Luxury safaris in Africa are not cheap, but if you are looking for expert guides, excellent accommodation, good food and comfort, then the price is really worth it. If your safari is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, try going up a notch but at a lower cost by following the tips below.
Why luxury safaris are expensive
The high cost associated with a luxury safari is due in part to being conducted in remote settings where supplies are hard to come by. The logistics of running a camp or cabin in the middle of the African bush is complicated when the nearest store is 500 miles away, and there is no guarantee that it will be stocked anyway. In addition to this, it takes a lot to maintain a national park and reserve, as well as to ensure that wildlife continues to be protected. Park fees can run as high as $ 100 per person in some national parks.
That’s even before you’ve had breakfast, gone for a walk, or spent the night.
Some of the fees associated with high-end safaris also go towards making the experience eco-friendly. They tend to be light on carbon footprint and heavy on social responsibility to nearby communities. Deluxe safari rates include transfers, accommodation, games, food, accommodation, and often drinks. Anyone who’s been on safari will tell you it’s worth it, but there are a few things you can keep in mind to keep your safari costs down.
Make your Safari cheaper without undermining your Safari
- Go on the shoulder or out of season : Conventional safari wisdom says that the “dry” season is by far the best season to go on safari. It’s when the animals congregate around the water holes and the grass is short, meaning better opportunities to watch the game. However, go to a private game reserve with a great guide, and you are guaranteed to have an amazing safari in any ‘low season’, and that’s for half the price. The rainy season can offer wonderful opportunities to see wildlife by boat, it’s an excellent time for bird watchers, and there are plenty of baby animals to swoon over.
- Go with a friend or group – you can really cut the costs of a personalized safari and retain all the benefits if you are traveling with friends. You will share the cost of the vehicle and the guide and avoid individual supplements. Setting departure dates and group safaris can also cut your safari costs significantly, but you lose a bit of flexibility in your schedule.
- Spend everything in one place – Africa is huge, so don’t try to traverse an entire subcontinent. Focus on one country and eliminate the need for expensive regional flights. No one can see everything in life, much less a trip, so get the best value for your money by spending it on the experience you came for – a grand safari.
- Add a little time in the city : a safari is just a small slice of life in Africa; Experience a little time in the towns and cities before and after your Mt. adventure. Accommodation is often cheaper, includes breakfast, and you are at your discretion to try local food in restaurants. You will long for a cultural interaction after a week or so with the animals.
- Forget the added frills – you can get a great safari experience with a good guide and good accommodation for a lot less money if you cut down on some of the ultra-luxurious benefits. These would include a private pool, spa, staff, air-conditioned tent, gourmet meals made to order, and a large selection of wines.
- Find a Good Safari Consultant – A good safari consultant will take the time to listen to what you want from a safari and provide the best value based on your personal preferences. African safari specialists will know when a regional flight makes more sense than driving. They will be able to tell you if it is worth paying more for an air-conditioned room during the dry season in Botswana. They know when the rainy season means roads are impassable or if it is, in fact, the perfect time to see wildlife in certain areas. They understand that if you want to go on a walking safari and you want to drive at night, you must go on a private reserve safari.
In the end, it is worth booking your safari with an expert to get the safari you want, at the price you can afford.
