Xigera (pronounced ‘kee-jera’) is an ultra-luxurious sustainable safari lodge that offers guests front-row seats to some of the most incredible wildlife action in Africa. Located on the western side of the Moremi Reserve in the Okavango Delta, the lodge comprises 12 individually designed suites amid seasonal floodplains and riverine forests.

To immerse guests even deeper into Africa’s most spectacular water system, Xigera Safari Lodge have revolutionized the mokoro into something truly unique. The traditional dugout canoe, used by locals of the region for centuries, has been transformed into an innovative glass-bottom mokoro. Constructed with fiberglass, this creative design offers guests an entirely new perspective of the life-giving waters of the Delta. Now, as well as enjoying amazing wildlife from above, guests can also enjoy the extraordinary life that exists below the surface of the water. This is a truly unique African bucket list experience for the books.

Horseback safari | Ol Malo Nomad Camp, Kenya

The best way to feel alive in the bush is to be a part of it, and an African horseback safari puts you right in the action. A horseback safari takes you to untouched wild spaces and is one of the most adventurous and thrilling ways to experience the landscapes of Africa. On horseback, you are able to interact with the great outdoors in a way you would never experience in a safari vehicle or even on foot.

Located in the vast Laikipia Plains in Kenya, Ol Malo is a luxe adventure lodge with a truly extraordinary offering of African bucket list experiences. Ol Malo Nomad Camp is a small lightweight mobile camp that gives groups the unique opportunity to explore the most remote corners of the region by horseback. While riding through the wilderness, helicopters and a team of guides and camels will transport your camp and set it up in a different location each evening. If you have some experience of riding and are willing to forgo the usual luxuries of a safari camp for a few nights, this is definitely an adventure for the books!

Marine Biologist for a day | Belmond Mount Nelson, South Africa

Fall asleep under a blanket of a billion stars on a three-story raised platform high above the plains with Natural Selection’s remarkable Skybeds offering. Located just meters away from the only water source for 2000 hectares, frequented by the wild animals of Khwai Private Reserve, these extraordinary platforms are not your average star beds. Each of the three Skybeds that make up this intimate sleepout camp comprise a full bathroom, dressing area and large bed draped in the luxurious linen completely open to the night sky above.

Arrive in style on a thrilling helicopter ride over the wild plains of Khwai before experiencing unparalleled game viewing from the comfort of your platform. The nearby active waterhole attracts elephants, lion, leopard, wild dog, hyena and more with a whole host of nocturnal critters coming out as the skies darken. This is not your average star bed sleepout experience. This is comfort, adventure, and utmost romance all wrapped into one unforgettable experience.

A Day in Antarctica | White Desert, Antarctica

While not necessarily in Africa, the epic ‘Greatest Day’ experience in Antarctica is a mere 5-hour flight from Cape Town on a private Gulfstream jet. This remote land of powerful elemental forces has long lured travelers and explorers to its barren icy landscape and now you can experience it – in one day! After an important weather forecast and safety briefing in Cape Town, the flight will take you through the dark African night into 24 hours of continuous sunshine while soaring over thousands of icebergs floating in the Southern Ocean. You will touch down in Antarctica on a runway made of ice at the famous Wolf’s Fang Runway which lies beneath mile high monoliths of white rock rising vertically from the ice.

From here, you will be guided on a gentle hike to the base of the nearby Nunatak mountain and enjoy a champagne picnic at the summit with unrivaled views of the stark landscape. You will have the unique opportunity to experience the world’s largest and driest desert and take some incredible pictures for your bucket list album. End it all off with a drink chilled with 10,000-year-old Antarctic ice as you soar over the Southern Sea back to Cape Town.

Dream Cruiser sleepout | Onguma, Namibia

Nothing beats a remote sleepout under the starry African skies, and few places boast better skies than Namibia. Onguma Safari Camps, located on the eastern border of Etosha National Park offers a truly unique experience that puts you right in the heart of the Namibian wilderness. The Dream Cruiser at Onguma is an innovative new addition to the camp appealing to adventurers and romantics alike. This custom built Land Cruiser comprises two levels with a full bathroom downstairs and a bedroom and lounge area on the upper deck. 

After a leisurely game drive through the 34,000 hectare wilderness, guests will arrive at a remote location where their unforgettable night in the Dream Cruiser begins. Enjoy sundowners overlooking an active waterhole amid endless thorn-scrub and pristine bushveld as the sun sets for the day. A delicious tapas-style dinner surrounded by gently lit lanterns is provided, after which guests can fall asleep to the sounds of the nocturnal wilderness either under a canopy or under a blanket of stars on the deck. Rangers are on call throughout the evening via a two-way radio to ensure utmost peace of mind. This romantic sleepout is an African bucket list experience with a truly unique twist.

The team at Ker & Downey® Africa are raring to go to welcome you and get some truly unique experiences ticked off your African bucket list. Get in touch with one of our LuxVenture® Designers today and plan your dream bucket list trip to Africa!

See you out there!