Let’s be honest – if you’ve ever seen the Lion King or watched any regular amount of nature documentaries then you’ve probably fantasied about going on a luxury African safari! Luckily, going on a luxury African safari is easy as there are many great providers, like Safari Frank, that have affordable packages for breathtaking adventures.
How much will it cost?
The first question you are probably asking is – ‘how much is this indulgent excursion going to cost me?’
Of course, a luxury African safari isn’t going to come cheap but that doesn’t mean it has to be painful trying to afford it. Depending on how many people you choose to travel with, their ages and preferences, the cost of your trip can vary significantly.
For example, a trip where you travelling with small children with you is obviously going to have more costs involved than one where it was just you by yourself. Depending on the accommodation you select or what package you pay for, costs can vary depending on who you travel with. A certain accommodation option may be cheaper but may not accept children, so you need to pick and choose what you go with.
Generally, a luxury African safari is going to set you back around $6000 to $10,000 Australian dollars depending on how long you plan to stay and what luxuries you’ll pay for.
How should I prepare?
Preparing for a safari in Africa could be its own novel as this is one of the most alien environments you might travel to if you live in a metropolitan, Western country. The wide-open space, increased amount of wildlife and insects and humid to hot climate are all things you will need to adjust to in order to enjoy yourself.
Even a luxury African safari is going to be much rougher than a luxury cruise around the Bahamas, to truly enjoy the environment you’re going to get your feet dirty and break a sweat. With that said, there are health precautions you should take before travelling to Africa, such as taking the proper vaccines so that you are immunised against nasty things like malaria.
Avoiding insect-borne illnesses and itchy insect bites is as much about cleverly avoiding contact as it is about immunisation. Make use of fly nets, insect repellents (roll on is better than spray) and don’t expose skin unnecessarily.
Also, while a lot of Africa now has telecommunications infrastructure where it didn’t previously, you may still have to jump through some hoops to ensure you cell phone works. Investing in something like a satellite phone might be a prudent move.
With regards to your passport, try and leave at least two spare pages blank for stamping. Depending on the country or countries you visit on your luxury African safari, you may need to investigate acquiring a travel visa.
Ensuring you have a good time
While you are no doubt excited to go on your first luxury African safari, you might want to know some tips to ensure you have a good time and maximise your experience. It can be easy for you to go in with false expectations of what the experience will be like and start complaining when it doesn’t go how you imagined.
Above all, go in with an open mind and be prepared to be patient to get the best views of the best animals. Everyone there wants to see the lions up close, so don’t think you’re the only person who isn’t wasting time or delaying the tour.
Hopefully the above information will enable you to have an incredible luxury African safari.