When should you book your African safari? Earlier than most travelers think: luxury camps are tiny — eight, ten, twelve tents — and the famous ones sell out like a hit restaurant. The single biggest factor in getting exactly the safari you want is simply starting early.
Here is the timeline we work to with our own guests.
The short answer
Book nine to twelve months ahead for most trips, and twelve months or more for the July to October migration season, the festive weeks, exclusive-use villas and family suites. We run no fixed departures, so it is camps and permits that sell out, not seats. If a first-choice camp is gone we propose alternatives on the same land rather than a different trip.
| What you want | Book by | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Migration season, July to October | 12 months or more | The northern Serengeti and Mara camps hold eight to twelve tents and fill first. |
| Christmas and New Year | 12 months or more | Festive weeks carry minimum stays and the earliest sell-outs. |
| Gorilla permits | As soon as your dates are fixed; 6 to 9 months for peak | Permits are sold per date with a daily cap at each park. |
| Family villas and interconnecting rooms | 12 months | Few camps have them; school-holiday dates overlap with peak season. |
| A standard private safari | 9 to 12 months | Full choice of camps and rooms; international flights open about 11 months out. |
| Green season, November to May | 3 to 6 months | More availability and lower rates at many camps. |
Choose your month first in when to go, then read about gorilla permits or family camps if they apply. Deposit and cancellation terms are in our terms and conditions.
12+ months out — dream and hold
For July–October migration season, Christmas/New Year, or bucket-list camps (Mombo, Angama, Singita, Mwiba), this is when to commit. Twelve months out, you have full choice of camps, rooms and guides. We hold space with a deposit while the itinerary is refined.
9–12 months — the standard window
The sweet spot for most trips. International flights open for booking (~11 months out), the best camps still have space in most months, and there is time to plan visas and vaccinations without any rush.
3–6 months — still possible, less choice
Green-season and shoulder-month safaris (November–May outside holidays) can absolutely be planned here, often at better rates. Peak season at this range means taking what is left — still wonderful, but the itinerary bends around availability rather than around you.
The hard deadlines
Gorilla permits: Rwanda and Uganda cap daily trekkers, and peak-season permits can sell out 6–12 months ahead — book these first, then build the trip around them. Tanzania’s US-citizen eVisa and Kenya’s eTA are quick (days), but yellow fever vaccination, if needed for your routing, must be done at least 10 days before travel.
- —Gorilla permits: 6–12 months ahead in peak season
- —International flights: book ~11 months out for best fares
- —Yellow fever shot: minimum 10 days before travel
- —Travel insurance: at deposit, not at departure
