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How To Choose The Best Safari Companies
Picking one of the way too many safari companies is probably the most difficult thing to do after deciding where to go on your safari adventure and roughly how much you want to spend on it.
Fortunately, you can benefit from the collective experience of previous safari travellers and the feedback they have provided.
By using the guidelines below (reflecting this know-how), you can choose the best safari company for your needs with confidence.
If you're pressed for time you can always request the list of top safari companies that I have compiled over the years by using these guidelines.
The knowledge I gained through reading masses of African safari trip reports, articles, forums as well as my own personal safari experiences, helped narrow down the vast number of safari companies to a shortlist of reliable operators.
If you are planning an African safari, following these guidelines will help you reduce the risk of choosing a mediocre or fly-by-night safari operator that could potentially spoil your dream vacation:
First you should note that the travel agent and the tour operator are often two different organisations. Both have an influence on the success of your planned safari.
If you have selected a safari itinerary from a travel agent that you know and trust, make sure you always ask the travel agent who the safari (or "ground" or "tour") operator is for the tour you'd like to join. That is the African company that supplies the guides, vehicles and take care of local arrangements. Both the travel agent and the safari operator should have a good reputation and track record.
With the internet this is fairly easy to establish by reading trip reports and reviews of previous travellers.
Or ask the travel agent/safari operator for contact details of two or three of their previous customers and ask those people directly what they thought of the experience. Do their credentials check out? Safari association membership isn't a fool-proof measure of finding top safari companies but it's a good hint.
Verify membership with the following relevant associations: Kenya Association of Tour Operators (KATO), Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO), Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA), Tours and Safari Association of Namibia (TASA), The Hotel and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB), Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO), African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA) and American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA). What are their payment policies? Safari companies should be upfront with you and advise what is expected when. Ask about their cancellation policy, and how safe your deposit will be with them in case things go pear-shaped. The customer service of both the travel agent and the safari operator should be good. Not only should they be prompt and helpful in the planning stages of your safari, but also during the trip when things may not always go according to plan: how do they handle the unexpected? Could the "unexpected" have been avoided with better planning? 
Does the operator look after its staff (some, usually at the upper end of the price scale, send theirs for regular training) and the environment?
Check out their policies on things like waste management and support of local economies. As the number of tourists to east and southern Africa steadily increases, it becomes more and more important for operators to look after the environment to ensure the industry does not self destruct. Do they supply a dedicated cook? In participation safaris (budget class on the price scale) it is expected that travellers should help with small tasks around camp, like chop vegetables and help keep the truck clean. However you don't necessarily want to be saddled with thinking up a menu and buying groceries for a group with special dietary needs. Well maintained, comfortable vehicles are important, as is the quantity of travellers booked per vehicle. It's no fun when you come across a good wildlife sighting or try and take photographs and there isn't enough room to move around. Ideally each passenger should have a window seat.
There is a bit of debate on whether the minibus or open safari vehicle is the better option. While it seems the open safari vehicles are more comfortable on the rough roads and offer a "closer feel" to the environment around you, minibuses offer a more dust-free seat and even air-conditioning on a hot day.
Sufficient emergency equipment should be kept on the vehicle, for example a fire extinguisher and spare fuses - especially on overland trucks used for longer trips. Last on this list but certainly not least: apart from intimate knowledge of the bush, the ideal guide should have a passion for Africa, its people and its wildlife.
It's not enough to be able to point out a zebra. What makes the difference is if he (or she, although female guides are less common) is also able to share animal behaviour and other interesting facts with you.
Top Safari Companies By Name
I have compiled a list of the top three safari companies for budget, mid-range and deluxe price categories in each of the following countries:
- Kenya
- Tanzania
- South Africa
- Namibia
- Botswana
- Zambia
If you want to get hold of this list to help you pick the best of safari companies, fill out your details below and within minutes you will receive an e-mail containing the info.
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