Luxury African Safari for Single Travelers: A Beginner’s Guide
The number of people planning to travel alone throughout Africa is growing. We are cognizant of the fact that a safari, when factoring in airfare, transportation, activity fees, and other associated costs, can constitute a somewhat costly vacation. This is particularly true if you are traveling alone and are consequently subject to a single supplement cost for your lodging.
What is a Single Supplement for Solo Travelers:
Two people sharing a tent or room is the standard calculation for safari lodging rates. All of your meals, housing and operating expenses, and a share of the staff’s salary are factored into the total price.
Some hotels and lodges impose a “per person” tariff plus a single extra to cover their expenses, thus preventing solitary travelers from paying the full accommodation rate—which can be quite expensive. This additional charge for individuals traveling alone might range from 25% to 75% of the ‘per person’ fee.
What is Single Occupancy on Safari
With the exception of family accommodations, most tents and rooms may accommodate two people sharing. Safari rooms can accommodate either one or two visitors at a time, with the former being known as double occupancy and the latter as single occupancy. The room often has a queen or king-sized bed, though that doesn’t always imply there is just one bed.
Simply said, a safari room or tent that might have accommodated two people is being used by a lone traveler. The expense of a “empty bed” can be covered by charging a nominal fee to a camp or lodge that caters to lone travelers.
Can You Go on Safari Alone:
In a heartbeat! Since 2021, we have assisted with the creation of outstanding experiences for lone travelers by customizing Africa tours. Find out everything you need to know about traveling around Africa by yourself by reading on…
My Solo Trip to South Africa
Top Tips For Planning Africa Tours For Singles
For a wide variety of clients from across the globe, our team of seasoned Africa Safari Experts has created thousands of unique itineraries. For those traveling alone to Africa, this is our top recommendation:
1. Book in Advance:
Many lodges and campgrounds only cover one room or tent when they waive the single supplement payment. Your chances of getting that room to yourself increase the earlier you start making plans.
2. Choose Your Season:
During the low season, sometimes known as the Green Season, when demand is lower and prices are lower, solitary travelers have a much better chance of finding affordable safaris. One of the many benefits of Green Season is the increased variety of options available to solo travelers.
3. Opt for a Tailor-Made Itinerary:
You won’t find that all safari accommodations are suitable for lone travelers. For this reason, it is helpful to collaborate with a travel agency that has frequent, personal experience with safaris and an established network of reliable vendors. If you’re planning a solo safari with Kabira Safaris & Tours Africa, your dedicated Africa Safari Expert will be able to recommend the best hotels and camps, arrange for hassle-free transfers, and suggest exciting activities.
4. Be Upfront About Your Expectations:
So that they can create the ideal itinerary for you, inform your travel agency of your preferences. Take into account the following:
- Would you like to eat in silence or in a group? In terms of dinner companions, would you like some say?
- Would you want to go independently or join a group on a scheduled departure tour?
- Will you be capturing a particular wildlife event or trying to discover a particularly noteworthy bird on your safari?
- Do you value cultural exchanges and hot-air balloon rides?
- Are you more comfortable in an adult-only setting or would you rather be among younger children?
- In the same vein, are you more comfortable in a more formal setting when you’re around newlyweds, or is it irrelevant?
- Which type of lodging appeals to you more: large, impersonal hotels or cozy, independent spots?
Most Safest African Countries for SOLO TRAVELERS
Best Tips For Travelling Solo In Africa
1. Safety:
Every aspect of your vacation is handled by a full-service partner like Kabira Safaris & Tours Africa. Everything from flights to activities to lodgings to transportation and more. Someone will be waiting for you at every turn thanks to the meet-and-greet services and transfers arranged by a full-service travel agency.
Let your loved ones know where you’ll be going and when you expect them to check in by sharing your travel schedule with them.
If you’re going on a solo safari with Kabira Safaris & Tours Africa, you can call their direct line at any time, day or night, for advise or assistance.
It is prudent to take the same safety measures while traveling alone in Africa as you would when traveling domestically. We have compiled our best travel advice for being safe in Africa for your perusal.
2. Activities:
You can do a lot of things alone or with a group. Group activities, such as wine tours, boat cruises, or guided city tours, are great ways to meet other travelers.
A trip to Victoria Falls is perfect for the more daring visitor. In addition to going to the local markets or a traditional village, some popular activities include a thrilling microlight flight over the waterfall and group white-water rafting expeditions.
Why not just go on a safari by yourself? Of course! Participating in group outings, such as game drives and guided walks, would come naturally to you. Most people who travel alone go on safaris for one of three reasons: to see animals, to relax and unwind, or to meet interesting people. You might easily lose yourself in making new friends or find a quiet place to oneself.
3. Timing:
To get the most bang for your buck, plan your trip around the middle to high season. Take safari charter flights as an example; the minimum number of passengers required to operate the aircraft is two. Traveling during off-season as a solitary traveler may need purchasing an additional seat on the aircraft. With so many people taking trips during peak season, the likelihood of this occurring decreases.
However, if you are traveling alone and can get by without charter planes, you can save a lot of money on a safari during the off season. You can have the woods to yourself and the lodging fees are cheap.
Best Safari Destinations For Solo Travelers
When you book one of these accommodations, you may be eligible to have the single supplement costs waived or reduced. Important restrictions may apply, such as the fact that you can only go during the off-season or that each lodge or camp has a maximum of one room available at any given moment. It is possible to have the single supplement reduced rather than eliminated.
NOTE: This material could be changed at any time without prior notice. We have Africa Safari Experts on staff that can provide you with the most recent information.
Botswana:
Botswana provides the ideal land and water safari experiences for lone travelers, with its lunar-like desert vistas, wide grasslands, riverine forests, and papyrus-lined canals. You can enjoy fantastic game viewing throughout the year in popular places like Chobe National Park, Moremi Game Reserve, and the Okavango Delta because of the pleasant weather and plenty of animals.
The Best Safari Destinations For Solo Travel In Botswana:
- Contains three private game reserves where visitors are welcome to engage in off-road wildlife viewing and walking safaris.
- I had a fantastic day seeing wildlife, particularly wild dogs.
- A top spot for birdwatchers in all of Southern Africa.
- Amazing safari adventures on land and sea.
- Fantastically accessible habitat with a wide variety of desert and savannah creatures.
- This one waterhole is perfect for seeing wildlife during the dry season.
- The world-famous Baines’ Baobabs, a group of massive baobab trees stranded on an island in the middle of a salt pan, called home.
- Located in this grove of massive “upside-down trees” are Baines’ Baobabs.