The Ultimate Solo Safari Survival Guide

Solo travellers can make their safari even better with the following tips.

When I joined a safari in South Africa as a solo traveller, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was doing the right thing. Would I enjoy the experience and fit in as a single traveller? Thankfully, the answer was a resounding yes, but there are some things you need to know to ensure your solo safari adventure is memorable for all the right reasons.

Leopard on safari in South Africa — Solo travellers can make their safari even better with the following tips.

Choose your season

High season is busier and more expensive, but it also tends to offer the best weather and wildlife spotting opportunities. However, you don’t necessarily have to visit at this time of year.

When you’re a solo traveller, travelling during the low or shoulder seasons can be worth it as you’re more likely to find accommodation deals with no single supplement. Provided you choose a lodge that isn’t accessed by charter flights, which usually require a minimum of two passengers to operate, a shoulder season safari can be a great choice.

a herd of elephants at the back of a jeep safari — A shoulder season safari can be a great choice.

Consider the time of year

If you enjoy a sleep-in, you may prefer not to visit in summer as you’ll have an earlier wake-up call for the first game drive of the day. On the upside, this gives you more time to enjoy the lodge and its facilities before lunch.

In winter, the timings are different, with a later wakeup call and earlier second game drive and dinner as the days are shorter.

Hippos on safari in South Africa — The time of year you go on safari can determine the experience you might have.

Research different lodges

There are safari lodges in Africa to suit everybody; the trick is choosing the one that’s right for you. Some lodges welcome families, while others are honeymoon havens or popular with tour groups.

Solo travellers will likely be happiest at accommodations like Shamwari Private Game Reserve, which catered to a variety of travellers, most of whom spoke English, so it was easy to chat.

the Shamwari Private Game Reserve accommodation — Settle into the traditional Shamwari Private Game Reserve. (Image: Shamwari Private Game Reserve)

Check the dining arrangements

If you’re travelling alone, check the arrangements for meals and discuss alternatives, if necessary, before you book. I was always seated by myself for lunch, which was fine with me but may not suit everyone. Other lodges insist on communal dining for every meal.

Bayethe Safari Lodge at Shamwari Private Game Reserve offers a nice balance, with a brai (the South African equivalent of an Australian barbeque) for each safari group and their guide every second night. On the alternate evening, guests can dine as they wish.

the outdoor safari deck with rainbow in the background at Shamwari Private Game Reserve — Bayethe Safari Lodge offers a nice balance of food options. (Image: Shamwari Private Game Reserve)

Pack light and leave your wheeled suitcase at home

Unless you’re staying at a high-end lodge, you’ll probably be carrying your own bag at least some of the time (or all of the time if you’re on a budget safari tour), so being able to move around comfortably with your luggage is essential.

Fortunately, it’s easy to pack light for an African safari as the weather is warm and clothes tend to dry quickly. Avoid bringing a wheeled suitcase as these don’t cope well with dirt roads and rugged paths.

a baby cheetah resting on a tree branch — Your clothes will dry quickly in the African heat.

Don’t arrive at your lodge too early

While this might seem like a clever way to extract extra value for money from your trip, avoid the temptation to arrive at your lodge early in the morning. As I discovered, it can feel quite lonely waiting for your room to be ready while other guests gather around you, talking excitedly about what they’ve seen on their morning drive.

Instead, arrive just in time for lunch, settle into your room and then head out on your first game drive in the afternoon.

a woman relaxing on the balcony at sunrise, Shamwari Private Game Reserve — Avoid FOMO by not arriving too early in the day. (Image: Shamwari Private Game Reserve)

Embrace the opportunity to meet other travellers

The communal nature of a safari holiday lends itself to socialising so, even if you usually prefer your own company, embrace the opportunity to meet other travellers from around the world. Once you’ve met the people in your safari vehicle, it’s easy to strike up a conversation as you all share a passion for travel, nature, animals and conservation.

Meerkats on safari in South Africa — Meet like-minded travellers on your safari.

Weekly travel news, experiences
insider tips, offers, and more.

Switching groups is possible, just ask

While it’s usually a pleasure meeting other travellers on safari, if you find yourself hoping your guide will find lions so you can feed an annoying ‘never-stops-talking’ guest to them, it’s possible to change groups. Simply ask discretely at the office or have a quiet word with your guide. Switching is easy as the lodge only needs to find a single spot in another jeep, yet another advantage of travelling solo.

Lions on safari in South Africa — You can swap groups if you’re not vibing with your current one. (Image: Wade Lambert)

Get to know your guide

If you’re staying at a lodge for a few days or more, you’ll probably have your guide to yourself for a ‘private’ game drive or two, as the other people in your vehicle check out and a new group joins you. Sitting up front in a safari vehicle with no other guests is a special experience that only single travellers get to enjoy.

On these trips, conversation tends to venture beyond the usual safari patter, and includes the chance to learn more about the local wildlife and what life is like in South Africa from someone who lives there.

White Rhinos on safari in South Africa — Learn more about local wildlife with your guide.

Embrace the joy of quiet reflection

As a solo traveller, you’ll engage more deeply with your environment on safari, plus there is time for quiet reflection after each game drive. There is also much joy to be found in having the freedom to please yourself during such a unique travel experience. As I discovered, a solo safari is the ultimate holiday for adventurous single travellers.

Giraffes on safari in South Africa — As a solo traveller, you’ll engage more deeply with your environment on safari.

The writer travelled with assistance from Shamwari Private Game Reserve.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

The ultimate solo safari survival guide