For many first-time travellers to Africa, one of the worries is what the food will be like, and the biggest surprise is therefore how incredibly high the standard of fare is. The chefs at the majority of high-end safari properties produce meals that could easily rival some of the world’s top restaurants. This is all the more amazing when you consider that a camp kitchen is often relatively basic and remote, with no supermarket nearby and supplies delivered on a weekly or even monthly basis. These astounding dishes are made all the more enjoyable by the setting in which they are served – from the (albeit luxurious) familiarity of a lodge dining room to an outdoor table in the middle of the bush, dining on safari is not just for re-fuelling.
Whether a super-lavish lodge or a remote bush camp, a safari property is always carefully designed to really immerse you in the bush experience, making the most of beautiful surroundings and resident wildlife. The central mess area or dining room will have a knock-out view by day, often overlooking a waterhole, a lagoon or a vast open plain, so you don’t miss any of the local goings-on while you dine. At night the dining area will transform into an impossibly romantic restaurant, lit with flickering candles or hurricane lanterns, conjuring images of explorers from a bygone age.