Safari Travelers Are Booking Earlier, Staying Longer—and Spending More
New data shows shoulder-season trips rising, Botswana gaining ground, and safari budgets climbing past $8,600 per person.
Photo: Hu Chen / Unsplash
Safari travel is entering a new phase—and the changes are showing up long before guests ever set foot in Africa.
A new industry report suggests that today’s safari travelers are arriving at the planning stage with clearer ideas of where they want to go, when they want to travel, and how much they’re willing to spend. They’re also building more layered trips: longer journeys that combine classic wildlife viewing with beaches, culture, and conservation experiences across multiple destinations.
The findings come from Go2Africa’s State of Safari 2025 report, which analyzed enquiry and booking patterns between 2022 and 2025. The data reveals a market that continues to grow globally but is evolving in how trips are designed and booked.
One of the most noticeable shifts is happening at the very start of the booking process. In 2025, 82% of safari travelers contacted a specialist after choosing a destination, compared with 65% in 2022.
That level of preparedness suggests travelers are doing significantly more research before making enquiries. The report notes that planning tools—from search engines to large language models—are giving travelers new ways to compare destinations, wildlife experiences, and itineraries before speaking to a safari expert.
While guests may still refine their plans later, many are beginning the conversation with a clearer brief than in previous years.
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Timing is changing, too. For the first time in the report’s data, shoulder-season travel has overtaken the traditional safari peak. Enquiries for April, May, September, and October accounted for 38% of safari interest in 2025, slightly ahead of the June–August high season, which drew 34%.
The growth is particularly noticeable in September and October, months that fall near the end of the dry season in many East and Southern African destinations. Wildlife viewing can be especially strong during this period, as animals gather around limited water sources and vegetation is thinner.
Rather than simply traveling during summer holidays, travelers appear to be selecting dates that align more closely with seasonal safari conditions.
Where travelers are going remains familiar—but with a few notable changes. South Africa continues to lead as the most frequently enquired-about safari destination, accounting for 24% of safari interest. Kenya follows at 21%, with Tanzania close behind at 19%. Together, the three countries represent 64% of all safari enquiries.
But Botswana saw the largest year-over-year increase in interest, with its share of enquiries rising from 7% in 2024 to 12% in 2025. The increase points to growing demand for destinations known for smaller camps, low visitor density, and highly tailored wildlife experiences.
Ten-day safaris remain the most common itinerary length, accounting for just over 35% of enquiries, but the traditional one-week safari is declining. Interest in seven-night trips dropped from 26% of enquiries in 2024 to 22% in 2025.
Instead, demand is expanding in two directions. Short trips under a week are rising, often built around a single park or destination, while two-week or longer itineraries are becoming more common as travelers combine multiple regions or add beach extensions along Africa’s coasts and islands.
Meanwhile, average safari budgets reached approximately $8,625 per person sharing in 2025, continuing a steady increase from roughly $7,500 in 2024 and $6,500 in 2023. Longer trips and more customized itineraries are contributing to the increase, alongside rising operational costs across the safari industry.
Even as travelers spend more time and money on safari journeys, the core draw remains remarkably consistent. Iconic wildlife experiences—particularly Big Five safaris and destinations such as Kruger National Park—continue to dominate enquiries. But travelers are increasingly adding additional layers to those trips, from gorilla trekking and cultural experiences to beach stays or time at Victoria Falls.
Rather than replacing the traditional safari, those additions are expanding it, turning a single wildlife destination into a broader journey across the continent.
