Mode of Safari Travel
This is an important safari decision many first-time travellers don’t think about at the start.
There are several ways to travel whilst on safari. And the best choice depends on the country, your personal travel style and, yes, sometimes your budget. Each destination usually offers some of the following options.
Quick shortcut: If you tell us your dates, rough budget range, and how you like to travel, we’ll recommend the smartest route and pacing in a 15–30 minute call.
1. Fly-In Safaris (seat-in-charter or light aircraft)
In some destinations, where road networks are poor and the distances are great, flying is close to the only practical way to get around. Think Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe as prime examples.
In these countries we often book “seat-in-charter” flights. You share a small plane with other travellers heading in the same direction, so you don’t need to pay for a private aircraft.
In other countries, you may have a genuine choice between travelling by road or by small plane (e.g. Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania) to save on travel time.
A few notes:
- In smaller countries like Rwanda and Uganda, ‘’seat-in-charter” isn’t always available. So this can make fly-in safaris much more expensive, especially for two people.
- In South Africa, you’ll often use scheduled flights to fly between the main regions, then road transfers / private guiding / self-drive locally. So it’s rare to have a truly fly-in safari in South Africa.
Fly in Safaris Best for: limited time, multi-region trips, “classic safari” feel, people who’d rather not spend hours on the road.
| Pros | Cons |
| * best use of time * aerial views * combine far-apart areas * “feels like safari” * seat-in-charter makes it accessible to couples/solo travellers. | * more expensive than road transfers, especially if there are 4 or more of you * you see less of the country and how it feels * can be very small planes (sometimes 4-seaters) so you need to be comfortable with that. |
2. Private Safaris or Touring
This is the mode of many safaris, especially in East Africa (Kenya and Tanzania) and Central Africa (Rwanda & Uganda) and Madagascar. You travel by road with an expert guide-driver (sometimes with a flight at the end to cover a long distance back). Your driver-guide is also your safari guide. (Though in some destinations, you will be joined by a specific park guide for specialist walking safaris)
It’s often excellent for families and small groups, and can be no more expensive than a scheduled group tour if you are 4 or more people.
It is less common in Southern Africa (Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia )where the safari lodges conduct their own safaris in their own vehicles.
Private Touring
In South Africa, you may opt for a private guide for the NON-safari portion of the trip, for example in Cape Town and the Winelands, and then fly onto the safari portion of your trip.
Best for: families, small groups, travellers who love deeper context and seamless logistics.
| Pros | Cons |
| * superb one-on-one guiding * greater insight into the country * no logistics stress * flexible pace (within daily limits) * you choose your accommodation. | * can be expensive for 2 people (especially South Africa & Namibia) because you’re effectively funding the guide and their overnight stay between only 2 of you * it’s a matter of personal taste – you’re with one guide for several days. Some prefer more independence? |
Private Safari Game-drives
3. Luxury Self-Drive (South Africa & Namibia only)
This is only an option in South Africa and Namibia and is one of the most popular ways to get around for the non-safari portions of the trip.
Luxury? Though the mode is more affordable than private touring, it is a choice driven by flexibility and personal taste than budget. You can pair a road trip with staying at five star hotels.
It also combines beautifully with other modes of travel (see “Mix” below).
Best for: independent travellers, couples, flexible pacing,
huge flexibility; works with all accommodation levels; strong road networks (especially SA); can combine with transfers & private touring.
| Pros | Cons |
| * affordable for a couple or single visitor * huge flexibility * works with all levels of accommodation * strong road network, especially in South Africa * can combine with transfers & private touring as well – see mix | * can feel tiring or stressful for some * ONLY possible for South Africa and Namibia * may take longer to cover distances (though GPS is provided) * right-hand drive can be an adjustment |
4. Scheduled Group Tours
This isn’t our preferred option, but it can work for solo travellers or couples who can’t quite stretch to private touring. Most commonly on offer in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Namibia.
Good to know: group tours often prioritise covering highlights efficiently, so if you prefer slower pacing, quiet lodges, or total flexibility, private travel usually suits better.
Note on South Africa: Post-Covid, there are very few group tours to choose from in South Africa. However, some overseas operators still run private, set-date group departures for their own clients.
Specialist-interest group trips (where we love group touring)
We prefer a curated private group tour, perhaps around a specialist interest, for example a small group focused on golf, botany, food & wine, photography, or gardens. In these cases we can design a bespoke small-group itinerary with the expert guide, at the right pace with your preferred accommodation.
If your budget cannot quite stretch to private touring, then we can suggest alternatives such as self-drive (in South Africa or Namibia), scheduled city day tours/excursions, and private transfers.
Best for: meeting people; certain specialist interest departures; tighter budgets where flexibility matters less.
| Pros | Cons |
| * often more affordable * social and easy for solo travellers * great for specialist interests with an expert guide in that field * no logistics stress | * usually only the most popular destinations (unless we’re arranging a private group) * very limited choice and flexibility * fast pace (often 1–2 nights per stop) * larger, usually mid-range hotels * no choice on where you stay (or how long) * and…you may not love everyone! |
Great Roads in South Africa
5. A Mix
Naturally sometimes the best solution is a mix of the above.
For example:
- Combine self-drive with a fly-in safari to see more of a country in the time
- private touring in the city and self-drive in the country (Cape & Garden Route is a classic)
- scheduled city day tours and private transfers/touring in the country
This approach often gives you the best of all worlds: value where it makes sense, and “wow factor” where it really counts.
Quick “how to choose” guide
If you’re:
- short on time → lean fly-in (or mix)
- a couple wanting best value in SA/Namibia → self-drive (with safari lodge add-ons)
- a family or group → private guided or private travel tends to be strong value per person
- nervous about small planes → road/private guided (or scheduled flights + road transfers)
- trying to keep costs down in fly-in areas → consider shoulder season and fewer flight legs (we’ll show you trade-offs)
Charter luggage limits: in some routes, soft-bag weight limits can matter (especially for photographers) and in rare cases can force an extra seat; we flag this at proposal stage.
LINKS
- Back to First Time on Safari
- Types of Safari Accommodation – people naturally ask “OK but what will it be like?”
- Safari Costs & Typical Pricing, Safari primer page 5 (mode of travel is a major cost lever, especially in SA/Namibia)
- Planning a Tailor-made Safari, Safari primer page 7 (where we start your itinerary design)
