The short answer. Resident specials come with a few words of small print that change everything: "30 Day Rate", "midweek", "minimum 2 nights". Here is what they mean, so you can tell at a glance whether a rate works for your dates.
The price itself
- From. The lowest rate the lodge offers on that special, usually for its entry room in the quietest weeks. Bigger rooms and busier dates can cost more.
- pppns. Per person, per night, sharing. Two people for two nights at R5,000 pppns is R20,000.
- Per night, whole villa. A private house or villa is priced for the whole property, not per person.
- Usually. The lodge's normal rate for the same room, so you can see what the special saves.
When you have to book
- "30 Day Rate", "60 Day Rate", "book within 30 days". You book and travel within that window. A 30 Day Rate booked today is for a stay that starts within the next 30 days. These are last-minute rates, so they suit people who can go at short notice.
- "Book at least 60 days ahead". The opposite: an early-bird rate that rewards planning.
- "Valid until". The last date you can stay on the rate.
Our lodge pages work the window out for you. Where a rate has a booking window, you will see the latest date you could arrive if you book today, and you can enter your own dates to check.
Which nights it covers
- Midweek. Usually Sunday to Thursday nights. A Friday or Saturday night is charged at the normal rate, or at a separate weekend rate if the lodge has one.
- Minimum stay. "Minimum 2 nights" or "stay 3, pay 2" means the rate only applies if you stay that long.
- Excludes peak. Many specials leave out the festive season, Easter or school holidays.
What is included
Most safari rates include your room, all meals and two game drives a day. Some add drinks, transfers or a spa treatment, and every lodge page lists exactly what that rate includes. Conservation, park and community fees are almost always extra and paid at the lodge, so budget for them unless the rate says otherwise. You will also need to show proof of South African residency, usually your ID, at check-in.
Getting a rough total
Every lodge page has a quick cost calculator. It starts at 2 nights for 2 adults sharing, and you can add nights or another couple. It is a guide only, because single travellers and children are priced differently, and we confirm the exact cost for your dates.
Questions we are asked
What does "30 Day Rate" mean on a safari special?
You book and travel within 30 days. It is a last-minute resident rate, so the stay must start within 30 days of booking.
What does pppns mean?
Per person, per night, sharing. Multiply by the number of people and nights for the room total.
Are conservation fees included in resident rates?
Usually not. They are normally paid at the lodge on top of the rate, unless the special says they are included.
Not sure a rate fits your dates? Send it to us and we will tell you straight.
