The Most Common Mistakes People Make During Their First Safari Vacation

Two travelers sit in a safari vehicle.Monica Humphries/Business InsiderTwo safari travel agents shared common mistakes travelers make on their first visit to Africa.Mistakes include sticking to overcrowded destinations and overpacking your itinerary.The experts urged travelers to go off the beaten path and approach their trips with open mindsets.There's a lot of pressure when it comes to a safari vacation.The average vacationer spends between $5,500 and $6,500 on a safari, according to travel company Go2Africa's 2023 safari report.Many North American travelers who travel to popular safari destinations like Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, and Botswana spend 30+ hours getting to the destination.And trips are typically planned months — if not years — in advance.The effort means that, naturally, there's hope the trip will go flawlessly.While Meg van Niekerk, a safari planner for Go2Africa, said that's not always the case, she added that it's impossible not to fall in love with the vacation style.Van Niekerk and Shaun Stanley, the owner and founder of the luxury safari planning company Stanley Safaris, shared with Business Insider some common mistakes travelers can avoid on their first safari vacation.A traveler takes a picture of a lion from a safari vehicle.Monica Humphries/Business InsiderWhen it comes to planning, don't do it by yourselfTravel agents help clients get to destinations all around the world, but a safari, in particular, benefits from the help of an expert.