| Booking a Kenyan safari was relatively easy when | | | | Don't deal with "About Us", which is too vague. |
| safari travel market was dominated by a few | | | | Assuming the operator is a small local company, |
| wholesale safari operators. | | | | why should he not reveal his identity? |
| All you had to do was visit your preferred travel | | | | 2) Do your research as though money is not a |
| agent's office or ask for a brochure by post. You | | | | problem. This widens the pool of the operators |
| booked your safari in deep trust that your travel | | | | whose resumes you'd want to consider and you |
| agent had carefully vetted the African operator | | | | avoid being locked-up with African safari |
| who will handle you on the ground. | | | | operators with doubtful reputations. Then narrow |
| The whole safari travel supply chain had in-built | | | | down the candidates to suit your budget. |
| checks and balances which in most cases were | | | | 3) Check how long the African travel operator |
| legally bidding. The traveler came out the winner | | | | has been in operation - this will help you avoid the |
| except in the area of safari prices, which were | | | | here-today-gone-tomorrow operators. While there |
| astronomical as each level had to add their profit | | | | is no rule that the new operators are doubtful, |
| margins. | | | | you must see that you don't become the safari |
| There are many local Africa safari operators in | | | | company's experimental client. |
| the internet making the price of safaris to be | | | | 4) Does the African safari operator have the |
| much better than what you'd pay to an agent in | | | | expertise for your specific needs? If he can't |
| your country. | | | | directly supply your needs, this should be a red |
| The disadvantage is that the responsibility of | | | | flag. |
| vetting the operator rests on you and should you | | | | 5) What do the safari travel reviews say about |
| fail to do due diligence, you suffer the | | | | him? Trust the grapevine - if your African safari |
| consequences. | | | | operator is up to scratch you will hear it in forums |
| Many websites will promise you the best African | | | | and trip advisory portals. Watch out for |
| safari but consider that a website can't guarantee | | | | out-dated, self-authored trip reports and |
| credibility. It would be a mistake if you made your | | | | unverifiable client comments. Insist on calling a |
| booking decision just on how a website looks. | | | | past client, which is a more credible verification |
| Don't take comfort that if things go wrong you | | | | method. |
| can seek legal recourse. The truth is, if your | | | | 6) Membership in fee-paying tourism associations. |
| African safari doesn't go right you can't get a fair | | | | While these bodies have noble ideas, there must |
| compensation for the time lost, emotions ruined | | | | be reasons why they have a disclaimer in their |
| and the shear frustration that comes with it. | | | | members list. Read and respect the disclaimer. |
| Though your African travel will possibly last 10 -13 | | | | Don't let your guard down just because African |
| days, its effect is going to be long term. | | | | safari operator appears in every fee-paying body. |
| Therefore do your research as you would for | | | | Finally and very crucial, place a call to the safari |
| other long term and important issues such as | | | | operator. Switch on your detective radar, listen |
| buying a house or choosing your child's school. Ask | | | | carefully between his words and try to match |
| all relevant questions and then make informed | | | | them with info in his web site and from emails. |
| decisions. This has to be before paying for your | | | | By the end of the call, it will be very clear if you |
| safari travel and not after. | | | | should book with that African safari operator. |
| These easy to follow 7 tips are a sure way of | | | | Now that you know how to vet your African |
| determining if your African safari operator is up to | | | | travel operator, hit the keyboard for the right |
| scratch: | | | | African safari and the security of knowing that no |
| 1) Get to know the real people in the organization. | | | | nasty surprises await you when you land in Africa. |