Fifteen questions to ask any safari operator

Most of what separates a good safari operator from a disappointing one is invisible until something goes wrong. These are the questions that surface it beforehand.

About the fleet and guides

• Do you own your vehicles, or subcontract them?
• Are your guides salaried, or paid per trip?
• How many years has my specific guide been driving this route?
• What happens if a vehicle breaks down mid-safari?

About the price

• Does the quote include park and crater fees, or are they added later?
• Is the vehicle private, or could other travellers be added?
• What is explicitly excluded — insurance, tips, drinks, balloon safaris?
• Is the price per person based on two sharing, or a larger group?

About the booking itself

• What percentage deposit confirms the booking, and when is the balance due?
• What is the cancellation schedule, in writing, not just in conversation?
• Are camps booked directly, or through a wholesaler?
• Is evacuation insurance included, or a separate purchase?

About the itinerary

• Can specific days change after booking, or is the route fixed?
• How many times does a typical itinerary get revised before departure?
• Who do I email once I'm travelling if a flight changes?
• Will the same person who drafted the route also be reachable during the trip?

A hesitant answer to any of these is worth more than a confident one — most operators can recite their prices from memory. Fewer can explain their cancellation terms without checking a document.

Fifteen questions is a lot for a first email. Ask the three that matter most to you and judge the operator on how directly they answer, not just on what the answer is.