New luxury safari lodges opening in 2026

It’s incredibly exciting to see the number of new safaris lodges opening across Africa over the next few months. Zambia in particular is seeing some very exciting new developments. Here area few I caught up with at the recent OurAfrica.Travel digital trade show…

Nzovu Rundu Luxury Camp in Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park

Proudly Zambian owned Shearzone Safaris will be launching their second property in June 2026, namely Nzovu Rundu Luxury Camp in the Lower Zambezi National Park. 

This follows on from the success of Mozhi Bush Camp in Zambia’s Kafue National Park.  The new lodge will overlook the tranquil Nkalange Channel on the mighty Zambezi River, where guests can expect exceptional wildlife sightings. The name pays homage to the elephants that roam this area, as well as the striking escarpment that forms the lodge’s dramatic backdrop.  The new camp will feature 10 chalets, including 8 luxury suites and 2 spacious family units. Each unit will boast a private plunge pool, air-conditioning, and outdoor showers, blending comfort with the natural beauty of the landscape. 

A diverse selection of activities will be on offer, including game drives, canoeing on the Zambezi and boat cruises. There will also be a luxury spa and an impressive wine cellar, ensuring that both adventure and relaxation are at the heart of the guest experience. Shearzone is also proud to operate its private fleet of Cessna aircraft, providing reliable charter services across Zambia, beyond just connecting its own camps seamlessly.  Looking forwards, Shearzone will also be launching Achikunda Luxury Camp in 2027 and Old Njati Luxury Camp in 2028.

Mount Ceder Under Canvas Hideaways in the Cederberg in South Africa

Mount Ceder is delighted to share its new stargazing Under Canvas Hideaways, located on a beautiful, family owned and run working olive farm, tucked into the Cederberg Mountains, about 3 hour’s drive from Cape Town.  

The three new Hideaways, which welcomed their first guests on 1st March 2026, each offer a whopping 70 m2 of understated luxury under canvas complete with beautiful ensuite bathrooms, glass fronts, beautiful decks and a private wood fired hot tub. They have been named after iconic constellations, (Orion, Scorpius and Crux) in celebration of this wilderness area’s very low-light pollution at night, where velvet skies provide the perfect canvas for vivid stars, with the Milky Way blazing its trail in all its glory. A perfect noctourism escape!

Activities on site include a wide range of half or full day self-guided walks and guided hikes, mountain bike trails, Olive Grove Tours and tastings and sundowner walks. There is also Junior Ranger Adventures for youngsters where they can enjoy the great outdoors, learning about San and Khoi rock art, making bows and arrows, go pond fishing and enjoy fun scavenger hunts. The Grootrivier, the perennial river that meanders through the property, is safe for swimming and ideal for canoeing. The birding is also superb, and the region is renowned for its wildflowers in season.

Carmines River Lodge in Zambia’s South Luangwa

Carmines River Lodge will be launching in July 2026 in Zambia’s South Luangwa, comprising three elegant two-bedroom villas, each with private vehicle. The lodge will soft launch in June for the trade and media.

The lodge’s avian name is a celebration of the property’s unique location which is home to the world’s largest Carmine Bee Eater colony, located directly opposite the lodge on the Luangwa Wafwa.

This intimate, luxury, family-owned lodge will boast an enviable island location, between two rivers, on 54 acres of private land. Initially catering for just 12 guests (18 with additional beds) across 3 superbly appointed two-bedroomed villas, each elevated and tucked between ancient 20-foot Ebony trees and strategically spaced to not only minimise footprint and disturbance to wildlife but capitalise on the lodge’s prime location overlooking the Msandile river. The lodge will be less than 10 minutes’ drive, via a neighbouring pontoon, into the South Luangwa National Park and 20 minutes to the Nsefu Game Reserve. 

Lone Palm in Zambia’s Livingstone region

Lone Palm is a new family-run 10-bedroom tented lodge launching towards the end of this year by The Ultra Portfolio.  Set on the banks of the Zambezi River, roughly 12km upstream from the world-renowned Victoria Falls, Lone Palm will introduce a fresh, intimate, purpose-driven lodge experience to the Livingstone region when it opens towards the end of 2026.

Guests will be invited to slow down and reconnect through yoga, guided river moments, nature walks and mindful experiences, while knowing that their stay contributes to meaningful conservation and community projects in the surrounding region.

Jaci’s Private Lodge in South Africa’s Madikwe Game Reserve

After the floods last year, Jaci’s Lodges in South Africa’s Madikwe Game Reserve will be relaunching as Jaci’s Private Lodge on 1 July 2026, with 10 newly designed Safari Suites with private decks overlooking the river, tranquil sunken lounges, and calming interiors inspired by the rich colours and textures of Madikwe. 

The lodge’s exclusive-use villas, namely Kubu Villa, Nare Villa and Jaci’s Madikwe House, have also been elevated. Each villa offers three to five bedrooms, a private pool, expansive living spaces and a dedicated team complete with a private chef, front-of-house host and ranger.

Lolelunga Private Reserve in Zambia

Owned by Zambia Luxury Lodge Collection – Lolelunga Private Reserve is a private 30,000-hectare wilderness sanctuary in the Kasempa area, approximately 30 kilometres north of Kafue National Park.

The lodge had a soft launch in August 2025, but officially opens to guests on 10th May 2026. It’s a place where conservation, exclusivity and contemporary safari design come together in a deeply compelling way.

Warangi Ridge, Central Serengeti in Tanzania

Warangi Ridge, launched by The Wilderness Collection in September 2025 (so just missed our 2026 launch list) in the central Serengeti, has however unveiled its fully equipped gym in January 2026 —designed to help guests stay active while on safari.

Set just below the main lodge beside the striking rock infinity pool, the gym offers a range of equipment suitable for both general fitness and strength training. Guests enjoy complimentary access and can take in sweeping bush views while they work out, creating a truly unique fitness experience in the wild. For those seeking relaxation and mindfulness, an open-air sala nestled among the acacia trees provides a serene setting for spa treatments, while a dedicated deck offers the perfect space for yoga and meditation. The new spa will be opening later this year, so we thought that would qualify it for this list!

New Beests join the Bushtops herd in East Africa

This year, Bushtops will be celebrating 20 years of redefining “wild luxury” and is marking the milestone with a transformative enhancement that sets a new standard in guest experience.  They recently announced that for 2026, every suite booked will have its own private 4×4 safari vehicle, guide and spotter at no additional cost. 

Couples, families, and small groups can now enjoy the freedom to explore at their own pace—without needing to book or pay extra for an exclusive use vehicle. To meet the growing demand for exclusivity, Bushtops is expanding its fleet and welcoming new professional guides and spotters to its team.

In addition to this, a further three 6×6 “Bushtops Beests” will be joining the “herd” / safari fleet of luxury Game Viewers in June 2026, ready for the peak migration season.  These luxury safari vehicles will be replicas of the original Beest prototype (launched June 2025 at Serengeti and Roving Bushtops), complete with heated seats, personal drinks fridge-freezers, wireless chargers, a fold out sundowners bar and fully functioning kitchen with running water.  Two of the new Beests will be based at Mara Bushtops and the third will join the original Beest in the Serengeti.

Other new openings in 2026 include:

Laba Ngorongoro Lodge – Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania (Feb 2026 relaunch)
Sediba Sa Rona by Desert and Delta – Khwai Concession, Okavango Delta (March 2026)
Bupenyu Luxury Boutique Hotel – Batoka Gorge, Zimbabwe (March 2026)
Anantara Kafue River Tented Camp – Kafue National Park, Zambia (April 2026)
Thitaka Lodge by Newmark Hotels – Bwabwata National Park, Namibia (May 2026)
Wilderness Mara – Mara Triangle, Kenya (June 2026 relaunch)
Shisaka & N’weti Camps, Sandringham Private Game Reserve – Timbavati, South Africa (June 2026 relaunch)
Lwenge River Camp – Kafue National Park, Zambia (August 2026)
Erebero Hills – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda (August 2026)
Singita Elela – Okavango Delta, Botswana (December 2026)

**All launch dates are subject to change, especially with the recent heavy rains across Africa

Once the Africa bug bites…

“Everything in Africa bites, but the safari bug is worst of all” – Brian Jackman

Once you have set foot in Africa’s wilderness, and felt your senses truly come alive – there’s a good chance your heart will always long to return. Her majestic wildlife and untamed landscapes leave an indelible mark on your soul, calling you back time and time again. The good news is, there’s always new places to visit, uncharted locations to explore and a plethora of sublime new lodges to discover.

Do you know of any other new properties opening in Africa this year? Please share in the comments!