The Best Safari Planners in 2026: 19 Specialists Ranked, Plus the Best for a First Safari, Financial Protection and Published Prices
By Richard J. · written from Valencia19 planners scored /100Verified 10 October 2026
Go2Africa and Wild Frontiers lead the nineteen safari planners in this index, level at 89 out of 100: Go2Africa on the deepest verified review record in the field (Feefo 4.9 from 3,118), consultants who live in the regions they sell and offices in Cape Town and Nairobi; Wild Frontiers on per-person prices across its itineraries, Trustpilot 4.9 from 777 and full UK protection. Micato Safaris (88), Yellow Zebra Safaris (87) and Abercrombie & Kent (86) follow. Nineteen tailor-made safari planners are ranked by the score on each one’s own review on this site, and every card shows the financial protection, the 24-hour line and the review record behind the score, with the best planner for a first safari, by budget, by country and by criterion after the ranking. Thirteen more planners reviewed on this site join at the next quarterly re-score, among them Mahlatini, whose review scores 96; they are listed with their scores after the profiles.
Verified 10 October 2026 · scores read from each planner’s review on this site · company facts read at source 14 to 29 September 2026, dated on each card · ATOL, ABTA, ABTOT, TICO and USTOA registers · Trustpilot, Feefo, Google and SafariBookings
Who is the best safari planner in 2026?
Ranked by review score: Go2Africa 89, Wild Frontiers 89, Micato Safaris 88, Yellow Zebra Safaris 87, Abercrombie & Kent 86, Extraordinary Journeys 84, Cazenove+Loyd 83, Audley Travel 82, Scott Dunn 82, ROAR AFRICA 75, Original Travel 70, Rhino Africa 69, Aardvark Safaris 68, Kensington Tours 66, Journeys by Design 65, Red Savannah 65, Natural World Safaris 60, Jacada Travel 42 and Ker & Downey World Travel (Texas) 28. Planners on the same score share the place and are listed alphabetically. Thirteen more safari planners have a review on this site but were not in the field this index set on 14 September, so they are not yet ranked here; five of them score above 84 (Mahlatini 96, Discover Africa Safaris 88, Expert Africa 87, Safari Consultants 87 and Steppes Travel 87), and all thirteen are listed with their scores further down.
How the scores work (100 points). Every score is the one on the planner’s own review on this site, so a company carries one number wherever this site names it. Two rubrics sit behind the reviews. Safari review criteria (seven planners): first-hand African expertise 25, independent review evidence 20, destination breadth 15, pricing transparency 15, service model and support hours 15, ownership transparency 10. Company record (twelve planners): planning depth 25, on-the-ground cover 20, pricing transparency 20, review evidence 20, financial protection 15; Rhino Africa and Natural World Safaris carry the scores this index gave them on the same five criteria on 14 September. The company record scores financial protection and the safari review criteria do not, so the protection and 24-hour lines on every card are the facts to compare across the two. Scores are ours; the inputs are linked.
Planner
Score /100
Scored on
Based
Financial protection
24-hour number
Verdict
1= Go2Africa
89
Safari review criteria, 7 Sep 2026
Cape Town (V&A Waterfront) and Nairobi
States “complete financial protection” and names RedPoint Travel Protection as insurance partner; no bond or scheme number
Not published; 24/7 assistance claimed
Pick it if the deepest verified review record and consultants based in Africa matter more than a price before you call.
1= Wild Frontiers
89
Company record, 25 Sep 2026
London; no office abroad
ATOL 5975 · ABTOT 5228 · AITO 5141
Not published; 24/7 support claimed on trip pages
Pick it if you want West Africa, Madagascar or Namibia, in a small group or privately, with full UK protection.
3. Micato Safaris
88
Safari review criteria, 7 Sep 2026
New York; offices in Nairobi, Arusha, Cape Town and Johannesburg
None stated; not in the USTOA directory (14 Sep)
Not published; a concierge on call is claimed
Pick it if you want to be hosted throughout by the company's own Safari Directors and the price is not the deciding line.
4. Yellow Zebra Safaris
87
Safari review criteria, 7 Sep 2026
Kingston upon Thames, UK
ATOL 10614
A 24-hour line and WhatsApp concierge stated; number not published
Pick it if this is a first safari from the UK and you want a price range on every itinerary before you enquire.
5. Abercrombie & Kent
86
Company record, 25 Sep 2026
Cheltenham, UK and Downers Grove, Illinois
ATOL 2881 · ABTA V6398 · USTOA member since 1980
Duty manager +44 207 998 4141 in the terms; 24/7 on-call support claimed
Pick it if you want a small group with a resident tour director, or one bonded booking with ATOL and USTOA cover.
6. Extraordinary Journeys Partner
84
Safari review criteria, 26 Sep 2026
Washington, D.C.; concierge staff in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Nairobi
Client payments held in a separate account from its operating funds, the company says; no bond or scheme number; not in the USTOA directory (14 Sep)
Not published; office 9.30am to 5.30pm Eastern, weekdays
Pick it if the trip is complex and multi-camp, for a family, or joins Africa to Egypt or the Indian Ocean.
7. Cazenove+Loyd
83
Company record, 25 Sep 2026
London; no office abroad
ATOL 3208 only
+44 207 384 2332, “enquiry lines are open 24/7”
Pick it if you want an Africa-deep London house that prices the trip before the first call.
8= Audley Travel
82
Company record, 25 Sep 2026
Witney and London, UK; Boston, US
ATOL 4817 · ABTOT 5297 · USTOA
Not published; 24/7 emergency support claimed
Pick it if the safari is one leg of a wider private trip and you want every scheme and a very large review record.
8= Scott Dunn
82
Company record, 25 Sep 2026
London, New York, Solana Beach, Singapore and Hong Kong
ATOL 2471 · ABTOT 5222 · IATA · USTOA
+44 20 8682 5099, 24 hours for emergencies
Pick it if you are a family that wants childcare built in, or the safari continues to Asia on one bonded booking.
10. ROAR AFRICA
75
Safari review criteria, 21 Sep 2026
Miami Beach, Florida
None stated; not in the USTOA directory (14 Sep)
Not published
Pick it if you want the founder, the hosting and the private jet, and will ask for the terms in writing.
11. Original Travel
70
Company record, 25 Sep 2026
London
ATOL 5922 · ABTA Y5632
Not published; a 24-hour helpline is listed as an inclusion
Pick it if it is a honeymoon or a family trip and you want a London team with ATOL and ABTA.
12. Rhino Africa
69
This index's five criteria, 14 Sep 2026
Cape Town
Own financial-default insurance, underwriter not named; SATSA 1184572
Not published
Pick it if the size of the review record matters most and you will ask for a written, itemised quote.
13. Aardvark Safaris
68
Safari review criteria, 29 Sep 2026
Tidworth, Hampshire and Musselburgh, Scotland
ATOL 5356 · IPP protection for holidays without flights
Not published; 24-hour emergency cover claimed
Pick it if you want a protected UK desk whose staff have lived and worked in Africa, and can do without published prices.
14. Kensington Tours
66
Company record, 25 Sep 2026
Toronto
TICO 50022233 (Ontario); USTOA member since 2026; California and Florida seller-of-travel numbers
Not published; sales line only
Pick it if you book from North America and want a private guided trip priced online.
15= Journeys by Design
65
Safari review criteria, 24 Sep 2026
Brighton, UK; bases in Nanyuki (Kenya) and Maun (Botswana)
ATOL 9680 for UK flight-inclusive bookings, issued in a former company name; none stated for others
Not published; 24-hour contact with its offices claimed
Pick it if you want countries few others sell, planned by people who live there, and will ask for prices and terms.
15= Red Savannah
65
Company record, 25 Sep 2026
Cheltenham, UK
ATOL 10454 · ABTOT 5566
Not published; only the ABTOT insolvency line is printed
Pick it if you want a price and full UK protection before you call, and independent reviews matter less to you.
17. Natural World Safaris
60
This index's five criteria, 14 Sep 2026; no review yet
Brighton, UK
ATOL claimed with no number; Trust My Travel
Not published
Pick it if you want frontier countries such as Chad, Gabon or the Congos, and will ask for the ATOL number.
18. Jacada Travel
42
Company record, 25 Sep 2026
London (UK establishment); company registered in the Cayman Islands
None stated; contract under Puerto Rico law
Not published; no telephone number printed
Pick it only if you are content to learn the price and the protection on the first call.
19. Ker & Downey World Travel (Texas)
28
Company record, 25 Sep 2026
Bellville, Texas
None published; not in USTOA; terms limit recovery to commission and fees
Not published; 24/7 support claimed
Hard to recommend from what it publishes; it is listed because a search for the name returns it.
A lioness beside a safari vehicle in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. Most planners on this page sell safaris like this at camps they do not own, which is why the planners are scored separately from the camps. Photo: Sanjeed Quazi, Pexels
Score breakdown by criterion
Seven planners are scored on the safari review criteria.
Planner
Expertise /25
Reviews /20
Breadth /15
Pricing /15
Service and support /15
Ownership /10
Total /100
Go2Africa
22
20
15
12
12
8
89
Micato Safaris
24
18
13
12
14
7
88
Yellow Zebra Safaris
21
19
14
14
12
7
87
Extraordinary Journeys
24
15
14
12
11
8
84
ROAR AFRICA
21
11
12
11
12
8
75
Aardvark Safaris
20
6
15
10
9
8
68
Journeys by Design
25
3
15
0
15
7
65
Twelve are scored on the company record rubric, ten from records rebuilt on 25 September and two, Rhino Africa and Natural World Safaris, from this index’s own scoring on the same five weights on 14 September.
Planner
Planning depth /25
On-the-ground cover /20
Pricing /20
Review evidence /20
Financial protection /15
Total /100
Wild Frontiers
23
11
20
20
15
89
Abercrombie & Kent
19
16
20
16
15
86
Cazenove+Loyd
25
10
20
18
10
83
Audley Travel
23
6
18
20
15
82
Scott Dunn
23
10
20
14
15
82
Original Travel
20
6
13
16
15
70
Rhino Africa
20
13
8
19
9
69
Kensington Tours
16
3
18
20
9
66
Red Savannah
24
6
20
0
15
65
Natural World Safaris
21
6
15
10
8
60
Jacada Travel
18
3
3
18
0
42
Ker & Downey World Travel (Texas)
19
6
3
0
0
28
Every row sums to its total. On the company record rubric, pricing and protection decide the order: the five planners on it at 82 or above all score 18 or more for pricing and four of them take full marks for protection. Ground cover is where record companies lose most, because only two planners on the whole page, Scott Dunn and Cazenove+Loyd, publish a 24-hour number: Audley, Original Travel, Red Savannah and Natural World Safaris score 6 of 20 there, Kensington Tours and Jacada 3. On the safari review criteria, first-hand expertise and review evidence decide the order: the top four each score 21 or more for expertise, and ROAR AFRICA, Aardvark and Journeys by Design fall on reviews (11, 6 and 3 of 20). Financial protection is not one of the six safari review criteria, which is why Micato, which states none, and Extraordinary Journeys, which names no bond or scheme, rank above planners with ATOL and ABTOT; the next section ranks the field on protection alone.
Which safari planners are financially protected?
Six of the nineteen publish an ATOL number together with ABTA or ABTOT: Wild Frontiers (ATOL 5975, ABTOT 5228), Abercrombie & Kent (ATOL 2881, ABTA V6398), Audley Travel (ATOL 4817, ABTOT 5297), Scott Dunn (ATOL 2471, ABTOT 5222), Original Travel (ATOL 5922, ABTA Y5632) and Red Savannah (ATOL 10454, ABTOT 5566); A&K, Audley and Scott Dunn are also members of USTOA, as is Kensington Tours since 2026. The test is what each planner states on its own site, checked against the CAA’s ATOL register, ABTA, ABTOT, TICO and the USTOA member directory; “none stated” means no scheme, bond, trust or licence number appears anywhere on the site.
Protection stated
Planners
What it means
ATOL with ABTA or ABTOT
Wild Frontiers, Abercrombie & Kent, Audley Travel, Scott Dunn, Original Travel, Red Savannah
Flight-inclusive packages covered by ATOL, packages without flights by ABTA or ABTOT
USTOA membership
Abercrombie & Kent (since 1980), Audley Travel (since 2016), Scott Dunn, Kensington Tours (since 2026)
The US arm is listed in the USTOA member directory; ask what USTOA’s programme covers for your booking
ATOL alone
Yellow Zebra Safaris (10614), Cazenove+Loyd (3208), Aardvark Safaris (5356, with IPP cover for holidays without flights), Journeys by Design (9680, for UK flight-inclusive bookings, in a former company name)
Flight-inclusive packages sold in the UK are covered; ask what covers the rest
Claimed, no number
Natural World Safaris (ATOL claimed; Trust My Travel)
Ask for the ATOL number before paying
Provincial registration
Kensington Tours (TICO 50022233, Ontario)
Ontario’s compensation fund covers sales made under that registration
Own protection, no external bond
Go2Africa (RedPoint Travel Protection named), Rhino Africa (own default insurance; SATSA 1184572), Extraordinary Journeys (client payments in a separate account, the company says)
Real, but no register a buyer can check
None stated
Micato Safaris, ROAR AFRICA, Jacada Travel, Ker & Downey World Travel
Ask in writing how the deposit is held
Two things catch buyers out. ATOL covers flight-inclusive packages sold to UK customers, so a US buyer booking a UK company is often contracting with its US arm, and should ask which company holds the money. And three of the four that state nothing are US companies, Micato, ROAR AFRICA and Ker & Downey World Travel, none of them in the USTOA directory when read on 14 September; Extraordinary Journeys, also US-based, says it keeps client payments in a separate account but names no bond. The safari deposits and payment terms guide explains what each scheme protects, and how to verify a safari operator shows how to check a number.
Which safari companies publish their prices?
Fourteen of the nineteen show a per-person price somewhere on their own site, from Red Savannah’s USD 4,007 and Yellow Zebra’s £4,983 at the low end to Micato’s USD 20,700 and ROAR AFRICA’s USD 23,850 at the top; Rhino Africa and Jacada have broken price fields, Go2Africa’s trip pages show no figure, and Journeys by Design and Ker & Downey World Travel publish none. Each figure is the lowest per-person price read on the planner’s own site, with the trip, its length and the date read. A planner’s price for a camp is normally the camp’s own rate; what differs is what is wrapped around it.
Planner
Lowest published price
The trip
Read
Yellow Zebra Safaris
From £4,983 a person
Botswana’s best-known parks, 8 nights; range to £8,726
14 Sep
Red Savannah
From USD 4,007 a person
Lowest of 22 Africa itineraries, by season
25 Sep
Wild Frontiers
£4,870 a person
Complete Egypt, tailor-made, 13 days
25 Sep
Aardvark Safaris
£4,500 a person sharing
Zambezi Queen and Okavango Delta, 7 nights, in a blog post from October 2015
29 Sep
Audley Travel
From £5,400 a person
Southern Tanzania safari and beach, 12 days
14 Sep
Original Travel
£5,900 to £8,050 a person
The African honeymoon, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana, 13 days
25 Sep
Scott Dunn
From £6,100 a person
Epic South Africa, 9 nights
25 Sep
Cazenove+Loyd
£7,000 a person
Botswana Wetlands to Salt Pans Riding Safari, 10 days
25 Sep
Kensington Tours
From USD 7,036 a person
Mozambique coast, 4 days; Wild Wonders of East Africa, 11 days, USD 21,846
25 Sep
Extraordinary Journeys Partner
USD 10,000 a person
Zimbabwe and Botswana family safari, 13 days; about USD 1,000 a person a day, five-day minimum
26 Sep
Abercrombie & Kent
From USD 10,195 a person
A&K Sanctuary Botswana Safari and Victoria Falls 2026, 8 days, November and December
25 Sep
Natural World Safaris
From USD 10,500 a person
Kenya photographic safari
14 Sep
Micato Safaris
From USD 20,700 a person
Tanzania Spectacular, 10 days
14 Sep
ROAR AFRICA
USD 23,850 a person sharing
Women’s Empowerment Retreat, Singita Sasakwa, 5 days, January 2027, sold out
21 Sep
Go2Africa
No figure on its trip pages
“Loading price” on 14 Sep; SafariBookings lists its trips at USD 120 to 2,000 a person a day (28 Sep)
14 and 28 Sep
Rhino Africa
Broken price field
“Starting from $NaN” on every tour card; indicative USD 50 to 2,500 a person a night in South Africa
14 Sep
Jacada Travel
Broken price field
“From $0 PP” on sample trips
25 Sep
Journeys by Design
None published
No price on any page read
24 Sep
Ker & Downey World Travel
None published
All eight sample itineraries ask for a quote
25 Sep
Prices are observations, not quotes, and sterling and dollar figures are left as published rather than converted. Wild Frontiers’ lowest Africa figure is an Egypt trip, not a safari. For what the same camps cost night by night, see what a safari costs by budget.
The best safari planner for a first safari, and for every other kind of traveller
For a first safari from the UK, Yellow Zebra Safaris (87); for consultants based in Africa and the deepest review record, Go2Africa (89); for a hosted trip, Micato Safaris (88); for one bonded booking with a resident tour director, Abercrombie & Kent (86); for a family or a multi-camp trip joined to Egypt or the Indian Ocean, Extraordinary Journeys (84); for a safari that continues to Asia, Scott Dunn (82). The test is the one or two facts that decide the trip for that traveller, not the total.
You are
First choice
Strong alternative
Why
Booking a first safari from the UK
Yellow Zebra Safaris (87)
Cazenove+Loyd (83)
Both price before you enquire and hold ATOL; Cazenove+Loyd adds a published 24-hour number
Booking from the US and want protection stated
Abercrombie & Kent (86)
Audley Travel (82)
Both are in the USTOA directory with UK licences behind them; Micato and ROAR AFRICA state nothing, and Extraordinary Journeys names no bond
Wanting consultants on the ground in Africa
Go2Africa (89)
Micato Safaris (88)
Go2Africa in Cape Town and Nairobi; Micato in four African cities
Wanting to be hosted throughout
Micato Safaris (88)
ROAR AFRICA (75)
Their own Safari Directors, or the founder by private jet; ask both for the protection terms in writing
A family, or a multi-camp trip joined to Egypt or the Indian Ocean
Extraordinary Journeys (84) Partner
Original Travel (70)
Family safaris from USD 10,000 for 13 days; Original Travel adds ATOL and ABTA
Combining Africa with Asia
Scott Dunn (82)
Audley Travel (82)
Offices in Singapore and Hong Kong and a published 24-hour number; Audley sells Asia the same way
Adding West Africa or Madagascar
Wild Frontiers (89)
Cazenove+Loyd (83)
Group and private trips to Benin, Ghana and Senegal; Cazenove+Loyd sells São Tomé and Saint Helena
Going somewhere off the standard map
Journeys by Design (65)
Natural World Safaris (60)
Chad, Gabon and the Congos; neither publishes enough, both know the ground
Scores in brackets are the review scores above. A planner’s place in this table follows the facts that matter for that traveller, so a lower total can be the right first choice.
The right safari planner by budget
Under £5,000 a person, Yellow Zebra Safaris (from £4,983 for eight nights in Botswana); around £6,000 to £7,000, Cazenove+Loyd and Scott Dunn; around USD 10,000, Abercrombie & Kent and Extraordinary Journeys; from USD 20,000, Micato Safaris and ROAR AFRICA, who host the trip. Each band uses the lowest per-person price the planner publishes, so it marks where a planner starts, not what a given trip costs.
Budget a person
First choice
Strong alternative
Why
Under £5,000
Yellow Zebra Safaris (87), from £4,983, 8 nights, Botswana
Red Savannah (65), from USD 4,007
Both print the price before you enquire; Red Savannah adds ABTOT, Yellow Zebra a far larger review record
£6,000 to £7,000
Cazenove+Loyd (83), £7,000, 10-day riding safari
Scott Dunn (82), from £6,100, 9 nights, South Africa
The only two planners here that publish a 24-hour number
About USD 10,000
Abercrombie & Kent (86), from USD 10,195, 8 days
Extraordinary Journeys (84) Partner, USD 10,000, 13 days
A&K is bonded with ATOL, ABTA and USTOA; Extraordinary Journeys gives more days for the money and names no bond or scheme
USD 20,000 and above
Micato Safaris (88), from USD 20,700, 10 days
ROAR AFRICA (75), from USD 23,850, 5 days
Both host; neither states protection, so ask in writing
The right safari planner by country
Kenya, Go2Africa; Tanzania, Micato Safaris; Botswana, Yellow Zebra Safaris; Zimbabwe and Victoria Falls, Abercrombie & Kent; South Africa, Scott Dunn; Namibia, West Africa and Madagascar, Wild Frontiers. Each first choice either has people in that country or prices a trip there on its own site.
Benin, Ghana, Senegal and Madagascar; Cazenove+Loyd adds São Tomé and Saint Helena
Chad, Gabon and the Congos
Journeys by Design (65)
Natural World Safaris (60)
Bases in Kenya and Botswana; a founder who led the first gorilla treks in Gabon
The best safari planner for reviews, prices, protection and a 24-hour line
Largest review record, Rhino Africa; a price on every itinerary, Yellow Zebra Safaris; strongest protection, Scott Dunn, Audley Travel and Abercrombie & Kent; a published 24-hour number, Scott Dunn and Cazenove+Loyd; offices in Africa, Micato Safaris. These are the facts a buyer can check before paying, taken from the same reads as the cards above.
Criterion
Best
Also strong
Evidence
Independent reviews
Rhino Africa
Audley Travel, Go2Africa
Trustpilot 5.0 from 5,461; Audley 4.9 from 5,022; Go2Africa Feefo 4.9 from 3,118
Published prices
Yellow Zebra Safaris
Wild Frontiers, Scott Dunn, Cazenove+Loyd, Red Savannah, A&K
A price range on every itinerary; the five others take full marks for pricing on the company record
Financial protection
Scott Dunn, Audley Travel, Abercrombie & Kent
Wild Frontiers, Original Travel, Red Savannah
ATOL with ABTOT or ABTA, plus USTOA for the first three
A published 24-hour number
Scott Dunn
Cazenove+Loyd
+44 20 8682 5099; +44 207 384 2332
Offices in Africa
Micato Safaris
Go2Africa, Rhino Africa
Nairobi, Arusha, Cape Town and Johannesburg; Cape Town and Nairobi; Cape Town
What are the best alternatives to Go2Africa in 2026?
The best alternatives to Go2Africa in 2026 are Micato Safaris (88/100), Yellow Zebra Safaris (87), Abercrombie & Kent (86) and Rhino Africa (69): Micato for a trip hosted by its own Safari Directors, Yellow Zebra for a price on every itinerary, A&K for ATOL, ABTA and USTOA cover in one booking, and Rhino Africa for the other Cape Town house with a larger Trustpilot record. Stay with Go2Africa, at 89 on the safari review criteria, for consultants based in Cape Town and Nairobi and a review record no other planner here matches; ask for its protection terms, which are not published beside the claim.
Alternative
Score /100
How it differs from Go2Africa
Lowest published price
1. Micato Safaris
88
Its own Safari Directors travel with its guests, with offices in four African cities; states no protection
USD 20,700, Tanzania Spectacular, 10 days (14 Sep)
2. Yellow Zebra Safaris
87
A price range on every itinerary and ATOL 10614 in its own name; no office in Africa
£4,983, Botswana, 8 nights (14 Sep)
3. Abercrombie & Kent
86
ATOL 2881, ABTA V6398 and USTOA; owns Sanctuary camps; no consultant named
USD 10,195, Botswana and Victoria Falls, 8 days (25 Sep)
4. Rhino Africa
69
Also Cape Town; Trustpilot 5.0 from 5,461; own default insurance, broken price fields
Broken field, “Starting from $NaN” (14 Sep)
What are the best alternatives to Wild Frontiers in 2026?
The best alternatives to Wild Frontiers in 2026 are Yellow Zebra Safaris (87/100), Abercrombie & Kent (86), Cazenove+Loyd (83) and Audley Travel (82): Yellow Zebra for the classic Botswana and Tanzania circuits, A&K for small groups with a resident tour director, Cazenove+Loyd for twenty African countries and a published 24-hour number, and Audley for USTOA cover and one of the largest review records in the field. Stay with Wild Frontiers, at 89 on the company record rubric, for West Africa, Madagascar or Namibia with full UK protection; for a first Kenya or Botswana safari, the four below fit the trip better.
Alternative
Score /100
How it differs from Wild Frontiers
Lowest published price
1. Yellow Zebra Safaris
87
Built around Botswana, Tanzania and Kenya; consultants who came from the camps
£4,983, Botswana, 8 nights (14 Sep)
2. Abercrombie & Kent
86
Small groups with a resident tour director; ATOL, ABTA and USTOA
USD 10,195, Botswana and Victoria Falls, 8 days (25 Sep)
3. Cazenove+Loyd
83
Twenty African countries including Saint Helena and São Tomé; publishes a 24-hour number; ATOL only
£7,000, Botswana riding safari, 10 days (25 Sep)
4. Audley Travel
82
ATOL, ABTOT and USTOA; Trustpilot 4.9 from 5,022; no office in Africa
£5,400, Southern Tanzania safari and beach, 12 days (14 Sep)
What are the best alternatives to Micato Safaris in 2026?
The best alternatives to Micato Safaris in 2026 are Go2Africa (89/100), Yellow Zebra Safaris (87), Abercrombie & Kent (86) and ROAR AFRICA (75): Go2Africa for offices in Africa and the deepest review record, Yellow Zebra for a much lower price, A&K for a hosted small group with ATOL, ABTA and USTOA cover, and ROAR AFRICA for private-jet hosting. Stay with Micato, at 88 on the safari review criteria, for a trip run end to end by its own people in Nairobi, Arusha, Cape Town and Johannesburg, and ask for its deposit terms in writing, because it states no protection.
Alternative
Score /100
How it differs from Micato Safaris
Lowest published price
1. Go2Africa
89
Offices in Cape Town and Nairobi; Feefo 4.9 from 3,118; not hosted
No per-person figure on its trip pages (14 Sep)
2. Yellow Zebra Safaris
87
From £4,983 for eight nights against Micato's USD 20,700 for ten; ATOL 10614; not hosted
£4,983, Botswana, 8 nights (14 Sep)
3. Abercrombie & Kent
86
Hosted small groups; ATOL, ABTA and USTOA, which Micato does not state
USD 10,195, Botswana and Victoria Falls, 8 days (25 Sep)
4. ROAR AFRICA
75
Hosted by the founder, by private jet; states no protection either
USD 23,850 sharing, Singita Sasakwa retreat, 5 days (21 Sep)
What are the best alternatives to Yellow Zebra Safaris in 2026?
The best alternatives to Yellow Zebra Safaris in 2026 are Go2Africa (89/100), Cazenove+Loyd (83), Audley Travel (82) and Scott Dunn (82): Go2Africa for offices in Africa and a larger review record, Cazenove+Loyd and Scott Dunn for a published 24-hour number, and Audley and Scott Dunn for ABTOT and USTOA beside the ATOL. Stay with Yellow Zebra, at 87 on the safari review criteria, for a first safari from the UK priced before you enquire, with consultants who came from the camps.
Alternative
Score /100
How it differs from Yellow Zebra Safaris
Lowest published price
1. Go2Africa
89
Offices in Cape Town and Nairobi; no per-person price on its trip pages
No per-person figure on its trip pages (14 Sep)
2. Cazenove+Loyd
83
Publishes a 24-hour number; prices on itinerary pages; ATOL only
£7,000, Botswana riding safari, 10 days (25 Sep)
3. Audley Travel
82
ATOL, ABTOT and USTOA; Africa one desk among many
£5,400, Southern Tanzania safari and beach, 12 days (14 Sep)
4. Scott Dunn
82
Publishes a 24-hour number; ATOL, ABTOT, IATA and USTOA
£6,100, Epic South Africa, 9 nights (25 Sep)
A score is not a bond. Four of the nineteen, Micato Safaris, ROAR AFRICA, Jacada Travel and Ker & Downey World Travel, state no financial protection on their own sites, and Micato ranks third because the safari review criteria do not score protection; Extraordinary Journeys, sixth, names no bond or scheme. A safari deposit can sit with a planner for most of a year. Before paying, ask in writing which company holds it and under which scheme; the deposits guide explains what ATOL, ABTA, ABTOT, USTOA and TICO each protect.
The nineteen safari planners in detail
Each profile gives where the company is, what it publishes and where it loses points, with the date each fact was read. The score is always the one on its review on this site, which is linked.
1= Go2Africa: 89/100
Elephants on the savannah below Mount Kilimanjaro. Kenya and Tanzania are two of the fourteen destinations Go2Africa sells, and it has an office in Nairobi. Photo: Kévin et Laurianne Langlais, Pexels
Cape Town (V&A Waterfront) and Nairobi · trading since 1998 · Nawiri Group, B Corp certified · Safari review criteria, 7 Sep 2026
The deepest review record of any safari planner on this site: Feefo 4.9 from 3,118 reviews, 153 of them in the past year, with SafariBookings 4.4 from 106 beside it (read 28 September). Its 89 on the safari review criteria rests on full marks for review evidence (20) and destination breadth (15, fourteen destinations from South Africa to Madagascar) and 22 of 25 for first-hand expertise, with consultants who live in the regions they sell, working from a head office on the V&A Waterfront and a second office in Nairobi. It drops points on pricing (12 of 15), because its own trip pages showed “Loading price” rather than a figure on 14 September, and on service and support (12 of 15), because it claims 24/7 assistance without publishing a number. Its protection is a statement of “complete financial protection” with RedPoint Travel Protection named as insurance partner and the terms not published beside the claim; ask for them. This site earns nothing from Go2Africa.
Dead Vlei in the Namib Desert, Namibia, one of the African countries Wild Frontiers sells beside West Africa and Madagascar. Photo: Loïc Alejandro, Pexels
London; no office abroad · trading since 1998 · BGF stake since June 2026 · Company record, 25 Sep 2026
Joint first on the company record rubric, on full marks for pricing, reviews and protection: its itineraries carry per-person prices (the lowest Africa figure read was Complete Egypt, tailor-made, thirteen days, £4,870), Trustpilot shows 4.9 from 777 reviews beside an AITO rating of 98 per cent from 225, and it holds ATOL 5975, ABTOT 5228 and AITO membership 5141 (all read 25 September). Planning depth is 23 of 25. Ground cover is 11 of 20: there is no office abroad, trip pages claim a support team available 24/7, and the only 24-hour number printed is ABTOT's insolvency helpline. Fit matters more than the score here. Its Africa is West Africa, Madagascar and Namibia as much as the classic circuits, and the 14 September read found no Kenya or Zambia itineraries; for a first Kenya or Botswana safari, the alternatives further down fit better.
Gazelles on the Serengeti plains, Tanzania. Micato has its own office in Arusha, and its Tanzania Spectacular departure starts at USD 20,700 for ten days. Photo: Alex Ning, Pexels
New York; Nairobi, Arusha, Cape Town and Johannesburg · founded 1966 · Pinto family · Safari review criteria, 7 Sep 2026
The hosted model, run by the company itself: its own offices in four African cities, its own Safari Directors travelling with its guests and a concierge on call, which is why it takes 14 of 15 for service and support and 24 of 25 for first-hand expertise on the safari review criteria. Every departure carries a price, from Tanzania Spectacular at USD 20,700 for ten days to the Grand Safari at USD 40,150 for fifteen (read 14 September), and Google shows 5.0 from 751 reviews. Two things a buyer should know. Ownership transparency is 7 of 10. And the terms state no bond, trust, escrow or USTOA membership, and the USTOA directory did not list it on 14 September; protection is not one of the six safari review criteria, so the 88 does not reflect it. Ask for the deposit terms in writing before paying.
A great white pelican landing among egrets in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, where Yellow Zebra's eight-night itinerary of the country's best-known parks starts at £4,983 a person. Photo: Lelani Badenhorst, Pexels
Kingston upon Thames, UK · founded 2012 · Africa and the Indian Ocean only · Safari review criteria, 7 Sep 2026
The only planner here to put a price range on every itinerary (Botswana's best-known parks, eight nights, £4,983 to £8,726 a person; the Tanzania northern circuit, nine nights, from £5,461), with an ATOL licence in its own name (10614) and consultants who came from Londolozi, Wilderness, Robin Pope and Great Plains, named on the homepage (read 14 September). Trustpilot shows 4.9 from 1,728 reviews. On the safari review criteria it takes 21 of 25 for expertise, 19 of 20 for reviews and 14 of 15 for pricing. It loses points on ownership transparency (7 of 10) and on service and support (12 of 15): a 24-hour line and a WhatsApp concierge are stated but the number is not published, and there is no office in Africa and no postal address on its contact page.
Victoria Falls from the air. A&K's Sanctuary Botswana Safari and Victoria Falls, eight days from USD 10,195 a person, takes in the falls. Photo: BabijaPhoto JB, Pexels
Cheltenham, UK and Downers Grove, Illinois · founded 1962 in Kenya · Heritage Group 85 per cent, Geoffrey Kent 15 · Company record, 25 Sep 2026
New to the scored list. On 10 and 14 September its website returned nothing an automated reader could check, so this index could not score it; its company record, built on 25 September from the pages that do read, scores 86. It takes full marks for pricing (A&K Sanctuary Botswana Safari and Victoria Falls 2026, eight days, from USD 10,195 a person for November and December departures) and for protection (ATOL 2881, ABTA V6398, AITO 5154, and USTOA membership for A&K USA since 1980), and 16 of 20 on the ground, where the terms give a duty manager on +44 207 998 4141 and the site claims 24/7 on-call support. It loses on planning depth (19 of 25), because no consultant is named on any page, and on reviews (16 of 20, Trustpilot 4.4 from 786). It also owns camps: A&K Sanctuary runs lodges including Chief's Camp in the Okavango Delta, so a trip booked through A&K may use A&K's own camps.
Washington, D.C. · founded 2008 · Voyageurs du Monde and Original Travel 65 per cent since 2022 · Safari review criteria, 26 Sep 2026
Partner. Extraordinary Journeys is a paid partner of this site, since September 2026. Partners are labelled; scores and rankings cannot be bought. Its 84 is the score on its review, on the same six criteria as Go2Africa, Micato Safaris and Yellow Zebra Safaris.
A tailor-made specialist of about 40 people, 12 of them destination specialists, with concierge staff and trip coordinators in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Pretoria and Nairobi, selling sixteen African countries. Its 84 on the safari review criteria comes from 24 of 25 for first-hand expertise and 14 of 15 for breadth. Prices sit on its itinerary cards (a Zimbabwe and Botswana family safari, thirteen days, USD 10,000 a person; a Kenya family trip, eleven days, USD 10,000), and trips start at about USD 1,000 a person a day with a five-day minimum. It loses points on review evidence, 15 of 20 (SafariBookings 4.9 from 35, the newest from August 2025; its Trustpilot profile was claimed in September 2026 and had no reviews on 26 September), and on service and support, 11 of 15, because the office runs 9.30am to 5.30pm Eastern on weekdays and no 24-hour number for travellers on a trip is published. Its terms, checked again on 10 October, name no protection scheme; the company says client payments are held in a separate account from its operating funds, and SafariBookings lists it as a member of Safari Professionals, IATA and APTA. No bond or scheme number is published and the USTOA directory did not list it on 14 September, so ask how the deposit is held. On this index's earlier five criteria, which count protection and a published 24-hour line, the same company scored 59 on 14 September.
London; no office abroad · founded 1993 · founders came from Botswana's safari industry · Company record, 25 Sep 2026
Full marks for planning depth (25) and pricing (20): twenty African countries including Saint Helena, São Tomé and the Congo (read 14 September), named specialists who grew up or worked there, and prices on the itinerary pages, the lowest safari being the Botswana Wetlands to Salt Pans Riding Safari, ten days, £7,000 a person (read 25 September). One of only two planners here to publish a 24-hour number: +44 207 384 2332, with “enquiry lines are open 24/7”. It loses on protection, 10 of 15 (ATOL 3208, with no ABTA, ABTOT or AITO membership found), and on ground cover, 10 of 20, with no office abroad. Trustpilot shows 4.8 from 113 reviews, the newest from May 2026.
Witney and London, UK; Boston, US · founded 1996 · owned by 3i · Company record, 25 Sep 2026
One of the largest review records in the field, Trustpilot 4.9 from 5,022 reviews (read 25 September), and every scheme a UK or US buyer could ask for: ATOL 4817, ABTOT 5297 and USTOA membership since December 2016, plus California, Washington and Florida seller-of-travel registrations. Planning depth is 23 of 25 and pricing 18 of 20 (Southern Tanzania safari and beach, twelve days, from £5,400 a person, read 14 September). Its 6 of 20 for ground cover is the whole gap to the top: no office in Africa, and a claim of 24/7 emergency support from the UK with no number printed. Africa is one desk among many, which suits a trip where the safari is one leg of several.
London, New York, Solana Beach, Singapore and Hong Kong · founded 1986 · Flight Centre Travel Group since 2023 · Company record, 25 Sep 2026
One of only two planners here to publish a 24-hour number: +44 20 8682 5099, for emergencies. Full marks for pricing (Epic South Africa, nine nights, from £6,100 a person, read 25 September) and for protection (ATOL 2471, ABTOT 5222, IATA, and a US office listed by USTOA), and 23 of 25 for planning depth. It loses on reviews, 14 of 20: Trustpilot shows 4.6 from 274, the newest from 3 September, and the Feefo profile is inactive. Ground cover is 10 of 20, with no office in Africa. The fit is a family with children, or a safari that continues to Asia, where Scott Dunn has its own offices.
Miami Beach, Florida · founded 2005 by Deborah Calmeyer, its chief executive · twelve African countries · Safari review criteria, 21 Sep 2026
The hosted, private end of the field: the founder hosts, the jet flies, and the departures are priced, the lowest read being the Women's Empowerment Retreat at Singita Sasakwa, five days in January 2027, USD 23,850 a person sharing and sold out (read 21 September). On the safari review criteria it takes 21 of 25 for expertise and 12 of 15 for service and support. It loses on review evidence, 11 of 20: Google shows 5.0 from 269, but SafariBookings has 8 reviews, the newest from September 2024, and its Travelstride reviews are marked as provided by ROAR AFRICA. Support hours and an emergency number are not published, no financial protection is stated, and the USTOA directory did not list it on 14 September.
London · trading since 2003 · Voyageurs du Monde; trades as Voyageurs du Monde in the UK from 15 September 2026 · Company record, 25 Sep 2026
Full marks for protection, ATOL 5922 and ABTA Y5632, and a team that plans honeymoons and family trips. Prices are shown as ranges (The African honeymoon, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana, thirteen days, £5,900 to £8,050 a person, read 25 September), which is why pricing is 13 of 20. It loses most on the ground, 6 of 20: a 24-hour helpline is listed as an inclusion, but the only number published is staffed 9am to 6pm on weekdays. Feefo shows 4.9 from 347 reviews. Voyageurs du Monde and Original Travel together hold 65 per cent of Extraordinary Journeys, ranked sixth above; this index scores the two separately, each on its own review.
Cape Town · founded 2004 · owns Silvan Safari and Camissa House · This index's five criteria, 14 Sep 2026
The largest independent review record in the field, Trustpilot 5.0 from 5,461 with Tripadvisor 4.9 from 771 beside it (read 14 September), and sites in five languages from a Cape Town base. Its 69 is this index's score from 14 September, on the same five weights as the company records, and its review carries the same number. Pricing is 8 of 20 because every tour card rendered “Starting from $NaN per person”, a broken field; what is published is an indicative band of USD 50 to 2,500 a person a night for South Africa. Protection is its own financial-default insurance with an unnamed underwriter, plus SATSA membership 1184572, and support hours are not published.
Tidworth, Hampshire and Musselburgh · founded 1999 · Africa and the Indian Ocean only · Safari review criteria, 29 Sep 2026
A specialist desk whose sales team have lived and worked in Africa (read 14 September), which takes 20 of 25 for expertise and full marks for breadth on the safari review criteria. Protection is ATOL 5356 for flight-inclusive holidays and IPP cover for holidays without flights (re-read 29 September). It falls on review evidence, 6 of 20: SafariBookings shows 5.0 from 7, the newest from October 2022, the 76 Travelstride reviews are marked as provided by Aardvark and stop in 2019, and Trustpilot has none. The only per-person price found was £4,500 a person sharing for seven nights on the Zambezi Queen and in the Okavango Delta, in a blog post from October 2015. 24-hour emergency cover is claimed; no number is given.
Toronto · founded 2006 · Navigatr Group, founded by Jeff Willner · Company record, 25 Sep 2026
Full marks for reviews (Trustpilot 4.8 from 2,724 and Travelstride 4.8 from 2,550, read 25 September) and 18 of 20 for pricing: Africa trips run from USD 7,036 for four days on the Mozambique coast to USD 21,846 for eleven days of Wild Wonders of East Africa. No 24-hour or emergency number was found, only a sales line, which is the 3 of 20 for ground cover, and planning depth is 16 of 25. Protection is Ontario's TICO registration 50022233 plus California and Florida seller-of-travel numbers, and it had joined USTOA by 7 October 2026; a buyer outside Ontario should still ask which company takes the money.
Brighton, UK; bases in Nanyuki and Maun · founded 1999 · Africa House Group · Safari review criteria, 24 Sep 2026
Full marks on the safari review criteria for first-hand expertise (25), breadth (15, twenty-four African countries and islands, Chad and Gabon among them) and service (15: 24-hour contact with its UK and US offices is claimed, with bases in Kenya and Botswana and its own camp in the Maasai Mara). Then zero for pricing, because no price is published, and 3 of 20 for reviews: three Travelstride reviews from 2019 and nothing on SafariBookings, Trustpilot, Feefo or Tripadvisor (read 24 September). Its ATOL 9680 covers UK flight-inclusive bookings and is issued under Black and Green Trading Ltd, a former name of the company; the terms for other travellers name no protection.
Cheltenham, UK · founded 2011 · no registrable owner since October 2025 · Company record, 25 Sep 2026
Full marks for pricing and protection on the record rubric: a per-person price on each of 22 Africa itineraries, the lowest USD 4,007 by season, with ATOL 10454 and ABTOT 5566 (read 25 September). Planning depth is 24 of 25. Then zero for reviews: the Trustpilot profile is unclaimed and empty, no Feefo, Travelstride or Tripadvisor profile was found, and a self-reported Net Promoter Score of 92 does not count. Ground cover is 6 of 20: phone lines run 9am to 5.30pm on weekdays, a 24/7 emergency team is claimed, and the only 24-hour number printed is ABTOT's insolvency line.
Brighton, UK · founded 2005 · eighteen African countries · This index's five criteria, 14 Sep 2026; no review yet
Scored 60 by this index on 14 September and not yet given a review on this site, so it keeps that score here. The frontier specialist: Chad, Gabon, Mauritania, Saint Helena and both Congos, with a founder who led the first gorilla treks in Gabon. Prices are published (a Kenya photographic safari from USD 10,500; luxury Kenya from USD 21,500), though the Botswana pages showed “From 23000 per person” with no currency. The protection page names ATOL and Trust My Travel with no ATOL number, and the contact page gives no hours and no 24-hour claim. Trustpilot shows 4.8 from 86 reviews.
London (UK establishment); registered in the Cayman Islands · first trips 2008 · owned by Wilderness since 2020 · Company record, 25 Sep 2026
A Trustpilot record of 4.9 from 2,583 reviews (read 25 September) and a parent, Wilderness, that owns about sixty camps in eight countries: on reviews alone, a top-five planner. The record scores what else is published. Sample trips read “From $0 PP”, so pricing is 3 of 20; no telephone number is printed at all, so ground cover is 3 of 20; and no ATOL, ABTA, ABTOT, AITO or USTOA cover is stated, with the contract governed by Puerto Rico law, so protection is 0. The broken price field is the easiest fix on this page.
Bellville, Texas · founded 1985 (its own pages also give 1975) · family-run, separate from Ker & Downey Africa · Company record, 25 Sep 2026
Listed because a search for the name returns it, and scored on its own record at 28. It says on its own site that it is “independently owned and separate from Ker & Downey Africa”. No itinerary is priced (all eight sample trips ask for a quote), no review platform shows any reviews, 24/7 support is claimed with no number, and no protection is published: it is not in USTOA's directory, shows no seller-of-travel number, bond or trust account, and its terms limit recovery to “the commission and fees paid” (read 25 September). Planning depth is 19 of 25. Four companies share the Ker & Downey name; the Ker & Downey review sets out which is which.
Who joins the index next, and who is assessed but not ranked
Thirteen safari planners with a review on this site join this index at its next quarterly re-score: Mahlatini (96), Discover Africa Safaris (88), Expert Africa (87), Safari Consultants (87), Steppes Travel (87), Timbuktu Travel (81), Africa Odyssey (74), Africa Travel Resource (70), Deeper Africa (68), Big Five Tours & Expeditions (66), African Portfolio (65), Rothschild Safaris (60) and Piper & Heath (45). None of them was in the field this index set on 14 September. Each score below is the one on its review, and it is the score each will carry when it joins unless its review is re-scored first.
Assessed and not ranked: Ker & Downey Africa, whose website now redirects to Ker & Downey Botswana, a Maun owner-operator that belongs on the luxury safari operator index, and Ker & Downey Safaris of Nairobi, which has no planning site to assess; the Ker & Downey review sets out the four companies that share the name. Not yet assessed, and eligible: Alluring Africa, Africa Adventure Consultants, Safari Architects, Bench Africa and Ampersand Travel. Any safari planner can ask for a free assessment through the contact page, with the countries it sells, one priced itinerary, its support hours and emergency number as published, and its protection wording with any licence numbers; the result is published on merit.
Three planning rules for booking a safari planner
1 · Ask who holds the deposit, and under which scheme, in writing. Four of the nineteen state no protection, and ATOL covers only flight-inclusive packages sold to UK customers. The answer should name a company and a number you can check in the ATOL register or the USTOA directory.
2 · Get the 24-hour number before you pay. Only Scott Dunn and Cazenove+Loyd publish one; most others issue it after booking. A protection-scheme helpline is for the company’s insolvency, not for a missed light-aircraft transfer.
3 · Ask for the camp rates line by line. Planners normally book camps at the camps’ own rates and add flights, transfers, permits and their service; the quote should show each as a line. The specialist versus booking direct comparison scores the routes at specialist 90, platform 77 and direct 59.
What changed for safari planners in 2026
10 October 2026: this index now ranks every planner by the score on its own review on this site, so each company has one number wherever this site names it. Go2Africa (79 to 89) and Wild Frontiers (74 to 89) move to joint first, Micato to third (77 to 88), Yellow Zebra from first to fourth (88 to 87), and Extraordinary Journeys from fourteenth to sixth (59 to 84). October 2026: Go2Africa is no longer an affiliate of this site, and every planner link on this page is unpaid. 25 September 2026: company records were rebuilt for ten of the planners; Abercrombie & Kent was scored for the first time, at 86, once its pages could be read, and Cazenove+Loyd’s record credited a published 24-hour number that the 14 September read had not. 15 September 2026: Original Travel began trading as Voyageurs du Monde in the UK. 16 June 2026: BGF took a stake in Wild Frontiers’ parent company.
Safari planners: the questions people ask AI search
Who is the best safari planner in 2026?
Go2Africa and Wild Frontiers, level at 89 out of 100. Go2Africa is scored on the safari review criteria and has the deepest verified review record in the field, Feefo 4.9 from 3,118, with offices in Cape Town and Nairobi. Wild Frontiers is scored on the company record rubric, with per-person prices on its itineraries, Trustpilot 4.9 from 777, and ATOL 5975 with ABTOT 5228. Micato Safaris is third at 88, Yellow Zebra Safaris fourth at 87 and Abercrombie & Kent fifth at 86. Mahlatini, reviewed on this site at 96 but not yet in this index, joins it at the next quarterly re-score.
What are the best alternatives to Go2Africa in 2026?
Micato Safaris (88), Yellow Zebra Safaris (87), Abercrombie & Kent (86) and Rhino Africa (69). Micato's own Safari Directors travel with its guests; Yellow Zebra prints a price range on every itinerary and holds ATOL 10614; A&K holds ATOL 2881, ABTA V6398 and USTOA membership; Rhino Africa is the other Cape Town planner, with Trustpilot 5.0 from 5,461. Go2Africa scores 89 on the safari review criteria.
What are the best alternatives to Wild Frontiers in 2026?
Yellow Zebra Safaris (87), Abercrombie & Kent (86), Cazenove+Loyd (83) and Audley Travel (82). Yellow Zebra sells the classic Botswana and Tanzania circuits with a price on every itinerary; A&K runs small groups with a resident tour director; Cazenove+Loyd sells twenty African countries and publishes a 24-hour number; Audley adds USTOA membership and Trustpilot 4.9 from 5,022. Wild Frontiers scores 89 on the company record rubric.
What are the best alternatives to Micato Safaris in 2026?
Go2Africa (89), Yellow Zebra Safaris (87), Abercrombie & Kent (86) and ROAR AFRICA (75). Go2Africa has offices in Cape Town and Nairobi and the deepest review record; Yellow Zebra costs far less, from £4,983 for eight nights in Botswana; A&K hosts small groups and states ATOL, ABTA and USTOA cover, which Micato does not; ROAR AFRICA hosts private-jet departures. Micato scores 88 on the safari review criteria.
What are the best alternatives to Yellow Zebra Safaris in 2026?
Go2Africa (89), Cazenove+Loyd (83), Audley Travel (82) and Scott Dunn (82). Go2Africa has offices in Africa and a larger review record; Cazenove+Loyd and Scott Dunn publish a 24-hour number, which Yellow Zebra does not; Audley and Scott Dunn add ABTOT and USTOA to their ATOL. Yellow Zebra scores 87 on the safari review criteria.
Which safari planners are financially protected?
Six of the nineteen publish an ATOL number together with ABTA or ABTOT: Wild Frontiers, Abercrombie & Kent, Audley Travel, Scott Dunn, Original Travel and Red Savannah; A&K, Audley and Scott Dunn are also USTOA members. Yellow Zebra, Cazenove+Loyd, Aardvark and Journeys by Design publish an ATOL number alone, Kensington Tours holds Ontario TICO registration and joined USTOA in 2026. Go2Africa and Rhino Africa offer protection of their own with no external bond, and Extraordinary Journeys says it keeps client payments in a separate account. Micato, ROAR AFRICA, Jacada and Ker & Downey World Travel state none.
Which safari companies publish their prices?
Fourteen of the nineteen show a per-person price on their own site: Yellow Zebra, Red Savannah, Audley, Original Travel, Scott Dunn, Cazenove+Loyd, Kensington Tours, Extraordinary Journeys, Abercrombie & Kent, Natural World Safaris, Micato, ROAR AFRICA, Wild Frontiers and Aardvark, whose only figure is in a 2015 blog post. Rhino Africa's and Jacada's price fields are broken, Go2Africa's trip pages show no figure, and Journeys by Design and Ker & Downey World Travel publish none.
Which safari planners publish a 24-hour emergency number?
Two of the nineteen: Scott Dunn, on +44 20 8682 5099, and Cazenove+Loyd, on +44 207 384 2332. Abercrombie & Kent prints a duty manager's number in its terms. Most of the others claim round-the-clock support without printing a number, and Wild Frontiers, Red Savannah and Aardvark print only an insolvency or protection-scheme helpline, which is not for a problem on the trip.
Which safari planners have an office in Africa?
Micato has offices in Nairobi, Arusha, Cape Town and Johannesburg; Go2Africa in Cape Town and Nairobi; Rhino Africa in Cape Town; and Journeys by Design has bases in Nanyuki and Maun. Extraordinary Journeys has concierge staff and trip coordinators in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Pretoria and Nairobi. The others plan from the UK, the US or Canada and work through partners on the ground.
Which safari planners have the best reviews?
By size of verified record: Rhino Africa (Trustpilot 5.0 from 5,461), Audley Travel (Trustpilot 4.9 from 5,022), Go2Africa (Feefo 4.9 from 3,118), Kensington Tours (Trustpilot 4.8 from 2,724) and Jacada Travel (Trustpilot 4.9 from 2,583). Red Savannah, Journeys by Design and Ker & Downey World Travel have no independent review record this site could read.
Can a safari planner pay to be on this index?
No. Every score is the one on the planner's own review on this site, scored on published criteria, and no planner can buy a score or a position. Extraordinary Journeys is a paid partner of this site and is labelled; it is ranked sixth on its review score of 84, by the same rule as every other planner. This site earns nothing from any other planner on the page.
What is the difference between a safari planner and a safari operator?
A planner such as Go2Africa or Yellow Zebra designs and books a trip at camps owned by others; an owner-operator such as Singita or Wilderness sells its own camps. Abercrombie & Kent is both, as a planner whose A&K Sanctuary arm owns lodges. The luxury safari operator index scores the camp owners; this index scores the planners.
Rankings use each planner’s score from its own review on this site, on published criteria. Partners are labelled: Extraordinary Journeys is a paid partner of this site, and no partner can buy a score or a position. This page contains no affiliate links; every planner link goes to the company’s own site and pays nothing. Sources verified 10 October 2026: each planner’s review on this site for its score; the planners’ own websites for the facts, read between 14 and 29 September 2026 as dated on each card, with Extraordinary Journeys’ contact and terms pages re-read on 10 October 2026; the ATOL, ABTA, ABTOT, TICO and USTOA registers; and Trustpilot, Feefo, Google, SafariBookings, Tripadvisor and Travelstride. How this site earns.
Richard J. · Uncompromised Travel · written from Valencia · first published 14 September 2026 · rebuilt 10 October 2026 · verified 10 October 2026
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