TRIP TO AFRICA
REASONS TO USE A TOUR OPERATOR FOR YOUR TRIP TO AFRICA
Not every trip to Africa requires going through a tour operator, but for many vacations, you can save yourself considerable time and effort by booking with a company that specializes in travel to your chosen destination. This is not necessarily the case if you’re planning a long weekend in Venice, for example, when travel arrangements mean booking flights and finding the right hotel to stay at. You might miss out on some of the insider tips or discounts a specialized tour operator can offer, but you’ll still have a great time with just a guidebook to lead the way.
For many people, the biggest reason not to use a tour operator is the belief that you can save money by booking independently. However, while tour companies certainly add their commission to the overall cost of the trip, the discounts they can pass along to their clients through their relationships with properties and ground operators often makes up for it. Additionally, operators have the local expertize .
Reasons to use a tour operator for your next African adventure.
If You Want to Go on Safari
It’s very difficult to plan a good safari without help from an expert, especially if it’s your first time in Africa. There are an overwhelming number of possible routes to choose from, let alone destinations. Your accommodation options are just as diverse, ranging from simple campsites to luxury cottages complete with a plunge pool and personal butler. You can enjoy a safari in a jeep, canoe, hot air balloon or boat. You can spot wildlife from the back of a horse, camel, or elephant. You can walk among a herd of zebra, or spend an afternoon playing soccer with Maasai children.
Then there’s the weather – rainy seasons and dry seasons that affect the quality of the roads, wildlife patterns, and camp locations. Evidently, there’s a lot that goes into planning a safari, and it is very time-consuming to figure it all out on your own.
If You Have Limited Time
Tour operators are also great for helping with logistics. Africa is huge and the infrastructure leaves a lot to be desired in many countries. This means that getting from A to B quickly and with the least amount of hassle can be difficult unless you are familiar with the transport options available. If you have several months to cover a region, you can afford to take the circuitous route. But if you have just two weeks to spend in Africa, it’s worth using a tour operator to make sure that your transit days go smoothly.
For example, experts can help with booking airlines that are almost impossible to contact independently from overseas. They can also help get your money back and make alternative travel plans if flights are delayed or canceled, as they often are in Africa. Tour operators also know which public transport options are safe, and which car rental companies offer the best service and/or drivers.
If You Plan On Visiting Multiple Countries
Expert assistance is even more valuable if you’re planning on visiting more than one country – and especially if you want to travel by land, either on a self-drive safari or on an overland tour. Tour operators use their inside knowledge to help you choose the safest and most efficient border posts. They will advise you regarding the paperwork you need to pass through customs and can even help with securing a visa in advance if necessary. This is particularly useful in Africa, where bureaucracy rules and visa requirements change on a regular basis, often without any notification.
You can also ask your tour operator for accurate advice regarding the different currencies, climates, recommended vaccinations and other important information for each country on your itinerary.
If You Have Specific Needs and Wants
If you are vegetarian, pregnant, diabetic, traveling with small children, unable to walk up steps, terrified of catching malaria, or have any special desires to see specific animals, people, art, or music – use a tour operator. If you’d like your kids to eat at 6:00pm, need a fridge to store your medication, or would love to shop at a local market – a knowledgeable travel agent can make it happen for you. Some tour operators have been in the industry for decades and have such excellent general knowledge that they can tailor itineraries to meet your exact needs, no matter how unique they are; while others specialize particularly in one area or another.
Either way, putting the planning in expert hands means that the vacation you’ve been saving up for is more likely to exceed your expectations.
If You Wish to Travel Responsibly
Africa is a continent with more than its fair share of social and economic problems, and as a visitor, you can do your bit to help by choosing to travel responsibly. At the very least, this means making sure that your trip doesn’t have a negative impact on the people, wildlife or landscapes that you encounter along the way. Ideally, it should also mean that the money you pay for your trip and experiences goes towards helping the local community and/or supporting conservation efforts in some way.
Many lodges and tours market themselves as “eco-friendly” or “sustainable” but it can be difficult to determine which ones are actually committed to making a difference. An experienced tour operator will be able to help you choose on-the-ground companies that are locally owned, treat their staff well and are environmentally conscious.
If You Are Concerned About Safety and Security
Most of Africa’s popular tourist destinations are relatively safe, but political instability and natural disasters can happen. A good tour operator stays up-to-date with elections, weather hazards, and high crime areas. A small skirmish in northern Kenya may not make headline news in the States, but a specialized tour operator will know about it and can redirect your safari to keep you safe. If the rainy season is causing severe flooding in Southern Africa, your tour operator will be able to switch your itinerary around to replace road transfers with more internal flights.
Changes like these are difficult and expensive to make on your own. If you’re worried about the security of making payments to local lodges or hotels online, a tour operator removes the risk of credit card fraud by acting as an intermediary.
Kenya safari holiday itinerary planning
We cannot stress enough that the key to a good Kenya safari is to stay mainly off the beaten track, with just a few days in the busier peak areas such as the Maasai Mara and Amboseli. We have the quieter north of the country and it offers some top class safari destinations (Lake Turkana, the Matthews Range, Laikipia, Lewa, Samburu). A combination of 3 of these destinations, staying 3 or so nights at each, works very well.
The Masai Mara requires particular care; the range and density of big five game here are outstanding but visitor numbers are correspondingly high – it is not unusual to see numerous vehicles crowded around a single sighting. We know the most exclusive and private camps, where you can still get an authentic game viewing experience and where, if you’re lucky, you might end up sipping a G&T while watching the great wildebeest migration.
We always recommend to end a Kenya safari with a beach extension, either within Kenya or further afield, eg Zanzibar
When is the best time to take a safari in Kenya?
As with all of East Africa, there are only two seasons – dry and rainy. The peak of dry season is from June to October and by most this is regarded as the best time, it is certainly when game is at its most prevalent and when the Great Migration of Wildebeest is pushing into the Masai Mara on their annual journey.
However, November through to March can be an amazing time too, there are some short rains so the landscapes turn from dusty brown to a beautiful green, the Laikipia area in particular flourishes at the beginning of the year. Bear in mind that travelling outside of peak season can be both cheaper and far less busy – meaning you have some of these incredible wildernesses to yourself!
How much does a Kenya luxury safari cost?
The price of a safari lodge generally includes park fees, which go towards conservation and protection, as well as all of your safari activities – game drives, walking safaris and boating safaris to name but a few. All of these are done with skilled and knowledgeable guides and it is a totally unique experience.
Lodges range from around USD $450 per person per night for a superb safari in the heart of the action, in very comfortable but fairly basic accommodation, all the way up to $2,000 for some of the incredibly opulent Mara Lodges. When looking at the trip as a whole, including the logistical costs, a week-long trip combining a couple of safari areas can range anywhere from USD $3,500 all the way up to $10,000.
Top 5 Kenya Safari Tips
- • Avoid the big hotels. Fine in a city but a hotel of more than 50 room in the middle of a National Park can ruin your wilderness experience
- Avoid the busy game reserves and look at staying in some of the quieter conservancies. Here you can have a truly wild safari year round!
- Look at combining at least a couple of areas, not only do you get a more varied experience, you can also benefit from some great ‘combo’ deals if you choose the right camps.
. It’s not all about the Mara! It’s definitely a major part of any Kenya safari, but the rest of the country has so much to offer too.
- Think about bookending your safari with some time at the beach – East Africa is blessed with some spectacular coast as well as the wildlife.
Tented camp vs lodge based Kenya safari
This is unending debate depending on who you talk to. There are some travelers who will swear by the tented camp and others by lodges. As a general rule (but by no means in all cases) the tented camps are less luxurious, but you get a feeling of being very close to nature… the sound of buffalo munching, crickets whirring and hippos snorting in the night echoes through the canvas – there is nothing quite like it! The more permanent lodges definitely have their place too. The smaller, boutique lodges are just as well located and can offer luxuries that a tented camp cannot. It really is about choosing what is right for you, there is no right or wrong answer on this one.
What type of safaris does Kenya offer?
Kenya is the original safari destination! The Safari word meaning travel, journey, voyaging etc The verb for ‘Swahili” being Kusafiri (To travel). The variation on offer in Kenya is unrivalled, it’s as simple as that. Want to game drive through the wildebeest masses of the Great Migration and watch the herds charge across the Mara River? Want to climb Mount Kenya and marvel at the wilderness below? How about game viewing from a horse in Lewa, or quad biking through the hills of Laikipia? Ever thought of having a coffee experience, tea farm visit and more recently cheese? There really is something for everyone, from younger children to veteran safari goers .
