First Time on Safari: What to Expect, Where to Go and How to Plan

"A safari is a lifelong ambition for many, the trip of a lifetime for some, and for a lucky few, a life-changing dream come true"

Where to Go
When to Go
Who Can Go
How to Travel
What It Costs
What to Pack
Health & Safety

Planning your first time on safari in Africa is one of the most exciting travel decisions you will ever make — and one of the most complex. With nine major safari countries, hundreds of camps and lodges, and an almost overwhelming number of options, knowing where to start can feel daunting. That is exactly what this guide is for.

A safari is unlike any other holiday. There are no resort pools to default to, no tourist strips to wander down, no safety net of familiarity. Instead, you are out in the wild — genuinely, thrillingly, unforgettably in the wild. That is the point. But it also means that the planning matters more than it does for almost any other trip you will ever take.

The good news? Africa welcomed over 74 million international visitors in 2024 — a record high surpassing even pre-pandemic levels — and the vast majority of first-timers return home saying it was the best trip of their lives. The average safari traveller today spends between USD 5,500 and USD 7,500 per person, and most say they wish they had done it sooner.

Whether you are dreaming of watching the Great Wildebeest Migration thunder across the Serengeti, tracking gorillas through the mist of a Ugandan rainforest, or simply sitting in silence at a waterhole in Botswana watching elephants drink at sunset — we are here to help you get there. And we will make sure you do it right.

“A safari is a lifelong ambition for many, the trip of a lifetime for some, and for a lucky few, a life-changing dream come true.”

Planning your first safari with Safari Frank

We are not a booking platform or a faceless agency. Safari Frank is a small, expert team that has spent years travelling Africa — not to inspect it from a distance, but to get deep into it. Frank Steenhuisen, our founder and resident guide, has been leading safaris across the continent for decades. When you plan your first safari with us, you are getting advice from people who were in the bush last month.

Here is what that means for you in practice:

We focus on authentic wilderness, not five-star excess. The best safari experiences are rarely the most expensive ones. We will get you into the thick of the African bush — off the beaten track, with small groups and expert guides — not into an overpriced lodge with a copper bathtub and a mediocre game drive.
We travel constantly. Our team visits Africa regularly and our recommendations are based on first-hand, up-to-date experience — not brochures. We know which camps have the best guides right now, which areas are overcrowded, and where the exceptional value lies.
We only work with operators we trust personally. Our preferred camps and operators are intimate, owner-operated establishments that prioritise conservation, sustainability and genuine community relationships. We have built long-term friendships with these people. They become your friends too.
We have negotiated the best rates available. Because of our long-standing relationships with operators across Africa, we can guarantee you will not find the same safari cheaper anywhere else — even if you tried to book it yourself. Our expertise comes at no extra cost to you.
We make the complex simple. Choosing between nine countries, dozens of regions and hundreds of camps is genuinely overwhelming. We narrow it down based on your budget, your timeframe, who you are travelling with and what you want to experience. Then we plan it all for you.

What does this guide cover?

This page answers every question a first-time safari traveller needs to consider, in the order you should consider them:

Where should I go for my first safari?
When is the best time to visit?
Who can go — ages, families and accessibility?
How do you travel — accommodation and transport options?
What will it cost — realistic price ranges?
What should I pack for a safari?
Health and safety — malaria, vaccinations and bush safety?

Use the navigation bar at the top of this page to jump to any section, or read from start to finish for the complete picture.

Where should I go on safari for the first time?

Africa is vast — the second largest continent on earth, covering over 30 million square kilometres. Choosing where to go for your first safari is the single most important decision you will make, and it is worth getting right. The good news is that there is no bad choice. Every major safari destination in Africa offers extraordinary wildlife, remarkable landscapes and experiences that will stay with you for the rest of your life. The question is simply which one is right for you, right now.

Africa’s safari destinations divide naturally into two main regions: Southern Africa and East Africa. These are two very different parts of the world — geographically, ecologically and in terms of the safari experience they offer. Understanding the difference is the first step to planning the right trip.

Our strong advice for first-timers: choose one region and explore it properly. Africa rewards those who slow down. Trying to cover both regions in a single trip means spending too much time in airports and not enough time in the bush. If you have two weeks or less, commit to one region. You will almost certainly come back for the other — and that is not a bad thing at all.

Southern Africa

South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. This is the region SAFARI FRANK recommends most strongly for first-time safari travellers. The infrastructure is excellent, the wildlife is world-class, the range of experiences is unmatched, and it is possible to combine multiple countries in a single trip without ever feeling rushed. Southern Africa is also home to the only genuinely malaria-free Big Five safari options in the world, making it the go-to region for families with young children.

South Africa

Best for First-Timers
Malaria-Free Options
Families

South Africa is the gateway to Southern Africa and our top recommendation for most first-time safari travellers. It is the most accessible, most affordable and most versatile safari destination on the continent. The infrastructure is excellent, the safari industry is the most developed in Africa, and the range of experiences — from the iconic Big Five reserves of the Greater Kruger to the malaria-free reserves of the Eastern Cape and Madikwe — is unrivalled.

What makes South Africa particularly special for first-timers is the ease of combining a genuine wilderness safari with other world-class travel experiences. Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities on earth. The Garden Route is a spectacular coastal road trip. The Winelands are extraordinary. A first safari to South Africa can genuinely offer something for every member of the group, making it the safest choice when travelling with people who are less committed to the bush than you are.

South Africa is also the only country in Africa where you can do a Big Five safari in a completely malaria-free area — a significant consideration for families with young children, pregnant travellers or anyone who prefers not to take antimalarials.

Key areas SAFARI FRANK recommends:

The private game reserves of the Greater Kruger National Park — particularly Timbavati, Klaserie and Sabi Sands — for the best Big Five game viewing in the country
Cape Town and surrounds, including the Winelands and the Garden Route, for a spectacular non-safari extension
The Kalahari and Madikwe private game reserves for malaria-free safari options with excellent wildlife

Recommended for:
First-timers of all kinds · Families with young children · Short trips of 5–7 nights · Those wanting to combine safari with a city or beach · Malaria-free requirements · All budgets

Explore South Africa Safaris

Botswana

Best Authentic Experience
Luxury & Wilderness

If South Africa is the best first safari for most people, Botswana is the best first safari for those who want something more. It is our personal favourite destination for first-timers who have a little more time and budget, and who are looking for that raw, authentic, genuinely remote African wilderness experience.

Botswana has made a deliberate choice to pursue a high-value, low-volume tourism model. The country limits the number of visitors to its wilderness areas, keeping concessions exclusive and game viewing intimate. The result is a safari experience that feels genuinely untouched — you are unlikely to share a sighting with another vehicle, which makes an enormous difference to the quality of the experience.

The Okavango Delta is one of the natural wonders of the world — a vast inland river system that floods seasonally to create an extraordinary mosaic of lagoons, channels, islands and floodplains teeming with wildlife. Add the massive elephant herds of Chobe National Park, the surreal salt pans of Makgadikgadi and the remote wilderness of the Central Kalahari, and you have a destination of extraordinary diversity all within easy reach of Maun, Botswana’s safari capital.

Botswana does come with a higher price tag than South Africa. But there are ways to manage the cost — travelling in the shoulder season, choosing mobile tented camps over permanent lodges, and booking well in advance. A mobile safari in Botswana is, in SAFARI FRANK’s view, one of the greatest safari experiences anywhere in Africa, and it is often more affordable than people expect.

Key areas SAFARI FRANK recommends:

The Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve for water-based safari activities and exceptional wildlife
Chobe National Park for the largest elephant population on earth
The Linyanti and Selinda concessions for remote, exclusive wildlife experiences
The Makgadikgadi Salt Pans and Central Kalahari for something completely different

Recommended for:
Authentic wilderness seekers · Luxury travellers · Those with 10+ nights · Couples and honeymooners · Photography enthusiasts · Those wanting exclusivity

Explore Botswana Safaris

Namibia

Self-Drive Heaven
Scenery & Landscapes

Namibia is unlike anywhere else in Africa. It is one of the least densely populated countries on earth — a vast, hauntingly beautiful landscape of ancient desert, towering red dunes, dramatic canyons and extraordinary desert-adapted wildlife. If you are drawn to landscapes as much as wildlife, or if you are an adventurous self-driver who wants to explore on your own terms, Namibia belongs near the top of your list.

Sossusvlei, home to some of the highest free-standing sand dunes in the world, is one of the most photographed landscapes on the planet. The Fish River Canyon is the second largest canyon in the world. Etosha National Park offers excellent and accessible game viewing, with wildlife congregating around waterholes in a way that makes sightings almost guaranteed during the dry season. And the remote Damaraland is home to the rare desert-adapted elephant and desert-adapted black rhino — both endangered species found almost nowhere else.

Namibia is best explored over at least two weeks given the distances involved, and the good roads and excellent infrastructure make it ideal for self-drivers. It is not the destination for those whose primary goal is ticking off the Big Five in a short time — but for those who want adventure, solitude and scenery that will take your breath away, it is exceptional.

Key areas SAFARI FRANK recommends:

Sossusvlei and the NamibRand Nature Reserve for desert landscapes and solitude
Etosha National Park for accessible, excellent game viewing
Damaraland and Twyfelfontein for desert-adapted wildlife and ancient rock art
The Fish River Canyon for one of Africa’s most dramatic natural sights
The Skeleton Coast for remote, wild coastal wilderness

Recommended for:
Self-drivers and adventurers · Photography enthusiasts · Those wanting landscapes as much as wildlife · Minimum two weeks · Experienced travellers wanting something different

Explore Namibia Safaris

Zambia

Walking Safari Capital
Old-Style Safari

Zambia is the birthplace of the walking safari, and that heritage runs through everything the country does. This is old-style Africa — small, rustic camps in remote wilderness areas, legendary guides with generations of bush knowledge, and a safari experience that feels genuinely unchanged from the golden era of African exploration. If you want to feel truly immersed in the African bush rather than simply observing it from a vehicle, Zambia will deliver that experience better than almost anywhere else.

South Luangwa National Park is one of Africa’s finest wildlife destinations, with exceptionally high concentrations of leopard, lion, elephant and hippo, and some of the best walking safari guides on the continent. The Lower Zambezi National Park offers extraordinary canoeing safaris on the Zambezi River, paddling silently past elephants and hippos on the bank. And Livingstone, on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls, offers access to one of the world’s great natural wonders along with an outstanding range of adventure activities.

Zambia does require a little more logistical planning than South Africa or Botswana — flying between areas is the best option, and some camps close during the rainy season. For this reason, many of SAFARI FRANK’s clients visit Zambia on their second or third safari. But for the adventurous first-timer who wants something truly special, it is an outstanding choice.

Key areas SAFARI FRANK recommends:

South Luangwa National Park for walking safaris and exceptional wildlife density
Lower Zambezi National Park for canoeing safaris on the Zambezi River
Kafue National Park for remote wilderness and excellent value
Livingstone for Victoria Falls and adventure activities

Recommended for:
Walking safari enthusiasts · Adventure seekers · Those wanting an old-style authentic experience · Ideal as a second or third safari destination · Victoria Falls extension

Explore Zambia Safaris

Zimbabwe

Best Guides in Africa
Remote Wilderness

Zimbabwe is home to arguably the finest safari guides in Africa. The Zimbabwean guiding tradition is rigorous, deeply rooted and widely respected across the continent — and it shows in the quality of the experience. Walking and canoeing safaris in truly remote wilderness areas are Zimbabwe’s great speciality, and the country’s small, independent bush camps are some of SAFARI FRANK’s absolute favourites anywhere in Africa.

Mana Pools National Park on the Zambezi River is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most extraordinary wildlife destinations on earth — famous for its walking safaris, its canoeing, and the remarkable sight of elephants standing on their hind legs to reach the pods of the albida trees. Gonarezhou National Park on the Mozambique border is wild, remote and almost entirely undiscovered by mainstream tourism. And Victoria Falls — shared with Zambia — is simply unmissable.

Zimbabwe’s more remote areas are best suited to experienced safari travellers, but Victoria Falls is an essential stop for any first-timer and can easily be added as a two to three night extension to a South Africa or Botswana trip. Hwange National Park, a short hop from Victoria Falls by road or light aircraft, is also an excellent and underrated addition for first-timers.

Key areas SAFARI FRANK recommends:

Victoria Falls — essential for all first-timers, easily combined with South Africa or Botswana
Hwange National Park — excellent extension from Victoria Falls, superb elephant and predator sightings
Mana Pools National Park — for experienced travellers seeking world-class walking and canoeing safaris
Gonarezhou National Park — remote, wild and utterly unspoilt

Recommended for:
Victoria Falls extension for all first-timers · Walking and canoeing safari enthusiasts · Those wanting remote uncrowded wilderness · Experienced safari travellers

Explore Zimbabwe Safaris

East Africa

Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda. East Africa is the birthplace of the safari in the popular imagination — the Serengeti, the Masai Mara, the Great Migration, mountain gorillas. If Southern Africa offers depth and intimacy, East Africa offers drama and spectacle on a scale that is simply unmatched anywhere else on earth. It is a longer and often more expensive journey from most Western departure points, but for many travellers it is the realisation of a lifelong dream.

Kenya

Classic Safari
Great Migration
Families

Kenya is the country that put safari on the map, and it remains one of the greatest safari destinations on earth. The Masai Mara National Reserve is, without question, one of the finest places in Africa to see wildlife — vast open savannah teeming with lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, buffalo and more, and the stage for the most dramatic chapter of the Great Wildebeest Migration between July and October each year.

But Kenya is far more than the Mara. Amboseli National Park offers the iconic sight of elephants moving against the backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro. Samburu in the north is home to rare species found almost nowhere else — Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, Beisa oryx and the gerenuk. The Laikipia Plateau is one of Africa’s great conservation success stories, with private conservancies offering exceptional game viewing and a genuine community connection. And the Lamu Archipelago on the coast is one of East Africa’s most beautiful and atmospheric beach destinations.

Kenya is also one of the best safari destinations in Africa for families, with excellent child-friendly lodges, Maasai cultural experiences and the sheer abundance of wildlife in the Masai Mara making it an incredible destination for children of all ages.

Key areas SAFARI FRANK recommends:

The Masai Mara National Reserve and its surrounding private conservancies for the finest game viewing in East Africa
Amboseli National Park for elephants and the iconic Kilimanjaro backdrop
Samburu National Reserve for rare northern species
The Laikipia Plateau for private conservancy safaris and conservation experiences
The Lamu Archipelago for a spectacular Indian Ocean beach extension

Recommended for:
Classic first-time safari · Families · Great Migration (July–October) · Beach and safari combinations · Those wanting the iconic East Africa experience

Explore Kenya Safaris

Tanzania

Serengeti & Migration
Ngorongoro Crater
Zanzibar Extension

Tanzania consistently tops the lists of the world’s greatest safari destinations, and it is not difficult to see why. The Serengeti National Park is one of the most iconic wildlife areas on earth — 14,750 square kilometres of open savannah supporting the greatest concentration of large mammals anywhere in the world, and the stage for the full year-round cycle of the Great Wildebeest Migration. The Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site formed around three million years ago, is a self-contained ecosystem of extraordinary richness — the highest density of lion in Africa, large populations of black rhino, and a landscape of almost surreal beauty.

Tanzania also offers the magical island of Zanzibar — a short flight from the mainland but a world entirely apart, with pristine white-sand beaches, turquoise water and a rich Swahili culture that makes it one of the finest beach extensions in Africa. A Tanzania safari combined with four or five nights in Zanzibar is one of the most complete and satisfying holiday experiences available anywhere in the world.

Tarangire National Park is often overlooked but offers some of the finest elephant watching in Africa, with herds of hundreds moving through ancient baobab landscapes during the dry season. And the Mahale Mountains on the shores of Lake Tanganyika offer the extraordinary experience of trekking to chimpanzees in one of Africa’s most remote and beautiful settings.

Key areas SAFARI FRANK recommends:

The Serengeti National Park for the Great Migration and world-class year-round game viewing
The Ngorongoro Crater for the highest density of wildlife in Africa in a spectacular volcanic setting
Tarangire National Park for exceptional dry-season elephant herds
Zanzibar for a perfect beach extension
The Mahale Mountains for chimpanzee trekking in a remote lakeside setting

Recommended for:
The ultimate classic safari · Great Migration year-round · Zanzibar beach extension · Those wanting the most iconic East Africa experience · Honeymoons

Explore Tanzania Safaris

Uganda

Gorilla Trekking
Chimpanzees

When most people think of Uganda, one animal comes to mind — the mountain gorilla. And rightly so. Uganda is home to roughly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, and a permit to trek to one of the habituated gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is one of the most extraordinary wildlife experiences available anywhere on earth. Spending an hour in the presence of a gorilla family — watching the silverback, the mothers with their infants, the young ones playing — is something that is genuinely impossible to describe and impossible to forget.

Uganda’s gorilla trekking permits currently cost USD 800 per person — significantly less than Rwanda’s USD 1,500 — making it the better value option for budget-conscious travellers. The terrain is more challenging than Rwanda, with steep forest trails, but most reasonably fit travellers manage it without difficulty.

Beyond gorillas, Uganda offers far more than most visitors expect. Murchison Falls National Park is home to elephants, lions, giraffes and the world’s most powerful waterfall. Queen Elizabeth National Park offers tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector. And the Ssese Islands on Lake Victoria provide a beautiful and tranquil island escape.

Key areas SAFARI FRANK recommends:

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for mountain gorilla trekking
Murchison Falls National Park for game drives and the spectacular falls
Queen Elizabeth National Park for tree-climbing lions and chimpanzee tracking
The Ssese Islands on Lake Victoria for a relaxed island extension

Recommended for:
Gorilla trekking · Best value mountain gorilla experience · Combining with Kenya, Tanzania or Rwanda · Adventurous first-timers · Those wanting something beyond the classic safari

Explore Uganda Safaris

Rwanda

Gorilla Trekking
Compact & Easy

Rwanda is a country that has achieved something remarkable. From the unimaginable tragedy of the 1994 genocide, it has emerged as one of Africa’s most stable, well-governed and forward-thinking nations — and one of the continent’s most exciting safari destinations. The Volcanoes National Park in the northwest is the most accessible gorilla trekking destination in Africa, with shorter and generally less physically demanding treks than Uganda, and a level of organisation and infrastructure that makes it the premium gorilla trekking experience.

Rwanda’s gorilla trekking permits cost USD 1,500 per person — almost double Uganda’s price — but the experience is exceptional. The park is well managed, the habituated gorilla families are numerous, and the surrounding landscape of volcanic peaks and terraced hillsides is breathtaking. Rwanda is also easy to combine with a Tanzania or Uganda safari, making it an excellent addition to a broader East Africa itinerary.

Akagera National Park in the east has been dramatically revitalised in recent years and now offers the full Big Five experience — the only place in Rwanda where you can see lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino. Nyungwe Forest National Park in the south is one of Africa’s oldest rainforests and offers chimpanzee trekking and canopy walkways through ancient montane forest.

Key areas SAFARI FRANK recommends:

Volcanoes National Park for the premium gorilla trekking experience in Africa
Akagera National Park for Big Five game viewing and a revitalised conservation success story
Nyungwe Forest National Park for chimpanzee trekking and ancient rainforest

Recommended for:
Premium gorilla trekking · Luxury travellers · Short trips combining with Tanzania or Uganda · Those wanting ease and accessibility · Compact East Africa itineraries

Explore Rwanda Safaris

At a glance: comparing Africa’s top safari destinations

Use this table as a quick reference when deciding which destination is right for your first safari. Every destination listed here is exceptional — the differences are about fit, not quality.

Destination	First-Timer Friendly	Budget Level	Malaria Risk	Best Season	Highlight
South Africa	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	$ – $$$	Low / None*	May – Sep	Big Five, Cape Town, malaria-free options
Botswana	⭐⭐⭐⭐	$$$ – $$$$	Medium	Jun – Oct	Okavango Delta, exclusivity, authenticity
Namibia	⭐⭐⭐⭐	$$ – $$$	Low	May – Oct	Sossusvlei dunes, self-drive, landscapes
Zambia	⭐⭐⭐	$$$ – $$$$	Medium – High	Jun – Oct	Walking safaris, Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe	⭐⭐⭐	$$ – $$$	Medium	Jun – Oct	Best guides, Victoria Falls, Mana Pools
Kenya	⭐⭐⭐⭐	$$ – $$$$	Medium	Jul – Oct	Masai Mara, Great Migration, families
Tanzania	⭐⭐⭐⭐	$$$ – $$$$	Medium	Jun – Oct	Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Zanzibar
Uganda	⭐⭐⭐	$$ – $$$	Medium – High	Jun – Sep	Gorilla trekking, best value permits
Rwanda	⭐⭐⭐	$$$ – $$$$	Low – Medium	Jun – Sep	Premium gorilla trekking, compact

* Malaria-free options available in specific reserves including Madikwe, Eastern Cape and parts of KwaZulu-Natal. Kruger National Park carries malaria risk. Always consult a travel health clinic before travel.

How long do you have? SAFARI FRANK’s recommended first-safari itineraries

5–7 nights: South Africa — Greater Kruger private reserves combined with 2 nights in Cape Town. The perfect short first safari.
10–14 nights: South Africa (5 nights Kruger) + Botswana (4 nights Okavango Delta) + 2 nights Victoria Falls. Our most recommended first safari itinerary — the ideal balance of wildlife, authenticity and iconic sights.
14–21 nights: As above with the addition of 5–7 nights in Namibia for landscapes, self-drive adventure and something completely different.
21+ nights: Add 7–10 nights in Kenya or Tanzania for the full East and Southern Africa experience — two very different safari worlds in one extraordinary trip.

Not sure which itinerary fits your timeframe and budget? Get in touch and SAFARI FRANK will recommend the perfect first safari for you.

When is the best time to go on safari in Africa?

There is no bad time to go on safari in Africa — there are just different times. Every month of the year offers something special somewhere on the continent. The question is not whether you can have a great safari in any given month, but rather which month best suits what you want to see, where you want to go, and how much you want to spend.

Africa straddles the equator, which means that seasons vary enormously depending on which part of the continent you are visiting. Southern Africa and East Africa have different seasonal patterns, different wildlife events and different peak periods. Understanding the broad seasonal framework will help you make a much better decision about when to travel — and potentially save you a significant amount of money in the process.

The two seasons that matter most

Across most of Africa’s safari regions, the year divides into two broad seasons: the dry season and the wet season. These are not the same as summer and winter in the conventional sense — Africa is tropical, and even the wet season rarely means rain all day every day. Understanding what each season actually means on the ground is the key to planning your trip.

☀️ The Dry Season (Peak)

Southern Africa: May – October
East Africa: June – October

Vegetation thins out, waterholes dry up and wildlife concentrates around permanent water sources. Game viewing is at its most reliable and dramatic. Skies are clear, days are warm and nights can be cool to cold. This is peak season — the most popular, most crowded and most expensive time to travel. Book well in advance.

🌿 The Shoulder Season

Southern Africa: March and September
East Africa: January – March and November

SAFARI FRANK’s top recommendation for most first-time travellers. The shoulder season offers excellent game viewing, dramatically lower prices, far fewer visitors and — in the green season — a lushness and freshness that makes Africa feel genuinely alive. September is particularly outstanding: the dry season at its best without the peak season crowds.

🌧️ The Green Season

Southern Africa: November – February
East Africa: November – December

The rains arrive, the bush turns vivid green, migratory birds appear and many species give birth. Game viewing requires more patience as animals spread out across the landscape, but sightings are often extraordinary. Prices are at their lowest. Some remote camps close. This is SAFARI FRANK’s personal favourite time of year — Africa at its most alive and most beautiful.

🌦️ The Long Rains

East Africa only: April – May

The main rainy season in East Africa brings heavier, more sustained rainfall. Many camps close during April and May, roads can become impassable and game viewing is more challenging. Most travellers avoid this period. If budget is the overriding consideration, rates are at their absolute lowest — but for a first safari, we recommend choosing a different time.

SAFARI FRANK’s recommendation: travel in the shoulder season. The two shoulder months we recommend most strongly are September (end of the dry season — outstanding game viewing, lower prices, no crowds) and March (end of the green season — lush landscapes, newborn animals, exceptional birding, lowest prices of the year). Both months offer a genuinely superior safari experience to peak season July and August, at a fraction of the cost.

If the Great Migration river crossings are your priority, you will need to be in Kenya or Tanzania between July and October. For everything else, the shoulder season almost always wins.

Month-by-month guide

Use this table as a quick reference. Ratings refer to overall game viewing quality and value — not to whether a safari is possible, which it almost always is.

Month	Southern Africa	East Africa	Highlight	Crowds & Cost
January	Green season. Hot, afternoon showers. Newborn animals, excellent birding.	Dry and warm. Excellent game viewing. Calving season begins in Serengeti.	Serengeti calving season	Low crowds, low cost
February	Green season. Hot, lush landscapes. Great for photography.	Dry and excellent. Up to 8,000 wildebeest calves born daily in Serengeti.	Peak Serengeti calving	Low crowds, low cost
March	End of green season. Rains easing. Excellent value, outstanding birding.	Dry season ending. Herds moving north in Serengeti.	Green season value, calving winding down	Low crowds, low cost
April	Shoulder. Some camps closed in remote areas.	Long rains begin in East Africa. Many camps close. Not recommended.	Victoria Falls in full flood	Very low crowds, lowest cost
May	Dry season beginning. Excellent game viewing starts. Great value.	Long rains easing. Herds moving north through central Serengeti.	Dry season begins in Southern Africa	Low crowds, good value
June	Peak dry season begins. Excellent game viewing. Prices rising.	Dry season. Herds crossing Grumeti River. Migration building.	Grumeti River crossings begin	Moderate crowds, moderate cost
July	Peak season. Excellent game viewing. Busy and expensive.	Peak season. Mara River crossings begin. Most dramatic Migration viewing.	Great Migration Mara River crossings	High crowds, high cost
August	Peak season. Outstanding game viewing. Busiest and most expensive month.	Peak season. River crossings continue. Masai Mara at its best.	Peak Migration, peak game viewing everywhere	Highest crowds, highest cost
September	⭐ Shoulder season. Dry season at its best. Fewer crowds, lower prices.	Migration in Masai Mara. Herds beginning to turn south.	SAFARI FRANK’s top pick — outstanding everywhere	Moderate crowds, good value
October	Late dry season. Hottest month of the year. Wildlife at waterholes spectacular.	Migration returning south. Herds in northern Serengeti and Masai Mara.	Hwange elephants, Kasanka bats begin	Low–moderate crowds, moderate cost
November	Green season begins. First rains arrive. Migratory birds appear. Newborns.	Short rains begin. Migration returning to Serengeti. Good value.	Kasanka bat migration peaks, Serengeti short rains	Low crowds, low cost
December	Green season. Hot and lush. Festive season brings some price increases.	Short rains easing. Herds moving south through eastern Serengeti.	Green season beauty, Kasanka bats peak mid-December	Low–moderate crowds, moderate cost*

* December school holiday period can see price increases at certain family-friendly properties.

Special wildlife events worth planning around

These are the wildlife events that genuinely justify planning your entire trip around them. If any of these is on your bucket list, let us know and we will make sure the timing is right.

The Great Wildebeest Migration — Kenya & Tanzania

Year-Round Event
East Africa

The Great Migration is the largest movement of land mammals on earth — approximately two million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle moving in a continuous clockwise circuit through the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. It is not a single event that happens at one time of year; it is a year-round cycle with different chapters unfolding in different locations. The most dramatic chapter — the Mara River crossings — takes place between July and October, but every stage of the migration offers something extraordinary.

January – March: Calving season in the southern Serengeti and Ndutu. Up to 8,000 calves born every day. Exceptional predator activity. Often overlooked but genuinely spectacular.
April – May: Herds moving north through the central and western Serengeti. Long rains in East Africa — fewer visitors, lower prices, but some camps close.
June – July: Grumeti River crossings in the western Serengeti. Herds building in the north. First Mara River crossings begin.
July – October: Mara River crossings. The most famous chapter — wildebeest plunging into crocodile-filled water in scenes of extraordinary drama. Masai Mara at its peak.
November – December: Herds returning south through the eastern Serengeti. Short rains arrive. Quieter, more affordable, still spectacular.

The Kasanka Bat Migration — Zambia

October – December
Southern Africa

One of Africa’s most extraordinary and least-known wildlife spectacles. Every year between late October and mid-December, up to ten million straw-coloured fruit bats descend on a tiny patch of evergreen swamp forest in Kasanka National Park in northern Zambia — the largest mammal migration on earth by sheer number of individuals. At dusk, the bats rise from the forest in a vast, darkening cloud that fills the sky for hours. It is genuinely one of the most astonishing wildlife sights anywhere in the world, and almost entirely off the mainstream tourist radar.

The peak period is mid-November to mid-December, when all the bats have arrived and numbers are at their maximum. Kasanka is easily combined with a South Luangwa safari and a visit to Victoria Falls for an outstanding Zambia itinerary.

The Zebra Migration — Botswana

November – April
Southern Africa

Africa’s second largest mammal migration is largely unknown outside of specialist safari circles, which makes it all the more special. Every year between November and April, tens of thousands of Burchell’s zebra migrate from the Okavango Delta south to the Makgadikgadi salt pans and back again — a round trip of around 500 kilometres. It is the longest terrestrial mammal migration in Africa outside of East Africa, and it takes place in some of the most remote and beautiful wilderness on the continent. The best viewing is typically in December and January on the Makgadikgadi Pans.

Serengeti Calving Season — Tanzania

January – March
East Africa

The calving season in the southern Serengeti and Ndutu Conservation Area is one of the most underrated wildlife experiences in Africa. Between January and March, approximately 500,000 wildebeest calves are born on the short-grass plains — at peak times, up to 8,000 in a single day. The concentration of newborn animals attracts every major predator in the ecosystem: lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena and wild dog. The result is some of the most intense and dramatic predator-prey interaction available anywhere on earth, at a time of year when visitor numbers are low and prices are at their most reasonable.

When should I go? SAFARI FRANK’s quick guide by traveller type

Best value for money: March (Southern Africa) or November (East Africa) — shoulder season pricing with excellent wildlife
Best game viewing, Southern Africa: September and October — dry season at its most dramatic, waterholes packed with wildlife
Great Migration river crossings: July to October in Kenya’s Masai Mara or northern Tanzania’s Serengeti
Families with school-age children: July and August align with most school holidays — book at least 12 months in advance for peak season travel
Honeymooners: September in Southern Africa or November in East Africa — romantic, uncrowded, excellent value
Photography enthusiasts: January to March in the Serengeti (calving season) or October to November in Southern Africa (green season beginning, dramatic skies)
Budget-conscious travellers: March to May in Southern Africa or November to December in East Africa — lowest prices of the year with still-excellent wildlife
Gorilla trekking (Uganda or Rwanda): June to September and December to February — dry seasons mean less muddy trails and clearer forest conditions

Not sure when to go? Get in touch with SAFARI FRANK and we will match the perfect timing to your specific plans.

Who can go on safari?

A safari is a great holiday for people of all ages, all backgrounds and all levels of fitness. There is no minimum age and no maximum age. Safari is not an extreme sport — it is, at its heart, sitting in a vehicle watching some of the most extraordinary wildlife on earth. With the right planning, virtually anyone can do it. The key is matching the right experience to the right person — and that is exactly where SAFARI FRANK’s expertise makes all the difference.

The safari industry has evolved enormously over the past two decades. Today’s lodges and operators range from rustic bush camps that suit the adventurous and the young to world-class luxury properties with every comfort imaginable. There are family-specific lodges with dedicated children’s programmes, properties built with accessibility at their core, camps that welcome solo travellers with open arms, and experiences designed specifically for older travellers who want to explore Africa at a comfortable pace. Whatever your situation, there is a safari that is right for you.

Below we cover the main traveller types and what to consider for each. You can also visit our dedicated Who Is Travelling pages for more detailed guidance on your specific situation.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families with children

All Ages Welcome
Malaria-Free Options

A family safari is, in our experience, one of the most transformative holidays a family can take together. The absence of Wi-Fi and television reconnects families in ways that no other holiday quite manages. Children who arrive uncertain or uninterested leave with a passion for wildlife and conservation that often shapes the rest of their lives. Parents regularly tell us it was the best thing they ever did as a family. We believe them completely.

That said, planning a family safari requires more care than planning a trip for adults. The key considerations are:

Minimum age restrictions at lodges. Many lodges in Big Five areas have a minimum age of 6 for shared game drive vehicles — some require children to be 8, 10 or even 12. This is partly for safety and partly for the comfort of other guests. However, if you book a private vehicle — which SAFARI FRANK recommends for all families — most lodges will take children of any age, as the guide can tailor the experience entirely to your family.
Malaria considerations. For families with young children, we strongly recommend starting with a malaria-free safari in South Africa — the Eastern Cape, Madikwe or the Western Cape. These areas offer the full Big Five experience with zero malaria risk. Once children are older, the full range of safari destinations opens up.
Family rooms and interconnecting accommodation. Not all lodges offer rooms where young children can sleep with or immediately adjacent to their parents. SAFARI FRANK will always check this in advance — it matters enormously in practice.
Children’s programmes. The best family lodges offer dedicated junior ranger programmes, bush walks, tracking activities and wildlife education tailored to children. These make an enormous difference to how much children engage with and enjoy the experience.
Safety in Big Five terrain. This is not something to take lightly. Children must understand the rules of the bush — staying in the vehicle, keeping voices down, never leaving the lodge area unaccompanied. SAFARI FRANK will brief you thoroughly on this and will always recommend lodges where the safety protocols are excellent.

SAFARI FRANK recommends:
Start with a malaria-free Big Five reserve in South Africa for families with children under 8. For older children, Botswana, Kenya and Tanzania all offer outstanding family safari experiences. A private vehicle is non-negotiable for families with young children — it transforms the experience.

Activity age guidelines at a glance:

Activity	Minimum Age	Notes
Shared game drive vehicle	6–12 years (varies by lodge)	Private vehicle removes most restrictions
Walking safari	Typically 16 years	Some operators allow 12+ at their discretion
Hot air balloon safari	Typically 7–12 years	Varies by operator; check in advance
Gorilla trekking	15 years (strictly enforced)	Uganda, Rwanda and DRC all enforce this
Chimpanzee trekking	12 years	Uganda and Tanzania
White-water rafting	15 years	Victoria Falls and other locations
Self-drive safari	No restriction	Parental supervision required; extra care in camp at night

Age requirements vary between operators and lodges. SAFARI FRANK will always confirm the specific requirements for every property and activity we book for you.

Explore Family Safaris

💑 Couples and honeymooners

Romantic
Luxury Options

A safari honeymoon is, in our experience, the finest honeymoon on earth. There is something about the African bush — the remoteness, the silence, the extraordinary wildlife, the spectacular sunsets, the intimacy of a private camp — that creates a romantic intensity that no beach resort or city break can match. Many couples tell us their safari honeymoon was the most profound shared experience of their lives. We have lost count of how many honeymoon couples have come back to Africa with their children a decade later.

The best safari honeymoon destinations combine a genuine wilderness experience with the kind of luxury and privacy that makes a honeymoon feel special. Think private plunge pools overlooking the bush, candlelit dinners under the stars, private game drives at your own pace, and the feeling of being completely alone in one of the most beautiful places on earth.

SAFARI FRANK’s top honeymoon destinations:

Botswana’s Okavango Delta — exclusive, remote, extraordinarily romantic. The water-based safari experience is unlike anything else in Africa.
Tanzania — Serengeti and Zanzibar — the classic bush-and-beach combination. Game drives in the Serengeti followed by five nights on a white-sand beach in Zanzibar is one of the world’s great honeymoon itineraries.
Kenya — Masai Mara and the Lamu Archipelago — dramatic wildlife in the Mara combined with the ancient, romantic atmosphere of the Lamu Archipelago.
South Africa — Greater Kruger and the Winelands — an excellent honeymoon for those who want a shorter trip or a lower budget, combining a Big Five safari with Cape Town and the Winelands.

Explore Honeymoon Safaris

🧳 Solo travellers

Safe & Welcoming
Group Options Available

Africa is an outstanding destination for solo travellers. The safari lodge environment is inherently social — guests gather for shared game drives, communal meals and evening drinks around the fire. You will rarely feel alone, and you are very likely to make friends who share your passion for wildlife and wild places. Many of the most enthusiastic safari converts we know first came to Africa on their own.

The main practical consideration for solo travellers is the single supplement — most lodges charge a supplement when a room is occupied by one person rather than two, which can add significantly to the cost. There are ways to manage this:

Group departures and set-departure safaris — SAFARI FRANK offers a range of set-departure safaris where solo travellers join a small group, sharing costs and avoiding the single supplement entirely. These are excellent value and a great way to meet like-minded travellers.
Shoulder and green season travel — some lodges reduce or waive the single supplement during quieter periods.
Self-drive safaris — particularly in South Africa and Namibia, self-drive safaris can be extremely good value for solo travellers, with excellent infrastructure and a wide range of accommodation at every price point.

Solo travel in Africa is generally very safe within the safari environment. Game drives and guided activities are always led by professional guides, camps are secure, and the level of personal attention from lodge staff is exceptional. SAFARI FRANK will always brief solo travellers on the specific safety considerations relevant to their itinerary.

Explore Solo Safaris

🌍 Older travellers and retirees

No Upper Age Limit
Comfort-First Options

There is no upper age limit for a safari. We have organised extraordinary trips for travellers in their 80s and beyond, and the feedback is consistently the same — it was the trip of a lifetime, and they wish they had done it sooner. A safari is, at its core, a deeply comfortable and unhurried experience. You sit in a vehicle. You watch wildlife. You eat well. You sleep in a beautiful lodge. There is nothing about that which requires youth or exceptional fitness.

That said, planning a safari for older travellers does require some additional thought. The key considerations are:

Fly-in versus road transfers. Some safari areas involve long, bumpy road transfers that can be tiring and uncomfortable. For older travellers, we strongly recommend fly-in itineraries wherever possible — small charter aircraft hop between camps in 30 to 90 minutes, eliminating the long drives entirely.
Lodge layout and accessibility. Not all lodges are equal in terms of ease of movement. Some involve steep walkways, steps or long distances between tents and main areas. SAFARI FRANK will always select lodges with layouts appropriate to your mobility level.
Vehicle access. Getting in and out of an open game drive vehicle requires some agility. Many lodges provide steps, handles and platforms to assist, and a private vehicle means the guide can take as much time as needed. For travellers with significant mobility challenges, we can identify lodges with specially adapted vehicles.
Pace and flexibility. A private vehicle and a well-designed itinerary mean that the pace of your safari is entirely your own. If you want to skip the early morning game drive and sleep in, you can. If you want to spend an afternoon at the pool rather than in the bush, that is entirely your choice.
Medical considerations. SAFARI FRANK will always discuss any relevant medical considerations when planning your trip — from malaria prophylaxis to altitude (relevant for gorilla trekking) to the availability of medical facilities near your chosen destinations.

SAFARI FRANK recommends for older travellers:
South Africa is the easiest first safari — excellent medical infrastructure, no long bush transfers required, and some of the most comfortable and accessible lodges in Africa. Botswana fly-in safaris are outstanding for those wanting a more remote experience without the road journeys. Kenya and Tanzania also work very well with fly-in itineraries between camps.

Talk to Us About Your Safari

👴👧 Intergenerational groups

Grandparents & Grandchildren
Once in a Lifetime

One of the most significant and heartwarming trends in safari travel is the rise of the intergenerational safari — grandparents travelling to Africa with their adult children and grandchildren. It is, in our view, one of the most meaningful ways a family can spend time together. The shared experience of watching a lion hunt, tracking elephants on foot or watching the sun set over the Okavango Delta creates bonds and memories that no other holiday comes close to matching.

Intergenerational groups do require careful planning — the needs of a 70-year-old and a 10-year-old are very different, and the itinerary needs to work for everyone. The good news is that the best safari lodges are extraordinarily well set up for exactly this kind of group. Private vehicles, flexible scheduling, family suites and dedicated children’s programmes mean that grandparents can enjoy a leisurely morning game drive while grandchildren are on a junior ranger course — and everyone comes together for lunch with stories to share.

SAFARI FRANK has extensive experience planning intergenerational safaris and genuinely loves doing it. If this is what you are planning, please get in touch — it is one of our favourite types of trip to design.

Plan an Intergenerational Safari

✨ Luxury travellers

Five-Star Experiences
Private & Exclusive

Africa’s luxury safari offering is, without exaggeration, among the finest in the world. The continent’s top lodges and camps combine extraordinary wildlife access with levels of service, cuisine and design that rival the world’s best hotels — and do so in settings that no hotel on earth can replicate. Waking up to the sound of lions, having breakfast on a private deck overlooking a waterhole, or watching the Milky Way from your own plunge pool is an experience that simply cannot be manufactured anywhere else.

But luxury in Africa means something different from luxury in a city. The best luxury safari lodges are not about ostentation — they are about intimacy, exclusivity and access. Private concessions where you are the only vehicle at a sighting. Guides who have spent their entire careers in one area and know every animal by name. Chefs who produce extraordinary food from a bush kitchen. Camps of six tents where every member of staff knows your name and your preferences before you arrive.

SAFARI FRANK has personal relationships with many of Africa’s finest lodges and camps, and we are extremely selective about what we recommend. We will never send you somewhere we have not visited ourselves or thoroughly vetted through trusted contacts. Our luxury recommendations are based on genuine first-hand experience — not on who pays us the highest commission.

Coming soon: SAFARI FRANK’s dedicated Luxury Safari page — a curated guide to the finest lodges, camps and experiences across Africa, with our personal recommendations and honest assessments. In the meantime, get in touch and we will talk you through our current top picks.

Enquire About Luxury Safaris

♿ Travellers with disabilities or mobility challenges

Accessible Options Available
Specialist Planning Required

A safari is genuinely possible for travellers with disabilities or mobility challenges, and the options have improved dramatically in recent years. The African safari industry has begun to take accessibility seriously, and there are now some outstanding options for travellers who need adapted facilities.

The most important thing to understand is that accessibility varies enormously between properties. Some lodges are built on flat ground with wide pathways and step-free access throughout; others involve steep walkways, uneven terrain and significant distances between facilities. Getting in and out of a standard open game drive vehicle requires a reasonable degree of mobility. For those with more significant challenges, adapted vehicles with hydraulic lifts or ramps are available at certain specialist operators.

Key options for travellers with mobility challenges:

Ximuwu Safari Lodge in South Africa’s Klaserie Private Nature Reserve (adjacent to Kruger) is Africa’s only purpose-built, fully wheelchair-accessible luxury safari lodge — the first in Africa to receive a universal access Level 3 rating. It offers adapted game viewing vehicles, roll-in showers, adjustable beds and a full range of accessibility equipment.
MalaMala Game Reserve in the Sabi Sands offers a universally accessible suite with wheel-in shower, ramped entrance and adapted game drive vehicles.
Angama Mara in Kenya’s Masai Mara has generously proportioned public areas and accommodates guests with mobility challenges on game drives with expert assistance.
Private vehicles at any lodge allow the guide to take as much time as needed for boarding and disembarking, and to adjust the pace and duration of drives to suit your needs.
Fly-in itineraries eliminate long road transfers entirely and are strongly recommended for travellers with mobility or stamina limitations.

SAFARI FRANK will always discuss your specific requirements in detail before making any recommendations. Please do not assume that a safari is beyond you — in our experience, the right planning makes it possible for almost everyone.

Discuss Your Requirements With Us

The short answer: a safari is for everyone

Young children: Yes — with the right lodge, a private vehicle and a malaria-free destination for the youngest ones
Teenagers: Absolutely — this is often the age at which a safari makes the deepest impression of all
Couples and honeymooners: Africa is one of the world’s great romantic destinations — the safari honeymoon is hard to beat
Solo travellers: Yes — group departures, social lodge environments and self-drive options make solo safari excellent value and genuinely enjoyable
Older travellers: No upper age limit — fly-in itineraries, comfortable lodges and private vehicles make Africa accessible at any age
Intergenerational groups: One of the most rewarding safari formats of all — Africa brings families together in a way nothing else does
Travellers with disabilities: More options than ever — specialist lodges, adapted vehicles and careful planning make it possible

Not sure which type of safari is right for your group? Get in touch with SAFARI FRANK and we will find the perfect fit.

How do you travel on safari?

There is no single right way to do a safari. The beauty of Africa is that the experience can be tailored almost infinitely — from a self-drive road trip through Namibia in a rented 4×4 to a fly-in luxury mobile camp following the Great Migration across the Serengeti. Understanding the different ways to travel, and the different types of accommodation available, is the key to designing a trip that perfectly matches what you are looking for.

At its most basic, a safari involves two things: how you get around and where you sleep. Get both of those right and everything else falls into place. Get either of them wrong and even the best wildlife destination in the world will feel like a disappointment. This is the area where SAFARI FRANK’s experience and first-hand knowledge make the most difference — we have stayed in, driven through and personally assessed hundreds of lodges, camps and routes across Africa, and we know exactly what works for whom.

Part one: how you get around

🚙 Guided lodge safari

🗺️ Self-drive safari

Adventure & Freedom
Best Value

A self-drive safari means renting a vehicle — almost always a 4×4 — and exploring at your own pace, navigating the park roads yourself, stopping when and where you choose and staying in self-catering accommodation or camps within the park. It is the most independent, most flexible and most affordable way to experience Africa’s wildlife, and in the right destinations it is an outstanding experience.

Self-drive safaris work best in destinations with well-maintained road networks, clear signage and a high density of wildlife that makes self-location relatively straightforward. South Africa’s Kruger National Park is the world’s finest self-drive safari destination — the roads are excellent, the wildlife is abundant, the rest camps are well-run and comfortable, and the experience of navigating independently through one of Africa’s greatest game reserves is genuinely thrilling. Namibia is another outstanding self-drive destination, with good gravel roads connecting extraordinary landscapes and wildlife areas.

Self-drive is not recommended in more remote wilderness areas like the Okavango Delta, Zambia’s South Luangwa or Tanzania’s Serengeti — the terrain is too challenging, the wildlife too dangerous and the navigation too complex for independent travellers without specialist knowledge.

✓ Advantages

Complete freedom and flexibility
Stop as long as you like at any sighting
Significantly lower cost than guided options
Deeply satisfying sense of independence
Excellent for photography — your own pace

⚑ Considerations

You will miss a lot without a guide’s knowledge
Not suitable for remote or dangerous terrain
Requires confidence driving on rough roads
Navigation can be challenging without local knowledge
Not recommended in Big Five areas without experience

SAFARI FRANK recommends for self-drive:
Kruger National Park and surrounds in South Africa, and Namibia end-to-end. Both are outstanding self-drive destinations with good infrastructure, excellent roads and a range of accommodation at every price point. SAFARI FRANK can design a full self-drive itinerary with accommodation booked throughout, so you have the freedom of self-drive with the security of a fully planned trip.

✈️ Fly-in safari

Remote Access
Time-Efficient

Many of Africa’s finest safari destinations are simply not accessible by road — or if they are, the journey takes so long and is so uncomfortable that it negates the experience. A fly-in safari uses small charter aircraft to hop between camps and lodges, turning what would be a day-long road transfer into a 30 to 90 minute scenic flight. Looking down on the Okavango Delta from a light aircraft, watching the channels and islands spread to the horizon, is itself one of the great African experiences.

Fly-in safaris are the standard way to access Botswana’s most remote camps, many of Zambia’s best lodges, parts of Tanzania and Kenya, and some of Zimbabwe’s finest wilderness areas. They are more expensive than road-based options, but the time saved and the access they provide to genuinely remote wilderness more than justifies the cost for most travellers.

A typical fly-in itinerary might combine two or three different camps in different ecosystems — flying from the Okavango Delta to the Linyanti concession to the Makgadikgadi Pans, for example — giving you an extraordinary diversity of landscape and wildlife in a single trip. This is the SAFARI FRANK model for most of our Botswana and Zambia itineraries.

✓ Advantages

Access to the most remote and exclusive camps
Eliminates long, tiring road transfers
Cover multiple ecosystems in one trip
The flights themselves are a highlight
Ideal for older travellers and those with limited time

⚑ Considerations

Significantly higher cost than road transfers
Strict luggage limits on small aircraft (typically 15–20kg soft bag only)
Flights can be affected by weather
Not suitable for those uncomfortable in small aircraft

Important note on luggage: Small charter aircraft have strict weight limits — typically 15kg of soft-sided luggage per person, plus a small day bag. Hard-shell suitcases cannot be accommodated. SAFARI FRANK will always brief you on packing requirements well in advance of travel.

⛺ Mobile safari

Most Authentic
SAFARI FRANK Favourite

A mobile safari is, in SAFARI FRANK’s view, one of the greatest travel experiences available anywhere in the world. Rather than staying in a fixed lodge, a mobile safari involves a small, fully-equipped tented camp that moves with you — set up in a new location every few days, positioned in the heart of the wilderness wherever the wildlife is most active. You sleep under canvas, eat around a campfire and fall asleep to the sounds of the African night with nothing between you and the bush but a canvas wall.

Modern mobile safaris range from the genuinely rustic — bucket showers, basic camp beds, cooking over an open fire — to the extraordinarily luxurious, with proper beds, en suite bathrooms, solar power, gourmet food and every comfort imaginable. The key distinction from a fixed lodge is not comfort level but immersion — a mobile camp places you in the wilderness in a way that no permanent structure can replicate.

Mobile safaris are particularly outstanding in Botswana, where they allow access to remote areas of the Okavango Delta and Kalahari that fixed lodges simply cannot reach. They are also excellent in Zambia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. For families with older children, adventurous couples and anyone who wants to feel genuinely immersed in Africa rather than merely visiting it, a mobile safari is our strongest recommendation.

✓ Advantages

The most immersive, authentic safari experience
Access to remote areas no fixed lodge can reach
Can follow wildlife movements and seasonal patterns
Smaller groups and more intimate than most lodges
Often better value than equivalent fixed lodges
Extraordinary sense of being truly in the wild

⚑ Considerations

Less predictable comfort level than a fixed lodge
Not ideal for travellers who need consistent facilities
Requires a degree of flexibility and adventurousness
Some areas only accessible by mobile camp in wet season

🚌 Overland safari

Budget-Friendly
Group Travel

An overland safari involves travelling through multiple countries in a purpose-built overland truck — a large, robust vehicle designed for Africa’s rough roads, typically carrying between 12 and 24 passengers. Overland tours are the most affordable way to see large parts of Africa, and the social experience of travelling with a group of like-minded adventurers can be genuinely wonderful. Classic overland routes include Cape Town to Nairobi, Nairobi to Victoria Falls, and various circuits through Southern Africa.

Overland safaris are best suited to younger, more adventurous travellers who are comfortable with a degree of uncertainty, who enjoy group dynamics and who prioritise covering a lot of ground over depth of experience in any one place. The trade-off is real — you will see more countries but spend less time in each, and the wildlife experience is generally less intense than a dedicated guided lodge safari. That said, many travellers have their first and most formative African experience on an overland truck, and return years later for the more focused lodge-based safari.

✓ Advantages

Most affordable way to see multiple countries
Great social experience and group dynamics
Cover enormous distances and diverse landscapes
Excellent for solo travellers on a budget

⚑ Considerations

Less wildlife-focused than lodge or mobile safaris
Group schedules mean less flexibility
Comfort level lower than lodge-based options
Variable group dynamics can affect experience

Part two: where you sleep

The type of accommodation you choose shapes the entire character of your safari as much as the destination itself. Here is an honest guide to the main options.

🏠 Permanent lodge

Most Comfortable
Consistent Quality

A permanent safari lodge is a fixed, brick-and-mortar structure — or in many cases, beautifully designed open-plan buildings using natural materials that blend into the landscape. Lodges range from comfortable mid-range properties with en suite rooms, swimming pools and good food to extraordinary five-star establishments with private plunge pools, spa facilities, fine dining and butler service.

The key advantage of a permanent lodge is consistency and comfort — you know exactly what you are getting, the facilities are reliable and the level of service is predictable. For first-time safari travellers, older travellers or anyone who values a reliable standard of comfort, a permanent lodge is usually the right choice. The best lodges in Africa are among the finest places to stay anywhere in the world.

Lodges are typically positioned to overlook a waterhole, river or other feature that attracts wildlife — meaning that some of your best sightings may happen without leaving the lodge at all. Watching elephants drink at a floodlit waterhole from the comfort of your room at midnight is an experience that no amount of game driving can replicate.

⛺ Permanent tented camp

Authentic Feel
Often Luxury

Africa’s permanent tented camps are one of the great misunderstood categories of accommodation. The word “tent” conjures images of sleeping bags and thin foam mats — but a luxury African tented camp is something else entirely. Think king-size beds with crisp white linen, en suite bathrooms with outdoor showers, private decks overlooking the bush, and candlelit dinners under the stars. The tent is canvas — but everything inside it is exceptional.

The advantage of a tented camp over a permanent lodge is one of atmosphere and immersion. You hear everything — the hippos in the river at night, the lions calling in the distance, the hyenas laughing in the dark. The canvas walls between you and the African night create an intimacy with the wilderness that a brick building simply cannot match. Many experienced safari travellers actively prefer tented camps to lodges for exactly this reason.

Most tented camps are small — typically six to twelve tents — which means a more intimate, personal experience with a higher ratio of staff to guests. The quality of guiding at small tented camps is often exceptional.

🌿 Remote bush camp

Most Remote
For the Adventurous

At the far end of the comfort spectrum from a five-star lodge sits the remote bush camp — a small, simple, often rustic camp in a genuinely wild location that no larger or more comfortable property could occupy. Bush camps typically have four to six rooms or tents, bucket showers, solar lighting and food cooked over a wood fire. They are not for everyone — but for those who want to feel truly alone in the African wilderness, with some of the continent’s finest guides and the most intimate wildlife experiences available, they are incomparable.

The best bush camps in Africa — many of them in Zambia, Zimbabwe and the more remote parts of Botswana — are run by extraordinary individuals who have spent their entire careers in one area. The guiding quality is frequently the best you will find anywhere. The experience of sitting around a campfire in complete darkness, miles from the nearest road, listening to the sounds of the African night, is one that changes people permanently.

SAFARI FRANK has personal relationships with many of Africa’s finest bush camps and can recommend the right level of rusticity for your comfort threshold.

Part three: the activities

The game drive is the foundation of any safari — but it is far from the only way to experience Africa’s wildlife. The best safari itineraries combine several different activity types, each offering a completely different perspective on the same landscape.

🚙 Game drive

The classic safari activity. An open 4×4 vehicle with a professional guide, typically departing before dawn and again in the late afternoon when wildlife is most active. The open sides allow 360-degree viewing and photography. Nothing else comes close for sheer volume of wildlife sightings.

🥾 Walking safari

The most immersive safari experience available. On foot with an armed professional guide, you engage with the bush at a completely different level — tracking animals, reading signs, understanding the ecosystem from the ground up. Minimum age typically 16. Available in Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and parts of Tanzania and Kenya.

🛶 Mokoro and canoe safari

Gliding silently through the channels of the Okavango Delta in a traditional dugout canoe, or paddling the Zambezi River past hippos and crocodiles. One of Africa’s most magical and distinctive experiences. The silence of a mokoro allows you to approach wildlife that a motor vehicle would disturb.

🎈 Hot air balloon safari

Drifting above the Serengeti or Masai Mara at sunrise, watching the landscape unfold in golden light below. One of Africa’s great bucket-list experiences. Most flights last around an hour and are followed by a champagne breakfast in the bush. Available in Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa and Botswana.

🐴 Horse riding safari

Approaching wildlife on horseback — which, remarkably, does not alarm most animals — gives you an entirely different perspective and level of access. Outstanding horse riding safaris are available in Botswana, Zimbabwe, Kenya and South Africa. One of the most extraordinary ways to experience the African bush.

🚤 Boat safari

Game viewing from a motorboat along the rivers and channels of the Chobe, Zambezi, Rufiji or Okavango. Excellent for birdwatching, hippos and crocodiles, and for a completely different angle on the landscape. Often combined with game drives as part of a lodge’s daily programme.

🌙 Night drive

The African bush at night is a completely different world. Night drives with a spotlight reveal nocturnal species — civets, genets, honey badgers, aardvarks, bush babies — that are almost never seen during the day. Available at most private game reserves; not permitted in many national parks.

🦍 Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking

Not a game drive but an entirely different category of wildlife experience — trekking through dense forest on foot to spend an hour with a habituated gorilla or chimpanzee family. Available in Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania. Minimum age 15 for gorilla trekking, 12 for chimpanzee trekking. One of the most profound wildlife experiences on earth.

Which travel style is right for you? SAFARI FRANK’s quick guide

First-time safari, maximum wildlife: Guided lodge safari with a private vehicle — the best possible introduction to Africa
Most authentic and immersive experience: Mobile safari — our personal favourite and the one we recommend most passionately
Adventure and independence on a budget: Self-drive in South Africa or Namibia — outstanding value with excellent infrastructure
Remote wilderness, multiple ecosystems: Fly-in safari between two or three camps — the ideal format for Botswana or Zambia
Luxury and comfort without compromise: Permanent lodge or luxury tented camp — Africa’s finest properties rival the world’s best hotels
Something completely different: Walking safari in Zambia or Zimbabwe, horse riding in Botswana, mokoro in the Okavango, balloon over the Serengeti — Africa offers activities that exist nowhere else on earth
Young adventurous travellers on a tight budget: Overland truck safari — the best way to cover maximum ground at minimum cost

Not sure which combination is right for your trip? Talk to SAFARI FRANK and we will design the perfect itinerary for you.

How much does a safari cost?

A safari is not a cheap holiday — and it is worth being honest about that from the start. The cost of operating high-quality camps in remote wilderness areas, with expert guides, excellent food and genuine conservation commitments, is substantial. But it is also one of the most extraordinary investments you will ever make in a travel experience. The question is not whether a safari is expensive — it is whether you are getting the right experience for what you spend.

The safari market spans an enormous range — from self-drive camping trips at a few hundred dollars per person per day to ultra-exclusive private camps where a single night costs more than most people’s monthly salary. Between those extremes lies a huge range of genuinely excellent options, and navigating that range to find the right fit for your budget is exactly what SAFARI FRANK does.

One of the most common mistakes first-time safari travellers make is assuming that more expensive automatically means better. It does not. Some of the most memorable safari experiences we have ever had were in simple, rustic bush camps run by extraordinary guides — not in five-star lodges with copper bathtubs. The quality of your guide, the authenticity of the wilderness and the intimacy of the experience matter far more than the thread count of your sheets.

The five broad cost tiers

These are indicative costs per person per night, fully inclusive unless noted. Actual costs vary by destination, season, group size and specific property. Think of these as starting points for a conversation, not fixed prices.

Self-Drive & Camping
From ~USD 250 per person per night
Excludes food, drinks and fuel

The most affordable way to safari. A fully equipped, insured 4×4 with unlimited kilometres, camping fees and conservation fees. As an example, two people travelling to Botswana in this way can expect costs of around USD 250 per person per day — a remarkable way to experience one of Africa’s finest wilderness destinations at a fraction of lodge prices.

This option suits adventurous, independent travellers who are comfortable with a degree of self-sufficiency. The trade-off is that without a professional guide, you will miss a great deal of what the bush has to offer. SAFARI FRANK can design and fully book a self-drive itinerary for you, so you have the freedom of independence with the security of expert planning behind you.

Best for: Adventurous travellers · South Africa and Namibia self-drive · Those with previous safari experience · Budget-conscious explorers

Quality Guided Safari
From ~USD 450 per person per night
Fully inclusive excluding airport transfers and drinks

Excellent guided safaris are available at this level — including some of our favourite properties in South Africa’s private reserves bordering Kruger, such as Timbavati and Klaserie. At this price point you get a professional guide, a proper game drive vehicle, good food, comfortable accommodation and genuinely excellent wildlife experiences. This is the entry point to the guided safari world and it is a very good entry point indeed.

Best for: First-time safari travellers · South Africa · Families · Those wanting a quality guided experience at a reasonable price

⭐ SAFARI FRANK’s favourite
Mobile Safari
From ~USD 580 per person per night
Fully inclusive including drinks

This is where SAFARI FRANK’s heart lies. A fully serviced mobile safari in Botswana at this price point delivers an experience that, in our view, surpasses lodges costing three times as much. You are in the thick of the African wilderness, moving with the wildlife, guided by some of the finest bush guides on the continent, eating extraordinarily well around a campfire, sleeping under canvas with the sounds of Africa all around you — and leaving the smallest possible ecological footprint.

This is authentic Africa. This is what a safari is supposed to feel like. If you are torn between options and budget is a consideration, this is the one we will always advocate for most passionately.

Best for: Those wanting the most authentic experience · Botswana and Zambia · Couples · Small groups · Anyone who wants to feel truly immersed in the wilderness

High-End Lodge
From ~USD 850 per person per night
Fully inclusive

At this level you are staying in some of Africa’s finest permanent lodges — properties with private plunge pools, exceptional food, outstanding guiding and the kind of service that makes you feel genuinely looked after. Big Five sightings are highly likely, night drives and off-road driving are typically permitted, and the overall experience is polished and memorable. This tier covers some of the best-known and most celebrated lodges in the Greater Kruger area, the Okavango Delta and the Masai Mara.

Best for: Those who want consistent luxury alongside excellent wildlife · Special occasions · Honeymooners · Travellers who value comfort highly

Luxury & Ultra-Luxury
USD 1,000 – USD 2,500+ per person per night
Fully inclusive — no compromise

Africa’s ultra-luxury lodges are among the finest places to stay anywhere on earth. At the top of this range, no detail is overlooked — private chefs, sommelier-curated wine lists, helicopter transfers, private concessions where you are the only guests, and levels of personalisation that make every moment feel designed specifically for you. For those to whom cost is not a primary consideration, the best of Africa’s luxury properties offer an experience that is genuinely without parallel anywhere in the world.

SAFARI FRANK is selective about luxury recommendations. We will only suggest properties we have personally visited or thoroughly vetted — and we will always tell you honestly whether the price premium is justified by the experience.

Best for: Luxury travellers · Those wanting the absolute best · Special milestone trips · Ultra-exclusive experiences

All costs are indicative only and vary by destination, season, group size and specific property. Costs quoted are per person per night and exclude international flights. Contact SAFARI FRANK for a personalised quote.

A few honest things worth knowing about safari costs

More expensive does not mean better wildlife. A USD 600 mobile safari in Botswana will frequently deliver more extraordinary wildlife experiences than a USD 2,000 luxury lodge in the same area. The quality of your guide and the remoteness of your location matter far more than the quality of the furniture.
The shoulder season saves significant money. Travelling in March or September rather than July or August can reduce costs by 20–40% at many properties, with no meaningful reduction in wildlife quality.
Group size matters. Many costs — vehicle hire, accommodation supplements, transfers — are per vehicle or per room rather than per person. A group of four travelling together will almost always pay significantly less per person than a couple.
Book well in advance. The best camps at the best times of year sell out 12 to 18 months ahead. Last-minute availability at premium properties is rare and expensive. Early booking also gives you access to any early-bird promotions that operators run.
SAFARI FRANK’s rates are guaranteed. Because of our long-standing relationships with operators across Africa, we guarantee that you will not find the same safari cheaper elsewhere — even if you tried to book it all yourself. Our expertise and planning come at no extra cost to you.

Want the full picture on safari costs?

Our dedicated cost guide breaks down everything in detail — by destination, by travel style, by season and by group size. It is the most comprehensive and honest guide to safari pricing you will find anywhere.

Read the Full Safari Cost Guide
Get a Personalised Quote

What should I pack for a safari?

Packing for a safari is simpler than most people expect — and the most common mistake is bringing too much, not too little. Africa rewards light, practical travellers. Most lodges offer a laundry service. Most camps provide essentials like mosquito repellent and sunscreen. And if you are taking any light aircraft transfers, your luggage weight and size will be strictly limited. Pack less than you think you need. You will not regret it.

The golden rule: neutral colours only

This is the single most important packing rule for safari and the one most first-timers get wrong. Bright colours, white, black and bold patterns make you conspicuous in the bush — to wildlife and to other travellers. The goal is to blend into the landscape. Stick to the colours of the African bush:

Khaki
Olive green
Sand / beige
Brown / tan
Muted grey

⚠️ Important — avoid camouflage:
Camouflage clothing is illegal for civilians in several African countries including Zimbabwe and Uganda. It is reserved strictly for military and police. Do not bring it regardless of destination — the risk is not worth it.

Dress in layers — mornings are cold

One of the most consistent surprises for first-time safari travellers is how cold the early morning game drives can be — even in summer. The open sides of a game drive vehicle at speed before dawn in the Okavango Delta or the Kruger in June can be genuinely freezing. By mid-morning the same day it will be 30°C. You need to be able to add and remove layers quickly and easily throughout the day.

A lightweight base, a long-sleeved mid-layer and a fleece or windbreaker will cover almost every condition you will encounter. Cotton and linen breathe well in the heat and dry quickly in the sun. Leave the heavy wool and synthetic fabrics at home.

What to bring — and what to leave behind

✓ Do bring

Neutral-coloured clothing (khaki, olive, sand, brown)
Light long-sleeved shirts — sun and insect protection
Fleece or light jacket for cold mornings
Windbreaker — useful year-round
Comfortable walking shoes or boots
Sandals or flip-flops for camp
Wide-brimmed hat — the African sun is intense
Sunglasses — polarised lenses ideal
Scarf, buff or bandana — dust on game drives
Smart-casual outfit for evenings at lodge
Swimwear — most lodges have a pool
Binoculars — genuinely transformative on safari
Camera with spare memory cards and batteries
Power bank — vehicles often have no charging points
Universal travel adaptor
Small torch or headlamp
Reusable water bottle
Prescription medication — enough for the full trip plus extra
Basic first aid essentials — plasters, antihistamine, rehydration sachets
Soft-sided luggage bag (see luggage note below)

✗ Leave at home

Bright colours, white or black clothing
Camouflage — illegal in some countries
Hard-shell suitcases — cannot go on light aircraft
Heavy perfume or strongly scented products
Hair dryer — lodges provide them or the sun does the job
Pocket knife — your guide carries everything needed
Expensive jewellery — no place for it in the bush
Single-use plastic bags — banned in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and others
Drones — restricted or prohibited at most camps and parks
Large quantities of mosquito repellent — most lodges provide it
Specialised outdoor clothing you have bought new just for this trip — what you already own is almost certainly fine
Anything you have not worn in the last year

⚠️ The luggage rule that catches everyone out

If your itinerary includes any light aircraft transfers — which it will if you are visiting Botswana, parts of Zambia, Tanzania or Kenya — your luggage must meet strict requirements. This is non-negotiable and enforced at the airstrip.

Soft-sided bags only — no hard-shell suitcases, no rigid frames, no wheeled cases with internal frames. Bags must be squashable to fit in the luggage pod of a small aircraft.
Weight limit: 15kg in East Africa, 20kg in Southern Africa — including your carry-on camera bag. Every gram counts.
Size: A standard 65–75 litre soft duffel or kit bag works perfectly. Your camera bag or day pack sits on your lap or under the seat in front.

SAFARI FRANK will always brief you on the specific luggage requirements for your itinerary well in advance of travel. If in doubt, pack light and pack soft. You will almost certainly not need everything you think you do.

A note on buying new kit

You do not need to go out and buy a wardrobe of specialist safari clothing before your trip. The clothes you already own are almost certainly suitable — as long as they are in neutral colours and you have a warm layer for the mornings. SAFARI FRANK actively encourages guests to avoid unnecessary purchases and to choose clothes that will be worn long after the safari ends. Sustainability matters to us, and it starts with not buying things you do not need.

If you do want to invest in one item before your trip, make it a good pair of binoculars. Nothing else will add as much to the quality of your wildlife viewing — and unlike a new safari jacket, you will use them every single day.

Health and safety on safari

A safari is an extremely safe holiday when planned and prepared for properly. The vast majority of health considerations are well understood, predictable and entirely manageable with the right preparation. The key is starting that preparation early — ideally at least six to eight weeks before your departure date — so that you have time to get the right advice and act on it without rushing.

Africa is a vast continent and health requirements vary considerably depending on where you are going, at what time of year, what activities you are undertaking and your personal health circumstances. What follows is a general orientation only. It is not medical advice, and it should not be treated as such.

Important disclaimer
The health information on this page is provided for general awareness only. SAFARI FRANK is a safari operator, not a medical authority. Every traveller’s health circumstances are different, and requirements change regularly. You must consult a qualified travel health professional or your own doctor before travelling to Africa. Please do this well in advance of your departure — ideally six to eight weeks before you travel.

Vaccinations and health preparation

Most countries in Africa require or strongly recommend certain vaccinations for entry, and your specific requirements will depend on which countries you are visiting, in what order, and what your personal vaccination history looks like. Some vaccinations require multiple doses over several weeks and cannot be rushed. This is why early consultation with a travel health clinic is so important.

As a very general starting point, travellers to African safari destinations are commonly advised to ensure their routine vaccinations are up to date and to discuss destination-specific requirements — which may include protection against diseases such as yellow fever, hepatitis, typhoid and others — with their healthcare provider. Yellow fever in particular is a legal entry requirement for several African countries, and proof of vaccination in the form of an official certificate may be checked at borders and airports.

Malaria is present in many — though not all — safari destinations in Africa, and your doctor will advise on appropriate preventative measures for your specific itinerary. There are malaria-free safari destinations available, including several outstanding Big Five reserves in South Africa, which may be particularly relevant for families with young children or those for whom antimalarial medication is not suitable. Speak to SAFARI FRANK if this is a consideration — we can design a superb safari that works around it entirely.

Please seek professional medical advice
The above is a general overview only. Vaccination requirements, health risks and recommended precautions change frequently and vary by nationality, destination, season and individual health circumstances. Do not make any health decisions based on this page. Consult a qualified travel health clinic or your own doctor — ideally at least six to eight weeks before your departure date.

A practical note on timing:
Some vaccines take time to become effective after administration, and some require a course of doses over several weeks. If you leave your travel health appointment too late, you may not be fully protected in time — or may not be able to complete a required course before departure. Book your travel clinic appointment as soon as your safari dates are confirmed.

General health and wellbeing in the bush

Sun and hydration

The African sun is considerably more intense than most travellers are used to, even those from warm climates. High-factor sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat and consistent hydration throughout the day are essential. Dehydration is one of the most common issues affecting first-time safari travellers and is entirely avoidable. Your lodge will always provide safe drinking water — use it.

Food and water

At established safari lodges and camps, food and water safety is generally of a high standard. Outside of lodges — at roadside stops, in towns or when self-driving — exercise the same common sense you would in any unfamiliar destination: opt for cooked food served hot, fruit you can peel yourself and bottled water. Traveller’s diarrhoea is the most common complaint among visitors to Africa and is best managed by being prepared with appropriate medication in your kit.

Prescription medication

Bring a sufficient supply of any prescription medication for your full trip duration, plus a meaningful buffer in case of travel delays. Carry medication in your hand luggage rather than checked baggage. Remote safari areas have extremely limited pharmacy access — do not rely on sourcing medication locally. Bring a copy of your prescription and a letter from your doctor for any medication that may raise questions at customs.

Passports, visas and documents

Passport validity: Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your intended return date. Many African countries enforce this strictly and will refuse entry if the requirement is not met. Check your expiry date well before booking.

Blank pages: Most African countries require a minimum of two consecutive blank pages per country visited for entry and exit stamps. A passport with insufficient blank pages will cause problems at immigration — check this in advance.

Visas: Requirements vary significantly by nationality and destination. Some countries offer e-visa or visa-on-arrival facilities; others require advance applications. Requirements change regularly. Always verify the current requirements for your specific passport and itinerary directly with the relevant embassy or a qualified immigration adviser well before departure. SAFARI FRANK will flag the visa requirements for every country in your itinerary at the time of booking.

Yellow fever certificate: If your itinerary includes countries where yellow fever vaccination is required, you will need to carry your official International Certificate of Vaccination at all times. This may be checked at borders, airports and when crossing between countries. Again — confirm the specific requirements for your itinerary with a travel health professional.

Safety in the bush

Africa’s wildlife is genuinely wild — which is, of course, the entire point. Serious incidents involving safari guests are extremely rare, and the overwhelming majority of those that do occur involve someone disregarding their guide’s instructions. The rules below are not suggestions. They exist because the bush is a genuinely wild environment and because your guide’s experience and judgement are your most important safety asset.

The rules of the bush

Always follow your guide’s instructions immediately and without question. Your guide reads animal behaviour for a living. When they say stop, be quiet or get back in the vehicle, they mean it — immediately.
Never stand up in or lean out of a game drive vehicle. Animals accept the vehicle as a neutral presence. The moment a human silhouette appears above the roofline, that changes. Stay seated.
Never leave the vehicle unless your guide has explicitly confirmed it is safe. Even in apparently quiet areas, the situation can change in seconds.
Never walk alone, and never walk in camp after dark without a guide or escort. In unfenced wilderness camps, large animals move through camp regularly. Always use a torch and always be accompanied by a staff member when moving around camp at night.
Do not run. Running triggers a chase response in predators. If you encounter wildlife on foot, stay calm, stay still and follow your guide’s lead.
Keep noise to a minimum on game drives. Sudden loud noises disturb wildlife and ruin sightings — for you and for everyone else in the vehicle.
Do not feed or approach any wildlife. This includes baboons, vervet monkeys and other animals that may appear harmless. They are not. Never leave food unattended in or around camp.
Respect the camp perimeter. In remote wilderness areas, elephants, hippos, lions and other large animals move through camp. Stay inside your accommodation unless accompanied by staff.

Your guide will conduct a full safety briefing at the start of your safari. Listen carefully, ask questions if anything is unclear, and follow the rules throughout your trip. It is that straightforward — and that important.

Everything you need to know about going on safari

There is no bad time to go on safari in Africa — every month offers something special somewhere on the continent. That said, the dry season (roughly May to October in Southern Africa, June to October in East Africa) offers the most reliable game viewing as wildlife concentrates around water sources. SAFARI FRANK’s top recommendation for most travellers is the shoulder season — September in Southern Africa and November in East Africa — where you get excellent game viewing, far fewer crowds and significantly lower prices than peak season. If the Great Migration river crossings are your priority, you will need to be in Kenya or Tanzania between July and October.

Safari costs vary enormously depending on the destination, travel style, time of year and level of accommodation. As a very general guide, expect to budget from around USD 450 per person per night for a quality guided lodge safari, through to USD 580 and above for a fully serviced mobile safari, and USD 850 and above for high-end lodge experiences. Ultra-luxury properties start from around USD 1,000 per person per night. Self-drive options are available from around USD 250 per person per day. SAFARI FRANK offers a full, transparent cost breakdown on our dedicated cost page, and we will always design a trip that works within your specific budget.

We recommend booking at least 12 months in advance, particularly for peak season travel between July and August, and for any itinerary involving gorilla trekking permits or highly sought-after camps. The best lodges in the best locations sell out well in advance. Booking early also gives you more time to plan, more availability to choose from and access to any early-booking promotions. That said, SAFARI FRANK can often put together excellent last-minute trips — get in touch and we will see what is possible.

Yes — a safari holiday in Africa is extremely safe when planned and prepared for properly. The safari industry operates within a well-established framework of professional guides, secure camps and clearly defined safety protocols. Serious incidents involving safari guests are very rare and almost always involve someone ignoring their guide’s instructions. SAFARI FRANK will always brief you thoroughly on the specific safety considerations relevant to your itinerary, and every guide we work with is a qualified professional with extensive experience in their area.

Vaccination requirements vary by destination, nationality and individual health circumstances, and change regularly. We strongly recommend consulting a qualified travel health clinic or your own doctor at least six to eight weeks before your departure date. Do not rely on general online information for medical decisions — get personalised advice based on your specific itinerary and health history.

Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease present in many — though not all — safari destinations in Africa. It is preventable with the right precautions, which typically include antimalarial medication, insect repellent and covering up at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active. Your travel health clinic will advise on the appropriate preventative measures for your specific itinerary. If malaria medication is a concern, there are excellent malaria-free safari destinations available — including several outstanding Big Five reserves in South Africa. Speak to SAFARI FRANK and we can design your trip around this.

Pack light, pack neutral and pack layers. The most important clothing rule is to stick to neutral colours — khaki, olive, sand and brown. Avoid bright colours, white, black and camouflage. Mornings on game drives can be surprisingly cold even in summer, so a fleece or windbreaker is essential regardless of when you travel. If your itinerary includes light aircraft transfers, your luggage must be soft-sided and within strict weight limits — typically 15kg in East Africa and 20kg in Southern Africa. SAFARI FRANK sends every confirmed guest a full personalised packing list. See our detailed packing guides on the blog for more.

A lodge is a permanent structure — typically brick, stone or timber — offering consistent, reliable comfort with predictable facilities. A tented camp uses canvas accommodation, ranging from simple bush camps to extraordinarily luxurious setups with proper beds, en suite bathrooms and private decks. The key difference is atmosphere rather than comfort level — a tented camp places you much closer to the sounds and rhythms of the African night in a way that a permanent building cannot replicate. Many experienced safari travellers actively prefer tented camps for exactly this reason.

A mobile safari involves a fully equipped tented camp that moves with you — set up in a new location every few days, positioned wherever the wildlife is most active. Rather than being based in one fixed lodge, you travel through different areas of wilderness with your own guide and camp crew. It is the most immersive way to experience Africa, and SAFARI FRANK’s personal favourite safari format. Modern mobile safaris range from rustic camping to fully serviced luxury setups with comfortable beds, hot showers and exceptional food.

Yes — with the right planning, a safari can be a wonderful experience for children of all ages. The main considerations are minimum age requirements at lodges (many require children to be at least 6 for shared game drive vehicles, though a private vehicle removes most restrictions), malaria risk (for very young children, starting with a malaria-free destination in South Africa is strongly recommended) and the availability of family rooms and children’s programmes. SAFARI FRANK has extensive experience planning family safaris and will always match you with the most appropriate properties for your children’s ages.

Absolutely — there is no upper age limit for a safari. A game drive involves sitting comfortably in a vehicle watching extraordinary wildlife. With the right planning — fly-in transfers to avoid long road journeys, lodges with accessible layouts, private vehicles for flexibility — a safari is entirely achievable and deeply rewarding at any age. SAFARI FRANK has organised exceptional trips for travellers in their 80s and beyond. Let us know your specific requirements and we will design accordingly.

Gorilla trekking involves hiking through dense forest on foot to spend one hour with a habituated family of endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. It is one of the most profound wildlife experiences available anywhere on earth. It is available in Uganda (Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga), Rwanda (Volcanoes National Park) and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The minimum age is strictly 15 years in all three countries. Permits must be booked well in advance as numbers are strictly limited — Rwanda in particular sells out many months ahead. SAFARI FRANK handles all permit bookings as part of your itinerary.

The Great Migration is the largest movement of land mammals on earth — approximately two million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle moving in a continuous clockwise circuit through the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem between Tanzania and Kenya. It is a year-round event with different chapters unfolding in different locations throughout the year. The most famous chapter — the Mara River crossings, where wildebeest plunge into crocodile-filled water in scenes of extraordinary drama — takes place between July and October. The calving season in the southern Serengeti between January and March is equally spectacular and far less crowded.

The Big Five refers to lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhinoceros — the five animals historically considered the most challenging and dangerous to hunt on foot. The term has long since been adopted by the safari industry to describe the five most sought-after species for wildlife viewing. Seeing all five in a single safari is entirely possible in many of Africa’s top destinations, including the Greater Kruger area in South Africa, the Masai Mara in Kenya and the Okavango Delta in Botswana.

Visa requirements vary significantly depending on your nationality and which countries you are visiting. Some countries offer e-visa or visa-on-arrival facilities; others require advance applications through embassies. Requirements change regularly. SAFARI FRANK will flag the specific visa requirements for every country in your itinerary at the time of booking, but you should always verify the current requirements directly with the relevant embassy or a qualified immigration adviser well before your departure date.

US dollars are the most universally useful currency to carry in Africa and are widely accepted at lodges, camps and for gratuities across most safari destinations. Euros and British pounds are also useful in many areas. Local currency is generally only needed for incidental purchases in towns and cities. Most lodges operate on a fully inclusive basis so day-to-day spending during the safari itself is minimal. SAFARI FRANK will advise on the specific currency situation for your destination countries when confirming your itinerary.

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First Time on Safari: What to Expect, Where to Go and How to Plan

"A safari is a lifelong ambition for many, the trip of a lifetime for some, and for a lucky few, a life-changing dream come true"

Planning your first safari with Safari Frank

What does this guide cover?

Where should I go on safari for the first time?

Southern Africa

South Africa

Botswana

Namibia

Zambia

Zimbabwe

East Africa

Kenya

Tanzania

Uganda

Rwanda

At a glance: comparing Africa’s top safari destinations

How long do you have? SAFARI FRANK’s recommended first-safari itineraries

When is the best time to go on safari in Africa?

The two seasons that matter most

☀️ The Dry Season (Peak)

🌿 The Shoulder Season

🌧️ The Green Season

🌦️ The Long Rains

Month-by-month guide

Special wildlife events worth planning around

The Great Wildebeest Migration — Kenya & Tanzania

The Kasanka Bat Migration — Zambia

The Zebra Migration — Botswana

Serengeti Calving Season — Tanzania

When should I go? SAFARI FRANK’s quick guide by traveller type

Who can go on safari?

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families with children

💑 Couples and honeymooners

🧳 Solo travellers

🌍 Older travellers and retirees

👴👧 Intergenerational groups

✨ Luxury travellers

♿ Travellers with disabilities or mobility challenges

The short answer: a safari is for everyone

How do you travel on safari?

Part one: how you get around

🚙 Guided lodge safari

🗺️ Self-drive safari

✈️ Fly-in safari

⛺ Mobile safari

🚌 Overland safari

Part two: where you sleep

🏠 Permanent lodge

⛺ Permanent tented camp

🌿 Remote bush camp

Part three: the activities

🚙 Game drive

🥾 Walking safari

🛶 Mokoro and canoe safari

🎈 Hot air balloon safari

🐴 Horse riding safari

🚤 Boat safari

🌙 Night drive

🦍 Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking

Which travel style is right for you? SAFARI FRANK’s quick guide

How much does a safari cost?

The five broad cost tiers

A few honest things worth knowing about safari costs

Want the full picture on safari costs?

What should I pack for a safari?

The golden rule: neutral colours only

Dress in layers — mornings are cold

What to bring — and what to leave behind

✓ Do bring

✗ Leave at home

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