Your first safari – how to get started

Our answer to “How much does a safari cost?” is probably the most complicated of all. Further questions we need to ask to work out the cost of your safari include:

• How many people are travelling?
• Do you have any specific hobbies?
• When do you want to travel – high, low, or shoulder season?
• What level of accommodation are you looking for?

Change one detail to your answer to any of the questions above, and it could change the cost drastically, sometimes by thousands. Africa has possibilities for all budgets – so with an idea of your budget, our specialists can put together the finest trip you can do for that price. Below, we set out a very rough price guide.

Please note, these prices, shown in pound sterling, are provided per person on a week-long trip (6 nights/7 days) to our Top 4 safari destinations.

The planning of your first safari to Africa can be a wonderful build-up to the actual holiday itself, as you decide which incredible lodges and amazing experiences to include. However, it can also be time-consuming and slightly overwhelming, with so many options available across many different countries! There are plenty of aspects to consider, such as where to go, how much it will cost, when is the best time to travel, and exactly what wildlife you’ll be able to see.

Booking Africa is not like booking anywhere else in the world, as knowing precisely where to go for the best wildlife experience requires expert knowledge. It’s also vital to have first-class, on-the-ground logistics so you are seamlessly met and transferred throughout your trip. The holiday of a lifetime should be a relaxing affair, so you feel looked after every step of the way.

To help you start planning your first African safari, it’s good to have a rough idea of which country and what type of safari experience you’re looking for. We’ve put together some answers to what we think are the most important questions when considering a safari. Take a look at our guide below: 

Deciding where to go on a first safari depends on your priorities and preferences. Most of our first-time clients prefer to ease into Africa and choose to visit the more popular national parks and reserves in Tanzania, Kenya, Botswana, or South Africa. A really good piece of advice we can give you at this stage is to try not to pack everything into one trip. Rushing through areas or even countries in a week-long holiday won’t give you the full impact and appreciation of being on safari. We always want to make your itinerary as efficient as possible to reduce travel times when in-country, so you spend the maximum amount of time in the key safari areas.

We recommend starting by simply deciding whether you’d like to travel to East Africa or Southern Africa. Both regions offer distinctly different landscapes, activities, and wildlife – so this is a good first decision to make.

Check out this video, where Yellow Zebra co-founder Julian provides a detailed overview of the popular destinations that we offer. He divides the countries into East Africa and Southern Africa, and sets out the pros and cons of each destination. He also stresses that the best step forward is to speak with one of our safari specialists, as it’s easy to get so lost in all the information that’s available online. A brief chat with someone who’s been to Africa many times can cut your planning time in half! There’s no sales pitch at Yellow Zebra – it’s all about simply informing you and helping design what will make the best trip for you. 

The next question to consider is if there’s anything specific that you’d like to see. From an early age, we can be enthralled by a certain animal or wildlife event. Are you particularly keen to see the Big Five? Maybe you want to witness the Great Migration during the famous river-crossing season? Or is it the smaller wildlife that you’d like to take centre stage during your safari – meerkats, anyone?

For example, if it’s all the members of the Big Five that you’re after, or an individual member such as elephant or lion, this will greatly influence what type of safari you should be planning. For travellers hoping to spot all the Big Five in one place, we recommend focusing on the national parks and reserves of Tanzania, Kenya, and South Africa which are renowned for their big game sightings. Opting for a traditional safari in the likes of the Serengeti, Maasai Mara, or Kruger will definitely boost your chances of encountering them for your Big Five checklist.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that a traditional safari combines well with other activities. It’s very rare for people to ‘just go on safari’. The cultural aspects of a destination are a chance for you to enhance your trip and add an extra layer to your safari experience. If you’d like to experience the cascading waters of Victoria Falls, the scenic white-sand shores of Zanzibar, or the colourful streets of Cape Town, we can book these as add-ons that will influence the structure and sequence of your holiday.

After reading the above, you probably already have a few ideas about where you want to go, what you want to see on safari, and how much it would cost. The next stages of actually planning a safari can be long and complicated, but this is where Yellow Zebra can come in! It starts with an initial chat, during which our safari specialists will get to know more about you and the kind of holiday you’re after. Then, you can expect an informal exchange of ideas and emails as you work with one of our consultants to design the ultimate trip.

So, why choose Yellow Zebra? Well, by far the biggest challenge involved in planning your first safari is to gain confidence in the right company to arrange your holiday. Of course, many of our competitors say they have experience of visiting a destination, but all of our consultants have been either professional safari guides or camp managers – or they were born and raised in Africa. Not only have our travel experts all worked in Africa, but they’ve worked for the top companies – the finest providers of accommodation on the continent! In our opinion, there is simply no comparison to our level of extensive ‘on-the-ground’ experience when it comes to designing the best safaris.

We like to think that the industry awards we have won underline our experience and show our recognition within the travel industry itself. However, the best first step you can take is to give us a call and talk with one of our experts. This will ensure that you feel comfortable with us and confident that we can help plan an epic first safari with you. A Yellow Zebra safari consultant becomes an ally through all the swathes of information, simplifying things, and being yours to command in designing your itinerary!

You can contact us here, to arrange a mutually convenient time for a call. However, we warn you now – safaris are seriously addictive. The wealth of wildlife and beauty of this continent will take your breath away. This may be your first safari, but it’s perhaps unlikely to be your last!

When should I go?

We’ve put together a month-by-month guide of which destinations shine during each particular season. If you haven’t decided exactly where you want to go, but you know the month in which you want to travel, this might be a very helpful tool to work out a destination that’s best suited to your travel time.

Are any destinations particularly suitable for my holiday type?

If you’re a family with young children, we suggest looking at either non-malaria areas, such as South Africa’s Eastern Cape, or the incredibly family-friendly regions of Laikipia or Lewa in Kenya, which have great activities for all ages. While solo travellers can generally consider all areas of ‘Safari Africa’, we can help if you want to avoid paying single supplements, and advise on lodges depending how sociable you wish to be.

Can my first safari involve my special interests?

Of course! You’d be pleasantly surprised to read about a wide range of special-interest safaris available. Whether you’re a keen horse rider, avid photographer or birdwatcher, or you’re interested in LGBT-specific lodges or a conservation-focused safari – we’ve got the information.

Our Top 10 inspiration

If you’re not ready to start planning your safari just yet, but still looking for inspiration, we’ve put together some of our favourite ‘Top 10s’ for you to browse. From our favourite luxury lodges, to lodges for walking safaris, places to visit in Africa, and lodges for canoeing, check out our selection!