When to go
Every destination we sell against every month of the year, with a line on why each month made the cut.
This month, October
Plan your trip
20 guides to read before you go, five lists to pack from, and the tables we plan trips from.
Deciding
When to come and what it costs. Start here if this is your first safari.
Your first safari: what to expect
How a safari day runs, how long to go for, road or fly, when to come and what it costs. The questions first-timers ask us most, answered by the people in Nairobi who plan the trips.
Kenya safari cost: where the money goes
Safari vehicles in Kenya: pop-top or open-sided
Kenya or Tanzania for a safari?
What a Tanzania safari costs
What a gorilla permit costs, in Rwanda and Uganda
Going on safari with children
Where and when
The months that work in each destination, and the reason for each.
The best time to visit Kenya, month by month
January and February, then July to October, are the months we send most people. Why, what the rains change, when the herds reach the Mara, when the coast is at its best, and which month suits what you want from the trip.
The wildebeest migration, month by month
The best time to visit Tanzania
The best time to visit Rwanda for the gorillas
The best time to visit Zanzibar, month by month
The best time to visit Seychelles, month by month
The best time to visit Mauritius, month by month
The best time to visit South Africa, month by month
The best time to visit the Maldives, month by month
The best time to visit Dubai, month by month
Getting ready
Entry papers, the words on your itinerary, health and money.
The Kenya eTA: who needs one, what it costs and how to apply
Kenya replaced its tourist visa with an Electronic Travel Authorisation in January 2024. Who needs one, who is exempt, the fee and processing time on the official portal, the documents to have ready, and the mistakes that delay an application.
Safari glossary: the words on your itinerary, explained
Tipping and money on safari: who, how much and in which currency
Packing checklists
Tick items off as you pack. Your ticks stay on this device, and each list prints.
Reference tables
Rebuilt from our own data every night.
School holidays
Term dates and breaks for the Kenyan system and for British and American curriculum schools in Kenya, so the trip fits the holiday.
The next break in each calendar
- Kenyan (CBC / 8-4-4)December holidays, on now until 1 Jan
- British curriculumChristmas holidays in 40 days, 5 Dec
- American curriculumLong holiday break in 54 days, 19 Dec
Practical facts
Plugs, currency, time zone, driving side, SIM, tipping and tap water for 30 countries, in one table.
Today's country
Vietnam: drive on the right, Type A/B/C plugs at 220V, Vietnamese đồng.
Start planning
- DestinationsEvery country we send people to, and what each is best at.
- TripsReady-made itineraries, priced, with every day laid out.
- FlightsWe are IATA accredited and ticket the long-haul leg ourselves.
- Travel insuranceCover quoted live in shillings, then issued by our desk.
- FAQsHow booking, paying and changing a trip with us works.
Still deciding?
Tell us roughly when and roughly how long. A travel designer will tell you what that buys, and reply within one working day.