A SAFARI IS NOT A BOLT ON: HOW TO PLAN A SAFARI AND BEACH HOLIDAY PROPERLY.

Designing a Seamless Safari and Beach Experience in Africa.

One of the most common phrases I hear when planning an Indian Ocean holiday is: “We were thinking of adding a few days on safari while we’re there.”

And I completely understand the instinct.

If you’re flying all the way to Africa — perhaps to Zanzibar or Mauritius — it feels logical. You’re close. It’s iconic. It’s something you’ve always imagined doing. It seems like the perfect addition.

But here’s the reality:

A safari isn’t an excursion.It isn’t a day trip. And it isn’t a casual add-on to a beach holiday.

It’s a completely different kind of travel experience — logistically, financially and emotionally. And it needs to be chosen deliberately.

Safari Lodges Aren’t “Hotels Near a National Park”

There’s often a misunderstanding about what safari actually involves.

Safari lodges and camps operate within or on the edge of protected wildlife areas. They’re remote by design. Every stay typically includes professional guiding, shared or private vehicles, park fees, conservation levies, staff, and full board (often with drinks included).

Reaching them may involve light aircraft flights, small bush airstrips or significant overland transfers.

That infrastructure is precisely what makes safari extraordinary — but it’s also what makes it fundamentally different from checking into a beach resort.

A night on safari is priced very differently to a night at the beach. Even a short three-night stay can represent a significant proportion of the overall trip cost once park fees, logistics and guiding are factored in.

That’s not a negative — it’s simply the reality of what goes into delivering a proper wildlife experience.

Which is why one of the first questions I ask is:

Is safari the reason you’re travelling — or is it something you feel you ought to add because you’re nearby?

The Experience Is Immersive — and Extraordinary

A proper safari isn’t leisurely lie-ins followed by lazy lunches.

It’s early starts in golden light.

It’s dust rising behind the vehicle as you bump along sandy tracks — the famous “Maasai massage”.

It’s the hush that falls when a predator is close.It’s elephants crossing the road in silence while everyone instinctively stops talking.

It’s watching the landscape shift from pink to gold as the sun sets over the bush.

And yes — I love it.

There’s something about being out in open wilderness, guided by someone who reads the land like a book, that feels completely different to any other kind of holiday. I still remember the rhythm of early mornings, the smell of wood smoke at dusk, and sitting around the fire listening to a guide talk quietly about the land and wildlife with such depth of knowledge and pride.

Those are the memories people come home talking about — not just the photographs, but the feeling of having stepped briefly into a world that runs on an entirely different timetable.

It’s immersive. It’s exhilarating. And sometimes it’s tiring.

When chosen intentionally, even three nights can be extraordinary. The right park at the right time of year, with the right lodge quality and guiding, can deliver an experience that stays with you for decades.

When treated as a tick-box addition, it can feel rushed, disjointed and disproportionately expensive.

Park Choice, Lodge Quality and Flow Matter

Not all safari is the same.

The country matters.

The park matters.

The time of year matters.

The lodge quality matters.

The balance between safari and downtime matters.

Northern Tanzania and Kenya are often the most natural pairing with Zanzibar or the wider Indian Ocean. Flying into Kilimanjaro and beginning in Tarangire National Park can make logistical sense — it’s accessible from the airport, yet beautifully wild, known for its large elephant herds and dramatic baobab landscapes.

But East Africa is only part of the picture.

Botswana offers extraordinary water-based safaris in the Okavango Delta and a sense of deep remoteness. Zimbabwe’s Hwange and Mana Pools deliver exceptional guiding and a more understated, authentic feel. South Africa provides some of the smoothest logistics for combining safari with beach, particularly for families.

These aren’t interchangeable experiences. Each shapes the rhythm, cost and character of the trip in a different way.

Introducing a safari adds a layer of complexity to any itinerary — from internal flights and lodge quality to guiding arrangements and park combinations. It works best when it’s woven into the design from the outset, not retrofitted once flights and beach hotels are already in place.

Intention Is Everything

There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting a beautiful, relaxing beach holiday with minimal moving parts.

And there is nothing wrong with wanting a safari to be the central focus of your trip.

The key is clarity.

If safari is high on your agenda, it deserves to be at the heart of the planning conversation. It isn’t something to squeeze into the gaps.

When planned properly, it can be the most extraordinary part of your travels.

When treated as a casual add-on, it can become the element that feels out of sync. Designing the perfect safari and beach holiday needs to be done with care, with the right decisions made at the right stage of the planning process.

Considering a Safari?

If you’re thinking about incorporating safari into a wider trip, it’s a conversation worth having early on.

The right park, the right lodge quality and the right balance between wildlife and downtime make all the difference. Those decisions are best made intentionally and in context.

If a safari is something you genuinely want to experience — rather than something you feel you should add — let’s talk about it properly at the outset. A short conversation early in the planning process can save a great deal of reshaping later — and ensures the experience is exactly what you’re hoping for.

Because when safari is planned deliberately, it’s unforgettable. Get in touch for an initial chat.