Has anyone used a travel advisor to book an African safari? I would like to use an advisor so that we get the trip we want and also have our flights booked by an expert to ensure enough time plus to get seat assignments and extra leg room for multiple airlines. TIA!
Posted by
9895 posts
I can tell you what we found when researching for flights to Nairobi and returning from Arusha, Tanzania.
We normally use Delta, but their cost was too much, so we used miles to go to Amsterdam staying a night there before flying to Africa then coming back through Amsterdam to spend a week there.
We used Qatar Airlines that was very reasonable in prices. The flight were pretty good, except we had to change planes in Doha. One layover was 9 hours so we stayed at the hotel in the airport for $200.
Still, it worked out well.
If you book your safari, coordinate with them to pick you up at the airport or find out the hotel where the safari starts from and take a taxi from the airport. It is not that complicated.
Posted by
new york
1443 posts
Yes, I have been on about five safaris in Africa although all but one have been in the countries of Southern Africa. Nevertheless, using a travel planner is the way to go. Mine is based in CapeTown and she plans safaris in East Africa as well. Some people will tell you it is best to an agent based in Africa but I don't know if that is true or not. There is a poster who contributes excellent information to several safari travel sites, and he is based in Minnesota; his name if Crag Beal and he should be easy to find online and fig you have trouble, I will find the name of his agency.
If you book with a African planner, as I do, you do not have to even think about taking a taxi to a hotel, or having a guide for the days before and after you are on safari--they take care of everything, from meeting you at the incoming airport with a sign with your name, to arranging all he camps and the drives or flights between camps.... I liked having someone close by in case glitches come up--our Blue Train trip was massively delayed and we were picked up at the breakdown spot and flown on a private plane to our camp so we would not miss even one game drive...
Safari camps are all-inclusive--they are very expensive but include everything from the game drives, all meals and drinks, etc. Tips are discretionary, to guides, trackers, and camp staff but that' the only thing you need cash for.
So I would begin my asking, perhaps, my planner or another one based in Africa, as well as asking someone like Craig Beal, based in the US (if, in fact, you are American) and see what they both come up with. Before you even do that, you might want to do a bit of reading and decide the length of your trip and a general budget and the type of camps you prefer (luxury, rustic, in between, etc.). I'm guessing prices would range this year from about $800 per day per person to $5,000 per day per person-so you see, a vast, vast range.
A very good website it ATR, African Travel Resources; they are a US based travel agency but their website goes into great detail about all things safari including reviews of every camp in every country in Africa where safaris are possible.
Botswana is the most expensive country for safaris; they operate on a low-density, high price per traveler model. But even there there is a wide range of pricing. I think that in general, East Africa is less expensive than the south, so that would include Tanzania, but if you go to the luxury loges in Tanzania like Singita you are looking at the several-thousand-per-person-per-day range, just like in Botswana..
In Kruger you can keep costs down by doing a self-drive (left hand side drive).
So begin with the safari planners. However, they generally do not book flights TO Africa, (although they can give you guidance) but they book all in-country flights.,
I give my heist recommendations to the planner that I've used:
Liesl Matthews, in Cape Town (she has an 800 phone number)
https://www.southerndestinations.com/team/liesl-mathews/
Posted by
9895 posts
My Son and his friend accompanied us on our safari in Kenya/Tanzania in early August, where we saw the amazing Great Migration of the Wildebeests. We saw thousands of them crossing rivers.
My Son said that having done safaris in S. Africa and Zimbabue the the one we did in East Africa was clearly the best.
If you book with Good Earth Tours, they can arrange to pick you up at the airport.