Top Safari Outfitters

When it comes to high-end safari planners, insider knowledge and impeccable organizing skills are standard. What separates the great outfitters from the very best is the ability to listen to clients and then create a trip that aligns with their personal desires and exceeds their expectations. That’s what lifted Deeper Africa, a small company that specializes in eastern and southern Africa, to the top of this year’s World’s Best list. Wil Smith and Karen Zulauf, the couple behind Deeper Africa, make a point of accommodating each client as they would a personal guest. “Deeper Africa’s expert understanding of African safaris, and their willingness to listen and customize our itinerary, allowed us to put together the trip of a lifetime,” wrote one reader. “We could not imagine a more perfect experience.”

Evaluation Criteria

Readers evaluate safari outfitters based on several factors, including:

• Staff and guides
• Itineraries and destinations
• Activities
• Accommodations
• Food
• Overall value

No. 10: Africa Adventure Company

Score: 94.43

No. 9: Africa Adventure Consultants

Score: 94.88

No. 8: Thomson Safaris

Score: 96.67

No. 7: Lion World Travel

Score: 97.15

No. 6: Mango African Safaris

Score: 97.63

No. 5: Ker & Downey

Score: 97.64

No. 4: Rothschild Safaris

Score: 97.82

No. 3: Micato Safaris

Score: 98.26

No. 2: Extraordinary Journeys

Score: 98.62

No. 1: Deeper Africa

Score: 99.43

This small outfitter based in Colorado doesn’t try to do it all geographically, at least. Deeper Africa specializes in just seven countries — Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe — and in providing highly personalized service. “Deeper Africa worked with us to get us the exact experience we were looking for,” said one reader. Moreover, it’s easy to see Deeper Africa’s commitment to conservation-minded, socially conscious tourism. “It was more than a safari,” another reader said. “I felt connected.”