First-hand safari knowledge, a genuinely tailored itinerary and one point of contact from the first idea to the journey home.
Planning a safari involves much more than choosing a beautiful lodge. The right trip depends on the season, reserve, guiding, wildlife priorities, transfer times, room arrangements and budget — and all of those decisions need to work together.
Ready Set Safari uses first-hand lodge knowledge, professional guiding experience and trusted local relationships to build a safari around you. We then coordinate the bookings and connections so that the trip works as well in practice as it does on paper.
| Planning fee | None. You pay the same (or less) than if you booked it all directly. |
| Compared with booking direct | Same rates, but sometimes better deals or cheaper logistics. Plus expertise from people who have been there and done it before. |
| Itinerary | Tailored to your dates, interests, travel style and budget. |
| Support | Direct help before and during your trip. |
| Included with every booking | A personalised safari app with your itinerary, documents, packing information and wildlife checklist. |
“She took the time to really get to know me and understand what I was looking for. It was the perfect first safari, one that I will always treasure.”
“Would not hesitate in booking through Ready Set Safari again. They made it so easy.”
Read all of our 5.0-rated reviews on Google →
Why travellers choose Ready Set Safari
1. Recommendations grounded in real safari experience
Between us, we have stayed at more than 50 lodges and camps across Southern and East Africa. Van is a qualified South African field guide, giving us professional insight into wildlife, guiding standards and how safari operations work behind the scenes.
We compare more than rooms and photographs. We look at the reserve, wildlife density, guiding, vehicle policies, camp atmosphere, access, season, food, family suitability and value. We prioritise properties we know first-hand. If a recommendation comes from a trusted partner or recent client experience rather than our own stay, we will say so.
2. An itinerary designed around you
We do not start with a standard package and try to fit you into it. We begin with your dates, budget, preferred pace and the experiences that matter most to you.
A keen photographer may be better suited to a different reserve and vehicle policy from a first-time visitor hoping to see the Big Five. A traveller particularly interested in wild dogs, cheetahs, black rhinos, walking safaris or time on the water will need a very different itinerary again. We explain those differences and design accordingly.
3. The complicated logistics are handled
A great itinerary can still become stressful if the transfers do not connect or too much time is lost moving between camps. We coordinate the sequence of lodges, internal flights and road transfers, and we advise on suitable international flight timings.
You receive one clear itinerary rather than a chain of unrelated bookings and emails.
4. Transparent pricing and no separate planning fee
We do not charge a separate fee for planning, quoting or revising your itinerary. If you decide to book, we are normally paid a commission by the lodge or tour operator from its existing sales margin. It is not added to the publicly available direct rate.
For the same lodge, room, dates, inclusions and booking terms, you will not pay more through us than booking directly. Sometimes you may pay less because we have access to stay-pay offers, early-booking specials or more efficient transfer options. Before you commit, we confirm the inclusions, payee, deposit, payment method and cancellation terms in writing.
5. Direct, personal support
Ready Set Safari is a small, specialist business. You deal directly with us rather than being passed between sales, booking and support teams. We deliberately limit the number of trips we plan at one time so that each itinerary receives proper attention.
If a flight changes, a transfer needs checking or something goes wrong while you are away, contact us directly. We will liaise with the lodge or local operator and help you understand the available options, but we will always also give you contacts to work with all providers directly, should you prefer to do so.
6. Responsible recommendations
We avoid captive-wildlife interactions and other experiences that conflict with responsible animal-welfare or community-tourism principles. We will explain why we recommend or exclude an activity and suggest a responsible alternative where possible.
How the planning process works
- Tell us what you have in mind. Approximate dates, number of travellers, budget and your main safari priorities are enough to begin.
- We design the route. We recommend the destinations, lodges and connections, explain the trade-offs and provide an itemised proposal.
- We refine it together. We revise the itinerary until it feels right. There is no obligation and no planning fee.
- You approve before anything is confirmed. We set out the inclusions, payment schedule and cancellation terms before you commit.
- We coordinate the trip. Once booked, we bring the itinerary and travel information together and remain available if you need help.
Your own safari app, built for your trip
Every trip we book includes a personalised safari app. It keeps your full itinerary, travel documents and destination information together, with a packing list suited to where you are going and a wildlife checklist that records your sightings as you travel.
It means less searching through emails at the airport, clearer information on the road and a record of what you saw when you return home.
Common questions
Does using Ready Set Safari cost more than booking direct?
No. For the same lodge, room, dates, inclusions and booking terms, you will not pay more than the lodge’s publicly available direct rate. There is no separate planning fee. Sometimes an agent-only offer or a better transfer arrangement means you may pay less.
How is Ready Set Safari paid?
If you book, we are normally paid a commission by the lodge or tour operator from its existing sales margin. It is not added as a markup to the public direct rate. Our recommendations are based on the suitability and value of the experience, not on which property pays the highest commission.
Do you charge for itinerary changes?
No. Planning, quoting and revisions are included at no charge. We only earn anything if you decide to book.
Do you recommend places you have not personally visited?
We prioritise places we know first-hand, but no specialist can personally stay everywhere and properties change over time. When a recommendation is based on trusted partner knowledge, current supplier information or recent client feedback rather than our own stay, we will tell you.
Can you arrange flights and transfers as well as lodges?
Yes. We arrange the internal flights and road transfers that connect your safari and advise on suitable international flight timings. We will be clear about which flights we are booking and which you should book separately.
How can I pay?
Depending on the currency and supplier, payment may be available by credit card, PayPal or bank transfer in AUD, USD, GBP, SGD, CAD or ZAR. We can cater to other currencies via bank transfer – just ask. We confirm the payee, any applicable fees, exchange-rate basis and due dates in writing before you make a payment.
What happens if something goes wrong while I am travelling?
You can contact us directly. We will liaise with the lodge, transfer company or local operator on your behalf and help you work through the available solution. We will also provide the direct contact details for each lodge, transfer, airline or activity provider in your itinerary, in case you need or want to contact them directly.
Ready to start planning?
Tell us roughly when you would like to travel, who is going and what you most want from the safari. We will reply within 48 hours with some initial ideas. There is no obligation and no planning fee.
