How To Plan Your Safari

 How to Decide Where to Go on Safari

Choosing where to go on safari depends on what you want to experience most — wildlife, landscapes, comfort, or adventure. Africa offers everything from classic Big Five game drives to remote desert wilderness. Here’s how to make your decision step by step:

Define Your Safari Style

  • Classic safari: Kenya or Tanzania for the Great Migration and wide open savannahs.
  • Luxury lodges & easy logistics: South Africa or Namibia — excellent roads, malaria-free zones, and stylish lodges.
  • Off-the-beaten-path: Zambia, Zimbabwe or Congo for walking safaris, canoe trips, or forest gorilla tracking.
  • ⁠Combination trips: Combine beach and bush — e.g. Tanzania & Zanzibar, or South Africa & Mozambique.

Decide When You Want to Travel

Timing makes a big difference:
  • Dry season (June–October) → Best for wildlife viewing across most of Southern and East Africa.
  • Green season (November–March) → Lush landscapes, fewer crowds, and good prices — perfect for photography and birding.
  • Migration months (July–September) → Wildebeest migration in Kenya and Tanzania; must be booked well in advance.

Set Your Budget and Comfort Level

  • Luxury (from €1200–€3,000 per person per day): Exclusive lodges, private vehicles, gourmet meals.
  • Mid-range (€400–€800): Comfortable lodges and guided tours.
  • Adventurous (under €400): Tented camps or mobile safaris — closer to nature, fewer frills.

Consider How Far You Want to Travel

  • From the Netherlands or Europe, Southern Africa (South Africa, Namibia, Botswana) is easy to reach with direct flights to Johannesburg or Windhoek.
  • East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) requires one stop but offers iconic experiences like gorilla trekking or the Serengeti.

Think About What You Want to See

  • Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino) South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya
  • Wildebeest migration Serengeti (Tanzania), Maasai Mara (Kenya)
  • Gorillas & primates Uganda, Rwanda, Congo
  • Desert & dunes Namibia
  • Water safaris Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Check Climate & Health Requirements

Review visa needs, malaria risk zones, and vaccinations.
  • Check the expiry date of your passport (it needs to be valid for 6 months after travelling)
  • Each passport needs to contain 2 blank pages