A bull elephant crossing the track in front of a safari vehicle

Independent safari planning

Choose, plan and prepare for an African safari.

Plain-spoken guides to nine countries, the tools to compare them, and honest help with what to book and what to pack. Written in South Africa, researched against the sources that matter.

Find my safari Explore the destinations

Three ways to start

Where are you in the planning?

First safariI've never been

Where to go, how long, what it costs and the three questions that settle most of it.

Read the first-safari guide Self-driveI want to do it myself

Kruger, Etosha and the parks where a hire car and a rest camp are all you need.

Plan a self-drive SpecialistI'd rather someone planned it

What a good safari specialist does, what to check, and who we would point you to.

Find a specialist

I want to…

Go straight to what you need

Already know you need a car, a lodge or an insurance policy? Each page tells you what to check, then hands you to a partner we would use ourselves.

Hire a car or 4x4Self-drive Kruger, Etosha or a Botswana 4x4 trip Book a tailor-made safariA specialist plans lodges, flights and transfers Day tours & game drivesGuided drives, bush walks, balloon flights, day trips Find a lodge or campRest camps, tented camps and private lodges Travel insuranceMedical evacuation and cancellation cover Buy the right gearBinoculars, sun kit and dry bags, with what to check first Stay connectedAn eSIM for data from the moment you land Pack the right thingsOur packing list, and the few items worth buying

Bull elephant crossing the track in front of a safari vehicle

Who writes this

Researched, not rehashed.

Ontrack to Explore is written and edited by Shaun Roberts, founder of SRV Summit, from Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Every guide is checked against park authorities, government travel advice and the operators themselves, and we say plainly where advice comes from research rather than first-hand experience.