Why use a Safari Specialist?

So, you want to book a safari – but now you’re deciding how to do it.

Experience • Value • Support • Time saved • Pre-departure Info

Jump to:

• First-hand experience
• Expertise at no extra cost
• When things go wrong
• Time saved
• Frequently asked questions

First-hand experience (the stuff you can’t Google or get from AI)

A true Africa specialist has first-hand experience built up over years of research, personal visits (and revisits) to properties, as well as learning from their own returning clients.

That means we can weigh up the competing merits of alternatives, help you choose the right time to travel, point you towards “must-do” experiences  and also help you avoid the pitfalls.

Only a small part of a safari is about what your room looks like. It is all the intangibles which make up a fantastic safari experience: the quality of the game-viewing, the guiding and the journey from place to place. These are very difficult to gauge from a website. Even harder from an online booking site.

In plain English: an African safari specialist knows the difference between what’s genuinely good and what just sounds good.

We’ll give you candid, unbiased opinions based on our many years of experience.

Check out: Why Use Cedarberg?

All our expertise at no extra cost (and often better value)

Many people assume booking online or direct will always be cheaper. For African safaris, this is very rarely the case. (The Online Booking Portals have done a great marketing job over the years!)

Here’s why: we receive lower wholesale rates directly from lodges and hotels, and we earn our margin from the difference between this wholesale rack, and the retail rates you see online on the likes of Booking.com or on the hotel’s website. (Think of it as the difference between the wholesale rate when a shop buys in stock, and the price they sell it at.)

The result is typically a price that’s the same as if you’d booked it yourself — while getting the benefit of our experience, advice and documentation. All at no extra cost.

And often, we can save you money because we know:

• how to route a trip so you’re not paying for expensive logistics you don’t need
• which lodges partner together for a great combo offer
• how to route a trip so you’re not paying for expensive logistics you don’t need

We are there if things go wary (and they sometimes do)

If you book online, you’re generally on your own when things go wrong – and the last few years have reminded everyone how quickly travel plans can unravel.

Flights get delayed which affects your onwards travel plans, weather disrupts access to your safari lodge, and occasionally bigger events force changes.

When you book with a specialist, you have a team to call. Cedarberg Africa has a duty manager available 24/7 to help with issues on the ground.

We can’t guarantee we’ll solve every problem, but we work hard to find the best possible solution for our clients. We are very confident that it’s a lot easier for us to sort it out. It’s also a lot less hassle and stress for you, when you are on the move.

(As I update this page, we have had unexpected flooding which means clients have had to move their future stay from one affected game lodge to another. All sorted within the hour.) 

Save yourself hours of research (and second-guessing)

A safari involves a lot of comparisons: lodges, locations, seasons, transfers, park rules, and the trade-offs between “amazing” options that all sound equally wonderful online.

Using a specialist saves you hours of cross-referencing reviews looking at endless pictures of rooms and trying to work out what really matters.

And well before you set off, you’ll receive comprehensive pre-departure guidance, destination guides, comprehensive directions, suggested excursions and practical details – so you travel with confidence.

Why use an African Safari Specialist – Conclusion

In summary, parting with hard-earned cash isn’t easy. An established specialist tour operator, with an abiding interest in the countries they sell,  offers reassurance, support and expertise that’s hard to match.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it more expensive to book through a safari specialist?

Usually no. In most cases, you’ll pay a similar price to booking direct, because we receive wholesale rates from lodges and suppliers and aim to match the retail prices that you will see online.

And in some cases, we can actually save you money by combining the right suppliers, applying seasonal specials, or tweaking routing and timing.

Why not just book lodges online myself?

You can. But a safari isn’t just a hotel room. The quality of guiding, the area you choose, seasonal differences, and the logistics between places make a huge difference to the experience. Plus we are there if you need help on the ground.

A specialist helps you avoid expensive mistakes (like the wrong region for your travel dates, too much time spent in airports, or the wrong safari camp style for your group).

Can you work with a budget?

Yes. The key is clarity: we’ll talk through your priorities, then match your budget to the destinations and travel style that deliver the best experience. If something isn’t realistic, we’ll explain why. And show “save-smart” options (a small change of season, pacing, camp mix, or a different region could be all that it takes).

Do you only do luxury safaris?

No. We plan across a wide range – from “comfortable” and “premier” trips through to top-tier luxury. (But not super-budget as it’s not our market.) But we’re always honest about what each level feels like in the bush. The goal is the right safari for you, not “most expensive”.

I’m worried about committing. What happens if plans change?

If circumstances change, we’ll guide you through the options. Supplier policies vary, and we’ll make sure you understand deposits and terms clearly before you commit.
And if changes happen while you’re travelling, you have backup: Cedarberg has a 24/7 duty manager available to help.

What exactly do you do for me (step-by-step)?

We help you choose the right destinations and camps for your travel dates and interests, design a smooth routing, cost it properly, and refine it with you until it’s perfect. Then we manage bookings, logistics, and all practical details so your safari trip runs seamlessly. See How tailor-made planning works.

Do you have first-hand knowledge of the camps you recommend?

Yes, usually at least one person in the office has visited the lodges that we sell. We keep up-to-date through research trips, supplier updates, and what our clients report back after staying in the camps.

How quickly can you send a proposal?

In many cases, we can turn around a first proposal quickly once we have your dates, broad budget comfort zone, and priorities. For complex peak-season itineraries, it can take a little longer because availability and flight logistics matter – but we’ll always keep you informed as we go.

I already have an itinerary in mind. Can you just sanity-check it?

Absolutely. If you share what you’re considering, we can confirm what’s strong, flag any risks (timing, pacing, transfers), give you a price, or recommend alternatives where it improves the experience.

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