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Private, Tailor-Made Journeys Across East Africa | Operating Since 2007
Planning Your Safari
A Thoughtful Place to Begin
Guidance Before You Commit
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Before decisions take shape.
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Before dates are fixed.
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Before anything feels committed.
There is value in slowing down.
At Shrike Safaris, planning is not about assembling parts.
It is about understanding what will allow a journey to feel balanced, natural, and genuinely yours.
This page is here to offer perspective - not to rush you toward answers, but to help you think clearly about what matters most.
When Is the Best Time to Go?
There is no single “best” time to visit East Africa.
There is only the time that aligns best with how you want to travel.
Across the year, the landscape shifts subtly:
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Wildlife moves in response to rain and grass.
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Crowds rise and fall.
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Light, colour, and atmosphere change.
Rather than chasing peak moments alone, we help travelers choose timing that supports their priorities - whether that’s quieter spaces, photographic light, seasonal wildlife patterns, or an unhurried pace.
How Long Should a Safari Be?
One of the most common challenges in safari planning is trying to fit too much into too little time.
Distance matters. So does rest.
Journeys feel richer when:
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Fewer places are explored more deeply
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Travel days are kept in balance
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Time is left unstructured
Staying longer in fewer locations allows the experience to unfold rather than be managed.
Choosing the Right Destinations
East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Zanzibar offer remarkable diversity from open savannahs to forested mountains and Indian Ocean beaches.
The question is rarely where else to add, but what to leave out.
We help travelers think through choices such as:
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Wildlife immersion or landscape diversity
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Active exploration or gentler days
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Remote wilderness or refined comfort
We guide travelers toward combinations that feel coherent, not overwhelming.
Private vs. Shared Safaris
For many travelers, understanding the difference between private and shared safaris brings clarity.
Private travel allows:
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Your own guide and vehicle
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Flexibility in daily pacing
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Freedom to linger when something feels right
Shared experiences can suit some trips, but they often require compromise.
At Shrike, journeys are designed privately so the experience responds to you - not the other way around.
Understanding Safari Investment
A safari is shaped by many interconnected choices:
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Seasonality
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Lodge/ camp selection and style
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Level of privacy
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Travel distances and logistics
As a general guide, thoughtfully designed private safaris in East Africa typically range from approximately USD 600 to USD 3,000 per person per day.
Final costs are shaped during the design process — once your priorities and preferences are understood.
Avoiding Common Missteps
Over the years, certain patterns appear again and again:
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Itineraries that feel crowded
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Long transfers without time to rest
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Choosing camps/ lodges for reputation rather than setting
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Treating days as schedules rather than experiences
Thoughtful planning helps sidestep these quietly before they shape the journey.
Our Role
During planning, our role is not to persuade.
It is to guide.
We help you:
Clarify what matters most.
Consider trade-offs honestly.
Shape a journey that feels balanced and personal.
This guidance comes from years of working on the ground - and from listening carefully to the people we plan for.