The Ultimate Lion King Safari Experience

Welcome to Africa! Start your Lion King safari at one of only three camps in a private wildlife reserve three times the size of Los Angeles. Camp Kalahari comprises twelve spacious Meru-style tents set among the waving palm trees of Brown Hyena Island, named after the bashful brown hyena – an animal that’s almost impossible to see anywhere else in Africa. Children of all ages are welcome at Camp Kalahari; there is as dedicated family suite and a fence around the camp.

Spend your days enjoying activities like horseback rides, traditional game drives and guided walks with San Bushmen – Botswana’s indigenous hunter-gatherer groups and the first nations of southern Africa. Because of Camp Kalahari’s excellent location alongside the incredible Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, you will discover the charms of the desert on quad biking (ATV) excursions into a surreal, mysterious and majestic landscape. The mesmerising pans were once part of a pre-historic lake roughly the size of Switzerland and now among the biggest salt flats on the planet. A definite highlight at Camp Kalahari is its resident gang of meerkats who never fail to entertain guests. Do not be surprised if these adorable creatures climb onto your head and use you as a lookout post.

Your next stop is Zambia, where you will stay in a luxurious house within a riverine forest just upstream from the world’s biggest waterfall. Sussi & Chuma’s private house is perfect for families with children and features two en suite bedrooms, a large lounge and dining area, and your own private pool. You will also have a private chef and house staff.

Sussi & Chuma offers guided walking tours of Victoria Falls, just a short drive away. If you visit during high-water season (about February to July), you will experience the mighty roar of the ‘the Smoke that Thunders’ and stand in awe of its tremendous power and beautiful rainbows. Sussi & Chuma is the only lodge in the area able to offer guided walking safaris, giving you a completely different perspective of the African bush. Your most memorable moment at Sussi & Chuma is likely to be a sunset boat cruise on the Zambezi River. Make your way through a series of grade 2 rapids, before finding a tranquil spot on a beach to enjoy a cocktail while watching a see-it-to-believe-it sunset over one of Africa’s biggest rivers.

After your flight from Victoria Falls to Kenya, you will be transferred to the only safari camp in the Nairobi National Park. Nairobi Tented Camp is a welcome stopover and offers an authentic safari experience with comfortably furnished tents in a beautiful forest setting. If time permits, you can go on a game drive in search of lion, buffalo and leopard.

Next stop: Kenya’s flagship conservation area and the inspiration for The Lion King film, the magical Masai Mara. Spend the next few days at an outstanding safari lodge perched on a private stretch of the Mara River, only 40 minutes from where the action happens during the annual Wildebeest Migration (about August to October). The exceptional family suite at Sanctuary Olonana is about 130 square metres (1 400 square feet) in size and flaunts floor-to-ceiling glass doors that fold open to reveal breath-taking views of the river and its convivial hippo pods. Special kid’s activities are available – like guided walks, bush treasure hunts, traditional bow and arrow shooting, and cattle herding – as well as child-friendly menus.

Daily game drives and guided walks will reveal the Mara’s rich eco-system of acacia-studded savannah and animal life – especially big cats. Enjoy incredible and intimate sightings of the Big 5 (elephant, buffalo, rhino, lion and leopard), as well as a fascinating cultural visit to a Maasai village. Meet the elders and their families and learn about the social structures of the homestead. Gently float over the plains in a hot-air balloon as you marvel at your bird’s eye view of the Mara’s plethora of game. Afternoon game drives will end with sundowner drinks in breath-taking settings, before heading back to camp for private and elegant bush dinners beside crackling log fires.

Journey to the heart of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in southwestern Uganda for a wildlife experience unlike any other. Settle into your luxurious tented suite at Gorilla Forest Camp, a unique property that offers unrivalled seclusion within one of Africa’s most ancient rainforests. Due to its incredible location, gorilla families occasionally make their way through the camp.

Gorilla Forest Camp is situated only minutes away from the start of your gorilla trekking adventure. You will join expert guides for this awe-inspiring opportunity afforded only to eight visitors per day. Track through dense rainforest as you hike your way to families of endangered mountain gorillas for a life-changing encounter with the world’s largest living primates. If you are fortunate enough to lock eyes with a giant silverback, a distant relative, the experience will stir up intense emotions that will stay with you for the rest of your life.