A safari has a reputation for being out of reach. With a little planning it needn't be — the difference between a dream trip and a budget-buster usually comes down to timing, location and how you sleep.
Travel in the green season (roughly November to March in East Africa) when lodges cut rates by half and the landscape is lush and full of newborn animals. The game viewing is excellent if you accept occasional rain.
Choose one well-stocked park and stay put rather than racing between three. Fewer transfers means lower cost and more time actually watching wildlife.
Public or 'budget' tented camps inside the parks cost a fraction of the luxury lodges and put you closer to the dawn chorus. Spend the saving on a great guide — that, more than thread count, makes the trip.
