New Safari Lodges Opening in 2025: Honeyguide Launches New Conservation Lodge

The latest luxury safari property openings for next year that you should consider for your next safari adventure.

This year alone saw luxury safari accommodation added to Botswana’s Okavango Delta, South Africa’s Wild Coast and Namibia’s Damaraland. We’ll keep updating this list so you can keep tabs on new destinations to experience in Africa. 

Honeyguide Launches New Conservation Lodge – Opening January 2025

A new Honeyguide lodge will launch in the Big Five Entabeni Game Reserve in January next year. This new lodge adds to the existing Honeyguide Ranger Camp within the same reserve, with the complete Honeyguide Portfolio featuring four safari camps in South Africa and Tanzania.

Honeyguide Conservation Lodge features 10 luxurious rooms, each with a spacious deck offering views of the adjacent dam, expansive bushlands, and surrounding Hanglip Mountain.

Honeyguide Conservation Lodge will be graded a 5-star lodge, offering game drives and walks with plans to earn its name by “inviting guests to participate in ongoing conservation projects.”

The lodge will be both child-friendly and wheelchair accessible. Upgraded amenities will include:

• A new overflow pool
• Dining conservancy
• Spa treatment room
• Lounge area

Chichele Presidential Lodge, Zambia – Opening Early 2025

Chichele Presidential Lodge in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia, is set to reopen in March 2025 after a complete transformation. Originally built in the 1970s as a retreat for Zambia’s first president, Kenneth Kaunda, the lodge has been reimagined through a partnership between Chichele Safaris, Chiawa Safaris, and Fox Browne Creative.

Situated atop a hill with panoramic views of the park, the lodge offers a unique mix of heritage and modern amenities, while adhering to sustainable practices. The revitalized lodge will feature ten luxurious Vista Suites once open.

The property’s redesign is said to emphasize both luxury and environmental responsibility, incorporating recycled materials and clean energy systems. Original pieces and handcrafted Zambian artistry blend with timeless elegance and modern sophistication, all framed by sweeping views of the Luangwa Valley.

Guests can enjoy guided safaris, yoga sessions, and state-of-the-art fitness facilities, as well as gourmet dining with locally sourced ingredients. The lodge also supports local conservation and community initiatives, reinforcing its commitment to preserving Zambia’s natural beauty while offering a world-class travel experience.

 

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Mbamba Camp, Okavango Delta – April 2025

Natural Selection’s new Mbamba Camp, opening in April 2025 in the northern Okavango Delta, promises an authentic under-canvas experience with a touch of luxury.

This 100% solar-powered camp features 12 air-conditioned tents, including double, twin, and family units.

Each tent has an en-suite bathroom and a private verandah, offering guests secluded comfort and stunning views of the surrounding wilderness. The camp’s central area includes two lounges, a dining area, fire pit, and a swimming pool for relaxation between thrilling game drives and mokoro safaris.

Set within the expansive and wildlife-rich NG12 concession known for its year-round game viewing, guests can expect to see sought-after wildlife like African wild dogs, lions, and over 350 bird species.

This camp provides both land- and water-based activities, including helicopter flights and cultural trips to the Tsodilo Hills, ensuring a well-rounded adventure. The vast, untouched NG12 concession, which adjoins the Moremi Game Reserve, provides a private and exclusive safari experience.

Ideal for families and larger groups, Mbamba Camp combines comfort with a deep connection to the natural world, making it a prime addition to Botswana’s luxury safari circuit.

New Lodges To Experience that have already opened in 2024:

Wilderness Desert Rhino Camp, Damaraland, Namibia –  July 2024 

Wilderness was recently rebranded from Wilderness Safaris, with conservation tourism continuing to drive its focus. The hospitality brand rebuilt its Desert Rhino Camp, which  reopened in the Namib Desert in July. This camp has eight Meru-style tents with viewing decks to make the most of the stark, beautiful, rocky wilderness.

The hospitality brand’s impactful tourism initiatives stem back to 1983, and this camp is a vital base for its partner Save the Rhino Trust. The conservation trust’s tracking teams collect data from here for one of the region’s largest, longest-running black rhino databases in the world.

Guests can follow free-ranging populations of critically endangered desert-adapted black rhinos and lions across the Damaraland plains as they learn about their unique survival skills in this harshly beautiful environment.

READ: New Botswana Safari Lodge Set to Boost Okavango Delta Appeal

Great Plains Conservation Mara Toto Tree Camp, Masai Mara, Kenya –  July 2024  

Founded by National Geographic wildlife filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert, Great Plains Conservation focuses on eco-tourism as part of its conservation mission.

Mara Toto Tree Camp in Kenya is a seasonal camp located a few kilometres from its sister camps – Mara Plains Camp and Mara Expedition Camp. After its recent refurbishment, it reopened in July, catering to eight guests.

The camp consists of four tents constructed from canvas and wood, set on elevated decks in the treetops, complete with ensuite bathrooms.

Guests can make the most of wildlife viewing in the Maasai Mara, which peaks with the 50,000-strong wildebeest migration as far as the eye can see across the 28,000-hectare Mara North Conservancy.  The green season migration, which usually runs between December to March from Loita Planes, can see more than 100,000 zebras adding to the dazzling spectacle.

Natural Selection Tawana, Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana – May 2024

As the second opening in 2024 from Natural Selection, Tawana adds to the hospitality brand’s portfolio in Botswana, which includes Jack’s Camp, Tuludi, and North Island Okavango across Northern Botswana.

Founded on the region’s rich cultural heritage, Tawana is a partnership between Natural Selection and the Batawana tribe and its Chief, Tawana Moremi. The partnership looks to preserve the pristine ecosystem for future generations, while providing much-needed opportunities for the community.

The unfenced lodge, with eight suites, is designed to offer an immersive escape into the Moremi Game Reserve. The suites, including three family rooms, are set across approximately 100 square metres (130 square metres for family units) and have a separate lounge area, private terrace, and plunge pool.

Singita Milele, Serengeti, Tanzania – May 2024

Renowned hospitality brand Singita, operators of lodges in Sabi Sand close to South Africa’s Kruger, Grumeti in the Serengeti, added Milele to its Tanzanian offering in May.

With five suites able to accommodate ten guests, the lodge’s design aims to capture the raw energy and visual appeal of the region’s wildlife. Suites include large terraces and decks, dressing rooms, outdoor showers, and views of the savannas below.

Experiences on offer include Anti-Poaching Observation Post visits and a focus on the Grumeti Fund Community Outreach Program, involving residents of the 21 villages bordering Singita Grumeti.

Miele hospitality experiences include Singita’s award-winning selection of wines, managed by its wine team in Stellenbosch, which is responsible for the selection, purchase, storage, and service of all the wines across the brand’s lodges.

Nxamaseri Island Lodge, Okavango Delta – April 2024

This refurbished Desert and Delta Safaris camp is one of the longest-standing offerings in the Okavango Panhandle. Nxamaseri promises an intimate connection with nature and luxurious accommodations. The lodge has 7 double chalets and 2 family chalets. A standout feature of the newly reopened lodge is the over-water Nxamaseri Spa, with a complimentary treatment available for all guests, in addition to optional treatments available to book. 

Accessibility is streamlined through consistent air travel arrangements, with all flights arriving at and departing from the nearby Shakawe airstrip.  Culinary offerings at Nxamaseri focus on sustainably sourced, local ingredients, bringing to life the traditional practices and histories of the area’s fishermen and farmers. 

The lodge’s proximity to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Tsodilo Hills offers unique cultural excursions, allowing guests to explore ancient San Bushman rock art and learn about the region’s heritage.  

Daunara Safari Camp, Okavango Delta, Botswana – April 2024

This owner-run camp offers an intimate experience in the heart of the Okavango Delta with a maximum of 10 guests. The camp has three couple suites and one family suite. Daunara also offers guests the opportunity to experience the Southern part of Botswana’s Delta from the air, with a 25-minute helicopter flight transfer from Maun available as an alternative to its two-hour road transfer.

Farm-to-table style dining includes a private chef able to accommodate guests’ dietary requirements. There is also a strong focus on community partnership and conservation outreach programs.

Natural Selection GweGwe Beach Lodge, Wild Coast, South Africa –  April 2024

GweGwe is one of two new lodge offerings from Natural Selection, an established group of owner-operated safari lodges across Southern Africa.

GweGwe beach lodge, set along South Africa’s Wild Coast,  opened in April. The facilities includes nine ensuite rooms (seven twin deluxe suites and two family suites), each with a private deck and plunge pool offering ocean views.

Set within the 7,500-hectare Mkambati Nature Reserve, this lodge appeals to outdoor adventurers and eco-travellers looking to connect with nature. Activities include shore-based whale watching or snorkeling with the marine life found on this protected coastline.

A seasonal highlight is the annual Sardine Run, which is expected to run from 16 June to 10 July 2025.

Atzaro Camp, Okavango Delta, Botswana – March 2024

Atzaro opened in the second quarter of 2024, immersing guests in one of the continent’s last great natural sanctuaries, Botswana’s Okavango Delta. 

With eight luxury suites and two double luxury family suites, it incorporates eco-conscious design, with the camp built chiefly with recycled materials. The main area of the lodge overlooks a lagoon. Private plunge pools come standard, with amenities including access to sky beds for candle-lit dinners and stargazing, an Ancestral Boma, and a wine bar. 

Expert  African Bush Camp guides take guests on wildlife adventures. Added experiences to look forward to are helicopter safaris and mokoro (traditional canoe) expeditions. 

Explore Discover Africa to plan your bucket list bush experience. Not sure when to go? Check this Seasonal Safari Calendar or try this handy Safari Cost Estimator.