Destination Dupes & Unchartered Territories: for travellers looking for new horizons
Above: view from your private plunge pool at Jack's Camp, overlooking the Makgadikagdi Pans, Botswana.
Note: all rates mentioned in this article are 2024 or 2025 low-season rates. Rates vary significantly from season to season, please contact us for a customised quote based on your travel dates or complete our safari enquiry form here.
Booking a luxury African holiday comes at a cost, for a wide variety of reasons. One being popularity: the more well known the lodge or destination, the higher demand and therefore higher the price! In this blog, we highlight some of our favourite lesser known (and therefore less costly) but equally stunning Africa safari destinations. These dupes – or less costly alternatives to popular destinations, offer a more affordable safari experience for those travellers who have already seen the Big Five or those who are simply looking for a purer, off-the-beaten-track and less crowded Africa.
Think lesser known regions like the Mababe Depression or the Makgadikgadi Pans instead of Botswana’s Okavango Delta, the smaller but quieter Akagera National Park instead of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda; Kwandwe Private Game Reserve located in the malaria-free Eastern Cape of South Africa instead of the Kruger National Park, Mozambique instead of the Seychelles if you are looking for white sandy beaches, or Zambia as a wilder and more raw alternative to South Africa’s popular safari destinations.
Botswana’s newest it-destinations
Botswana’s Okavango Delta is heralded as Africa’s Last Eden and is without a doubt one of THE top safari destinations today. However, largely due to the remoteness of the region and associated costs of operating lodges in a remote setting, the Delta is also one of the most expensive safari destinations. The region boasts a plethora of high-end, luxury safari lodges, each more spectacular than the next.
Those looking for an alternative and slightly less costly destination within Botswana, should add the Mababe Depression to their bucket list. Located on the eastern-most boundary of the Okavango Delta, south of Chobe National Park, the Mababe Depression exists of marshlands that flood in the summer season, creating a wetland of some 2,600 hectares – uncannily similar to the Delta’s waterfilled channels! The only lodge here is Wilderness Mokete, located in a private reserve where the Mababe River – an extension of the Khwai River in the northern Okavango Delta – fans out over the southernmost point of the old lake depression’s vast plains. These life-giving waters result in the revival of a vast wetland, teeming with life and incredible biodiversity as the nearest water source for thousands of animals in the dry season. Starting from USD 1,150 per person per night, Mokete Lodge offers luxury in exclusivity and untamed wilderness with an abundance of predators and a plethora of plains game and birdlife.
Another superb safari destination in Botswana is the Makgadikagdi salt pans, which offers a vastly different experience from the water wonderlands of the delta. By contrast, a vast arid desert plain awaits you here, with the opportunity to see special desert adapted animals and a moonscape environment. Jack’s Camp at the Makgadikgadi Pans offers a luxury African lodge experience from USD 1,965 per person per night. This is one of the pans’ most iconic camps, an oasis of style and comfort in the middle of Botswana’s Kalahari Desert. A beautiful authentic, 1940’s style tented safari camp that has been completely rebuilt in late 2020, refreshed and reinvigorated, yet still retaining a truly classic style with a high “Instagram-able” factor. For those looking for a salt pan experience at a lower price, San Camp and Camp Kalahari offer very similar experiences.
Gorilla trekking in Kamba, Odzala - Republic of the Congo
Virunga National Park in Rwanda and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda have long been the "go to” gorilla trekking destinations. But here is an exciting option to add to the mix: Odzala-Kokoua National Park. The park is located within the safe and politically stable Republic of the Congo (not to be confused with the Democratic Republic of Congo), a separate country located 200 miles to the east. Odzala is home to the largest population of gorillas in East Africa and in addition, offers the most exclusive treks with only 4 people per trek and a limit of 12 permits available per day.
Trekking permits here cost $750 per person (compared to $1500 in Rwanda and $800 in Uganda). The treks start straight from camp – no waiting around at a park HQ - and the terrain for trekking is flat, as opposed to the steep, challenging conditions of Virunga and Bwindi. Due to the remoteness of the camps, there are 7-, 10- and 11-night journey's available which combine Kamba's 3 stunning camps; Ngaga Camp, Lango Camp and Mboko Camp Mboko Camp.
Combining Gorilla Trekking and Big 5 Safari? Consider Akagera Naitonal Park in Rwanda
Travelling to Africa is no easy feat, and those travelling to see the Big Apes often aim to combine Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking with a more classic Big 5 safari, to make the most of the long journey. That’s why we often recommend our travellers to combine Uganda or Rwanda (the best gorilla trekking locations) with a classic safari in Kenya or Tanzania. But why travel to different countries when you can do it all in one?!
While the Volcanoes National Park is the best known, “hotspot” location in Rwanda due to its popularity for gorilla trekking, those who are looking to also see the Big Five should visit Akagera National Park. The park is a conservation success story since African Parks took over the park management. Whilst its location in eastern Rwanda is quite difficult to reach (roughly a 3-hour drive from Kigali), this destination offers a great combination of Big Five game viewing and even fishing! With some of the most scenic savannah in East Africa – open plains, woodlands, lakes, swamp, and grassy low mountains – Akagera is home to one of Africa’s highest hippo densities, a large population of lions, some very large crocodiles as well as the rare sitatunga antelope and more than 520 bird species.
With daily rates starting from USD 912, Magashi Camp is an attractive alternative to similar high-end Masai Mara or Serengeti lodges. It is also far better than Uganda's Queen Elizabeth National Park, where high vehicle density, average game viewing and less exciting lodges make for a very mediocre experience. Magashi Camp is situated in Akagera’s only exclusive-use concession, overlooking the beautiful Lake Rwanyakazinga. This unique advantage makes Magashi Camp an ideal destination for travellers looking to combine an extraordinary gorilla experience with a spectacular classic savannah safari. Make sure to read up on our gorilla trekking tips & tricks before heading on this adventure.
White, sandy beaches and crystal-clear blue waters: swop Mozambique for the Seychelles
Mozambique’s beach lodges like Bazaruto Island Resort or Azura Benguerra (from USD 905 per person per night in 2025) offer that 5-star beach resort feel for a fraction of the cost of more popular Seychelles destinations.
Bazaruto Island Resort is located on Bazaruto Archipelago, a protected marine reserve and national park. With water that seldom drops below 26 degrees Celsius, the coastline and soft coral ridges are a snorkeler's dream. The tropical waters are home to over a hundred species of coral, thousands of tropical fish species including kingfish, barracuda and manta rays, five kinds of dolphin, four types of whale and shark, all five marine sea turtle species, and the largest population of the rare dugong on the African east coast.
Azura Benguerra, the first eco-friendly resort in Mozambique, was hand-built by the local community and is operated in partnership with it. It is located on an unspoilt island within a Marine National Park, with beaches of pure white sand that extend for miles, sparkling turquoise seas crisscrossed by local dhows plying their trade.
Africa’s true unchartered territory: the Wilds of Zambia
Imagine South Africa, but wilder, more remote, no fences, and less accessible. A raw wilderness destination, offering superb big 5 game viewing in addition to being home to a host of different species seen nowhere else in Africa. Whilst some of Zambia's safari regions are relatively well known (e.g. South Luangwa National Park), its other regions are fast becoming Africa’s newest “it” safari destinations. Lower Zambezi and the Kafue National Park are two of our favourite Zambian destinations.
It is no coincidence that our Zambia example itinerary is called “The Wilds of Zambia”: A watery wonderland mix of experiences, from the Busanga swamps in Kafue, to the mighty Zambezi River and Winterthorn forests in Lower Zambezi - this is an action-packed safari full of exquisite animals and superb mix of game viewing opportunities.
In Lower Zambezi, lodges such as Kutali Camp, Chula Island Camp and Chongwe Camp offer extraordinary, off-the-beaten-path game viewing from USD $580 per person sharing per night. Kutali Camp, meaning "far-away place", lives up to its name: located in the Winterthorn forests, it offers exclusive-use accommodation for those looking to escape. Located on Katengahumba Island, Chula Island Camp is separated from the mainland by the famed canoeing area, the ‘Discovery’ channel. This secretive and private island gives unparalleled views over the Zambezi River, and the wilderness experience and wildlife viewing are second to none.
In Kafue National Park, you will encounter noticeably less people. Here, lodges like Musekese Camp (from USD 580 per person sharing per night) offer exceptional game viewing and private safari experiences, in unspoiled wilderness areas at some of the lowest rates available today. Their conservation impact in the area is tangible, adding a great feel-good factor to visiting this more remote area of Zambia, with your stay contributing to its wider protection.
South Africa: put those advantageous Dollar/Euro to Rand exchange rates to good use
If you are looking for great value for money in terms of a classic Big Five safari, look no further than South Africa’s private game lodges in the Kruger National Park or Kwandwe Private Game Reserve. Compared to other popular safari destinations like Botswana, Kenya or Tanzania, South African lodges still price themselves in South Africa Rands. With current exchange rates fluctuating between ZAR 18 and 19 to the Dollar or Euro, this means that you can enjoy luxury safaris at relatively lower costs. Have a look at our favourite South African lodges for inspiration for your next African safari!
Within South Africa, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve offers accommodation per night starting from ZAR 14,000 (USD 800), with game viewing that is comparable to the infamous Sabi Sands region - where similar lodges start at around ZAR 20,000 or USD 1,100 per person sharing per night. Some additional benefits of Kwandwe being located in the Eastern Cape are that it is situated in a malaria-free are of South Africa, its proximity to the Western Cape & Cape Town, and fewer crowds. With several exclusive-use lodges and villas and kid-friendly activities, Kwandwe also is the perfect family safari destination.
When you are ready to visit any of the stunning destinations mentioned here, please contact us for a customised quote based on your travel dates or complete our safari enquiry form here.
Written by Evelyn Poole & Michelle Pengilly
