We get all excited when there's a whiff of brand new in the air, especially when it's a sparkly, fresh safari camp or lodge. Or one that's had an extreme makeover (safari edition, of course). So, let's take a look at the latest unveilings and reveals in safari-land... Ready, steady, GO!

First up is Loapi Camp at the inimitable Tswalu Kalahari. Less a tented camp and more a collection of sleek, canvas safari homes, this fresh concept from the masters of South Africa's Green Kalahari offers up six stand-alone, supremely sexy modular-style villas, each self-contained "mini-camps" in their own right. 

Tucked away in a secluded valley of the Korannaberg, with at least 50m between each "tented" home, the accent is on exclusivity and absolute privacy, with hot and cold-running butler service and private chefs doing amazing things with food in an interactive kitchen.

With four one-bedroom "homes" and two two-bedroom versions, each unit spans more than 300 and 400 square metres respectively. That's right - these "tents" are bigger than the average family home! All with private safari vehicles, private guides and stunning views out over the jaw-dropping landscapes that make this place so special and unique.

Another newcomer to the South African safari circuit is Ximuwu in the Klaserie, part of the Greater Kruger National Park. Billed as the ultimate, executive-level luxury safari destination, this exclusive-use lodge oozes opulence at every turn with just four private suites accommodating a maximum of eight people.

Offering personalised safaris for small groups of friends and families travelling together, Ximuwu is also fully wheelchair accessible - a first for South African safari lodges. Even the safari vehicles have specialised slide-out comfort seats for disabled guests, with wheelchair ramps enabling easy access for the disabled and less mobile safari guests.

One of the nicest things about having the whole of Ximuwu to yourself is getting to decide on when you want to go out on game activities, when you want to eat and where and when you just want to chill by the pool and leave the worries of every day far behind. 

With indoor and outdoor dining areas, a gorgeous breakfast room, fully stocked bar, lounge and covered patio, an expansive sun deck and firepit overlooking the Klaserie wilderness, Ximuwu is a huge spoil, so don't be afraid to splash out and go wild. Literally.

Over in the neighbouring Timbavati, Tanda Tula Safari Camp has had a facelift of note, with an all-new, repurposed and rearchitected look and feel. With nine gorgeously luxurious suites decked out in simple but quintessentially African style, the camp hasn't moved - it's just been reborn.

Overlooking the Nlharalumi riverbed, the new camp is more environmentally sensitive than its predecessor, touching the earth in a lighter, less invasive way - part of the ethos of this proudly South African brand. It's fully solar powered, completely water-wise and beautifully blended with its surroundings - which are pretty spectacular and one of the most game-rich in the Greater Kruger region.

Up, now, to Tanzania where Nimali Africa have completely reimagined their offering at Nimali Serengeti. Now in a new location, close to Makoma Hill in the heart of the central Serengeti region, the views are drop-dead gorgeous and the game viewing is off the charts all year round.

Even when the migration is not passing through, the Makoma Hill area is renowned for its buffalo and elephants, giraffe and plentiful predators. Marked by a plethora of small hills and kopjes that dot the landscape, the new camp overlooks one of the most pristine ecosystems in Africa, on one of the legendary wildebeest migration routes through this vast and stunningly beautiful place.

As we write about Nimali Serengeti, our very own intrepid explorer Sian is checking it out for us, testing the beds, making sure the pool is at the right temperature and sampling the very special brand of Nimali hospitality that makes this lodge and its sister camps in the northern Mara region of the Serengeti and Tarangire stand out. She'll be giving her report-back very soon so watch out for it!

We're ending up this blog in the lush jungles of the Congo at the impossibly amazing Sangha Lodge where its founders and all-round local legends Rod and Tamar Cassidy have taken this brilliant, authentic wilderness camp to the next level with fresh new-look bedrooms, bathrooms and communal areas. 

Built on the high banks of the Sangha River on the edge of the Central African Republic's Dzanga-Sangha Special Reserve, this simple but stunning lodge is everything a far-flung safari destination should be - supremely comfortable, practical, effortless and wonderfully welcoming, with everything you need to immerse you completely in the dense rainforest that surrounds you. 

This is the best access you'll get to Dzanga Bai - the "village of elephants" - and one of the most remote regions of the Congo Basin. With western lowland gorillas, primates aplenty, forest elephants, bongos (the antelopes, not the drums) buffalo and some of the most amazing trees you'll see anywhere in Africa, this is also the home of the fascinating Ba'aka people, who work with the Cassidys to help protect this place.

Seven new-look thatched, en-suite bungalows are strung out along the elevated riverbank, each with its own private deck. There's also a large open communal lounge and dining area, off which are tiered decks overlooking the river. This is rustic luxury at its finest and not to be missed.

Want to go to any of these amazing places? What are you waiting for? See that WhatsApp button down there on the right? Go for it!