South Africa Private & Specialist Guiding
On safari in South Africa, most safari camps and lodges organise game drives with between 4 and 10 guests on a vehicle.
Whilst sharing your experiences with a few other guests is normal and often great fun, it is sometimes possible to pay extra for ‘exclusive-use’ of a vehicle for all or part of your safari. A private vehicle naturally comes with a private guide and tends to be very appealing to more experienced travellers who have very specific interests such as birding or photography. Please note though that for operational reasons, not all lodges are able to offer this facility.
Regulations exist which ensure that there is a relatively high standard of guiding throughout South African, both on safari and when considering more general touring. All guides are trained within their specific areas so if you undertake a guided day tour or visit a private safari lodge, you’re normally assured of reasonable quality guiding.
However, if high quality guiding is a real priority for you, it is possible to hire specialist ‘private guides’. From battlefield tours, botany and birding trips, to walking safaris, whales and wine tours, these specialist guides can make all the difference to your experience.
If you wish to tour the country, but prefer not to self-drive, we are able to put together a holiday itinerary where you would be driven and hosted by a qualified and experienced tour guide. You can still employ specialist local guides for certain activities if required.
If you feel that you would appreciate a private vehicle on safari, or will have specific guiding requirements during your holiday, please advise us when you speak to us. We are very flexible and different regions present different opportunities, so we will simply work with you to include the level of exclusivity and guiding that you desire.