Mid-range lodges offer a balance between comfort and cost, typically providing well-appointed rooms, good service, and strong locations without the price tag of top-end properties. This is the most common accommodation category on safari and often represents the best balance of value and experience for most travellers.
What qualifies as "mid-range" depends heavily on the destination. In South Africa, this may include a wide range of comfortable, well-priced lodges, while in more remote or high-cost regions like Botswana or parts of East Africa, similar budgets may only access more basic accommodation.
For this reason, safari prices should not be compared across countries in absolute terms. A mid-range lodge in one destination may be priced similarly to a luxury lodge in another, so these categories are best understood relative to location rather than fixed price points.
Not sure how this category compares across different destinations? See our Safari Accommodation Price Guide.
A'Zambezi River Lodge is situated on the banks of the Zambezi River in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The lodge is a stone's throw from the Zambezi National Park, and is also the only hotel in Victoria Falls with a jetty site and river frontage. The hotel is about 10 km from Victoria Falls and surrounded by natural bush.
Set in a quiet, leafy garden, AfricaSky is a 4-star guest house located 10 minutes from OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg. It's also 10 minutes to nearby Rhodesfield Station, from where it's a further 11-minute ride on the Gautrain to the heart of Sandton. It's an ideal stopover before or after your safari or onward travel plans.
Arumeru River Lodge is a peaceful lodge situated just outside Arusha and close to the airport. With vast, beautiful gardens in which 21 rooms, 6 suites and a family cottage are scattered, it's easy to forget that you're in town at all. The main lodge is airy and welcoming and the hands-on hosts put great emphasis on keeping their guests happy.
Bakubung Bush Lodge is one of the most established safari lodges in Pilanesberg National Park, offering a lively, resort-style safari experience close to Johannesburg. With a wide range of facilities and family-friendly accommodation, it is a popular option for travellers looking for an affordable safari getaway in a malaria-free reserve.
Situated in the Klaserie Private Game Reserve, Baobab Ridge is a small, intimate safari lodge overlooking an active waterhole. Klaserie shares unfenced borders with the Kruger National Park and its neighbours and game viewing is often superb, with a good chance of seeing the famed white lions of Timbavati.
Basecamp Masai Mara is an affordable tented, riverside, safari eco-camp located in the dense tropical forest foliage along the Talek River right on the doorstep to the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Home to the highest density of wildlife in the world, the Maasai Mara is renowned for superb Big Five game viewing and the spectacular annual Wildebeest Migration.
Bateleur Safari Camp is situated in the game-rich Timbavati Private Reserve. All fences between its famous neighbour, Kruger National Park, have been removed so the game can freely roam across this vast wilderness area. It's home to the Big 5, a huge variety of antelope and plains animals, predators, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and over 500 bird species on a 10,000-hectare diverse and scenic traversing area. Unhurried, uncrowded and unscheduled, Bateleur offers a unique, personalised safari experience, with a mix of game drives and bush walks.
Situated in Zanzibar on a spectacular, long beach with pristine white sands, Breezes Beach Club and Spa gives guests everything they could desire of a holiday in paradise. Being a large hotel, they offer a wide range of activities, from all the watersports and a diving school to a number of restaurants, swimming pool and tennis courts, including an incredible spa. Whether you want to relax, be active, or combine the two, Breezes Beach Club and Spa is a good place to do it all.
Perfectly positioned on a rise overlooking a perennial waterhole, Camp Hwange is professionally run by one of Zimbabwe's leading safari guides and offers an excellent safari experience filled with fascinating bush lore and a wealth of safari stories. Informal, yet with all the creature comforts, Camp Hwange offers the added benefits of a private concession from day and night game drives and off-road driving to walking safaris with an experienced ranger.
Camp Shawu is situated in a private concession area within the famous Kruger National Park, South Africa. Named after a magnificent elephant bull that frequents the area, the camp offers luxury accommodation for only 10 guests, with beautiful views over the Mpanamana Dam. In the dry season, a variety of animals gather at the dam to drink. Camp Shawu shares a vast concession area with Camp Shonga and Shishangeni Lodge, in the south-eastern part of the Kruger Park, which has an abundance of wildlife.
Camp Shonga is a luxury tented camp situated in a private concession within the Kruger National Park, South Africa's greatest game reserve. Camp Shonga is a small and cosy bush retreat, featuring only 5 luxurious tents with en-suite bathrooms. Spectacular views of the African bushveld and its wildlife can be enjoyed from private viewing decks, as well as during game drives with expert guides.
Located in the remote north of Zimbabwe's rugged Matusadona National Park, Changa Safari Camp overlooks Lake Kariba. Family owned and run, this East African style tented camp offers authentic accommodation and a wide range of lake, beach and bush excursions that take advantage of its unique location.
Chobe Marina Lodge is situated just outside the Chobe National Park in Kasane, Botswana. The lodge provides luxury accommodation with beautiful views over the Chobe River. Chobe Marina Lodge offers a variety of activities, including open-vehicle game drives in the Chobe National Park, or game viewing by boat along the Chobe River, reputedly the best boat-based game viewing in the world. This lodge is reasonably priced and can easily be combined with nearby Victoria Falls for an unforgettable safari.
Owned and largely managed by the local community, Damaraland Camp is a model of a successful community partnership. Eco-friendly, yet luxurious, this intimate safari camp offers first-hand encounters with some of the most highly-adapted local wildlife, particularly desert elephants and black rhinos – in starkly beautiful surroundings.
David Livingstone Safari Lodge and Spa is a luxurious five-star hotel, situated on the banks of the great Zambezi River in Zambia. The hotel is only 7km away from the breathtaking Victoria Falls and offers modern and stylish accommodation, great cuisine and a variety of exciting activities.
Although not in a game-rich area per se, Doro Nawas Camp is an excellent base from which to explore the dramatic and stark Damaraland landscape. Arid and inhospitable, it's home to a surprisingly diverse range of desert-adapted wildlife, including desert-elephant, gemsbok, springbok, bat-eared fox – and even the odd black rhino and cheetah.
Elephant Bedroom Camp is perfectly situated in Samburu National Reserve to get the best lion, leopard and rare northern species sightings the park is well-known for. There is also a wealth of unusual flora to look forward to.
Elephant Plains Game Lodge is situated on the banks of the dry Manyeleti river overlooking a permanent waterhole in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve within the Greater Kruger National Park. This affordable 4-star lodge is an excellent safari destination offering prime game viewing and perfect photographic opportunities.
Set on the dramatic cliffs of the Knysna Heads on South Africa's renowned Garden Route, Head Over Hills offers a serene and luxurious retreat with stunning views of the ocean and the Knysna Lagoon. Ideal for travellers seeking a blend of comfort and natural beauty, the boutique property is perfectly situated for easy access to the town's attractions and outdoor activities, making it an excellent base for exploring the region.
Traditional ethnic style Hoyo Hoyo Safari Lodge is situated in a 10,000-hectare concession in the world-renowned Kruger National Park, South Africa. The lodge is built on an ancient elephant trail and offers luxury accommodation in true African style. Guests can view the area's abundant wildlife from open safari vehicles or even from the comfort of their private decks, as the lodge overlooks an active waterhole. Guests have the opportunity to interact with the local Shangaan or Tsonga people.
Imbali Safari Lodge is situated in one of nine private concessions in the famous Kruger National Park, South Africa, and offers guests a fantastic African safari experience. The lodge offers luxurious 5-star accommodation with a private deck and jacuzzi. At Imbali, you can enjoy open-vehicle game drives through some of the best wildlife areas in Kruger.
John's Camp is an intimate, tented safari camp located inside the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mana Pools, one of Zimbabwe's most beautiful game reserves and a popular destination for walking safaris. Overlooking the Zambezi floodplains in the quieter eastern section of Mana Pools, John's Camp offers a welcoming, authentic, off-the-grid, eco-friendly African bush camping experience.
Located in the Timbavati Private Game Reserve, Kambaku Safari Lodge offers an intimate, rustic luxury experience with just 16 guests. This exclusive, eco-conscious lodge offers excellent game viewing opportunities and is the perfect base for exploring the wild beauty of the Greater Kruger National Park.
Kanga Camp is in one of the most remote sections of the pristine Mana Pools area, a World Heritage Site not far from Chitake Springs. This vast, untouched wilderness is a veritable eden, offering excellent and varied safari experiences. Closed mid-December until 1 April each year.
Why not chat to one of our safari experts who can answer all your questions and help you design your dream trip to Africa.
