New Safari Lodges in East Africa - Coming in 2026

Each year, we curate a shortlist of new safari camps and lodges that truly excite us and 2026 brings an exceptional crop across East Africa. This collection highlights thoughtfully designed properties that are raising the bar for safari travel, many of which are opening with compelling introductory offers we’re happy to share.

While we rarely recommend places we haven’t personally experienced, every lodge featured here is operated by partners we know and trust—brands with a proven commitment to conservation, meaningful community engagement, and exceptional guiding. We’re confident that each of these new additions will deliver experiences that feel both authentic and unforgettable. Let us help you plan your next safari to include one or more of these wonderful new luxury lodges!

Erebero Hills (Asilia) — Bwindi, Uganda

A new chapter for gorilla trekking: Asilia’s Erebero Hills is planned to open for travel in 2026 on the northern edge of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Think sustainable, design-led comfort with the kind of views that make you pause mid-sentence—perfectly positioned for unforgettable mountain gorilla encounters in one of the planet’s most biodiverse forests.

Wilderness Magashi Peninsula – Rwanda

This newest Wilderness retreat (opened in December 2025) brings elevated luxury to Akagera. Perched overlooking the waters of Lake Rwanyakazinga, with the Mutumba Mountains rising beyond, Magashi Peninsula feels suspended between earth and sky. Contemporary safari accommodation meets Rwandan craftsmanship, with natural textures, hand-crafted materials, and a soothing palette that draws the landscape in, offering unhurried indulgence.

Kusini Serengeti – Tanzania

Nomad’s newest Serengeti camp is set in the quieter southern reaches—an area that feels wide open, rugged, and wonderfully uncrowded. Kusini’s positioning among kopjes (granite outcrops) is all about perspective: expansive views, big cat country, and that rare sensation of having the Serengeti to yourself.

Ubuyu, (Banyan Tree) — Ruaha National Park, Tanzania

Ruaha is for safari purists—and Ubuyu is poised to bring a new level of polish to one of Tanzania’s wildest parks. Opening for stays from May 2026, this intimate retreat is designed around expansive, artisan-crafted villas overlooking the Great Ruaha River: a front-row seat to wildlife movement with Banyan Tree’s signature sense of calm.

Kitirua Plains Lodge Amboseli (A&K)

Opening mid 2026 …A brand-new property carefully constructed in a 128-acre private concession adjoining the park. Its design is at once strikingly innovative and deeply rooted in the elements of its environment, inspired by Maasai principles of living in harmony with nature. A welcome addition to this popular National Park, renowned for it’s large tusked male elephants.