Safari Travel: Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Opulent Africa?
Opulent Africa is a specialist safari company focused on bespoke journeys across East and Southern Africa. We have been designing tailor-made safaris for over 15 years, working closely with trusted guides, camps, and conservation partners on the ground.
Every journey is privately planned and tailored, drawing on first-hand experience and long-standing relationships to create safaris that feel seamless, thoughtful, and unhurried.
What makes a safari with Opulent Africa different?
We specialise exclusively in Africa and focus on quality over quantity.
Rather than offering off-the-shelf itineraries, we design each safari around the regions, camps, and experiences that best suit how you want the trip to feel. This includes careful pacing, the right balance of wildlife viewing and downtime, and properties chosen for their location, guiding, and sense of place.
Which countries do you specialise in?
We plan safaris across East and Southern Africa, including countries such as:
Kenya
Tanzania
Rwanda
Uganda
Botswana
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Namibia
South Africa
The best choice depends on the wildlife you want to see, the time of year, and the overall style of safari you’re looking for.
When is the best time to go on safari?
Safari travel is possible year-round, but the experience varies by region and season.
In general:
Drier months often offer easier wildlife viewing as animals gather around water sources
Greener months bring fewer visitors, beautiful landscapes, and excellent photography
There is no single “best” time to go on safari. We advise on timing based on your chosen countries, wildlife interests, and how you want the trip to feel overall.
Will we see wildlife on safari?
While wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed, Africa’s top safari regions offer consistently excellent game viewing.
We work with experienced guides in areas known for strong wildlife populations, and we design itineraries that allow enough time in each location to maximise sightings without feeling rushed.
What if we’ve been on safari before?
Many of our clients have travelled on safari before and are looking for something more specific or a little different the next time around.
For returning safari travelers, we look beyond the headline sightings and focus on details that can elevate the experience, whether that’s exceptional guiding, quieter regions, seasonal movements, birdlife, specific wildlife interests, specific activity interests, such as an immersive guided walking safari, sleep outs, night activities, desert experiences, climbing Kilimanjaro or a particular style of camp.
We also spend time considering pacing, time of year, and how different regions can be combined to create a journey that feels fresh and rewarding, rather than repeating a previous trip.
How active is a safari?
Safari activity levels vary depending on the region and camp.
Game drives are usually done in open-sided 4×4 vehicles and can last several hours, typically in the early morning and late afternoon. Some camps also offer walking safaris, boating, or cultural visits, which are always optional.
We tailor the pace of each safari to suit you.
Are safaris suitable for first-time travelers to Africa?
Yes, very much so.
For many clients, their first safari is also their first trip to Africa. We take care to recommend regions and camps that offer excellent guiding, comfortable accommodations, and straightforward logistics, making the experience both exciting and reassuring.
How do you choose safari lodges and camps?
We choose camps based on location, guiding quality, service, and how well they fit into the overall journey.
This includes a mix of:
Small, characterful lodges
Tented camps in prime wildlife areas
High-end properties where comfort and location go hand in hand
We favor places with strong conservation values and deep connections to their surrounding communities.
Is safari travel responsible and sustainable?
Responsible travel is central to how we work.
Many of the camps we use are deeply involved in conservation and community initiatives, and safari tourism plays a vital role in protecting wildlife and wild landscapes. We prioritise partners who share this long-term view and operate in a way that supports both conservation and local livelihoods.
Can safaris be combined with other experiences?
Yes, very easily.
Popular combinations include:
Safari and beach (such as Zanzibar, Mozambique, or the Indian Ocean islands)
Safari and gorilla or chimpanzee trekking
Multi-country safaris combining different landscapes and wildlife regions
We design these journeys carefully so they flow naturally and don’t feel over-packed.
How do you stay up to date, and what support do you offer while we’re traveling?
We are in regular contact with our partners on the ground and keep closely up to date with developments across the regions we work in, including new camp openings, refurbishments, changes in access, and seasonal considerations.
While you’re traveling, you’re fully supported by our local teams as well as by us. From smooth logistics to handling any changes or questions along the way, we make sure everything runs quietly and seamlessly behind the scenes.
How far in advance should we start planning a safari?
For most safaris, we recommend starting the planning process 6–12 months in advance, particularly for popular travel periods or specific camps.
That said, we can sometimes arrange excellent safaris at shorter notice, depending on availability and flexibility.
What budget should we expect for a safari?
Safari costs vary widely depending on the countries visited, time of year, level of accommodation, and how long you travel for.
As a general guideline, the safaris we plan start at around USD 1,000 per person per day, excluding international flights.
We’re always happy to work with a range of budgets and will advise honestly on what’s achievable, where it makes sense to invest, and how to get the best experience for the time you have.
What is your planning process and how do you support us throughout the trip?
Once you decide to move forward with us and are happy with the detailed itinerary that we have planned with you during the detailed planning process.
Throughout this process, we’re in regular contact, sharing ideas, adjusting details, and answering questions as they come up.
Your confirmed itinerary is shared via a private app, where you’ll find day-by-day plans, accommodation information, and practical guidance in one place. This becomes a useful reference both before you travel and while you’re on the ground.
In the lead-up to departure, we stay closely involved to make sure everything is in place and that you feel fully prepared. While you’re travelling, our local partners are on hand, and we remain connected behind the scenes to ensure everything runs smoothly.
We’re a small, personal team and get to know our clients well. Many of our travelers return to Africa with us more than once, and we stay in touch long after a trip has finished.
What kind of travelers do you typically work with?
We work with couples, families, and small groups who are looking for a well-considered safari rather than a rushed checklist.
This includes honeymoons, anniversaries, multi-generational family trips, and special celebrations, as well as travellers returning to Africa who want a deeper or more tailored experience.
A large proportion of our business comes from repeat clients and personal referrals, which we think speaks to the long-term relationships we build and the level of care we put into each journey. Take a look at our reviews on Trustpilot below.