For decades, all-inclusive safaris have followed the same schedule. Wake-up calls before dawn. Safaris that leave on time, whether you’re ready or not. Structured meals. Planned downtime. Shared meals. This is a structure that most accept as part of the deal. But what if that’s not how a safari is supposed to be enjoyed?
As a South African by birth, safari holidays are not a unique experience for me. It’s a kind of routine. An annual event, or even more frequent. And to be honest, I never really questioned its structure. But during a recent stay at an ultra-luxurious private villa in South AfricaAt Madikwe Game Reserve, I experienced something that felt fundamentally different from any safari I had done before. It wasn’t just more exclusive or more indulgent, it was freer. Unscripted. Almost deliberately anti-safari in that it dismantled everything I expected.
A safari without a schedule Of course, in some of South Africa’s largest game reserves you can drive yourself, prepare your own meals and set your own safari program. But if you’re looking for the perks offered by the ultimate all-inclusive safari, you’re practically bound by a daily schedule that’s not your own. In the past, this was ideal, even expected, especially in a world where package tours and group vacations were all the rage. But with travel trends favoring personalization and experience-based vacations, the typical safari seems strangely old-fashioned today.
Enter our stay experience at the Royal Villa at Royal Madikwe. The villa was entirely ours. Not just a private suite in a lodge. We had the entire lodge to ourselves, supported by a dedicated team of eight to ten staff focused solely on our family. There were no set meal times unless we requested them. No incessant ringing of the phone followed by a voice asking if we were awake – “Well, we are now.” Safaris took place if and when we wanted, as long or short as we wanted. A private chef prepared whatever we wanted, from perfectly cooked steak to fresh shrimp, whenever we wanted to eat it. The minibar was not a token checkbox; it had a walk-in wine cellar and a well-stocked refrigerator. And the heated plunge pool became the center of the day, not the too-cold piece of equipment it so often is, beautiful to look at but unused between a day full of activities.
What surprised me the most was that wildlife viewing didn’t suffer at all. Lions and wild dogs were regularly seen. The cheetah too. The old adage about getting up before the sun to watch for predators doesn’t seem to apply here.
The way we travel has changed But this move away from scheduled safaris isn’t just happening in places like Royal Madikwe. Travelers are choosing private riads over hotels in Marrakech, villas over resorts in the Caribbean, and houses over hotels in Europe. For me, it’s about intimacy, control, and feeling like the experience is tailoring to us. We are no longer forced to enjoy our vacations, bound by a preconceived idea of where we should be and when. After all, the minute-by-minute planning of our lives is exactly what we’re trying to escape from on vacation, right?
But why isn’t a personal safari really a thing? Interestingly, safaris have been slow to adopt this model.
Part of this delay is logical. Safari logistics are complex. Wildlife reserves operate under strict conservation rules. Guides, trackers, vehicles, leaders and hospitality staff must all work in harmony, often in remote environments. Traditional lodge formats are efficient, predictable and easier to manage. They have also been wildly successful for decades. Why change something that isn’t broken?
But Africa is particularly suited to private villa safaris, in a way that few destinations are. Vast landscapes, low-density reserves, extraordinary staff-to-guest ratios and people with a deeply rooted culture of service and hospitality make personal safari a no-brainer. And it makes sense that this shift in the safari world is happening now, even if Africa, as is often the case, is a little late to the party. After years of hyperconnectivity, algorithm-driven itineraries, and trips designed for consumption rather than experience, we’re craving something slower.
Private villas, like those offered at Royal Madikwe, allow for this, unlike traditional safari models which struggle to do so. They offer a reset and a look back at why I am drawn to the bush in the first place.
Why choose a private villa for your safari On a traditional safari, the day is built around maximizing sightings. On a villa safari, the day is built around you. This doesn’t mean less wildlife, but more choice. I love that you can sit outside on a morning drive without guilt. Leave late because your body needs to sleep during the holidays. Come back early because you’d rather swim and enjoy the lodge you paid thousands of dollars to stay at. Linger on a sighting or with a G&T in the middle of nowhere. Or avoid the ride altogether and let the animals come to you.
This autonomy becomes even more powerful for families, groups or those who have already been on safari. When you remove the pressure to check boxes or attend every scheduled activity, the experience changes. The pressure evaporates. The conversations deepen. You can stop looking at the clock. And God forbid, actually relax.
There is also an intimacy in private villas that traditional lodges cannot easily replicate. You benefit from the same guide, chef, waiter and babysitter throughout your stay. Meals are tailored to your personal preferences rather than set menus. The staff quickly learns how you take your coffee, when you like to eat, whether you want company or quiet. In just a few days, you’ll feel less like you’re being hosted and more like you’re in a home you never knew you really wanted or needed.
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s the luxury of not being rushed. Not having to share space if you don’t want to.
Personally, I hope this is less of a trend and more of an evolution. One that aligns the safari experience with the way people want to travel now. Because once you’ve experienced the bush on your own terms, it’s hard to imagine going back to a bell ringing you out of bed before dawn. Unless of course you want to.
Janine Avery Janine Avery is a travel writer from Cape Town, South Africa. She is in love with all things nature and loves exploring new places, enjoying any form of travel, from basic tenting to lounging in luxury lodges.
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