A safari is one of the most exciting and memorable holidays you’ll ever undertake. There are a lot of factors that go into the cost of an African safari – such as location, time of the year, and level of comfort – but there are also some rules to follow for your safari budget:

Package deals are not necessarily cheaper. A tailor-made safari will be crafted to your specific budget, allowing you to save and splurge where you and your agent feel it’s necessary. A package deal or scheduled departure tour locks you in to a specific itinerary and non-flexible price.

The more privacy and exclusivity you want, the more you will spend. But you can still have a great time in a less luxurious environment – this is where your agent’s knowledge and experience are so important.

Basic camping is cheapest, adds to the sense of adventure and is an excellent way to experience the raw wilderness of Africa.

‘Doing it yourself’ is not necessarily cheaper – or often even possible. In many places, you need your agent’s specialised knowledge of light aircraft schedules, transfer companies and ground handlers for your itinerary.

Using an agent gives you a single ‘all-inclusive’ price. Your agent will have access to room availability, special deals and other factors that allow him or her to create an entire itinerary – including international flights – with one cost so there are no ‘surprises’.

Self -drive safaris and self-catering in Namibia and South Africa can bring down the cost by a significant amount. But it is exhausting and will add to the ‘work' you do on vacation.

First time safari-goers will be enthralled with Kenya and Tanzania where wildlife is abundant, varied accomodation options are available and travel logistics are easy.

Hidden gems and off-beat locations in Botswana and Zimbabwe add to the thrill of safari and encourages tourists for repeat visits to their dream destination.