Discover Africa

A Cape Town safari planner working across Southern and East Africa

Discover Africa describes itself as "an online tour operator offering the finest hotels, safaris, tours and experiences in Africa." It is a planning and booking company rather than a camp operator: the homepage says its team works with "the finest lodges, experienced guides, and dedicated local teams" to design tailor-made trips, and the why-book page speaks of "carefully selected properties, partners, and ground handlers." The team is based in Cape Town, at 35 Willie van Schoor Avenue, and the phone line on the homepage is a London number, +44 20 3885 0549, answered from 08:00 to 19:00 (GMT+2). The destination menus cover Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and Uganda (gorilla trekking is one of its safari styles), Malawi and the Indian Ocean islands, with trip counts shown for areas such as the Okavango Delta (33), Victoria Falls (27), the Serengeti (24) and Kruger National Park (14). The homepage says the team has explored southern and East Africa "Since 2002."

Sample safaris and styles

The homepage shows sample itineraries, each with 2 US dollar figures per person sharing and a length in days:

• Cape Town, Sabi Sand Safari and Victoria Falls, 10 days, $10550 USD and $11350 USD
• Timbavati Safari Short and Sweet from Johannesburg, 4 days, $2492 USD and $2997 USD
• All Inclusive Safari in Madikwe and Sabi Sands, 7 days, $9194 USD and $11952 USD
• Makgadikgadi Pans & Okavango Delta Safari Adventure, 7 days, $5200 USD and $8610 USD
• Botswana Safari, Short and Sweet, in the Okavango Delta and Moremi, 5 days, $4080 USD and $6175 USD

The page does not say what the 2 figures represent. A currency switcher offers ZAR, USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD and CHF.

Trips can also be browsed by style: Big Five, gorilla trekking, horseback, luxury train, mobile camping and photographic safaris, migration safaris, honeymoons, family safaris and "positive impact" safaris. Current deals on the menu include an Atzaro Okavango Honeymoon Special, an Erebero Hills Special with the single supplement waived, and an Ol Donyo Lodge Special on a stay 4, pay 3 basis. The about page frames the accommodation range as running "from rustic camps that move with the herds to private-use villas for families," and the family safari section is billed as "Thoughtfully Designed for Every Generation."

The destination write-ups show the kind of activities on offer: mokoro trips, walks and game drives in the Okavango Delta; hot air balloon rides over the Serengeti and the Masai Mara; sunset cruises and helicopter flights at Victoria Falls; walking safaris in Mana Pools; and time on Zanzibar's reefs after a Tanzania safari.

How the planning works

Every trip starts with a consultant. The homepage says its planners have "walked these paths themselves, visiting every camp and park we recommend" and the why-book page promises "tailor-made travel advice, and recommendations ... all at no extra cost." Tools on the site include a Safari Cost Estimator, which the company says gives "a transparent and detailed breakdown of costs," and HerdTracker, its own tool for following the Great Wildebeest Migration in real time. The homepage also carries a month-by-month guide to where to go, from calving season in the southern Serengeti in January and February to the Chobe River elephant herds in October.

The about page's pricing note says the company prefers "to include as many of the costs up-front" as possible, and that price depends on destination, accommodation, group size and time of year. Once travelers are on the ground, the company promises 24/7 support. The reviews it publishes name individual planners and describe them arranging flights, transfers and last-minute changes, checking guests in for flights, and in one case organizing wheelchair assistance at airports and activities; these are the company's selected testimonials.

The blog is a large part of the site and useful for planning. A Namibia piece runs through 15 facts, from Big Daddy, which it puts at 325 meters in the Sossusvlei area, to the NamibRand Nature Reserve as a designated Dark Sky Reserve and a population of approximately 3,000 free-roaming cheetahs. Another post rounds up 20 wildlife webcams, from the Djuma waterhole to a gorilla forest camera in the eastern DRC, and a third collects facts about Kilimanjaro. These are general guides rather than trip descriptions, but they show where the planners' knowledge sits.

Protection, memberships and reputation

The why-book page says the company is "bonded with industry-leading financial protection," accredited by the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA), affiliated with the African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA), and a member of the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA). It recommends personal travel insurance on top. A Best Price Assurance invites guests to share a better quote for the same itinerary.

The homepage shows "933 Reviews - 5/5 Stars" and partner review scores of 4.9 from 592 reviews, 4.8 from 182 and 4.9 from 159, which it says are "independently verified and sourced from trusted third-party review platforms," without naming them next to the scores. The company lists a Corporate Live Wire South Africa Prestige Award (2020) and World Luxury Travel Awards for 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. It says its team has "over 60 years of collective experience" and describes Discover Africa Group as running 3 brands.

What the site leaves open, and who it suits

The years in business differ between pages: "Since 2002" and "Over 20 Years" on the homepage, and "our 17 years as a trusted travel partner" on the why-book page. The sample prices come without an explanation of the 2 figures, or of what is included. The site does not state deposit, payment or cancellation terms beside the trips; the footer points to terms of use and privacy pages. The site does not name the ground operators or lodges behind each trip until a planner builds it.

Discover Africa suits travelers who want a planner based in Africa to put together a lodge safari in South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania or Zimbabwe, often combined with Cape Town, Victoria Falls or a beach, and who like seeing rough prices and a cost estimator before they enquire. Those wanting a fixed-date group tour will find the site built around private, tailor-made trips instead.