1) How many people are going on the trip?
Typically, African safari prices are given as ‘cost per person’, but this can be misleading as the figures are based on two people sharing a room. If you’re a solo traveller or you want your own room as part of your family or group trip, it’s likely you’ll pay a single supplement cost.
2) How do you want to get around?
Private transfer? Helicopter? Camel? Or are you happy to consider shared transfer, to lower expenses? Whatever you prefer, we can arrange it, and we recommend talking through various options if you have a particular budget in mind.
3) Do you have specific hobbies?
Do you want to focus on photography and birdlife? Or perhaps you’d like to spend a week horse riding across the Maasai Mara? Alternatively, how about gorilla trekking? More niche-focused activities and excursions can increase the price of a safari, as you’ll need to factor in additional costs, such as for permits, private guides, equipment, and so on.
4) When do you want to travel?
This is a very important question, as if you travel in the off or shoulder season rather than during the peak season, you could cut costs by up to 50 per cent! Time your safari perfectly, and the luxury options in places like Botswana and Tanzania suddenly become much more affordable.
5) What level of accommodation are you looking for?
With property prices ranging from £100 to £2,700 per night, the answer to this question really depends on what type of safari you are after. Is this your safari of a lifetime? Or is this your bi-annual trip? As we’re primarily a luxury travel company, all of our itineraries are high end. However, accommodation options within this high-end region can range from authentic to extremely comfortable to uber-glamorous, and we divide our trips into three corresponding categories – Value, Classic, and Luxury (for more information, see below*).
6) And finally, of course, where do you want to go?
Do you want to go to a fabulous and famous location such as the Kruger, the Serengeti, or the Okavango Delta? Or might you prefer the more remote and far-flung destinations of Nyerere (formerly Selous), Phinda, or the Lower Zambezi?
Usually, the more remote the destination, the more expensive it is to get to. That said, all the factors we’ve listed play a significant role in working out how much your tailored safari is going to cost.
