Planning your 2025 safari

Make 2025 the year you reconnect with the cosmos, while immersing yourself in the wild. Few experiences compare to the magic of safari Star Beds – open-air platforms where you drift to sleep beneath the Milky Way, with only a mosquito net between you and the African night sky. Wilderness offers some of the most extraordinary places to embrace this experience, such as at Wilderness Jao in Botswana, where the stillness of the Okavango Delta is broken only by the occasional call of a lion or hyena in the distance. In Namibia, the Little Kulala’s sleep-out beds provide front-row seats to the desert’s endless skies, while the Star Bed at Linkwasha’s Scott’s Pan in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park allows you to witness constellations in a magnificent setting. Whether you’re stargazing in the heart of the desert or on endless floodplains, these immersive experiences will make your safari one to remember this year.

Travel tip from our experts: The best time to experience a safari sleep-out under the stars is during the dry season (May to October), when clear skies and minimal rainfall provide uninterrupted views of the night sky.

These cool, crisp nights are perfect for stargazing and enjoying a comfortable sleep outdoors, while animals gather around dwindling water sources, offering unforgettable sightings from your treetop vantage point as the sun sets. For the ultimate experience, time your sleep-out around a new moon to witness the darkest skies and brightest stars of the Milky Way, or a full moon for the best view of the wildlife wandering below.

2025 can also be the year of your perfect wellness retreat, blending the healing power of nature with tailor-made experiences that restore the mind, body, and soul. Immersed in Africa’s vast and untamed beauty, our restorative journeys go beyond the traditional game drive. Camps like Toka Leya in Zambia and DumaTau in Botswana offer the ideal setting for you to relax and recharge . Whether it’s a morning meditation on your room’s deck, or indulging in a signature safari spa treatment that uses local ingredients like marula oil and Namib melon, you’ll deepen your connection to the land’s natural abundance. Activities like walking safaris, canoeing or e-biking, further enhance the rejuvenating benefits of nature.

Travel tip from our experts: Book your stay at Wilderness DumaTau where its Osprey Retreat is the crown jewel of our safari spa offering. Nestled along the waters of the Linyanti, this exclusive wellness sanctuary features a pool overlooking the lagoon, and holistic treatments inspired by the natural surroundings. Coming in 2025, you can also look forward to new wellness experiences at Wilderness Mombo in Botswana and Wilderness Bisate in Rwanda. 

Multi-generational travel – also known as Tribe Travel – continues to appeal, as families seek meaningful ways to reconnect and share unforgettable experiences together. Safaris offer the perfect setting for this kind of bonding, and Wilderness offers a variety of family-friendly camps designed to cater to travellers of all ages. We welcome families with tailored activities that spark curiosity and connection to nature, spacious family accommodations, and interactive guides. Book exclusive use of one of our ‘Little’ camps for your group , and enjoy flexible itineraries and your own private safari vehicle, allowing you to explore the wilderness at a relaxed pace. You’ll be creating memories that will be cherished for generations.

Travel tip from our experts: Most of our safari camps won’t allow children under 12 on game drives, unless a private vehicle is booked. But with just four to six rooms at our ‘Little’ camps, you can easily reserve the entire space for your family. This means you’re free to tailor your days, plan game drives around children, and enjoy leisurely evenings as a family around the boma. Consider Little DumaTau, Little Vumbura and Little Mombo in Botswana for an exclusive getaway. 

This year is all about personal growth and connection, and safaris are no longer just about wildlife; they’ve become cultural journeys that immerse you in Africa’s rich culture and heritage. For example, at Wilderness Serra Cafema in Namibia, you can engage with the semi-nomadic Himba people, one of Earth’s last remaining traditional communities. You’ll learn about their customs, daily life, and their deep connection to the land. Other Wilderness camps offer equally enriching experiences, from exploring San rock art etched into caves at Twyfelfontein near Wilderness Doro Nawas in Namibia, to discovering local artisans’ vibrant craftsmanship during a village visit from Toka Leya in Zambia. These authentic encounters allow you to experience the wild through the lens of its people, celebrating their history, art, and traditions, transforming your safari into a truly life-changing adventure.

Travel tip from our experts: When embarking on a safari with Wilderness, be sure to ask our team about visiting a nearby village. Meet some of the young minds engaged in our pioneering Children in the Wilderness programmes, learn about the impact we’re making in local schools and communities, or take home a hand-crafted item from a local basket weaver or jewellery maker. Venturing into the homes and villages of those who work in our camps will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression.

Of course, the main reason anyone goes on safari is for the profound encounters with Africa’s iconic wildlife. Locking eyes with a lion as it surveys its kingdom, or watching a family of gorillas interact in their forest habitat, invites time for pause and reflection. These moments in the wild challenge us to rethink our place within it. Whether on the vast plains of Mababe at the new Wilderness Mokete, or in Rwanda from our brand-new luxury lodge, Wilderness Bisate Reserve, these encounters are sure to become some of the most memorable moments of your life. 

Travel tip from our experts: Wilderness camps offer unique opportunities for you to experience the wild from different perspectives. In 2025, go beyond the game drive with activities like walking safaris in Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools, hot air ballooning over the plains of Tanzania’s Serengeti, or rhino tracking at the newly reimagined Wilderness Desert Rhino Camp.