A Shabbat in Africa should not feel like a logistical compromise.

For families who keep Shabbat, the right safari is one where the wilderness and your traditions can exist naturally alongside one another, without spending Friday afternoon wondering whether every detail will actually be ready before sundown.

That begins long before you arrive.

Kosher meals are coordinated in advance with trusted suppliers, private chefs, lodges and, where appropriate, kosher meat suppliers such as Moishe’s Butchery in South Africa or Chabad communities in East Africa. Fresh challah can be prepared for Friday night. Kosher wine and familiar provisions can be arranged ahead of time. Your lodge is prepared before Shabbat begins, so the transition from safari to Shabbat feels calm rather than complicated.

The itinerary matters just as much.

Game drives can be planned around Shabbat, with the final drive ending comfortably before sundown. Your private vehicle and guide give your family the freedom to move at a natural pace rather than following the timetable of other guests.

Then the bush becomes remarkably quiet.

The last light settles across the savannah. The sounds of wildlife gradually replace the day's activity. A table is waiting, lanterns glowing softly as your family gathers for Friday night dinner. There is no need to explain every detail or solve problems as they arise.

You simply arrive.

For children, Shabbat can become part of the adventure itself: watching the African sky darken above the lodge, hearing distant wildlife beyond the camp, and experiencing Jewish tradition in a setting they may remember for decades.

The best African safari for Shabbat is therefore not simply about finding a place that can accommodate Shabbat.

It is about finding people who have already thought through the details, so you can stop managing them.

And finally be present.

Kosher food in Africa is certified by the Beth Din of South Africa which is the Jewish religious court responsible for ensuring that food and other products meet the standards of Jewish dietary laws.

Stainless steel pots and pans are boiled and torched clean between each meal or for a nominal fee new pots, pans, plates, and cutlery/flatware will be supplied and be inspected by you when you check into the safari lodge or camp, or if you prefer you can bring in your own pots & pans.  After every use, they are washed in a special designated area.  During your stay, you are more than welcome to inspect the kitchen to ensure you are pleased with how your meals are being prepared.

Deluxe Option

At our approved Kosher Safari Lodges, Pareve meals will be prepared fresh on-site by chefs who have been trained in kosher catering, and at your request, kosher milk products as well as kosher meat from a Mehadrin Commission Kosher Butchery will be brought in.

Private & Exclusive

A Mashgiach who is Shomer Shabbat and has completed the Mashgiach kashrut course will be flown into the safari lodge.  If the lodge doesn't have a dedicated kosher kitchen, he will set up a temporary separated kitchen with new cooking utensils & equipment as well as import the Kosher approved ingredients including Chalav Yisrael & Mehadrin meat as well as shabbos candles and fragrance for havdalah.  He will supervise all the cooking.

If needed we can also get a private Jewish Kosher chef from a recognized kashrut authority to accompany him.  Both of them are very involved in the Jewish community in South Africa and work with full permission of their overseeing Rabbi. 

Shabbat While On Safari:

For all lodges & camps that we recommend Eruv is key, so we ensure the lodges/camps we select are on enclosed grounds.  To avoid elevators we book rooms at lower levels as well ensuring they don’t have electric pass keys or they are electronically disconnected during Shabbat.

To ensure compliance with Jewish dietary laws Shabbat dinner and lunch are cooked before Shabbat starts. A stove or grill with a blech or an oven will be used to keep food warm over Shabbat.

Hot water for tea or coffee over Shabbat will be boiled and preserved in flasks.

Activities during Shabbat

Whenever available we will select kosher safari Lodges that have watering holes where animals visit and from the comfort of your chair, you will have a wildlife viewing experience during Shabbat.  Another option during Shabbat is to have a Walking Safari in the Masai Mara or Serengeti escorted by an armed guard