Apsley Travel · Bespoke Luxury Travel
A top-tier African safari costs roughly US$1,200–2,500 per person per night at the leading lodges — Singita, andBeyond, Wilderness, Great Plains — meaning a one-week luxury safari for two typically runs £25,000–60,000+ including light-aircraft transfers, with green-season departures saving 30–40%. Apsley designs private-guided safaris across East and Southern Africa with first-hand knowledge of every camp we book.
Safari pricing is per person per night, all-inclusive of accommodation, meals, guiding, park fees and (usually) drinks. Bush flights between camps and international flights are on top. The bands below are 2026 high-season pricing; green season saves 30–40%, private conservancies and family or exclusive-use camps sit at the upper end.
| Tier | Per person per night | Weekly total for 2 (indicative, all-in incl. bush flights) |
|---|---|---|
| Entry luxury (Beyond Grumeti River Camp, Sanctuary Olonana) | US$800–1,200 | £18,000–28,000 |
| Premium (andBeyond Sandibe, Wilderness Little Ruckomechi, Angama Mara) | US$1,200–1,800 | £28,000–45,000 |
| Ultra-luxury (Singita Sasakwa, Sabora, Faru Faru; Wilderness Bisate) | US$1,800–2,500 | £45,000–70,000 |
| Private / exclusive-use villas (Singita Serengeti House, Chief's Camp private wing) | US$2,500–5,000+ | £70,000–150,000+ |
The Masai Mara for the wildebeest migration (roughly July–October) and its private conservancies — Mara North, Olare Motorogi, Naboisho — which allow off-road driving, night drives and walking that the National Reserve prohibits. Best for a first safari and the strongest short-flight combinations with the Kenyan coast at Lamu or the Seychelles.
The greater Serengeti — vast, dramatic, and the counterpart to Kenya's Mara for the migration (calving in the southern Serengeti Jan–March, river crossings roughly July–October). Namiri Plains for big cats, the Grumeti concessions for private-land quality, Ngorongoro Crater as the geological set-piece. Pairs beautifully with Zanzibar for a safari-and-beach twin-centre.
Water-based safari in the Okavango Delta by mokoro and motorboat, combined with dry-land big game in the Linyanti and Chobe. Higher per-night cost (small camps in expensive concessions) but the exclusivity is unmatched — you often see no other vehicles. Best pair for South Africa (Cape Town) at the front or back.
The Sabi Sand and Timbavati private reserves adjoining the Kruger — the highest big-five sighting rates in Africa, malaria risk lower than Kenya/Tanzania. Excellent for first-time and family safaris, and the natural pairing with Cape Town and the Winelands for a two-centre first Africa trip.
Gorilla trekking — Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park is the polished option; permits cost US$1,500 per person in 2026, and the strongest lodges (Singita Kwitonda, Wilderness Bisate, One&Only Gorilla's Nest) sit at £2,000+ per person per night. Add 2–3 nights to a wider East Africa safari.
The wildebeest herds move in a broad clockwise loop between the Serengeti and the Masai Mara across the calendar year, driven by rain and grass. Rough guide: January–March calving in the southern Serengeti (predator action at its peak); April–June herds moving north through central and western Serengeti; July–October the famous Mara River crossings on the Kenya–Tanzania border; November–December herds returning south. There is no single "best" date — the crossings are the visual peak but the calving is arguably the greater wildlife spectacle.
Luxury safaris suit clients who want a genuinely private experience with world-class guiding — most commonly UHNW families spending 7–14 nights on a milestone Africa trip, multi-generational groups taking the whole family (children as young as six at family-friendly camps such as Sanctuary Olonana or andBeyond Ngala), and honeymooners pairing 4–5 safari nights with a beach honeymoon in the Seychelles, Maldives or Zanzibar. Integration with private jet arrivals into Nairobi or Kilimanjaro is straightforward and materially improves the first day.
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Budget on US$1,000–2,000 per person per night at the mid-luxury tier, and US$2,000–3,500+ at the top end (Singita, Wilderness Bisate, private villas). A typical high-season week for two with three camps and internal bush flights runs £25,000–45,000; the same trip at Singita or in exclusive-use villas can reach £60,000–100,000. Green season (roughly November and April) saves 30–40% on the same camps.
For the iconic Mara River crossings, roughly July to October, split across Kenya's Masai Mara and the northern Serengeti. For the calving and its concentrated predator action, January to March in the southern Serengeti (Ndutu). The herds are moving all year, so what matters is matching the month to which chapter of the migration you most want to see. Apsley plans by the fortnight, not the season.
Kenya (Masai Mara) has smaller conservancies with private-vehicle guiding, off-road driving and night drives, plus easier logistics. Tanzania (Serengeti) offers greater scale, dramatic geography and better access to the calving in the south. For a first safari and shorter trip, Kenya is often the better answer; for a returning safari-goer or 10+ nights, Tanzania rewards. Many clients do both across a single itinerary.
For clients who value exclusivity and have safaried before, yes — Okavango water safaris are unique in Africa, and low-density concessions mean you rarely see another vehicle. For a first safari with children where big-five sighting rate matters most, Sabi Sand (South Africa) or the Masai Mara typically delivers more per pound. Budget 25–40% more for Botswana at the equivalent tier.
South Africa's Madikwe and the Waterberg reserves (Marataba, Welgevonden) are malaria-free and family-friendly, as is the Eastern Cape (Kwandwe, Shamwari). You accept a slightly lower game density than the Sabi Sand in exchange for peace of mind with young children. In East Africa, no truly malaria-free options exist — prophylaxis is standard.
For peak-season Singita, andBeyond exclusive-use and the strongest gorilla lodges, 12–18 months is normal. For mid-luxury camps in shoulder season, 4–8 months is usually enough. Christmas–New Year and August school holidays close out earliest. If your dates are fixed by school holidays, start planning at least a year in advance.
Yes — the standard add-on is three nights in Rwanda (permits US$1,500 pp, one trek per permit, strong lodges at Singita Kwitonda, Wilderness Bisate, One&Only Gorilla's Nest). Uganda's Bwindi is the cheaper alternative (US$800 permits) with less-polished lodges and longer transfers. Rwanda pairs cleanly onto a Kenya/Tanzania safari via Kigali.
The classic pairing. Kenya connects easily to the Seychelles or Zanzibar; Tanzania to Zanzibar or Mnemba; South Africa to Mozambique's Bazaruto or Mauritius. A typical <a href="/luxury-honeymoons" style="color:#2F3A56;text-decoration:underline;">honeymoon</a> itinerary is 5 nights safari + 5 nights beach + international flights — see also our honeymoons page for the full pairing logic.