Singita is a luxury safari company founded in 1993 by Luke Bailes, whose family has been involved in hospitality in South Africa since the 1920s. The name Singita means "place of miracles" in the Shangaan language. The company operates 15 lodges and camps across five countries in Africa: South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, and Mozambique. Singita manages over 1 million acres of protected land across its properties, making it one of the largest private conservation operators on the continent.
The company's conservation-led model is central to its operations. Singita works through three non-profit partner organizations: the Singita Lowveld Trust in South Africa, the Grumeti Fund in Tanzania, and the Malilangwe Trust in Zimbabwe. These trusts fund anti-poaching units, wildlife management, habitat restoration, and community development programs. Singita's properties in Tanzania's Grumeti Reserves sit along the Western Corridor of the Serengeti, a critical migration route for over 1.5 million wildebeest.
Singita's lodges are consistently ranked among the top safari properties in the world by publications such as Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler. The design of each property reflects its specific landscape and local culture, with architects and designers working to integrate structures into the natural environment. Properties range from the contemporary Singita Lebombo Lodge in the Kruger National Park area to the classic Singita Sasakwa Lodge in Tanzania's Grumeti Reserves.
Rates at Singita properties typically start around $1,800 per person per night on an all-inclusive basis, covering accommodation, meals, beverages, twice-daily game drives, and conservation levies. The company is headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, and remains privately owned by the Bailes family.