Spend Christmas on Safari
Take a break from the planning this year and let Journeysmiths handle all the logistics. Spend Christmas on a safari and you’ll actually have the time to enjoy the amazing weather, see extraordinary things, and have fun as a family. Never mind waiting for Santa: seeing lions and elephants is so much more exciting! And December and January is a super time of year for exploring Southern Africa.
Here we share eight of the best destinations for a luxury safari holiday at Christmas.
- 1. Wildlife & Culture in the Masai Mara
- 2. Tasty Safaris: South Africa
- 3. Christmas is Showtime in Tanzania
- 4. Wise Men & New Life in Botswana
- 5. Heavenly Namibia, a Christmas Star
- 6. A Safari with the Extended Family
- 7. Christmas Traditions in Zimbabwe
- 8. Tropical Island Christmas Spice
1. Wildlife & Culture in the Masai Mara
But their presence is far more than visual: the Maasai are the beating heart of this land, and their warmth, wisdom, and traditions are an integral part of any journey here, especially at Christmas.
Yes, your group or family will see incredible wildlife, including the 'Big Five', but you'll also be welcomed by the Maasai, proud custodians of this land, who thrive on sharing their knowledge and stories. Depending on the interests and ages in your group, you might try your hand at bushcraft, join in celebratory dancing, learn traditional archery and spear throwing, or even go cattle herding alongside the Maasai.
House in the Wild is an intimate, family-owned luxury lodge that offers a truly private, high-quality safari experience and a genuine home away from home, simply perfect for families or smaller groups.
Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp is our favourite property for a truly exclusive family safari in the Masai Mara. Located outside the national reserve on a private conservancy, Cottar’s combines authentic style, inspired guiding, immersive activities and fantastic attention to detail. All of which creates an unforgettable African safari.
Roca River Camp, tucked away along the Mara River, offers an intimate safari experience with exceptional access to the Maasai Mara's vibrant wildlife and breathtaking landscapes.
In the heart of the 35,000 acre Olare Motorogi Conservancy lies Mara Plains Camp. Access is over a bridge across the river, and when you cross it feels as if you are entering a private kingdom, a world apart from the norm. The standard of food and service here is of international class, being the only Relais & Chateaux accredited property in the Masai Mara and one of only three in the country.
Nestled within lush acacia forest Naboisho Camp is a wonderfully authentic luxurious tented camp. The camp is in the heart of the action where, in between activities, you can sit back from the comfort of your own veranda watching giraffe or herds of zebra grazing on the plains surrounding the camp.
2. Tasty Safaris: South Africa
Indeed, South Africa itself is like a banquet of many courses. Its variety of landscapes, wealth of wildlife, excellent weather, warm and welcoming people, and stunning places to stay add up to it being the perfect venue for a safari in any season. But Christmas and New Year is when it is at its very best.
The Kruger region is home to luxurious lodges such as Singita Ebony – and others – that cater brilliantly to groups of all sizes and ages. That’s just one region, though: the Garden Route and Cape, Madikwe, and KwaZulu Natal are also brimming with possibilities for a special Christmas.
With a superb shady riverbank location in a large and diverse private game reserve, Singita Ebony is not just luxurious; it is fascinating in all respects. Spacious and adaptable, it’s great for couples, groups, solo travellers and families.
Ivory Lodge is one of the most luxurious and exclusive safari lodges in South Africa.
Camp Jabulani is an amazing place; a luxury lodge surrounded by African bush teeming with wildlife, where you can enjoy an unforgettable experience in the company of elephants.
A collection of exclusive-use bush villas, Morukuru Family welcomes you with top-notch personal service. The unrivalled range of activities, outstanding personal service, expert guiding and world-class cuisine make this portfolio of villas some of the best malaria-free safari properties in South Africa for families or a group of friends.
Set amidst two rolling mountain ranges, the Motse legae and Tarkuni homestead are the ultimate private sanctuaries on the vast Tswalu Kalahari Reserve. Recently redesigned to uncompromising standards of comfort and elegance, Tarkuni is an exceptional choice for families seeking a tranquil, exclusive-use escape.
Grootbos Garden Lodge is our favourite for families on the Groobos Private Nature Reserve. The array of exciting and engaging activities on offer here is simply enormous and the setup for children, with a playroom and small farm, is unbeatable.
Children will love the magic and adventure of staying at Tsala Treetop Lodge. What could be more fun than staying in a luxurious suite suspended among a forest canopy on the Garden Route? The cuisine, wine and service are all top notch, so there’s plenty for parents to enjoy, too.
3. Christmas is Showtime in Tanzania
Lushly green from the ‘short rains’, the grasslands in other areas, such as the southern Serengeti, are scenes of great herds, and the predators that play their part in the circle of life. Reach further into the stocking of Tanzania and you’ll find yet more: hundreds of miles of coast, remote southern parks, snowy Kilimanjaro, even chimpanzees on Lake Tanganyika. Indeed, you could have a Christmas trip here each year for a decade and discover new Tanzanian gifts and thrills each time.
What is evident at Chem Chem is the dedication and passion that went into creating this wild sanctuary. The camp’s founders had a vision to conserve and protect Tanzania’s natural surroundings and the creatures that call it home. They invite you to join them in making this vision a reality. Simply by staying here you are making a difference, since tourism levies go directly to the local communities.
A secluded hideaway in one of the most remote game reserves in Tanzania, Kiba Point is a rustic retreat from modern life. Here your days pass at your own pace, whether you choose to explore by open-sided jeep with a private guide, or intrepidly explore the bush on foot. Since you won’t see any other people while you’re here, it’s the perfect African escape to enjoy with your family.
Take to the Tarangire Treetops for the most magical stay. The views from the treetop rooms are as thrilling as the vast amounts of African elephants roaming around the nearby Tarangire National Park.
We find the main dry season (between June and October) to be one of the most exciting times to be in Tanzania and stay in the luxury of Swala Camp. The waterhole within sight of the camp is one of the few permanent sources of water for many miles, attracting a regular procession of elephant, antelope, lion and giraffe.
Cresting the rim of its namesake, Ngorongoro Crater Lodge is a favourite of ours for parents and children alike. The vistas of the crater are visible from everywhere in your suite, surrounding you with the sunlit beauty of one of Africa’s most spectacular landscapes. Children of all ages are welcome here and will love picnics on the crater floor as well as the WILDChild programme.
Entamanu Ngorongoro is a gorgeous tented lodge, perched high in the hills of Tanzania’s Crater Highlands. Set just back from the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater on a plateau, surrounded by acacia forest, look forward to the most incredible panoramic views out over the crater.
4. Wise Men & New Life in Botswana
Just three hours away is the Okavango Delta, a realm where water brings life to the desert, particularly at Christmas. December is a time of rejuvenation after the dry season, so new grass is sprouting, and young animals are born. It’s also a relatively quiet time for visitors – and the lowest pricewise – so there’s a better chance of securing the most perfect of accommodation for your group or family. Great options include Splash Camp and Seba Camp.
Blending the spirit of 1940s African exploration with modern exclusivity and opulence, Jacks Camp has long set the standard for luxury safari experiences. With the addition of the secluded Jack’s Private Camp, guests can enjoy an even more exclusive, private and tailored adventure in the midst of the stark beauty of the Kalahari Desert.
Ignite your inner explorer with a stay at Camp Kalahari, where the comfortable canvas tented suites are reminiscent of an African adventure from an earlier era. With a range of activities for all ages and two family suites, this is an excellent camp for discovering the enchantment of the Kalahari with your youngsters.
Splash Camp, located on the Private Kwara Reserve, is an excellent safari property for single families and groups alike. We love it for its versatility, but also for its array of activities and top-notch guiding. This is an incredibly comfortable camp well-equipped for families.
Shinde Camp is one of the most beautifully located in the Okavango Delta, a sophisticated tented camp set on a lush island surrounded by crystal-clear waters and shaded by ebony and mangosteen trees.
Zarafa is one of the most exclusive camps in Botswana with just four luxuriously appointed marquee style tented suites. With a maximum of eight guests, the emphasis here is on individual hospitality, privacy and serenity. A family of up to five may like to treat themselves to the sumptuous Dhow Suites — the most exclusive private property in Botswana.
5. Heavenly Namibia, a Christmas Star
Enquiring minds will also love learning about the stars from experts with state-of-the-art telescopes in lodges like Okahirongo Elephant Lodge and Sossusvlei Desert Lodge. And, if you time it right, the passage of the International Space Station could be Santa’s sleigh crossing the night sky. Groups with teens or teenagers-at-heart will love the thrill of a place like Shipwreck Lodge, where quad biking, sandboarding and splendid isolation are the attractions.
Watch oryx and other desert-adapted wildlife cross the highest sand dunes on earth when you stay at Little Kulala in Namibia’s stunning Sossusvlei.
Andersson’s at Ongava is situated on the 66,000-acre Ongava Private Game Reserve recognised as the nation’s premier big game private game reserve.
Sossusvlei Desert Lodge is nothing short of magnificent; a secluded palace in a rugged oasis in the heart of the desert, lying beneath an endless sky.
In the Otjiherero language of the Ovahimba people, the word Okahirongo translates as ‘Special Place’. The name is apt for this luxurious & beautiful lodge in its awesome setting.
Unique design set in the heart sun-bleached coastal dunes of Namibia’s Skeleton Coast, Shipwreck Lodge is one of Africa’s most innovative modern camps.
This luxury tented camp is situated close to the Hoanib River and straddles both the Palmvag Concession and the Skeleton Coast National Park. The Hoanib Valley is a truly unique environment, strikingly beautiful and remote. Staying at the Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp you will see the valley at its finest, and get close to the wonderful wildlife residing here.
Reassuringly rugged and straightforward in its luxury, Camp Sossus is isolated yet still close to the iconic Namibian location of Sossusvlei.
6. A Safari with the Extended Family
Another option for a primate encounter at Christmas is to spend time at Greystoke Mahale in Tanzania, where you can seek out the chimpanzees of the Mahale Mountains. As if that weren’t perfect enough, the camp is also on the sandy shores of Lake Tanganyika, so you can indulge in barefoot luxury and water sports too.
Stunning, private, spacious, inspirational and exceptionally comfortable, Singita Kataza House is a fantastic option for groups and families who want luxury in a location where they can trek to see gorillas in the mists of the volcanoes above.
The views from Singita Kwitonda are staggering, and enhanced by vast panoramic floor to ceiling windows throughout all the main areas and every suite, inviting the wild in and your gaze outward.
This is a fairy-tale land, where forested mountains fall into a crystal clear lake that is as big as an ocean but without the salt!
Built to blend in with its stunning surrounding is the beautiful five-star Nyungwe House, ideally situated on the edge of the Nyungwe Rainforest National Park, in a tea plantation and on the doorstep to the home of 13 species of primate.
7. Christmas Traditions in Zimbabwe
Next, a safari in Hwange National Park invites a slower pace – time to settle into the bush, tune into nature, and enjoy unhurried game drives beneath dramatic skies. The green season brings lusher scenery and fewer visitors, but wildlife viewing remains excellent.
For those seeking more exclusivity, the shores of Lake Kariba or the wilds of Gonarezhou promise solitude, scenery, and a deep sense of place. With rain bringing the bush to life, Zimbabwe is a compelling festive alternative for those who value experience over excess.
Mpala Jena is the perfect base from which to explore the Zambezi National Park whilst being within easy reach of the majestic Victoria Falls.
Matetsi River Lodge is one of the finest contemporary properties in Zimbabwe. Superbly situated for exciting wildlife safaris in the reserve and on the river, and for epic sightseeing at Victoria Falls, it ticks every box.
Somalisa Acacia Camp is one of our favourite family camps in Hwange National Park. Children will love getting involved in bush life, tracking animals, completing the Junior Guide Programme, and falling asleep under canvas in the dedicated family suites.
Kanga Camp is located at the foot of the Zambezi Escarpment in the heart of the Mana Pools National Park on the only private concession within the park.
With a luxury tented camp and the option of even greater privacy and exclusivity at its two August 2025 riverfront villas, Mpala Jena offers easy-going indulgence on the banks of the Zambezi.
8. Tropical Island Christmas Spice
Sprinkled like a delicious condiment over the wider Indian Ocean, there are other island delights too, such as the archipelagos of Mauritius and the Seychelles. Both offer – as all Indian Ocean islands do – water sports galore, fascinating wildlife, and heavenly relaxation, particularly at a time of year when treats are more than called for.
Kilindi Zanzibar is Tanzania’s very own beach paradise. Set in 50 acres of lush tropical gardens, this is a luxury boutique hotel which connects you to nature. This gorgeous hotel was originally designed for ABBA’s Benny Andersson. It achieves a perfect blend of Scandinavian minimalism and Middle Eastern architecture.
Mnemba Island, a tiny island in the Zanzibar archipelago, is a place so breathtakingly beautiful you can’t quite believe it’s real. Its lush tropical forest fringed by white powder-soft sands is surrounded by the glistening turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean - simply idyllic. We love this exclusive beach paradise, perfect for families and couples alike.
Now, this is what dreams are made of, a private island experience! Get ready to enter an unadulterated paradise.
Baraza Resort and Spa is a stunning beachside property on the island of Zanzibar. The eclectic mix of Arabic, Indian, and Swahili influences gives this resort a truly luxurious feel.
Remote and luxuriously desirable, Miavana is a small tropical island off Madagascar where a small clutch of villas with superb facilities nestle within a pristine environment. It’s also a place that is being transformed by conservation efforts.
Encircled by tropical gardens, this elegant Seychellois property offers unrivalled luxury and privacy set amongst verdant greenery and idyllic beaches. You’ll feel at home and comfortable as soon as you step foot in this majestic colonial style villa. It’s owned by a family who have lived in the Seychelles since the 17th century and are incredibly keen and proud to show you their beautiful island and its culture.
From the glistening floodplains of the Okavango Delta, to the pristine wilderness of Linyanti, and beyond to the shimmering salt flats of Makgadikgadi - this family friendly safari will leave you all with lifelong memories. Experience the diverse ecosystems and wildlife Botswana has to offer in this spectacular journey from Delta to Desert.
See the splendour of South Africa as a family on this exclusive safari. Spend your days exploring captivating Cape Town, enjoying the delights of the Winelands and on safari, seeking out the abundant wildlife that roams the wilderness. No matter your age, this iconic safari will leave you with memories for a lifetime.
From the iconic Masai Mara to the awe-inspiring Laikipia, explore Kenya as a family. Witness breathtaking wildlife and immerse yourselves in rich traditions for an unforgettable adventure in a land where the untamed wilderness thrives alongside vibrant cultures.
Create memories of a lifetime together on an epic family safari in Tanzania. Witness the endless, game-filled plains of the Serengeti, explore the natural wonder of the Ngorongoro Crater and experience the magnificent wildlife in Tarangire.
Supporting local communities, conserving wildlife and preserving wild spaces are commitments that have been ingrained in the Journeysmiths business model for over thirty years.Supporting local communities, conserving wildlife and preserving wild spaces are commitments that have been ingrained in the Journeysmiths business model for over thirty years.
