Safari Around the World
Best Safari Around the World
London, Nairobi, overland to Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar, Johannesburg, overland to Cape Town, Perth, overland to Sydney, then Fiji, Auckland, Los Angeles and back to London.
Come face to face with new ideas, diverse cultures and exotic wildlife. We can take you to some crazily out of the way places in some stunningly beautiful parts of Africa, and you'll see some of the most beautiful safari country in Africa and Australia. Ask us for an ad hoc itinerary.
In 2012 this trip started at £1,399 for students. AirTreks now puts the flights at about $3,306 to $5,043 per person in economy. That is a planning estimate from AirTreks fare history, checked 1 October 2026, and it covers the flights only, not the three overland legs. An AirTreks specialist will price your exact route and dates.
The three overland legs
Nairobi to Dar es Salaam. Buses reach Arusha in about five hours and carry on to Dar es Salaam, 14 to 16 hours in all. Arusha is the gateway to the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, so most people stop there for a safari rather than ride straight through. Zanzibar is a ferry ride from Dar.
Johannesburg to Cape Town. The ordinary Shosholoza Meyl train was not running when Seat61 checked in January 2026. Intercape buses run every day and take 18 to 20 hours. At the other end of the scale, Rovos Rail takes three nights from Pretoria to Cape Town, all meals and drinks included. Or hire a car and give the Garden Route a week.
Perth to Sydney. The Indian Pacific runs once a week and takes four days and three nights for 4,352 km, including the world's longest straight stretch of railway, 478 km across the Nullarbor Plain.
When to go
Plan the African half around the wildebeest. The great migration is usually in Kenya's Masai Mara from July to October, with the most river crossings around September, and back in the Serengeti from November. Late or early rains can shift it by weeks.
If you only have time for one park in South Africa, make it the Kruger. Leopard Creek, on its southern edge, is also one of the stops on our around the world golf tour.
Before you go
Kenya stopped issuing visas in January 2024 and replaced them with an electronic travel authorisation. Most visitors need one, including children. It costs US$30 and can take up to three working days, so apply at etakenya.go.ke well before you fly.
For a safari route that adds India and the Galapagos, see Safari Around the World (2016) and the Safari RTW Tour.
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Planning a round-the-world trip? AirTreks has built multi-stop itineraries since 1987. See sample routes or ask a specialist.