Dining In Africa Q&A
Hungry for Answers? Your Top 25 Questions, Answered
Dining in Africa is defined by intention, restraint, and an exceptional sense of place.
In the continent’s leading restaurants, hotels and remote safari lodges, cuisine is conceived with the same care as the experience itself; elegant yet grounded, refined yet deeply rooted in its surroundings.
Impeccable service unfolds against extraordinary backdrops, where every detail is considered and nothing feels incidental.
For the discerning traveller, these moments inevitably raise burning questions: how such culinary precision is maintained in remote locations, what shapes the menus, and how local influence is elevated to a global standard.
The answers reveal a dining culture where provenance, craft, and quiet luxury converge.
1. How are meals structured on safari?
A typical safari day includes early morning coffee/tea and biscuits on your morning game drive, a brunch upon returning, afternoon “high tea” with sweet and savoury snacks, sundowners on your afternoon game drive and a multi-course dinner. Depending on your daily activities, lunch is either replaced with the brunch, a stop during your game drive with a packed lunch or offered back in camp. All mealtimes will be scheduled around optimal game viewing times and activities.
2. What standard of food can one expect on safari ?
Expect a high standard of food on safari, with qualified chefs preparing delicious meals that are fresh, high-quality, and often incorporate local ingredients and flavours. In more remote areas or during fly camping experiences, the menu tends to be simpler compared to camps located closer to food supply sources.
3. Is the water safe to drink on safari?
All properties will supply filtered bottled water for your consumption and teeth brushing. They will also use filtered and treated water to wash any food that you will consume during your stay.
4. What local food should an adventurous eater try on safari in Africa?
Each country and region will have its own delicacies and must tries. Therefore, most lodge and camp chefs will naturally incorporate these indigenous ingredients & flavours into your dining experience. If you want to try something super traditional, just ask, I’m sure they would be more than happy to share their regional classics, that highlight their culture and heritage.
5. What types of snacks & drinks will be available on safari game drives?
It varies between camps, however, expect things like nuts, biltong (like jerky), potato chips, cookies, dried fruit and a drinks bar consisting of bottled water, sodas, local beers and gin & tonic. In the mornings, they will offer tea and coffee, with an African twist (with a shot of Amarula liqueur). And if you want a specific drink in the vehicle for when you stop for sundowners, the lodge will usually be able to accommodate.
6. Do lodges & camps have dedicated kids' menus or provide baby food??
Not all camps have a dedicated kid’s menu, however, there will always be options for kids, like burgers, pasta etc. Whilst travelling with small babies on safari is not always advised (many camps have strict age restrictions), if you are, then for babies who need formula, please bring this with you and for all other baby foods such as purees; we will let the properties know of this requirement in advance, as this can certainly be made in house with local produce by the chefs.
7. Is dining communal or private on safari and where will our meals be taken?
This is different at all camps and lodges, but you will always have the option to dine privately. You can enjoy varied dining locations, such as communal dining at long tables (this is encouraged at some camps), individual tables within the main dining area, boma dining around a communal fire pit, bush dining in a lantern lit clearing in the bush and bush picnics at picturesque locations (think dry riverbeds, on the shores of a lake or on a private island).
8. Do all camps & lodges cater for all dietary requirements & can they import my favourite food or drinks?
Your safari expert will plan for you to be in properties that can specifically cater to your needs. They will also let each property know of your dietary restrictions, allergies & any preferred items ahead of time, so they can make any necessary arrangements.
With regards to importing preferred items, this does not typically occur due to the extreme logistics and high costs of remote operations. Lodges & Camps aim to be self-sufficient through community gardens, local suppliers, and fresh ingredients, so if you really need something specific, then perhaps pack it into your luggage (make sure to check customs rules though).
9. Is food service 24/7 on safari?
No, food service is not typically available around the clock, as most camps and lodges operate on scheduled mealtimes. However, with the generous variety of food and snacks offered throughout the day, you’ll likely find you won’t need anything more by the time you turn in for the night. However, some camps and lodges, do supply in room/tent minibars that have a selection of drinks and snacks on offer. The snacks can include items such as nuts, cookies and dried fruits.
10. Can I cook with the chefs on safari?
Yes, many luxury and exclusive-use private camps offer private chefs to provide personalized dining experiences or include interactive chef’s tables or even cooking classes for guests. Kids can often do cooking activities on a safari too, as many family-friendly lodges offer “Mini Chef” or “Culinary Adventures” programs where children learn to make pizzas, cookies, and other treats with guidance from the lodge’s chefs. The feasibility and availability of these options depend on the specific safari camp’s offerings and are either included or can be added to your itinerary in advance.
11. What if I don’t like the food on safari?
During your stay, speak with the chef or lodge manager to discuss your food preferences and see if they can offer different options or adjust their meal plans to your liking. While it’s tempting to stick to familiar foods, consider trying new local dishes that the region offers, as you might be pleasantly surprised by the culinary delights.
12. Will the food be traditional or more modern on safari?
Food on safari is often a blend of traditional African flavours using modern culinary techniques, with an international influence. The specific style varies by lodge and region, but the goal is a delicious and authentic experience that celebrates the area’s rich culinary heritage, whilst staying familiar for international guests.
13. What are the styles of menu offered on safari?
This really depends on the specific camp or lodge, but food is either served buffet style, family style (so multiple dishes to help yourself on the table), a static a la carte menu or a prix fixe menu. Most camps and lodges’ menus do change daily, so you will never have to eat the same thing twice.
14. What are the hidden costs for food and drinks on safari?
This varies depending on your package. So, check with your safari expert to make sure what is included or not. If you don’t have a drinks package, expect to pay around $3 for a soda and $6 for a local beer. Most safari camps are on a fully inclusive basis regarding food and drinks. However premium spirits and champagnes will come at an extra cost.
15. What if I leave camp in the morning to travel to my next destination and won’t get there until after lunch? When will I eat lunch?
Most camps will have the option of a packed lunch, that you can take with you. Your safari expert will have organised this in advance, as they know your travel movements. If this isn’t an option, some camps will extend their lunch hour, for you to dine on arrival, this will also come as an extra cost, but again, this would have been planned in advance and added to your original quote.
16. Can my guide dine with me on safari?
During the day, whilst you are out on your game drives, your guide may set up a table for you and hang back to let you dine in private. Although if it’s a casual lunch or sundowner stop, they will be there with you. Once back at the lodge, you are welcome to invite your guide to dine with you, just let the camp managers know your preference. If you are on tours in a city and lunch is excluded, you are welcome to ask your guide to dine with you, but this will be from your own account.
17. Are there any etiquette rules surrounding food, eating and dining whilst on safari?
Dress Code: In more luxury lodges, it is often expected that you wear an informal change of clothes after your day of activities, however most camps and lodges have no formal dress code. Wear what makes you feel comfortable, and if in doubt please ask the staff what is considered appropriate.
Missing meals: If you choose to miss a mealtime, please be courteous and inform the lodge staff, in advance. This helps to avoid food waste.
Gratuity: This is often left until the day of departure, rather than after each meal. You can leave any gratuity in an envelope in your room, in the lodges communal tip box or hand it to staff on departure.
Safety: Whilst enjoying more wild dining experiences, such as bush dining, it is very important to follow your guides instructions. Remain in the designated area and do not wander off, especially at night. This is to ensure your safety.
Wildlife: Whilst dining in wild spaces, it is strictly forbidden to feed any wild animals, our food can be toxic to them and disturb their natural behaviour.
Time: dining in Africa is sometimes a slower affair than in other countries. ‘African time’ is a saying used to describe the continents more relaxed attitude to time. So, if food takes a bit longer to be served, just enjoy the experience and your patience will be appreciated.
Local customs: These vary from place to place, so when in doubt, just ask your guide or a member of staff.
Respect: While on safari, your guide and lodge staff are welcoming you to their home. Showing interest & gratitude for their hospitality and offerings, will not only be appreciated but will also make for a more meaningful experience.
18. Food is a central part of any trip I take; how do I know what places have the best food?
When planning your trip, your safari expert will offer properties that are highly regarded for their food. In addition, our food specialist and concierge will also be able to give recommendations for food and wine experiences based both on your preferences and what is available to you in your chosen destination. They can make all the necessary arrangements in collaboration with your safari expert, to ensure your culinary expectations are met.
19. What food safety standards do safari camps and lodges adhere to?
All properties follow international standards like HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) for food safety and adhere to national regulations set by the Department of Health. Camps and lodges implement rigorous hygiene, pest control, and food handling protocols to prevent contamination and ensure the safety of their food, from procurement to preparation and serving.
20. Will I get a chance to eat game meat on safari?
Yes, the game meat served in lodges either comes from separate, farmed herds (such as kudu, springbok and antelope), or in some lodges, they have an annual allowance for game meat consumption from the game reserve itself, and this allows guests to experience local cuisine without contributing to the illegal bushmeat trade or harming wildlife populations.
21. Can I experience street food safely and authentically, whilst dining in an African city?
Yes, and it can be one of the most memorable ways to experience a city’s culinary culture, but a little guidance goes a long way. Street food in African cities offers an authentic taste of local flavours, from freshly grilled meats to vibrant pastries and regional specialties. The key is knowing where to go and what to choose.
High-quality, safe options often appear at busy stalls with a strong local following or in curated street food markets. Many cities also offer guided food tours led by experts who introduce travellers to the best vendors while ensuring hygiene and safety standards are met.
Our Food Specialist can recommend reputable vendors, markets, or street food experiences that balance authenticity with comfort, allowing you to enjoy the energy, flavours, and culture of the city without worry. With the right guidance, sampling street food can be as luxurious as it is immersive.
22. Do the safari aircrafts we travel in offer food and drinks service?
As a rule of thumb, most light aircrafts do not offer refreshments on board, so make sure you travel with any snacks or drinks you may require. Some aircrafts do offer water and some snacks, but this varies. So better to have your own just in case.
23. If I’m spending time in an African city, can you help me plan and book dining experiences?
Absolutely. Our Food Specialist & Concierge, Cam, is on hand to arrange everything from restaurant reservations to curated food & wine experiences.
Whether you’re seeking the city’s finest restaurants, chic bars, specialty coffee houses, or unique culinary encounters, Cam can guide you with tailored recommendations to suit your tastes and location. Simply ask your Safari Specialist to put you in touch, and she will ensure every meal, from casual city dining to bespoke, one-of-a-kind experiences, or special occasions are seamlessly arranged and unforgettable.
24. How does Stanley Safaris’ Food Specialist and Concierge stay up to date on the latest dining spots across Africa?
Our Food Specialist and Concierge, Cam, combines deep local knowledge with an extensive network of chefs, restaurateurs, and hospitality experts across the continent.
She personally visits new restaurants, boutique eateries, and emerging food destinations, while keeping a close eye on culinary trends, seasonal menus, and exclusive openings.
Through these firsthand experiences, insider connections, and ongoing research, Cam can offer guests the most current, exceptional, and tailored recommendations, whether it’s a hidden rooftop bar in Cape Town, a boutique fine-dining restaurant in Nairobi, or a unique culinary experience at a remote lodge.
Every suggestion is curated to match your location, tastes, and the kind of unforgettable dining experience you’re seeking.
25. Will the Food Specialist & Concierge assistance incur an extra cost?
Not at all. Our Food Specialists and Concierge services are complimentary for all confirmed guests.
From tailored restaurant recommendations to arranging reservations or bespoke dining experiences, Cams’ expertise is included as part of your journey, ensuring every meal is seamless, curated, and unforgettable.
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Exclusive Interviews
Meet Shaun Stanley
Getting to Know the Founder of Stanley Safaris
We’ve interviewed a lot of incredible people doing some amazing things, but this month, we decided to look a little closer to home. Next to be featured in our “Introducing Series” is someone most of us know well, Stanley Safaris’ founder, Shaun Stanley.
Shaun grudgingly agreed to be interviewed. He’s not one to talk too much about himself, despite the many stories he has to share from a lifetime of exploring the African continent and far beyond.
About Shaun's Upbringing
Shaun grew up in the South African city of Durban, born into a family with a love of the African wilderness. He did many safari trips growing up, everyone piling into the family’s 4×4 and driving to their destination. This included Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia over the years, trips that could easily be a 36-hour drive!
Shaun inherited his love of nature and specifically Africa from his parents, and knew that he wanted to work in the African bush, but it wasn’t until his last family trip as a kid, the year he was finishing school, that he made the decision to follow a career as a safari guide. He liked the idea of being able to be on safari (something he loved) while still meeting many different people from all over the world.
Shaun goes on to speak of how he guided for 2 years, before moving to the UK and continuing to travel from there, venturing to Asia, North and South America, as well as exploring Europe. He did a huge Africa trip in 2002, driving over 22,000 km through some of Africa’s most pristine wildlife areas.
About Stanley Safaris
After working in the tourism industry for a number of years, Shaun began his own venture, Stanley Safaris. I ask him why he’s the best in the business.
He thinks for a moment.
“I think Stanley Safaris is the best because I was lucky enough to travel with my parents as a child. I got to know these wild destinations before there were any luxury camps and lodges, and so where I send my clients is based primarily on what I know to be the best places to truly experience Africa, rather than just seeing where the nicest lodges are.”
“At Stanley Safaris, we also only partner with a small number of lodges in each area that have been carefully selected because of their guiding experience, their location, and their community and conservation involvement. 95% of these camps are small, privately owned companies where we have a close personal relationship with either the owner or senior management, so we have direct access to the people who make decisions, and we also know our guests will be in the best possible hands.”
“Our safaris are all about the experience. It isn’t about the thread count or whether or not you have a private butler. We want our guests to have the best accommodation, the best foods, the best wines, but the luxury element of our trips is more focused on being in the wilderness and having the best access to it possible.”
“And because we design our safaris with this focus, we’re able to create trips that are unique to our clients. I’ll never send a client an itinerary before I’ve spoken to them, and we don’t have any packages we just send out, because there are so many options. Each couple and family is different, and so I get to know them on an individual basis before recommending something that I think will be best for them.”
You can see Shaun really loves this part of the process.
“That’s my favorite part of the job,” he says. “I love the variety of the work that I do, that no day is the same, but the very best part is dealing with the clients. Being able to guide them through the safari experience – from planning the trip, to getting excited as it’s about to start; getting loads of photos and WhatsApp messages while they’re on safari, and finally hearing their feedback at the end. It’s great to see people fall in love with Africa as I did all those years ago.”
Stanley Safaris has been in existence since November of 2020, long enough for Shaun to have quite the list of trips under his belt, while still being able to recall them all. I ask him which has been his favorite to plan.
He smiles.
“I don’t have a favorite because I put a bit of myself into all the itineraries I create. Every trip I design for a client is something I’d like to do. I’d never send a client somewhere I wouldn’t want to go. I get more excited about certain trips, like Zambia, because it’s a tougher sell. The Zambia board of tourism doesn’t do a lot of international marketing so it doesn’t get a lot of international exposure like Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa do. I also get excited about off-the-beaten-track destinations like Madagascar or Congo. These aren’t your normal itineraries, so those are great to plan too.”
Shaun's Dream Safari Destination
“It’s a difficult question to answer because every destination is very different, and that’s why you can come back to Africa time and time again. Even between countries very close together, the culture is different, the landscape is different and the experiences are different,” he says carefully.
“I’ve got a very soft spot for Botswana because of the low-impact tourism model that they’ve built. It’s an incredible place to visit because you have these vast tracks of wilderness where you only have 12 beds. You’re getting a very exclusive safari experience, not queuing to see animals or having 50 vehicles around a lion. The landscape of the Okavango Delta is incredible. The waterways and islands are really beautiful. Then there’s the isolation of the Makgadikgadi Pans, where you can quadbike and sleep out in this vast nothingness of sky. That mix of experiences and adventure is really special.”
“The people and guiding experience you find in Zimbabwe make it incredible, too. A guide trains for at least 7 years before becoming qualified, so guiding is a profession, not just a gap year that seems like a fun thing to do. No matter how many times I go on safari in Zimbabwe, I’m always learning new things from the guides.”
“Zambia is incredible for its walking safaris. I love walking safaris, and Zambia is the home of that experience. The guides take every opportunity they can to go out on foot, and for me, that’s a very cool way of exploring the landscape.”
“I love Madagascar because it is completely unique from everything else in Africa and in the world. Tanzania and Kenya are amazing because of the migration. Being surrounded by millions of wildebeest is incredible. And Kenya also has a lot of small, privately owned camps, which tie in well with what we are doing. And of course, seeing the gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda is special. Spending time with them, being able to look into a gorilla’s eyes and see them looking back at you – being able to have that connection, is unlike anything else on earth.”
From the moment you engage Shaun in conversation, you can see how much he loves his work. He has a love for Africa that transcends borders and stereotypes. It’s important to him that his clients enjoy real luxury on their safari, but far more valuable is the chance to see this raw, wild, often ruthless continent without the boundaries we so often set for ourselves. He wants all his clients to experience the Africa of his youth, the continent he loves so much, that he shaped his life around sharing.
He can’t wait to take his two children on safari to experience the beauty of Africa alongside him. Aly, his four-year-old daughter, has already spent time on safari in South Africa, but he wants to take her to Kenya next. Mario, who’s two, is still too young to really enjoy it, but as soon as he’s old enough, Shaun wants to start doing South African trips as a family. He wants his children to grow up appreciating the wild and developing into individuals with a love and respect for the incredible planet we call home.
With Shaun heading up Stanley Safaris, you can expect an itinerary of only the best locations in Africa, designed specifically for you and your family. If you’re looking for a once-in-a-lifetime safari experience that will have you dreaming about coming back to Africa, he’s the man to help you plan. Once you’re bitten by the Africa bug, you won’t ever get it out of your system. Ask Shaun – he knows.
