Travelers dreaming of a luxury South African safari but think it’s outside their price range may be in luck thanks to a new pay-what-you-can initiative aimed at helping visitors engage with their surroundings.

It’s all thanks to Few & Far Luvhondo, a carbon-negative safari retreat in South Africa’s Limpopo province, which launched the reservation system as a way “to challenge the old ways.” The limited program opens the lodge “to anyone who needs it, regardless of budget.”

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The interior of a Cliff Suite.

Jemma Wild/Few & Far Luvhondo

To participate, travelers must complete an application that covers their dates, the number of guests, their reasons for being drawn to the property, and their financial capacity. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

“Travel isn’t a frivolous indulgence—it’s a vital act of connection,” Sarah Dusek, a co-founder of Few & Far Luvhondo, said in a statement shared with Travel + Leisure. “It nurtures our well-being, strengthens global empathy, and fuels the preservation of our planet. We launched this initiative with the belief that when you truly experience a place, you begin to care—and when you care, you naturally want to give back.

“By removing cost as a barrier, we’re making transformative, purpose-led travel more accessible without diluting its impact,” Dusek added. “Today, true luxury isn’t just comfort or exclusivity—it’s a conscious choice. It’s choosing responsibility, choosing connection, and choosing to leave the world better than you found it.”

The luxury property, which was opened by the founders of the popular glamping brand Under Canvas, features six tented cliff suites in South Africa’s Soutpansberg Mountains, surrounded by UNESCO’s Vhembe Biosphere Reserve. Guests are treated to over-the-top amenities, including private plunge pools and expansive decks for spotting wildlife, along with sustainably minded design features that highlight locally sourced eucalyptus wood.

Bespoke activities beckon from guided nature walks and scenic e-bike rides to excursions to Mapungubwe National Park, where you can spot elephants, leopards, wildebeest, lions, and more. In October, the lodge plans to open a solar-powered cable car, offering a unique way to take in the landscape and wildlife that call the area home.

Few & Far Luvhondo also offers the opportunity to become a conservationist for a day, including participating in a veterinary visit or helping the carbon sequestration team plan for the establishment of shrubs, trees, and grasses.

The luxury experience is extended to dinners where you can feast on five-course tasting menus in the lodge restaurant or enjoy a torch-lit meal under the stars out in the bush.”

Should any of our readers have an opportunity to visit this luxury safari lodge, please write to us about your experience.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, August 30, 2015: