What does "verified by" actually mean?

For months, we've been talking about finding the right safari.

But how do we know which safari that is?

It started with an idea two years ago. A year after its inception we became a small team, quietly building the beginnings of BestSafari.africa. Clem joined us on the marketing and social side and in March, Nic came on board as our senior developer. His brief was essentially: "Please make us a safari app."

Thankfully, he did. 😅

Over five weeks this winter (our June to August months), I visited and verified many lodges across Thornybush, the Timbavati and Sabi Sands areas.

And you're probably wondering: what on earth does "verifying" a safari lodge actually involve?

In my case it means arriving with hundreds of questions to begin with. We have also partnered with a company called Travelytics that specialises in destination selection. We use their technology in the safari context.

Do you recycle? Do you use solar power? How much of your team comes from the local community? What medical assistance is available? How do you accommodate difficult dietary requirements? What happens if a guest has mobility challenges?

And that's before I've even started looking at the rooms, food, guiding, game-drive experience and all the other things that make one safari so different from another.

Of course, somebody has to test the game drives and food too. It's a tough job but someone’s got to do it. 😉

The wake up calls are early and the days are long, but there is nothing quite like being back in the bush. Those indescribably beautiful mornings. Incredible sightings. Far too much delicious food - a word of advice: don't try to lose weight on safari. And above all, the remarkable people behind these lodges that make them what they are..

And then there are the little things.

Milk frothed in a Bialetti. Yes, it really happened and I had to buy one as soon as I returned home.

A welcome message written on a chalkboard. Sitting in the tracker's seat and seeing a game drive from an entirely different perspective. Discovering just how far a lodge can go to operate sustainably. Personalised messages on your morning cappuccino. “Please enjoy your stay” notes written on your bathroom mirror. Dancing at a boma dinner. Sitting quietly at the top of a breathtaking gorge with nothing but wilderness around you.

These are the things a list of amenities will never tell you.

I met wonderful new people, bumped into old colleagues and was reminded again and again that no two safaris are the same.

Which brings me back to why I went.

If you are planning a safari you will have personal preferences e.g. luxury versus authenticity, how important is sustainability to your safari, and an idea of what you can afford. If you are looking for a lodge that is off-grid, a specialist honeymoon destination or are you a return guest that is more interested in birding and a genuinely pristine wilderness experience, we can assist you. If you are looking for almost guaranteed Big-5 sightings and value-for-money at the lowest price-point, we can assist you.

We don't just read the brochures. We verify lodges and detail what is important, and may also be important to you.

And that, for me, is what verification is all about.

Until the next set of tracks…🐾

Alexis