Africa

The key to a smooth ride is to let the experts handle the details. We begin with a personal consultation to understand your pace, interests, and preferences. Once we’ve created the ideal itinerary, we handle all the logistics, including private transfers, visa advice, and choosing the best lodges. You just pack your bags and have fun.

Absolutely. We specialise in family-friendly safaris that engage travellers of all ages. Many luxury lodges provide specialised children’s programs, private villas, and malaria-free reserves, ensuring your family enjoys the wonders of the wild safely and comfortably.

Yes, the classic “bush and beach” combo is one of our most popular itineraries! After thrilling days tracking Africa’s most iconic wildlife, we can whisk you away to the white sand beaches of the Seychelles, Mauritius, or Zanzibar for a few days of ultimate relaxation by the Indian Ocean.

Kenya and South Africa are the best countries for a first-time safari. Kenya offers the Masai Mara and the Great Migration, while South Africa pairs the malaria-free Kruger and Sabi Sand reserves with Cape Town and the Winelands.

• Best for the classic safari image: Kenya (Masai Mara) and Tanzania (Serengeti).
• Best for families and nervous first-timers: South Africa, which is malaria-free in many reserves and easy to combine with a city stay.
• Best for short flights and easy logistics: South Africa, with strong road and air links and a small time difference from London.

Unlike Kenya and Tanzania, much of South Africa’s prime safari country is malaria-free, which is why we most often recommend it for first trips with young children. For travellers whose priority is the migration and big-cat density, the Masai Mara and Laikipia in Kenya are hard to beat. On the trips we plan from London, first-timers who want both wildlife and a beach finish most often choose Kenya with Zanzibar, or South Africa with Mauritius.

The Big Five are the lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and African buffalo. You can see all five in South Africa‘s Kruger and Sabi Sand, Kenya‘s Masai Mara, and Tanzania‘s Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater.

• Best for seeing all five in one day: Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania.
• Best for leopard: Sabi Sand, South Africa.
• Best for lions and big cats: Masai Mara, Kenya.
• Hardest to find: rhino, due to lower numbers and protected locations.

The term “Big Five” originally described the five animals most dangerous to hunt on foot, and it is now the benchmark sighting list on safari. The enclosed, wildlife-dense Ngorongoro Crater is the most reliable single location for all five. On the itineraries we run, clients most often tick off rhino with a specialist guide in Sabi Sand or on Kenya’s Laikipia conservancies, where tracking improves the odds significantly.

Pack light, neutral-coloured clothing, a warm layer for morning game drives, sun protection and binoculars, in a soft-sided bag. Light aircraft transfers between camps have strict weight limits, usually around 15 kilogrammes, including hand luggage.

• Clothing: khaki, beige, and olive layers; a fleece or jacket for cold dawn drives.
• Sun and insects: wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, high-factor sun cream, insect repellent.
• Kit: binoculars, camera with spare batteries, personal medication.
• Avoid: bright colours and white (show dust), plus dark blue and black (attract tsetse flies in some regions).

Mornings and evenings are cold even in summer, so layers matter more than volume. Because most luxury lodges offer same-day laundry, you need far fewer outfits than you would expect, which helps you stay inside the bush-flight weight limit. Once your camps and travel season are confirmed, we send a tailored packing list specific to your route.

It depends on the country. UK travellers need an eTA for Kenya and a visa for Tanzania, while South Africa and Botswana are visa-free for stays up to 90 days. Requirements are correct at the time of writing (2026) and should be reconfirmed on GOV.UK before you travel.

• Kenya: eTA required, around $34, applied for online before departure.
• Tanzania: eVisa required, around $50.
• South Africa and Botswana: visa-free for UK passport holders for up to 90 days.
• Passport: at least six months’ validity and a blank page.
• Yellow fever: certificate needed for Kenya and Tanzania only if arriving from or transiting an endemic country, so a direct UK flight usually does not require it.

A common catch is multi-country travel: if you visit Kenya and then cross into Tanzania, you will need a yellow fever certificate. Travel insurance is now mandatory for visitors to Zanzibar. Always consult a travel clinic well before departure, as health and visa rules change.