How to Vacation Like Taylor Swift in Her VMA Debut Music Video, “Wildest Dreams”
Taylor Swift swept us away to remote wilds—zebras stampeding, bush sunsets, romantic tented bedrooms—in her latest music video for “Wildest Dreams.” And while we can’t hook you up with Scott Eastwood as a travel companion, we can suggest African safari destinations that are every bit as awe-inspiring as her video. Here, five of the best:
Photo: Courtesy of Finch Hattons1/5Finch Hattons
This intimate tented camp is situated in the midst of 10 million acres of untouched wilderness in Kenya’s Tsavo National Park, and offers views of both Mount Kilimanjaro and the Chyulu Hills. Set out on a game drive, stargaze from the terrace, meet the local Masai residents, or relax in a grand infinity pool overlooking an oasis of natural spring pools—a gathering point for the resident hippopotamus pods.
Photo: Courtesy of The Style Junkies / @thestylejunkiestravel2/5Jack’s Camp
Come to this luxury camp in Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pans National Park for the kind of absolute silence that you’ll find only in the midst of the Kalahari. In addition to treks, make a point of seeing the famous Chapman’s Baobab (acknowledged to be the third-largest tree in Africa and campsite of early explorers like David Livingstone), and enjoy a sunset on the vast dry lake bed: The wide flat expanse blends with the sky at dusk, making it easy to lose one’s sense of perspective—although back at the camp, the 1940s-style decor and stunning tented pool pavilion are reasons enough to make the trek.
Photo: Courtesy of Beyond Ngala3/5&Beyond Ngala Safari Lodge
Come here not just for the luxurious accommodations, but for incredible proximity and access to the local wildlife. The &Beyond Ngala Private Game Reserve in South Africa is home not only to the “big five”—lion, elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros—but also to packs of African wild dogs, a rare species with around 3,000 remaining animals. Guests can also join conservationists for a very unique experience: tracking rhinos on the reserve—an important antipoaching measure.
Photo: Courtesy of Greystoke Mahale4/5Greystoke Mahale
Located on a white sand beach on the banks of Tanzania’s Lake Tanganyika with the Mahale Mountains rising sharply behind, this unique waterfront location sets the resort apart from most safari locales. But perhaps more unique is the local wildlife. Rather than the usual “big five,” guests can join guided treks into the mountain forests to get up close with the local chimpanzee population. At night, return to your thatched bandas—one of only six on the property—for a sundowner.
Photo: Courtesy of Mahali Mzuri5/5Mahali Mzuri
Twelve space-age “tents” poke out from the Kenyan bush at this resort, owned by Sir Richard Branson. Included in the stay are twice-daily guided tours of the bush, but because of the property’s location in the private Olare Motorogi Conservancy, guests visiting between July and October will have a front row seat to the Great Migration.
