Fifteen days across Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa — guided as a small private group, limited to twelve guests. Concluding at One&Only Cape Town. Two set departures a year.
Departures are guaranteed at a minimum of eight guests. Single supplement and triple occupancy available on request. Ongeri reserves the right to consolidate dates if a departure does not reach minimum numbers.
This is the small group journey we design for the traveller who has decided, finally, to do Africa properly — and who would like, for once, to do it in the company of like-minded others. Fifteen days. Five countries. Six extraordinary lodges. Every transfer by air. Twelve guests, no more.
Begin in Nairobi at Hemingways — colonial elegance, leafy Karen, and a soft landing before the wild begins. Fly into the Olare Motorogi Conservancy and three nights at Mara Nyika among Africa's finest big-cat country. Cross the border to Tanzania's Grumeti for Singita Sasakwa, where a manor on a ridge looks out over the Serengeti's western corridor.
Rewilded plains, thundering water, flooded pans, and a fairer cape — a journey of arcs.
From the Serengeti, fly to the spray of Mosi-oa-Tunya — Victoria Falls — and a private helicopter scenic over the gorge. Continue to the Okavango Delta and &Beyond Sandibe, where Botswana's flooded plains shift weekly and game is read from a mokoro. End where Africa softens into Europe: two final nights at One&Only Cape Town on the V&A Waterfront, with Table Mountain framed in your balcony glass.
Why we love this journey — the small group format works because the group is genuinely small. Twelve guests fit on one Phoenix Caravan. Two safari vehicles in camp. One table at dinner. Every flight is a charter, every lodge is a flagship, every detail — the gift hamper at arrival, the medevac cover, the lounge access on departure — has already been arranged.
Three nights in Olare Motorogi, the Mara's most coveted private conservancy. Few vehicles, walking safaris, night drives, and serious big-cat country.
An Edwardian-style manor perched above the Grumeti's grasslands. Equestrian options, a ridge-top pool, and game in a 350,000-acre concession.
A riverside camp on the Zambezi above the falls, with a private helicopter scenic over Mosi-oa-Tunya — the smoke that thunders.
Pangolin-shaped suites in a private Okavango concession bordering Moremi. Game drives, mokoro, and walking with master guides.
A V&A Waterfront landmark to close the journey — Marina Mountain Rooms, Table Mountain views, Nobu, and a private spa island.
Six private and charter flights — Phoenix Aviation across East Africa, helicopter into Sandibe, jet to Cape Town. No long road hauls.
Met on arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International by your Ongeri concierge — meet-and-assist through the formalities, a private transfer through Nairobi's leafy southern suburbs to Hemingways. Welcome hamper in your suite. A welcome dinner that evening in the hotel's brasserie — first introductions to your fellow travellers and to your tour director for the journey ahead.
A short charter from Wilson into the Olare Motorogi airstrip. Settle into your suite at Mara Nyika — a Great Plains camp tucked into a riverine forest. Two safari vehicles share the group of twelve, six guests per vehicle, ensuring window-seat access for every guest on every drive.
One morning brings an optional sunrise balloon flight and champagne bush breakfast where you land. Mix shared game drives, walking safaris, and night drives in the conservancy — focus on cheetah on the short grass, leopard in the riverine, and the seasonal migration scenes that define the Mara.
A private charter crosses the border into the Singita Grumeti concession — 350,000 acres of restored Serengeti where the migration crosses west between June and August. Singita Sasakwa is a hill-top manor of cottages, a ridge-top pool, an equestrian centre, and a wine cellar of rare reach.
Days unfold around game drives in the great plains below, optional rides on horseback, archery on the lawn, and long lunches that drift into siesta. The light here is famous; bring a long lens. The May departure catches the migration's western crossing; the November departure brings clear skies, dramatic dust, and the fledged calves of an earlier birth.
A private charter via Kilimanjaro to Victoria Falls. Mpala Jena sits a few miles upstream of the falls themselves — canvas-and-glass tents on the Zambezi's edge, sundowners on the river, and a thirty-minute drive to the rim of the gorge.
Your private helicopter scenic flight over Mosi-oa-Tunya is timed for late afternoon, when the spray catches the gold of the western light. A guided rim walk on a separate morning. Optional white-water rafting in the gorge for those who want their hearts in their throats.
Charter to Maun and onward by helicopter — three rotations carry the full group across the delta in turn, each a fifteen-minute scenic in itself. &Beyond Sandibe sits in a private concession bordering Moremi Game Reserve; its pangolin-shaped suites are among Africa's most distinctive design pieces.
Game drives are extraordinary — the Sandibe lions are well known, the leopard density among the continent's highest. A morning on the water in a mokoro. Bush dinners under the milk-spill of stars.
A King Air charter from Maun direct to Cape Town. Two nights at One&Only Cape Town — Marina Mountain Rooms in the crescent-shaped Marina Rise, with private balconies framing Table Mountain. Breakfast at Vista Bar & Lounge. Spa hours on the resort's private island.
Optional Table Mountain by cableway, the Constantia winelands by private guide, and the seal colonies of Hout Bay by water. Dinner at Nobu — southern Africa's only — or Reuben's, the resort's South African flagship. This is the journey's exhale; the mood shifts from wild to refined, but the pace remains considered.
A late breakfast, a final walk along the V&A waterfront, and a private transfer to Cape Town International. Departure lounge access and a final farewell from your tour director and Ongeri concierge. The journey ends — yet the feeling of Africa, as ever, has only just begun to settle.
Colonial elegance and tranquil gardens in leafy Karen — a graceful prelude to the wild.
An exclusive Great Plains camp in a private Mara conservancy — masterful guiding and big-cat country.
An Edwardian manor on a Serengeti ridge — ridge-top pool, equestrian centre, rare cellar.
An intimate Zambezi-front camp upstream of the falls — canvas, glass, and the river at your feet.
Pangolin-shaped suites in a private Okavango concession — distinctive design, exceptional game.
A landmark resort on the V&A Waterfront — Marina Mountain Rooms, Table Mountain views, Nobu, and a private spa island.
Pricing is per guest sharing in a group of twelve. Minimum eight guests required for the departure to operate. A 30% deposit is required to confirm; the balance is due 60 days prior to departure. All prices in USD, rounded to the nearest fifty.
Reserve your place on the May or November 2027 departure. Your Safari Advisor at Ongeri Expeditions will be in touch within twenty-four hours.
An exclusive 45-suite boutique hotel set between Nairobi National Park and the foot of the Ngong Hills, with full butler service, a Michelin-starred Dining Room, and Karen's most tranquil gardens.
The Dining Room serves cuisine from the hotel's Michelin-starred chef — contemporary European with international accents. The Brasserie offers light lunches overlooking the gardens.
Mara Nyika lies in the Naboisho Conservancy (part of the greater Mara landscape). Its attraction? This intimate, five tent retreat is built in the treetops. Wooden walkways wind through the umbrella-thorn canopy to link the tents with platforms and other structures. The concept is the brainchild of veteran safari operator, Great Plains, and the effect is singularly enchanting. Privacy, the spectacle of the Great Migration on your doorstep, and a bed in the trees, make this camp idyllic.
Mara Nyika Camp currently offers guests four luxury guest suites and one 2-bedroom family tent. The private Sambuk Suite at Mara Nyika is also available. The suites are large, elevated, tree house-styled canvas linked to the main area by raised wooden walkways.
Three meals a day are prepared under the care of an executive chef and state-of-the-art kitchen but the timing – and location – of meals is very flexible in order to accommodate exceptional wildlife viewing. Indeed, picnic breakfasts and lunches are considered normal procedure, especially during migration season. Vegetarians and vegans can be catered for with advance notification, as can families with a child-friendly choice of meals.
Built in the style of a stately Edwardian manor house and featuring a light and airy atmosphere, Sasakwa offers panoramic views, a sense of immense freedom, and stillness. Striking the perfect balance between casual luxury and sophisticated elegance, the lodge features a grand entrance, wraparound verandas, silver candelabras and coveted antiques, as well as bespoke décor elements such as local artefacts and tribal cushions.
The lodge offers 9 cottages and 1 villa each with a private infinity pool. The inviting four-poster beds are complimented by beautifully decor reflecting African influences with touches of wood, leather and grass
Every meal at Singita Sasakwa is an event: from the early breakfast table groaning with fresh pastries, breads and fluffy crepes, piled with luscious fruits and other temptations, to the refined elegance of candlelit dinners either in dining room warmed by a log fire or out under the stars. Served on starched white linens with crystal glasses glinting in the firelight, this must be one of the most romantic places on earth to indulge in world-class cuisine and the finest wines, listening to the sounds of the Serengeti echoing up the hill toward you.
Nestled along the Zambezi River, within the Zambezi National Park and just upstream from Victoria Falls, Mpala Jena offers a wide range of refined, immersive safari experiences for guests seeking the ultimate in Victoria Falls luxury accommodation. With only five suites and a private villa option, it is ideal for guests seeking exclusivity with easy access to one of the natural wonders of the world. Enjoy river cruises, safari drives, and heartfelt hospitality in Zimbabwe’s most stylish riverside camp.
Guests can enjoy open vehicle safari drives, observe wildlife from the Zambezi River during boat cruises or on the unique Dhow, explore the area via guided walking trails, tour the famous Victoria Falls, or relax with cocktails from the camp’s swing chairs. Higher concentrations of buffalo and elephants are usually seen from June to October. There are more lions per km² here than in any other park in Zimbabwe.
Guests have a choice of three large double or twin-bed configuration Suites, plus two 2-bedroom Family Suites, all under sand-coloured, flowing canvas, with canopy ceilings. Each air-conditioned suite boasts a shaded, private veranda and ensuite bathroom facilities, including an indoor shower, a separate toilet, a heat pump for hot and cold running water, and double vanity basins. The suites’ highlight is the outdoor bathrooms, which feature a beautiful bathtub and an outdoor shower. Decking in front of the tent leads to views of the tranquil, peaceful waters of the Zambezi River.
Running a fun and informative kitchen, Mpala Jena offers three delicious meals a day and is very flexible about when and where they are served. You may find breakfast or lunch – or both – served outdoors under a thorn tree or next to the river. Evening dinners are more sophisticated, made up of three courses and served a la carte, at individual tables – as you prefer. Complete with wine cellar, the camp is able to cater for all dietary requirements – including vegan and children's menus – as long as they are requested in advance. You can also request a private kosher chef in advance.
Set in a serene riverine forest on the banks of a permanent river, Sandibe Lodge is characterized by sumptuous décor and skillfully sensitive architecture. The entirely wooden structure for the common areas has been inspired by the curves and scales of a pangolin, one of Africa’s rarest and most elusive creatures. Your room is designed to mimic a weaver bird’s characteristically shaped and carefully woven nest.
The eight, sensitively designed cottages are set under shady trees. Spacious and tastefully decorated with an en suite bathroom, each cottage boasts a private game-viewing deck overlooking the Santandibe River. The outdoor shower, with its unusual stargazing perspective, is as refreshing as it is charming. Innovative screen walls open up to reveal superb views of the Okavango Delta’s landscape. The cottages are characterised by comfort, serenity and thoughtful touches.
Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge serves an alfresco banquet of pan-African cuisine in a communal dining area, perfectly positioned under a canopy of trees. Candlelit dinners may also be served in the shelter of the boma. The food is delicious and stylishly presented thanks to the superb efforts of the team in the interactive kitchen. If you feel like indulging, order a custom-made pizza from the dedicated pizza den!
Situated on the vibrant Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, One&Only Cape Town places you in the beating heart of the Mother City. Our exceptional one-off resort blends a rare sense of seclusion with cosmopolitan energy and the city’s most iconic sights right on your doorstep. Soak up breathtaking views of Table Mountain and our harbour from Cape Town’s largest hotel rooms and suites.
The rooms and suites at One&Only Cape Town are elegantly decorated in a contemporary African style complete with local art, warm fabrics and dark wood finishes. Each is en suite with an oversize bath and rain shower. Each room or suite has a private terrace or balcony and many modern conveniences such an in-room entertainment system, iPod docking stations and WiFi internet access.
One&Only Cape Town offers a striking culinary display with Michelin-starred chef Nobuyuki “Nobu” Matsuhisa bringing his Japanese and South African inspired menu to Nobu Cape Town – the first of its kind in South Africa. South Africa's most acclaimed chef – Reuben Riffel – creates his contemporary cuisine at his signature restaurant, Reubens, where wholesome, bistro-style dishes incorporating imaginative local tastes and flavours deliver a uniquely South African dining experience.
Considered safaris in considered company — set-departure journeys for travellers who would like to share the road, the table, and the landscape with eleven kindred others.
