Your vacation, wherever you take it, is important. You put a lot of thought and planning into it, and it’s true that most people are happy to pay top dollar for high quality. But in these uncertain times, you want to know you’re getting a good deal when you spend your money.
After all, beautiful lifelong memories are priceless, but if you can get a special or a discount while you’re making them, so much the better.
When it comes to the safari landscape though, it can be tricky to find the right deal at the right time. It’s a cacophony of different pricing strategies, filled with nuances, different payment policies, blockout periods, seasonal changes and more.
But we know our way around, and we know where the specials are, and crucially, how they work. So, let’s talk about some of the most common categories of safari specials.
The VIP Room aka Resident Specials
These work on grouping categories of people. If you’re part of the group, you win. Typically the prize is a discounted rate to residents. Many lodges in Southern Africa have three tiers of pricing: international guests, residents of Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states, and residents of the particular country.
Cheetah Plains, the super-luxe lodge in Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, for example, has exclusive offers for South African residents.
Those with specific SADC rates include Lush Private Game Lodge in the Pilansberg (South Africa); Kwena Lodge in Gondwana Game Reserve (South Africa); Ilala Lodge Hotel (Victoria Falls); and The Cape Milner (Cape Town).
It can leave a bitter taste for some foreigners, and to soften the blow there are often specific constraints involved, such as only traveling at certain times of year or booking on short notice.
The Last-Minute Specials
The name of the game here is flexibility. These specials involve booking to travel within three or four weeks. It demands a little more living on the fly.
It makes sense for a lodge: Any additional rooms sold at check-in go almost directly to the bottom line. And there is no bitter taste for anyone.
Some of our favourite specials here are in the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, where you can get discounts of up to 65%.
Leopard Hills, for instance, typically costs more than $1,400 per person per night, it’s far up the high-end scale. We’re talking private plunge pools and views over the bush as far as the eye can see. Book a stay within three weeks of arrival and receive a discount of $595.
At Kapama Private Game Reserve in northern South Africa, if you book and travel within 21 days, you can save up to 50% at all four of its lodges, Kapama Karula, Kapama Buffalo Camp, Kapama Southern Camp, and Kapama River Lodge.
Remember, if there was a superhero who found superhuman discounts their tagline would be: “with great discounts comes the need for great flexibility”.
The Stay Pay Specials
The savings here are usually more modest but they don’t have the restrictions of the previous specials. They’re available for a longer period and they’re available to any traveler for bookings at any point in the future (though these specials do tend to be restricted to set periods of time).
Stay 3, pay 2 means staying for three nights, but only paying for two. An effective 33% saving for you. The most common stay and pay special seems to be stay 4, pay 3, which gives you a respectable 25% saving.
Victoria Falls lodges and hotels have excellent rates, with Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, The Victoria Falls Hotel and The Elephant Camp all offering a stay 3, pay 2 deal. At The Wallow Lodge, book a 3 night stay and get a Chobe Day Trip added on.
At Avani Victoria Falls Resort, stay for 3 or more consecutive nights and get 20% off the nightly rate. Stay 6 or more consecutive nights and get 25% off. And at Anantara Stanley and Livingstone Victoria Falls Hotel, stay for 3 or more consecutive nights and get 20% off the nightly rate; stay 5 or more consecutive nights and get 25% off.
In Cape Town, you can stay for 6 nights but only pay for 5 at The Silo Hotel, the glorious space on the V&A Waterfront.
There are also several lodges in the renowned Sabi Sabi private game reserve, in the Greater Kruger Area, that have stay and pay specials we can snag for you.
MalaMala Camp, in MalaMala Game Reserve in Sabi Sand, is one of the most highly regarded safari destinations in Africa. It’s the blueprint for luxury safari camps, really. And it’s got a stay 4, pay 3 promotion, too.
Also on the high-end scale, &Beyond has some interesting long-stay offers at its camps in Southern and East Africa. Think stay for 6 or more nights for a 20% saving – and the special may be applied for a combination of &Beyond lodges in Africa for the same guests on a single itinerary.
Island more your style? Stay for 10 nights at &Beyond Mnemba Island in Zanzibar, and only pay for 8.
In the Serengeti, Singita has a great option: book 6 nights at any combination of Singita Serengeti lodges and camps and get 1 night free, as well as a complimentary private vehicle.
As you can see, there’s no shortage of lodges employing this strategy, so always keep an eye out for it, we do it for you, too.
The Special Occasion
Honeymooners, this is your time to shine. The most common special occasion promotions are designed to attract newly weds. They usually come as 50% off for the bride, giving an overall saving of 25%.
It does seem to be a different spin on the stay and pay promotion, because the saving is similar, but you’re on your honeymoon and a special only for you is just that much more special.
Cape Town’s Tintswalo Atlantic has its own special occasion offer, this time a Winter Warmer to escape the chill in luxury.
And on the other side of the country, Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge has a family special, with the first child staying free for 3 nights or longer.
Nothing is cast in stone though, and specials change over time. We monitor them constantly so that we can always present you with best deal on the best safari.
Not only that, but we give you peace of mind, too, with complimentary travel insurance.
Start Planning Your Safari with Confidence
From luxury for less to last-minute magic, at SAFARI.COM, we’re here to help you find the best safari deal.
Let our expert team craft something extraordinary. We’ll guide you with heart, insight, and insider knowledge every step of the way, before, during, and long after your journey.
Ready to explore? Email us at helpmeplan@safari.com, hit the WhatsApp button above, or call us toll-free on 1-888-SAFARIS (US & Canada).
Written by Lorraine Kearney
