Africa awaits with deals popping up as low as $2,064
If an African safari isn’t on your bucket list, well then you might not be a serious bucket A-lister. It’s an experience like no other on our planet – a chance to get up close to some of the world’s most majestic animals in an epic wilderness that takes your breath away.
Problem is, a safari can often take your money away too because historically, premium flights to Africa run in the $5,000 to $8,000 range. I’d be lion if I said that wasn’t a passion killer for people wanting to go to Africa, but unwilling to warthog it in coach.
You don’t have to look very far to see what fares can be on normal and high-fare routes when sales are NOT happening.
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So, when we spot sub-$3,000 fares to the land of safaris, it's a great cause for celebration, and I might add, migration.
Grab the binoculars, we’ve just spotted some wild fares roaming the plains.
Working With Volatile Fares to Africa
Fare dips are interesting in volatile fare markets. These markets have high fares, then all of the sudden for a day or two or three or five, they get cut in half. The reasons for flash discounting are endless.
It’s good to know where these volatile fare markets are, because it’s opportunity, opportunity, opportunity, before or after your booking. If you can wait for the fare to dip or if you're antsy and need to confirm right away, it’s important to know about booking the rebooking opportunities — more on that here.
We most recently told you about special fares to Africa on January 19 where we found fares from the low $2,000’s from Los Angeles, New York, Miami, and Washington, DC, to Nairobi. Then those fares crept up 21% to 30% by February 2, while Chicago-Nairobi crept up 10% to 18%. Even with those increases, there are still some bargains to Nairobi for under $3,000 right now with similar fares to Cape Town and Johannesburg too.
Tanzania: The Big Five and Wildebeest Migration
At the top of most safari bucket lists is Tanzania, which has the largest population density and diversity of animals in Africa. It’s also one of the best places to check off the “Big Five,” because it has one of the largest populations of each: lion, elephant, cape buffalo, rhino, and leopard.
Tanzania boasts the world-famous Serengeti National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater, and the snow-crowned Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain, towering in the background. Pinch yourself as you watch 2.5 million wildebeest and zebra thunder across the expansive plains of the Serengeti during the Great Wildebeest Migration, the largest movement of animals on earth. Hold your breath as you catch a rare, endangered black rhino quietly grazing in Ngorongoro if you’re lucky. And add countless bird species to your life list in the Great Rift Valley.
Tanzania is easily reached via Nairobi, Kenya, which is served by many international carriers, such as Air France, British Airways, Emirates, KLM, Lufthansa, Qatar, Turkish, United. And now those fares are on sale more frequently.
Nairobi for just $2,064 last month:
Current Fares to NAIROBI Under $3,000 Round-trip
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Rwanda: Gorillas in the Mist
Interested in a gorilla trekking safari? Then Rwanda is the place. For a once-in-a-lifetime experience, head to the legendary Volcanoes National Park, which shelters some 600 of the world’s last remaining mountain gorillas, considered the world’s most endangered primate species. Hike its lush hills to spot a gorilla peeking out from the bush or a mother watching over her babies. These primates were thrust onto the world stage by the late Dian Fossey, who studied them for 20 years, and by the subsequent film, Gorillas in the Mist.
After flying into the capital city of Kigali —a Volatile Fare Market nowadays — you’re only a few hours' drive away from Volcanoes National Park.
Botswana: The Big Five & MORE
Competing with Tanzania for safari cred is Botswana, which has devoted 38% of its land to national parks, reserves, and wildlife management areas. Prime among them is the Okavango Delta, considered one of the seven natural wonders of Africa and the jewel in Botswana’s wilderness crown. The biggest inland delta in the world contains the country’s “predator capital,” where you can spot leopard, cheetah, prides of lion, and the endangered African wild dog hunting for prey. Chobe National Park, meanwhile, hosts large numbers of wildlife, especially elephants. At 130,000, Botswana has the largest elephant population in the world.
Botswana has no international flights that originate outside Africa, so most visitors fly there via Johannesburg, South Africa, to pick up a connecting flight.
Current Fares to Johannesburg Under $3,000 Round-trip
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If you’re going this far, there are many other places to stop if you have the time to be wild, like Cape Town, Kruger National Park, Sossusvlei (one of my favorites), and Victoria Falls to name a few.
Current Fares to CAPE TOWN Under $3,000 Round-trip
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That’s fertile ground. Most fares are valid for travel through the end of May and start back up again in September/October through to mid-November. Some are valid all the way until mid-November. British Airways has some solid First Class fares too, coming in at around the cost of typical Business Class fares.
Routes with the lowest fares typically include Johannesburg from Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and Washington, DC, and Nairobi from Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami.
Getting in the Mood - 5 Great Movies About Africa Out of Africa (1985) The African Queen (1951) Black Panther (2018) The Lion King (1994 & 2019) Gorillas in the Mist (1988)
Want to Burn Your Miles Instead?
Not all of you want to pay in cash for your epic Africa trip, so we decided to explore the opportunities for free tickets. Here’s what we found.
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You can get Air France miles from points transfer partners Amex, Capital One, Chase, and Citi.
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It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do I bless the rains down in Africa Gonna take some time to do the things we never had
Africa by Toto