Last-Minute Festive Season Safaris: Where to Find Space for December 2025

Planning a safari over the festive season is one of the most exciting travel goals — but also one of the trickiest. December is peak safari season in Africa, coinciding with summer holidays in southern Africa, and Christmas/New Year & many other holidays worldwide. This is when lodges and camps sell out months in advance, especially between 22–31 December, and peak rates apply across the continent.

But don’t lose hope: with flexibility, last-minute overland tours, and even early bird deals for 2026, there are still ways to secure your spot. We bring you our guide to finding December 2025 safari availability before it’s gone.

Quick Links:
1. Be Flexible with Your Dates
2. Where You Can Still Find December 2025 Safari Availability

• Southern Africa Safaris: Last-Minute Safari Deals
• East Africa Safari Deals
• Overland Tours:  Discounted Departure Dates

3. Early Bird Safari Discounts for 2026
4. More Discounts & Specials

1. Be Flexible with Your Dates

The number one rule for booking a December safari holiday is flexibility. Many lodges are already full for the Christmas and New Year period, but you can still find space in early December or by adjusting arrival and departure dates by a day or two.

Insider tip: To secure a festive season safari, make sure your booking is locked in by 31 October 2025.

2. Where You Can Still Find December 2025 Safari Availability

Availability for safari holidays in December 2025 is already extremely limited, with most lodges and camps fully booked over the Christmas and New Year peak. If you are very lucky, you may still find a day or two open in Kenya’s Masai Mara at Governors’ Camp, Il Moran, Mara Serena Safari Lodge, or Elewana Sand River. Other options include Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge with its famous Kilimanjaro views, and Sweetwaters Serena or Ol Pejeta Safari Camp for Big 5 encounters. For a festive bush-and-beach combination, Diani Beach resorts on Kenya’s coast are also worth considering.

South Africa and Tanzania also offer pockets of last-minute space, though choices are slim. Kruger National Park still has some camping availability and a handful of chalets, while Addo Elephant National Park may have single-night lodge stays and camping. In Tanzania, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro remain in very high demand. A few Tanzania lodges, such as Serengeti Kati Kati, Serengeti Serena, Tarangire Treetops, and Ngorongoro Serena, may have limited space. Flexibility is essential — securing even one or two nights over this period is a matter of good timing and fast booking.

> Southern Africa Safaris: Last-Minute Safari Deals

* These special offers end Friday, 31 Oct 2025

Book any of these scheduled 12-person tours (departing between 01 October 2025 and 31 December 2025; booking confirmation to be received before the end of October 2025) to qualify for the safari discount. Get a 5-10% discount on the tour cost (excluding single supplements, gorilla permits, and pre/post tour services). Tour Group Size: 12

• 7 Day South Africa, Zimbabwe & Victoria Falls Safari – Save 5% (from $2400)
• 7 Day Victoria Falls to Chobe & Okavango Delta Safari – Save 5% (from $2597)
• 12 Day Victoria Falls, Okavango Delta & Chobe Safari – Save 10% (from $4290)
• 14 Day Best of Southern Africa Safari – Save 10% (from $4859)

> East Africa Safari Deals

* These specials end Wednesday, 31 Dec 2025

Book listed Tanzania & Kenya Safari Deals and get 5% off the tour price. The 5% Discount Safari Deals apply to East Africa Safaris taken by 31 December 2025. Valid on selected East Africa Safari Deals to Kenya's Masai Mara, Tanzania's Serengeti, Zanzibar Islands, and more. The offer is subject to availability.

Here are some December 2025 discounted East Africa safari deals:

• 11 Day Budget Kenya Safari & Beach Tour – Priced from pps $2179
• 8 Day Kenya Safari - Masai Mara & Beyond – Priced from pps $2322
• 12 Day Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Holiday Package – Priced from pps $3997
• 7 Day Tanzania Safari - Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater & Lake Manyara Priced from pps $2665

View a full listing of All East Africa safari deals.

> Overland Tours:  Discounted Departure Dates

* December Discounted Departure Dates offers end on 31 October 2025. 

For those who want to keep costs down and enjoy a flexible adventure, Africa Overland Tours are a fantastic option. These guided group safaris cover multiple countries, with last-minute December departures often offering discounts up to 25%. Tour Group size: 16.

Here are some December 2025 discounted overland safari tours:

• Departing 02 Dec – 13 Day Dar es Salaam to Vic Falls Camping Tour – Save 25% (from $1873)
• Departing 07 Dec – 12 Day Namibia & Botswana Safari – Save 15% (from $2899)
• Departing 18 Dec – 14 Day Botswana, Vic Falls & Zimbabwe Lodge Safari – Save 20% (from $3671)
• Departing 21 Dec – 12 Day South Africa & Lesotho Safari – Save 10% (from $2091)
• Departing 24 Dec – 12 Day Namibia & Botswana Small Group Safari – Save 10% (from $3452)
• Departing 27 Dec – 6 Day South Africa Garden Route Safari – Save 10% (from $1290)

View a full listing of scheduled Safari Discounted Departure Date Offers. But be sure to book – and confirm - by the end of October 2025.

3. Early Bird Safari Discounts for 2026

* Book (and confirm) by 31 October 2025

If you can’t make December 2025 work, the smart move is to take advantage of Early Bird Safari Deals for January–December 2026 departures. Get 10% off Africa Overland Tours (if you book and confirm) by 31 October 2025. Offer applies to camping, lodge, and small group safaris across Southern and East Africa.

Sample tours include:

• 11 Day Cape Town to Windhoek Camping Safari
• 14 Day Kenya & Gorilla Trek Safari
• 43 Day Kenya to Cape Town Adventure

See our full listing of 2026 Early Bird Safari Deals 

>> Bonus Deal: Free Full-Day Cape Town Tour Package

Receive a FREE Cape Town Day Tour to the Cape Peninsula with your African Safari that ends before 31 Dec 2025.

This special applies when you book one of the listed 25 Tours - travelling before 31 Dec 2025. View the full listing of Safari Tours that qualify for the special free Cape Town day tour offer.

4. Keep a Lookout for More Discounts & Specials

If you’ve had no luck securing a festive season safari booking, don’t give up just yet — our Discounts & Specials page is updated with unbeatable deals year-round. Thanks to long-standing relationships with Africa’s top safari operators, we’re able to offer exclusive discounts that you won’t find elsewhere. 

From cut-price tours to free add-ons like transfers, extra nights, or bonus packages, this page is the go-to place for smart travellers hunting for value. Keeping an eye on this page could be the key to unlocking your African safari dreams.

Keep monitoring our specials webpage for a full listing of All Discount Safaris, Tours & Packages

Pro Tips for Booking Your Africa Safari

• Read what's included in your tour: We highlight these on each listing page. If you're unsure about anything, contact us to confirm. 
• Check cancellation policies: These last-minute deals are non-refundable. 
• Don't wait too long: The longer you wait, the higher the risk you have of your chosen tour selling out. You don't want that bucket trip to pass you by. 

Get Your Travel Essentials Sorted - Ensure that you've got:

• A valid passport with at least 6 months left 
• Any required visas; some are e-visas and are usually processed more quickly 
• Vaccinations and any medication supplies you'll need to bring 
• Travel insurance 
• Cash, preferably in the local currency of your destination, as well as some USD 
• Communication options, such as an eSIM with an unlocked phone 

5. Planning Your Festive Season Safari with Experts

At African Budget Safaris, we’re more than just travel consultants - we’re adventurers who’ve explored these same trails, slept under Africa’s skies, and experienced its magic first-hand. As an independent SATSA-accredited company, we handpick only the best-value safari options, ensuring you get authentic, high-quality experiences.

Festive Season 2025 is booking out fast. To secure your safari, you will need to be quick. Speak to one of our friendly travel consultants to see how we can assist with your festive season travel wishes. It would be wise to contact us before the end of October to see if we can find the right space for you.

Speak to a travel consultant today to start planning your December 2025 safari holiday.

Sue Maude Author

Sue is a proud African with a love for the bush. Sue likes nothing better than a road trip and won’t stop until she's driven every road in South Africa! She spent her 20s working abroad backpacking the world and has had the travel bug ever since. As long as it's an adventure, she is equally happy to explore the city lights, follow the footsteps of history, try unique activities, or go deep into nature to enjoy silent spaces, earthy smells and fascinating fauna & flora. When she is not on the road, Sue lives close to the beach in Cape Town.