PRACTICAL & PROVEN
The questions you should ask
When to go. What to pack. What flying between lodges actually involves. Visa rules, malaria realities, packing weights. Useful answers, written without the marketing voice.
Read these before you book anything
HOW WE THINK ABOUT THESE
We answer the question, then the next one
Most safari planning advice online is written to rank on Google. It hedges. It never tells you what is actually true. We write the opposite. If a region is worse in March, we say so. If a lodge is overpriced for what it offers, we say so. If a transfer route is bumpy and four hours long, we put that in the first paragraph.
Some of these are short answers, the kind you read on your phone in a queue. Others are longer because the question deserves it. Cost. Season. Comparison. Logistics. Health. The pieces that turn a vague idea into a confirmed booking.
53 pieces
Browse the guides
Guides
What happens if an elephant charges your safari vehicle?
Almost always, nothing. How to tell a mock charge from a real one, what makes elephants nervous, and what to do in the vehicle.
Guides
When does the woodland kingfisher arrive in the Greater Kruger?
Usually around mid-November, after the first rains. Our favourite summer bird, how to recognise its call, and the other migrants that arrive with it.
Guides
What do animals do when Kruger hits 41°C?
Mostly, they do less. How the animals of the Greater Kruger handle a heatwave, and what it means for your game drives.
Guides
Can you keep halal on safari in South Africa?
Yes, with planning. How halal works at South African safari lodges, from certified meat to prayer times on game drives.
Guides
Amarula fudge: a taste of the Lowveld to make at home
Four ingredients, one heavy pot and a bit of patience. Here's the fudge, and the tree behind it.
Guides
Christmas on safari in South Africa: is it too late to book?
Christmas in the bush is hot and green, with baby animals everywhere. Here is what the festive season is really like, and how to find space at this stage.
Guides
Michelin Keys on safari: what they tell you, and what they don't
A Michelin Key tells you a lodge is a remarkable place to stay. It can't tell you how good the safari will be. Here is how to use one.
Guides
BA's new Tanzania flights: how to build a safari and Zanzibar trip that flows
Fly into the safari, fly home from the beach. How to use BA's new Tanzania route without spending half your holiday in transit.
Guides
How to read a safari quote: what all-inclusive really covers
Two quotes for the same week can sit a long way apart and both be honest. Here is what each line covers, what all-inclusive really means, and where the differences hide.
Guides
Safari specialist or big operator: who should plan your safari?
A fair look at when a large safari operator is the better call, when a small specialist is, when to book direct, and what to ask any of them before you pay.
Guides
Kruger park fees are going up: what it means for your safari quote
New Kruger fees start on 1 November. Here is who actually pays them, and why most Greater Kruger guests pay a reserve levy instead.
Guides
Greater Kruger in summer: is a hot, dry season still worth it?
A hotter, drier summer is on the cards. Here is what that means for your days in the bush, from people who live here.
WHEN YOU HAVE READ ENOUGH
We will plan the rest
A good guide saves an hour. A planner saves a week. Once you have a sense of where and when, send us what you are thinking. We will pressure-test it and come back with the version that works.
Start with a conversation