Namibia may not be the most obvious choice of safari
destination, conjuring up images of the ramshackle skeleton coast
and sweeping red desert dunes, but the Ongava and Etosha National
Parks are two of Africa’s best-kept secrets. The result is a safari
experience that feels authentic and pretty trailblazing – you’re
unlikely to jostle for space to spot the many lions, rhinos and
elephants. For the most exclusive trip, stay in the three room
Little Ongava Camp, with its elevated perch allowing you to spy on
all the reserve’s wildlife while enjoying the unrivalled luxury of
its lodges, which come complete with infinity pools and log
fires.

The Okavango Delta is lauded one of the world’s best safari
destinations for the sheer diversity of wildlife. A glittering
oasis in an area dominated by dryness and drought, animals migrate
here in their thousands making for an unrivalled density of game.
Also setting Okavango apart is the option to conduct your safari on
horse or elephant, allowing for access to flooded areas impossible
to reach by jeep. Spend time on the water aboard the Kubu
Queen houseboat from which you can explore via a dugout canoe,
before heading to a luxury lodges in the Moremi Game Reserve, such
as Wilderness Safaris Mombo
Camp.

While safaris are synonymous with Africa, India has something
different to offer. Rather than the famed Big Five, the main event
here is the tiger. Head to Sher Bagh Hotel set right on the
edge of the Ranthambore National Park and revel in colonial-themed
tented bedrooms, a secluded pool and candlelit dinners around the
camp fire. With a cap on daily visitors to the park, most tourists
are carted around on giant open-sided trucks, which can’t stray
from the main paths. A stay at Sher Bagh or the neighbouring
Aman-i-Khas bypasses this and
allows you private jeep tours of the park with guides who can sniff
out a tiger from miles away.

Shunning jeeps and horses, a safari in Rwanda has you trekking
through thick jungle on the lookout troops of gorillas. Further
your primate knowledge with a trip to Nyungwe Forest where
chimpanzees and monkeys are found. And just in case you get tired
of all the monkeying around, Akagera National Park is home to
plenty of elephants, giraffes, hippos, and so on. If you’re brave
enough, stay at the soon to open Bisate Lodge, a luxury dwelling in
the eroded crater of a volcano.

With some of the world’s best luxury safari lodges, you’re
spoilt for choice in South Africa. Our pick is the Kruger National
Park, the country’s largest, where the Big Five are all on show
alongside plenty of other mammals and birdlife. Stay in one of the
lodges that hug the edge of the main reserve allowing for a more
secluded game experience. We’re big fans of the Lion Sands Reserve, where you
can book into one of their three treehouses for a night perched
under the stars.

For a truly unique perspective, it can’t get better than
canoeing down the Zambezi. Itineraries depend on which operator you
book with but on the whole cover two national parks and a total of
160km, with overnight accommodation in old-school pitched tents.
This isn’t a trip for the fainthearted; you’ll cover roughly 24km a
day on the water with your own guide and as well as canoeing over
gorges and rapids, you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled for game
lurking in the bushes. If all that sounds a bit strenuous, opt for
a normal land safari and book in for a one-day canoe excursion.

After years of political isolation, Zimbabwe, once a firm Africa
safari favourite, is getting back on the map. Ahead of the
anticipated decline of Mugabe’s influence, some of the country’s
best guides are heading back to work on home turf and the first of
what is sure to be many safari lodges have launched. Linkwasha Camp lies in its own
private section of Hwange National Park, with access to its vast
plains and game viewing to rival Africa’s other hotspots but
without the crowds. Gonarezhou National Park, for years off limit
due to the presence of Mozambican troops, is back in business with
Singita lodge offering another option for undisturbed
game viewing. Complete your trip with a visit to Victoria Falls and
a stay at the revamped Victoria Falls Hotel.

A safari rite of passage is witnessing the annual migration of
wildebeest across the plains. For a front-row seat book into one of
Singita’s Grumeti camps, located on a private but vast
350,000-acre estate. With four properties in total, time not spent
in a jeep can be whiled away playing billiards, trying your hand at
archery or seeking respite in the rejuvenating spa. But if watching
the migration is your ultimate goal, book into Singita Explore, a
mobile camp that follows the best game viewing by popping up and
immersing you in remote locations.

If you really want to break away from the crowd and subvert the
traditional safari connotations, head to deepest, darkest South
America and embark on a Patagonian adventure. Straddling Chile and Argentina, this rugged terrain
encompasses everything from mountainous peaks, enchanted woodlands
and mirrored lakes. Go inland to track the ever-elusive puma, as
well as an abundance of native birds, flora and fauna, then head to
the coast for orcas, elephant seals and penguins, with plenty of
opportunities to hike hiking, kayak or horse ride along the
way.