Sapphire Travel

What Sapphire Travel does

Sapphire Travel, doing business as Safaris & Sojourns, is a privately held, founder-owned boutique travel agency headquartered in Illinois, USA (Naperville area) with approximately 20 employees. The company specializes in individually crafted, tailormade safari and cultural sojourn itineraries for leisure travelers, with particular depth in African Big Five safaris, mountain gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda, Bengal tiger safaris in India and Nepal, and global wildlife encounters across destinations including Amazon, Antarctica, Australia, Galapagos, Madagascar, and Patagonia. A differentiated niche is the company's pioneering offering of gluten-free and celiac-safe safaris, addressing dietary accommodation in remote destinations.

The business operates on a transaction-fee revenue model, earning commissions on booked travel arrangements (safaris, tours, cruises, rail) and service fees for personalized itinerary planning. Go-to-market is exclusively direct-to-consumer and sales-led: the founder, Michael Sailor — who brings 30+ years of personal exploration across 75+ countries — personally conducts a complimentary 30-minute exploration session to qualify prospects, then crafts and books custom itineraries. Distribution is wholly direct (phone, email, website contact), with no third-party resellers, OTA presence, or app. The technology footprint is minimal: there is no proprietary booking platform, no mobile app, no disclosed API or integrations, and the website is managed by a third-party vendor.

The customer base consists of high-value leisure travelers segmented across wildlife/safari enthusiasts, couples and honeymooners, family travelers, gluten-free/celiac travelers, and cultural heritage travelers. No named enterprise customers are disclosed; revenue is derived from completed bookings sourced primarily through the founder's personal network, content marketing (blog, destination library), the company website, and referrals. The company is operationally active, accepts new bookings, and holds industry credentials including APTA membership (founder served as Former National Board Member and 2x Chapter President), SKAL International Chicago (inducted 2002), and Safe Tourism certification.

Name

Sapphire Travel

Legal name

Safaris & Sojourns

Website

https://sapphire-travel.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sapphire Travel (DBA Safaris & Sojourns) is a privately held, founder-owned boutique travel agency crafting tailormade safari and cultural sojourn itineraries for leisure travelers, with a pioneering niche in celiac-safe safaris and direct-to-consumer, founder-led sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Travel Planning & Safari Agency Services

NAICS

Travel Agencies (561510), Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAKAFAB

Adventure & Expedition Travel Agencies

Travel & Hospitality/Travel Agencies, Tour Operators & OTAs/Specialty/Niche Travel Agencies (Luxury, Adventure, Honeymoon, etc.)

SECONDARYTHAKAOAC

Adventure & Expedition Custom Itinerary Planning

Travel & Hospitality/Travel Agencies, Tour Operators & OTAs/Custom Itinerary Planning Services

SECONDARYTHAKAFAG

Safari & Wildlife Travel Agencies

Travel & Hospitality/Travel Agencies, Tour Operators & OTAs/Specialty/Niche Travel Agencies (Luxury, Adventure, Honeymoon, etc.)

SECONDARYTHAJALAG

Private Adventure & Expedition Experiences (Custom Hikes, Safaris, Backcountry)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Private & Custom Experiences (VIP, Bespoke Itineraries)

Keywords

• Custom safari planning
• Cultural sojourn tours
• Wildlife travel itineraries
• Gluten-free safari travel
• Bespoke travel agency

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Travel Planning and Booking Services: Revenue generated through commissions on booked travel arrangements (safaris, tours, cruises, rail) and service fees for personalized travel planning. The company crafts tailormade itineraries and arranges every detail for clients, earning transaction-based compensation from suppliers and tour operators.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sapphire Travel (DBA Safaris & Sojourns) is a boutique custom travel planning company that designs and books tailormade safari and cultural sojourn itineraries for individual travelers. Its core offerings include African safaris (Big Five, mountain gorilla, Bengal tiger), wildlife encounters, cultural sojourns to historical heritage destinations, and a pioneering celiac/gluten-free safari program. Each trip is built around a complimentary client consultation, followed by a fully customized itinerary and booking handled by the firm's travel professionals.

Product overview

Safaris & Sojourns is a boutique custom travel planning service offering individually crafted safari and discovery journeys. The portfolio consists of core wildlife safari products (African Safaris featuring Big Five game viewing, Mountain Gorilla Trekking, Bengal Tiger Safaris, and Global Wildlife Encounters) paired with cultural Sojourns to Cradles of Civilization destinations and Natural Wonders worldwide. Specialized offerings include Gluten-Free Safaris for celiac travelers, while service types cover Couples/Honeymoons, Family Travel, and Cruise/Rail experiences. The company differentiates through personalized, tailormade trip planning rather than packaged tours.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• African Safaris Tailormade African safari itineraries focused on the Big Five and other wildlife, designed and booked for individual travelers and small private groups through Sapphire Travel's consultation-led process.
• Mountain Gorilla Trekking Safaris Permit-based mountain gorilla trekking safaris, typically in Rwanda and Uganda, designed and booked for individual travelers seeking close-encounter primate wildlife experiences.
• Bengal Tiger Safaris Tailormade Bengal tiger safaris in India and surrounding regions, designed for individual travelers seeking guided big-cat wildlife encounters.
• Wildlife Encounters Custom wildlife-encounter itineraries covering a wider range of species and ecosystems beyond the standard Big Five safari experience.
• Sojourns - Cradles of Civilization Cultural sojourn itineraries to historical and heritage destinations focused on the cradles of civilization, designed for travelers seeking guided cultural exploration.
• Sojourns - Natural Wonders Cultural sojourn itineraries built around iconic natural wonders of the world, designed for travelers seeking guided experiences at geological and natural landmarks.
• Gluten-Free Safaris Celiac-safe safari itineraries with vetted gluten-free meal planning and supplier arrangements, designed for travelers with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
• Couples & Honeymoon Travel Couples and honeymoon trip planning built around the firm's safari and sojourn product lines, tailored for romantic or celebratory travel.
• Family Travel Family-oriented safari and sojourn itineraries designed for multi-generational or family travel, with logistics tailored to children and group dynamics.
• Cruise and Rail Expeditions Custom cruise and rail-based itineraries offered alongside the firm's safari and sojourn products, providing alternative modes of guided travel for individual clients.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Association for the Promotion of Tourism to Africa (APTA)minorOthersDisplayed as a membership badge on the company website. Michael Sailor served as Former National Board Member and achieved 2x Chapter President status within the organization. Represents industry association membership rather than formal commercial partnership.
• SKAL International ChicagominorOthersProfessional tourism industry association. Michael Sailor inducted in 2002, indicating long-standing industry involvement and network within travel professionals.
• Safe Tourism CertifiedminorOthersCertification displayed as trust badge indicating compliance with safety and quality standards in tourism operations. Demonstrates commitment to safety protocols.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Adventure Life: Boutique adventure travel company offering small-group and custom journeys across Africa, Asia, Latin America and beyond. Overlaps with Sapphire's tailormade safaris and Sojourn-style cultural and nature expeditions.
• African Travel Inc. US-based boutique safari tour operator creating customized itineraries to Africa and other wildlife destinations. Directly comparable to Sapphire's founder-led, custom-tailored safari and sojourn model.
• Rothschild Safaris: Luxury safari specialist designing custom itineraries to Africa and select global destinations. Comparable as a small, bespoke, expert-led safari agency with curated wildife and cultural travel.
• Audley Travel: Specialist tailor-made travel company using country-specialist consultants to craft individualized trips worldwide. Closely mirrors Sapphire's direct-consultative GTM and curated country expertise model.
• Goway Travel: Long-standing North America-based travel company specializing in custom-tailored trips to Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and Latin America. Closely comparable in offering tailormade safaris and sojourn-style experiential travel through a consultative sales motion.
• Micato Safaris: Family-owned luxury safari outfitter specializing in bespoke African safaris. Operates in the same niche of high-touch, custom-crafted itineraries with strong founder identity and destination expertise.

Broad incumbents

• Intrepid Travel: Large global adventure and experiential tour operator with small-group tours across 100+ countries. A broad incumbent serving adventurous travelers with safari, cultural, and nature-led itineraries at scale.
• Wilderness Safaris: Established African safari operator owning lodges and running guided safaris in Botswana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa and beyond. A broader incumbent in the safari space Sapphire serves, intersecting on wildlife travel but operating camps rather than pure advisory.
• Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T.): Established small-group adventure tour operator covering Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Antarctica. Broad incumbent competitor overlapping on experiential, nature-focused custom-style itineraries.
• &Beyond: Luxury experiential travel brand with owned safari lodges across Africa and Asia. Broader incumbent that competes for the same high-end safari guest with a vertically integrated lodge model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sapphire-travel

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 Sapphire Travel