FAQs
Yes! The majority of our trips to Africa are for families. A safari will be quite simply the most bonding time that you and your family will ever spend together.
Having said that, the age at which children should go depends upon the attention span of your child. Generally, I recommend that children be at least seven – unless they have either an older sibling or a nanny to be with them. We can arrange for local nannies – Africans are wonderful with children, usually having many of their own, ensuring your little ones will take quickly to them!
Some of the smaller, more exclusive lodges have policies of not taking children – ages vary – out of respect for the wildlife experiences of other guests. “No children” policies can be overcome by taking over the whole lodge or camp – although this may add to the cost of your safari!
Remember that smaller children can often feel alone in their own tent, so be prepared to sleep in your child’s tent, if necessary, as there is often not the space to put a third bed into your tent. This can somewhat dampen the anticipated romantic African night! Trips to Australia, New Zealand and Argentina are all definitely well suited for younger children. Bounding kangaroos and cuddly though sleepy koalas, for instance, never cease to capture their interests!
Your safari can begin and end on any date you want due to the personalized nature of our safaris. In the same vein, generally we do not put groups together.
Safari Experts is privately owned, and we are truly personalized, boutique, luxury, travel experts. Our fee based custom design process make pricing reasonable. Pricing in this industry can be deceiving. If it looks too good to be true, it most likely is. Time has become your greatest asset. You are invested in once-in-a-lifetime experience so wisdom in planning and experience is essential. Some companies use inferior lodges to keep costs down and fill the itinerary with off-the-shelf sensation, which can be a waste of your valuable time.
Whenever possible, we book our lodges, hotels, guides, transfers and charters directly because we know the locals by name and have spent decades learning what the locals know. And, because we are there, we continuously staying abreast of the new, the stylish, and innovative. We only work with lodges that adhere to strong ethical principles and have a genuine commitment to conservation and community. When you travel with us you are contributing to both. Please see our “Accolades” on the home page.
Follow the steps included in Start to Finish.
Most of our safaris in Africa, Australia or Argentina involve transfers in small aircraft with limited baggage space – both in SIZE and Weight. Because laundry services are available pretty much on a daily basis, it is easy to pack light. However, if you don’t feel you can pack lightly, it is possible to charter a larger plane to take your baggage!
In Africa many of the places you will stay are small and away from the beaten track, offering opportunities to walk as little or as much as you wish, or ride amongst the game either on horse back or on camels. We will plan your trip to take into account your interests. Other activities available are hiking, river rafting, biking, fishing, canoeing, golfing, ballooning and flying safaris! In Australia and Argentina there is absolutely no problem arranging exciting activities anywhere you go.
The safari essentials page on the Web site details everything you should need. Of note, it is surprising how cool it gets when on safari in Africa – especially in the early mornings and evenings.
Cameras with extra memory cards, batteries, lens cleaner, and lens caps, a pair of binoculars for each person in your group, battery charging equipment, and a headlamp (useful if you feel the need to read at night). All camps and lodges have sufficient lighting, but not always enough, I feel, to read by.
Southern Africa, Australia and Argentina are in the Southern hemisphere, so seasons are opposite – and there are good times to go, in each area, all year round. Winters are a wonderful time – cool rather than cold, and of course spring and fall are perfect. Summers in most places are less hot than you might imagine, so let’s talk to discuss options. East Africa is on the equator, where weather issues revolve around a couple months of rainy season.
There is wisdom in working with a well-established US-based operator who keeps its assets in America and has a long-established track record. If you choose to work with a foreign-based online operator, you are on your own if the accommodations are not represented accurately or if you run into a problem. We follow your journey from beginning to end while you are on it to monitor the quality of your experience.