And do we grin and bear it?
We hear you, a Botswana safari is certainly not cheap, but it’s worth every penny if you plan it right. Allow us to explain why a Botswana safari seems expensive, perhaps more so than other countries. It’s not always the case, but we’ve had a few questions about it recently hence wanting to address it. So here we go!
One of the contributing factors for the high cost is actually a Botswana government strategy. It’s the high cost, low impact model. This means fewer visitors are allowed access into the wilderness areas at any given time and therefore charges are higher to continue to make money that goes back into government, private tourism businesses, conservation and tourism initiatives.
The benefit to you is evident – less people in the parks, and a greater, more immersive safari experience.
But wait… there’s a few other factors at play today.
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Whether it’s a Botswana safari or any other African safari holiday that’s tailor made to suit your precise needs, it will seem expensive. And another reason for this is the all inclusive nature. The majority of your costs are paid up front meaning very few costs on the ground – unless you have a love for shopping and top shelf spirits (no judgement).
So keep that in mind when you’re staring at the quote price because the total inclusions will be comparable with a quality holiday you book anywhere else around the globe.
COVID has played a part too (of course it has I hear you say!).
Many of our partners froze rates over the past few years, absorbing any extra costs so those who did dare to travel were not paying more than previously. Whilst good in theory, the additional operational costs and commodity price hikes have hit safari camps and the entire industry hard.
Recent announcements out of Botswana include a fuel surcharge that sees fuel prices more than double last year.
Park fee increases across the board and two parks in particular are tripling – Chobe National Park and Moremi Game Reserve.
The brunt of these operational and commodity increases of course has a consequence on you as the end user. But there are still some damn good deals out there – you just need to know when to go and where to look.
If you’ve already booked with us to travel Botswana in the coming months and year, you will most likely feel some effect. We will liaise with you and update your invoice accordingly.
We understand that it is not ideal, especially if you’ve already paid for your trip now in full. But we trust you will understand that this is outside our control.
In light of that, on behalf of Encompass Africa I thank each and every one of you for entrusting your dream safari adventure with us and sincerely look forward to working with you to make it a reality.
Get in touch if you’re ready to start talking about a holiday to Africa. Or read more about Botswana.
And next we will bring you an article that delves into exactly what’s involved in running a camp in Africa so you can see where your money goes – and the outstanding rewarding experience you receive in return.