A male lion resting on rocks, Tanzania. Photo: Pexels (free licence).
Timbuktu Travel vs Go2Africa: which is better for a mid-range luxury safari?
By Richard Jasinski·Updated 3 November 2026
Timbuktu Travel and Go2Africa, set out the same way from each company's own website and review listings, read on 12 October 2026. No score and no rank: each one's best fit, in its own words.
Timbuktu Travel vs Go2Africa: which is better for a mid-range luxury safari?
On their own published facts, Timbuktu Travel is best for tailor-made trips by travel specialists; Go2Africa is best for tailor-made safaris planned from Cape Town. Where they differ: only Go2Africa publishes a private guide. Both publish advice or trips for multigenerational groups, advice or trips for a first safari and walking, horseback or other specialist trips. Price bands are not set side by side, because the companies do not publish prices on the same basis. No score and no winner: choose by what your trip needs.
Timbuktu Travel
- Best for
- Tailor-made trips by travel specialists
Go2Africa
- Best for
- Tailor-made safaris planned from Cape Town
- Only it publishes
- A private guide.
Timbuktu Travel and Go2Africa: side by side
The same facts for each company, from its own website, in the same order. Where a company publishes nothing on a row, the card says so.
Timbuktu Travel
- Based in
- Head office in Cape Town, South Africa.
- Founded
- 2014.
- African countries it plans
- 24: Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Uganda, Mozambique, Malawi, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Ethiopia, Egypt, Morocco, Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Eswatini, Reunion, Central African Republic, Chad and Sao Tome.
- Own offices or staff in Africa
- Cape Town head office.
- Own camps or vehicles
- Not published on its own website.
- Deposit
- Normally 30% of total trip price.
- Cancellation charges
- Cancelling within 3 months of departure: full trip price remains due. Cancelling 3 months or more before: the greater of the deposit or 30% of the full trip price.
- How client payments are protected
- Not published on its own website.
- Guest reviews, per platform
- Google 4.8 out of 5 from 46 reviews; Feefo 4.9 out of 5 from 1,004 reviews.
Go2Africa
- Based in
- Cape Town, South Africa.
- Founded
- 1998.
- African countries it plans
- 15: Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Uganda, Mozambique, Malawi, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and Congo.
- Own offices or staff in Africa
- Cape Town (head office) and Nairobi, Kenya offices listed on the contact page.
- Own camps or vehicles
- No, by its own account.
- Deposit
- 30% deposit at time of booking, except air travel (100% payment on booking, as tickets are issued at once) and villa bookings (50% deposit).
- Cancellation charges
- By days before departure: 61 or more days: deposit non-refundable; 0 to 60 days: 100% cancellation fee.
- How client payments are protected
- SATSA Financial Protection (SATSA Bonding) as an accredited member of the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association, covering a SATSA member ceasing to trade through involuntary insolvency, 'subject to defined limits'.
- Guest reviews, per platform
- SafariBookings 4.4 out of 5 from 106 reviews; Trustpilot 4.8 out of 5 from 181 reviews; Feefo 4.9 out of 5 from 3,118 reviews.
Who does each suit?
Each line is the company's own, on its own website. Where none was found on a company' + chr(39) + 's own website, the card says so. Left out, because it is not readable for every company: families.
Timbuktu Travel
- Multigenerational trips
- 'multi-generational family adventures' among trips it designs.
- A first safari
- 'first-time safaris'.
- Private guide
- None found on its own website.
- Walking, horseback and specialist trips
- Experiences listed include walking safari, horseback riding, mokoro & canoe safari, boating safari, flying safari, fly camping & star beds, hot air balloon, diving & snorkelling, hiking, railway journeys, sailing & houseboats.
Go2Africa
- Multigenerational trips
- The Okavango Delta page calls it 'perfect for multi-generational family safaris'.
- A first safari
- Kruger page 'ideal for first-time travellers'.
- Private guide
- Ready-To-Book 'Tanzania's Privately Guided Bush, Photography & Stargazing Safari' (13 days) is 'privately guided with one of the continent's best guides'.
- Walking, horseback and specialist trips
- Offered as activities: horseback game viewing, walking safaris, rhino tracking on foot (Kenya), mobile camping (Tanzania), hot-air ballooning, diving and snorkelling.
Where each line comes from
Every line above links back to the page of the company's own website or review listing it was read from, read on 12 October 2026.
- Timbuktu Travel: where it is based, year founded, African countries it plans, Feefo, teenagers and multigenerational trips, first safari, walking, horseback and other specialist trips.
- Go2Africa: where it is based, year founded, African countries it plans, own camps or vehicles, deposit, how client payments are protected, SafariBookings, Trustpilot, Feefo, teenagers and multigenerational trips, private guide and vehicle.
Timbuktu Travel vs Go2Africa: the questions people ask
Which is older, Timbuktu Travel or Go2Africa?
Go2Africa, founded in 1998. Timbuktu Travel was founded in 2014.
Where is each company based?
Timbuktu Travel: Head office in Cape Town, South Africa. Go2Africa: Cape Town, South Africa.
Which plans trips in more African countries?
Timbuktu Travel names 24; Go2Africa names 15, on its own website. More countries is not better in itself: check that each plans the ones you want.
What deposit does each ask for?
Timbuktu Travel: Normally 30% of total trip price. Go2Africa: 30% deposit at time of booking, except air travel (100% payment on booking, as tickets are issued at once) and villa bookings (50% deposit).
What are their cancellation charges?
Timbuktu Travel: Cancelling within 3 months of departure: full trip price remains due. Cancelling 3 months or more before: the greater of the deposit or 30% of the full trip price. Go2Africa: By days before departure: 61 or more days: deposit non-refundable; 0 to 60 days: 100% cancellation fee.
How is my money protected with each?
Timbuktu Travel: Not published on its own website. Go2Africa: SATSA Financial Protection (SATSA Bonding) as an accredited member of the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association, covering a SATSA member ceasing to trade through involuntary insolvency, 'subject to defined limits'.
What do guest reviews say about each?
Timbuktu Travel: Google 4.8 out of 5 from 46 reviews; Feefo 4.9 out of 5 from 1,004 reviews. Go2Africa: SafariBookings 4.4 out of 5 from 106 reviews; Trustpilot 4.8 out of 5 from 181 reviews; Feefo 4.9 out of 5 from 3,118 reviews. Each platform is shown on its own, never added together.
Which offers a private guide?
Go2Africa, in its own words on the card above. Timbuktu Travel has none found on its own website.
Can I book either through Uncompromised Travel?
No. Uncompromised Travel is a publication and does not sell safaris. Use each company's own enquiry page.
Is either company paying to be on this page?
No. None of these companies is a partner of Uncompromised Travel. None paid to be on this page.
How current is this comparison?
Each company's website and review listings were read on 12 October 2026. Prices, terms and trips change, so confirm them with the company before you book.
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