How to plan your first safari with ToursByLocals

If you've made the decision to go on an African safari, you're probably ready to roll up your sleeves and get planning! And travel planning is often half the fun, right? Yet planning a safari is a bit of a different beast... and quite unlike any trip you’ve planned before. The entire continent of Africa is unfamiliar to many of us: there's minimal public transportation, for instance, and definitely no Airbnbs in the bush. You’ll want to lean heavily on the expertise of your chosen safari provider to set you up for the best trip possible.

The safari guides on ToursByLocals aim to make the planning process straightforward, so you don't have to get bogged down in the details of permits and the logistics of transportation. You can focus on the fun part, like selecting which parks you want to visit, and what sort of accommodation you want to stay in.

How ToursByLocals Make Your Safari Planning Easier ToursByLocals is a bit different from other options when it comes to booking a safari. You choose the local guide you want to plan and deliver your safari, and from day one, that individual is your point of contact. You won't be chatting with a booking agent in London, or a customer support rep in Cape Town. You'll be talking to the same boots-on-the-ground guide you'll be meeting in person when you arrive in Africa. Your chosen guide will:

1. Discuss with you, recommend and secure all your safari accommodation.

2. Ensure permits are booked for specialist activities like gorilla trekking.

3. Make sure that conservation levies and park fees are in order before you arrive.

4. Help you with advice on what to pack so you don’t leave anything behind.

5. Arrange all your transfers from one location to the next: for instance, your guide will collect you in a private vehicle from the airport and take you where you need to be to start your safari adventure.

6. Recommend and book all your activities. You let your guide know what you want to do and they will make it happen: hot-air ballooning, wine tasting, visiting animal sanctuaries and virtually anything else you can think of.

7. Provide you with a 24/7 customer support line that you can contact via an always-on helpline number. So whether you miss a connecting flight, find that your bags have taken a different route to you, or need to make a last-minute change, ToursByLocals will be available to help.

Have fun working with a guide to design your perfect safari! Available in every major national park and reserve throughout Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Uganda, Nairobi, Botswana and more.