Glossary
None of it is dishonest. All of it is imprecise.
These are industry shorthand, written by people for whom the meaning is obvious. Each becomes exact the moment somebody asks, and almost nobody does.
| The phrase | What it can also mean | The question that fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| Luxury tented camp | Anything from a good bed under canvas to a suite with a plunge pool — it is not a grade | How many tents, and is there a photograph of this one? |
| Near the Masai Mara | A conservancy sharing the boundary, or an hour outside the gate on the road | What land is it on, and how long is the drive to the first sighting? |
| Game drives included | Shared vehicle, fixed departure times, and a seat allocated on the day | Private or shared, and how many others? |
| Walking safari available | Available somewhere — possibly a drive away, possibly for a supplement | Does it start from camp, and is it included? |
| All inclusive | Typically excludes premium drinks, some activities and fees; always excludes tips | What will we be asked to pay for while we are there? |
| Private guide | Sometimes a camp guide allocated to you rather than one travelling with you | Is the guide with us for the whole trip or for this camp? |
| Upgrade available | A larger room, not a different kind of day | Does it change anything outside the room? |
| Migration season | A months-long range across an enormous area, not a location on a date | Where were the herds on these dates in recent years? |
| Boutique lodge | Small, which is usually good, and says nothing about the land or the rules | How many rooms, and who owns the land? |
The two that matter most
"Near the Masai Mara" does more work than any other phrase in African travel. The difference between a camp on a capped conservancy sharing the reserve boundary and a lodge an hour outside the gate is the difference between two entirely different holidays at similar prices.
Both are accurately described as near the Mara. Only one of them lets you leave the track.
"Game drives included" conceals the private-versus-shared question, which changes every day of a trip. A shared vehicle means fixed times, a fixed pace, and negotiating with strangers about whether to stay with a sighting.
Neither is wrong. It is simply the thing most likely to differ between two quotes that appear to be for the same holiday.
Why the vagueness exists
Mostly because the person writing knows exactly what they mean and has written it three hundred times. Safari has a working vocabulary, like any trade, and shorthand is not a tactic.
It becomes a problem only at the point of comparison, when two documents using the same words for different things are placed side by side and a decision is made on the numbers at the bottom.
What precise looks like
- The land named for each camp, not just the region
- The vehicle arrangement stated — private or shared, and for which days
- Fees itemised per person per day rather than folded into a rate
- Activities listed with what is included and what is a supplement
- The number of tents or rooms, which tells you more than any adjective
An itinerary containing all five is rare, and the ones that do are usually the considered ones. It is a reasonable thing to ask for.
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