Safari Houses for Groups: My Complete Guide to Private Safari Villas in Africa
Picture this: you're on safari with your entire family – parents, teenagers, aunts, uncles and maybe the grandparents too – and there’s no need to shush the kids at breakfast (unless they’re going to disturb the animals at the waterhole!) There's no apologising because your lot are hogging the front of the game drive vehicle. No stilted dining room conversations with strangers when what you really want is to laugh about the day's adventures with your own people.
This is the beauty of booking an entire safari house or villa. And you may be surprised to know that it can be very cost effective as the maths often work out well when you're travelling as a group.
The Crocodile’s Nest, perfect for a family or friends 📸: Image credit Flatdogs.
What Is a Private Safari House?
Private safari houses and villas offer exclusive-use accommodation in Africa's finest wildlife areas. This is not your standard lodge – we're talking about entire properties, typically with 4 to 6 bedrooms, set in prime game reserves that you book exclusively for your family or group of friends.
Each safari house comes fully staffed with your own chef, butler, guide, and private safari vehicle/s. Basically, it's like having your own temporary African home, complete with staff who'll cook whatever the kids will actually eat and play football with them between game drives.
Most safari houses sleep anywhere from 6 to 16 guests, though I've come across a few that can accommodate more. They're dotted across Southern and East Africa's best wildlife destinations – from South Africa's Sabi Sand and Madikwe Game Reserves to Kenya's Laikipia region and Tanzania's Serengeti National Park.
Why Choose Safari Houses for Family Holidays?
Private safari houses offer unique advantages for family travel:
No age restrictions. Standard safari lodges often won't take children under 6 or 8 on game drives. With your own house and private guide, you set the rules. If your 4-year-old is keener on wildlife than most adults, they're coming along.
Complete privacy and flexibility. Teenagers can sleep until noon if they must. Toddlers can have a meltdown. Nobody's giving you side-eye in the dining room. You've got the place to yourselves.
Customised safari schedules. Want to skip the morning game drive because the kids were up half the night? Fine. Fancy a bush breakfast at 11am? Done. Need to schedule activities around nap time? Your guide works around you, not the other way round.
Multi-generational safari holidays. These houses are brilliant for getting three generations together. Everyone gets space and privacy – separate bedrooms for each family unit – whilst still being under one roof.
Better value than you'd think. Here's where the maths gets interesting. A room in a camp might run you £800-1,400 per person per night. A private safari house sleeping 12 at £15,000 a night? That's £1,250 per person. Suddenly you're in the same ballpark, except you've got an entire house, dedicated staff, and nobody's schedule to work around but your own.
Best Safari House Destinations in Africa
South Africa Safari Houses: Luxury and Accessibility
South Africa dominates the private safari house market, offering excellent value, world-class wildlife viewing, and exceptional infrastructure. Direct flights from the UK, no visa requirements for British passport holders, and malaria-free options make South Africa particularly appealing for family safaris with young children.
Sabi Sand Game Reserve Private Houses
The Sabi Sand Game Reserve, adjacent to Kruger National Park, is renowned for exceptional leopard sightings and luxury safari accommodation. Several exclusive-use safari houses offer unparalleled wildlife viewing:
Cheetah Plains operates three ultra-contemporary safari houses with museum-quality African art, heated swimming pools, and wine galleries – all running entirely on solar power with whisper-quiet electric game drive vehicles. Each house sleeps 4-8 guests and represents the pinnacle of eco-luxury safari accommodation.
📸: The pool at Cheetah Plains’ Mapogo House in Sabi Sands
Singita Castleton is the original private home of Singita's founder's grandfather, sleeping 12 in six gorgeous cottages. It feels like somebody's elegant family home rather than a lodge, which is exactly the point. This exclusive safari villa offers complete privacy in one of Africa's best game reserves.
Lion Sands has brilliant family safari options. Their Ivory Lodge Villas each have private pools and river views, whilst Tinga Hi'nkweni is specifically designed for families with children, accommodating six guests in two bedrooms.
Madikwe Game Reserve: Malaria-Free Safari Houses
Madikwe Game Reserve is my go-to recommendation for families wanting malaria-free Big Five safari experiences. This 75,000-hectare reserve offers excellent wildlife viewing without health concerns.
Morukuru offers three exclusive safari villas: Owner's House (2 bedrooms), River House (4 bedrooms), and Farm House (5 bedrooms) – the latter being ideal for multi-generational groups wanting space and exclusivity in a malaria-free environment.
The Nare Suite and Safari Suite at Jaci's Safari Lodge sleep 6 and 8 respectively and nestle in the reserve with expansive living areas decorated in Jaci’s signature bold colours, each has a private pool, and dedicated staff – a genuine blend of luxury and authentic safari experience.
Kenya Safari Houses: Diverse Landscapes and Conservation
Kenya's strength lies in its diversity – from the drama of the Great Migration in the Maasai Mara to the rugged beauty of Laikipia and the remote northern frontier. Kenya safari houses offer unparalleled access to some of Africa's most iconic wildlife destinations.
Maasai Mara Safari Houses
The Maasai Mara ecosystem offers prime migration viewing from July to October, plus excellent year-round game viewing. Several exclusive safari houses provide front-row seats to Africa's greatest wildlife spectacle.
House in the Wild sits on the banks of the Mara River within the Enonkishu Conservancy – the first re-wilding project of its kind in the area, transforming what was once intensive farmland back to wilderness. The main lodge has six cottages accommodating up to 16 guests, perfect for families who want a genuine "home away from home" feel. It's brilliant for children – the 1000-acre private estate is fenced, so kids can safely walk, cycle, and explore. The owners, the Wood family, know exactly what makes family holidays work, with activities ranging from milking cows and tending beehives to visits to local Maasai communities and schools. The Villa in the Wild, their private residence 1km upstream, can be booked exclusively for up to 12 guests with five bedrooms, spacious living areas, and its own pool.
Cottar's Bush Villa, styled like a 1920s homestead, accommodates up to 12 guests in six bedrooms with its own 25-metre swimming pool. The location is superb – close to both the Serengeti in Tanzania and Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve.
Acacia House, Mara House, and Topi House in the Mara North Conservancy each sleep six guests with private vehicles and guides. The conservancy system means far fewer vehicles and uncrowded wildlife sightings – a significant advantage over the main reserve.
For something completely different, try Angama Safari Camp – a mobile tented camp that can be positioned in private locations within the Mara Triangle, following the wildebeest migration.
Laikipia Safari Houses: Exclusive Wildlife Conservancies
Laikipia is where Kenya really shines for exclusive safari experiences. This high-altitude plateau north of Mount Kenya hosts numerous private conservancies with outstanding wildlife viewing.
Arijiju, often described as Africa's most beautiful safari house, offers five bedrooms with spa facilities and tennis court – architectural design in perfect harmony with nature. This exclusive property sets the standard for luxury safari villas in Kenya.
Lengishu provides sweeping conservancy views with six bedrooms spread across multiple buildings, plus gym and infinity pool. It's spot-on for larger groups or extended families seeking privacy and bespoke safari experiences.
Northern Kenya: Remote Safari Houses and Conservation
📸: Sarara’s location in Northern Kenya is spectacular
The remote north offers something wonderfully different. Sarara operates two exceptional private properties in the Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy, both supporting community-led conservation.
Sarara Treehouse sleeps six in three bedrooms, literally perched in the trees with expansive decking for outdoor dining and stargazing. What makes it extraordinary is access to the Singing Wells – where Samburu warriors descend into hand-dug wells singing their family songs whilst collecting water for cattle – and the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, Africa's first community-owned elephant orphanage. It's a 45-minute drive from the sanctuary.
Reteti House is newer and larger, accommodating up to 16 guests in four standalone suites, a family room, and a brand-new family suite. The house sits dramatically on a cliffside with an infinity pool overlooking a waterhole that's regularly visited by the Reteti elephant orphans – you're literally a 10-minute walk from the sanctuary. The setting is spectacular, framed by cliffs frequented by Egyptian vultures, klipspringers, and resident leopards. It's entirely solar-powered and comes with dedicated guide, host, and chef. Both properties are Samburu community-owned, and your stay directly supports conservation and community projects.
Kalepo Camp in the Matthews Mountain Range offers three tents for up to six guests with infinity pool and helicopter excursions. Properly off the beaten track, this is one for adventure and authenticity.
Kenya Coast: Combining Safari and Beach
For families wanting to combine safari with beach relaxation, Alfajiri Villas on Diani Beach offers three distinct and very beautiful villas with private staff and stunning Indian Ocean views – brilliant for adding coastal time to your Kenya safari itinerary.
📸: A pool big enough for the whole family at Alfajiri’s Garden Villa on Kenya’s Diani Beach.
Tanzania Safari Houses: Wild Luxury
Tanzania offers some of Africa's most exclusive safari houses in pristine wilderness areas.
Singita Serengeti House perches on Sasakwa Hill in the private Grumeti Reserves, sleeping eight in four suites with sweeping Serengeti plains views. Your dedicated guide, chef, and butler ensure everything's tailored precisely to your wishes. This is arguably Tanzania's finest private safari house and possibly the best location to view the migration.
Mkombe's House Lamai in the northern Serengeti is designed specifically for families – four en-suite bedrooms split between two units, accommodating four adults and six children. The positioning for Great Migration viewing is exceptional, particularly during the river crossings season.
Elsewhere in Tanzania Kiba Point on the Rufiji in Nyerere sleeps 8 in a beautiful location overlooking the river. In addition to game drives, fishing, walking and boating are also on offer.
Also in Nyerere Beho Beho's Bailey's Banda offers authentic old Africa with modern comforts. Private pool, dedicated guide, and you're in one of Africa's largest game reserves with outstanding wild dog sightings.
Botswana Safari Houses: Okavango Delta Exclusivity
For families seeking truly remote safari experiences, Botswana's Okavango Delta and Chobe regions offers are geared toward camp buy-out options. The country's low-impact tourism model ensures exclusive wildlife encounters and pristine wilderness areas.
Duba Plains Camp on a private island offers limited accommodation, having just 5 rooms, making whole-camp bookings feasible for larger groups. The big cat viewing is exceptional – this is one of Africa's premier destinations for lion and leopard sightings.
Shinde Footsteps accommodates just six guests maximum, ensuring intimate exclusivity for small families seeking an authentic Okavango Delta experience.
Another brilliant option for a family or group is a mobile camp, where you’re back to authentic & traditional safari style, but without compromising on comfort!
Zambia Safari Houses: South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi
Zambia offers excellent value safari houses in two of Africa's finest game reserves, both known for exceptional guiding and walking safaris.
Robin Pope’s Luangwa Safari House in South Luangwa National Park is luxurious and quirky, looking like a hobbit castle in the wilderness! It sleeps up to eight in four bedrooms with its own pool and staff. South Luangwa is renowned for leopard sightings and pioneered walking safaris.
📸: Luangwa Safari House overlooks the Luangwa River
Tongabezi's Tangala House on the Zambezi banks near Victoria Falls offers four bedrooms and private pool – perfect for combining wildlife viewing with one of the world's natural wonders.
Chongwe House in the Lower Zambezi National Park is an architectural marvel sleeping eight in four bedrooms, with frequent elephant visitors to the river. The Lower Zambezi offers outstanding canoe safaris and riverine wildlife viewing.
At Flatdogs Camp the Croc's Nest is a personal fave, sleeping 6 in a tented villa with it’s own pool overlooking the river – providing excellent Luangwa game viewing with a more relaxed, authentic bush atmosphere.
Namibia Safari Houses: Desert Landscapes
Namibia offers unique desert safari experiences with dramatic landscapes and adapted wildlife species.
Otjiwa's Savanna Villa provides four en-suite bedrooms with private pool and boma, perfect for exploring the Waterberg region.
Wolwedans Plains Camp offers four bedrooms as a private desert villa with panoramic views across the Namib Desert – one of Africa's most spectacular landscapes.
Little Ongava on a private reserve bordering Etosha National Park features three private hilltop villas with pools and personal guides, offering malaria-free Big Five viewing.
What's Included in Private Safari House Costs
Private safari houses offer comprehensive packages that typically include:
Your own experienced guide who gets to know your family's interests (and patience levels). Private safari vehicle means you're never waiting for others or cutting a sighting short because someone else is ready to leave.
A chef who'll work around dietary requirements and fussy eaters. Most include all meals, and we're not talking buffet dinners – chef-prepared food tailored to what you fancy. Bush breakfasts, sundowners wherever you like, dining under the stars if the mood takes you.
Butler service, housekeeping, and hosts who ensure every detail is managed. The level of personalised service in private safari houses far exceeds standard lodge accommodation.
Activities on your schedule – morning game drives, bush walks, night drives where allowed. Some properties offer extras like spa treatments, wine cellars, games rooms and tennis courts.
The entire property is yours. No sharing dining rooms, no coordinating with other guests, no worrying about noise levels or children's behaviour.
Safari House Costs: Understanding the numbers
Safari House Costs: Understanding the Investment
Right, let's talk numbers. Private safari houses command premium rates, but the mathematics often work out rather differently than you'd expect when you're travelling as a group.
Cost Per Person Analysis
The key is doing the per-person calculation. When you divide the total cost of a safari house by your group size, you're often paying comparable rates to luxury lodge suites – except you've got an entire property, dedicated staff, complete flexibility, and nobody's schedule to work around but your own. For groups of 8-16 people, the per-person rate frequently matches (or is less than) what you'd pay for top-end lodge accommodation, but with far more privacy and personalised service for your entire family.
Getting the Best Value
Pricing varies significantly based on season, property size, and destination. Peak season (July-October in East Africa) commands premium rates. Shoulder seasons can offer considerable savings whilst still providing excellent game viewing. South African properties often have more consistent year-round pricing.
The investment makes sense when you consider what's included: accommodation, all meals prepared by private chefs, dedicated guides and vehicles, house staff, and typically all beverages. You're essentially booking a fully-staffed private home in prime wildlife areas.
Peak season (July-October for East Africa, year-round in South Africa) commands premium rates. Shoulder seasons can offer 20-30% savings whilst still providing excellent game viewing.
Planning Your Safari House Holiday: Essential Considerations
Malaria-Free Options are hugely popular with families. Madikwe, Waterberg, and parts of the Eastern Cape offer Big Five viewing without malaria risk. One less worry with small children, and no need for anti-malarial medication.
Minimum Stay Requirements are common – usually 3-5 nights. This isn't lodges trying to be difficult; these properties require significant staff coordination and families genuinely need time to settle in and relax. Most families find 5-7 nights ideal for a single safari house.
Advance Booking Essential Peak season (July-October) and school holidays book up months (even years!) in advance. If you want Christmas in the bush, you're looking at a year ahead minimum. Easter and summer holidays also require early planning.
Group Dynamics These houses work brilliantly when everyone broadly agrees on safari priorities. But if half your party wants dawn game drives whilst the other half prefers lie-ins, you might need two vehicles and guides, which affects pricing. Discuss expectations before booking.
Child-Friendly Amenities vary by property. Look for swimming pools, game rooms, and babysitting services if you've got younger children. Many properties can arrange child-specific activities – tracking, junior ranger programmes, traditional crafts, and cultural visits.
Age Policies Unlike standard lodges with strict age restrictions, private safari houses typically welcome children of all ages. This flexibility is one of the biggest advantages for families with young children.
Alternative: Booking Out Small Safari Camp
You don't necessarily need a safari house to achieve the same level of exclusivity and privacy. Several smaller safari camps with just 4-5 tents offer the option to book the entire property, giving you all the benefits of a private safari house often at a more accessible price point.
These intimate camps provide complete exclusivity when booked in their entirety – your own guides, vehicles, and staff, with no other guests to share the experience. It's a brilliant option for families or groups who want privacy but perhaps don't need quite as much space as a large safari house.
Examples of Small Camps Available for Exclusive Booking:
Shinde Footsteps in Botswana's Okavango Delta (mentioned above) accommodates just six guests maximum in a remote Delta setting. The intimacy and exclusivity make it perfect for small families seeking an authentic water-based safari experience.
Simbavati Trails Camp in South Africa's Timbavati Private Nature Reserve (part of Greater Kruger) offers four tents focused on walking safaris and traditional bush experiences. The camp's small size ensures you'll have the entire property to yourselves when booking all tents.
Moon's Camp in Kenya's Lolldaiga Hills Conservancy features five tents in a stunning, owner-run property. Set on 50,000 acres with Mount Kenya views, it's the only camp in the conservancy, offering genuine exclusivity. Owners Moon and Ed live on-site with their family, creating a welcoming, home-away-from-home atmosphere. The camp focuses on active safari participation – walking safaris, driving vintage Land Rovers, fly camping, community visits, and conservation activities. Notably, Moon's Camp remains purposefully affordable compared to many safari properties.
Why Consider Booking Out a Small Camp:
Cost efficiency – Often more affordable per person than large safari houses whilst maintaining complete privacy.
Authentic atmosphere – Small camps typically offer a more intimate, traditional safari feel with simpler, elegant accommodation.
Flexibility – You still get your own guides, vehicles, and customised schedules without sharing with other guests.
Conservation focus – Many small camps have strong community and conservation programmes, with your entire booking supporting these initiatives.
This option works particularly well for families with 6-12 people who want exclusivity without needing sprawling villas. You get the privacy and personalised service of a safari house in a more traditional tented camp setting.
Is a Private Safari House Right for Your Family?
For the right group, absolutely. Milestone birthdays, big anniversaries, family reunions, or simply getting everyone together whilst the grandparents can still travel – these houses create space for the kind of quality time that's increasingly hard to find.
You're not just booking accommodation. You're securing a private wildlife experience tailored entirely to your family, without the compromises that come with shared spaces and fixed schedules. And for many families, that's worth considerably more than the nightly rate might suggest.
The key lies in matching the property's offerings with your group's specific requirements. Some safari houses excel at entertaining children with dedicated kids' programmes. Others suit adult groups celebrating something special. A few work beautifully for multi-generational travel with varying mobility levels.
Many private safari houses contribute directly to wildlife conservation and community development. Properties like Sarara in Kenya, House in the Wild in the Maasai Mara, and various Singita properties demonstrate how luxury safari tourism can drive positive change whilst providing exceptional family experiences.