As safari season begins, more travelers are seeking more than just high-end lodges and wildlife sightings. They're looking for experiences that matter—where luxury meets purpose, and every day in the bush supports conservation, community, and meaningful connection.
We turned to one of the world’s most trusted voices in the space—acclaimed artist, conservationist, and Africa travel expert John Banovich, who has journeyed to Africa more than 60 times over the past three decades. Banovich is also the founder of Wildscapes Travel, where he personally curates and leads private groups on transformational luxury safaris across Africa.
With deep personal ties to the continent’s lodges, land, and leaders in conservation, Banovich offers a rare perspective on what defines a truly extraordinary safari experience in 2025.
True Luxury: Privacy, Purpose, and the Power to Choose
“The definition of luxury has changed,” Banovich says. “Years ago, it meant silver service, a plunge pool, and fine linens. Now, the most coveted luxury is freedom—to shape your own days, experience wildlife in near-solitude, and feel that Africa has opened just for you.”
Today’s elite safari-goers are seeking private reserves as large as national parks, custom-designed Land Cruisers, and off-grid sanctuaries where you might not see another vehicle for days. At the very top end, luxury means access: tracking lions with biologists, flying between countries in private aircraft, and waking up in a tented villa where elephants wander just beyond your deck.
A Journey That Leaves You Changed
Beyond five-star comforts, Banovich emphasizes that true transformation happens when your presence supports something greater. “Many of our guests are seasoned travelers. But time and again, they tell us: this was unlike anything they’ve ever experienced,” he shares.
Guests may participate in collaring a cheetah, placing a GPS chip on a rhino, or joining a community-led wildlife initiative—experiences that can’t be found in just any brochure. Equally powerful are cultural immersions, such as foraging with the Hadzabe of Tanzania, attending a tribal wedding, or learning to track game on foot with the Lion Guardians.
“Luxury now also means impact,” Banovich says. “Knowing your journey helped preserve something timeless.”
Choosing the Right Camp: More Than Just a Pretty View
Selecting the right safari lodge isn’t about glossy websites. Banovich recommends seeking owner-operated camps and long-term concessions—signs of deep investment in both the land and the guest experience.
“These are the places where relationships matter,” he notes. “We often place our travelers in lodges where we have personal connections—from the owner to the guide. That level of care creates magic.”
It’s also important to work with advisors—not agents, Banovich clarifies—who have spent years on the ground and can craft deeply personal itineraries. “This isn’t just travel planning. It’s matchmaking for the soul.”
Where to Go Now: Banovich’s Insider Picks
Most Underrated: Zimbabwe With the political climate stabilizing post-2019, the country has quietly reemerged as a top-tier safari destination. Banovich singles out Singita Pamushana Lodge in Malilangwe Reserve and Sango Lodge in the Save Valley Conservancy—both architectural marvels surrounded by pristine wilderness.
Best for Wildlife Density: Tanzania Home to vast herds and significant lion populations, Tanzania offers drama and scale. It's Banovich’s pick for raw, powerful wildlife viewing—especially during the migration surges of July and January.
Best for Elephant Encounters: Botswana “The Okavango Delta is unlike anything else on Earth,” he says. Botswana boasts the largest elephant population in Africa, with approximately 130,000 elephants. This offers both water- and land-based safaris in supreme isolation.
Best for Big Cat Encounters: Kenya Private conservancies around the Masai Mara are ideal for cheetah sightings and off-the-beaten-path experiences. “The Laikipia Highlands are another favorite—former ranch lands turned private wildlife havens,” he says.
A Moment That Still Stops Him in His Tracks
Despite a lifetime of awe-inspiring wildlife encounters, Banovich names one that never fails to move him: coming face-to-face with mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. “There’s nothing else like it,” he says. “You’re in dense bamboo forests, tracking a troop that might be just yards away. Then suddenly, a silverback appears, looking into your eyes as if he sees straight into you.”
Rwanda has built several luxury lodges over the past few years, like One&Only Gorilla’s Nest. The country also offers the most habituated gorilla groups available for tourism, with 10 groups allowing just eight visitors per group per day. The region’s bamboo forests offer more intimate encounters, as they attract a larger number of troop members during visits.
Final Word: Go With Those Who Know
When asked what advice he offers first-time safari travelers, Banovich is unequivocal. “Don’t book this kind of journey online. Africa is fluid—weather, politics, wildlife patterns—it all matters,” he says. “Work with someone who knows the land, the people, and the conservation landscape. That’s how you go from a great trip to a life-defining one.”
