5 Safari Lodges for Return Safari Travellers

For many travellers, their first African safari is all about experiencing the Big Five. Seeing lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffalo in their natural habitat is often the highlight of a first trip to Africa.

But what happens when you've already experienced the classic safari destinations? When you've explored the Kruger, Sabi Sands or the more familiar reserves of Southern Africa, perhaps it's time to discover a different side of Africa.

Some of the continent's most rewarding safari experiences are found beyond the traditional Big Five circuit. From canoeing along the Zambezi River and exploring the floodplains of the Okavango Delta to tracking desert-adapted wildlife in the Kalahari, these destinations offer something quite different.

We've selected five safari lodges worth considering for travellers looking to return to Africa and experience something new.

Dulini Anabezi: Lower Zambezi, Zambia

Set along the banks of the Zambezi River, Dulini Anabezi offers a safari experience that combines exceptional wildlife viewing with some of Africa's most beautiful river scenery.

The Lower Zambezi is particularly appealing for returning safari travellers because of the variety of activities available. In addition to traditional game drives, guests can explore the river by boat, try their hand at fishing or experience the wilderness from a canoe.

Elephants frequently move through the riverine woodland, while hippos and crocodiles are a familiar sight along the water's edge. It is a wonderful destination for anyone wanting to experience a more water-based safari.

Kwai Lediba: Okavango Delta, Botswana

The Okavango Delta is one of Africa's most extraordinary wilderness areas, offering an entirely different safari experience depending on the season and location.

Kwai Lediba provides an opportunity to explore the Khwai region, where permanent water sources, seasonal floodplains and open grasslands create an incredibly diverse habitat.

Wildlife viewing can be exceptional, with regular sightings of elephants, lions, leopards, wild dogs and a remarkable variety of birdlife.

For returning safari travellers, the Okavango offers a chance to experience a different ecosystem, with the possibility of exploring the waterways and surrounding wilderness in ways that are not possible in traditional savannah reserves.

Malori Mashuma: Mana Pools, Zimbabwe

Mana Pools is one of Africa's most distinctive safari destinations, famous for its walking safaris, extraordinary elephant encounters and beautiful setting along the Zambezi River.

Malori Mashuma offers an opportunity to experience this wilderness in a more intimate way, surrounded by the landscapes and wildlife that make Mana Pools so special.

Unlike many traditional safari destinations, Mana Pools is particularly well known for its walking and canoeing experiences. Exploring the wilderness on foot, rather than always from a vehicle, creates a completely different connection with the environment.

It is an excellent choice for experienced safari travellers looking for something more adventurous and immersive.

Tswalu The Motse: Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa

Not every safari needs to revolve around the Big Five. In fact, some of Africa's most fascinating wildlife encounters happen in places where the landscape and smaller, more elusive species take centre stage.

Tswalu Kalahari Reserve offers an entirely different perspective of South African safari. Located in the Northern Cape, this vast private reserve is home to desert-adapted wildlife, including meerkats, aardvarks, pangolins, brown hyenas and the iconic black-maned Kalahari lions.

The Motse provides an exceptional base from which to explore this remarkable wilderness, with highly personalised safari experiences and the freedom to spend time searching for some of Africa's more unusual species.

For travellers who have already experienced South Africa's traditional Big Five reserves, Tswalu is a wonderful next step.

Elewana Tortilis Camp: Amboseli National Park, Kenya

Few safari landscapes are as recognisable as Amboseli, where large herds of elephants move across open plains with Mount Kilimanjaro providing an extraordinary backdrop.

Elewana Tortilis Camp offers an opportunity to experience one of Kenya's most iconic wildlife destinations, with a particular focus on elephants and the remarkable scenery that surrounds them.

Amboseli is especially popular with wildlife photographers. The combination of open landscapes, enormous elephant herds and the possibility of photographing wildlife beneath Africa's highest mountain makes it a very special destination.

For returning safari travellers, it also offers something quite different from the bushveld and woodland environments of Southern Africa.

Discover a Different Side of Africa

Returning to Africa doesn't necessarily mean revisiting the same reserves or looking for the same wildlife encounters.

Sometimes, the most memorable safari experiences come from exploring somewhere completely different. Whether that means walking through the wilderness of Mana Pools, exploring the waterways of the Okavango Delta or searching for desert-adapted species in the Kalahari, there is always another side of Africa waiting to be discovered.

At All Out Safaris, we help travellers plan tailor-made African safari itineraries, whether it is their first visit or their tenth. We believe there is always somewhere new worth exploring.

Your next safari might just be the one that takes you somewhere you've never been before.