Tailor-Made Private African Safari: What Is Included and How Far in Advance to Book

A tailor-made private African safari is built around you: your dates, your budget, the animals you most want to see and the pace that suits your group. Instead of choosing from a fixed brochure trip, you work with a safari planner to design every day. This guide explains what a tailor-made safari usually includes, how the planning process works and how far in advance you should book.

What does a tailor-made African safari usually include?

• A private vehicle and professional guide for the whole safari, usually a 4×4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof.
• Accommodation chosen to match your budget and style, from mid-range lodges to luxury tented camps, usually on a full-board basis with all meals.
• Park and conservancy fees for every reserve on the itinerary.
• Game drives planned around the best wildlife times of day, with the flexibility to stay longer at a great sighting.
• Airport transfers and, where needed, domestic flights between parks or to the beach.
• Drinking water in the vehicle during game drives.
• Support from the operator before and throughout your trip.

Common optional extras include a hot air balloon flight over the Masai Mara or Serengeti, a Maasai village visit, gorilla or chimpanzee permits, beach extensions in Diani or Zanzibar, and city tours. Items usually excluded are international flights, visas, travel insurance, tips and drinks.

What can you customise?

• Destinations: combine the Masai Mara, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater, gorilla trekking and the coast in any order.
• Dates: start on any day of the year.
• Accommodation: mix styles, for example simple camps on safari and a luxury beach resort at the end.
• Pace: fewer parks with more time in each, or more variety with shorter stays.
• Special interests: photography, birding, walking safaris, honeymoons or family-friendly activities.
• Travel style: drive between parks for value or fly for speed.

How the tailor-made planning process works

• 1. Tell us your wish list: dates, group size, budget, must-see wildlife and any special occasions.
• 2. Receive a proposal: a day-by-day itinerary with named lodges and a full price.
• 3. Fine-tune it: swap lodges, add a beach stay or change the pace until it is exactly right.
• 4. Confirm with a deposit: lodges and permits are reserved in your name.
• 5. Final details: travel documents, packing advice and your guide’s contact before you fly.

How far in advance should you book a private African safari?

The best camps are small, often with fewer than 20 tents, so they fill quickly in peak season. As a guide:

• Great Migration season (July to October): book 9 to 12 months ahead, especially for camps near the Mara River.
• December and New Year: book 6 to 12 months ahead.
• Gorilla trekking: book permits at least 4 to 6 months ahead, and earlier for June to September.
• Shoulder and green seasons (January to March, and April to June): 2 to 4 months is usually enough, and you may find lower rates.
• Last minute: shared joining safaris, such as our 3 Days Joining Masai Mara Safari with daily departures, can often be booked within days.

Booking early also secures the guide you want and gives more time to arrange flights and visas. Read our best time to visit the Masai Mara to choose your season.

How much does a tailor-made safari cost?

Because every trip is different, prices vary widely. As a rough guide, private mid-range safaris in Kenya cost about US$300 to US$500 per person per day, and luxury safaris start from about US$500 per person per day. Tanzania is usually a little higher. See our Masai Mara safari cost guide and Tanzania safari cost guide for full breakdowns.

Tailor-made safari ideas

• Classic Kenya: Lake Nakuru and the Masai Mara, then Diani Beach. Start with our Kenya safari guide for first-timers.
• Kenya and Tanzania: the Masai Mara and the Serengeti, following the migration across the border.
• Gorillas and big game: a Kenya safari with a short gorilla trek in Rwanda or Uganda. Compare options in our East Africa safari comparison.
• Honeymoon: the Serengeti and Ngorongoro, then Zanzibar. See our Serengeti and Ngorongoro itinerary.

Frequently asked questions

Is a tailor-made safari more expensive than a package?

Not necessarily. You only pay for what you choose, and a well-planned private itinerary can cost the same as a fixed package while suiting you much better.

What is the minimum length for a tailor-made safari?

We plan private safaris from as little as two or three days, though four to seven days is ideal.

Can a tailor-made safari include gorilla trekking?

Yes. We arrange gorilla permits in Uganda and Rwanda and combine them with Kenya or Tanzania.

How do I choose a good safari operator?

Check licences, independent reviews, named lodges and what is included. Our guide to choosing a safari tour operator has a full checklist.

Start planning your tailor-made safari

Tell us your dates, budget and dream sightings, and we will send a free, no-obligation itinerary. Request a free proposal.