Africa's most luxurious safaris | CNN

Royal Malewayne (South Africa) —

Nicolas Sarkozy, Bono and Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen have all stayed at the luxurious Royal Malewane safari camp in Kruger National Park.

Royal Malewane

Mahali Mzuri (Kenya) —

All 12 "tents" at Richard Branson's Mahali Mzuri camp come with canopied verandas replete with roll-top bath tubs and infinity pools.

VirginLimitedEdition.com

Four Seasons (Tanzania) —

At night, Four Seasons staff armed with flashlights are posted along the hotel's elevated walkways in case guests accidentally stumble into the bush.

Four Seasons

Bushman's Kloof (South Africa) —

Bushmans Kloof Nature Reserve makes no pretense of being under canvas -- its 16 luxurious rooms and suites are located within a main lodge or individual cottages.

Bushmans kloof

Cottars 1920s Camp (Kenya) —

Cottars harks back to a "golden age" of safari by kitting out staff in vintage livery and furnishing quarters with antiques.

cottars.com

Ivory Lodge (South Africa) —

There are no mini-bars at the Ivory Lodge, only maxi-bars rammed with cured meats, chocolate, nougat and fruit.

morehotels.co.za

Lake Manyara Tree Lodge (Tanzania) —

Lake Manyara is the only permanent lodge within Lake Manyara National Park. It comprises 10 stilted tree house suites.

Andbeyond.com

Tswalu Kalahar (South Africa) —

Tswalu Kalahar is modeled on a traditional Tswana village -- albeit one that has clearly won the lottery.

Tswalu Kalahar

Chinzombo (Zambia) —

Chinzombo's six villas each have private dining areas, lounges, libraries and tree-shaded pools with viewing decks. The camp is surrounded by 60 acres of private land.

aardvarksafaris.com

The rise of Africa's super safaris

Story highlights

Africa's "super safari" camps and hotels bring luxury to the bush

Bono, Richard Branson and Nicolas Sarkozy are some of the guests at these "camps"

Kenya's Cottars 1920s Camp Cottars kits out staff in vintage livery

CNN —

African safaris have upped their game.

We’re not talking about the “Big Five” beasts – lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, buffalo – that people pay top dollar to see.

We’re talking about the accommodations.

For those with budgets as grand as the sweeping plains of southern and eastern Africa, exploring the wilderness needn’t come at the expense of luxury.

Lake Manyara Tree Lodge (Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania)

Lake Manyara is the only permanent lodge within Lake Manyara National Park – it comprises 10 stilted tree house suites in the boughs of ancient mahogany trees.

The words “tree house” might be misleading – there’s not a splintered plank in sight.

Instead, there are free-standing bath tubs (complete with a nightly sprinkling of rose petals) and enormous bathrooms with twin sinks and split-level living areas.

After dusty safaris, guests are welcomed back with gin and tonics and cold, scented towels.

Lake Manyara Tree Lodge, Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania; +27 11 809 4300; from $555 per person per night