New children-led filmmaking experience joins a lineup of hands-on activities built around Shiviko Kruger's approach to multi-generational travel What sets Shiviko Kruger apart is not any single activity but the freedom behind all of them. Each of the property's four exclusive-use villas comes with its own private guide and chef for the length of the stay, and itineraries are left unscripted rather than fixed to a set programme. That flexibility means children can be at the ce

Marine protected areas are increasingly recognised as critical refuges for humpback whales, offering rare stretches of ocean where they can communicate, navigate and breed without the growing pressures of shipping noise and military sonar. Annual migrations along South Africa's east coast have been growing for over three decades, with iSimangaliso Wetland Park recording more than 11,000 whales in a single migration season, highlighting the importance of protecting these incre

Namaqua National Park, Northern Cape, South Africa Namaqualand is having its best flowering season in years. Record winter rainfall along South Africa's west coast has brought this year's wildflower bloom on in far greater volume than usual, turning the fleeting display into one of the most intense wildflower events the region has seen in years. In an era where almost everything is instantly accessible, the greatest luxury is no longer found in things – it is found in being

Hoedspruit, Limpopo, South Africa On Saturday, 5 September, while conservation groups worldwide mark International Vulture Awareness Day, teams at Cape Vulture Nature Reserve will get active. They'll climb into position on the opposite cliffs and count. The target is the roughly 728 breeding pairs nesting above the lodge, a figure that only stays accurate if someone keeps checking it. That count sits at the centre of what Cape Vulture Nature Reserve is trying to prove: that

From a five-star training ground rewriting the odds for rural women, to children directing and filming their own South African adventure films, to rhino lineage and reef ecosystems kept alive by the communities living alongside them, four properties across South Africa show what it looks like to protect heritage when the cameras aren't rolling Every 24 September, South Africa marks Heritage Day - popularly known as National Braai Day, a day when the country's diversity is cel

Zambezi National Park, Zimbabwe Most safari properties sell proximity to wildlife. Tsowa Safari Island sells something harder to find: a private island in the middle of the Zambezi River that puts you within reach of three countries, two national parks, and one of the world's great natural wonders, without surrendering the kind of stillness that makes a place worth leaving. Getting here is part of the journey. Access is by 4x4 and private boat only. There are no airport shu

Set within Kenya’s Solio Game Reserve, the luxury safari camp invites guests to reconnect with nature through immersive moments and mindful wellbeing experiences Reservations are now open for JW Marriott Mount Kenya Rhino Reserve Safari Camp, a luxury safari retreat owned and operated by Lazizi Solio Limited set to welcome guests in July 2026. Located within Solio Game Reserve, the camp will bring the brand’s signature blend of sophisticated design, exceptional service, and h

Located in South Africa's Mpumalanga province, Cape Vulture Nature Reserve is an ideal starting point for exploring Kruger to Canyons (K2C) Biosphere Region, a UNESCO-registered biosphere situated in the northeast of South Africa, between the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces. As of this year, it remains the largest biosphere in South Africa and is ranked as one of the most successful learning places for sustainable development in the world. Besides, the adventure can start

In the landscape of South African tourism, the gap between luxury hospitality and neighbouring community survival is often wide. However, across two of KwaZulu-Natal’s most iconic wild spaces, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park and iSimangaliso Wetland Park, there are 2 lodges that prove a meaningful stay is a functional necessity for regional conservation. Operated by Isibindi Africa Lodges and fuelled by the Isibindi Foundation, Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge and Thonga Beach Lodge have mo

For years now, the hospitality industry has defined "sustainable tourism" through a relatively narrow lens - the focus was on reducing single-use plastics, encouraging guests to reuse their bath towels and sourcing local ingredients for the dinner menu. And while every little bit helps, it’s only a drop in the proverbial ocean. Sustainability today must align with the deeper ecological and social reality if it is to have a measurable impact. At the centre of measurable, su

Just 15 minutes from Victoria Falls International Airport, a new seasonal tented camp is offering something increasingly rare in African luxury travel: complete privacy in an active elephant corridor. Operating during the March to September 2026 season, the new Victoria Falls Tented Camp by Chiefs Tented Camps has been designed specifically for the international incentive and group travel market, combining exclusive-use accommodation with direct access to the bush on Zimbab

Southern Africa – August 2026 South Africa's Women's Month commemorates the 1956 march of 20,000 women to the Union Buildings, while also recognising the progress women continue to make in the workplace. In hospitality, that story unfolds in kitchens, lodges and training rooms across Southern Africa. Six women share what that journey looks like. In the kitchen Jessica Mhlanga couldn't afford tertiary studies after school. A mother figure pushed her to apply to the Singita Sch

Robert Sobukwe (formerly Graaff-Reinet), Eastern Cape, South Africa – July 2026 In the Karoo town of formerly Graaff-Reinet, a national monument is doing something unusual with its five stars. Drostdy Hotel, known for its Cape Dutch architecture, is owned by the South African College for Tourism (SACT) and functions as the college's training ground. SACT was founded in 2001 by Dr Anton Rupert, with a specific mandate: economic empowerment and professional development for un

Southern Africa – May 2026 Credit Jacqueline S Wood As luxury travel in 2026 shifts toward regenerative experiences, the narrative is evolving. Research from Booking.com indicates that 85% of global travellers are now seeking more sustainable ways to travel, with high-end travellers looking for experiences that offer both meaning and measurable impact. Across Southern Africa, luxury safari hospitality establishments are responding by redefining what a high-end wildlife enco

Robert Sobukwe (formerly Graaff-Reinet), Eastern Cape, South Africa - May 2026 If the concept of a “museum” conjures up silent halls and glass-cased relics, you’re probably not alone. Life today happens at high speed, and for many travellers, the idea of spending countless quiet hours looking at old stuff is simply not appealing. But if we allow for an expanded understanding of what a museum can (and should!) be, then the va

Zambezi National Park, Zimbabwe – April 2026 In a region defined by spectacle, Tsowa Safari Island offers something far quieter, and, increasingly, more compelling. Set on a private island along the Zambezi River, just upstream from Victoria Falls, this intimate camp reflects a growing shift in luxury travel: away from excess and towards immersion, restraint, and a deeper connection to nature. The name “Tsowa” translates to new beginnings, a sentiment that runs through the ex

Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya - February 2026 At The Whispering Tree Spa, wellness is not confined to a treatment room; it is woven into the very rhythm of the savannah surrounding The Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari Camp. Inspired by the iconic Acacia trees that stand as timeless sentinels over the plains, our sanctuary invites guests to return to themselves through the quiet exchange of ancestral wisdom. Here, we treat the landscape itself as the primary therapist. T

Eastern Cape, South Africa, April 2026 As winter settles across South Africa’s Eastern Cape, Shamwari Private Game Reserve shifts into a rhythm that most safari lodges simply don’t offer: a civilised start to the day, more time with active wildlife, and a landscape that stays green while Kruger turns brown. Across much of Southern Africa, safari mornings begin in darkness. Guests wake before dawn, grab coffee, and head out early to catch a narrow window of activity before t

KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa - March 2026 Searching for the custodians of sustainable tourism, driving various beneficial community-driven and nature conservation initiatives in South Africa, takes one to KwaZulu-Natal, starting at Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, all the way through to iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Therein lie two Isibindi Africa Lodges. Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge at Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park boasts unspoiled landscapes of rolling hills, acacia bushveld, and river valleys, wh

Hoedspruit, Limpopo, South Africa - March 2026 In the early stages of its development - spanning roughly two decades - the concept of the eco-lodge gradually took shape, both in theory and in practice, defining what it should embody on the ground. As this vision became clearer, lodges worldwide took notice, recognising not only its environmental significance but also its long-term sustainability value. Increasingly, these establishments moved beyond baseline commitments, stri