How to plan your African Safari to Kruger National Park
Article By: Andy Saidy
How do I start planning my South African Safari?
Like many of us, you prefer to plan your holiday from start to finish, while also doing your research so you can end up with the best possible experience, in the shortest time possible for the best price. When it comes to planning your African safari, there are many things you need to consider before booking and paying for the highlight of your African holiday reservations.
Which safari lodge to choose?
It isn’t as simple a question as it may seem! You simply can’t decide which lodge/camp to choose based on some pictures or videos online or even from reading a few articles or chatting to a friend who visited Africa before. Of course these sources can be and most often are helpful in the decision making process but there are just too many unknown variables for a well informed decision to be made. This is where we come in to help you in your holiday planning journey, by smoothing out the edges of your plans, so you can rest easy knowing you’re getting the safari experience you always dreamed of.
If you are planning your first African safari, you must understand that doing a safari in East Africa (Masai Mara or Serengeti) is very different to doing a safari in other parts like Botswana or Kruger National Park in South Africa.
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Things to consider when planning your South African safari:
Let’s say that you decided to take the plunge and visit South Africa, that’s great! You’ve chosen to include a safari in Kruger National Park, as no visit to South Africa is complete without a safari in Kruger National Park or one of its famous reserves.
Now you will need to choose your dates and how long you will visit for, the route of your itinerary, where to start, cost of international flights, standard of accommodation and budget. All of the above will determine the experience you will have and the type of memories you will make.
Sabi Sands Lodges Reviews
Game guides are all world class. Their knowledge of the reserve adds incredible value to every visitor’s stay. All other members of the team are
...moreGame guides are all world class. Their knowledge of the reserve adds incredible value to every visitor’s stay. All other members of the team are welcoming and responsive. Food is delicious. Tents are spacious and include requisite amenities. Setting is iconic Africa. At the current price point, Honeyguide offers guests real value for money and memories that will last a lifetime.
This lodge is a must-visit, stunning pool area, the ground staff work hard to give customers the best service, Game drives are educational and the
...moreThis lodge is a must-visit, stunning pool area, the ground staff work hard to give customers the best service, Game drives are educational and the best, we spotted all the big 5. Eddie and Michael are the best rangers. Food is super delicious.
Avoiding stopovers in places that don’t offer much to see or do:
You will want to minimize time spent at airports, unnecessary transit time and avoiding places where you don’t need to be. For example, many visitors will include Johannesburg in the itinerary as a pivoting point to visit Kruger and then from Kruger National Park to Johannesburg, then to Victoria Falls.etc
But you are losing precious time that can be spent discovering other great destinations and hidden African gems. If you get in touch or speak to an experienced travel consultant, you don’t have to worry about such inconveniences as they will assist you, planning a bullet proof itinerary free of meaningless stops in places which have nothing or very little to offer in terms of sights, value and safety while maximizing your holiday time to be just that.
“If I have ever seen magic, it has been in Africa.”
* John Hemingway
should I book through a tour operator or directly with lodges & hotels?
The question remains, should I book through a tour operator or directly with lodges & hotels? Booking through a local tour operator has many advantages. You’ll enjoy a one point of contact where you can make use of the operator’s knowledge and ask questions, one payment to make life easy and a personal service you can’t find when booking on a website that’s most likely fully automated. Even then we’ll help you out so you don’t have to worry about cancellation policies or other surcharges you might be liable for.
By booking through a trusted and experienced tour operator, you will have the luxury of negotiating better prices, discussing and designing the itinerary to your exact personal preference while also streamlining the entire planning process.
So why not leave all the nights of researching, filling of forms and paperwork to us so you can have a stress free vacation starting now.
Article By: Andy Saidy
"Andy has a number of years' traveling across Africa, visiting lodges and experiencing destinations first hand. He made the decision to leave the corporate world a few years ago to join us at Sabi Sands Lodges Reservations - African Travel Consultants, to enable him to pursue a life-long ambition and change his career path to one where by he can be actively involved with eco-tourism and wildlife conservation and in the process assisting guests putting their dream safari together. Andy has a huge passion for Africa, its people and its amazing wildlife.
