African Travel

What African Travel does

African Travel is a US-based luxury safari tour operator that designs, packages, and sells customized African safari experiences to affluent leisure travelers. Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Glendale, California, the company operates as part of The Travel Corporation's Specialist & Adventure Division alongside Brendan Vacations and Lion World Travel. Its product portfolio spans three core service models: Tailor-Made private safaris, Classic Collection locally-hosted small group journeys (12–20 guests), and Concierge Collection escorted vacations (up to 14 guests), with a premium Platinum tier for ultra-luxury itineraries. Specialized lines target families, romantic/honeymoon couples, LGBTQ+ travelers, solo travelers, and private groups of 10+.

Revenue is generated one-time per booking through safari package pricing that ranges from approximately $1,695 for short extensions to over $35,595 for ultra-luxury Platinum itineraries. A non-refundable $250 consultancy fee is applied to each booking, with 10–20% deposits and full payment due 90 days before departure. Go-to-market is consultative and sales-led, combining a 1-800 phone sales line, website quote requests, and a dedicated travel advisor/agent portal — the latter being the primary distribution channel. African Travel maintains a curated network of 200+ premium lodge partners across 14 African countries, a $1M USTOA traveler bond, and a 4.9/5 Feefo Platinum Trusted Service rating.

The underlying operating platform is a tour planning and curation stack rather than a technology product: itinerary design, lodge contracting, and traveler support are executed by human safari specialists with over 300 years of combined Africa experience. There is no disclosed API, proprietary software, or AI/ML capability; competitive differentiation rests on human expertise, brand heritage, advisor relationships, and the licensed MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® sustainability program backed by The TreadRight Foundation.

Name

African Travel

Legal name

African Travel (2003), Inc.

Website

https://africantravelinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

African Travel is a US-based luxury safari tour operator selling customized and packaged African safari itineraries across 14+ countries to affluent leisure travelers via travel advisors and direct consultative sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Glendale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

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. Safari Tour Packages: African Travel generates revenue primarily through selling packaged and custom luxury safari itineraries across Africa. Pricing varies by destination, duration, accommodation level, and season, ranging from approximately $1,695 to $35,595 per person. Revenue is earned through tour package pricing with associated planning and consultancy fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

African Travel designs and sells luxury African safari experiences, ranging from fully customized private itineraries to small-group escorted tours. The company offers packages across 14 African countries, with dedicated safari specialists handling all planning, accommodations, flights, VIP airport services, private guides, and 24/7 in-country support, supported by a network of 200+ premium lodge partners.

Product overview

African Travel is a luxury safari travel company offering a comprehensive portfolio of African safari experiences. The core product consists of three main service models: Tailor-Made Safaris (fully customized private journeys), Classic Collection (locally-hosted small group tours with 12-20 guests), and Concierge Collection (fully escorted group tours with dedicated Travel Directors for up to 14 guests). Premium tiers include Platinum Safaris featuring ultra-luxury accommodations, VIP services, and exclusive access. The company also offers specialized products targeting specific traveler segments including Family Safaris, Romantic Safaris, LGBTQ+ Pride Safaris, Solo Safaris, and Private Group Safaris for parties of 10+. Add-on services include a Travel Protection Plan (mandatory travel insurance) and downloadable brochures. The company operates as part of The Travel Corporation (TTC) and has been in business for over 50 years.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tailor-Made Safaris Fully customized private safari itineraries shaped around individual traveler interests, pace, and priorities, designed by dedicated safari specialists.
• Platinum Safaris Ultra-luxury safari experiences featuring exclusive villas and lodges, VIP airport services, private guides, and round-the-clock support.
• Family Safaris Customized African safaris designed for families with young children, featuring kid-friendly accommodations, junior ranger programs, and age-appropriate activities.
• Romantic Safaris Couples-focused luxury safari experiences combining wildlife encounters with intimate settings, suited for honeymoons and anniversary celebrations.
• LGBTQ+ Pride Safaris Safari experiences specifically designed for LGBTQ+ travelers with welcoming destinations and trained staff.
• Solo Safaris Independent safari experiences for solo travelers, with options for minimal or no single supplement at certain lodges.
• Private Group Safaris Customized group travel for parties of 10 or more with tailored itineraries and dedicated services.
• Classic Collection (Locally Hosted Journeys) Small-group safaris with set departures limited to 12-20 guests, led by expert local guides at each destination.
• Concierge Collection (Escorted Vacations) Fully escorted small-group tours with a dedicated Travel Director, luxury accommodations, VIP service, and exclusive experiences, limited to 14 guests.
• Travel Protection Plan Comprehensive travel insurance designed for safari vacations covering trip cancellation, interruption, medical expenses, emergency evacuation, and baggage loss.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.9/5 Feefo rating with Platinum Trusted Service Award
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The TreadRight FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMAKE TRAVEL MATTER® is a trademark of The TreadRight Foundation, registered in the U.S. and other countries, used under license by African Travel. The foundation supports sustainable tourism initiatives and conservation efforts that African Travel aligns its experiences with.
• Major AirlinesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAfrican Travel assists with flight bookings through partnerships with major airlines, offering travelers comprehensive trip planning including airfare alongside safari packages.
• 200+ Premium Lodge PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortfolio of over 200 premium and carefully curated accommodation partners across Africa, including luxury lodges, tented camps, private reserves, and boutique hotels. These partnerships provide exclusive access, preferred pricing, and varied safari experiences from malaria-free options to gorilla trekking accommodations.
• Aon AffinityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTravel protection plan administrator providing insurance designed for safari vacations. African Travel requires travel protection covering trip cancellation, interruption, medical expenses, emergency evacuation, and baggage.
• FeefominorOthersIndependent customer review platform providing verified reviews and the Platinum Trusted Service Award based on customer feedback. African Travel maintains a 4.9/5 rating on this platform.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Tauck: Large established escorted tour operator with African safari offerings alongside a global portfolio. Overlaps with African Travel on premium escorted small-group safaris but competes as part of a much broader luxury travel portfolio.

Direct peers

• Singita: Ultra-luxury safari brand operating its own reserves and lodges across Africa. Competes for the same high-net-worth safari customer with vertically integrated inventory and a similar conservation-led brand story.
• Lion World Travel: Sister brand within The Travel Corporation's Specialist & Adventure Division offering African safaris. Most direct intra-portfolio comparison; overlaps on product, geography, and parent-company back office, but historically positioned at a slightly lower price point.
• Wilderness Safaris: Africa-focused safari operator with a large owned-and-managed camp portfolio across Southern and East Africa. Directly comparable in safari specialization, conservation positioning, and premium pricing tiers.
• &Beyond: Luxury safari and travel brand operating owned lodges and camps across Africa and South Asia. Direct competitor in the luxury African safari category, with deeper vertical integration into lodge inventory than African Travel.
• Abercrombie & Kent: Luxury tour operator offering high-end African safaris alongside global itineraries. Direct competitor in the luxury escorted and tailor-made Africa safari space, with comparable price points and a similar travel-advisor-driven distribution model.
• Micato Safaris: Family-owned luxury safari operator specializing in bespoke East and Southern Africa itineraries. Comparable in premium positioning, tailor-made service model, and reliance on long-standing on-the-ground expertise.
• Thomson Safaris: Long-established Tanzania-focused safari operator offering premium small-group and custom safaris. Comparable in tailor-made service model and mid-sized operator scale, though more geographically concentrated.
• Rothschild Safaris: High-end bespoke safari operator specializing in customized African journeys with an emphasis on expert guiding and exclusive access. Comparable in premium service model and small-team specialist curation.
• Ker & Downey Africa: Bespoke luxury safari operator offering tailor-made African itineraries. Comparable in product positioning (custom private journeys, premium lodging) and target customer (affluent experiential travelers).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AfricanTravelInc
• Instagraminstagram.com/africantravelinc
• Xx.com/_africantravel_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 African Travel