Expert answers about Abercrombie & Kent (A&K) — the company that pioneered luxury safari travel in 1962 and now leads refined small-group and tailor-made journeys across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, with private access and top-tier accommodations throughout.
Booking Abercrombie & Kent through Pavlus comes with real savings and the kind of expert guidance you simply can’t get on a supplier website. Specifically:
Abercrombie & Kent (A&K) was founded in 1962 by Geoffrey Kent’s family, who began leading small safari parties through Kenya’s game reserves. That trip is widely credited with inventing the modern luxury safari, and A&K has spent more than six decades expanding on the same philosophy — expert local guides, exclusive access, and a level of comfort that lets travelers experience wild and remote places without roughing it. Today A&K operates small-group journeys, tailor-made private trips, river and ocean cruises, and private-jet expeditions on every continent.
A&K sits at the top of the luxury small-group and tailor-made travel market. Key differentiators include:
A&K Sanctuary (rebranded from Sanctuary Retreats) is Abercrombie & Kent’s own portfolio of luxury camps, lodges, and riverboats in East and Southern Africa, including properties in Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, Uganda, and along the Nile in Egypt. Because A&K owns and operates these properties directly, quality and service standards are consistent, and guests benefit from priority access and seamless logistics between camps. Many A&K African safaris are built entirely around A&K Sanctuary properties.
Both. A&K offers scheduled small-group journeys with fixed departure dates, as well as fully tailor-made private trips designed around your dates, interests, and pace. Private journeys can include your own vehicle and guide throughout, custom-built itineraries, and the flexibility to add or remove destinations. Many A&K clients start with a small-group safari and later book a private journey for a subsequent trip.
A&K operates a small number of round-the-world and regional journeys aboard a private jet — typically a fully customized Boeing 757 reconfigured with lie-flat seating for roughly 46–50 travelers. These trips visit multiple countries and continents in a single itinerary — for example, a circuit through Africa, Asia, and South America — with A&K handling all logistics, customs, and ground arrangements at each stop. Private-jet expeditions represent A&K’s most exclusive and expensive product, with a dedicated physician and expert lecturers on board.
Yes — the Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy (AKP) foundation supports community, conservation, and wildlife protection projects in the destinations A&K visits, including schools, clinics, and anti-poaching initiatives in Africa. Many A&K itineraries include optional visits to AKP-supported projects, giving travelers a chance to see firsthand how their trip contributes to the communities and wildlife areas they’re visiting.
A&K journeys are comprehensively inclusive:
On most A&K safaris and small-group journeys, gratuities to camp staff, drivers, and local guides are included in the fare. Some tailor-made and specialty itineraries handle gratuities differently, so it’s worth confirming for your specific trip. Your Pavlus advisor will clarify exactly what’s covered before you travel so there are no surprises.
International airfare to your starting destination is typically not included in the land package price, but is available to book separately. Internal flights — such as light-aircraft transfers between safari camps in Africa — are usually included as part of the itinerary since they are essential to reaching remote lodges. Private-jet expeditions are the exception: the jet transportation itself is central to the product and included in the fare.
Because A&K includes most meals, activities, and internal transportation, most travelers only need spending money for souvenirs, alcoholic beverages beyond what’s included, spa treatments, and the occasional optional excursion. Many guests find $50–$150 per day comfortable for personal expenses, though this varies significantly by destination and travel style.
A&K runs safaris throughout East and Southern Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Signature experiences include the Great Migration in the Serengeti and Masai Mara, gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda, the Okavango Delta in Botswana, and combination itineraries that pair a safari with Victoria Falls or a Cape Town extension.
A&K arranges the required trekking permits, transportation to the trailhead, and an experienced guide to lead your group through the forest in search of a habituated gorilla family. Trekking difficulty varies by terrain and how far the gorillas have moved that day, ranging from a short walk to several hours of hiking. A&K limits group size for trekking in line with park regulations, and permits should be booked well in advance since they are limited and sell out, especially in peak season.
Game drives are led by professional local guides in specially outfitted safari vehicles, typically with pop-up roofs for unobstructed viewing and photography. Depending on your itinerary, vehicles may be shared with other A&K guests on a small-group trip or private and exclusive to your party on a tailor-made journey. Guides carry radios to communicate sightings between vehicles and are deeply knowledgeable about animal behavior, tracking, and the local ecosystem.
This depends on what you want to see. The Great Migration river crossings in the Serengeti and Masai Mara typically peak from July through October. The dry season (June–October) across much of East and Southern Africa offers easier wildlife viewing as animals congregate near water sources. Gorilla trekking is possible year-round but is more comfortable during the drier months. Your Pavlus advisor can help match your travel dates to the wildlife experiences that matter most to you.
Most safari destinations recommend or require certain vaccinations and malaria prophylaxis; requirements vary by country and can change, so consult your physician or a travel medicine clinic before departure. A&K provides destination-specific health guidance for each itinerary. Physical fitness requirements for standard game-drive safaris are modest, though gorilla trekking and walking safaris require a reasonable level of fitness and mobility on uneven terrain.
A&K operates journeys across every continent:
A&K itineraries range widely — from focused 7–10 day safaris and regional journeys to 20+ day around-the-world private-jet expeditions. Tailor-made private trips can be built to any length you choose. Most travelers combine a core safari or cultural itinerary with a pre- or post-trip extension to a nearby destination, such as Victoria Falls, Cape Town, or Zanzibar following an East African safari.
Yes — A&K offers Nile river cruises in Egypt combining ancient sites with onboard comfort, as well as expedition-style ocean cruises to destinations like Antarctica and the Galápagos through partner vessels. These cruise itineraries follow the same A&K standard of expert guiding and small-group or private access at each port and landing.
For a tailor-made trip, you work with an A&K travel designer (coordinated through your Pavlus advisor) to build an itinerary around your interests, timing, and budget — choosing destinations, pace, accommodation level, and any special requests such as private guides, unique access experiences, or family-friendly activities. Because the itinerary is exclusively yours, dates and routing are entirely flexible.
A&K uses luxury lodges, tented camps, and hotels throughout its portfolio, including its own A&K Sanctuary properties in Africa. Accommodations are consistently upscale — on safari, this often means spacious tented suites with private verandas and en-suite bathrooms rather than basic canvas tents, and in cities, four- and five-star hotels in prime locations.
A&K’s luxury tented camps offer spacious canvas suites with real beds, en-suite bathrooms (often with flush toilets and hot showers), electricity or solar power, and private decks or verandas overlooking the bush. Many camps include a central lounge, dining area, and small pool. The experience blends genuine proximity to nature with hotel-level comfort — guests describe it as glamping in the best sense of the word.
Solo travelers on most A&K small-group departures pay a single supplement for private accommodation, since A&K does not typically offer a guaranteed room-share program. The supplement amount varies by itinerary and season and is listed on each tour page. A&K occasionally runs promotions reducing or waiving the single supplement on select departures — ask your Pavlus advisor about current offers.
Deposit amounts and cancellation schedules vary by itinerary — safaris and private-jet expeditions in particular can carry higher deposits and stricter cancellation terms than standard land tours, given the cost of securing camps, permits, and internal charter flights well in advance. Your Pavlus advisor will provide the specific deposit amount, final payment date, and cancellation schedule for your chosen itinerary at the time of booking.
Strongly recommended. A&K journeys — especially safaris, gorilla trekking permits, and private-jet expeditions — represent a significant investment with limited flexibility to rebook if plans change. A comprehensive travel insurance policy covering trip cancellation, interruption, emergency medical care, and evacuation is essential, particularly for remote destinations where medical facilities may be limited. Your Pavlus advisor can help you select appropriate coverage.
This varies significantly by itinerary. A classic vehicle-based safari requires minimal fitness beyond comfort riding in a safari vehicle over sometimes bumpy terrain. Gorilla trekking, walking safaris, and some Asia and South America itineraries require a moderate to good level of fitness, including the ability to walk on uneven ground, sometimes at altitude. Each A&K itinerary specifies its activity level; your Pavlus advisor can help you choose a trip that matches your fitness and mobility.
Requirements vary by destination, but most international A&K itineraries require a passport valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates, and many African and Asian destinations require a visa — sometimes obtainable on arrival, sometimes requiring advance application. A&K and your Pavlus advisor will provide destination-specific document requirements well ahead of departure.
Yes — A&K offers family-specific departures and can tailor private journeys for multigenerational groups, with age-appropriate activities and pacing. Minimum age requirements vary by itinerary, particularly for safaris and gorilla trekking, where some parks set minimum ages for permits (commonly 15 for gorilla trekking). Ask your Pavlus advisor about family-friendly departures and any age restrictions relevant to your destination.
Call 800-528-9300 to speak with a Pavlus A&K specialist. We will review available departures or begin designing your tailor-made journey, discuss accommodation preferences, apply any current promotions, and complete your reservation. Popular safari departures, gorilla trekking permits, and private-jet expeditions can sell out many months in advance, so calling early is strongly advised.
Booking through Pavlus Travel gives you several advantages over booking directly:
Pavlus Travel is an authorized A&K agency with high-volume booking status. We can alert you to current A&K promotions — including single supplement reductions, early booking discounts, and complimentary upgrades when available — the moment they are released. Our advisors track these promotions closely and reach out proactively when a deal applies to a trip you’re watching. Call 800-528-9300 to ask about current A&K offers.
In many cases, yes — A&K allows bookings to be transferred to an authorized travel agency within a specified window after initial reservation. If you booked directly with A&K and would like to move your reservation to Pavlus for ongoing support and advocacy, call us at 800-528-9300 and we will advise whether a transfer is possible given your booking date and circumstances. There is no cost to transfer.
No — and you can actually pay less overall. A&K’s pricing policies do not permit agencies to discount the tour fare directly on A&K bookings. However, Pavlus Travel offers a meaningful savings advantage when you book your airfare through us for your A&K journey — through our access to low-price air contracts, you can save significantly on flights, which meaningfully reduces your overall travel investment.
Call Pavlus at 800-528-9300. As your booking agent, we are your advocate with A&K and will work to resolve issues on your behalf — whether that’s a billing discrepancy, an accommodation assignment concern, a schedule change, or a problem that arises during travel. Having a dedicated travel advisor means you are not navigating a large company’s customer service process alone.
To make the booking process efficient, have the following ready when you call 800-528-9300:
As early as possible — and at minimum 6 to 9 months before departure for most itineraries. Popular safari camps, gorilla trekking permits, and private-jet expedition departures can sell out 12 months or more in advance, especially for peak Great Migration season or holiday travel dates. If you have a specific date, destination, or departure in mind, call Pavlus as soon as you’re ready to commit.
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