lodge.
- Ivory Lodge: offers family-friendly safari experiences and is famous for its exhilarating up-close sightings of the Presidential Elephant Herd. The rooms themselves are built on stilted wooden platforms offering views of the open floodplain and waterhole in front of the camp.
