"Up until a few years ago, there were very few good private lodging options in Africa, apart from the odd home on an old ranch rented out so the owners could earn some extra money," says Cherri Briggs, founder of Explore. Now, adjusting to a boom in demand, more and more villas, camps and lodges can be exclusively, i.e. privately, booked ensuring clients both a dedicated army of attendants - often including a butler, chef, ranger, and guide - and freedom from pith-helmeted crowds. These properties offer flexibility that typical lodges and camps may not. Guests can tweak menus, arrange a last-minute safari walk or schedule a sunset barbecue in the bush. "With a private vehicle and guide, you're not locked into camp routine or the 6 a.m. game drive," says Briggs.

-2009 Black Ink Summer edition