Big Five Tours & Expeditions Review 2026: Is It Worth It, What It Costs, and Who Owns It
By Richard Jasinski·Updated 15 October 2026
Big Five Tours & Expeditions, the family-owned safari operator Mahen Sanghrajka founded in Nairobi in 1973 and now run from Stuart, Florida, scores 70/100 on our six-criterion review of safari planners: full marks for destination breadth and ownership transparency, 20 of 25 for first-hand African expertise, and 4 of 20 for independent reviews. It sells only through travel advisors, prices ten Africa tours checked by the day, from US$700 to $2,500 per person, and has been a certified B Corp since July 2025. What holds it back is what a buyer can check without an advisor: no review on any platform checked, and no booking terms or money protection published on its site.
Verified 24 September 2026 · Big Five Tours & Expeditions' own pages and tours · Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) · B Lab · Trustpilot · USTOA member directory · Travel Weekly and TravelPulse
Big Five Tours & Expeditions at a glance: the company record
Big Five Tours & Expeditions is Big Five Tours and Expeditions, Inc. a Florida corporation registered in 1996 at 1551 SE Palm Court, Stuart, run by the Sanghrajka family since its founding in Kenya in 1973. Every row below links to its source and was checked on the date shown.
| Field | Fact | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trading name | Big Five Tours & Expeditions (bigfive.com); sister sites safaritours.com, galapagos.com and visibleasia.com | Big Five homepage | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Legal entity | Big Five Tours and Expeditions, Inc. Florida profit corporation, document P96000073965, active, filed 6 Sep 1996 | Florida Sunbiz | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Founded | 1973, in Nairobi, Kenya, by Mahen Sanghrajka | Spirit of Big Five Foundation page | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Principal address | 1551 SE Palm Court, Stuart, FL 34994 (map); mailing address PO Box 3261, Stuart | Florida Sunbiz | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Offices | Stuart, Florida; no street address, email or other office on its site | Contact page | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Phone | 1-800-244-3483 (US toll-free); contact form; no hours or response time | Contact page | 24 Sep 2026 |
| In-trip support | '24-Hour White Glove Service® Guest Assistance' 'a call or email away, 365 days a year' | Our process | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Owners, per its site | 'Independent and family owned' founder and CEO Mahen Sanghrajka; president Ashish Sanghrajka, his son | Leadership page | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Officers, per the register | Ashish M Sanghrajka, president; Usha Sanghrajka, secretary; Mari Huff and John T Corcia, directors; annual reports 2024 to 2026; amendment 13 Aug 2025 | Florida Sunbiz | 24 Sep 2026 |
| How it sells | '100% Travel Advisor Focused' its co-branded advisor site has 'no direct-booking buttons' per Travel Weekly | Travel Weekly, Jan 2024 | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Booking terms | None published; only website terms of use, last modified 27 Aug 2019 | Terms of use | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Money protection | No scheme, trust account, USTOA membership or seller of travel number on its site; not in USTOA's member directory | USTOA member directory | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Insurance | Recommended, from Allianz Global Assistance; not stated as a condition | Travel insurance page | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Destinations | 14 African countries and Jordan; Asia, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand | Destinations menu, Kenya page | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Published prices | Ten Africa tours checked, 'from' US$700 to $2,500 per person per day, land only, double occupancy | Tour pages | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Independent reviews | Trustpilot unclaimed, 0 reviews; no Travelstride, Tripadvisor or SafariBookings listing found | Trustpilot | 24 Sep 2026 |
| B Corp | Certified July 2025, B Impact Score 80.3 | B Lab directory | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Foundation | Spirit of Big Five Foundation, founded 2007; Mahen Sanghrajka, chairman; Costas Christ, ambassador | Foundation page | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Awards, per its site | Virtuoso Sustainable Tourism Leadership Award, 2014 and 2016; Travel + Leisure A-List for its specialists (no year) | Awards page | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Specialists named | Volker Altvater (Africa); Colin Rose, Gisela Polo and Tatiana Johnston (Africa among other regions); Susie Gavlik (Latin America) | Leadership page | 24 Sep 2026 |
Is Big Five Tours & Expeditions worth it?
Big Five Tours & Expeditions scores 70/100: it has more than 50 years in African travel and a family that has run it throughout, but a buyer checking it online finds 59 Google reviews and no booking terms. Founder Mahen Sanghrajka, "a native of Kenya" worked with zoologists in the 1960s "tracking, tagging and studying elephant and rhino populations of Kenya and Uganda" and on gorilla research in Rwanda and Zaire; his son Ashish, also born in Kenya, joined in 2002 and has been president since 2008. Its Africa specialist Volker Altvater "regularly returns to Africa to explore different areas". It sells only through travel advisors.
| Criterion | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-hand African expertise | 20/25 | Founder Mahen Sanghrajka, a native of Kenya, tracked elephants and rhinos in Kenya and Uganda and studied gorillas in Rwanda and Zaire in the 1960s; its Africa specialist Volker Altvater 'regularly returns to Africa' no office in Africa found; in business since 1973. |
| Independent review evidence | 4/20 | Google shows 4.6 from 59 reviews (read 12 October 2026), the 25-to-99 band; the date of the newest review was not recorded. Its Trustpilot page is unclaimed and empty, and no Travelstride, Tripadvisor or SafariBookings listing was found. It sells through travel advisors. |
| Destination breadth | 15/15 | 14 African countries have their own pages, from Morocco, Egypt and Ethiopia to Madagascar and Mozambique; Uganda and Rwanda, and Zambia and Zimbabwe, share pages. |
| Pricing transparency | 12/15 | Ten Africa tours checked carry a 'from' price per person per day, land only, with inclusions and exclusions; no season or year is given, and one page shows two different daily rates. |
| Service model and support hours | 9/15 | A US toll-free line and '24-Hour White Glove Service Guest Assistance ... 365 days a year' no office hours, response time or one named specialist from enquiry to return. |
| Ownership transparency | 10/10 | Its site says it is 'independent and family owned' and names founder Mahen Sanghrajka and president Ashish Sanghrajka; Florida's register gives the corporation, P96000073965, with Ashish Sanghrajka as president. |
| Total | 70/100 |
How Big Five Tours & Expeditions compares with other safari planners
Big Five Tours & Expeditions is a safari planner, like the seven companies below: it builds trips from lodges and suppliers it does not own. 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. This record is its first appearance on Uncompromised Travel: it is not on our safari planner index, payment terms index or UK and US operator comparison.
| Planner | Independent reviews | Deposit and balance | Client money | 24-hour line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Five Tours & Expeditions (this record) | Google 4.6 from 59 | Terms not in the pages read | No scheme named; says it prepays suppliers | Stated |
| 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 a Big Five safari cost?
Big Five Tours & Expeditions prices its tours per person per day, land only, for two sharing: the ten Africa tours checked start at US$700 a day in Morocco and US$900 a day in the private conservancies of Kenya and Tanzania, and reach $2,500 a day for the 16-day Africa Quest for Giants. Each tour page lists what is included, such as camps, meals, game drives and internal flights, and what is not, such as international flights, insurance and, on the gorilla tours, permits at US$1,500 per person per trek. No page gives the season or year the rates apply to, and the Adventure Trio page shows two different daily rates, $1,350 and US$800. The last column multiplies the daily rate by the days, as a guide to the minimum land cost. Our safari price per night decoder explains what a daily rate usually covers.
| Tour | Days | From, per person per day | Days × daily rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magical Morocco | 11 | US$700 | $7,700 |
| Private Conservancies of Kenya & Tanzania | 10 | US$900 | $9,000 |
| President's Pick Adventure Egypt | 13 | US$900 | $11,700 |
| Adventure Trio: South Africa, Zimbabwe & Botswana | 12 | $1,350 (also shown as US$800) | $16,200 |
| Tanzania Highlights of the Northern Safari Circuit | 11 | 1,500 (no currency shown) | 16,500 |
| Morocco Camels, Souks and Sand (family, minimum four) | 10 | $1,600 | $16,000 |
| The Gorilla & Mara Legacy Journey, Uganda & Kenya | 12 | $1,800 | $21,600 |
| Botswana & South Africa | 14 | $1,800 | $25,200 |
| South Africa & Zambia President's Pick: Mfubu's Bridge | 13 | $2,300 | $29,900 |
| Africa Quest for Giants | 16 | $2,500, plus gorilla permits | $40,000 |
Rates as shown on each tour page on 24 September 2026. For context, our Tanzania safari cost guide, Kenya safari cost guide and gorilla trekking index set these rates against the market.
Who runs and plans Big Five trips?
Big Five Tours & Expeditions is run by the Sanghrajka family, founder Mahen and president Ashish, and its leadership page names five destination specialists, one of them dedicated to Africa. Its site says "Both Big Five's CEO and its President know where each of our traveling guests is at any given time" but it does not promise one specialist from enquiry to return; clients deal with their own travel advisor and, its process page says, get to know "the Big Five team". Its staff pages, Faces of Five, did not show names when checked.
| Name | Role | As its site describes them |
|---|---|---|
| Mahen Sanghrajka | Founder and CEO; chairman, Spirit of Big Five Foundation | 'a native of Kenya' elephant, rhino and gorilla research in East and Central Africa in the 1960s |
| Ashish Sanghrajka | President since 2008 | 'like his father, is a native of Kenya' joined the family business in 2002 |
| Volker Altvater | Specialist, Africa | 'regularly returns to Africa to explore different areas' |
| Tatiana Johnston | Specialist, Latin America, Africa, the Orient and South Pacific | A tour guide in Ecuador for ten years; 'extremely knowledgeable about Africa' |
| Colin Rose; Gisela Polo | Specialists covering Africa among other regions | In travel since 1983 and for some 27 years respectively |
| Costas Christ | Ambassador, Spirit of Big Five Foundation | 'one of the world's foremost sustainable tourism experts' co-author of a New York Times safari article in January 2023 |
What do Big Five Tours & Expeditions reviews say?
Big Five Tours & Expeditions's independent reviews are on Google: 4.6 from 59 reviews on its Stuart, Florida listing, read 12 October 2026. Its Trustpilot page is unclaimed with no reviews, and no Travelstride, Tripadvisor or SafariBookings listing was found. Its own reviews page shows testimonials signed with initials, such as "OMG, it was the trip of a lifetime! My travel partner and I were incredibly impressed and in awe." It sells only through travel advisors, describing itself as "100% Travel Advisor Focused". Our safari operator review index explains why self-hosted testimonials do not count here.
| Platform | Rating | Reviews | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot (bigfive.com) | None | 0 | Unclaimed |
| Google (Stuart, Florida listing) | 4.6 | 59 | Read 12 Oct 2026 |
| Travelstride, Tripadvisor and SafariBookings | No listing found | 0 | n/a |
| Its own reviews page | Not rated | 13 shown, initials only | Not independent |
Big Five Tours & Expeditions' awards and press
The one recognition confirmed at source for this record is B Corp certification in July 2025, with a B Impact Score of 80.3; its site also lists Virtuoso's Sustainable Tourism Leadership Award in 2014 and 2016. B Lab's directory describes it as creating journeys to "some 44 destinations worldwide" since 1973, and TravelPulse reported the certification in August 2025, quoting Ashish Sanghrajka: "Becoming a Certified B Corporation is both a milestone and a commitment that started with a conversation with my father in 2015." Its awards page adds Travel + Leisure A-List places for its specialists, with no year, a nomination in Virtuoso's travel partner awards and Martin County's Best Places to Work.
Its media page lists coverage from 2011 to 2026, including The New York Times in December 2024 and January 2023. Travel Weekly reported the handover to Ashish Sanghrajka as president in September 2008, with his father remaining chief executive, and TravelPulse listed him among the confirmed attendees of the 2026 WTTC Global Summit.
Where Big Five Tours & Expeditions goes, and its safari styles
Big Five Tours & Expeditions has pages for 14 African countries and Jordan, and sells Asia, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand through the same company and its sister sites. Its Africa tours include private conservancies in Kenya and Tanzania, one of which "admits only 18 visitors per day" gorilla and chimpanzee treks in Uganda and Rwanda, walking safaris, private guides and vehicles, and family trips under its Kids Kouncil Approved label. Its sustainability page says that in the 1970s it trained guides not to drive too close to animals and prohibited smoking in national parks.
| Region | Countries with their own Big Five pages |
|---|---|
| East Africa | Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda (one page), Ethiopia |
| Southern Africa | Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe (one page) |
| North Africa and the Middle East | Egypt, Morocco, Jordan |
| Islands | Madagascar |
Who owns Big Five Tours & Expeditions?
Big Five Tours & Expeditions says it is "independent and family owned" Mahen Sanghrajka founded it in Nairobi in 1973, and his son Ashish Sanghrajka has been president since 2008. Florida's register records Big Five Tours and Expeditions, Inc. document P96000073965, a Florida corporation filed in September 1996, with Ashish Sanghrajka as president, Usha Sanghrajka as secretary and Mari Huff and John T Corcia as directors; it filed annual reports for 2024, 2025 and 2026 and an amendment on 13 August 2025. Florida's register does not list shareholders. Its leadership page still calls Mahen Sanghrajka chief executive; he is not listed among the corporation's officers.
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s | Mahen Sanghrajka works with zoologists on elephant, rhino and gorilla research | Big Five |
| 1973 | Big Five founded in Nairobi, Kenya | Big Five |
| Sep 1996 | Big Five Tours and Expeditions, Inc. filed in Florida | Sunbiz |
| 2002 | Ashish Sanghrajka joins the family business | Big Five |
| 2007 | Spirit of Big Five Foundation founded | Big Five |
| Sep 2008 | Ashish Sanghrajka becomes president; Mahen Sanghrajka remains chief executive | Travel Weekly |
| 2014 and 2016 | Virtuoso Sustainable Tourism Leadership Award, per its site | Big Five |
| Jan 2024 | Co-branded advisor site launched, with no direct-booking buttons | Travel Weekly |
| Jul 2025 | Certified B Corp, score 80.3; announced 21 Aug 2025 | B Lab |
| 13 Aug 2025 | Amendment filed with Florida's Division of Corporations | Sunbiz |
Big Five Tours & Expeditions' booking terms and money protection
Big Five Tours & Expeditions publishes no booking terms on its site: no deposit, final payment date, cancellation charges or amendment fees, and no protection scheme, trust account or seller of travel number. Pages at the usual addresses, such as /booking-conditions/ and /terms-and-conditions/, return errors; the only terms on its site are its website terms of use, last modified in August 2019, which say the site is operated "from its offices within the State of Florida". It is not listed in USTOA's member directory, and it recommends travel insurance from Allianz Global Assistance. Ask the travel advisor for its booking terms, and for how deposits are held, before paying. Our guide to safari deposits and payment terms shows what other operators publish.
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 2026. Each is listed so it can be answered; if Big Five Tours & Expeditions publishes or corrects any of them, this record will change with a dated note.
- Booking terms: deposit, final payment, cancellation charges and amendment fees.
- How client money is protected: no scheme, trust account, USTOA membership or Florida seller of travel number on its site.
- Any independent review: its Trustpilot page is unclaimed and empty.
- A street address, email address, office hours or response time on its site.
- The season or year its daily rates apply to, and one rate for the Adventure Trio tour, which shows two.
- One named specialist from enquiry to return, stated as a promise.
- Mahen Sanghrajka among the corporation's officers: its site calls him chief executive; Florida's register lists Ashish Sanghrajka as president and does not list him.
- Independent confirmation of its Virtuoso and Travel + Leisure awards, which could not be checked at source.
Big Five Tours & Expeditions vs Micato Safaris, Roar Africa and Rothschild Safaris
Against three US-based safari operators we have reviewed, Big Five matches Micato Safaris, another family company with Kenyan roots, on pricing, and trails all three on independent reviews.
| Big Five | Micato Safaris | Roar Africa | Rothschild Safaris | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base, founded | Stuart, Florida; 1973, in Nairobi | New York and Nairobi; 1966 | Miami Beach; 2005 | Denver; 1998 |
| Best independent reviews | None found | Google 5.0 from 751 | Google 5.0 from 269 | Trustpilot 4.8 from 37 |
| First-hand expertise | 20 of 25 | 24 of 25 | 21 of 25 | 20 of 25 |
| Pricing transparency | 12 of 15 | 12 of 15 | 11 of 15 | 3 of 15 |
How to price a comparable safari
The fair test of any quote from Big Five Tours & Expeditions 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
Four dated changes shape Big Five Tours & Expeditions' public record today.
January 2024. It launched a co-branded site for advisors with no direct-booking buttons.
July 2025. It became a certified B Corp, with a B Impact Score of 80.3.
13 August 2025. An amendment was filed on its Florida record.
24 September 2026. This record opened with a score of 66/100.
15 October 2026. Re-read against our 12 October 2026 planner database. Google 4.6 from 59 reviews added (read by hand), which moves independent review evidence from 0 to 4 of 20 and the score from 66 to 70; the ranking against other companies' scores replaced with a side-by-side of facts, because those pages use different criteria.
Big Five Tours & Expeditions: the facts on record, read 12 October 2026
53 facts about Big Five Tours & Expeditions 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
Big Five Tours & Expeditions, Inc. (trading name used as Big Five); site operated from its offices in the State of Florida, USA
Source: Company · terms of use · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Where it is based
Stuart, Florida, USA (1551 SE Palm Court, Stuart, FL 34994); terms say contract treated as performed in Stuart, Florida
Source: Company · privacy policy · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Year founded
1973 ("since its inception in 1973"; begun in Nairobi, Kenya by founder Mahen Sanghrajka); also described as "50+ years"
Source: Company · sustainable tourism big five · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Owner or parent
Independently owned and operated, multi-generational family ownership; founded by Mahen Sanghrajka (Founder & CEO); Ashish Sanghrajka is President & CEO. Company register not read
Source: Company · about us · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
What it is
Tour operator that sells only through professional travel advisors ("100% travel advisor focused"); builds tailor-made journeys plus listed set itineraries; own camps not stated. Not sold direct to the public
Source: Company · about us · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Team
5 named Senior Destination Specialists (Colin Rose, Gisela Polo, Susie Gavlik, Tatiana Johnston, Volker Altvater), plus founder Mahen Sanghrajka and President Ashish Sanghrajka named; page is 'Our Stories | Luxury Tour Operators'; no dedicated team page with full headcount
Source: Company · luxury tour operators · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Where it sells
Phone 1-800-244-3483 (US toll-free). Contact form offers country choices United States, Canada, Mexico. Office: Stuart, Florida. Rates shown with $ sign. No UK line or other offices on saved pages; sells via travel advisors
Source: Company · contact big five · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
In its own words
"We Don't Tell Stories Better, We Tell Better Stories"; "Designed Differently. Explored Sustainably."; 50+ years independent and family owned, 100% travel advisor focused, Certified B Corporation
Source: Company · home page · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Response time and named planner
Not stated on their website: no reply time stated. Process page says a three-way call with the traveller and their advisor follows, then a Destination Specialist builds the itinerary; no single named planner stated. Nearby: 24-hour White Glove Service guest assistance
Source: Company · whats new · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Reviews, by platform
4.6 from 59 reviews (listing: Big Five Tours & Expeditions, Stuart, Florida)
Source: Independent source · Google business listing · by hand · 12 Oct 2026
Trustpilot
Profile exists but unclaimed: 0 reviews, rating 0.0 (no TrustScore), 'No reviews' in last 12 months; no review date
Source: Independent source · Trustpilot · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Tripadvisor
Could not access: to be read by hand
Source: Independent source · Tripadvisor · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Trustindex
No profile found: trustindex returned a 404 for bigfive.com
Source: Independent source · Trustindex · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Where it asks clients to leave reviews
Not stated on their website: no external review platform link in the saved pages. Site hosts its own Testimonials page and a 'Trip Feedback' menu item (page not saved)
Source: Company · travel reviews · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Awards and recognition, read from the publishers
Every award, 2024 to 2026
Not stated on their website: no 2024-2026 awards listed. Award page lists only older items: Virtuoso Sustainable Tourism Leadership Award 2016 (first won 2014), Virtuoso 'Best Curate Travel Partner' nomination (no year), Best Places To Work Martin County (no year), Travel+Leisure A-List up to 2016
Source: Company · award winning luxury tour · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Advisors on named lists
Not stated on their website: no 2024-2026 list placements stated. Travel+Leisure A-List years named: Ashish Sanghrajka 2009-2016, Tatiana Johnston 2009-2013, Volker Altvater 2012-2016
Source: Company · luxury tour operators · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Certifications
Certified B Corporation; recertification every three years; process took eight months; press listing dates the announcement to August 2025 (coverage 21-22 Aug 2025). Also sustaining member of Tourism Cares for Tomorrow. Certifier not read
Source: Company · b corp · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Money and booking terms
Prices published
Yes, as 'From $X per person per day, land only, double occupancy' on country listing pages; some tours show 'Call for Price'/'Call for Rates'. Total number of itineraries priced not stated (homepage lists about 40 tours)
Source: Company · costa rica · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Priced example trips
Africa safari trips (price quoted as 'Price starts at', land only, per person per day, double occupancy; each page also shows a 'Call for Rates' button; season not stated): 1) Classic South Africa: header says 13 days, text says 11 days (pages disagree); from $2,000 pp/day; Johannesburg, Sabi Sands, Tswalu Kalahari, Cape Town; charter flights (seat in plane) and meal-coded lodge stays shown; private half-day Cape Town city tour; cable car tickets at extra cost. 2) Tanzania: Into the Wild: 14 days; from $1,200 pp/day; Manyara Ranch Conservancy, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti, Mahale chimpanzee tracking; private transfers; meals coded B/L/D at camps. 3) Namibia Flying Safari: 11 days; from $1,600 pp/day; Etosha (Villa Mushara), Serra Cafema, Damaraland, Sossusvlei/NamibRand; private light aircraft flights; B/L/D at lodges. Other African trips priced the same way: Southern Tanzania 11 days from $700; Botswana & South Africa 14 days from $1,800; Namibia & Botswana 14 days from $1,600; Namibia 9 days from $1,000; South Africa 11 days from $1,100. Earlier non-Africa examples: Costa Rica and their Locals 8 days from $1,200; Colombia El Encanto 14 days from $980; Chile by Nature 11 days from $890.
Source: Company · south africa, tanzania into the wild, namibia flying safari, southern tanzania, botswana south africa, namibia botswana 2, namibia, south africa 2, costa rica and their locals · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Price per person per day
From $350 (Laos & Cambodia Rural Landscapes) up to $2,500 (Africa Quest for Giants) per person per day, land only, double occupancy; Botswana custom tour $1,200-$4,500; Southern Africa Discovery $1,500; Adventure Trio $1,350. African set itineraries on extra pages: Southern Tanzania from $700; Namibia from $1,000; South Africa (11 days) from $1,100; Tanzania: Into the Wild from $1,200; Namibia & Botswana from $1,600; Namibia Flying Safari from $1,600; Botswana & South Africa from $1,800; Classic South Africa from $2,000 (all per person per day, land only, double occupancy).
Source: Company · southern tanzania, namibia, south africa 2, tanzania into the wild, namibia botswana 2, namibia flying safari, botswana south africa, south africa, botswana · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Minimum spend
Not stated on their website: no minimum spend stated; only 'From' per-day rates and 'Call for Rates'
Source: Company · costa rica and their locals · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
What the price includes
Price basis stated beside price as 'Land only, double occupancy, per person, per day'. Itineraries list private transfers, accommodation and meal codes (B,L,D); no formal inclusions/exclusions list on saved pages. On the African itineraries: lodge stays carry meal codes (e.g. B,L,D at Villa Mushara, Serra Cafema, Wolwedans, Manyara Ranch Conservancy, Greystoke Mahale); scheduled or private charter/light-aircraft flights are described within the itineraries (Namibia, Botswana, Classic South Africa, Tanzania); Botswana & South Africa sunset Zambezi cruise 'includes snacks, beer, wine, local spirits and soft drinks'; Grootbos activities described as 'inclusive'. Stated extras: Table Mountain cable car tickets are 'for your own account' (South Africa) / 'additional cost' (Classic South Africa); optional extras at Phinda include coastal flights, beach excursions and snorkeling.
Source: Company · namibia flying safari, tanzania into the wild, botswana south africa, south africa 2, south africa, costa rica and their locals · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Deposit
Could not access: booking terms are in the 'Adventure Tour Application Form (Includes Tour Terms & Conditions)' PDF, not in the saved pages. Nearby: No Gimmicks page says a deposit is asked for every booking and is non-refundable; no percentage given
Source: Company · no gimmicks · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Balance due
Could not access: balance due days not in saved pages; full tour terms PDF (application form) not saved
Source: Company · adventure tour preparation · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Cancellation charges
Could not access: scale not in saved pages. No Gimmicks page says deposits are non-refundable with 'strict cancellation penalties'; postponement up to 12 months from original date allowed case by case without penalty. COVID PDF: postponement credits, no rebooking fee
Source: Company · no gimmicks · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
How client payments are protected
Not stated on their website: no payment-protection scheme or number stated. Nearby: No Gimmicks page says Big Five prepays supplier services before arrival and recommends cancel-for-any-reason travel insurance bought via the advisor. Full tour terms PDF not saved
Source: Company · no gimmicks · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Currencies and card fees
Could not access: currency billed in and card surcharge not stated in saved pages (rates shown with $ only, not labelled USD). Credit Card Authorization Form and tour terms PDFs not saved
Source: Company · adventure tour preparation · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
24-hour contact while travelling
Stated: 24-hour White Glove Service guest assistance, 365 days a year, with welcome call on arrival; no separate emergency number printed on saved pages (general line 1-800-244-3483)
Source: Company · our process · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
How the company is paid
Not stated on their website: how Big Five is paid is not stated. Nearby: it sells only through travel advisors
Source: Company · about us · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Price against booking direct
Not stated on their website: no statement on matching lodge rates or passing on lodge offers. Nearby: No Gimmicks page says prepaying gives 'top tier standing with the hotels... in both contract rates and in exclusive service'
Source: Company · no gimmicks · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Licences and registrations
Not stated on their website: no licence or registration numbers in saved pages (footer shows copyright only). Register not read
Source: Company · about us · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Where it goes and how it works on the ground
African countries it plans
Inquiry form destination list includes Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya Safaris, Luxury Egypt Tour, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda & Uganda, South Africa, Tanzania including Zanzibar, Zambia/Zimbabwe (Jordan also listed, Middle East)
Source: Company · costa rica and their locals · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Own offices or staff in Africa
Testimonial on Big Five's own page praises 'Big 5 staff in Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda'; another mentions the company's Manager of operations in Nairobi. No formal list of own offices
Source: Company · travel reviews · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
How it books on the ground
Not stated on their website: direct-with-camps vs local partner not stated. Nearby: 'trusted local partnerships', employs local professional guides and drivers in each destination, prepays services
Source: Company · our process · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Own camps or vehicles
Not stated on their website: no own camps or vehicles stated
Source: Company · about us · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking
Gorilla trekking: yes. 'Africa Quest for Giants' includes mountain gorilla trekking; 'The Gorilla & Mara Legacy Journey, Uganda & Kenya'; 'Tanzania and Rwanda's Untouched Wilderness'; Rwanda & Uganda listed as destination. Chimpanzee trekking: yes, in Tanzania. 'Tanzania: Into the Wild' (14 days, from $1,200 pp/day) includes tracking chimpanzees in the Mahale Mountains, staying at Greystoke Mahale (days 11-14).
Source: Company · home page, tanzania into the wild · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Beach add-ons
Zanzibar (listed as 'Tanzania including Zanzibar') and Mozambique appear as destinations. Seychelles and Mauritius not found in saved pages. Beach stays inside African itineraries: South Africa (11 days) ends at Thonga Beach lodge in Maputaland ('relaxed beach lodge', water and beach activities); Tanzania: Into the Wild ends at Greystoke Mahale on a white sandy beach on Lake Tanganyika. No Zanzibar-specific itinerary on the extra pages.
Source: Company · costa rica and their locals, south africa 2, tanzania into the wild · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Africa only, or other regions too
Not Africa only: also Latin America (largest share), Asia & the Orient, South Pacific, Middle East (Egypt, Jordan); 'more than 45 destinations around the globe'
Source: Company · luxury tour operators · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Who it suits and how it travels
Family trips
Family itineraries include 'Pura Vida Family Touring: President's Pick, 10 Days Costa Rica' from $800 pp/day, 'Costa Rica The Indigenous Trails' family program, 'Japan Like a Local' family adventure; Kids Kouncil Approved and Precious Journeys series; family-travel USB offered
Source: Company · costa rica · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Minimum child age
Not stated on their website: minimum child age not stated. Inquiry form counts child travellers aged 0-11
Source: Company · costa rica and their locals · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Teenagers and multigenerational trips
Not stated on their website: teenagers and multigenerational trips not specifically stated. Nearby: 'Precious Journeys College Edition' itineraries (e.g. Japan Like a Local, Guatemala/Colombia/Argentina graffiti art)
Source: Company · home page · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Honeymoon trips
New Beginnings Collection: 'Together We're Better - Costa Rica New Beginnings' (9 days, couple's getaway, from $950 pp/day), 'Ecuador A Romantic Escapade' (8 days, honeymoon, from $980), 'Brazil A Fine Romance' (10 days, call for price)
Source: Company · costa rica · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Solo travellers
Not stated on their website: single supplement policy not stated
Source: Company · colombia through local eyes · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Older travellers and limited mobility
Not stated on their website: nothing stated on older travellers or limited mobility. Activities carry fitness levels (easy/moderate/difficult) on the Costa Rica itinerary
Source: Company · costa rica and their locals · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
First safari
Not stated on their website: no first-safari guidance or itinerary marked as such
Source: Company · botswana · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Private guide and vehicle
Private transfers, private guide/driver and private tours stated on Costa Rica, Chile and Cape Town itineraries; private or shared safari vehicle not stated on saved pages. African itineraries add: Namibia (9 days) guest welcomed by 'your private guide' and dinner with the guide; South Africa (11 days) 'private guide' for a private Winelands tour and a private Cape Peninsula excursion; Botswana & South Africa private tour of Victoria Falls with a local guide; Tanzania: Into the Wild private transfers. Game-drive vehicles at the camps are not stated as private or shared.
Source: Company · namibia, south africa 2, botswana south africa, tanzania into the wild, costa rica coffee cacao flavors · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Exclusive-use camps and villas
Offered at some places, as lodge wording rather than a stated exclusive-use policy: Namibia Flying Safari places guests at Villa Mushara, 'one of only two exclusive villas' in eastern Etosha; Serra Cafema is called 'an exclusive, remote retreat'; Classic South Africa calls Singita 'one of the world's finest and most exclusive safari camps'. Whole-camp exclusive hire not stated.
Source: Company · namibia flying safari, south africa · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Small-group departures
Not stated on their website: small-group departures with group size not stated. Nearby: founder began in 1973 sharing Africa 'with small groups of like-minded travelers'; journeys described as custom
Source: Company · sustainable tourism big five · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Who guides the trip
Local professional guides and drivers employed in each destination; also lodge guides (e.g. Lapa Rios guides) and named local guides; 'Faces of Five' guide profiles. African itineraries: 'private guide' in Namibia and the Cape Winelands; local lodge guides at Sossusvlei and Mahale; Namibia (9 days) uses 'one of Namibia's most well-known naturalist guides' at NamibRand; Botswana & South Africa photographic safari is led by David Murray of Great Plains Wild Studio; armed guides for game walks at Chobe.
Source: Company · our process, namibia, south africa 2, namibia botswana 2, botswana south africa, tanzania into the wild · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Self-drive
Not stated on their website: self-drive not stated
Source: Company · about us · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Photography trips
Photographic safari offered: 'Botswana & South Africa' (14 days, from $1,800 pp/day) is a photographic safari with David Murray of Great Plains Wild Studio, including a Facial Recognition Research Project for wildlife tracking and conservation, plus a Cape Town photographic excursion 'suitable for photographers of all experience levels from beginners to seasoned pros'. Specialist vehicle not stated.
Source: Company · botswana south africa · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Conservation
Spirit of Big Five Foundation (501(c)(3), launched 2007, funded by the Sanghrajka family; 100% of donations go to projects). Long-term projects: Kipi robot education (Peru), Eco-filters for Schools (Guatemala), Jetwing Youth Development (Sri Lanka), Awamaki women's project (Peru), Ereto School for Maasai Children (Tanzania); donation to Sera Wildlife Conservancy (Kenya) per testimonial. Itinerary pages also name: Facial Recognition Research Project for wildlife conservation (Botswana & South Africa photographic safari); AfriCat Foundation visit at Okonjima, Namibia (big cat research and rehabilitation); Manyara Ranch Conservancy research activities with AWF (Tanzania); Ngoma Safari Lodge run with Chobe Enclave Conservation Trust (Botswana); safari camps said to 'promote sustainable tourism and support local communities' (Southern Tanzania).
Source: Company · gib 5 0, botswana south africa, namibia, tanzania into the wild, southern tanzania · crawl · 12 Oct 2026
Walking, horseback and other specialist trips
Horseback riding (Colombia El Encanto savannah choices, Turrialba coffee farm option), private Everest Base Camp trek (President's Pick), Trekking Chile, rafting, birdwatching, microlight flights at Victoria Falls. Walking safaris: stated. Southern Tanzania includes a walking safari in Katavi National Park and walking safaris in Selous; Chobe (Botswana & South Africa) offers game walks with an armed guide; Namibia lists walking safaris, horseback riding, hot-air ballooning and scenic flights at NamibRand; Tswalu (Classic South Africa) by 4x4, horseback or on foot; Grootbos horseback riding; Manyara Ranch Conservancy guided game walks and horse riding; quad-biking in Namibian dunes; Zambezi boat cruises; boat safari in Selous.
Source: Company · southern tanzania, botswana south africa, namibia, south africa, south africa 2, tanzania into the wild, namibia flying safari, colombia el encanto presidents pick · 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.
Big Five Tours & Expeditions: the questions people ask AI search
Is Big Five Tours & Expeditions worth it?
On Uncompromised Travel's six-criterion review of safari planners, Big Five Tours & Expeditions scores 70/100. It takes full marks for destination breadth and ownership transparency and 20 of 25 for first-hand African expertise, from a founder who worked on wildlife research in East Africa in the 1960s. It scores 4 of 20 for independent reviews, from Google's 4.6 from 59, and its site publishes no booking terms.
How much does a Big Five safari cost?
Big Five Tours & Expeditions prices its tours per person per day, land only, for two sharing. Among ten Africa tours checked, rates start at US$700 a day for 11 days of Magical Morocco and US$900 a day for 10 days in the private conservancies of Kenya and Tanzania, and reach $2,300 a day for the South Africa and Zambia tour staying at Tswalu, Royal Chundu and Sausage Tree Camp and $2,500 a day for the 16-day Africa Quest for Giants, where gorilla permits cost US$1,500 per person per trek on top.
Who owns Big Five Tours & Expeditions?
Big Five Tours & Expeditions says it is independent and family owned. Mahen Sanghrajka, a native of Kenya, founded it in Nairobi in 1973, and his son Ashish Sanghrajka has been president since 2008. Florida's register records Big Five Tours and Expeditions, Inc. document P96000073965, a Florida corporation filed in 1996, with Ashish Sanghrajka as president, Usha Sanghrajka as secretary and Mari Huff and John T Corcia as directors.
Is my money protected with Big Five Tours & Expeditions?
Big Five Tours & Expeditions' site names no protection scheme, trust account, USTOA membership or Florida seller of travel number, and it does not appear in USTOA's member directory. Its site publishes no booking terms, so the deposit, final payment date and cancellation charges are not public. It recommends travel insurance from Allianz. Ask your travel advisor for Big Five's booking terms and for how client payments are held before paying.
What do Big Five Tours & Expeditions reviews say?
Big Five Tours & Expeditions has 59 reviews on Google, rated 4.6, read 12 October 2026. Its Trustpilot page is unclaimed with no reviews, and no Travelstride, Tripadvisor or SafariBookings listing was found. Its own reviews page shows testimonials signed with initials, such as "OMG, it was the trip of a lifetime!"
Where does Big Five Tours & Expeditions go?
Big Five Tours & Expeditions has pages for 14 African countries: Botswana, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, as well as Jordan. It also sells Asia, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand, some 44 destinations in all according to B Lab, and runs sister sites including safaritours.com and galapagos.com.
How do I book Big Five Tours & Expeditions?
Big Five Tours & Expeditions describes itself as "100% Travel Advisor Focused" it sells through travel advisors, and a co-branded site it offers advisors has no direct-booking buttons, according to Travel Weekly. Its site gives one phone number, 1-800-244-3483, and a contact form.
Can I book Big Five Tours & Expeditions through Uncompromised Travel?
No. Big Five Tours & Expeditions is not bookable through this site and had no input into this page. Ask a travel advisor to request its terms and a quote, and compare it with a second specialist and a comparison platform for the same camps, room categories and dates.
What are Big Five Tours & Expeditions' deposit, payment and cancellation terms?
Read from Big Five Tours & Expeditions' own website on 12 October 2026. Deposit: Could not access: booking terms are in the 'Adventure Tour Application Form (Includes Tour Terms & Conditions)' PDF, not in the saved pages. Nearby: No Gimmicks page says a deposit is asked for every booking and is non-refundable; no percentage given Balance due: Could not access: balance due days not in saved pages; full tour terms PDF (application form) not saved Cancellation: Could not access: scale not in saved pages. No Gimmicks page says deposits are non-refundable with 'strict cancellation penalties'; postponement up to 12 months from original date allowed case by case without penalty. COVID PDF: postponement credits, no rebooking fee
What awards has Big Five Tours & Expeditions won?
Read on 12 October 2026. Certified B Corporation; recertification every three years; process took eight months; press listing dates the announcement to August 2025 (coverage 21-22 Aug 2025). Also sustaining member of Tourism Cares for Tomorrow. Certifier not read
Corrections and right of reply. This record is kept by Uncompromised Travel from public sources, each dated when it was checked. If you represent Big Five Tours & Expeditions 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.
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