Planning a safari shouldn't feel like a second job.
Safari Planner is an independent tool I built to take the guesswork out of safari planning. You answer six questions; country and park, trip length, travel month, style, who's travelling, and budget, and get a practical day-by-day itinerary in about a minute, with seasonal pricing notes tailored to your dates.
Itineraries draw on detailed safari routes, park guides, and travel patterns. They're a strong starting point, not a substitute for confirming bookings, permits, and logistics on the ground.
Safari Planner is built and written by me, Joel Odimo. I'm a writer and content strategist with a background in environmental science, a Bachelor's degree from Kenyatta University. I later worked as Magazine Editor and Graphic Designer at Better Globe Forestry, writing and editing Miti Magazine and collaborating with foresters and conservation experts on scientifically accurate content.
There's no team of consultants behind this and no call centre. It's one person building a tool and writing the guides that back it, which means direct accountability: if something in an itinerary is wrong or out of date, I'm the one who fixes it, not a support ticket queue.
The planner has grown significantly since it launched. Here's what's been added:
Multi-destination itineraries. You can now add a second destination to any trip; for example, Kenya's Masai Mara paired with Tanzania's Serengeti, and get a single combined day-by-day plan that covers both.
Seasonal pricing intelligence. A month picker now feeds into a peak/shoulder/low season model for each country. You'll see a season banner on your travel month and get itinerary activities and budget guidance adjusted for what things actually cost in that season.
Install as an app. Safari Planner is now a Progressive Web App. On mobile or desktop you can add it to your home screen and use it offline.
The free tier lets you preview up to three itineraries per browser. Pro ($9/Week | $19/Month | $49/Year) unlocks the full day-by-day plan, a species list, a smart packing list, in-browser editing, unlimited PDF downloads, and unlimited regenerations for one year. Pro access is activated with a license key from the checkout, no account needed.
Most safari planning resources are either too generic or too salesy. Some "planners" are really lead-generation quizzes that end with a call from a booking agent. Safari Planner doesn't do that. There's no operator matching, no referral commission, and no email required. You get the itinerary itself, directly, and you decide what to do with it, book it yourself, hand it to a travel agent, or use it purely as a research tool.
I wanted something honest and practical, useful whether you're on a budget camping safari or at a private lodge. Safari Planner is independent: no operator commissions.
Anyone planning a safari in East or Southern Africa who wants a clear starting point, solo travellers, couples, families, first-timers, and return visitors across Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Rwanda, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and South Africa.
Is Safari Planner really free?
Yes. The free tier lets you preview up to three itineraries per browser with no account or sign-up required. Pro unlocks the full day-by-day plan and more, from $9 a week.
Does Safari Planner take commissions from tour operators?
No. It's independent and isn't affiliated with any tour operator or booking platform. It doesn't match you to operators or earn referral commissions; it generates the itinerary directly.
Who built Safari Planner?
I did, Joel Odimo, a writer and content strategist with a background in environmental science. See "Who's Behind This" above.
Which countries does it cover?
Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, South Africa, Rwanda, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Zambia, including multi-destination itineraries combining two countries.
Page last updated 25 July 2026.
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