Go2Africa’s 2025 Annual State of Safari Report
A Look Back on the Year’s Shift Toward Regenerative Luxury,
Shoulder Season Travel, and Intentional Exploration
Cape Town, South Africa (March 9, 2026): Go2Africa, part of the Nawiri Group, a multi-award-winning travel specialist based out of Cape Town, released its highly anticipated 2025 State of Safari Report, an in-depth analysis of the past year’s emerging trends and insights in African travel. Go2Africa has spent over 25 years as a trusted operator, ensuring every journey supports the vast wilderness ecosystems and local communities in which they operate.
In its fourth edition, the report analyzes internal enquiry data from 2022 to 2025 to uncover emerging trends in safari travel demand. This dataset captures real-time traveler intent, allowing them to identify not only who is enquiring about African travel, but where they are planning to go, when they intend to travel, how long they plan to stay, and how much they expect to spend. Go2Africa is seeing travelers looking to explore destinations beyond the obvious such as Uganda and Gorongosa, seeing soft adventure experiences becoming increasingly popular with more walking safaris and water based activities, and a big increase in consumer interest for wellness in the wild rooted in nature.
State of Safari | Key Findings from 2025
Confidence before contact is reshaping expertise in 2025: 82% of travelers arrive having already chosen their destination, up from 65% two years ago.
The rise of the shoulder season: For the first time, shoulder season months account for the largest share of safari enquiries (38%), overtaking traditional high season.
The big three anchor demand, but curiosity is expanding: South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania still account for 64% of total enquiries, and interest in these markets continues to grow. At the same time, Botswana recorded the strongest growth in enquiry share, Kenya overtook Tanzania, and niche destinations such as Madagascar and Malawi doubled from a low base.
The Upmarket Shift - Safari is repositioning higher: Medium-high budget enquiries have risen from 36% to 59% in a single year, while medium budgets have contracted. Booking windows have extended, and one-week safaris are declining, replaced by extended two-week-plus journeys.
Safari is becoming more layered and multi-dimensional: While the Big Five remains central, its dominance is softening. Gorilla trekking bookings are rising, while beach, culture and conservation are increasingly layered into itineraries.
State of Safari | Who is Traveling Where?
Based on the analysis, destination preferences vary sharply by party type. Families favor South Africa (32%), Kenya (30%), and Tanzania (28%), while friends prioritize South Africa (11%), Rwanda (11%), and Uganda (11%). Couples gravitate toward more exclusive island and coastal destinations, led by Seychelles (55%), Mozambique (51%), and Botswana (50%). For solo travelers, the most prevalent destinations were Malawi (31%), Rwanda (30%), and Congo (27%). Geographically, the United States remains the primary source of safari enquiries, followed by Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada, emphasizing their long-standing engagement with African travel.
State of Safari | Trends Going into 2026
Wellness in the Wild: Travelers are seeking space-first instead of spa-first resets rooted in nature. Demand is rising for silence, walking safaris, and unhurried mornings over traditional spa amenities. This shift is influencing safari itineraries, with fewer lodge changes, longer stays, and itineraries that feel restorative simply because they are unhurried.
Regenerative Luxury: Conservation is now a decision-driver. Premium travel is increasingly defined by tangible community outcomes and locally-led initiatives. Across the safari sector, this shift creates space to elevate positive impact from a supporting narrative to core positioning.
Multi-Generational Safaris: Safari is becoming a legacy journey, where multi-generational families are booking further in advance for private guiding and flexible, shared experiences. This trend links directly to longer booking windows and more considered itineraries that offer the right rhythm for every age.
Beyond the Obvious: There is a growing appetite for rare, uncrowded regions among travelers. Iconic highlights remain important, but the next wave of demand is shaped by travelers who want their safari to feel personal rather than predictable. Emerging regions and thoughtful new openings are helping to unlock this shift. Uganda and Gorongosa are clear examples, offering a sense of frontier and restoration, where the story of ecological recovery is part of the experience.
“I went to Gorongosa on a personal trip and fell in love. It's unlike anywhere I've ever been – and will appeal to seasoned travelers to Africa. With only two small camps across an area twice the size of London, it's wild and remote, with hardly any people. The Gorongosa story is nothing short of incredible: the park is being revived to uplift local communities, preserve an extraordinary and diverse landscape, protect endangered species, and offer guests something truly exclusive. If you go with a sense of adventure and a pioneering mindset, you'll be rewarded with an entirely new type of safari experience.”
– Kate McIntosh, Go2Africa Africa Safari Expert.
Soft Adventure: Adventure travel is expanding globally, changing how travelers choose to engage with the wild. Travelers are increasingly pairing traditional game drives with ground-level experiences such as walking safaris, primate trekking, guided hikes and water-based activities, reflecting a broader shift toward “soft adventure.”
For more information on the 2025 key findings and 2026 trends, read the full report here. Plan your safari with Go2Africa now.
About Go2Africa:
Go2Africa, part of the Nawiri Group, has been crafting personalized African safaris for over 25 years. With deep local connections and first-hand knowledge, the team personally visits every destination, accommodation, and experience they recommend. Based in Cape Town since 1998, Go2Africa has created seamless and unforgettable journeys for over 200,000 travellers. Recognized by Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, and the World Travel Awards, the company offers expert guidance with 24/7 support. Every journey supports Africa’s people and ecosystems, ensuring that travel makes a positive impact. With Go2Africa, it’s not just a safari – it’s the greatest adventure.
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State of Safari 2025 Report
