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More from the journal

Aerial view of the Okavango Delta channels and palm islands at sunset

Guides

What a Botswana safari actually costs (and why it's the most expensive in Africa)

Botswana costs more than any other safari country in Africa. The reason is not greed. It is policy. Here is how the pricing actually breaks down, what each tier gets you, and why we still send most of our clients here.

Vikki Jackson

A hippo yawning

Guides

When to go on safari in South Africa

The bush wears a different face every month, and some are kinder than others

Vikki Jackson

What a luxury safari in South Africa actually costs

Guides

What a luxury safari in South Africa costs

From around $1,000 per person per night. What each price band buys, a realistic budget for a week, and where the bill tends to grow.

Vikki Jackson

Sabi Sand, the reserve that built modern safari

Stories

Sabi Sand, the reserve that built modern safari

Why one strip of bush on Kruger's western edge changed how the world watches leopards

Vikki Jackson

When to go on safari in Botswana

Guides

When to go on safari in Botswana

The Delta has two good seasons. They are completely different trips

Sian Loehrer

Sabi Sand Game Reserve: South Africa's leopard country

Guides

Sabi Sand Game Reserve: South Africa's leopard country

The Sabi Sand has the highest leopard density of any protected area in South Africa. Here's what makes it genuinely different, and how we plan trips here.

Vikki Jackson

Cheetah Plains Villa

Field Notes

Safari lodges are not hotels

Why the comparison falls away the moment you understand how a safari lodge actually operates

Sian Loehrer

Coffee mugs and rusks on the bonnet of a Land Cruiser at first light

Stories

A day on safari, hour by hour

From the knock at the door to the second sundowner

Vikki Jackson

An open soft duffel bag on a wooden lodge floor with binoculars, a field guide, and a fleece

Guides

What to pack for a safari

A short, honest list from the people who keep getting the WhatsApp message at 11pm the night before

Vikki Jackson

Vikki Jackson, co-founder of Marula Hill safari travel

Voices

A conversation with Vikki Jackson

Vikki Jackson, co-founder of Marula Hill, on moving to South Africa with her family in 1994 and being the one who stayed, why hyenas are the ones to watch, and the small details that make a lodge actually work.

Sian Loehrer

Open-sided safari lodge deck overlooking a dry riverbed at golden hour in Africa

Guides

How to choose a safari lodge

What actually matters when choosing a safari lodge, and what turns out not to.

Sian Loehrer

A conversation with Sian Loehrer

Voices

A conversation with Sian Loehrer

Sian Loehrer, co-founder of Marula Hill, talks about how she designs safaris, where she'd go right now, and what first-time travellers always ask.

Vikki Jackson

Write to us

One of us will write back.

Replies come from Vikki or Sian. No obligation, just a conversation.

Prefer to write to us directly? sian@marulahill.com · WhatsApp +27 82 459 0648