Best holiday resorts in South Africa – with one ranking second globally
The Makanyi Private Game Lodge, located in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve in Mpumalanga, has been ranked the best resort in South Africa and the second-best in world.
This is according to Condé Nast’s 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards, where a grand total of 575,048 votes across all categories were cast in its 37th annual survey.
Looking at the category of the Top Resorts in South Africa for 2024, these were:
- Makanyi Private Game Lodge;
- Tswalu Kalahari;
- Last Word Kitara;
- Lion Sands Game Reserve;
- Londolozi Game Reserve;
- andBeyond Kirkman’s Kamp;
- Tintswalo Safari Lodge;
- andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve;
- Cheetah Plains; and
- Thornybush Game Lodge.
1: Makanyi Private Game Lodge, Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, Mpumalanga.
With a score of 99.78/100, the Makanyi Private Game Lodge has been listed by Condé Nast as the top resort in South Africa, and the second-best resort in the world behind the L’Horizon Resort & Spa in Palm Springs, California.
The intimate, family-owned lodge located in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve situated on the western edge of Kruger National Park, it is known for its accessibility and unspoiled wilderness.
Guests at Makanyi Lodge can experience the thrill of exploring this vast habitat with minimal encounters with other tourists, offering an authentic safari experience.
It offers seven luxurious suites and a family suite, each designed to blend with the natural surroundings. Guests can enjoy panoramic bush and dam views from private decks, relax by the fireplace, or unwind in a pedestal bath.
Known for its exceptional service, delicious cuisine, stunning accommodations, and outstanding wildlife sightings, Makanyi Lodge is a highly sought-after safari destination.
2: Tswalu Kalahari, Private Reserve in Kuruman, Northern Cape
Boasting a score of 98.21/100, Tswalu offers an authentic wilderness experience on the southern edge of the Kalahari, with exclusive access to South Africa’s largest privately protected area with the goal of sustainable conservation.
This remote reserve, surrounded by the landmark Korannaberg mountains and vast arid savannah, provides an unscripted and unhurried wilderness adventure.
With a maximum of 40 guests across three luxury camps, Tswalu ensures an intimate and private experience with a low guest-to-space ratio, making it one of the most exclusive safari destinations in the country.
Safari activities include game drives, walking safaris, meerkat encounters, stargazing, and opportunities to engage with visiting scientists and artists.
3: Last Word Kitara, Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, Limpopo
With an impressive score of 98.1/100, Last Word Kitara offers an exclusive, five-star luxury safari experience located along the banks of the Klaserie River, adjacent to the Kruger National Park in the Greater Kruger region.
Set within the private Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, this intimate lodge provides unparalleled access to a vast wilderness area where Big Five game viewing is a highlight.
With six spacious, elegantly designed suites, each featuring river views, the lodge ensures a highly personalised and private safari experience.
Guests can enjoy a range of activities, including daily game drives, guided walking safaris, and unique conservation experiences like rhino dehorning and anti-poaching flights.
The lodge also supports local communities through conservation contributions, with all stays directly benefiting these efforts.
4: Lion Sands Game Reserve, Sabi Sand, Mpumalanga
Lion Sands Sabi Sands, part of South Africa’s oldest private nature reserve, Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, offers exclusive access to 12,400 hectares (30,600 acres) of pristine wilderness.
As one of only seven private concessions in Kruger National Park, it provides a unique and personalised safari experience, while preserving culturally and historically significant sites.
Scording an impressive 97.62/100, it is nestled along the Sabi River, this luxurious 5-star resort features four lodges and a treehouses.
After thrilling open jeep safaris to spot elephants and lions, guests can enjoy traditional boma dining. The resort’s romantic treehouses, illuminated by lanterns, candles, and moonlight, offer a unique experience.
After a picnic dinner, guests can relax under the stars, with the distant sounds of hippos, hyenas, leopards, and lions adding to the atmosphere.
5: Londolozi Game Reserve, Sabi Sand, Mpumalanga
Londolozi Private Game Reserve established in 1926, is one of South Africa’s premier private game reserves.
Receiving a score of 96.57/100, it is located in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, bordering Kruger National Park, it offers a luxurious safari experience in five elegant camps set amidst an ancient riverine forest.
Known for its exceptional wildlife sightings, especially leopards, Londolozi blends conservation with comfort, providing guests with spacious, beautifully designed accommodations and unforgettable dining experiences.
The reserve also emphasizes wellness, with unique retreats, spa treatments, and life-coaching programs, while its commitment to sustainability and community impact ensures that every visit contributes to wildlife preservation and local culture.
6: andBeyond Kirkman’s Kamp, Sabi Sand, Mpumalanga
With a score of 96.53/100 Kirkman’s Kamp is a historic safari lodge located in the renowned Sabi Sand Nature Reserve.
Perched on a ridge overlooking the Sand River, the lodge provides guests with exceptional wildlife sightings, including the famed leopards.
With access to 10,500 hectares of private land, guests can explore diverse habitats and encounter the Big Five, led by expert rangers and trackers who prioritize sustainable and intimate game viewing practices.
The lodge blends the charm of a 1920s homestead with modern comforts, featuring 12 guest cottages, including a family unit with two interconnected rooms.
7: Tintswalo Safari Lodge, Manyeleti Game Reserve, Mpumalanga
With a score of 96.49, Tintswalo Safari, a five-star luxury lodge in Manyeleti Nature Reserve bordering Kruger National Park, offers opulent suites and immersive wildlife experiences.
Guests can enjoy game drives, bush walks, and unique conservation activities like rhino dehorning and hyena collaring.
The reserve, known as the “Place of Stars,” boasts incredible biodiversity, including the Big 5 and a variety of other species.
Tintswalo provides a high-end safari experience with low vehicle density for exceptional wildlife viewing.
8: andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal
Boasting a score of 96.35/100, andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve is a luxury safari destination situated in the Zululand region of KwaZulu-Natal.
Located within the Munywana Conservancy, it spans 29,866 hectares and boasts seven diverse habitats, including woodland, grassland, wetland, and forest.
Home to the “Big Five,” 436 bird species, and notable populations of cheetah and black rhino, it offers exceptional wildlife experiences.
The reserve features six unique lodges—Mountain, Rock, Forest, Vlei, Zuka, and Phinda Homestead—each with its own charm.
Guests can enjoy game drives, nature walks, community visits, and bush or beach adventures.
9: Cheetah Plains, Sabi Sand, Mpumalanga
Cheetah Plains is a luxury safari lodge located in the renowned Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, bordering Kruger National Park with a rating of 96.22/100.
Famous for exceptional wildlife viewing, including the “Big Five,” it offers an eco-conscious, carbon-negative safari experience powered by solar energy.
The lodge features several private villas, each with a formal lounge, dining area, pool deck, and four suites, accommodating up to eight guests.
Guests enjoy personalised experiences, including silent game drives in electric Land Cruisers, private wine or whiskey tastings, wellness treatments, and custom multigenerational holidays, all with dedicated hospitality teams for each villa.
10: Thornybush Game Lodge, Kruger National Park, Limpopo
Thornybush Game Lodge is a luxury safari lodge located within the Thornybush Nature Reserve, part of the Greater Kruger Park ecosystem in South Africa.
With a score of 96.19/100, it was established as one of the first commercial camps in the country, it is considered a well-regarded destination for wildlife viewing.
The lodge offers 16 private luxury suites and a separate exclusive-use villa, Kamara House. Amenities include a bar, dining areas, a boma, a spa, and a swimming pool overlooking a sandy riverbed often frequented by wildlife.
Thornybush Game Lodge is known for its classic safari charm with modern updates, personalised service from long-term staff, and a commitment to environmental responsibility.
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