How to Book an African Safari: A Step-by-Step Guide with Cheetah Safaris

Planning your African safari is a process of anticipation where moments get curated for the purpose of creating lifelong memories.

At Cheetah Safaris, we feel that the planning process should be as smooth, exhilarating, and refined as your African experience.

If you are planning on experiencing the Great Migration in Kenya and Tanzania, hiking among mountain gorillas in Rwanda and Uganda, or even exploring the wild nature of Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa, and the beaches of Zanzibar, this guide covers our unique, effortless booking procedure.

Get familiar with how our Safari Experts work with you to craft your personal, sustainable, and luxurious African itinerary.

The Cheetah Safaris Advantage: What Sets Us Apart from Others

In arranging an ultraluxurious African safari adventure, choosing the right guide for your experience becomes just as important as choosing the location.

Our company doesn’t organize trips but plans unforgettable and impactful safaris. Here is why the world’s most discerning travelers and travel agents team up with Cheetah Safaris:

• We allocate you your Own Personal Expert for Seamless & Uninterrupted Service: There’s no passing of the baton from one department to another. Once you have made your first inquiry, until the moment you return home by air, your very own Safari Expert is solely responsible for everything about your trip. This expert looks after each and every minute detail, right from itinerary planning to negotiating with the lodges and flying into the destination.
• Over 17+ Years of Unparalleled Firsthand On-the-Ground Expertise: Over the last two decades, our extensive professional experience in organizing safaris and tours in East and Southern Africa has earned us unparalleled first-hand expertise in luxury tourism.
• We commit to Due Diligence in Safari Inspections: We regularly undertake intensive and thorough inspections of our properties, from those in Masai Mara, Amboseli, Samburu, Arusha, Nairobi, Tarangire, and Karatu to the Serengeti region, and many others
• We are experts in Wildebeest Migration: We understand exactly how each luxury tented camp is positioned, where the best wildebeest migration paths are, and who the most exceptional private guides in the industry are.
• We are Pioneers of the Slow Safari: Luxury is all about time, intensity, and exclusivity. Rather than rushing guests on overcrowded trails with large groups of people, we specialize in the concept of Slow Safari. Through designing longer stays in ultra-exclusive private concessions, we enable you to immerse yourself deeply in the natural rhythm of the African bush while enjoying premium wildlife viewing and wellness experiences.
• Champions of Regenerative, Luxury Tourism: We enthusiastically show that sustainable and luxurious travel do go hand-in-hand. In fact, all our customized itineraries are strictly SDG aligned. This ensures that by traveling exclusively with our top eco-friendly and community-owned lodges, we directly support wildlife conservation efforts and socioeconomic development in local indigenous communities.
• Unmatched Blend of Uncommon and Exceptional Experiences: Our focus is on mixing experiences that are completely contrary but form a unified story. We are experts at combining extreme luxury with profound cultural immersions. Think of starting with a private luxury helicopter trip over Northern Kenya’s breathtaking scenery, followed by immersive family safari activities among the Samburu region, and ending your experience with a unique and highly respected meeting of the Hadzabe bushmen of Lake Eyasi in Tanzania.

Signature Safari Co-Creation Experience, From Start to End

We do not believe that one travel experience fits all needs. Each custom itinerary we create starts from scratch, personalized to fit your particular style, pace, and passions. This is precisely how we create the signature safari of your dreams:

Step 1: The Opening Inquiry and Dream Sharing

Your safari adventure begins when you make that first contact with us. To start on the right foot, head on over to our Cheetah Safaris Contact Page or our special agent portal and submit your inquiry.

• What you should tell us: Share your chosen destinations (such as an amazing Bush-to-Beach safari combining Kenya and Zanzibar), your desired travel dates, group size, and all your dreams (a helicopter trip over the Okavango Delta, family tracking, or a photo vehicle).

Step 2: Discovery & Personalized Safari Consultation

Once we receive your request, your dedicated Safari Expert (Brenda Wangui, Simon Kimani) will be assigned to your journey, and only she will be responsible for your experience.

We’ll take a look at your notes, schedule a call, and have a deep conversation about your travel preferences and dreams.

We will talk about your desired pacing, your interests in wildlife, your multi-generational dynamics, and how to incorporate such elements such as tracking wildlife with Samburu morans or foraging with the Hadzabe people into your customized experience timeline.

Step 3: Personalized Advice and Travel Schedule

In the aftermath of our meeting, your own dedicated specialist prepares an extensive, day-to-day itinerary for you. It entails:

• Hand-selected lodges and camps that are aligned with the UN’s SDGs, thus contributing to the growth of local communities as well as wildlife preservation.
• Efficient logistics via private flights, helicopter transfers, or domestic scheduled flights, allowing minimal transit time and maximizing your time in the bush.
• Transparency in pricing and inclusions.

Step 4: Refinement and Optimization of Itinerary and Budget

Itinerary planning is a collaborative art in our eyes. The first itinerary will be evaluated by you, and your input will go directly to the assigned account manager.

All properties, private tours, or additional nights can be optimized to fit your schedule until your perfect match is made.

Step 5: Booking Confirmation & Departure Prep Concierge

After confirming the finalized custom itinerary, our personal expert confirms all safari accommodations, internal flights, national park permits (gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permits included), and attachments for private guides.

Before your departure, we give you everything you need before you travel, including packing suggestions, information on tipping, health and visa information, and an itinerary that can be accessed offline through your phone.

African Safari Planning Tips for High-End Travelers

In view of our discerning, high-end clientele, the following tips on how to incorporate elements of exclusivity, luxury, and privacy into a safari itinerary may prove valuable when planning trips through East and Southern Africa:

• Book Private Safari Accommodations & Reserves: In case privacy is the epitome of luxury, opt to book private use villas or reserves at such destinations as Maasai Mara (Kenya), Singita Grumeti (Tanzania), and Sabi Sands (South Africa). This will guarantee private chef services, private game drives, and absolute freedom.
• Book Luxury Helicopters: Make your journey in the sky by booking a helicopter charter flight. Fly over the stunning scenery of deserts in Namibia, land in remote kopjes of the Serengeti for sundowners, or explore untouched horizons in Northern Kenya. Helicopters drastically cut down on travel time and offer great aerial views.
• Create Family-Involving Experiences: Families with kids and even those traveling across multiple generations can enjoy some unparalleled luxury in action in the north of Kenya. Get your guests out of the usual game drives and onto camel treks and children’s warrior academies, as well as community conservation tracking tours, keeping all members involved.
• Include Experiences That Are Not Commonly Experienced: Activities such as meeting the Hadzabe in Tanzania have a unique logistics challenge, as these encounters require thorough organization and planning to remain authentic and leisurely. Make sure your expert is aware of the early stages of your trip, including such activities, as they are highly impactful.
• Plan for Bush-To-Beach Transition: Combine the long days in the African bush with an unforgettable luxury retreat to the coastal region. Combine a high-adrenaline Big Five safari in either South Africa, Zimbabwe, or Tanzania with a stay in a private luxury villa in the beautiful, aromatic Zanzibar islands or a remote Indian Ocean paradise.

Begin Planning Your One-of-a-Kind Safari Adventure

The amazing wildernesses of Africa await, along with our experienced team that will craft a one-of-a-kind experience tailored especially for you.

Would you like to get started? Speak to our Safari Advisors now by submitting an inquiry, and allow us to make your dreams a reality.