The only thing Team GILTEDGE loves as much as crafting bespoke safaris and beach escapes for our clients? Going on these adventures ourselves! After all, it’s up to us to ensure everything’s up to scratch before we recommend a camp, lodge, or resort to you.
While our team and travelers’ firm favorites remain, there are plenty of new additions to Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands’ hottest destinations – some of which opened late last year and others that are preparing for their big unveiling in the next few months.
So, without further ado, here’s our travel bucket list for 2024, comprising both classics and fresh offerings.
Tanzania
Tanzania is home to the Serengeti National Park, renowned for the annual Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra. It’s also where you’ll find Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, and the Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera.
Vernon loves: One Nature Mara River – Northern Serengeti
This new addition to the One Nature collection will open to guests in June 2024. It’s the perfect base to catch the Great Migration – in fact, you’ll be so close to the action, you might as well be part of it. The lodge is situated beside the Mara River, where the majority of the Great Migration’s exhilarating river crossings take place – and where hordes of hungry crocodiles lie in wait!
Accommodation: One-bedroom luxury villas (sleeps 2 – 3) and a two-bedroom Presidential Suite (sleeps up to 6).
Facilities/amenities: Guest area, photography area, gym, trading post, emperor-size beds, private bar, solar-powered air-conditioning, indoor and outdoor showers and copper bathtubs, heated private pools, private wooden decks.
Robyn-Lea loves: Singita Milele – Serengeti
The newest Singita offering – a private villa perched atop Sasakwa Hill – opens in the Serengeti in May 2024, offering a front-row seat to the Great Migration. It boasts a full staff complement, private game vehicles, private dining, tailormade activities and the highest level of personalized service, ideal for large groups and multigenerational families.
Accommodation: Single five-bedroom villa, accommodating up to 10 guests.
Facilities/amenities: Large terraces and decks, dressing rooms, outdoor showers, boma, outdoor sala, private Jacuzzis, fitness center, movie room, infinity swimming pool.
READ RELATED CONTENT: Chasing the herds: A Great Migration mobile safari
Botswana
Botswana is famed for the Okavango Delta, a unique inland delta providing a lush habitat for birds and wildlife. This southern African gem is also home to the expansive Chobe National Park, known for its large elephant population, and the Makgadikgadi Pans.
Erica loves: African Bush Camps Atzaro Okavango Camp – Okavango Delta
Serving up sustainable luxury in the heart of the Okavango Delta – and accessible only via helicopter – this fresh addition to the African Bush Camps collection opens in March 2024. Atzaro Okavango Camp was built using recycled materials and overlooks a lagoon with breathtaking, Instagrammable views. Bonus – some of the suites have ‘star beds’ on their balconies.
Accommodation: Eight luxury suites (sleeps 2) and two double, luxury family suites with adjoining walkways (sleeps 4).
Facilities/amenities: Swimming pool, spa, gym, yoga deck, sky beds, ancestral boma, wine bar, indoor/outdoor showers, private plunge pools, private decks, air-conditioning, private lapas.
Rehana loves: Natural Selection Tawana – Moremi Game Reserve
Opening in May 2024 on the banks of the perennial Gomoti River, Natural Selection’s Tawana is another ideal base from which to explore the Okavango Delta. It’s situated in the Moremi Game Reserve’s game-rich southeastern sector, home to healthy populations of lion, leopard and African wild dogs.
Accommodation: Eight suites – five double suites (sleeps 2) and three family suites (sleeps 4).
Facilities/amenities: In-room spa treatments, large lap pool, over-bed air-conditioning, lounges, private terraces, plunge pools, outdoor salas.
Kenya
Kenya boasts the iconic Masai Mara National Reserve, another hotspot from which to witness all the heart-stopping action of the dramatic Great Migration. It also offers varied landscapes, from the snow-capped peak of Mount Kenya to the scenic Great Rift Valley.
Lisa loves: Angama Amboseli – Kimana Sanctuary
Set in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro in a beautiful fever tree forest, Angama Amboseli is a firm favorite safari haven in Kenya. This is where you’ll find the last of Africa’s Super Tusker elephants – gentle giants with tusks so big they drag along the ground as they walk.
Accommodation:
Facilities/amenities: Super king-size beds, floor-to-ceiling screen doors, outdoor showers, personalized drinks armoires, guest area, safari shop, games room, art gallery, weaving studio, photographic studio, swimming pool viewing tower.
READ RELATED CONTENT: A Kenyan Kaleidoscope with Angama
Sherilyn loves: Ishara Mara – Masai Mara National Reserve
Ishara Mara is one of Team GILTEDGE’s go-tos and continues to stand out even amid the newer lodges. Ishara is a Swahili word meaning ‘sign’, and when staying here, nature invites guests to embrace every moment as a sign. Known for its elevated bridges that offer jaw-dropping views within the Masai Mara National Reserve, Ishara Mara is a top pick for all types of visitors, including solo travelers, couples, and families.
Accommodation: Seven river suites (sleeps 2), two family suites (sleeps 4), a villa suite (sleeps 4), and an open-air star bed (sleeps 2).
Facilities/amenities: and outdoor showers, outdoor vintage bathtubs, private decks, spa, infinity pool, gym, observation deck, Canon Brand Experience Centre.
South Africa
South Africa is best known for the legendary Kruger National Park, where the Big Five roam free in one of the most biodiverse environments on the planet. This magical country is a place where you can sip in Stellenbosch by day and spot leopards in Limpopo by night. Plus, South Africa’s scenic beauty – from the Table Mountain backdrop in Cape Town to the Eastern Cape’s rugged Wild Coast – adds dramatic flair to every adventure.
Murray loves: Tswalu Loapi – Tswalu Kalahari Private Wildlife Reserve
Tswalu Loapi is tucked into the contours of a valley in the Korannaberg Mountains, promising the ultimate in remote, off-the-beaten-path safaris. Each home is at least 165 feet apart, so you can enjoy complete seclusion to soak up the sights and sounds of the bush.
Accommodation: Six safari homes operating as mini camps, including four one-bedroom homes (sleeps 2) and two two-bedroom homes (sleeps 4).
Facilities/amenities: Private safari vehicle, private guide, private tracker, interactive kitchen with private chef, bar, study with Wi-Fi, indoor and outdoor showers, shaded outdoor area, plunge pool, fire pit, in-room spa treatments.
Elizabeth loves: Navarre Residence – Cape Winelands
This intimate exclusive-use residence takes travelers into the core of the Cape Winelands and onto a working wine farm. It’s a must for nature lovers and anyone interested in agritourism – depending on the season, you can participate in harvesting grapes and olives and pruning abundant rose bushes in between bird-watching, cycling, and refreshing dips in the pool.
Accommodation: The residence comprises four bedrooms (three en suite), accommodating up to eight guests.
Facilities/amenities: Bar, entertainment area, pool, 24-hour concierge, daily breakfast, Wi-Fi.
Mozambique
Mozambique, with its clear, fish-filled waters, is a diver’s paradise, especially around the idyllic Quirimbas and Bazaruto archipelagos. Venture into Gorongosa National Park, where adventurers go for authentic encounters – not just postcard-perfect beaches but a real, raw slice of Africa.
Banyan Tree Ilha Caldeira – Ilha Caldeira
Dreaming of a private island escape? Banyan Tree Ilha Caldeira has got you covered. Set to open in the first quarter of 2024, this resort offers blissful barefoot luxury on the remote Ihla Caldeira (just over 12 miles off the mainland) in poolside villas with expansive ocean views. Throw in a pina colada (or three) and you’ve got yourself the ultimate beach vacation, guaranteed to rejuvenate mind, body, and soul.
Accommodation: 40 private pool villas, accommodating between two and eight guests.
Facilities/amenities: Banyan Tree Spa & Gallery, helipad, marine center, private swimming pool, fitness center, beauty salon, kids’ club, king-size beds, daybeds, indoor and outdoor showers, smart TVs.
Rwanda
Mountain gorillas are always at the top of the agenda when traveling to Rwanda. You’ll find these magnificent giants within the misty highlands of Volcanoes National Park. Other must-sees include the sprawling Lake Kivu and the Kigali Genocide Memorial, providing insight into the country’s layered, heart-breaking history.
Vernon loves: Mantis Kivu Queen uBuranga – Lake Kivu
The Mantis Kivu Queen uBuranga, opening in March 2024, is a luxury floating hotel, with two- and three-night itineraries to choose from.
Accommodation: Six standard cabins, two deluxe cabins and two executive suites.
Facilities/amenities: Plunge pool, complimentary Wi-Fi, cocktail bar, recycling program, king or twin beds, private decks, en suite bathrooms.
READ RELATED CONTENT: The Ultimate Guide to Gorilla Trekking in 2024
Seychelles
The Seychelles islands are the epitome of heaven on Earth, boasting some of the world’s most stunning beaches with powdery sands and crystal-clear waters, perfect for snorkeling and diving among vibrant coral reefs. Travelers can blend beach with bush in the Seychelles’ various natural reserves, where it’s possible to spot rare wildlife, including giant Aldabra tortoises.
Erika loves: Cheval Blanc Seychelles – Mahé Island
Cheval Blanc Seychelles is due to open in quarter three of 2024 (making it the sixth Cheval Blanc Maison), with a strong emphasis on wellness and restorative local wellbeing rituals. The beachfront resort will feature a luxurious spa and plenty of gorgeous artworks, including masterpieces by Madagascan artist Joël Andrianomearisoa. The cherry on top? Each villa boasts beach, hillside or tropical jungle views.
Accommodation.
Facilities/amenities: Spa, fitness room, surf simulator, padel courts, tennis courts, kids’ club, private swimming pools.
Lisa loves: Waldorf Astoria Seychelles – Platte Island
Bespoke beach vacations don’t get better than those at Waldorf Astoria Seychelles, where you have a personal concierge who gets to know you, your preferences and your Seychelles bucket list before you even arrive. Paradise awaits on Platte Island…
Accommodation: 50 seaside villas, each accommodating between two and 10 guests.
Facilities/amenities: Complimentary Wi-Fi, spa, tennis courts, fitness center, private pools, spacious terraces, outdoor showers, king-size beds, personal concierges, separate living rooms.
Do you want to be one of the first travelers to experience some of these new additions? Or maybe you’re keen to revisit an old favorite camp or lodge? Whatever’s on your bucket list, Team GILTEDGE is here to help you tick it off. Contact us today and let’s chat about how we can make your African adventure one for the books.