Forums and online travel review sites everywhere have a slew of people recommending that you book your trip to Africa yourself instead of using a reputable and award winning safari tour operator, such as Rothschild Safaris.
The arguments are compelling- these folks will promise that you can “travel more for less” and that you can better customize your trip to be exactly the way you want it because you are doing all of the planning instead of leaving it to a “cookie cutter” trip planner.
As seductive as this argument is, it’s simply wrong.
Let’s start with the issue of cost, since that seems to be the number one concern.
For starters, african safari operators book safaris day in and day out. If there are specials at a place that you want to go, we are aware of them, and we can pass those savings on to you. From time to time, we are even offered specials that are not given to other tour operators.
Another concern many people have is the “markup” for a tour operator. The important thing to realize here is that tour operators get volume discounts, so the price is the same as booking the accommodations direct.
Actually, the price usually is a bit lower, because using a tour operator also allows you to get package deal discounts on all of the other things that you need while you are traveling, such as transfers, food, activities, and more. The more connected your tour operator is, the more true this is. Rothschild Safaris has been working with African safari companies for over 20 years, and is one of the best in the business. Leora Rothschild is so well known that she made the Travel + Leisure A List of Travel Agents!
The next myth about using a tour operator is that you cannot customize your trip as well as you could on your own.
Again, this perception is misleading. The safari experts who have been to where you are going before and who have helped thousands of people celebrate weddings, honeymoons, anniversaries, birthdays, and more are going to have a better idea of the possibilities than a search on Google will ever give you.
If you are careful about who you choose, and make sure that your tour operator does not own any properties, you can also be sure that your safari specialist is choosing the best place for your needs instead of trying to fill a bed for their own properties.
Another huge benefit of working with a tour operator is that it will save you time. Instead of spending hours scouring the internet, you can view a few itineraries already customized for your preferences and budget and narrow your focus from there. You won’t need to worry about what to do on vacation, as you will already have your transfers, food, and other expenses met- you can simply show up and enjoy!