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.
Child-friendly Tuli Safari Lodge Mashatu has eight spacious luxury tented suites with wraparound decks, a large swimming pool, a waterhole, a photographic hide and a walking trail. It's the perfect tented safari lodge for families wanting to combine game-viewing activities and cultural experiences in a private game reserve in Botswana.
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.
Laikipia Wilderness Camp is an intimate, family-run safari camp that offers comfortable and homely accommodation in the unfenced wilderness of Central Laikipia. Laikipia Wilderness offers an authentic wildlife experience in a beautiful 70,000-acre landscape that is home to a wide range of wildlife, including the famous black leopard of Laikipia.
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 remote, untouched eastern plains of the Serengeti, Olmara Camp (formerly known as Ehlane Plains Camp) is a beautifully designed, eco-friendly, tented safari camp that offers sweeping views of Tanzania's vast savannahs and provides top-quality, year-round game viewing.
Mashatu Lodge is a beautiful, waterhole-facing safari lodge in Botswana's game-rich Mashatu Game Reserve. There are 14 spacious luxury suites with large en-suite bathrooms and private bush-facing verandahs. The family-friendly lodge welcomes children of all ages and inter-leading suites are available for families.
The 12 Apostles Hotel & Spa in Cape Town is an award-winning, 5-star, luxury boutique hotel located against the dramatic backdrop of the Twelve Apostles Mountain Range which forms the back of Table Mountain and offers sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean. The hotel offers a tranquil respite located an easy 20-minute drive away from Cape Town's vibrant and colourful city centre.
Family-run Tafika Camp on the east bank of the Luangwa River in South Luangwa Reserve in Zambia offers the perfect bush escape for safari-goers and wildlife enthusiasts looking for an intimate, authentic safari experience and exceptional game-viewing opportunities. Activities include day and night game drives, mountain bike safaris, guided bush walks, visits to the local Mkasanga Village and micro-lighting (only offered in May).
Why not chat to one of our safari experts who can answer all your questions and help you design your dream trip to Africa.
