Safari styles
Tailor-Made Safaris: How Our Planning Works
Every safari we run is built from a conversation rather than a catalogue. Here is what we need from you, what you get back, and how the plan changes until it is right.
What Tailor-Made Means
Tailor-made means the itinerary is designed for your group rather than adapted from a fixed departure. The route, the pace, the accommodation and the activities are all decisions made with you rather than assumptions made for you.
It does not mean unlimited choice, and it does not mean the plan is fixed once designed. Most itineraries change two or three times between the first outline and the final confirmation, and that is the process working rather than a sign of indecision.
The practical test is simple. If you can look at the itinerary and explain why each day is there, in terms of what your group wants, then it is tailor-made. If a day is there because it is on the standard route, it is not.
What We Need From You
The first conversation takes ten minutes and resolves most of the open questions.
Dates, or a window: An exact date is useful but not required. A month or two is enough to start, and seasonality often drives the destination choice.
Group size and ages: Ages change the route, the camps and the activities more than any other input. A family with a six-year-old and a couple in their seventies need different plans.
An approximate budget: Not a precise number. A range lets us build something realistic rather than designing something you cannot book.
Two or three things you most want to see: The Migration, gorillas, a particular park, a balloon flight, a beach. These become the anchors the route is built around.
That is genuinely enough to start. Everything else emerges from the conversation.
What You Get Back
A day-by-day outline with a line-item quote, usually within 24 hours of the first enquiry.
The outline sets out the route, the park sequence, the accommodation and the daily rhythm. The quote breaks the price into its components rather than presenting a single number, so you can see what the accommodation costs, what the internal flights cost and what the park fees are.
That matters when comparing options. Two itineraries at the same headline price can differ enormously in what they include, and a line-item quote is the only way to compare them honestly.
Planning tip: Ask for the quote in the form you will actually compare. If you are weighing a flying itinerary against a driving one, ask for both broken out rather than two totals.
How Revisions Work
Most itineraries change two or three times. The usual adjustments are pace, accommodation tier and park combination, and they are exactly the things worth changing.
Revisions are unlimited and carry no charge. A proposal is a starting point for a conversation rather than a finished document, and the plan is not fixed until you confirm it and pay a deposit.
The reason revisions matter is that the first proposal is necessarily an approximation. We build it from what you have told us, and you learn what you actually want by reacting to something concrete. That loop usually resolves in two or three passes.
What Can Be Changed at Each Stage
| Stage | Still flexible | Becomes fixed |
|---|---|---|
| Proposal stage | Everything: route, pace, accommodation, activities, duration | Nothing |
| After deposit | Activities, some accommodation swaps subject to availability | Camps are held, permits applied for, flights ticketed |
| 60 days before travel | Minor timing adjustments | Balances due; most cancellations now carry charges |
| On safari | Small daily changes agreed with your guide | Camp bookings and pre-paid permits |
The earlier you change something, the easier it is. That is the whole reason the plan stays loose until you confirm.
Tailor-Made Versus Fixed Departures
Fixed departures exist and suit some travellers. They cost less per person, work well for solo travellers and couples watching budget, and remove the planning decisions entirely.
They cost you the flexibility. The departure date is fixed, the group is shared, the schedule is set for everyone and the route cannot bend around your interests.
For families, photographers, multi-generational groups and anyone with a specific interest, a private tailor-made itinerary is usually better value than it first appears, because the vehicle cost is fixed for the group rather than charged per seat.
How Budget Shapes the Plan
Budget changes the accommodation tier and the logistics far more than it changes the wildlife. A tented camp in the right location with an excellent guide consistently outperforms a luxury camp in the wrong one.
The main levers, in order of effect.
- Season: Green-season travel typically runs 20 to 35 percent below high season, with fewer vehicles at sightings.
- Internal flights: Flying between every park is fast and expensive. One or two well-chosen flights with a driving leg between them usually saves a great deal.
- Group size: The largest single factor in per-person cost, since the private vehicle is fixed for the group.
- Accommodation tier: The difference between a tented camp and a private-concession lodge is larger than the cost of the private vehicle itself.
What we do not recommend cutting: guide quality, Migration-zone positioning and travel insurance. Those three are where a cheap trip becomes a disappointing one.
Specialist Requirements
Tell us at proposal stage rather than on arrival, because both change what is possible.
Dietary needs are routinely handled. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free are straightforward at most camps; halal and kosher products need importing in the remotest valleys, which is where the 30-day notice applies.
Mobility constraints shape camp choice more than route choice. Game drives are vehicle-based and many lodges have ground-floor rooms with walk-in showers. Walking safaris and gorilla trekking are the exceptions, and we grade both honestly.
Photographers, birders and specialists want a guide assigned by specialty and a route built around their interest rather than around the headline mammals. Say so and the plan changes accordingly.
Beach, City and Extension Additions
Most safari itineraries pair well with a beach or city extension, and the natural place for it is at the end.
Zanzibar, the Kenyan coast and Mozambique all link cleanly to East and Southern African safaris. Cape Town combines with a Kruger or Garden Route itinerary. Kilimanjaro pairs with a northern Tanzania safari for travellers who want both a summit and a safari.
Extensions should be built into the proposal rather than added later, because the flight sectors and the nights need to fit the overall schedule. Say so at the first conversation and it goes into the quote.
Booking and Payment
A deposit of 20 to 30 percent confirms camps, permits and flights. The balance falls due 60 days before travel. We accept bank transfer and major cards, with card fees disclosed upfront rather than added later.
Full terms arrive in writing before you pay anything. Travel insurance is required, and should match the nature and cost of the trip and cover the activities you intend to undertake.
Permits for gorilla trekking are the exception to normal timing: they are limited, applied for on confirmation, and should be discussed as early as possible.
Planning Your Tailor-Made Safari
- Send the basics: Dates or a window, group size and ages, an approximate budget, and two or three things you most want to see.
- Receive a route and line-item quote: Usually within 24 hours, broken out so the comparison is honest.
- Revise freely: Most itineraries change two or three times. Pace, tier and park combination are the usual adjustments.
- Confirm with a deposit: 20 to 30 percent secures camps, permits and flights.
- Pre-departure briefing: Packing notes, health guidance, park rules and your guide's contact details arrive before you fly.
Trips in this style
7-day Tanzania · 7-day Kenya · 10-day Uganda · Cape + Kruger
Styles: Luxury · Family · Honeymoon · Private · Tailor-made
Frequently Asked Questions About Tailor-Made Safaris
How does the tailor-made process work?
You send the basics: dates or a window, group size and ages, an approximate budget and two or three things you most want to see. We return a day-by-day outline with a line-item quote, usually within 24 hours. You revise it as many times as needed, then confirm with a deposit of 20 to 30 percent. The balance falls due 60 days before travel.
Is there a charge for revisions?
No. Revisions are unlimited and carry no charge. Most itineraries change two or three times between the first outline and confirmation, and that is the process working rather than a sign of indecision. A proposal is a starting point for a conversation, not a finished document.
How much does a tailor-made safari cost?
It varies with season, group size, accommodation tier and logistics. The main levers are season, which typically moves rates 20 to 35 percent, and internal flights, which are the most common overspend. Group size is the largest single factor in per-person cost since the private vehicle is fixed for the group. Tell us a range and we will build something realistic.
What is included in the from-price?
Private 4x4 and driver-guide, accommodation, park and concession fees, listed transfers and most meals. Excluded are international flights, visas, travel insurance and tips, plus premium drinks at some camps. Balloon flights, night drives and gorilla permits appear as optional line items you switch on. Quotes are line-item so the total you compare is the total you pay.
How far ahead should we book?
Six to nine months for high season and Migration periods, when the best camps and guides are assigned first. Green-season trips can often be arranged with far less notice. Gorilla permits and balloon flights are the exceptions and should be discussed as early as possible, since both are limited and sell out months ahead in season.
Can we change the itinerary during the safari?
Small daily changes can usually be made on the ground with your guide, subject to camp availability and park rules. Larger changes such as extending the trip need notice because camps are booked and permits prepaid. The flexibility is far greater than on a fixed departure.
Can you handle dietary requirements and mobility needs?
Yes, and both should be told at proposal stage rather than on arrival. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free are routine; halal and kosher products need importing in the remotest valleys, which is where the 30-day notice applies. For mobility, game drives are vehicle-based and many lodges have ground-floor rooms with walk-in showers. Walking safaris and gorilla trekking are the exceptions and we grade both honestly.
Can we add a beach or city extension?
Yes, and it should be built into the proposal rather than added later. Zanzibar, the Kenyan coast and Mozambique link cleanly to East and Southern African safaris; Cape Town combines with Kruger or the Garden Route; Kilimanjaro pairs with northern Tanzania. The flight sectors and nights need to fit the overall schedule, so say so at the first conversation.
Do you arrange gorilla permits?
Yes. Gorilla permits are limited, applied for on confirmation and should be discussed as early as possible, particularly for peak months. Permits are prepaid and non-refundable once issued, which is why they sit outside the normal cancellation terms.
How do deposits and payments work?
A deposit of 20 to 30 percent confirms camps, permits and flights; the balance is due 60 days before travel. We accept bank transfer and major cards, with card fees disclosed upfront. Full terms arrive in writing before you pay anything. Travel insurance is required.
Are your guides qualified?
Our driver-guides average a decade in their parks, hold national guiding licences plus first-aid certification, and are assigned by specialty where it matters: Migration positioning, photography, birding or family pacing. Across a two-country itinerary the guide normally changes at the border, which is standard and confirmed in advance.
What happens if our flights are delayed?
Fly-in itineraries are built with realistic connection margins and we meet you at every airstrip. Missed-connection cover is built into fly-in trips. A spare day in the schedule is the single most useful safeguard, and we recommend it wherever a flight connects to an international departure the same day.
Start Your Tailor-Made Safari
A tailor-made safari starts with ten minutes of conversation and a route you can explain day by day in terms of what your group actually wants.
Send us your dates, your group and the two or three things you most want to see. The route, the accommodation and the pace follow from there, and the plan keeps changing until it is right.
Speak to our safari team about a tailor-made itinerary, including the line-item quote, the camps, the internal flights and the extensions that suit your dates and budget.
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