A Tuningi Safari Lodge game-drive vehicle beneath a marula tree at dusk, Madikwe Game Reserve

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Safari Accommodation in South Africa

A beautiful lodge is easy to find. The harder part is knowing whether it is right for your safari, your route, your family, your expectations and the rest of your journey. That is where Spurwing adds value.

200 stays, one shortlist

Lodges, camps and hotels across South Africa and Botswana — narrowed to the few that fit

Chosen with the route

Geography, transfers and timing decided before the lodge

One accountable plan

The stay, the drives and the connections arranged together

Nearly 30 years on the ground

An operator running the journey since 1996, not a listing

Kings Camp, Timbavati — a luxury suite opening onto the bush

CHOOSING WELL

Decide the geography first, then the lodge

Where the lodge sits decides the safari you get: inside a national park, on a private reserve with off-road traversing, or in a malaria-free reserve close to Johannesburg. Start with one of these three questions and the shortlist gets short quickly.

EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS

We would rather narrow the field than send you fifty options

Safari accommodation varies enormously in location, atmosphere, inclusions, guiding style, access, family suitability and overall rhythm. We use the wider journey to reduce the noise and focus on stays that make sense.

Kings Camp, Timbavati — a game-drive vehicle at the waterhole in Greater Kruger

Kruger & Greater Kruger

National-park stays and private-reserve lodge experiences.

Tau Game Lodge, Madikwe — the deck above the waterhole at sunset

Madikwe

A distinct safari destination with its own logistical and lodge considerations.

Mongena Game Lodge, Dinokeng — a game-drive vehicle beside a lion

Dinokeng

A useful safari option close to Gauteng for the right itinerary.

FEATURED STAYS

Six places that show the range

From a private Sabi Sand lodge to a river camp in Botswana and a beach resort on the Dolphin Coast — a first look at the kind of stay Spurwing books, not a ranking.

Browse all 200 stays →

Elephants crossing the Chobe River in front of Chobe Game Lodge, Botswana

PLAN YOUR TRIP

A rate only tells you one part of the story

Two lodges with similar prices can deliver very different safaris, and a lower room rate can become less attractive once transport, meals, activities or awkward routing are considered. We compare the complete stay in context — and plan what happens around the bed.

  • Before check-in: routing, transfers, arrival timing and what you are coming from
  • During the stay: what is included, how game viewing works and whether the property suits your travel style
  • After check-out: the next transfer, flight, tour or destination connects cleanly

THE JOURNEY BEGINS BEFORE YOU ARRIVE

Choosing the lodge should be exciting, not exhausting

Tell us what you imagine: classic bush camp or polished lodge, family time or couple’s escape, wildlife-first or a balance of safari and downtime. Planning that with someone who understands the wider trip is part of the holiday.

BROWSE ALL 200 STAYS

The full catalogue

The full Spurwing accommodation catalogue — 200 lodges, camps, hotels and villas. Filter by destination, reserve, stay style or collection.

200 stays · page 17 of 17

uMhlanga Sands Resort

Umhlanga · Resort

uMhlanga Sands Resort

A family-focused semi self-catering resort with 197 four-sleeper Tugela apartments and 40 six-sleeper St Lucia units, all sea-facing.

Umlani Bushcamp – Experience the unspoilt magic of Timbavati Nature Reserve

Timbavati Private Nature Reserve · Safari Camp

Umlani Bushcamp

Eight reed-and-thatch eco huts (four double, four family) with open-air bush showers, solar power and a treehouse sleep-out, on the Timbavati with three meals, drives and…

Victoria & Alfred Hotel

V&A Waterfront · Hotel

Victoria & Alfred Hotel

A polished central Waterfront hotel combining direct precinct access with large rooms, accessible facilities and strong city-break practicality.

Views Boutique Hotel & Spa — restaurant, interior

Wilderness Beach · Boutique Hotel

Views Boutique Hotel & Spa

A contemporary beach hotel with sea- and mountain-facing rooms and suites, spa hydro lounge, pools and a large private villa.

Xugana Island Lodge — fire, deck

Xugana Lagoon · Safari Lodge

Xugana Island Lodge

A 12-suite island lodge with year-round boating, mokoro, walking and fishing, including interleading family options.

Zimbali Lodge by Dream Resorts

Zimbali Coastal Estate / Ballito · Lodge

Zimbali Lodge by Dream Resorts

A quieter Zimbali option with rooms, suites, presidential accommodation and studio apartments, plus access to estate golf and beach facilities.

Dinner beside the waterhole at Elephant Valley Lodge, Chobe — elephants drinking at dusk

READY TO START PLANNING?

Tell us what the right safari stay feels like to you.

Share your dates, travellers, budget range and wider itinerary. We will help narrow the accommodation and connect the logistics around it.