Planning a safari is exciting – and a little overwhelming the first time. This Safari Primer is your practical guide to the big decisions (where to go, when to travel, what it costs, and how to choose the right style of safari for you).

You can read the pages in order we show them, or jump straight to what you need most right now:

• First Time on Safari (start here if you’re new)
• Best Time for a Safari (safari seasonality explained)
• When to Go Where (month-by-month calendar plus a table showing when each of our destinations is at its best, and also less good – in some cases)
• Safari Costs & Pricing (what safaris typically cost by country, broad strokes only!)
• Why Use a Safari Specialist (what a good specialist like us adds to your safari)
• Planning a Tailor-made Safari (how our personalised process works)
• Experienced Safari Visitors (additional possibilities if this is not your first rodeo)

A truly great safari usually combines three things:

1. Time in the right places
Rushing from lodge to lodge can leave you exhausted, and it reduces your time actually enjoying the bush. Spending a few nights in each area gives you time to settle in, get into a rhythm, and let the wildlife come to you.

2. Variety
Many of the most memorable trips include more than one habitat or region – for example, a classic big-game area paired with a more scenic or remote reserve, or a safari combined with a beach, city or soft activity. (The essence of a safari – which means Journey in Swahili, is that you are on the move, but at a leisurely pace.)

3. The right match for you
The “best” safari is the one that fits your travel style: how you like to travel, what level of comfort you want, how active you want to be, and what animals/experiences matter most.

How to Plan a Safari: The Simple Step-by-Step

Here’s what planning looks like – from first ideas to wheels up.

1. Start with a little research

Use our website and Safari Primer pages to get a feel for destinations, seasons, and styles.

Suggested link: First Time on Safari

2. Have a quick chat with us (15-30 minutes)

No obligation on your part, just a helpful conversation to understand your dates, interests, pace, must-haves, and budget comfort zone.

3. We create an initial trip design

If you’d like to move forward, we’ll put together a first proposed itinerary: where to go, how long to stay, and the right type of camps and lodges, along with a sense of price.

4. We refine it together until it’s perfect

This is where the magic happens: adjusting pace, swapping regions, balancing budget constraints with your wishlist, and adding the unique experiences that make the trip feel like yours.

5. When you’re happy, you place a deposit

This allows us to start securing key availability and moving the plan from “idea” to “booked”.

6. We confirm everything and manage the details

Accommodation, flights where needed, transfers, private guides, and the small things that make a trip run smoothly.

7. If you need to change plans, we’ll guide you through the options

We never want you to feel locked in – and we also want you to feel informed. If circumstances change, we’ll talk you through what’s possible and the best next steps.

8. You have a fantastic safari

And you’re not on your own: we’re with you every step of the way and only a phone call away.

Quick next steps