Frequently asked questions

We're here to help for any questions you have regarding your African safari.

For any questions, or to start planning your trip, please send an email to helpmeplan@safari.com

How does it work, what is the process to book a safari?

It all starts with an enquiry.  It's best to provide dates (even if approximate), the number of people travelling and the countries or lodges you would like to visit.
A consultant will then get directly in touch with you to help you with availability, flights, transfers and finalising all the details of your trip.
When you are happy, the consultant will send a provisional booking mail allowing you to make payment and confirm the booking.

Once payment is received, we will get in touch to retrieve the details we need for your trip (there are not many) so that we can furnish the lodges/airlines/transfer with your information and also load your free travel insurance policy.

What is your refund policy?

First note that we can include travel insurance for as little as 1% of the booking value, which means we aim to make your booking fully refundable, regardless of when you cancel your booking.

Our cancellation policy is as follows:
For cancellations with more than 60 days prior to check-in, guests will be entitled to a full refund (excl flights).
For cancellations with 30-59 days prior to check-in, guests will receive a 50% refund on lodging costs (excl flights).
For cancellations less than 30 days prior to check-in, there is no refund.


But to reiterate, we can include travel insurance on bookings for a low fee, that includes cancellation cover and mitigates the costs above.
This means that if you incur any cancellation fees as shown above, for reasons outside of your control, your travel insurance will re-imburse you.
For more details feel free to get in touch with our consultants on helpmeplan@safari.com

What is your payment policy?

We require a 50% deposit to confirm a booking.
The balance will be determined by the payment schedule of the lodge(s) in your itinerary and we'll send reminders when the balance becomes due.

Is travelling to Africa safe?

At Safari.com, safety is our priority. It's at the core of who we are. We employ expert guides, use state-of-the-art vehicles, and rigorously monitor conditions to ensure your safari is as safe as it is spectacular. Explore with confidence and peace of mind. 

Africa is a safe holiday destination, especially when it comes to safaris. Most of our travelers fly to airports close to the reserves and are then transferred directly to lodges where you will only interact with a small number of people.

For additional peace of mind we can easily arrange travel insurance at highly competitive rates.
This means, that for any events outside of your control, you will have cover for any cancellation fees (up to $5k per person), medical cover (up to $2m) and various other scenarios. Additional coverage is available for an additional fee, feel free to speak to our consultants for more information.

Is it cheaper to book directly with lodges?

There is a common misconception that booking direct will be cheaper.
In fact, safari lodges and operators are required to sell at the same industry rate. The reason this can occur is because online travel agencies , like ourselves, receive a commission from lodges when our customers stay at a lodge.
Often lodge reservations are less equipped to deal with bespoke customer requirements and generally don't assist with flights and logistics involved with making your safari happen.

At Safari.com, we handle everything including flights, transfers and even include free travel insurance.  The result is an end-to-end experience that saves you time at the best price.

Can you assist with flights and transfers?

We'll handle everything. Your happiness is our primary concern from the moment you place an enquiry to the moment you return from your trip.

I have found a better price somewhere else, will Safari.com match it?

Because lodges and operators sell the lodging portion at the same price, this would be unusual.
But when this does occur, we will absolutely match it.

Read our best price guarantee.

Have our consultants actually visited the lodges they use in planning your trips?

Our consultants have been in the industry for some time and have in-depth knowledge and experience of all the lodges and suppliers they will use to create your safari trip. But knowledge alone is not enough, and we are constantly sending our consultants on safaris so that they have first-hand knowledge of the products they sell.

If you'd like to take a look at some of their experiences, we frequently post about their trips in our blog.

4.9
out of 5 based on
May 13, 2024
I highly recommend Shann Shaw
Shann Shaw has been great to work with and she has tried her best to try to meet our budget expectations. She is very kind, responsive and detailed in her explanations and really, really helpful. When I told her I decided to book through expedia or booking, she still explained how everything worked and how these websites sometimes don't have all the details you need, yet, she work hard in getting us our flights and the hotel that we really wanted for this experience. I couldn't be happier with her service and dedication and highly recommend her services!
Cristina Alves
,
US
May 13, 2024
Candis was lovely to work with and…
Candis was lovely to work with and super quick to respond. The entire process from when we first reached out to her to inquire about a trip to when we confirmed the quote and booking was under a week. We sincerely appreciated having all of these details taken care of for us and the all of the attention she took in answering our questions and adjusting our trip to work within our timeline.
L Marie
,
US
May 13, 2024
Safari
Candis was brilliant in assisting us to organise our safari. Highly recommended!
Believeit Canyou
,
GB
May 10, 2024
Prompt customer service
Very responsive, attentive with attention to detail. Quick and direct communication, great creativity and flexibility to accommodate our asks
Karolina Tuttle
,
US
May 10, 2024
Attitude
Attitude, helpfulness and friendliness!
Pottie Potgieter
,
ZA
May 10, 2024
Fabulous and efficient service by Shann…
Fabulous and efficient service by Shann Shaw, highly recommend her services! Made the process simple and stress-free.
Jessica McCabe
,
AU
May 9, 2024
Great experience- very well organised…
Great experience- very well organised and trustworthy. 5 Stars
KEITH SPELMAN
,
SG
May 9, 2024
professional service
professional, courteous and prompt service from Heleen at all times.
Eileen
,
ZA
May 9, 2024
Patient help and guidance to find just…
Patient help and guidance to find just what I wanted.
Peter Ward
,
GB
VIP service
Your own personal travel assistant
18 years in business
Attention to every detail
Relationships with 500+ operators through Africa
Consultants available 24/7
58,000+ customers and counting
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