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 [email protected]

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?

The cancellation policy varies depending on the supplier with whom you have booked. For further details, please clarify with your travel advisor.

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.

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.

Customer Testimonials

4.9
out of 5 based on
Sep 10, 2024
Quick reactions to requests
Quick reactions to requests. Very efficient.
Wim
,
NL
Sep 9, 2024
First Time Safari
Mel provided an amazing itinerary and took our feedback and adjusted accordingly. She was very helpful and would strongly recommend her to anyone new to the process.
Jessica
,
US
Sep 9, 2024
It was a great experience dealing with…
It was a great experience dealing with Shann. She was most accommodating and patient. We managed to sort things out very eventually. The only sore point I have is the 2 % surcharge for the card handling fee, which I find too excessive. Otherwise, I am pleased with everything.
Richard
,
AU
Sep 8, 2024
Keith went above and beyond…
Keith went above and beyond expectations arranging our holiday safari travels (for one vegan and one mobility-impaired traveller, no less:-). Safari.com is lucky to have Keith on board. He helped us feel confident in our choices, keeping us up to date with options, and finessing holiday scheduling issues with aplomb.
L.M. Archer
,
US
Sep 5, 2024
Tanya Lomas was very efficient and it…
Tanya Lomas was very efficient and it was a pleasure booking through her.
Astrid Brandt/C Brandt
,
ZA
Sep 3, 2024
Knowledgable and responsive
Jayson created a fantastic itinerary within budget and answered questions promptly. Super helpful. I can't wait to get going!
Nicole Tovey
,
AU
Sep 2, 2024
Although we didn’t end up booking…
Although we didn’t end up booking through Safari.com the service we received was great and they were really helpful.
H Mid
,
GB
Sep 2, 2024
Trip to Kruger at Mdluli Safari Lodge
I loved working with Anja from safari.com. She put together my itinerary within my price range and was very professional, thorough and empathetic. She followed up with me many times to see if I needed anything throughout my trip and even filled out some forms for me when I was having difficulty. When the lodge I stayed at was not being accommodating in the slightest, she quickly contacted the manager and got them to rearrange their services to meet my needs. I would most certainly use safari.com again due to my wonderful experience working with Anja.
Ellen Stephanie
,
US
Aug 31, 2024
Nicole at Safari.com is AMAZING!!!
I would love to share my experience with Nicole. She has worked tirelessly to help me make my dream vacation a reality. I had no idea how to start planning. Nicole suggested the most wonderful South African resorts and safaris. No matter how many changes I threw her way it was always received with a happy, positive attitude. I live in Hawaii and even though we were on a 12 hour time difference she was always available to answer any questions or concerns. Her expertise, knowledge and patience are unmeasurable. I was plagued with numerous payment issues from my bank in Hawaii. Nicole never wavered from being patience and more importantly positive that we could resolve each issue and get my trip booked. Nicole is a huge asset to Safari.com and I will scream it from the mountains to let everyone know what excellent customer service I have received. Nicole is a ROCKSTAR!!! We are so excited for our upcoming adventure of a lifetime!
Heather K.
,
US
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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