Africa Odyssey is the culmination of decades of travel knowledge and long safari experience. Our MD, Marc Harris, is a director of the African Travel and Tourism Association and a judge of the Good Safari Guide, Our Tanzania director is the author of the Cadogan Guide to Tanzania and all of our team have worked, lived or travelled extensively in their specialist African countries.
Our company began as Tanzania Odyssey in the 90’s, specialising wholly in Tanzania and Zanzibar itineraries and Tanzania remains our first love. However, over the years we could not help creeping further afield and today Africa Odyssey arranges itineraries to the whole of Safari Africa and the Indian Ocean. There are many travel companies out there, some good, some bad (as a general rule the UK tour operators mostly very good) please see below for why you should book with us!
Detailed, specialist knowledge
Our strength is our knowledge. All of our consultants travel regularly and extensively throughout their specialist countries and know all of the lodges and regions that we recommend from first hand experience. We continue to revisit all regions each year, maintaining ties with familiar lodges and evaluating new properties...to the point that there is usually one of us out there at any one time. One of our consultants wrote the Cadogan guide to Tanzania and Zanzibar - no small feat !
Experience and dedication
Our market position as long-term market leaders has earned us good commission rates across Africa and our favourite Indian Ocean locations, so we are able to provide our clients with the best rack rates and have no need to mark up any of our itineraries. We have no affiliations to any company or lodge and our trips are always based on personal experience and expert knowledge of the movement of the animals. We know that all areas are seasonal, and recommend accommodation according to the dates that you are travelling.
We pride ourselves on 'same day' email replies, and we are available at any time, 365 days a year, should you need us for any last minute adjustments to your itinerary. Africa Odyssey is an independent, owner-managed company; all of our staff are paid a good salary and are not commission driven, so they will not sell you an expensive itinerary that does not suit you. We strive to provide you with the best trip for your budget; we are not responsible to a larger company, nor are we driven by large company targets.
Many Africa safari destinations can require complex itinerary planning, and we pride ourselves on our flawless arrangements. Given our long-standing relationships with the internal airlines, lodges and transportation companies, we know who to call if an itinerary ever needs to be rescheduled.
Security
We are an ATOL bonded tour operator (ATOL 5397), which means that your holiday is protected. As well as being ATOL bonded, we provide our clients with a comprehensive service of care. We have been arranging itineraries since the mid '90s, and in that time have sent many thousands of tourists to Africa. As a result, we have built up excellent relationships with each and every lodge, and they, in turn, show greater respect to our clients than those with other newer or smaller operators. This often means that our clients get the best rooms as a matter of course, and enjoy the benefits of an invincible support network of ground contacts.
Financial security is a massively important issue; over the years many companies have gone bust (and we have picked up many clients from bust operators), and we believe that neither smaller new companies, nor local Tanzania companies can offer the level of protection that we can...
Pricing and Costs
The various lodges offer a 'rack rate' price to the public, but as tour operators we are able to book for less than this, and as a result can often offer a better price than if you were to go to the lodge direct. We also offer a price match promise where we will match any quote from a reputable UK or US bonded tour operator - although we rarely have to do this!
No Surcharge for Currency Fluctuations
Even though we are a UK company, we can offer both Sterling and Dollar pricing. Since we buy our currency in bulk, we are able to offer a guaranteed price in Sterling, with the option of receiving dollars if that is beneficial to you.
In summary, we are able to package a holiday for less than you would be able to arrange independently, without any exchange risk, and you will benefit from our many man-decades of experience in arranging similar trips, our impartial opinions and the financial security that our ATOL bond offers.
Meet the Team - Africa Odyssey Face to Face
We always encourage our clients to come and meet us, to discuss safaris over fresh coffee at our offices in Fulham.
A private presentation with someone who has actually visted each and every area, with maps and photographs, brochures and videos, is, without doubt, the best way of establishing the best itinerary for you. Every member of our team has travelled extensively throughout Africa; in fact, we make regular trips to ensure that our knowledge is up to date, and that we remain wholly opinionated! We are dedicated to giving our clients the very highest quality service and get great satisfaction from devising beautiful trips, to suit all budgets.
Marc Harris
Managing Director
Following years of travelling and exploring, Marc started organising safaris for clients in the mid 1990s, specialising in then lesser-known safari regions, and set up Tanzania Odyssey, a focused, specialist company providing the very best itineraries and safari support in Tanzania. Marc has a natural flair for itinerary planning, and a keen passion for the finest safari and beach experiences, all of which he continues to test assiduously, whenever possible. Perfectionism, tenacity, and a true zest for world experiences make him a sturdy helmsman for all of your African Odysseys; he has great Africa knowledge and also specialises in the Indian Ocean locations of Seychelles and Mauritius. Now a judge of The Good Safari Guide and a director of the African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA), he is one of the most respected safari consultants in the world
Julian Carter-Manning
Director
Julian has been just about everywhere in east and southern Africa safari country, repeatedly. This is the man to speak to if you want a trip which crosses various borders! His outstanding knowledge extends through all aspects of safari and gives his clients the guarantee that they are dealing with one of the most experienced specialists in the industry. Having stayed in approximately six hundred of Africa's finest lodges he is the person to talk to about cross country product.
Edward Ward
Southern Africa Consultant
Edward was born and grew up in Botswana. He's literally fresh off the boat....he can't plan a tube trip across London - but give him dates and he'll reel off exactly where you should be in the Okavango for the best game. He is one of the few people in the world to have ever navigated from the Okavango's Pan handle down to Maun and has literally covered every corner of Botswana. To give you an idea of how much safari this guy's done; he's seen pangolin, he's seen aardvaak and when he's back home in Botswana he spends most of his time guiding and reseraching in the Delta. Ed's areas of expertise are Botswana and Tanzania.
Ted Archdale
East Africa Consultant
Ted has recently joined the Africa Odyssey team, and has quickly made himself an invaluable asset. Having completed a degree in Anthropology, specialising in the study of Primates, Ted furthers his knowledge with real, ground experience. Ted is a careful itinerary planner, with a genuine passion for travelling and exploring that enhances all of our client experiences. Ted has recently made some enviable fact-finding trips to Western Tanzania and Kenya, returning full of comparative insight and analysis, and a touch of sunburn!
Annabel Skinner
Press, Pr and Cadogan Guidebook Author
Annie was travel writing on a freelance basis before being comissioned to write the Cadogan Guide to Tanzania in the mid 1990s. The joy of writing and researching the first edition over a two year (extended!) period, inspired a life-long passion for this endlessly breathtaking land. The success of the first edition led to a second edition five years later, and we continue to hope for a chance to collate the third! Tanzania and Zanzibar remain Annie's main focus, although she also works on the best family itineraries for those travelling with young children, invariably combining safaris and the best of the Indian Ocean .
Tom McGairl
East Africa Consultant
Popularly known as 'Tarangire Tom', Tom is happiest discussing Tanzania itineraries, and enjoys taking time to talk... He personally prefers the more remote regions, but will give a full lowdown of all of your options at the slightest provocation. Tom regularly jets off on personal and professional fact-finding missions of his own devising, and enjoys a worldly-wise attitude to life...
Edward Davison
IT Manager
Ed is our resident IT specialist and web-support master. His talents lie in the digital realm, but naturally he took his honeymoon in Tanzania; (some say he had little choice!) Ed's area of expertise is computer technology, and while he will not be the one to work through your itinerary - he is an invaluable member of the team and is always glad to add his two penny'worth to presentations...
