Extended stays in Africa mean you get to fully learn about the area you're visiting and how you can enrich it. Your trip can contribute directly or indirectly to the legacy of wildlife conservation in Africa. So, choose wisely for ripples of regeneration. What if your next holiday didn't just change your life – but helped protect an entire ecosystem?
Your pool with a view, Image Credit: Last Word Madikwe
A Slow Safari: My Family’s Stay in Madikwe
I’ve recently returned from a family safari in South Africa, and we chose to stay at Last Word Madikwe, a wonderful micro-camp in the western part of the 75,000-hectare, malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve. Barefoot luxury with unassuming star quality, its unassuming attribute, an underground wildlife hide, offers an amazing vantage and turns wildlife photography into child's play. We have countless portraits currently jostling for space on our walls since returning.
Travelling long haul, we stayed five nights, and it was utter bliss to be released from the proverbial FOMO (fear of missing out). I've learned that slowing down is the flint and steel that sparks a connection between myself, the places, and the people I meet. The result? More meaningful experiences and enriched memories. I’m already planning my return visit!
Get the best photos from the hide, Image Credit: Last Word Madikwe
Tips For Planning Your Extended Stay
In stark juxtaposition with the shorter stays, the compulsion to pack an experience into every second renders me in need of a holiday from the holiday, no matter how inspiring the setting.
Why Longer Stays Are More Sustainable
By choosing extended stays in these regions, you can enjoy luxurious experiences whilst positively impacting local economies and supporting vital migration paths and conservation efforts that span multiple countries.
Longer stays significantly benefit local economies by increasing spending on local businesses. Studies show that the long-term positive effects of tourism in Small Developing States (SDS) contribute positively to the economy, supporting local businesses and infrastructure development.
Unpacking for lengthier stays, rather than a typical two-night tourist stay, is a balm for world-weary travellers. As exciting as travel is, time zone fluctuations, changing transportation schedules, and navigating varying climate zones can make it a challenge to stay on top of everything.
Take it the moment without any rush, Image Credit: Last Word Madikwe
How to Choose the Right Safari Camp
Choosing the right accommodation can make all the difference. Investigate the founders' stories and select travel providers that align with your values and can demonstrate their impact beyond a luxury travel experience.
Also, look for those who actively support conservation and local communities. And consider accessibility, some remote camps require charter flights or long drives, so ensure your destination suits your travel style and offers essential amenities for more extended stays.
The Best Time to Travel to Africa for an Extended Stay
Time your visit wisely: the dry season (typically June to October) is ideal for wildlife viewing, whilst other months may offer lush landscapes or fewer crowds, depending on the region. Explore Rhino Africa's guide to the best time to visit Africa for an extended stay.
Make yourself at home in Africa, Image Credit: Last Word Madikwe
Combine Countries for Greater Impact
Your tourism spending makes a tangible difference when you stay in places that protect vast tracts of land. The poignant impact in areas such as the Kavango Zambezi Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) is notable.
In the world's largest terrestrial transboundary conservation area, spanning five southern African countries: Namibia, Botswana, Angola, Zimbabwe, and Zambia, the KAZA TFCA has embarked on a landmark branding and marketing strategy to position itself as a premier tourism destination, stewarding a conservation area of 519,912 km², roughly twice the size of the United Kingdom.
A new beauty spot emerging on the face of this pristine expanse is Nkasa Linyanti, a six-room micro-camp by the avant-garde safari company Natural Selection.
Set to open in May 2026 in Linyanti Rupara National Park, it's a magnet for those keen to use their tourism spend to help protect a vital migration corridor for megafauna, such as African elephants and Cape buffalos, in Namibia's Zambezi region.
African giants in nature's expanse, Image Credit: Linyati Bush Camp
Preparing for Extended Stays in Africa
Consider the practicalities of longer trips in Africa, including medication, passport and visa validity, as well as making adequate arrangements on the home front for house and pet sitters, forwarding emails, and being in limited contact zones due to remote lodging.
Make Room for Magic
Feel excited that, besides the usual activities at your holiday accommodation, your extended stay allows you to simply do nothing (rest is a veritable reward in itself!) as well as unusual activities and experiences that a shorter stay would otherwise negate. Plot your return, adding yet another African destination (or two) to expand your repertoire.
Visit Africa, feel it, and remember it in detail
Stay Longer To Feel Africa's Life-Changing Embrace
You may have heard people say that "Africa is a feeling". Once it has a hold on you, you'll never let go. Like me, you'll want to stay longer and return again and again, allowing the feeling to deepen and grow. Time to get a booking in place, and don’t leave the planning until too late.
Rhino Africa's Wilderness Guides will show you the ins and outs of Africa in a way only locals can. Let them tailor your dream African safari.
