It’s the 1980s. Apples were eaten, not used for making phone calls, and Heinz tomato soup was a culinary treat. Holidays were chosen from a sepia-toned travel brochure, and booked via a travel agent and several telephone conversations, price-checking here and date-changing there.
Now it’s 2017. We’ve got the internet at our fingertips, and booking websites have changed the way we travel. Firstly, it was the airline sector, then came the online companies offering discounted city hotels, beach apartments and countryside B&Bs, swiftly followed by those well-known apartment-sharing websites.
But, somewhere along the way, the world of African safari travel was left behind – and that’s exactly what we at Timbuktu want to change.
For years, travelling to Africa has been complex and overwhelming to research, and more than a little tricky to book independently. In fact, the only viable way to travel to wild Africa has been with the help of a traditional agent.
But at Timbuktu, we believe that planning a trip to Africa is easy, fun and exhilarating. The process should be simple, and you should be involved from the beginning – able to see what’s out there and how it fits into your dreams, whether that’s tracking wild dog in the South Luangwa, or island hopping in northern Mozambique. You should be in complete control, with access to clear, concise booking information and inspirational tips.
Timbuktu is an online, interactive platform that empowers you, the traveller, to create your own safari. Our selection of handpicked trips and lodges is impartial and unbiased, and our pricing is transparent. We allow you to explore traditional (and not so traditional) itineraries and routes, and compare camps and lodges to create a journey that suits your needs and your budget. And what’s more, we’ve got the practical side covered too, with hundreds of articles and top tips on how to make your trip a reality.
Once you’ve created your trip, our Africa travel experts will refine it, make some tweaks here and there (if required), and begin the booking process with our partners on the ground.
Some of the greatest lodges in Africa aren’t the most expensive, or the most talked about, and Timbuktu gives you the chance to make informed decisions about the ones you want.
Our technology is unprecedented, and allows you to be 100% involved in the planning of your safari from the beginning. We give you the tools to research, create and build your dream trip – but our knowledge as a top African travel outfitter is only a click away.
Travel planning is supposed to be fun; part of your dream and part of your adventure. We’re giving you the power to make your dreams a reality, and, most importantly, on your own terms.
So, what are you waiting for? Create your own safari, mix and match the lodges, and discover the hidden places you might not find in a travel brochure.
At Timbuktu, we know it’s your safari – and it should be on your terms.
Happy wandering,
Johnny and the Timbuktu team
