Safari is one of those rare travel experiences that manages to feel both grounding and surreal — raw nature playing out in real time, but from the comfort of a canvas suite or a polished lodge deck, G&T in hand. It’s a privilege, a thrill, and, for many, a once-in-a-lifetime trip. And if we’re being honest, it’s one of those journeys we believe every traveller should make at least once — because it changes something. Your pace. Your perspective. Your definition of silence.

But talking about “Africa” in the singular never quite fits. The continent is vast, layered, and wildly varied — and so are its safaris. Botswana works on a different frequency — low-impact, high-luxury camps where fewer people means more space, and the connection to the land runs deep. Rwanda’s cloud forests offer something quieter and more primal: the rare privilege of a face-to-face encounter with a mountain gorilla. Tanzania delivers scale and drama — endless plains, epic migrations, skies that stretch forever. And then there’s South Africa, where you might go from leopard tracking at dawn to sipping pinot noir in the Winelands by nightfall.

This diversity extends beyond the landscapes. The camps and lodges themselves are wildly different — from design-led hideaways that feel like art pieces in the wild, to warm, characterful retreats where the details are as thoughtful as the guiding. Many are leading the way in how tourism can be done well — protecting wilderness areas, collaborating with local communities, and offering guests a deeper understanding of where they are and why it matters.

At Swords, we’re always drawn to places that go beyond the obvious — camps with soul, originality, and a real sense of place. The ones that leave a lasting impression not just because of what you saw, but how you felt while you were there. Here’s our take on the most inspiring safari camps across Africa right now…