Joining safari vs private safari
A safari is more than seeing wildlife. It is about the people you travel with, the stories you share and the memories you take home. Here is everything to know before choosing.
Which safari experience is right for you?
At Cross Country Adventures we run joining safaris. Our sister company, Safari Goats Adventures, runs private safaris. Between the two, you have the freedom to choose the style of adventure that suits you best.
If you are a solo traveller, a couple, a group of friends, or simply someone who enjoys meeting new people while keeping your safari affordable, a joining safari could be the perfect way to experience East Africa.
If you prefer your own vehicle, a private guide, a flexible schedule and a trip designed entirely around your interests, a private safari gives you that freedom — take a look at Safari Goats Adventures.
Cross Country Adventures
A Cross Country Adventures joining safari is a shared safari where travellers from different countries and backgrounds come together in the same safari vehicle and experience East Africa as one temporary adventure family.
Our joining safaris are designed around carefully planned routes and fixed departure dates. You share the vehicle, guide, game drives and safari experience with other travellers.
The vehicle takes a maximum of 6 travellers, giving everyone a comfortable seat and a good opportunity to enjoy the views and wildlife.
The biggest difference is that you are not simply sharing a vehicle. You are sharing the adventure. You may arrive as strangers and leave knowing people from different parts of the world.
You do not need to come with a group. You can come alone and become part of the group. One of the special things about a joining safari is that the people you meet become part of your safari story.
Safari Goats Adventures
A private safari is designed exclusively for you and the people you know — your family, your friends or the love of your life.
Your safari vehicle and professional guide are reserved for you, meaning you have much more freedom to decide how you want your safari to run. You have more flexibility with safari dates, departure times, game-drive duration, accommodation, parks and destinations, special activities, photography stops, cultural experiences, honeymoon arrangements and family requirements.
Private safaris are particularly suitable for travellers who have the budget for one, want to spend the time by themselves without sharing with other travellers, and already know exactly what they want from their African adventure.
With a private safari, the journey can be built around your priorities. Contact Safari Goats Adventures to plan yours.
At a glance
Everything you need to know
Open a topic to see how it works on a joining safari and on a private safari.
Joining safari
Joining safaris operate according to a fixed itinerary and departure schedule. This allows Cross Country Adventures to bring travellers together who are interested in experiencing the same route.
The route, parks and number of days are planned in advance, so travellers joining the same safari should be comfortable following the agreed programme.
The benefit is simple: you get the experience of a safari without having to pay for the entire trip by yourself.
Depending on the route, Cross Country Adventures can offer joining adventures ranging from short safari escapes to longer cross-country journeys.
Private safari
Private safaris provide significantly more flexibility. Safari Goats Adventures can design your safari around:
Your guide can also discuss the following day's plan with you during the safari and adjust the experience where possible, and it is more flexible to rearrange some of the activities compared to a joining safari.
Joining safari
Because joining safaris bring different travellers together, the itinerary needs to work for everyone. The main route, parks and safari duration remain based on the package you booked.
In some situations, Cross Country Adventures may adjust the order of certain activities or accommodation arrangements for operational reasons. If accommodation needs to change, we aim to provide an alternative of the same or comparable standard.
Travellers will be informed of important changes.
Private safari
With a private safari, your itinerary is created specifically for your group.
This means there is considerably more freedom to make changes before and, where practical, during the safari.
Joining safari
You will travel in a 4×4 safari vehicle designed for African wildlife viewing, with a professional Cross Country Adventures safari guide.
Our joining safari concept is designed to keep the group small enough for travellers to enjoy the safari together without feeling like they are part of a large bus tour. Everyone should have a comfortable viewing position and the opportunity to participate in wildlife sightings and conversations with the guide.
Your guide is not simply there to drive. They are there to help you understand the landscape, wildlife, local communities and stories behind the places you visit.
Private safari
With a private safari, the vehicle and guide are dedicated exclusively to you and the people you are travelling with — the people you organise the trip on behalf of.
This gives you greater control over the pace of your safari and allows the guide to focus entirely on your group's interests.
Joining safari
Joining safaris sometimes involve collecting travellers from different locations. For this reason, pick-up times are fixed and must be respected.
When several travellers are joining the same safari, one person's delay can affect everyone else. We therefore ask all travellers to be ready at the agreed pick-up location and time.
We understand that travel does not always go according to plan, so if you experience a delay, contact the Cross Country Adventures team as early as possible.
Private safari
Private safaris offer greater flexibility with pick-up times.
Because the vehicle is reserved for you, the departure time can generally be arranged around your arrival and preferred schedule, within park regulations and the day's itinerary.
A joining safari is a shared adventure. That means your fellow travellers are depending on you in the same way that you depend on them. If the safari departs at 7:00 AM, everyone needs to be ready. Being punctual helps the entire group enjoy more time in the national parks instead of spending valuable safari time waiting for pick-ups.
Your adventure is shared — so is your responsibility.
Joining safari
Joining safari schedules are planned in advance to make the route work efficiently for everyone. Daily travel may include:
Because the itinerary is shared, game-drive timings cannot normally be changed according to one person's preference.
Private safari
Private safari travellers have much more flexibility.
If you are a photographer who wants to spend longer at a lion sighting, a couple who wants a slower morning, or a family that prefers a different pace, your guide can plan around your interests where park regulations allow.
Joining safari
Joining safaris normally use carefully selected accommodation that provides good value while keeping the overall safari price accessible. Depending on the package, options can include:
The accommodation level depends on the specific Cross Country Adventures joining safari you book. Because you are sharing the safari with other travellers, accommodation options are generally more limited than on a private safari.
Private safari
Private safari travellers have a much wider choice. Safari Goats Adventures can arrange accommodation ranging from mid-range lodges to luxury camps and lodges.
Accommodation can be selected according to your preferred comfort level and budget.
Joining safari
One of the things that makes a Cross Country adventure different is that safari does not have to mean only sitting inside a vehicle looking for animals. Depending on your itinerary, additional experiences may include:
Some activities may not be possible on every joining safari because the entire group needs to follow the same schedule.
Private safari
For travellers who want maximum freedom to add experiences, a private safari is usually more flexible.
Book a private safari through Safari Goats Adventures.
Joining safari
Joining safari travellers should keep luggage practical and manageable. Because several travellers share the same vehicle, excessive luggage can reduce comfort and available space.
We recommend bringing a manageable travel bag or backpack and avoiding unnecessary hard-shell suitcases where possible. If you are travelling with additional luggage, please inform the Cross Country Adventures team before your safari so we can advise you on the best arrangement.
If you are travelling through more than one country, we advise you to carry an extra duffle bag. Pack the clothes and things you want during the safari into it, and leave the rest at our office — it will be safe until you return from your safari.
Private safari
Private safari travellers generally have more flexibility with luggage because the vehicle is reserved exclusively for their group.
Meeting people from around the world
This is one of the biggest reasons travellers choose a joining safari.
Imagine starting your safari with people you have never met. One traveller may be from Germany. Another from France. Another from the United States. Another from Australia. And you are all sitting together in the middle of the Serengeti watching a pride of lions.
By the end of the safari, you may be exchanging Instagram accounts, sharing photos, making dinner plans or even planning your next adventure together.
That is the Cross Country Adventures spirit.
You don't just cross countries. You cross cultures, stories and friendships.
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9Safari etiquette
A great joining safari depends on everyone respecting one another. We ask travellers to:
You may have different backgrounds, languages, eating habits and travel styles. That's part of the adventure.
What makes us different
We don't want a joining safari to feel like simply buying the cheapest seat in a vehicle. Our idea is to create a cross-country travel community.
You travel together. You explore together. You eat together. You photograph wildlife together. You share stories. You laugh at unexpected moments. And sometimes, strangers become friends.
That is why we believe the best joining safaris are not defined only by the number of animals you see. They are also defined by the people you meet along the way.
Joining or private
Cross Country Adventures
Safari Goats Adventures
The Cross Country Adventures philosophy
Neither experience is about simply getting from one national park to another. At Cross Country Adventures, we want you to experience Africa through wildlife, landscapes, culture and people.
Whether you arrive with six friends or arrive completely alone, there is always a place for you around the Cross Country table.
Come as a traveller. Leave as part of the Cross Country family.
Cross countries. Cross cultures. Cross paths. Your next adventure starts with us.
Where to?
Pick a service to see all upcoming group departures and dates.
