One avid wildlife lover and safari insider shares her top tips for stretching the safari budget
By Jane Broughton
Affordability is not usually associated with a luxury safari, yet it remains at the top of most travel wish lists. Fortunately, a safari does not need to stay a bucket-list travel dream forever. With a flexible mindset and expert know-how, you can connect with your inner adventurer and experience Africa’s wide, open spaces and thrilling wildlife encounters firsthand without depleting your life savings or roughing it.
Book through a travel agent who knows Africa
The value of using an experienced travel planner with firsthand knowledge of properties and remote places is hard to quantify. Spending money upfront for good advice will save on the total cost of your safari and time – both during the planning phase and while you’re travelling.
Don’t compromise on the quality of your game drives or guides, advises Johnny Prince from Timbuktu Travel. “Work with a travel expert who has travelled to the destination recently and has personal experience of the properties you want to visit and the experience and expertise of the guiding team.”
If you want the complete, unbiased picture, forego the social media influencers in favour of following agents who focus on Africa says Tiffany Figueiredo, a safari designer for Cartology Travel.
“We scout the most ethical, high-quality, value-for-money safari lodges and companies, often paying our way. We won’t put anything on our feeds we don’t believe in because we don’t want clients calling with complaints.”
Everyone wants to see the annual migration, but most people don’t realise that the migrating herds can be found year-round at various places in Africa, so you don’t necessarily have to be in the Masai Mara during July and August. “A safari specialist with knowledge of migration patterns can get you off the beaten path during lower seasons,” says Figueiredo.
Consider off-season travel
Travelling outside a destination’s high season costs less and avoids the growing issue of over-tourism. Sharing the love is better for the environment and the communities on the periphery of conservation areas sustained by nature-based tourism.
The more flexible you are with your travel dates, the better your chance of finding a good deal. It’s also good to know that specific camps and safari companies offer last-minute discounts if you don’t mind booking four to six weeks before departure.
“Travelling outside of traditional peak periods can go a long way to stretching your budget,” confirms Prince. “For example, in Botswana, low-season prices can often be half that of peak-season travel. Generally, there are good deals in East Africa in March, April, and May, known as the ‘green’ season. In Southern Africa, look to book in May, June or November.”
Africa team leader for Scott Dunn Matt Shock says: “The more I go on safari, the less I care about the seasonality. If you’re in the right places, you’ll have an incredible experience at any time of the year.”
Figueiredo from Cartology adds, “Most African countries have microclimates, with some lodges offering up to five different rates depending on the season. Even during low seasons, there are secret sweet spots when one can have a fantastic experience with the right planning.”
Sticking with the same camp operator across multiple properties (and destinations) will often result in deeper discounts or free internal flights. Even the most luxurious companies offer specials if one travels within their circuits. For example, The Royal Portfolio, known for its over-the-top accommodations and high-touch service, offers the Royal Itinerary, where a stay at all four properties, from a safari at Royal Malewane in Thornybush to a city adventure at The Silo in Cape Town, gives one a free night and an internal transfer.
For solo travellers, the advantage of staying loyal to one company will often be single-supplement waivers.
Take a deeper dive into one safari destination
Staying longer in a destination instead of transferring to a new property every two or three days can also help save on expensive inter-camp travel (bonus, it’s also a more sustainable way to travel, lightening your carbon footprint). As lovely as a safari and beach break sounds, the more transfers and flights involved in your itinerary, the higher the cost will be.
“Staying in one country or region can soften the sticker shock. For example, I will sometimes keep clients in Kenya for an entire trip, starting in Nairobi, then moving on to a few nights in Northern Kenya, a few nights in the Mara, and ending at Diani Beach for some downtime before the flight home. Guests get to experience different landscapes, wildlife sightings and cultural interactions without long flights and complicated logistics,” says Figueiredo.
Don't avoid all-inclusive
On safari, the advantages of an all-inclusive package add up to genuine value for money. At face value rates at safari camps and lodges can seem expensive, but there are no hidden costs or extras. Accommodation, generous meals, most drinks, those all-important game drives and other activities, like walks, are included.
Consider splurging when it's worth it
It’s worth spending extra if the tradeoff is a luxury of space, exclusivity at animal sightings, and more privacy in camp. Paying more for exclusive access to a privately protected area, like a private game reserve, is worth it, especially if you can only travel at peak times. Vehicle numbers are limited, so you’ll see fewer people and have more animal sightings to yourself. There are often more activities on offer, too, such as night drives and walking safaris (activities that are restricted at camps located in national parks). Ask about the ratio of beds to hectares within the conservation area you’re visiting, and the number of guests sharing a vehicle.
Paying more for a private guide or choosing a property because of the stellar reputation of its guiding team can make an average safari excellent.
True value for money is not always obvious on paper. Unless you’re a seasoned safari-goer, you may not appreciate perks like having a private vehicle and guide without paying extra. With a private vehicle and guide, days on safari are flexible, and you have the freedom and time to focus on special interests, from birding to astrophotography. Legendary Expeditions and Chem Chem’s collaboration across Tanzania epitomises everything that safari should be about – authentic and wild, with not much separating you from nature, but luxurious and comfortable where it counts. “The value for money is incredible with a private guide and vehicle included throughout your time with them,” says Scott Dunn’s Africa team leader, Matt Shock.
If a deal sounds too good to be true, do more research. Price should not be the deciding factor. Ask the hard questions, like how large the area under conservation is and how many vehicles traverse the land. If the area under protection is crammed full of camps, then the number of guests and vehicles converging on prime sightings will affect your experience.
“Make sure you ask about the finer details, like exactly where you will be doing your game drives. Check whether the property you’re staying at is in a private reserve, conservancy, or national park,” suggests Prince. In a national park, you need to be back in camp by sunset, and there are often restrictions around walking safaris and off-roading. If you choose a lodge outside a park, you have to factor in the time it takes to access and exit every time you go on a drive.
If your itinerary includes a city break or stopover in Africa, scale up on the safari leg of the trip and scale back on the city accommodation. Whether you’re flying through Cape Town, Nairobi or Windhoek, take the trouble to seek out small, owner-run guesthouses or hotels and take advantage of their local recommendations on where to eat, drink and shop in their city.
Don't ignore traditionally costly destinations
Destinations like Botswana have always had a high price tag reputation, but there are still ways to play it smart if that’s where you want to go. For example, travelling in the green season offers excellent value for money while still offering a fantastic wilderness experience. If your dream adventure is a mobile, tented safari or an off-grid wild expedition, shop for set departure dates in place of exclusive use – this allows you to reserve one tent rather than the entire camp. Check out Beagle Expeditions in the Okavango Delta.
The sharp rise in park fees in Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve ($200 per person per day) adds to the cost of a classic Mara safari on the one hand but improves the quality of the experience on the other – less vehicles in the reserve means less pressure on the animals. The price hike was introduced in 2023 to help mitigate over-tourism, especially during the migration season, in one of East Africa’s most important ecosystems.
For those wanting an authentic safari focused on wildlife sightings, some newer brands started by longtime industry experts are getting back to basics, offering significant savings in the process. Figueiredo recently visited Entara’s camps in Tanzania, which are typically expensive destinations, and had some of the most mind-blowing wildlife sightings of her life. “While the camps are not luxurious in the traditional sense, they are completely comfortable, the food is delicious and fresh, and the guiding is stellar. Entara’s Adventure Package is packed with inclusions making it a great deal.”
“I still think the best value for money safaris are in Zimbabwe,” says Shock. “The level of the guiding, the sustainability and community involvement, the wildlife, the scenery, and the authenticity of the experience – hard to beat.” Choose one of African Bush Camps’ low-key explorer camps in Hwange and Mana Pools national parks for immersive, authentic, off-the-beaten-track adventures.
Zambia still has a wild feel, particularly the authentic tented camps operated by The Bushcamp Company, Remote Africa Safaris, and Classic Zambia.
See a family safari as an investment
Families looking for value for money should look no further than South Africa, where prices are quoted in Rands, not Dollars. Thanks to the favourable rate of exchange with the Pound, families can splurge on an exclusive-use safari villa in a private reserve, like Kamara House, part of Thornybush Game Lodge in the Greater Kruger, followed by a city break in Cape Town, staying in an urban or beach retreat from the Perfect Hideaways portfolio or a marine and fynbos safari at Grootbos, close to Hermanus. With small kids in tow, take to the aloe-clad hills of the malaria-free Kwandwe Private Reserve in the Eastern Cape, a vast rewilding project repopulated with big cats, rhinos and elephants. Make Ecca Lodge your home from home before a bucket-and-spade break in Plettenberg Bay.
Save money while saving the planet
Conserving Africa’s wild places is a costly, long-term investment, not just a passion project, which is why a ‘cheap’ safari should be a red flag. Regardless of your budget, travelling responsibly in Africa is non-negotiable, so do your homework before you invest – another good reason to use a trusted safari planner, who will have the inside scoop on what’s happening on the ground and how your money will be spent. A carefully chosen safari can (and should) positively impact both the planet and its people. Along with supporting vital conservation work, helping to save vulnerable habitats and restoring biodiversity, nature-based tourism provides employment and keeps local economies buoyant. Conservation and communities are inextricably reliant on each other to be sustainable. Ask your travel agent or safari operator for examples of the conservation and community projects supported by your tourism spend, and start following the properties you’ll be visiting on social media to track their social and environmental impact - and whet your appetite for the epic animals you’ll see! Niarra Travel specialises in impact trips that benefit local people by ensuring more revenue stays in the destination. Also, check out Jacada Travel’s Positive Impact Collection for safari camps and lodges that are a force for good.
Read the original article on Condé Nast Traveller.
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