The New African Luxury: Why Tanzania’s Safari Experience Goes Beyond Five-Star Lodges

The Changing Definition of Safari Luxury

When travellers come to Africa on vacation, they are often attracted by the promise of exploring the African wilderness and seeing exotic local wildlife. Those who pay for five-star safari lodge experiences also expect high-class accommodations where they can have a home away from home during a safari trip, with amenities such as private plunge pools and champagne dinners. However, for Tanzania based companies like Takims Holidays, comfortable accommodations are just one part of the formula for a luxury safari experience in Africa.

75 Years of African Luxury Travel

As one of the companies that pioneered out-of-the-box tourism in Zanzibar and Tanzania, Takims Holidays has observed how trends in luxury African travel have evolved over the years. From its early days focusing on travel and airline services to its work as one of the first licensed safari operators in the 1980s, the family-owned company has remained a constant in the African travel industry.

Since 2001, the company has partnered with expedition cruise ships for shore excursions. Takims Holidays has also partnered with luxury railway company Rovos Rail for its Tanzania service requirements. With the aid of transportation companies operating in Tanzania, Takims Holidays has worked on growing tourism to the country’s hidden gems, such as Ruaha National Park and Nyerere National Park.

The Rise of the Tailor-Made Journey

These experiences working with different travellers and different transportation providers have taught Takims Holidays what travellers who book luxury safaris are often looking for. According to Takims Holidays Director, Abbas Takim, today’s luxury travellers are looking for “tailor-made journeys, rather than standardized packages.”

“We understand both the traditional foundations of safari travel and how the expectations of today’s travellers and international travel professionals are changing,” Takim said. “Our goal is to use local knowledge, relationships, and operational experience to create journeys that are well-considered, personally relevant, and dependable on the ground.” Part of the customer journey involves evaluating the customer’s unique expectations, something most safari operators fail to recognize. A group with elderly parents will have requirements that are very different from a young couple or a family with teenage children.

Beyond the Five-Star Lodge

In the past, people often defined luxury trips by the quality of travellers’ accommodations. Staying in five-star hotels was all it took to consider a vacation a “luxury trip.” Today, people are willing to pay extra money not just for a comfortable vacation home, but also for unique experiences that line up with their own personal interests. For an African safari trip, these activities might include wildlife photography, migration viewing, or visiting secluded beaches. Alternatively adventure activities such as balloon safaris, cycling safaris, walking safaris or a safari partly on horseback are all options that can be organized and integrated into an itinerary. While these activities may be part of vacation packages, there is power in giving travellers the means to do them at their leisure, while picking and choosing which activities interest them the most.

The Value of Local Expertise

The value in a luxury travel company is in the use of local knowledge and expertise to personalize trip itineraries in a way that travellers feel like their trip has been designed with their interests in mind. Takims Holidays utilizes it’s local experts both for its dealings with its tourist clientele and its international business partners, who receive information about destinations and best practices for operating in specific locations. With the help of local experts, Takims Holidays is able to offer activities such as walking and driving safari tours, hiking and nature walks, canoeing, food tours, and even cultural experiences with local Maasai tribes.

The Most Valuable Luxury May Be Access

While there will always be a place for five-star facilities in Tanzania’s tourism market, for most tourists, the luxury will be in being able to tailor the entire experience to their own tastes. Spending time in remote wilderness, meeting wildlife on a one-on-one basis, having expert local guides available, and having experiences other than the standard safari drive are just as valuable as sleeping in a luxurious suite. The presence of the wildlife, the culture, the adventurous spirit, and the coastal locations make the destination more exciting, as the traveler will be able to enjoy the destination on their terms. For Tanzania based companies such as Takims Holidays, this change highlights the importance of both local knowledge and personalization in today’s luxury travel industry.