The most expensive and, on our ranking, the best luxury safari lodge in South Africa in 2026 is Singita Boulders Lodge, with River Suites priced from R51,665 to R60,470 per adult per night. This list covers 10 luxury safari lodges and reserves across Sabi Sand, Thornybush, the Kalahari and beyond. We rank by 2026 nightly rates, taking official rate cards first and agent-listed rates second, then by experience for lodges with no public price. Rates are in South African rand per person per night, shown as published and not converted, because exchange rates move.
Top 10 luxury safari lodges in South Africa at a glance
| Rank | Lodge | Region | 2026 rate per person per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singita Boulders Lodge | Sabi Sand | R51,665 to R60,470 (River Suite) |
| 2 | Royal Malewane | Thornybush | R47,080 to R62,500 |
| 3 | Londolozi Granite Suites | Sabi Sand | R54,000 |
| 4 | Lion Sands Ivory Lodge | Sabi Sand | About R49,670 |
| 5 | Tswalu Kalahari Reserve | Northern Cape | R46,400 |
| 6 | Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge | Sabi Sand | R44,000 |
| 7 | Singita Ebony Lodge | Sabi Sand | Rate on request |
| 8 | Bushmans Kloof | Cederberg | Rate on request |
| 9 | &Beyond Phinda | KwaZulu-Natal | Rate on request |
1. Singita Boulders Lodge: R51,665 to R60,470
Singita Boulders has 13 suites on the Sand River: eight River Suites, three Bush Suites and two Family Suites. The River Suite costs R51,665 in low season, R56,310 in shoulder and R60,470 in high season per adult, including 15 percent VAT.
How we valued it: from the lodge’s own rate card, which does not clearly label the year, so we treat it as 2026 and recommend confirming. Children aged 10 to 16 pay half the adult rate.
2. Royal Malewane: from R47,080
Royal Malewane sits on a private reserve next to Kruger National Park and is known for privacy and personalized service. The original article described six freestanding thatched suites with private pools, but we could not confirm the current count.
How we valued it: an agent lists 2026 rates of R47,080 for the special season, R52,080 in June to August, and R56,500 to R62,500 as normal rates, all per person sharing. A separate agent lists suites at R55,500 to R67,500. Rates exclude a conservation levy of R615 per person per day.
3. Londolozi Private Granite Suites: R54,000
Londolozi sits on 150 square kilometers of the Sabi Sand reserve, and its Granite Suites are three private suites on the Sand River. The area is famous for leopard.
How we valued it: an agent lists R54,000 per person sharing per night for stays to December 15, 2026. Other Londolozi camps are cheaper, with agent rates of R27,950 to R48,450. The lodge’s own rates page returned no figures, so confirm directly.
4. Lion Sands Ivory Lodge: about R49,670
Ivory Lodge in Lion Sands has eight villas, each with a private pool. The original article counted six villas and placed the lodge in Kruger, which is wrong: it sits in the southern Sabi Sand area.
How we valued it: one agent guide lists R52,565 per person per night to September 30, 2026, easing to R49,670 from October.
5. Tswalu Kalahari Reserve: R46,400
Tswalu is South Africa’s largest private game reserve, offering access to 118,000 hectares. Motse has Legae suites, and Tarkuni is a private homestead for up to 10 guests.
How we valued it: official 2026 rate for a Motse Legae is R46,400 per adult per night, based on two sharing, fully inclusive. Tarkuni costs R190,200 a night for one to four guests, rising to R339,800 for eight to ten.
6. Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge: R44,000
Sabi Sabi’s Earth Lodge is sculpted into a hillside in the Sabi Sand Reserve. The Luxury Suite is the lodge’s main room, and there is also a private Amber Villa.
How we valued it: official rate of R44,000 per person sharing per night from March 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027, and the Amber Villa is R165,000 per villa per night.
7. Singita Ebony Lodge: rate on request
Ebony is Singita’s first lodge and opened in 1993 on the 45,000-acre reserve that the family has held since 1925. It sits on the Sand River in Sabi Sand and is known for leopard sightings.
How we valued it: no figure is published on the page we opened, so it ranks on tier next to its sister lodge Boulders. Expect it to be in the same range.
8. Bushmans Kloof: rate on request
Bushmans Kloof is a 7,500-hectare reserve in the Cederberg Mountains with rock paintings and the endangered Cape Mountain Zebra. Its accommodation includes rooms, suites and private villas.
How we valued it: no rates appear on its official site, only an availability booking tool. The old article’s rate of $230 per person is out of date and has been removed.
9. &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve
Phinda covers about 28,555 hectares in northern KwaZulu-Natal across seven habitats, including rare dry sand forest. It has Big Five populations, cheetah and 436 bird species.
The original article featured Phinda Rock Lodge with six cliff-top suites. We could not confirm the lodge’s current status or rate, so check with &Beyond.
Changed or unconfirmed since the original list
These entries from the first version need a note.
- Ulusaba Private Game Reserve (Richard Branson): Rock Lodge is being transformed and Safari Lodge opens from January 5, 2027 in a phased return, according to the lodge’s page, so we have taken it off the ranking until it reopens.
- &Beyond Ngala Tented Camp: we could not confirm current status or rates, so it is dropped.
Keep reading
- interesting resorts around the world: more unusual places to stay beyond Africa
FAQ
What is the best luxury safari lodge in South Africa?
On our ranking it is Singita Boulders Lodge, which charges R51,665 to R60,470 per adult per night in a River Suite.
How much does a luxury safari in South Africa cost?
The top lodges charge roughly R44,000 to R60,000 per person per night in 2026, all-inclusive. Tswalu is R46,400 and Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge is R44,000.
Which luxury lodges are in the Kruger area?
Most of the top lodges here sit in Sabi Sand or Thornybush next to Kruger: Singita, Londolozi, Lion Sands Ivory Lodge, Sabi Sabi and Royal Malewane.
Is Ulusaba still open?
Not fully. Rock Lodge is being transformed and Safari Lodge is due to reopen on January 5, 2027.
When is the best time to go on safari in South Africa?
Rates peak in the dry winter months from June to August, when game viewing is strongest, and fall in the green season from March to May.
How we put this list together
We built the ranking from 2026 rate cards, the lodges’ own pages, and agent-listed 2026 rates where an official figure was not available. Rates are per person sharing per night in rand, and we say where a figure is agent-listed.
Last updated: October 2026.
