ATR (Africa Travel Resource) Review 2026: Is It Worth It, What It Costs, and Who Runs It
By Richard Jasinski·Updated 15 October 2026
ATR, the safari specialist that traded as Africa Travel Resource until 2020, scores 77/100 on our six-criterion review of safari planners: full marks for first-hand African expertise and for destination breadth, and 10 of 20 for independent review evidence. Three of its founders guided in Zambia in the 1980s, 29 named staff give their time in Africa, it sells 21 African countries and islands, and it publishes USD prices on its sample trips with no planning fee. Its one current independent review platform is Google, at 4.9 from 184 reviews; its Feefo account has been inactive for about six years and it has no Trustpilot profile. The score is also held back by in-trip support in office hours only and a shareholder, Nawiri Group, that Companies House records at more than 25% while ATR's own pages describe it as a partner.
Verified 24 September 2026; reviews and offices re-read 12 October 2026 · ATR's own pages and booking terms · Companies House record 03995948 · Feefo, Trustpilot, Travelstride and Tripadvisor · World Travel Awards · PR Newswire · ATTA directory
ATR at a glance: the company record
ATR is ATR Safari UK Ltd, company 03995948, incorporated on 17 May 2000 and trading, by its own account, since 1999; it plans tailor-made trips from a barn office in Shere, Surrey, with further offices in Franschhoek, South Africa, and Grosse Pointe, USA. Every row below links to its source and was checked on the date shown.
| Field | Fact | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trading name | ATR (atrsafari.com); formerly Africa Travel Resource, whose domain now redirects | ATR, our story | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Legal entity | ATR Safari UK Ltd, company 03995948, England and Wales, active | Companies House | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Previous names | House of Wonders Ltd (May 2000), Eland Ltd (Sep 2000), Africatravel Resource Ltd (Nov 2001), Africa Travel Resource Ltd (Mar 2003 to Oct 2020) | Companies House | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Founded | Trading since 1999 by its own account; UK company incorporated 17 May 2000 | ATR, our story | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Registered office | One Bell Lane, Lewes BN7 1JU | Companies House | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Operating office | The Great Barn, High House Farm, Gomshall Lane, Shere, Guildford GU5 9BU (map) | ATR, privacy page | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Other offices | Franschhoek (South Africa), Grosse Pointe (USA); no other African office named, and no street addresses published | ATR, how it works | 12 Oct 2026 |
| Directors | Anthony Fishlock and Gregory Welby (since May 2000), Jonathan Hanson (since May 2022), ATR Safari Ltd of Mauritius (corporate director since Apr 2023) | Companies House officers | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Significant control | Nawiri Group Ltd (Mauritius), more than 25% and not more than 50% of shares, notified 14 Mar 2025 | Companies House PSC register | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Latest accounts | Small-company accounts to 30 Sep 2025, filed 9 Mar 2026 | Companies House filings | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Money protection | ATOL 5983 for flight-inclusive trips booked in the UK; otherwise suppliers are paid in advance (no bond or trust named) | ATR terms | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Trade membership | African Travel and Tourism Association: UK-based travel specialist | ATTA directory | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Deposit and balance | 30% on booking; 70% due 90 days before travel | ATR terms | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Cancellation | 90+ days: deposit; 46 to 89 days: 50%; 0 to 45 days: 100%; permits and regional flights never refundable | ATR terms | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Destinations | 21 African countries and islands, plus South America, the Indian subcontinent and Antarctica | ATR destinations | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Published prices | 10 sample trips checked: USD 2,550 to 36,150 per person across three tiers | ATR trip pages | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Planning fee | None: 'Your trip should cost no more than if you had booked all the components directly' | ATR, how it works | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Phone hours | US and Canada 888-487-5418, 4am to 9pm Eastern; UK 01306 880770, 9am to 9pm | ATR homepage | 24 Sep 2026 |
| In-trip support | UK and South African weekday office hours, checked intermittently at other times; 'not 24 hours' | ATR, how it works | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Independent reviews | Google 4.9 from 184 (ATR Safari, Shere); Feefo 281 (inactive account); no Trustpilot profile; Travelstride 1 (2/5, 2017) | Google, Feefo | 12 Oct 2026 |
| Awards | World Travel Awards 2007, Africa's Leading Overall Travel Information Website | World Travel Awards | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Team | 29 people named, each with an Africa background; marketing led by Jon Belt, creative director since 2010 | ATR, meet the team | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Guests | 'over 120,000 guests' (ATR's own figure) | ATR homepage | 24 Sep 2026 |
Is ATR worth it?
ATR scores 77/100: it is one of the most experienced Africa desks we have reviewed, with a strong Google rating (4.9 from 184) but no second current independent review platform. The expertise is on the record: Greg Welby says he has personally inspected more than 3,000 lodges, and the team page names 29 people with years in Africa behind them, from former overland guides to lodge managers. What a buyer cannot find is recent, independent proof of how those trips went.
| Criterion | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-hand African expertise | 25/25 | Three founders guided in Zambia's Kafue in the 1980s; 29 named staff give their time in Africa; an office in Franschhoek, South Africa; trading since 1999. |
| Independent review evidence | 10/20 | Google shows 4.9 from 184 reviews (read 12 October 2026), the 100-to-499 band; the date of the newest review was not recorded. Feefo's 281 stop about six years ago (inactive account), there is no Trustpilot profile and Travelstride shows one, 2/5, from 2017, so there is no second current platform. |
| Destination breadth | 15/15 | 21 African countries and islands have their own pages, from Chad and the Central African Republic to Mauritius. |
| Pricing transparency | 11/15 | Ten sample trips checked all show per-person USD prices in three tiers with a season; none lists what the price includes. |
| Service model and support hours | 8/15 | UK and US phone lines with published hours; in-trip support runs in office hours, 'not 24 hours' planning passes from a safari expert to a guest-experience team. |
| Ownership transparency | 8/10 | Terms name ATR Safari UK Ltd (3995948) and Companies House lists two founders as directors; the site calls Nawiri Group a partner, while the register records it holding more than 25%. |
| Total | 77/100 |
How ATR compares with other safari planners
ATR is a safari planner, like the seven companies below: it builds trips from independent lodges and suppliers and owns no camps. Side by side on the facts a buyer checks, ATR is the only one of the eight that says it does not run a 24-hour line while guests travel. Its Google rating of 4.9 sits with the others, on fewer reviews than most, and like Expert Africa, Yellow Zebra and Scott Dunn it holds an ATOL licence for UK flight-inclusive bookings. Our planner reviews were scored on different criteria at different times, so their scores are not ranked against each other here; every fact below was read from each company, or from the review platform named, on 12 October 2026. Our earlier comparison of Go2Africa, Expert Africa and Africa Travel Resource scored ATR 67 and reported no ATOL licence on its site; this record found ATOL 5983 and published sample-trip prices (70 on 24 September 2026), then a Google rating of 4.9 from 184 reviews (77 on 15 October 2026). The changelog below records both.
| Planner | Independent reviews | Deposit and balance | Client money | 24-hour line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATR (this record) | Google 4.9 from 184 | 30%; balance 90 days before travel | ATOL 5983 (UK flight bookings); otherwise suppliers paid early | No: office hours only |
| Go2Africa | Feefo 4.9 from 3,118; Trustpilot 4.8 from 181 | 30%; balance 60 days before travel | Money-Back Guarantee (supplier insolvency); SATSA bonding | Stated |
| Expert Africa | Google 4.9 from 306 | 20% or GBP 600 pp; balance 70 days before | ATOL 5206 | Stated |
| Yellow Zebra Safaris | Trustpilot 4.9 from 1,783; Google 4.9 from 243 | Amount not stated; balance 90 days before travel | ATOL 10614 | Stated |
| Micato Safaris | Trustpilot 3.2 from 1; no Google listing found | 30%; balance 120 days before travel | No scheme, bond or trust named | Stated |
| Extraordinary Journeys | Google 5.0 from 182; SafariBookings 4.9 from 35 | Amount not stated; balance about 100 days before travel | No scheme, bond or trust named | Stated |
| Abercrombie & Kent | Trustpilot 4.4 from 787 | Booking terms showed no text when read | Not stated; optional Allianz insurance | Stated, small groups |
| Scott Dunn | Trustpilot 4.6 from 278 | Set per trip; balance 90 days before | ATOL 2471; ABTOT 5222 | Yes, number printed |
Stated means the company says it offers 24-hour support but prints no number for it. Not stated means the company's own pages did not say it when read; it does not mean the company does not do it. Sources: each company's own site and booking terms, Google, Trustpilot, Feefo and SafariBookings, read 12 October 2026.
How much does an ATR safari cost?
ATR's sample trips run from USD 2,550 per person for seven nights on Mauritius to USD 36,150 for ten nights of Kenya and gorillas at its Premium tier; each trip is priced at three levels, Adventure, Luxury and Premium. ATR says its service costs nothing on top, because a trip should cost no more than booking the components directly, and quotes a starting point of about USD 2,500 per person with most trips between USD 5,000 and 50,000. The trip pages do not say what the price includes; ask for the inclusions in writing, including park fees and internal flights.
| Sample trip | Nights | Adventure | Luxury | Premium | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serengeti, Tarangire & Zanzibar | 14 | 9,450 | 15,900 | 27,300 | Jan to Dec |
| Kenya safari & gorillas | 10 | 12,350 | 19,300 | 36,150 | Jan to Dec |
| Gorillas, Queen Elizabeth & chimps (Uganda) | 10 | 9,250 | 11,150 | 23,500 | Jan to Dec |
| Falls, Hwange, Mana & Gonarezhou (Zimbabwe) | 14 | 16,550 | 17,150 | 35,450 | Jan to Dec |
| Short green season Botswana | 7 | 4,850 | 6,150 | 14,200 | Nov to Mar |
| Kruger safari and Cape | 17 | 7,500 | 10,050 | 20,050 | Jan to Dec |
| Self-drive Namibia & Cape | 21 | 5,900 | 8,000 | 12,900 | Jan to Dec |
| Madagascar, Kruger & Cape | 28 | 19,350 | 21,550 | 30,800 | Jan to Dec |
| Mauritius tropical beaches | 7 | 2,550 | 3,350 | 4,600 | Jan to Dec |
| Tigers & Sri Lanka | 17 | 9,750 | 11,800 | 15,000 | Jan to Dec |
What do ATR reviews say?
Independent reviews of ATR now rest on Google: 4.9 from 184 reviews on its Shere listing, read 12 October 2026. Its 281 Feefo reviews stop about six years ago because ATR is no longer an active Feefo customer, it has no Trustpilot profile, and Travelstride shows a single 2/5 review from 2017. The Feefo reviews praise continuity (one reviewer writes that they have used Africa Travel Resource "for every trip to Southern Africa that we made since 2012"); the Travelstride review praises the lodges but not the support from its agent. On Tripadvisor's Tanzania forum, travellers asking about ATR in recent years got recommendations for named staff, alongside a note that recent reviews were hard to find.
| Platform | Rating | Reviews | Newest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feefo | No current rating (account inactive) | 281 | About six years before the check |
| Trustpilot | No profile for atrsafari.com; the old africatravelresource.com listing has none | 0 | None |
| Travelstride | 2/5 | 1 | January 2017 |
| Tripadvisor | No business listing; forum threads only | n/a | n/a |
| 4.9 | 184 | Not recorded (read 12 Oct 2026) | |
| SafariBookings | No listing found | 0 | n/a |
ATR's awards, dated where they can be
The one award confirmed on an awarding body's own site is the World Travel Awards 2007 title of Africa's Leading Overall Travel Information Website; ATR's own history adds a Virgin Fast Track place in 2003 and a 2002 Daily Telegraph feature. ATR does not appear, under either name, in the Condé Nast Traveller specialist lists, Travel + Leisure's World's Best or A-List, the Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards, the British Travel Awards, the Safari Awards or the B Corp directory, as far as could be checked.
| Recognition | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Travel Awards: Africa's Leading Overall Travel Information Website (winner) | 2007 | World Travel Awards |
| World Travel Awards: World's Leading Tourist Information Website (nominee) | 2007 | World Travel Awards |
| Virgin Fast Track: one of the UK's fastest-growing companies | 2003 | ATR's own history |
| The Daily Telegraph feature: 'the future of travel, the future of the internet' | 2002 | ATR's own history |
Where ATR travels, and its journey styles
ATR sells 21 African countries and islands, from mainstream Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa to Chad, the Central African Republic, Sudan and São Tomé and Príncipe, and has added South America, the Indian subcontinent and Antarctica since 2019. It began in 1999 with Zanzibar, then mainland Tanzania. Its style pages cover savanna, family, honeymoon, luxury, walking, self-drive and overland trips, and species-led safaris from gorillas and chimpanzees to wild dogs and rhino.
| Region | Countries and islands with their own ATR pages |
|---|---|
| East Africa | Kenya, Tanzania (including Zanzibar), Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt |
| Southern Africa | Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe |
| Central Africa | Central African Republic, Chad, Congo |
| Islands | Madagascar, Mauritius, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles |
| Beyond Africa | India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Borneo; Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador and Galápagos, Peru; Alaska; Antarctica |
Who owns ATR?
ATR is run by its founders, and since 2023 part-owned by Nawiri Group, a Mauritius-based safari investor: Companies House records Nawiri as holding more than 25% and not more than 50% of the shares, and the founders Anthony Fishlock and Gregory Welby as directors since 2000. ATR's own history says the business started when friends who had guided in Zambia's Kafue in the 1980s met around a kitchen table, and that it "continues to be owned and operated by the same team, including all of the original founders". Nawiri announced a partnership with ATR, "the UK owner-operated Safari specialist" including a minority interest, on 19 April 2023; Nawiri was formed in 2022 around majority interests in Asilia Africa and Go2Africa.
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Trading begins with Zanzibar, then mainland Tanzania | ATR |
| 17 May 2000 | UK company incorporated as House of Wonders Ltd; Fishlock and Welby appointed directors | Companies House |
| 4 Mar 2003 | Renamed Africa Travel Resource Ltd | Companies House |
| 12 Oct 2020 | Renamed ATR Safari UK Ltd | Companies House |
| 24 May 2022 | Jonathan Hanson appointed director | Companies House |
| 28 Feb 2023 | Fishlock and Welby cease to be persons with significant control (each had held 25% to 50%) | Companies House |
| 5 Apr 2023 | ATR Safari Ltd of Mauritius appointed corporate director | Companies House |
| 19 Apr 2023 | Nawiri Group announces partnership and minority interest | PR Newswire |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Nawiri Group Ltd notified as holding more than 25% and not more than 50% | Companies House |
ATR's booking terms and financial protection
ATR takes a 30% deposit and the balance 90 days before travel; cancelling 90 days or more ahead costs the deposit, 46 to 89 days costs half, and inside 45 days costs everything. Its terms give ATOL licence 5983 for flight-inclusive trips booked and paid for in the UK; for everything else ATR says it pays suppliers well in advance, "so that even if our company does fail, your bookings will remain intact" without naming a bond or trust account. Insurance for the whole trip is required, amendment fees "can be quite significant" and the terms carry no date or version. Our guide to safari deposits and payment terms explains how these compare.
| Term | ATR |
|---|---|
| Deposit | 30% on booking |
| Balance | 70%, 90 days before travel |
| Cancel 90 days or more ahead | Loss of deposit |
| Cancel 46 to 89 days ahead | 50% |
| Cancel 45 days or fewer ahead | 100% |
| Never refundable | Gorilla and chimpanzee permits, regional flights |
| Financial protection | ATOL 5983 (UK flight-inclusive bookings); suppliers paid in advance |
| Insurance | Required for the whole trip |
What the public record does not show
Eight things a buyer might look for could not be found or did not match on 24 September and 12 October 2026. Each is listed so it can be answered; if ATR publishes or corrects any of them, this record will change with a dated note.
- A 24-hour line while guests are travelling: ATR says support runs in UK and South African office hours.
- What the sample-trip prices include and exclude.
- A date or version on the booking terms.
- A second current independent review platform beside Google: Feefo is inactive, there is no Trustpilot profile and no SafariBookings listing.
- Street addresses for the Franschhoek and Grosse Pointe offices.
- One list of founders: the history page names Lenny Franklin as a founder, the team page lists him as a senior safari expert, and Tracey Bennett, named as a founder on both, is not a registered officer.
- The size of Nawiri Group's stake on ATR's own pages; the register puts it at more than 25%.
- One date for the Nawiri partnership: ATR's timeline says 2024; the announcement was made on 19 April 2023.
ATR vs Go2Africa, Expert Africa and Yellow Zebra Safaris
Against three tailor-made specialists we have reviewed, ATR matches or beats them on expertise and breadth and trails all three on independent reviews; it also shares an investor with Go2Africa, because Nawiri Group holds a stake in both.
| ATR | Go2Africa | Expert Africa | Yellow Zebra | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base, founded | Shere, Surrey; 1999 | Cape Town; 1998 | Richmond, London; 1994 | Kingston upon Thames; 2012 |
| Best independent reviews | Google 4.9 from 184 | Feefo 4.9 from 3,118 | Google 4.9 from 306 | Trustpilot 4.9 from 1,783 |
| Money protection | ATOL 5983 | RedPoint Travel Protection; SATSA | ATOL 5206 | ATOL 10614 |
| Owner | Founders; Nawiri Group 25% to 50% | Nawiri Group | Chris and Susie McIntyre | Yellow Zebra Travel Ltd |
How to price a comparable safari
The fair test of any quote from ATR is a like-for-like quote for the same camps, nights and season from a second specialist and a comparison platform. Ask each for the same lodges by name, the same room category and the same inclusions, then compare the per-person total with international flights excluded.
What changed
Five dated changes shape ATR today, from the 2020 rename to Nawiri's registered stake; the last entry records this page's own re-score.
12 October 2020. The company was renamed ATR Safari UK Ltd.
19 April 2023. Nawiri Group announced its partnership with ATR, including a minority interest.
14 March 2025. Nawiri Group Ltd was notified as a person with significant control.
December 2025. Two sales experts, Sam Bishop and Alicia Sandeman, joined the team.
9 March 2026. Accounts to 30 September 2025 were filed.
24 September 2026. This record opened with a score of 70/100, up from 67 in our three-way comparison, after ATOL 5983 was found in ATR's terms and ten sample-trip prices were checked.
15 October 2026. Re-read against our 12 October 2026 planner database. Google 4.9 from 184 reviews added, which moves independent review evidence from 3 to 10 of 20 and the score from 70 to 77; Arusha removed as an office, because ATR names only Franschhoek in Africa; the ranking against other companies' scores replaced with a side-by-side of facts, because those pages use different criteria.
Africa Travel Resource: the facts on record, read 12 October 2026
53 facts about Africa Travel Resource were read from its own website, the award publishers and the review platforms on 12 October 2026, and every one below says who stated it, where it was read and when. “Not stated on their website” means the right page was read and the fact is not there; “Could not access” means the page would not open; “No profile found” means the platform has no listing. None of the three means the company does not have it. The same form is kept for every safari planner on this site, so each line can be set beside any other company’s. Where a line here differs from an older line on this page, this one, read later, is the current reading.
Who they are
Trading name and legal entity
Trading name ATR Safari / Africa Travel Resource (terms of use refer to www.africatravelresource.com). Legal entities per terms of sale: ATR Safari UK Ltd (registered in England and Wales, no. 3995948) and ATR Safari Ltd (Mauritius, no. 140313). Privacy policy names ATR SAFARI UK Ltd as data controller, registered address One, Bell Lane, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 1JU.
Source: Company · terms of sale · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Where it is based
Not stated on their website: head office city not named. Pages say it is a relatively small, owner-operated company with modest offices in the USA, UK and South Africa (Shere UK, Grosse Pointe USA, Franschhoek South Africa per jobs page); terms mention 'our London office'; UK company registered address is Lewes, East Sussex.
Source: Company · why choose us · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Year founded
1999 (founded as 'All About Zanzibar'; renamed Africa Travel Resource later)
Source: Company · our story · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Owner or parent
Described as a relatively small, owner-operated company; founders Greg Welby, Tony Fishlock, Tracey Bennett and Lenny Franklin 'remain passionately and fully engaged'. In 2024 it joined The Nawiri Group, described as a major conservation organisation (our-story page text is cut off at the Nawiri sentence).
Source: Company · why choose us · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
What it is
Planner. Describes itself as 'the world's leading tailor-made safari company'; builds trips from independent lodges and suppliers. No own camps stated.
Source: Company · why choose us · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Team
10 named Safari Experts in the saved text: Tracey Bennett, Greg Welby, Lenny Franklin, Jay Hanson, Clare Grim, Brian Blatt, Richard Wende, James Back, Helle Sejer-Hansen, Janine Krook. Saved page is cut off in Janine's entry, so non-expert departments are not visible. Site says the team is 'around forty individuals'.
Source: Company · meet the team · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Where it sells
Phone: USA/Canada 888-487-5418 (4am-9pm EST/EDT); UK 01306 880770 (9am-9pm GMT/BST); Europe +44 1306 880770 (10am-10pm CET/CEST); Australia +61 800 821 832 (8pm-8am AEDT/AEST); rest of world +44 1306 880770. Currencies USD, GBP, EUR. Offices: Shere (UK), Grosse Pointe (USA), Franschhoek (South Africa); non-UK customers usually book with sister company ATR Safari Ltd, Mauritius. Saved pages include no dedicated contact page beyond the enquiry form.
Source: Company · home page · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
In its own words
'The world's leading tailor-made safari company. Helping you to find a more authentic, more exciting and better value safari.'
Source: Company · home page · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Response time and named planner
Enquiry is normally received by Lenny or Jay, who allocate it to a Safari Expert; guests may instead choose an expert from the team page. Aims to deliver tailor-made trip ideas within one working day; an introductory email or AI-assistant sample trips usually within an hour. After booking a named Guest Experience Team member becomes first contact. A planner is assigned, but one named planner is not guaranteed up front.
Source: Company · how it works · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Reviews, by platform
4.9 from 184 reviews (listing: ATR Safari, Shere, England)
Source: Independent source · Google business listing · by hand · 12 Oct 2026
Trustpilot
No profile found: trustpilot page https://www.trustpilot.com/review/atrsafari.com returned a 404 in the crawl
Source: Independent source · Trustpilot · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Tripadvisor
Could not access: to be read by hand
Source: Company · Not read (Tripadvisor) · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Trustindex
No profile found: trustindex page https://www.trustindex.io/reviews/atrsafari.com returned a 404 in the crawl
Source: Independent source · Trustindex · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Where it asks clients to leave reviews
The site says it does not ask guests for reviews ('All of the feedback out there on the internet is spontaneous'). It points readers to its Guest Reviews in the Google information panel when searching 'ATR Safari', and shows a few review snippets on its pages. No Trustpilot/Tripadvisor link seen.
Source: Company · why choose us · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Awards and recognition, read from the publishers
Every award, 2024 to 2026
Not stated on their website: no awards dated 2024 to 2026 on the saved pages. Only older items: Virgin Fast Track award (about 2003) and a Daily Telegraph feature (2002), both outside the period.
Source: Company · our story · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Advisors on named lists
Not stated on their website:
Source: Company · our story · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Certifications
Not stated on their website: no B Corp or similar certification named on the saved pages (it joined The Nawiri Group in 2024, a conservation organisation).
Source: Company · why choose us · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Money and booking terms
Prices published
Yes. Sample trips are published with per-person prices in three styles (Adventure / Luxury / Premium). The saved pages hold roughly 96 distinct sample-trip listings across Africa, Asia, the Americas and Antarctica (approximate count; the homepage alone lists 11 Africa trips).
Source: Company · home page · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Priced example trips
1) Botswana & Cape: 14 nights, Jan-Dec, USD 9200 / 15750 / 19000 pp (Adventure / Luxury / Premium); Okavango Delta camps then self-drive Cape; flights Johannesburg-Maun-camp-Cape Town shown in the itinerary. 2) Maasai Mara safari: 7 nights, Jan-Dec, USD 7200 / 11350 / 20800 pp; Nairobi hotel plus two Mara conservancy camps. 3) Serengeti safari: 7 nights, Jan-Dec, USD 5750 / 9400 / 15450 pp; Arusha, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Karatu lodges.
Source: Company · botswana cape 946a62d7 3a4a 4f33 82fc ba02d3bbed23 · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Price per person per day
No per-day figure for its own trips. Lodge rates stated: Botswana Jun-Oct USD 1000-4500 per person per night (Nov-Mar from about USD 500); regular luxury lodges about USD 500-2500 pppn; super-luxury can exceed USD 3000-4000 pppn. Guests typically spend USD 5000-50000 per person per trip.
Source: Company · botswana · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Minimum spend
Not stated on their website: no minimum spend stated. Guests 'typically spend between USD 5000 and 50,000 per person'; occasionally lower-cost trips are possible. The enquiry form's lowest band is USD 1000-2500 pp, described as 'really challenging' with advice to move up a band.
Source: Company · how it works · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
What the price includes
Enquiry form: the budget 'includes all transport, accommodation, meals and activities, but excludes your long-haul flights and local tips'. Rwanda page: all connecting transport included unless declined. South Africa page: guests usually buy their own international flights while ATR provides most internal African flights. The saved trip pages show lodges and flights but no 'price includes' list beside the price.
Source: Company · inquiry · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Deposit
30% of the trip cost on booking (full payment if within 90 days of travel)
Source: Company · terms of sale · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Balance due
90 days before travel (remaining 70%)
Source: Company · terms of sale · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Cancellation charges
Cancellation by guest, by days before arrival: 90+ days = loss of deposit; 46-89 days = 50%; 0-45 days = 100%. Gorilla and chimp permits and regional flights are 100% non-refundable. Insurance premiums and amendment charges are never refundable. Notice may be given verbally but must be followed up by email.
Source: Company · terms of sale · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
How client payments are protected
UK clients: ATOL licence number 5983 (ATR Safari UK Ltd); trips including flights booked and paid in the UK are ATOL protected with an ATOL Certificate issued after the deposit. Non-UK clients (who usually book with ATR Safari Ltd, Mauritius): no equivalent bond; it says it pays all suppliers well in advance of arrival and keeps its own profit in a separate bank account until clients return, and insists on travel insurance; it calls this 'full bullet-proof bookings security'. Not checked on any register.
Source: Company · terms of sale · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Currencies and card fees
Bills and takes payment in USD, GBP or EUR. First payment by bank transfer (preferred), debit card or credit card, or a mix. No card surcharge stated. Privacy policy says card data is handled by Mobipaid and ATR does not store card details.
Source: Company · terms of sale · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
24-hour contact while travelling
Not 24-hour. Guests get a dedicated WhatsApp number for the Guest Experience Team before departure, staffed during UK and South Africa weekday office hours and checked intermittently on other days; the site says it has considered and rejected 24-hour cover. Final travel documents include emergency contacts.
Source: Company · how it works · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
How the company is paid
Not stated how it is paid (no planning fee or commission named). Site-wide text says 'Your trip should cost no more than if you had booked all the components directly. You effectively get our services for free.'
Source: Company · Site-wide text (menus/footer) of https://atrsafari.com · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Price against booking direct
Site-wide text: 'Your trip should cost no more than if you had booked all the components directly.' It does not say it matches lodge rates or passes on lodge offers.
Source: Company · Site-wide text (menus/footer) of https://atrsafari.com · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Licences and registrations
ATOL licence number 5983 (ATR Safari UK Ltd); ATR Safari UK Ltd company no. 3995948 (England and Wales); ATR Safari Ltd company no. 140313 (Mauritius). Terms mention ABTA/AITO only as arbitration schemes, not as memberships. None checked on a register.
Source: Company · terms of sale · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Where it goes and how it works on the ground
African countries it plans
Homepage list of destinations in Africa: Botswana, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe (21). Zanzibar is part of Tanzania.
Source: Company · home page · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Own offices or staff in Africa
Franschhoek, South Africa: Customer Accounts, Purchasing Team and sales office. Sister company ATR Safari Ltd in Mauritius. No offices in other African countries named.
Source: Company · how it works · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
How it books on the ground
Through independent suppliers in each country (ground-handers, transport companies, lodge owners, safari operators) confirmed by its own Purchasing Team in Franschhoek; terms say many services are provided by independent suppliers. Direct-with-camps versus local partner company is not specified.
Source: Company · why choose us · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Own camps or vehicles
Not stated on their website: no own camps or vehicles stated; pages describe lodges, camps and operators as independent suppliers.
Source: Company · terms of sale · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking
Yes. Gorillas: Virunga Mountains (Rwanda), Bwindi (Uganda), Odzala (Congo). Chimpanzees: Mahale, Gombe and Rubondo (Tanzania), Kibale and Murchison Falls/Kyambura (Uganda), Nyungwe (Rwanda). Minimum age 15. Priced sample trip: Kenya safari & gorillas, 10 nights, Jan-Dec, USD 12350 / 19300 / 36150 pp (Adventure / Luxury / Premium), combining Rwanda mountain gorillas with a two-camp Maasai Mara safari.
Source: Company · kenya b3548e02 55e7 4362 822f 255295fc82c9 · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Beach add-ons
Yes. Zanzibar (Tanzania), Seychelles, Mauritius and Mozambique (Bazaruto, Pemba) all have destination pages and sample trips, usually as add-ons to safari. Priced sample trips: Maasai Mara & Zanzibar, 10 nights, Jan-Dec, USD 7250 / 11500 / 18800 pp; Mara, Amboseli & beach (Indian Ocean coast), 14 nights, Jan-Dec, USD 11200 / 19350 / 35900 pp.
Source: Company · kenya b3548e02 55e7 4362 822f 255295fc82c9 · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Africa only, or other regions too
Africa plus other regions: Asia (Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives), the Americas (Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Galapagos and others) and Antarctica.
Source: Company · home page · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Who it suits and how it travels
Family trips
Not stated on their website: family safaris page with age-by-age guidance (0-1, 2-6, 7-12) and Tracey Bennett as a family specialist; no priced family itinerary identified in the saved text (page text is cut off).
Source: Company · family safaris · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Minimum child age
No single company minimum age. Gorilla trekking minimum 15 (park rule), chimp trekking 15 in most areas; it would not normally recommend under 12 for remote tropical areas; avoid infants 0-1; ages 2-6 'possible, but a little bit too young'; many lodges start at 8, 12 or 16 years.
Source: Company · family safaris · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Teenagers and multigenerational trips
Teens: the enquiry form has a Teens 12-17 group. Family page says it handles 'big family trips' and groups of relatives with mixed ages; no teen or multigenerational example itinerary in the saved text.
Source: Company · family safaris · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Honeymoon trips
Not stated on their website: honeymoon safaris page gives advice (avoid 'honeymoon trap' lodges, private dining, private outings) but no priced honeymoon itinerary in the saved text.
Source: Company · honeymoon safari · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Solo travellers
Not stated on their website: no single supplement or solo traveller policy found in the saved pages.
Source: Company · terms of sale · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Older travellers and limited mobility
Terms: trips can be physically demanding; guests must disclose mobility limits, and ATR may end a trip for anyone unable to cope. Epic safaris page mentions active retirees. No dedicated older-traveller or limited-mobility guidance in the saved text.
Source: Company · terms of sale · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
First safari
Guidance for first-timers appears on the homepage and Africa pages (first safari advice, 'regular luxury lodges' suit most first-time guests); no itinerary marked 'first safari' seen.
Source: Company · luxury safari · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Private guide and vehicle
Optional and extra cost. A private vehicle and guide can be booked for the whole stay (not by the day); some areas (Serengeti, Rajasthan, Salta) are done with a private vehicle and guide by default. The luxury page lists private guides and vehicles as upgrades.
Source: Company · honeymoon safari · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Exclusive-use camps and villas
Offered: luxury page lists exclusive use lodges as an upgrade; historical safaris page says it can hire the interior of the Great Pyramid for exclusive use. No named exclusive-use camp or villa in the saved text.
Source: Company · luxury safari · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Small-group departures
Not stated on their website: no small-group departures stated; every trip is described as individually tailor-made.
Source: Company · home page · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Who guides the trip
Guides are the lodges' and operators' guides (e.g. a guide and vehicle with each camp or location, guided overland sections run by safari operators). Private guide is an optional upgrade. No ATR-employed guides stated.
Source: Company · tanzania · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Self-drive
Yes. Namibia (suited to self-drive), the Cape and Garden Route of South Africa. Sample trips include Self-drive Cape & safari, Self-drive Nam & Cape and Self-drive Nam & Falls. Not recommended in Tanzania; discouraged in Kenya and Botswana. Priced self-drive samples (Adventure / Luxury / Premium pp, Jan-Dec): Self-drive Namibia, 14 nights, USD 4350 / 7850 / 13200; Self-drive Nam & Falls, 17 nights, USD 7100 / 8300 / 13050; Self-drive Nam & Cape, 21 nights, USD 5900 / 8000 / 12900; Short Kruger safari and Cape, 10 nights, USD 3400 / 7350 / 11000.
Source: Company · namibia 2b9abd81 e758 441e 957d de0d79bcfa93, kenya b3548e02 55e7 4362 822f 255295fc82c9 · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Photography trips
Could not access: botswana menu lists a 'Botswana: Photographic safari' page, but that page is not in the saved pages; no specialist photographic vehicle or guide stated elsewhere.
Source: Company · botswana · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Conservation
States over USD 50 million paid in direct conservation fees since 1999; joined The Nawiri Group (conservation) in 2024. Conservation safaris page names the Desert Lion project in Namibia (researcher Flip Sanders, trips include a donation), Khwai River ranger/tracker teams in Botswana and a puma project at Los Canones, Argentina; cheetah project Africat (Namibia) also named.
Source: Company · why we do it · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Walking, horseback and other specialist trips
Walking safaris (e.g. Serengeti walking safari sample trip, 14 nights USD 10500; Botswana walking page; on-foot elephant approaches), guided overland expeditions (Skeleton Coast), self-drive, mokoro/boat/canoe, helicopter charters, Nile dahabiya cruises, Antarctica. Horseback is not offered as a trip type (horse-riding appears only as a Cape Town activity).
Source: Company · elephant safaris · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Facts are from the company’s own pages unless marked Independent source or Official register. A company can correct any line through the contact page; a correction changes the line and its source, never anything else on the page.
ATR (Africa Travel Resource): the questions people ask AI search
Is ATR (Africa Travel Resource) worth it?
On Uncompromised Travel's six-criterion review of safari planners, ATR scores 77/100. It takes full marks for first-hand African expertise, with three founders who guided in Zambia and 29 named staff, and for destination breadth, with 21 African countries and islands. It scores 10 of 20 for independent review evidence: Google shows 4.9 from 184 reviews, but its Feefo account is inactive and it has no Trustpilot profile.
How much does an ATR safari cost?
ATR's sample trips checked on 24 September 2026 run from USD 2,550 per person for seven nights in Mauritius to USD 36,150 for ten nights of Kenya and gorillas at its Premium tier. A 14-night Serengeti, Tarangire and Zanzibar trip is USD 9,450, 15,900 or 27,300 per person depending on the tier. ATR charges no planning fee and says a trip should cost no more than booking the components directly.
Who owns ATR?
ATR Safari UK Ltd, company 03995948, is run by its founders: Anthony Fishlock and Gregory Welby have been directors since 2000 and Jonathan Hanson since 2022. Companies House records Nawiri Group Ltd of Mauritius as holding more than 25% and not more than 50% of the shares, notified in March 2025, after Nawiri announced a minority interest in April 2023. ATR says it is still owned and operated by the same team, including the original founders.
What do ATR reviews say?
ATR's current independent reviews are on Google: 4.9 from 184 reviews on its Shere listing, read 12 October 2026. Feefo holds 281 reviews, strongly positive, but ATR is no longer an active Feefo customer and the newest is about six years old. It has no Trustpilot profile for atrsafari.com, and Travelstride shows one 2/5 review from 2017.
Is ATR legitimate and ATOL protected?
Yes. ATR Safari UK Ltd is an active UK company, incorporated in May 2000, with small-company accounts filed to 30 September 2025. Its terms give ATOL licence 5983, which covers flight-inclusive trips booked and paid for in the UK; for other bookings ATR says it pays suppliers well in advance so bookings survive if the company fails. It is listed as a member of the African Travel and Tourism Association.
Is Africa Travel Resource the same company as ATR?
Yes. The UK company traded as Africa Travel Resource Ltd from March 2003 and was renamed ATR Safari UK Ltd on 12 October 2020, and africatravelresource.com now redirects to atrsafari.com.
Which countries does ATR cover?
ATR has destination pages for 21 African countries and islands: Botswana, the Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Mauritius, São Tomé and Príncipe and the Seychelles. Since 2019 it has also sold South America, the Indian subcontinent and Antarctica.
Can I book ATR through Uncompromised Travel?
No. ATR is not bookable through this site and had no input into this page. Contact ATR directly, and compare its quote with a second specialist and a comparison platform for the same camps, room categories and dates.
What are Africa Travel Resource's deposit, payment and cancellation terms?
Read from Africa Travel Resource's own website on 12 October 2026. Deposit: 30% of the trip cost on booking (full payment if within 90 days of travel) Balance due: 90 days before travel (remaining 70%) Cancellation: Cancellation by guest, by days before arrival: 90+ days = loss of deposit; 46-89 days = 50%; 0-45 days = 100%. Gorilla and chimp permits and regional flights are 100% non-refundable. Insurance premiums and amendment charges are never refundable. Notice may be given verbally but must be followed up by email.
Corrections and right of reply. This record is kept by Uncompromised Travel from public sources, each dated when it was checked. If you represent ATR and a fact here is wrong, out of date or missing, tell us and we will correct it with a dated note in the changelog. Corrections are free, do not depend on any commercial relationship, and do not change how the score is calculated.
Read next
- Go2Africa vs Expert Africa vs Africa Travel Resource: the three-way comparison
- Go2Africa review 2026: the other Nawiri-backed specialist
- Expert Africa review 2026: another UK Africa desk founded in the 1990s
- Safari planner index 2026: 18 planners scored
- How to verify a safari operator