How to Book an Ultra-Luxury Safari

Send a message. The first step is also the simplest: reach out and tell us what you are thinking. You can WhatsApp Don directly at +255 786 110 786, send an email, or use the contact form on this site. There is no obligation, no pre-qualification questionnaire, no call scheduled without your agreement. Tell us roughly when you want to travel, how many people are in your group, and what is drawing you to Tanzania. Even a vague sense of what you want is enough — we ask the questions that help us understand whether we are the right fit for each other.

It depends on how quickly you respond and how many revisions the itinerary requires. On the fast end, we have confirmed complete bookings — initial proposal through deposit payment — within 48 hours. On the slower end, some guests take several weeks to refine their itinerary, compare options, and reach a decision. The booking itself is quick: once you confirm an itinerary, a 30% deposit secures your reservation. The more relevant question is how far in advance you should start: for peak season (July–October) or the calving season (January–March), we recommend contacting us 6–12 months ahead, as the best camps fill early. For green-season travel or more flexible dates, 3–6 months is usually sufficient.

Your initial proposal is a full draft itinerary — not a price estimate, not a placeholder. It includes: a proposed day-by-day schedule with accommodation recommendations for each night, your lead guide (we name them if possible at this stage), a summary of what makes each recommended property right for your group, the total price in US dollars, the payment schedule, and our honest assessment of what the experience will feel like at each stage. It is a real proposal, not a sales document — we tell you if a camp is not quite right for what you have described, and we explain why we are recommending alternatives. You can then respond with feedback, questions, or requests for adjustments.

Absolutely, and we encourage it. If you have read about Mwiba Rocks, or want specifically to stay in the northern Serengeti during August, or have seen a property in a travel magazine that drew you — tell us. We will either confirm that the property is the right choice for your itinerary, suggest why we might recommend something different, or tell you honestly if it is overhyped for what you want. Our incentive is to put you in the right place, not to hit a property commission target. The bespoke process works best when you are candid about what you have seen and what you are hoping for.

We issue a formal invoice and your reservation is held once the 30% deposit payment is received. At that point, we contact each property directly to confirm your room allocations — for a leading ultra-luxury camp operators like Mwiba and comparable ultra-luxury properties, which can be held only briefly, we confirm immediately after your deposit. You will receive written confirmation of each booking as it is secured. As your travel date approaches, we send a detailed pre-departure briefing: a day-by-day itinerary with guide contact details, a recommended packing list, health and vaccination guidance, a tipping guide, and a summary of what to expect at each camp. We remain available by phone and WhatsApp throughout.

Rebooking is usually possible without cost if you give sufficient notice — the exact terms depend on the policies of the properties involved, but in most cases changing your travel dates is straightforward if availability allows. For cancellations, our policy is: more than 60 days before arrival, your deposit is refunded in full minus a small administrative fee. Between 30 and 60 days, we retain 50% of the deposit. Inside 30 days, the deposit is non-refundable — however, we almost always find a way to rebook rather than retain funds. We understand that life happens, and we handle these situations with fairness rather than small print. If you are uncertain about your dates when you book, tell us and we will structure the booking to give you maximum flexibility.

No. The initial proposal is free, with no obligation. Designing an exceptional safari itinerary requires time and expertise — we ask the right questions, we think carefully about what will work for your specific group, and we create a real proposal that reflects genuine thought. We do not charge for this because we earn our fee only when you travel with us, and we are confident that the quality of our proposals speaks for itself. If you decide not to proceed after receiving a proposal — for any reason, or no reason — there is no charge and no awkwardness. We will still answer questions about Tanzania if you reach out again later.

We accept payment by international bank wire transfer, which is the cleanest method for large safari bookings — no credit card processing fees, no currency conversion issues on your end. For clients who prefer to pay by card, we can arrange this; your bank handles the currency conversion transparently and we pass no additional fees on to you. A 30% deposit secures your reservation. The remaining 70% balance is due 45 days before your arrival in Tanzania. For long-lead bookings made many months in advance, we are happy to structure a phased payment plan — just ask when you are confirming your itinerary. All financial transactions are handled directly and confidentially by Kassim.

You will receive: a detailed day-by-day itinerary with your guide's name and contact details, emergency contact numbers for Bobby Safaris in Arusha, a Tanzania travel briefing covering health, safety, visas, and what to expect at each location, a specific packing recommendation for your itinerary and the season you are travelling, a tipping guide with recommended amounts for your lead guide and camp staff, and confirmations for each camp and internal flight. If you are combining a safari with Zanzibar or another destination, we also coordinate the logistics across all components. Everything arrives in your pre-departure pack at least three weeks before you travel.

Kassim. Directly, without exception. From your first enquiry through to your return home, you deal with the same person who is designing and managing your safari. There is no reception-desk hand-off, no ticket system, no waiting for a response from an operations team you have never met. Kassim's WhatsApp number is in every document you receive. If you have a question at 10pm on a Sunday about whether to add a night at Ngorongoro, you can ask it directly. This is one of the most consistent pieces of feedback we receive from Bobby Safaris guests: they knew exactly who was handling their trip and could reach them whenever they needed.