Frequently Asked Questions

We work with a large number of different safari camps, lodges and hotels. We make it our aim to personally visit each lodge or hotel we recommend, to ensure it is up to standard. We will never recommend a substandard lodge or hotel.

At most lodges and hotels, the rooms will have a private bathroom as well as air conditioning, but some of the safari camps (especially tented camps) only have fans. When sending your quote we will specify whether or not the accommodation is air-conditioned.

Accommodation standards differ and rates vary enormously. We will make recommendations based on your budget and preferences. We can offer you options ranging from basic, budget accommodation to exclusive, luxury five-star accommodation. Generally, we do not offer camping safaris (where you have to pitch your own tent), but we do sell a number of tented safari camps, which offer permanent canvas tents as accommodation.

Our electricity supply is 220/230V, with a type M, large 15-amp plug. We always suggest that you bring your own travel adapter with you – here's a useful site about electrical plug/voltage information and appliance compatibilities for South Africa, as well as the recommended travel adapter you'll need.

South Africa and its neighbouring countries have 220V power. It is always best to bring your own travel adapter, in case. Have a look at Amazon's universal travel plug for South Africa and International Electrical Supplies' travel adapters for details of various adapters.

You will need WA7 for northern Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and WA10L for South Africa. In Kenya, plugs are 240V with a type G power socket, with square prongs like those in the UK.

Some lodges offer discounts for children sharing with adults, while others charge the same rates for children as for adults. Some lodges do not accommodate children under a certain age, yet other lodges are extremely child-friendly with a host of activities and services to welcome, involve and entertain children of all ages.

On our own Kruger National Park safaris, we normally offer discounts for children up to 11 years old. SANParks (South African National Parks) considers children aged 12 and older as full paying adults. Please ask us about specific conditions and discounts for children for whichever lodge or safari you are interested in.

Please speak to us about your particular safari plans and concerns and we'll gladly advise on the best options for you and your family to suit your budget and time constraints. We have personal knowledge of the lodges and game camps we offer and understand the demands of travelling with children (we are all parents, too), and we'll do our best to make sure you enjoy the safari of a lifetime.

Absolutely! Children are welcome on most of our safaris. However, if they are under eight years of age, we normally arrange an exclusive departure just for your group, so as not to inconvenience other guests, at an additional cost. We have some great options and destinations for family-friendly safaris, as well as some fantastic malaria-free safari destinations in Southern and East Africa.

Each lodge has its own child policy. Some lodges accept children under 12 years old, others only accept children above a certain age. Some lodges offer discounts for children, others don't.

On our own Kruger National Park safaris, we normally offer discounts for children up to 11 years old. SANParks considers children aged 12 and older as full paying adults. Please ask us about specific conditions and discounts for children for whichever lodge or safari you are interested in.

Some lodges actively welcome children, with dedicated educational and entertainment activity programmes. These can range from making their own pizzas to guided bush walks with experienced rangers to explore the tracks, secret hideouts and smaller creatures of the wild, watch educational videos and receive gift activity bags.

Please let us know the ages and interests of your children and we'll gladly suggest places where we know they'll enjoy their safari as much as you will enjoy yours.

The currency in South Africa is the South African Rand (ZAR), and US dollars are not widely accepted. South African Rands can also be used easily in Namibia and eSwatini (Swaziland). If you're travelling anywhere else in Southern Africa or East Africa, the most useful currency to have with you is US dollars (USD). In countries like Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya, they all have their own local currencies but the most useful currency to have with you as a tourist is US dollars, which are accepted everywhere. Bring crisp, recent notes in small denominations (torn bills or older bills from before 2006 are sometimes not accepted). You won't always be able to get change for a $100 bill. Rather bring lots of $10, $5 and $1 bills.

However, you shouldn't need to carry a lot of cash with you as most places accept credit cards (Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted, Amex not as much). Be sure to inform your bank about your trip and activate or unblock your credit card for international transactions before you leave.

You can exchange money easily at any bank or airport. There is also a wide network of ATMs at airports, most shopping centres, petrol stations, etc. where you can withdraw cash. This usually works out cheaper than changing money at a Bureau de Change.

Once you're happy with your quote and itinerary, we'll ask you to complete our booking form, subject to our terms and conditions, and make a first advance payment of 30% of the total cost to secure your booking. If you've already paid a commitment fee, this will be counted as part of your deposit payment. The balance is required at least seven weeks (49 days) prior to departure. However, if you book within seven weeks of departure, the full amount will be payable at the time of booking.

We accept payment by wire transfer or by credit card. Our secure online payment facility accepts most major credit cards. If paying by wire transfer, all costs, foreign exchange conversion fees and bank routing fees are for your account. The full quoted amount needs to clear into our account. We do not charge any extra fees for credit card payments and there are no hidden costs.

For your peace of mind and financial security, we're fully bonded members of SATSA in South Africa as well as ABTA in the UK.

We normally quote either in South African Rands (ZAR) or British pounds (GBP). The currency used in South Africa is the South African Rand (ZAR). In other African countries, the most common currency is the US Dollar. If we quote you in US dollars or euros, at the time of making the payment this will have to be converted to South African rands or British pounds. When converting from USD to ZAR or from ZAR to GBP, we never use the interbank rate you might see on the news or online. We use the same exchange rate you would pay when converting money at the bank. This is in the region of interbank +4%.

We accept payment by wire transfer or by credit card. Our secure online payment facility accepts most major credit cards.

When travelling in Southern Africa, the most useful currency to have with you is South African rand or US dollars. You do not need to carry a lot of cash with you – most places accept credit cards. You can exchange money easily at any bank or airport in South Africa. There is also a good network of ATMs where you can draw cash in local currency with your foreign bank card.

If you book a scheduled Kruger National Park safari with us, the average group size is between four and seven people per safari. The maximum group size is 9 per vehicle. For larger groups, we will use extra vehicles (one vehicle and guide per 9 people).

For private lodge safaris, there is no minimum group size, and the maximum depends on the capacity of the lodge. Most safari vehicles at lodges take between six and nine people at a time. Budget friendly lodges take up to 9 guests per vehicle. The more expensive lodges limit it to 6 guests or sometimes 4 guests per vehicle. You can also book a private vehicle just for your group.

We do not make use of shared accommodation, except for couples and families who book as a group. We will never expect you to share accommodation with people you do not know. It is also possible to book an exclusive departure or exclusive vehicle if you prefer, with no other guests on board. Please let us know what you require, and we'll do our utmost to help.

No, we do not offer hunting safaris. Never have and never will. The only shooting we do is with cameras. We believe in minimum impact, sustainable and responsible eco-tourism. We leave nothing but footprints. We take nothing but photographs. During game drives, we never harm, feed or disturb wild animals in any way. Unfortunately, there is a hunting outfit in South Africa called Wild Wing (without an s) Safaris, which has caused some confusion. We are not affiliated to them, and we're unable to challenge their similar name because we hold the trademark for Wild Wings (with an s).