# How do I plan a safari across several lodges or countries? Canonical: https://airflowstay.com/answers/plan-a-safari-across-several-lodges/ Last checked: 2026-10-04 Source: Airflow Stay (https://airflowstay.com) ## Short answer Choose the region and the season first, then decide how many nights each area gets, then work out how you move between them, and choose lodges last. Two or three areas with three nights each makes a better safari than five areas with one or two. Airflow Stay publishes trip ideas for Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and more, each with the nights at every stop, the transfers between them and where to stay. You can adjust one to your dates on Airflow Guest. ## Why the order matters Most people start with a lodge they have seen and build outwards, and end up with long transfers and too little time anywhere. Wildlife areas are far apart and the journeys between them, by road or light aircraft, take a large part of a day. Season changes the plan as well. The same area can be at its best in one month and closed or flooded in another, so the route depends on when you travel as much as where. ## Using a trip idea as the starting point Each trip idea on Airflow Stay is a route that has been worked out: the areas in a sensible order, the nights at each, the distance and the way of travelling between them, and a map. They are written from sources we check, and some are checked by tour operators who work that ground. A route that began with a tour operator can be taken up with that operator, who can arrange the transfers and park fees that are hard to book on your own. The lodges and camps along the routes are being invited now and will open for direct booking when Stay launches. ## Planning it in order 1. **Pick the region and the month**: Decide what you most want to see, and check when that area is at its best. This narrows the choice of countries quickly. 2. **Choose two or three areas**: Give each at least two nights, and three where you can. A different habitat at each stop gives more variety than a second lodge in the same park. 3. **Plan the transfers**: Find out how each leg is travelled, how long it takes and what it costs. Light aircraft flights have strict luggage limits. 4. **Choose where to stay, then add the ends**: Pick a lodge or camp for each area, then add a night near the airport at the start or end, and any beach or city days. ## What to check before you commit - What each lodge's rate includes: game drives, park fees, meals, drinks and transfers vary widely. - Park and conservancy fees, and whether they are paid in advance. - Visa, vaccination and malaria requirements for each country on the route. - Luggage limits on light aircraft transfers. - Cancellation terms, which are often stricter for small camps in high season. ## What Airflow does not do - Airflow Stay has not launched to travellers yet; the places along each route open for booking at launch. - Airflow does not book flights, visas or park permits. - Trip ideas are routes to plan from, not packaged holidays. Each stay is arranged with its own host unless you travel with an operator. ## Frequently asked questions ### How many lodges should I visit on a ten-day safari? Three is a good number: about three nights each, with the travel days in between. ### Can I combine two countries in one safari? Yes, where the areas are close or well connected, for example Kenya with Tanzania, or Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana around Victoria Falls. Allow a full day for a border crossing or a connecting flight. ### Should I book lodges myself or use a tour operator? Booking lodges yourself gives you a direct line to each place. An operator earns their fee on trips with complicated transfers, permits or several countries. ### Where can I see example safari routes? Airflow Stay publishes trip ideas by country, each with the nights at every stop and how you travel between them. ### Can I book the lodges on Airflow Stay now? Stay is launching soon. The places along each route are being invited now. You can plan the trip on Airflow Guest and ask hosts about your dates. ## Related - [Trip ideas](https://airflowstay.com/trips/) - [Kenya](https://airflowstay.com/destinations/kenya/) - [Tanzania](https://airflowstay.com/destinations/tanzania/) - [South Africa](https://airflowstay.com/destinations/south-africa/) - [Botswana](https://airflowstay.com/destinations/botswana/) - [How do I plan a multi-stop trip?](https://airflowstay.com/answers/plan-a-multi-stop-trip/)