Safaris are more exclusive
For so long, safari was a communal affair, but the game-ready private house has come into its own of late. Pioneers include eight-bedroom House in the Wild, on a lovely bend of Kenya’s Mara River, owned by Tarquin and Lippa Wood, founders of the surrounding Enonkishu Conservancy; and Onduli Enclave, three exclusive-use stilted suites looking out over the faintly Martian landscape of Namibia’s Damaraland. There are new additions this year, such as Singita Milele, five private suites on a prime wildebeest migration overlook in Tanzania’s iconic Grumeti Reserve; and the high-design Melote House, dug into the landscape like an eco-Bond lair in South Africa’s rhino-friendly Lapalala Wilderness Reserve. collectioninthewild.com; theluxurysafaricompany.com; singita.com; lepogolodges.com
Jaclyn Sienna IndiaAnna Gunselman
Meet the billionaire whisperer
The founder of luxury travel concierge Sienna Charles, Jaclyn Sienna India, doesn’t deal with the merely wealthy. Her clients – including former presidents and Fortune 500 CEOs – pay up to £120,000 a year for membership, which can include fixer services and bespoke travel experiences.
“Our clients pay for access to my little black book, and because they know we can make the impossible happen – whether that’s closing the Hagia Sophia, securing last-minute Super Bowl tickets or getting a royal warrant to skip quarantine during the pandemic.
“It’s about knowing the client but also knowing the ins and outs of every destination: the hotels, restaurants, when the traffic’s going to be hectic, everything. It’s my job to know when there might be too many other billionaires at the Ritz in Paris; that [high-end New York Italian] Marea is better than Carbone these days; or the exact suite to book at the new Fifth Avenue Hotel.
“We get to know our clients and their specific needs really well. When we took a former US president to Ethiopia’s Omo Valley, we had to cater for his 30 secret service staff as well. We built camps from scratch with everything he needed, including his favourite peanut butter sandwiches. Sometimes the simple is as important as the sublime.