After all, an African safari isn’t a typical vacation. It’s a chance to witness wildlife in its natural habitat, explore breathtaking landscapes, and experience adventures that few destinations can match.
Whether you’re tracking the Big Five in Kenya, photographing elephants in Tanzania, or exploring the Okavango Delta in Botswana, you need a travel insurance plan built for adventure travel, not a basic policy that excludes the very activities you’re traveling for.
Key takeaways
- Safari travel insurance is a must when you’re planning an expensive trip to remote areas of Africa.
- When buying travel insurance for an African safari, look for plans with high coverage limits for emergency medical care and emergency evacuation.
- Use SOVENTURE’s covered activities filter to compare travel insurance plans built to cover safaris.
Why basic travel insurance doesn’t cut it
Picture this: you’ve saved up for two years. You’ve booked flights to Nairobi, locked in a guided lodge stay at Maasai Mara, and prepaid for a week of game drives. But three days before departure, you come down with the flu and can’t fly. Or maybe you’re already there, tracking elephants in Amboseli, when a sudden injury means you need medical care hours from the nearest city.
Unfortunately, most basic travel insurance policies won’t cover you in either scenario. They classify safari activities, like game drives through the bush or walking safaris near wildlife, as excluded adventure activities. You could buy a policy and assume you’re covered, only to realize your plans are on the exclusion list when you file a claim and it’s denied.
That’s exactly what safari travel insurance is built to solve.
Let’s take a closer look at what a safari policy should include, how much it typically costs, and how to buy one that covers the trip you’re taking, not just a generic vacation.
What is safari travel insurance?
Safari travel insurance is designed for travelers visiting remote game reserves, national parks, and wilderness destinations in Africa. It bundles protection for your expensive, nonrefundable travel plans, connecting flights, and travel through areas far from major hospitals. Most importantly, it doesn’t exclude coverage for safari activities, unlike most travel insurance plans.
A comprehensive African safari travel insurance plan should include:
Emergency medical coverage
Emergency medical coverage can help protect you from steep out-of-pocket costs if you get sick or injured during your trip. At SOVENTURE, we recommend you buy safari travel insurance with at least $100,000 in emergency medical coverage.
Look for travel medical benefits with primary coverage if you want your travel insurance to pay first. (With secondary coverage, you’d need to file a claim with your existing health insurance provider first. This can be a major headache if you’re trying to get treated hours from home.)
Emergency medical evacuation
Many safari destinations are hours from advanced medical care. If you’re seriously injured while on a remote reserve, evacuation by air ambulance can run well into six figures.
We recommend safari travel insurance with $1 million in emergency evacuation coverage, given how far some lodges and reserves sit from adequate hospitals.
Trip cancellation
African safaris are often once-in-a-lifetime experiences with significant prepaid, nonrefundable expenses.
Imagine you need to cancel your $6,000 safari two weeks before departure due to a family medical emergency. Trip cancellation coverage reimburses up to 100% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs, as long as your reason for canceling is covered under your policy.
Trip interruption
Sometimes, you need to head home early: a family emergency, a sudden illness, or another unexpected event. As long as you’re cutting your trip short for a reason listed in your policy, trip interruption coverage reimburses up to 150% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses. That extra 50% can help cover costs like a last-minute flight home, which might otherwise run you thousands out of pocket.
Trip delay
Travel delays happen for any number of reasons, including weather, airline disruptions, natural disasters, and strikes.
Say a mechanical issue pushes back your connecting flight to Johannesburg by 10 hours. Trip delay coverage can help pay for the meals, accommodations, and local transportation you’ll need while you wait for your trip to continue.
Baggage protection
You’re likely packing expensive cameras, binoculars, and outdoor gear for your safari adventure. Baggage insurance reimburses you if your luggage is delayed, lost, stolen, or damaged during your trip.
Look for plans with primary baggage coverage, if available, and check each plan’s per-item limits and exclusions carefully to find the one that fits your gear and trip. (A $5,000 camera, for example, can easily exceed a policy’s standard per-item cap.)
SOVENTURE tip: Travel insurance plans typically have a free look period of 15 to 21 days. This gives you extra time to read your policy carefully and request a refund if it’s not the right fit.
Who needs safari travel insurance?
Anyone planning a safari needs safari travel insurance, and it’s not a hard call to make. Several factors make travel insurance for African safaris different from insurance for a typical vacation:
- Your financial investment is significant: Between intercontinental flights, guided lodges, park fees, and tours, most safaris involve thousands of dollars in prepaid, nonrefundable costs. Cancel or cut the trip short without coverage, and that money is gone.
- You’re likely carrying expensive gear: High-end cameras, telephoto lenses, and binoculars are all safari staples, and you’ll want coverage should they get lost, damaged, or stolen in transit or out in the field.
- Safaris happen in remote locations: Game reserves and national parks are often hours from the nearest fully equipped hospital. Emergency care may require air ambulance evacuation—a service that can easily reach six figures.
- The activities themselves carry risk: Wildlife encounters, uneven terrain, and long stretches without cell service all increase the odds of the unexpected happening. Many basic travel insurance policies exclude these kinds of activities.
Put those four factors together, and it’s easy to see why safari-specific coverage is a must-have. Choosing the right African safari travel insurance helps protect both your health and your travel investment.
Does travel insurance cover African safaris?
It can, but you need to make sure the specific policy you buy actually covers safaris. Some traditional travel insurance plans exclude or limit coverage for adventure travel or safari-related activities. That means a policy that looks comprehensive on paper could leave you unprotected the moment you step off a paved road.
SOVENTURE tip: We make it easy to compare plans that cover safaris. Simply use our quote tool and select “safari” under covered activities.
How much does safari travel insurance cost?
Safari travel insurance costs about 4% to 10% of your total prepaid trip cost.
The price of your policy will depend on several factors, including:
- Your age
- Your destination
- Trip length
- Total trip cost
- Coverage limits
- Optional upgrades
For example, if your 10-day safari in Kenya costs $5,000 (including airfare, lodging, park fees, and guided tours), your travel insurance premium may range from $200 to $500.
SOVENTURE tip: Only insure your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses to avoid overpaying for safari travel insurance.
How to buy safari travel insurance
SOVENTURE makes it easy to find the right travel insurance for your African safari.
Follow these steps:
- Calculate your total prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs, including airfare, accommodations, tours, park permits, and transportation.
- Use our online quote tool to compare adventure travel insurance plans. Select “safari” under covered activities to quickly find plans that cover safari travel.
- Compare coverage limits, exclusions, optional upgrades, and pricing to choose the plan that best fits your trip.
- Buy your policy within 14 to 21 days of your first trip deposit to be eligible for time-sensitive benefits like a pre-existing medical condition waiver and optional cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage.
- Read your certificate of insurance carefully so you know exactly what’s covered before you head to the airport.
What is the best travel insurance for an African safari?
The best safari travel insurance is the policy that matches your itinerary, planned activities, and travel style.
When comparing plans, look for:
- High emergency medical coverage limits (we recommend at least $100,000)
- High emergency medical evacuation coverage limits (we recommend $1 million)
- Trip cancellation and trip interruption benefits
- Coverage for the specific safari activities included in your itinerary
- Strong baggage protection for cameras, binoculars, and other valuable gear
- Optional upgrades that fit your travel needs
The bottom line
Many adventure-focused plans available through SOVENTURE include coverage for safari activities that may be excluded under traditional policies. Comparing safari travel insurance plans before you purchase helps ensure the adventure activities in your itinerary are covered.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article serves as a general overview of benefits and should only be used for informational purposes. Refer to your individual certificate of insurance for specific coverages, exclusions and benefits. When in doubt, please contact one of our licensed agents for additional assistance.
Frequently asked questions
Does safari insurance cover self-drive trips?
Yes. Safari travel insurance policies typically cover self-drive expeditions. You might also consider a plan with optional rental car coverage.
Are hunting safaris covered?
Yes, but coverage varies by provider. Some plans include international hunting trips as a standard benefit, while others require an adventure activities upgrade. Always verify hunting is listed as a covered activity before purchasing.
Is emergency evacuation from remote areas included?
Yes. Safari travel insurance policies typically include emergency evacuation coverage, sometimes up to $1,000,000. This coverage is specifically designed for air ambulance transport from remote locations to the nearest adequate medical facility.
