8 Hotels Where Wild Animals Roam Free
Courtesy Makanyane Safari LodgeMakanyane Safari Lodge
Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa
Located within the Madikwe Game Reserve, the Makanyane Safari Lodge offers guests up close views of the surrounding bush and the wildlife that resides within it. The secluded suites have floor-to-ceiling glass windows perfect for watching passing elephants, and the main lodge is conveniently located next to a water hole visited by an abundance of wildlife. Makanyane Safari Lodge is known for being a "big five" resort, where you have good odds of seeing all five of the most legendary African big animals: lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard.
© nik wheeler / AlamyDisney's Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort
Orlando, Florida
A stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort in Orlando will feel more like a visit to Africa than Florida. Take a walk around the grounds, and you’re likely to spot more than 30 species of African wildlife. The lodge is home to 200 resident animals and birds, including gazelles, flamingos, zebras, and giraffes.
© John Warburton-Lee Photography / AlamyGiraffe Manor
Nairobi, Kenya
This intimate hotel outside of Nairobi lets you get up close and personal with Rothschild giraffes. The original manor was built in 1932 and has served as a giraffe sanctuary since the 1970s. Today, Giraffe Manor has six bedrooms and offers guests the chance to share their breakfast table with the eight resident giraffes. All of the hotel’s profits go to support the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife.
© Al Argueta / AlamyLapa Rios Eco Lodge
Islita, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
The Lapa Rios Eco Lodge in Costa Rica is tucked within a 1,000-acre rainforest reserve, so the question is less about what wildlife you will see, and more what you won't see. Book one of their 16 open-air bungalows and monkeys, macaws, sloths, and toucans are just a few of the guests you’ll share your stay with.
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© Nigel McCall / AlamySea Lion Lodge
Sea Lion Island, Falkland Islands
Despite the name, it isn't sea lions you should look out for here: A rookery of Gentoo penguins has been known to set up camp next to Sea Lion Lodge, a cozy 3-star hotel in the Falkland Islands. Aside from penguin spotting, the lodge offers expansive views of the South Atlantic Ocean where nothing but water separates you from Antarctica.
© Mark Boulton / AlamySarova Salt Lick Game Lodge
Tsavo, Kenya
From an architectural standpoint, the Sarova Salt Lick Game Lodge is a sight to be seen, but the views from this stilted hotel are the real attraction. Located within the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, the lodge is perched above a watering hole. Spotting wildlife from your room window is possible at any hour of the day.
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© nik wheeler / AlamyState Game Lodge
Custer State Park, South Dakota
At the State Game Lodge in the Black Hills of South Dakota, it’s just you, 71,000 acres of nature…and 1,300 free-roaming bison. If you want to improve your chances, Buffalo Safari Jeep Tours leave every day from the lodge. And because the hotel sits within Custer State Park, a premier wildlife sanctuary, bison aren’t all you’ll see.
© Martin Harvey / AlamyRoyal Malewane Private Game Lodge – South Africa
Hoedspruit, South Africa
Hands down, the coolest amenity at the Royal Malewane Private Game Lodge is their private plunge pools that come with each room. While soaking in the South African sun, an elephant or two just might drop by. Located on the private game reserve across from Kruger National Park, the lodge offers a unique game viewing experience—if not from your own hotel room, then on a guided safari through the surrounding bush.