The most effective wellness treatment at a safari camp might be the 5 am wake-up call. From Mantis Hiddn’s off-grid retreat near Addo to Ulusaba’s new 2027 spa and a Timbavati camp with no electricity at all, here are South Africa’s best wellness glamping stays and how to plan a trip that leaves you rested.
A century ago, every safari was a mobile safari. Now the camp-that-follows-you is back, with walk-in tents, bucket showers and a chef at the fire. Here is how mobile camps work in Botswana and the Serengeti, South Africa’s closest equivalent, and how to add one to a Kruger safari.
Most safari advice ends with the same line: go in winter. That is exactly why summer is worth a second look. Here is South Africa’s green season month by month, the festive-season trap to avoid, and the tented camps with plunge pools, birding and storm-sky photography that make summer shine.
If you have done Greater Kruger before, 2027 is a very good year to go back. Ulusaba reopens after a full rebuild, new tented camps arrive in the Manyeleti and Thornybush, and the camps that opened in 2026 settle into their first full season. Here is every new South African safari stay worth knowing about.
Getting a South African visa used to mean an embassy appointment and a nervous wait. Since August 2026, many travellers just need a phone and a selfie. Here is who needs South Africa’s new ETA, what it costs, how to apply and the airport detail that catches safari travellers out.
In 2027, the best glamping in Africa is quieter, darker and more private than ever. From exclusive-use tented villas and Karoo star beds to malaria-free bush near the city, here are the nine trends shaping how and where people glamp next year, and where to try each one in South Africa.