Top 10 Safari Lodges in Africa for 2025: Travel + Leisure Picks

1. Overview

This year’s top 10 safari lodges encompass breathtaking locations in Southern and East Africa, offering unforgettable wildlife experiences from classic Big Five safaris in South Africa to gorilla trekking in Uganda.

2. How Voting Works

Each year, iBestTravel conducts a survey for the World’s Best Awards, inviting travelers to share their opinions on top hotels, resorts, and experiences worldwide. This year, approximately 165,000 readers participated, reflecting a significant increase in engagement compared to pre-pandemic levels. A total of more than 685,000 votes were cast across 8,500 unique properties.

Hotels were categorized as resort, city, or safari lodge based on their location and offerings. They were specifically rated on the following criteria:

• Rooms/Facilities
• Location
• Service
• Food
• Value

Responses ranged from excellent to poor, with final scores calculated as averages of these ratings.

3. What Readers Loved

Leading the list, The Bushcamp Company’s Mfuwe Lodge won the hearts of readers due to its unique wildlife experiences, particularly the elephants that roam through the lodge’s reception area. Moreover, two gorilla-trekking lodges made it into the top ten, underscoring the allure of once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounters.

Rwanda’s Virunga Lodge (No. 2), just an hour from Volcanoes National Park, serves as a gateway to visiting endangered mountain gorillas. Guests have called the experience “incredible,” with one describing it as one of the best locations they have ever visited.

At Gibb’s Farm (No. 8) in Tanzania, numerous visitors expressed a desire to extend their stay, praising the “exceptional” service from the “friendly and very attentive staff.” The high-quality culinary offerings at this lodge have far exceeded expectations according to various guests.

Many properties showcased a comprehensive package of excellent service, scenery, and wildlife. For example, one guest at Elewana Serengeti Migration Camp (No. 3) remarked, “An outstanding camp with amazing views, service, and location. The staff was attentive and the food was spectacular.”

4. The Winner

The Bushcamp Company’s Mfuwe Lodge: South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

Guests visiting The Bushcamp Company’s Mfuwe Lodge between late October and December may have the chance to witness the elephants leisurely traversing through the lodge area. One delighted reader described the experience as mesmerizing, emphasizing the right of passage wildlife hold in this breathtaking setting.

— iBestTravel Reader

5. The Full List

1. The Bushcamp Company’s Mfuwe Lodge: South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

Reader Score: 98.93

2. Virunga Lodge: Burera District, Rwanda

Reader Score: 98.48

3. Elewana Serengeti Migration Camp: Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Reader Score: 98.40

4. Royal Malewane: Thornybush Private Game Reserve, South Africa

Reader Score: 98.13

5. Mount Gahinga Lodge: Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda

Reader Score: 97.87

6. andBeyond Bateleur Camp: Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Reader Score: 97.75

7. Thornybush Game Lodge: Thornybush Private Game Reserve, South Africa

Reader Score: 97.60

8. Gibb’s Farm: Karatu, Tanzania

Reader Score: 96.57

9. andBeyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge: Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania

Reader Score: 96.00

10. Angama Mara: Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Reader Score: 95.24