What Do Safari Itineraries Include?

What Do Safari Itineraries Include?

Safari itineraries include a cocktail of adventure experiences that are meant to unfold the untamed wilderness of Africa before your eyes. These safari adventures align together in an exploration of species in protected areas. Itineraries are documented travel plans and journeys for a particular experience. Itineraries involve a planned safari activity done for a particular day.

Africa is a natural hub of safari adventure experiences because of the several wildlife and bird species it harbors. Each wildlife species can have a safari experience that suits it perfectly. Generally, itineraries inform the client on how the entire trip will run and the things to expect on the trip, from the meals and accommodation facilities to the destinations and activities, including the dates and times for each activity. These itineraries are designed by experienced tour operators and consultants who have enough knowledge and have designed safari itineraries many times.

What are some of the items included in safari itineraries?

Safari itineraries are designed based on the preference of the client after contacting the tour operator. The safari itineraries are centered on the items they follow for the whole trip and below are some of these items.

Date and time

Every safari itinerary runs on a specific duration as agreed with the client. This duration encompasses the entire safari trip and defines its title. Talking about the duration, we mean the actual days the client wishes to have for his or her entire safari. Safaris can be designed according to the time frame arranged by the client. Date and time are very important items on a safari itinerary as they determine the time to send on a particular activity and when the trip will begin and end. Therefore, all other items on the safari itinerary run in agreement with the date and time.

Destinations

Africa is a beehive of tourist activities due to the several tourist destinations it hosts. Safari itineraries include destinations that the visitor will explore on his or her safari experience. Just like other times, these destinations on the itinerary are added to the preference of the client. Each destination comes with its experiences, such as primate destinations for primate encounters and other destinations like savannah parks for wildlife experiences. Each destination on the safari itinerary is explored by the visitor for a specific period. Tourist hotspot destinations include Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, popular for the great wildebeest migration, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for mountain gorilla encounters, and Queen Elizabeth National Park for tree-climbing lions, to mention but a few.

Activities

Safari itineraries include tourist activities, and they are the main and core items. The activities on the itinerary are detailed with the time and nature or type of the activity. For instance, game drives are the main highlight of the safari itinerary. The itinerary includes the time to send on the game drive and the number of times it can be done. It also details the specific place where the game drives will take place and the wildlife species expected to be encountered. These activities are listed and detailed on a daily schedule. This helps in properly preparing for the particular activity on each specific day.

Accommodation facilities

Accommodation is an important part of any safari since it determines the success of your entire safari. The accommodation facilities in many of the tourist destinations range from luxury to midrange and budget. The accommodation selection is left for the visitors to decide which type of facility he or she wants and the location, as some facilities are located inside the destinations and others are out. The itinerary highlights the different amenities such as a swimming pool, laundry services, free Wi-Fi, and others of the selected accommodation facilities.

Meals

A safari itinerary also includes the meals saved on the safari experience, such as breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In most cases, the accommodation facilities offer meals as part of their accommodation package. It is important to note if the meals include drinks or if they are to be bought aside. Visitors also need to inform the tour operator about the specific dietaries to include on the menu to avoid inconveniences such as if the visitor is vegetarian. 

Transport

Transport is a crucial factor for the safari itinerary as it clarifies the specific transportation means a visitor is interested in using. These transport means include road, air, and water to move from one destination to another or between accommodation facilities.

Inclusions and exclusions

Direct to their definitions, inclusions and exclusions mean the specific items included in the safari package and those that are excluded. The tour operator usually highlights these things to the visitor upon reaching an agreement. The inclusions usually involve meals, transport, accommodation, park fees, and guiding services, to mention but a few. The exclusions include visa fees, international flight fees, travel insurance, tips, and other activities not included in the itinerary.