Our private, all-inclusive luxury safaris start from $8,000 per person and rise with the standard of camp, the season and the length of your journey. That price typically covers your private guide and vehicle, lodge accommodation, most meals and drinks, park and conservancy fees, and internal flights between camps. Because every itinerary is built from the ground up, your specialist gives you an exact, transparent quote before anything is booked.
A typical all-inclusive rate covers accommodation, all or most meals, house drinks, daily game activities with a private guide and vehicle, park and conservation fees, internal charter and scheduled flights, and airport transfers. International flights, visas, travel insurance, premium wines and personal extras such as spa treatments are usually additional. We always set out exactly what is and isn’t included on your quote.
We recommend booking 10–18 months ahead, especially for travel during peak season (July–October) or for the most exclusive small camps, which sell out a year or more in advance. Honeymoons, family travel during US school holidays, and Great Migration river-crossing dates should be secured as early as possible. We can sometimes arrange shorter-notice trips — it is always worth asking.
Always private and tailor-made. You travel with your own expert guide and private 4x4, on an itinerary designed entirely around your interests, pace and chosen lodges — never a fixed group departure or a shared schedule. The only exception is gorilla trekking, where you join a small permitted group of up to eight on the trek itself, as required by the national parks.
A rewarding safari is usually 6–8 nights in the bush, enough to visit two or three different areas without rushing. Add 3–5 nights for a beach extension in Zanzibar or the Seychelles, or extra days for gorilla trekking in Rwanda or Uganda. We help you balance time, budget and travel distance so no single day feels wasted in transit.
We focus on designing the safari itself — lodges, guiding, internal flights and transfers — and advise you on the best international routings and timings, but you typically book your own long-haul flights or use your preferred miles. All internal flights between camps are arranged and included by us.
For the Great Migration in East Africa (Kenya and Tanzania), July to October is the classic window for the Mara River crossings, while January to February is the dramatic calving season in the southern Serengeti. For dry-season game viewing in Southern Africa (Botswana, South Africa, Zambia), May to September is ideal, when sparse vegetation and shrinking waterholes concentrate wildlife. We tailor the destination to the months you can travel.
The herds move year-round in a clockwise loop through the Serengeti–Mara ecosystem: calving in the southern Serengeti (January–February), moving through the central and western Serengeti (April–July), the dramatic Mara River crossings in the northern Serengeti and Kenya’s Maasai Mara (July–October), then back south (November–December). We position you in the right camp for the exact dates you travel.
The Big Five — lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino — can all be seen on a well-planned safari, though no sighting is ever guaranteed in the wild. The Ngorongoro Crater, the Maasai Mara, South Africa’s Sabi Sands and Kenya’s Lewa and Ol Pejeta conservancies offer some of the best odds of all five, including the increasingly rare rhino. Your guide tracks daily movements to maximise your chances.
Beyond the Big Five, expect cheetah, giraffe, zebra, hippo, crocodile, wildebeest, antelope of many kinds, and exceptional birdlife — often hundreds of species on a single trip. Specific regions offer specialities: wild dog in Botswana, mountain gorillas in Rwanda and Uganda, tree-climbing lions in Tanzania, and great flamingo flocks on the Rift Valley lakes.
The “green” or low seasons (roughly November and April–May in East Africa) bring short rains, lush landscapes, newborn animals, fewer vehicles and lower rates. Game viewing can be excellent and photography is superb, though some remote camps close and roads can be wetter. For value and solitude, the shoulder months are often the connoisseur’s choice.
Yes. The countries we operate in — Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Botswana, South Africa and others — are well-established, welcoming safari destinations, and you are looked after throughout by professional guides and camp teams. On game drives you stay in the vehicle in the presence of animals and follow your guide’s direction; in camp, staff escort you after dark. Tens of thousands of travelers safari happily every year, and we only use trusted, vetted lodges and partners.
Many safari areas are malarial, so anti-malarial prophylaxis is generally recommended — your doctor or a travel clinic will advise the right course for you. Routine vaccinations should be up to date, and a Yellow Fever certificate is required for entry to some countries or when arriving from a Yellow Fever zone. Malaria-free safari options exist (for example parts of South Africa) and are popular with families. Always consult a medical professional 6–8 weeks before you travel.
Yes. Several reserves — notably in South Africa’s Eastern Cape and the Waterberg, and around Madikwe — are malaria-free or low-risk and offer excellent Big Five viewing, making them a reassuring choice for families with young children. We are happy to build a malaria-free itinerary if that is a priority for you.
For most of our destinations, yes. Tanzania and Kenya both offer straightforward online applications — Kenya an eTA (~$30), Tanzania a $100 multiple-entry eVisa for US citizens; Rwanda and Uganda issue visas on arrival or online, with a combined East Africa option for gorilla trips. Your passport should be valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates with two or more blank pages. We guide you through the exact requirements for your route.
We recommend bottled or filtered water, which every camp provides, rather than tap water. Luxury lodges maintain excellent kitchens and high hygiene standards, and can cater to allergies and dietary needs — vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, kosher and halal — with advance notice. Let us know your requirements when planning and we pass them to every camp.
Days follow the wildlife. You wake early for a sunrise game drive when animals are most active, return for a leisurely brunch, then rest, swim or enjoy the camp through the heat of the day. A second game drive heads out in the late afternoon, often ending with sundowner drinks in the bush as the light turns gold. Dinner is under the stars or around the fire. Walking safaris, night drives and cultural visits can be woven in depending on the camp.
Pack light and in neutral colors — khaki, olive, beige and brown — avoiding bright white, dark blue and black. Bring layers for chilly mornings and warm middays, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, high-SPF sunscreen, insect repellent, comfortable closed shoes, binoculars and a camera. Internal bush flights have strict weight limits (often 15–20kg in soft bags), so we send a detailed packing list with every itinerary. Our Journal also has a full luxury safari packing guide.
Most luxury camps now offer Wi-Fi in the main areas and sometimes in tents, though remote locations may have slower or intermittent connections — part of the appeal of disconnecting. Mobile coverage varies by region. If staying connected matters for work or family, tell us and we prioritise camps with reliable signal.
Tipping is entirely at your discretion — it is never required, but it is appreciated. As a benchmark, most of our guests set aside about $20–$25 per person per day, shared between their guide and the camp staff. US dollars in small bills work everywhere, and most camps have a staff tip box at the main lodge.
You travel in a private 4x4 safari vehicle — open-sided in East Africa, often fully open in Southern Africa — with a window seat guaranteed for everyone and no strangers sharing your car. Your guides are professional, licensed and often locally born, chosen for their tracking skill, naturalist knowledge and warmth. A great guide is the single biggest factor in a great safari, and we take this seriously.
Very much so, and a safari is one of the most memorable trips a family can take together. Many lodges welcome children, offer family suites, junior-ranger programs and flexible meal times, and some have minimum-age policies for game drives. We match you with child-friendly, often malaria-free camps, arrange private vehicles so your family travels at its own pace, and build in downtime around pools and activities.
Honeymoons are one of our specialities. We design romantic itineraries that pair private, intimate camps with bush-and-beach finales in Zanzibar, the Seychelles, Mauritius or Mozambique — think private dinners, sundowners for two, star beds and plunge-pool suites. Many lodges offer honeymoon touches such as champagne, spa treatments and special-occasion turndowns when we let them know you are celebrating.
Yes. From a family of five to a celebration with three generations, we arrange connected suites or private villas, multiple vehicles, and itineraries that balance big-game days with gentler activities so everyone is looked after. Sole-use of a small camp is a wonderful option for larger groups who want exclusivity and flexibility.
Absolutely — “bush and beach” is the classic luxury African itinerary. After your safari, a short flight delivers you to the white sand and warm water of Zanzibar, the Seychelles, Mauritius or the Mozambican archipelagos for a few days of pure relaxation. We pair every safari with a beach extension whenever you wish.
Simply send us an enquiry telling us roughly when you would like to travel, who is coming, what you hope to see and how you like to travel. One of our specialists replies personally — usually within one business day — to discuss ideas and begin shaping a tailor-made proposal. There is no charge or obligation to plan with us.
Once you are happy with your itinerary, we typically secure your trip with a deposit, with the balance due a set period before departure (often 60–90 days). We set out the exact schedule, accepted payment methods and terms clearly in writing before you commit — there are never hidden costs.
Cancellation terms depend on the individual camps, airlines and timing of your trip, and we always share the full policy with your quote so you know exactly where you stand before booking. We strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance covering cancellation, medical care and evacuation, and can suggest providers used to safari travel. See our terms and conditions for full detail.
Yes — we consider comprehensive travel insurance essential, and some camps require it. Your policy should cover trip cancellation and interruption, medical treatment, and emergency medical evacuation, which is especially important in remote areas. Arrange it as soon as you book so you are covered from the moment you pay your deposit.
We are safari specialists with first-hand knowledge of the camps, guides and regions, and we design every itinerary privately around you — not from a fixed catalogue. You get honest, tailored advice, the right camp for your dates, seamless logistics between lodges and flights, and a single point of contact before, during and after your trip. Many of our travelers return to us again and again.
Tell us how you like to travel and one of our specialists will answer personally — and, when you're ready, design a private itinerary around you. No obligation.
