The Best Private Luxury Villas in Africa
The best way to plan a luxury safari or faraway beach escape for a group is to choose a private luxury villa where you can have all of the privacy of an independent residence and all of the service and amenities of a top safari lodge or beach resort. Sometimes families or groups of friends are celebrating a milestone, or a couple is looking for secluded romance on their honeymoon, or a high profile individual needs discretion to truly relax and enjoy time away. Luckily, Epic Road’s team of experts have scoured the globe to find and personally visit the best properties that are specifically designed for exclusive use, and we’re able to make recommendations that suit the needs of each individual group.
What exactly is a private luxury villa? It’s where the privacy and freedom of a separate home meet the level of service and staffing of a top luxury hotel. Sometimes it’s simply a fully staffed residence, sometimes it’s a large separate villa that has at least three separate bedrooms and is an extension of a luxury safari lodge or beach resort, meaning that guests have a dedicated team of staff from the lodge, but the space physically feels more like a private home. Sometimes it’s a multi-bedroom suite at a luxury property. What’s key is that booking a private luxury villa gives you the best of both worlds, where privacy is perhaps the ultimate luxury, and the service and amenities are also always top notch.
THE BEST LUXURY SAFARI VILLAS
If you’re planning a luxury safari in South Africa, Tanzania, or Kenya, a private safari villa in one of these magical destinations in Africa will likely come with a dedicated butler and private chef, exclusive use guide and wildlife tracker and a vehicle for going on game drives at your whim. You can often expect other amazing features like huge private pools, incredible views, outdoor dining areas for private dinners under the stars, temperature-controlled wine cellars, full gym and spa, media or entertaining room, and extra space to accommodate your own nanny, pilot, or photographer. The location is always prime - imagine enjoying your morning coffee as you watch elephants drinking at a waterhole just a few yards away. One of our favorite spots to do just that is Kubili House, located in South Africa’s Sabi Sand Game Reserve, a private residence that houses up to 10 guests in five bedrooms. Near Kruger National Park, Royal Malewane’s Africa House sleeps up to 12 adults and has perhaps the best guides and wildlife trackers on the continent. In Kenya, Ol Jogi can be booked for exclusive use and it has an underground hide where you can safely sip your evening cocktail just a few feet from a massive herd of elephants. In Tanzania, Singita Serengeti House has its own luxurious tented spa and tennis pavilion, situated right in the path of the Great Migration. These are just a few of many incredible options for group safari villas in Southern and Eastern Africa.
If you pair your safari with a few days exploring Cape Town, The One Above is a perfect home base for experiencing the best of this cosmopolitan South African city, like thrilling helicopter rides over the peninsula or day trips to savor the best food and wine in Cape Winelands. The separate two-storey penthouse sits atop the One&Only Cape Town luxury hotel. With fireplaces, a grand piano, marble spiral staircase, open-plan floors and private pools and decks on both levels make this exquisite space perfect for entertaining.
ESCAPE TO THE PERFECT BEACH VILLA IN PARADISE
Maybe you’re dreaming of a group beach trip to the Seychelles, Maldives, Mozambique, or Zanzibar. Picture the ultimate beach house with all of the amenities of a full luxury hotel: massive sunbeds and loungers, private access to the pristine white sandy beach just steps from your own infinity pool, seclusion at the level of a Robinson Crusoe castaway fantasy, incredible ocean views and stunning sunsets. properties can range from multi-bedroom beachside villas to entire private islands, like Thanda Island in Zanzibar or Cousine Island Resort in the Seychelles. Off the coast of Mozambique &Beyond Benguerra is situated on a secluded bay on a private islands where the nearby pristine reef is perfect for divers and snorkelers. The two-bedroom suite here is great for families.
In the Maldives, Soneva Fushi Villas have up to nine bedrooms where larger families can really spread out and enjoy time together and feel at home in paradise. There are many more to choose from.
PLAN YOUR TRIP
Each family, couple or group has different expectations, priorities and preferences when it comes to planning a trip. Design style, size, and amenities at different luxury villas vary greatly. You might prefer a rustic farmhouse style, or something more edgy, artsy and modern. You might be three couples traveling together, or a family of 12 spread over three generations ranging in age from 10-70. To find the right private villa for your group we suggest working with one of Epic Road’s luxury travel designers to walk through specific needs and desires and match you to the best possible private luxury villa in your destination of choice. Contact us at hello@epicroad.com.
