Why should you travel with a specialist on safari?

cazenove+loyd was born in Africa after founder Henrietta Loyd’s life-changing experience of living in Botswana more than 30 years ago, and we believe that the African safari is a trip that everyone should take at least once in their lives.

No two safaris are ever the same, but to ensure that the holiday is as memorable and exhilarating as it should be, you need an expert. There are so many elements to consider when planning a safari – from the time of year you travel to the camps and lodges you visit, the guide who accompanies you and the activities you wish to experience. With our Africa Destination Experts’ more than 65 years’ worth of combined experience living, working and planning extraordinary holidays in Africa, we can arrange a safari that is exactly right for you.

Nothing should take away from the intense thrill of seeing your first leopard or the sight of those glorious African sunsets, and through our many contacts on the ground, we can ensure that your experience is completely seamless. We count many of the owners and guides at stunning camps such as Selinda Explorers in Botswana, Kaingo in Zambia and Camp Sossus in Namibia as close friends and we always call ahead to make sure that they know when our clients are staying with them so that they ensure an extra-special holiday.

Unlike so much of modern travel, which is done under the uncertain veil of a click, when you travel with cazenove+loyd it is not a transaction but rather a relationship. Some time ago, we planned a family safari to Botswana specifically around a teenage boy’s love of photography, arranging on-the-spot tuition with a specialist photographer guide. Amazingly, he returned with a photograph that gained a prize at the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition.

As safaris are undeniably expensive, each day should feel spectacular. Your Destination Expert will meticulously plan every element of your safari according to your wants and needs, adding in those experiences that complete a trip. This could be a night spent sleeping under the stars in the heart of the Okavango Delta, or a day at Ant’s Nest, where your child can learn to be a real life game ranger while you laze by the pool. Everyone’s need is different, and true value is to get the most out of every day.

Then there are those little pieces of advice that create the best memories. Our Destination Experts know that – for intrepid travellers – the furthest tent at Tau Pan Camp is the best, as it’s closest to where the lions sleep. They will advise clients to wake up at 7am when staying at Gibb’s Farm so they can see the bush babies feed, and ensure that families are the first to arrive at the small plane taking them to the next lodge, so that the children get the chance to sit up front with the pilot. With safari, we are dealing with people and wildlife; everything changes from season to season and only a specialist can be on top of the details that matter.

Our Destination Experts have Africa in their blood and want all of their clients to fall in love with the places they have spent their lives exploring. Every day, the Africa team are talking to people on the ground and guests just back from their trips, and it’s no stretch to say that their in-depth and current knowledge has no match.

They are just waiting to share their insider knowledge of this incredible continent and it all begins with a conversation…