Travel info
Planning your safari, properly
A safari needs time, research and an honest budget. With the right partner, the dream comes together far more easily than you think.
- Guides
- Planning · Stay · Season
- Reading time
- 6 minutes
- Updated
- 2026
- Support
- 24 hrs
01 · Planning your safari
Key considerations before you book
A safari is not a package holiday — it is a chain of small decisions that depend on each other. Get the order right and everything else falls into place: start with what you want to see, then the season, then the number of parks, and only then the camps.
Accommodation
Mobile camps, safari lodges, permanent tented camps, fly camping and private safari houses — each gives a very different safari.
Transport
Road safari, air safari, or a mix. Flying saves long transit days; driving sees more of the country between parks.
Best time to visit
East Africa is a year-round destination. Match the season to what you want to see, not to a generic 'best month'.
Budget
From basic to luxury. Park fees and permits are fixed costs — where you can save is in camp level, season and routing.
Preferences
Wildlife, culture, relaxation or adventure. Tell us the balance and we will weight the itinerary accordingly.
Pace
Two nights minimum per park is our rule. Rushing a safari is the single most common mistake travellers make.
02 · Accommodation options
Where you sleep changes the safari
From canvas tents that follow the migration to private houses with their own chef — here is what each type actually feels like.
| Type | Description | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile Tented Camps | Non-permanent luxury tents that follow the wildlife — set up for the season and struck again without a trace. | Migration season |
| Safari Lodges | Permanent stone, wood and thatch structures, typically 3–5 star, with pools, gardens and full services. | Most safari-goers |
| Permanent Tented Camps | Canvas tents raised on timber decks, en-suite bathrooms, hot water and a veranda facing the plain. | Adventure lovers |
| Fly Camping | Simple tents and a bedroll in the wilderness, walking between camps with a guide and an askari. | Budget adventurers |
| Private Safari Houses | Exclusive-use homes with their own guide, vehicle, chef and staff — the whole lodge to yourselves. | Families & groups |
03 · Best time to visit East Africa
A year-round destination
There is no single best month — only the best month for what you want to see.
Dec – Mar
Hot & Humid
Serengeti predators and calving season, Zanzibar diving, excellent gorilla trekking conditions.
Apr – Jun
Long Rains
Green landscapes, dramatic skies, low-season rates and far fewer vehicles at sightings.
Jul – Nov
Dry Season
Best overall game viewing, Great Migration river crossings, peak season — book early.
Quick tips
| Activity | When | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Gorilla Trekking | Late Dec – early Mar | Driest, easiest trails |
| Great Migration | Jul – Oct (Mara) · Dec – Mar (Serengeti) | River crossings / calving |
| Zanzibar Beaches | Late Jun – Oct | Coolest, driest, busiest |
| Mountain Climbing | Jan – Feb · Jun – Sep | Warm and dry on the summit |
Plan your safari
Overwhelmed by the options? Good place to start a conversation.
Tell us your travel window and what you most want to see. We will tell you which month, which parks and which style of camp suit you.