Grab your cozzies, your bikini, mankini, thong, budgie smugglers, board shorts or mermaid suits and head out with us on a virtual safari exploring some of Africa's most banging swimming pools with views to die for and picture-perfect locations... Haven't got a cozzie? No problem, because some of them are so private skinny dipping is an absolute must! Let's dive in...

When it's hitting the high 30s (deg C, that is) and you feel like the skin is melting off your body, there's nothing better than immersing yourself in cool, refreshing water and just laying back in its sensual caress, admiring the sky above. That's why safari lodges and camps with pools are such a hit with safari-goers the world over. Indeed, it's often the make or break item when it comes to us convincing people to go on safari and the first question normally asked: "Is there a pool"? 

Make no bones about it, Africa can get pretty hot, especially in the summer months down south and on the equator. So having the chance to dunk your hot bod somewhere sensational is an absolute must in our book. It's also great to chillax on a lounger next to a sparkling pool and just take in your surroundings, so pools are a winner all round, even if they're in the middle of a concrete jungle like Cape Town!

Of course, pools are also exceptionally romantic, especially when they're  totally private and not overlooked (wink wink). Your own pool is the perfect place to enjoy a bottle of bubbly with a special someone at any time of the day or night. So here are a few of our favourites to choose from...

Londolozi Private Granite Suites in South Africa's awesome Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve are the bomb, with perfectly azure, secluded private plunge pools just steps away from your bed, some of which are created from the natural rock on which the camp is built, overlooking a seasonal river bed frequented by elephants. 

With just three stunning suites this place is a honeymooner's dream come true. The bathtubs are also outside on the deck with views of the wilderness. So you can swim or soak. Or both. 

Phinda Rock Lodge is another South African winner thanks to its breathtaking views and simply gorgeous suites which seem like they're suspended in mid-air overlooking a plunging wooded valley in the country's stunning Maputaland region. Each suite has its own private plunge pool with views to die for. They just scream romance, so take someone you really like to share them with.

Kichwa Tembo on the edge of Kenya's Masai Mara may not have uber-exclusive plunge pools for every tent, but it has one of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful rim-flow pools we've ever seen, with views of forever over the sweeping plains. As the sun begins to set, lanterns are placed all around it and a dinner table is set up next to it, offering up one of the most sensational venues for starlit dinners in East Africa.

Singita Pamushana in Zimbabwe's Malilangwe Game Reserve is the bomb when it comes to private plunging in paradise. Each of its sensational villas has its own swimming pool with stunning views, thanks to the lodge's position atop a koppie. Carved out of the surrounding granite, the pools are a place to cool off, chillax and watch Africa pass by. They are literally gob-smacking in their loveliness. 

If you don't want all that aching privacy, then go for a swim in the equally stunning lodge pool built on the edge of a cliff surrounded by a multi-levelled deck and hot and cold waiter service. 

Sonop in the southwest corner of Namibia's vast Namib Desert has a swimming pool set high on a granite outcrop overlooking the dramatic desert landscapes that make this country so spectacular. Heated so that you can swim when the desert chill bites (yes, it actually can get REALLY cold in the desert, believe it or not) it's definitely up there on the list of our favourite pools ever. 

The Silo in South Africa's drop-dead gorgeous Cape Town may be surrounded by a busy city environment, but its rooftop pool with views of Table Mountain is particularly noteworthy, not the least because one side of it is glass! How's that for sexy?

Amanzi in Zambia's Lower Zambezi National Park has a pool with views of the mighty river that gives its location its name. Ideal for lounging in and around in between game drives and river safaris, you can spot elephants with ease from its sparkling waters. Ditto Victoria Falls River Lodge in neighbouring Zimbabwe, also situated on the banks of the Zambezi with equally fantastic views. With private plunge pools and a superlative communal pool, your swimming and chilling options are endless. 

Also in Zimbabwe is Amalinda Lodge in the spectacular Matobo Hills World Heritage Site. Surrounded by towering granite outcrops, giant boulders that look like they're about to tip over and mind-blowing rock formations, Amalinda's lodge's swimming option is, fittingly, a natural infinity rock pool. Created on a natural rocky slope, it really is super special!

So come with us on a swimming safari par excellence. What are you waiting for? Let's chat! Hit the WhatsApp widget at the bottom right of your screen, pick up the phone or send us an email.