Safari.com

What Safari.com does

Safari.com (operated by Afritrip Group (Pty) Ltd) is a privately-held, Cape Town-based online travel company founded in 2004 that operates as an authorised reseller and luxury safari specialist, connecting affluent travellers to a curated network of 500+ lodges and operators across 11 African countries (South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, and Seychelles). The core product is a web-based booking platform paired with a named-specialist concierge model: every enquiry is assigned a dedicated safari specialist reachable 24/7 via WhatsApp, supported by a 5-step trip planning wizard, multi-currency pricing (USD, EUR, GBP, ZAR, AUD, CAD), and an AI-assisted planning model that generates personalised shortlists from 18 years of proprietary trip data before handoff to a human specialist.

The company's monetisation is commission-based: Safari.com earns commission from lodges and operators on completed bookings while charging customers the same rate as direct lodge bookings, with no consumer-facing markup. Pricing is quote-based across three tiers — Value (~$1,000/person/day), Premium (~$1,500/person/day), and Ultra Luxury ($2,500+/person/day) — supplemented by complimentary travel insurance (BRONZE for new customers, GOLD for returning), 24/7 WhatsApp support during trips, and downloadable destination brochures. The technology stack includes a PCI DSS-compliant multi-currency payment layer via TurnStay (using Peach Payments for ZAR and Stripe for international transactions), an Affiliate API for travel advisors, and active presence across Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

The business is bootstrapped and founder-led (co-founders Oliver Bryant as CEO and Ric Meulemans as Director), with no disclosed institutional investment, no parent entity, and 11-50 employees. Over twenty years it has served 59,000+ guests, holds a 4.9/5 Trustpilot rating across 1,750+ verified reviews, and was named Africa's Leading Safari Company at the World Travel Awards in both 2024 and 2025. Distribution combines direct consumer demand (website, phone, WhatsApp, email) with an Affiliate/Travel Advisor programme operating on an API, and B2B2C via travel trade partners.

Name

Safari.com

Legal name

Afritrip Group (Pty) Ltd

Website

https://safari.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Safari.com is a privately-held, Cape Town-based luxury safari booking platform founded in 2004 that connects affluent travellers to 500+ lodges across 11 African countries via a named-specialist concierge model and AI-assisted trip planning, earning commission on completed bookings with no consumer markup.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury safari travel services

NAICS

Travel Agencies (56151), Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Safari & Wildlife Travel Agencies (THAKAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Adventure & Expedition Custom Itinerary Planning (THAKAOAC), Private Adventure & Expedition Experiences (Custom Hikes, Safaris, Backcountry) (THAJALAG), Adventure & Expedition Travel Agencies (THAKAFAB), Wildlife Safaris & Game Drives (THAJAIAB)

Keywords

• Luxury safari bookings
• African travel planning
• Safari specialist service
• Tailor-made itineraries
• Safari lodge reservations

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Commission from lodge and operator bookings: Safari.com acts as an authorised reseller of lodge and operator products. The company earns commission only once a client's arrangements have been completed. Customers pay the lodge's direct rate; Safari.com's specialist concierge service is included at no extra markup.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Safari.com is a Cape Town-based travel agency that curates and books luxury tailor-made African safari itineraries across 11 countries via a network of 500+ lodges and operators. Customers receive a dedicated named safari specialist from first enquiry through trip completion, with 24/7 WhatsApp support, AI-assisted itinerary shortlisting, and complimentary travel insurance included on every booking.

Product overview

Safari.com operates a web-based luxury African safari booking platform serving as an intermediary between travelers and a curated network of 500+ lodges across 11 African countries. The core offering combines a self-service booking interface (destination search, lodge browsing, 5-step trip planner, multi-currency pricing) with a human-led concierge model — each booking is assigned a named safari specialist reachable 24/7 via WhatsApp. The platform covers destinations across Southern Africa (South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique) and East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe), offering experience types including Big Five safaris, Great Migration, gorilla trekking, honeymoons, and family trips. An AI-powered planning model assists specialists in generating personalized recommendations from 18 years of trip data. Revenue derives from commissions on lodge bookings (charged to lodge operators, not customers), and pricing matches direct lodge rates with no markup. The company also offers an Affiliate API for travel advisors and provides complimentary travel insurance (BRONZE for new customers, GOLD for returning) on all bookings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tailor-made African safari itineraries End-to-end custom safari planning and booking across 11 African countries (South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, Seychelles) including Big Five game drives, Great Migration, gorilla trekking, bush-and-beach combinations, honeymoons, family and photographic safaris.
• Named safari specialist concierge service Dedicated specialist who handles itinerary design, lodge selection and booking coordination, and provides 24/7 WhatsApp support throughout the trip. The service is included at no additional cost beyond the lodge's direct rate.
• Complimentary travel insurance on bookings

Quantifiable outcome

• 59,000+ guests on safari since 2004; 60,500+ safaris planned since 2006
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TurnStay (Pty) LtdcoreTechnology or IntegrationTurnStay is a specialist service provider for payment processing and transaction management. Safari.com uses TurnStay to process bookings and generate quotes in multiple currencies. TurnStay uses PCI DSS-compliant payment gateways: Peach Payments (ZAR transactions) and Stripe (international transactions). Safari.com does not store full payment card details.
• SATSA (Southern Africa Tourism Services Association)minorOthersOfficial member of SATSA (member #1680), a trade association for Southern African tourism service providers.
• ATTA (African Travel & Tourism Association)minorOthersOfficial member of ATTA (member #206430), a global association representing the African travel and tourism industry.
• Travel Advisors & AffiliatesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSafari.com operates an affiliate/Travel Advisor programme allowing partners to query availability and pricing via a dedicated API. Partners resell Safari.com's curated safari itineraries to their own clients.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• andBeyond: Luxury African safari operator and travel-planning specialist with its own lodge portfolio and tailored itinerary design across Southern and East Africa. Highly comparable to Safari.com as a premium, specialist-led African safari planner serving HNW and family travelers.
• Wilderness Safaris: Owner-operator of premium safari camps across multiple African countries with a strong booking and itinerary-planning business. Comparable to Safari.com as a high-end safari brand spanning Southern and East Africa with curated lodge inventory.
• Singita: Ultra-luxury safari lodge group operating in South Africa, Tanzania, Rwanda and Zimbabwe, offering reservations and bespoke itinerary design. Comparable as a competitor for the highest-spend segment Safari.com serves (its Ultra tier explicitly cites Singita Sasakwa Lodge pricing).
• Go2Africa: Specialist African safari travel agency selling itineraries across multiple African countries via named safari consultants. Highly comparable business model: agent-led concierge planning against a wide lodge network, competing directly for Safari.com's customer base.
• African Travel (Cox & Kings / TSA): Luxury African safari and travel-planning specialist offering tailor-made itineraries across the continent with named consultants. Directly comparable to Safari.com's bespoke, consultant-led safari planning model and similar premium price positioning.
• Expert Africa: UK-based specialist safari and travel company focused on Southern and East Africa with consultant-led itinerary planning. Comparable as a niche safari travel agent serving English-speaking luxury and experiential travelers.
• Discover Africa: South Africa-based safari and travel-planning specialist offering curated multi-country itineraries. Comparable as a domestic-region competitor with a similar specialist-led model and lodge network across Southern Africa.
• Ker & Downey Africa: Bespoke luxury Africa travel company offering tailor-made safaris across multiple African countries. Comparable to Safari.com in target customer (affluent experiential travelers), pricing tier and consultant-led planning model.

Emerging players

• Ultimate Safaris: Boutique Namibian safari operator offering high-end guided safaris and tailor-made itineraries in southern Africa. Comparable as a specialist in the premium safari segment, though smaller and more regionally concentrated than Safari.com.

Broad incumbents

• Travel Operators (TripAdvisor / Viator): Global online travel platforms offering safari and wildlife experiences across Africa alongside a much broader catalogue. Comparable as a competing discovery and booking channel for African safari experiences, though not a specialist planner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@safaridotcom
• Facebookfacebook.com/safaridotcomfb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/safaridotcom
• Instagraminstagram.com/safaridotcom

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Safari.com