Why Safari Has Become One of My Most‑Booked Holidays

Safari has quietly become one of the top trips I book. Once clients have been, they almost always come back to me wanting to go again, take the children next time, or try a different country. There is something very special about those first few minutes on a game drive, when you experience being out there in the wild, hear nothing but birds and being one with nature, and suddenly an elephant appears out of the bush – is truly a pinch me moment!

Because I design every trip around each client, no two safaris I book are ever the same. In this guide  I want to share:

• Where I usually recommend for a first‑time safari.
• How Kenya and South Africa differ.
• Where to go for a more authentic or off‑the‑beaten‑track experience.
• How price points work: larger group safaris vs smaller, more personalised lodges and more authentic feel..
• What to expect from different styles of accommodation.
• What to pack and how to prepare for a safari
• Ideas for a multi‑centre trips: Tanzania & Zanzibar, South Africa & Mauritius, etc which are really popular and a great honeymoon idea

My aim is to give you an insight of what to expect, and to help you work out what kind of safari feels right for you.

Where I Recommend for a First‑Time Safari

For a first‑time safari, I usually start with two key questions:

1. Do you want to combine safari with beach
2. How confident are you with long‑haul travel and smaller, remote camps?

From there, a few destinations tend to suit most first‑timers very well – also are you happy with longer transfers.

Kenya: Classic “Out of Africa” for First Timers

Kenya is often what people picture when they think of safari: vast open plains, acacia trees on the horizon, and the Big 5 of course!

Why I like Kenya for first‑timers:

• The Masai Mara has excellent game viewing, especially for big cats.
• There is a good choice of lodges, from more affordable camps to very high‑end exclusive stays.
• It combines beautifully with the Kenyan coast or Zanzibar for beach time after your safari.
• There is a real sense of culture, with opportunities to learn about Maasai traditions in a respectful way with a traditional village visit which can be added.

If you are nervous about going too remote, I can start you in a slightly larger, more established camp with great guiding and lots of support, then add on a smaller camp for a couple of nights once you have found your feet.

South Africa: Superb For First Timers & Families

South Africa is one of the easiest safari destinations to travel to, particularly from London with great flights available ..

Why South Africa..?

• It is mostly malaria‑free in some regions (depending on where you go), which can be helpful especially for families.
• The private game reserves around the Kruger and in the Eastern Cape offer very high standards of guiding and accommodation.
• You can combine safari with Cape Town, the Winelands, the Garden Route or even Mauritius if you want to add in some beach time.
• Infrastructure is excellent, and it is an easy “soft landing” if this is your first trip to Africa.

For many of my clients, a first safari in South Africa sets the bar quite high: Imagine stylish lodges, incredible food and wine, and twice‑daily game drives with a professional ranger and tracker.

Kenya vs South Africa: What Is The actual Difference?

Both Kenya and South Africa are great options for a first safari, but they offer slightly different experiences. Here is how I describe it to my clients.

Landscape & Wildlife

• Multi‑Centre Ideas My Clients recommend
• Kenya:  Think Wide open plains, especially in the Masai Mara. It feels wild and untamed, with huge skies and often dramatic sightings of big cats and the Great Migration at certain times of year.
• South Africa: More varied terrain, especially in private reserves:  wooded savanna, riverbeds and Rocky hillsides. Game viewing is still amazing, and private reserves often allow off‑road driving for closer sightings.

Style of Safari

• Kenya:
• More traditional tented camps and smaller lodges.
• Often feels a little more “adventurous”, with light aircraft flights to remote airstrips and a feeling of being cut off and being in the middle of nowhere.
• South Africa:
• Stylish private lodges, often with a boutique‑hotel feel plunge pools, Calm, thoughtfully designed spaces, Great food and wine of course!
• Particularly in places like Sabi Sand, Service is attentive and you will feel genuinely looked after for your stay.

Logistics & Practicalities

• Kenya:
• You will connect via Nairobi, then fly on to your chosen reserve.
• Suits those who enjoy a little adventure.
• South Africa:
• Direct flights from the UK to Johannesburg or Cape Town, then a shorter domestic flight or road transfer to your lodge.
• Easier if you prefer fewer internal flights or are travelling with younger children.

When I plan safaris, One option isn’t “better” than the other: it is about matching the right destination and style of Safari to my client.

Where To Go for a More Authentic or Off‑The‑Beaten‑Track Safari

Once clients have fallen in love with safari, they often come back and ask me for more, quieter or a little different. This is where places like Tanzania, Namibia, Botswana and parts of Mozambique come in for a return safari or for a different view..

Tanzania: Big Landscapes & Seasonal Drama

• Tanzania really suits anyone who loves wide open skies and that sense of following the seasons as they change.
• Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater: Incredible wildlife and scenery, particularly around the Great Migration.
• Tarangire & lesser‑known parks: Quieter, more intimate experiences, often with fewer vehicles at sightings.
• Very natural, tented camps and mobile camps that follow the migration can feel incredibly authentic, with campfires under the stars and the sounds of the bush all around you..

Namibia: Raw, Beautiful & Wonderfully Remote

Namibia is for clients who love scenery and solitude.

• Imagine towering sand dunes, vast deserts, Namibia’s remote shores where rusted shipwrecks sit on the sand and dramatic canyons.
• Game viewing can be excellent in places like Etosha, but it is as much about the landscapes and sheer sense of space.
• Lodges range from chic desert camps to more rustic hideaways, and driving between areas can be a real adventure in itself – and some customers have even done a self-drive.

Botswana: Exclusive & Intimate

Botswana is often the choice for a second or third safari, especially for those looking for something very special.

• The Okavango Delta offers extraordinary, water‑based and land‑based experiences: mokoro (dugout canoe) trips, boat safaris and game drives.
• Camps tend to be small and intimate, with a big focus on conservation and low impact.
• Game viewing is excellent and the number of visitors is carefully controlled and monitored, which often makes it feel more exclusive.

Mozambique: Wilderness & Beach

Although Mozambique is better known for its beaches and islands, there are also more remote parks and reserves where you can have a very low‑key, wild experience.

• Safari here suits those who want to feel truly away from it all, then head to the coast for barefoot luxury on the beach.
• It is less “classic big five” and more about atmosphere, birdlife and a sense of discovery, depending on the area.

Guide on Pricing: Group Safaris vs Private & Boutique Lodges

One of the biggest questions I am asked is: “Why do safaris vary so much in price?”

The main factors are:

• How many people share the game drive vehicle
• The size and style of the camp or lodge.
• Location and remoteness.
• Time of year.

Larger, More Mainstream Group Safaris

These often use bigger vehicles and may involve travelling in a small group, following a set itinerary.

Pros:

• Usually more affordable.
• A great option for solo travellers or sociable couples to meet others.
• Itineraries are tried and tested, especially in Kenya and South Africa.

Things to be aware of:

• Vehicles can be fuller, so you may share with more people.
• Timings and routes are less flexible; you follow a schedule rather than designing your day around your own preferences.
• Accommodation is often comfortable but more mainstream, sometimes in larger lodges.

This style suits clients who value price and social interaction over absolute privacy.

Smaller Camps, Private Drives & Tailor‑Made Itineraries

This is where the cost goes up, but the experience becomes much more personalised.

What you get for the higher price:

• Fewer rooms or tents, so fewer guests on site.
• Shared vehicles with fewer people, or the option to pay for private use.
• Local guides who quickly get to know what you enjoy and can tailor each drive.
• Flexible dining times, very personal service and often a sense of “being at home” in the bush.
• Beautiful touches such as sundowners in stunning locations, bush breakfasts and lantern‑lit dinners.

These are the kinds of properties my repeat safari clients tend to prefer. For these client types, the extra cost is worthwhile because of the intimacy, flexibility and authenticity of the experience.

When we talk about budget, I will always be honest about where it will stretch furthest and where it is worth upgrading.

Sometimes one or two nights in a special camp can transform the whole trip and if budget doesn’t stretch to doing this throughout then one at the end being more luxury is a great idea.

What To Expect from Different Styles of Accommodation

Safari accommodation can range from simple, rustic tented camps to your ultra‑luxury lodges for those who prefer pure luxury - Here is what I help my clients consider.

Classic Tented Camps

• Canvas tents on raised decks, often with proper beds, private bathrooms and hot water.
• A wonderful sense of being close to nature: you can hear the bush at night – and feel at peace with nature!
• Often a communal mess tent with lounge and dining area, and a campfire for pre‑ and post‑dinner drinks.

Luxury Lodges

• Luxury Lodges with all the comforts you expect from a boutique hotel: air‑conditioning in some regions, full bathrooms, often private plunge pools or outdoor showers.
• Superb food and wine, sometimes with tasting menus.
• Spa facilities, gyms and extras like photographic hides are more common – and come with views to die for!

Rustic & Remote Bush Camps

• Very small and often simpler in style, but full in character.
• Ideal for those who value authenticity and guiding quality over polished finishes.
• Often seasonal or mobile, following wildlife migration.

When I design your trip, I will talk you about the level of comfort you are after and how important certain features are, like air‑conditioning, Wi‑Fi, pools or separate bedrooms for children and transfer options ..

What To Pack For your Safari

Packing for safari does not have to be complicated. My key tips to clients are:

• Layers are essential: Early mornings and evenings can be cool, but midday can be hot. Think T‑shirts, a light long‑sleeved shirt, a fleece or light jumper and a thin jacket.
• Neutral colours: Khaki, beige, olive and soft greys are ideal colours to use for safari - Avoid very bright colours and camouflage patterns, which can be problematic in some countries.
• Comfortable footwear: Closed trainers or lightweight walking shoes for drives, plus sandals for around camp.
• Sun protection: A good hat (with a chin strap if you are on open vehicles), sunglasses and high‑factor sunscreen.
• Soft luggage: Many light aircraft have strict weight and size limits. Soft‑sided bags are often required – over hard-shell cases that are commonly used.
• Essentials in hand luggage: Any medication, a change of clothes, a small toiletry bag and any valuables or electronics – in some destinations its common for cases to go missing so mix pack across suitcases and carry some small change of clothes in hand luggage – a good tip from one of my regular customers that visits Botswana annually and has had cases go missing for the first few days!

I can also give my first time safari families guidance on other items such as chargers etc..

But a good camera if possible is a must and a tripod!

Country By Country: Quick Overview

Kenya

• Best for: Classic big game, first‑timers who want the “Out of Africa” feel, couples and families.
• Highlights: Masai Mara, conservancies that offer more exclusive experiences, cultural encounters.
• Combines well with: Kenyan coast beach stays , Zanzibar, sometimes Mauritius.

South Africa

• Best for: First‑timers, families, foodie travellers, those who want an easier introduction to safari.
• Highlights: Private reserves around Kruger, Eastern Cape reserves, Cape Town, Winelands, Garden Route.
• Combines well with: Mauritius, Victoria Falls, Indian Ocean islands.

Tanzania

• Best for: Big landscapes, the Great Migration, those who enjoy a sense of journey and adventure.
• Highlights: Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire, Selous/Nyerere, Ruaha.
• Combines well with: Zanzibar or the Tanzanian islands for post‑safari beach time.

Namibia

• Best for: Dramatic scenery, photographers, self‑drive adventurers and those who love space and silence.
• Highlights: Sossusvlei, Skeleton Coast, Damaraland, Etosha.
• Combines well with: South Africa or Botswana for a contrast in style.

Botswana

• Best for: Second or third‑time safari‑goers, honeymooners, wildlife lovers who value exclusivity.
• Highlights: Okavango Delta, Chobe, Linyanti, Makgadikgadi Pans.
• Combines well with: Victoria Falls, Cape Town or the Winelands.

Mozambique

• Best for: Beach and island escapes with a wilder edge, and more off‑beat safari options in certain areas.
• Highlights: Bazaruto and Quirimbas archipelagos, select inland reserves.
• Combines well with: Kruger or other southern African safaris, then beach.

Multi‑Centre Ideas My Clients recommend

Some of my most popular itineraries combine a few days of intense game viewing with time to relax by the ocean. A few examples:

Tanzania & Zanzibar

• Start with 4–6 nights on safari in Tanzania, perhaps a combination of Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
• Fly on to Zanzibar for 5–7 nights of white‑sand beaches, spice tours and sunset dhow cruises.
• Perfect for honeymoons, couples and families who want a balance of adventure and relaxation.

South Africa & Mauritius

• Spend 3–4 nights in Cape Town, 3–4 nights on safari in a private reserve, then 5–7 nights in Mauritius.
• This works brilliantly for families and multi‑generational groups: everyone gets something they love.
• You can up scale or down the level of luxury at each stage to suit your budget.

Botswana & Victoria Falls

• Focus on small, intimate camps in the Okavango Delta and surrounding areas.
• Finish with 2–3 nights at Victoria Falls, either on the Zambian or Zimbabwean side.
• Ideal for special‑occasion trips such as big special birthdays or anniversaries.

When I put these trips together, I look at flight routes, seasonality and your budget to make sure connections are smooth and you are in the right place at the right time of year – depending on client’s dates..

Bringing It All Together

A safari is one of those trips that benefits hugely from being tailor‑made. It is not just about seeing the Big Five; it is about the pace of your days, the people who look after you, the style of camp that suits you and how the whole trip fits together with beach, city or winelands time – depending on how much safari you want from your trip or whether you wan to mix with some down time.

Because I book so many safaris, I have a good sense of which combinations work, which lodges are right for first‑timers, and which are better suited to more seasoned safari‑goers. I can talk you through the pros and cons of each destination, be honest about price differences between group and private experiences and help you choose what feels right for you.

If you are starting to think about your first safari, or you are ready to plan something more authentic and off the beaten track, I would love to design it with you from scratch.

Contact me to start planning your safari and let us turn those “one day” ideas into a trip of a lifetime bucket list trip!