We trawled through several thousand recent SAFARI.COM bookings—every confirmed itinerary from January 2024 through June 2025—to put hard numbers behind everything below.
Our aim was multi-faceted: we initially set out to see how recent global uncertainty is showing up in real-world behavior, by focusing on two key areas: longer decision windows with extra back-and-forth with consultants, and a side-by-side comparison of the continent’s headline destinations, ranked by actual customer booking volume rather than hearsay or “it-feels-busier-this-year” chatter. As we analyzed the data, we ended up with five truly interesting observations. The tables and charts below are the result: a data-driven pulse check on safari travel in Africa right now.
** Measured from a guest’s first visit to our website to the moment they pay their booking deposit.
Well this wasn't a surprise and merely confirmed our suspicions. Our guests are showing greater caution—taking more time and needing more touch-points before they commit. And that’s just among those who do book; it doesn’t capture the many who decide against a trip altogether for budget or other reasons.
This is based on customers who enquired and paid a deposit within 90 days, so we avoid "long-tail" itineraries that are planned far in advance. Fun fact; our furthest confirmed itinerary currently sits at June 2027, guests who will be traveling in more than two years from now!
2. Safari Demand Over The Last Year: How Each Month Measures Up
We all have a gut feel for high and low season, and many articles comfortably label peak, green season etc, but we've decided to quantify it based on our real bookings.
It started from data that tracks how many SAFARI.COM guests are traveling anywhere in Africa on a given day—from Cape Town right up to Uganda and Rwanda. It’s a broad-brush view, so it won’t tease out regional nuances, yet it clearly shows when demand crests and ebbs. We smoothed out the data to monthly traveled bookings in the graph above.
The seasonality is not as high as one might expect, even the most quiet months (November and February) are at 70% of the peak occupancy.
3. Average Itinerary Lengths
Year
Days per Itinerary
2024
5.6 days
2025
6.1 days
2026
7.3 days
This is a metric we’re genuinely proud of.
Longer itineraries means that our customers are putting even more trust in us to arrange a bigger portion of their lifetime memories.
As a company, we’ve progressively focused more and more on multi-country itineraries. It's where our existence in the travel ecosystem is most pronounced.
With incumbents like Booking.com owning the FIT space (customers who book all their own components of an itinerary) so effectively, we deliberately stay out of that lane—though, fun fact, you can still reserve a single lodge through us at the same price. What you also get is markedly better service: one of our expert consultants on call day or night. Try phoning Booking.com from the bush when something goes wrong.
Still, concierge-level care—not one-off lodgings—is where we belong. Our goal is to build bucket-list journeys from doorstep to doorstep; flights, lodging, transfers, even free travel insurance and support our guests every step of the way. Many guests stay in touch with their consultant long after they’re home.
So the steady climb in itinerary length tells us our focus is resonating—it is immensely gratifying.
4.Where Our Top Travelers Come From
Rank
2024
2025
1
USA
USA
2
United Kingdom
Australia
3
Australia
United Kingdom
4
Singapore
Singapore
5
Canada
Canada
So year on year, Americans still take the top spot. The only upset has been Australians booking more safaris than people from the UK in 2025.
This consistency underscores how Africa’s timeless and singular appeal keeps it at the top of mind for discerning travelers seeking unique, life-defining adventures.
5. Where Most Travellers Go—and How Those Spots Shifted in a Year
To keep things apples-to-apples, we stacked the first five months of 2024 against the first five months of 2025. The leaderboard of top regions looks unchanged at first glance—that part’s a little dull—so we dug into the movers and shakers instead. That’s where it gets interesting: Victoria Falls leapt forward, while interest in Kruger Park and the Sabi Sands eased off.
We don't want to fall prey to the "just so" fallacy, but it’s possible that South Africa's negative position in the global news cycle has nudged travelers toward nearby Vic Falls, which is an easy add-on to most Southern African itineraries, and benefits from the generally high level of infrastructure in Southern Africa.
Start Planning Your Safari with Confidence
Whether you’re dreaming of a guided bush walk or a scenic boat cruise, our expert team is here to bring your African safari dreams to life. With insider knowledge, heartfelt service, and personalized support, we’ll be with you every step of the way—before, during, and even after your journey.
If you’re ready to explore, email us at [email protected], hit the WhatsApp button above, or call us toll-free on 1-888-SAFARIS (US & Canada).
