A cheetah sitting in dry grass. Photo: Pexels (free licence).
Timbuktu Travel vs Yellow Zebra Safaris: which is better for a luxury safari?
By Richard Jasinski·Updated 3 November 2026
Timbuktu Travel and Yellow Zebra Safaris, 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 Yellow Zebra Safaris: which is better for a luxury safari?
On their own published facts, Timbuktu Travel is best for tailor-made trips by travel specialists; Yellow Zebra Safaris is best for tailor-made trips with no packaged tours. Where they differ: only Yellow Zebra Safaris publishes a private guide. Both publish advice or trips for multigenerational groups and advice or trips for a first safari. No score and no winner: choose by what your trip needs.
Timbuktu Travel
- Best for
- Tailor-made trips by travel specialists
Yellow Zebra Safaris
- Best for
- Tailor-made trips with no packaged tours
- Only it publishes
- A private guide.
Timbuktu Travel and Yellow Zebra Safaris: 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.
- Guest reviews, per platform
- Google 4.8 out of 5 from 46 reviews; Feefo 4.9 out of 5 from 1,004 reviews.
Yellow Zebra Safaris
- Based in
- Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, UK.
- Founded
- 2012.
- African countries it plans
- 14: Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Uganda, Mozambique, Malawi, Mauritius, Seychelles and Republic of the Congo.
- Own offices or staff in Africa
- Not published on its own website.
- Own camps or vehicles
- No, by its own account.
- Deposit
- Not published on its own website.
- Cancellation charges
- More than 90 days before departure: deposit only; 61-90 days: 50%; 60 days or less: 100% of quoted price per person cancelling.
- Guest reviews, per platform
- Google 4.9 out of 5 from 243 reviews; Trustpilot 4.9 out of 5 from 1,783 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: small-group departures and walking, horseback and specialist trips.
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.
Yellow Zebra Safaris
- Multigenerational trips
- Multi-generational groups: exclusive-use camps recommended.
- A first safari
- 'Your First Safari' guide; most first-time clients choose Tanzania, Kenya, Botswana or South Africa.
- Private guide
- Privately guided private group safaris offered.
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.
- Yellow Zebra Safaris: where it is based, year founded, African countries it plans, own camps or vehicles, cancellation charges, Trustpilot, teenagers and multigenerational trips, first safari, private guide and vehicle.
Timbuktu Travel vs Yellow Zebra Safaris: the questions people ask
Which is older, Timbuktu Travel or Yellow Zebra Safaris?
Yellow Zebra Safaris, founded in 2012. Timbuktu Travel was founded in 2014.
Where is each company based?
Timbuktu Travel: Head office in Cape Town, South Africa. Yellow Zebra Safaris: Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, UK.
Which plans trips in more African countries?
Timbuktu Travel names 24; Yellow Zebra Safaris names 14, 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. Yellow Zebra Safaris: Not published on its own website.
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. Yellow Zebra Safaris: More than 90 days before departure: deposit only; 61-90 days: 50%; 60 days or less: 100% of quoted price per person cancelling.
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. Yellow Zebra Safaris: Google 4.9 out of 5 from 243 reviews; Trustpilot 4.9 out of 5 from 1,783 reviews. Each platform is shown on its own, never added together.
Which offers a private guide?
Yellow Zebra Safaris, 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.
Read next
Built to answer the question in the main heading from the Uncompromised Travel safari planners table. No company paid to be on this page. Photo: a stock image from Pexels, not any company's trip. How this site earns · How we work.