Private Group Safaris in Africa | Ongeri Expeditions

A camp taken by a private group in the Maasai Mara

The Promise

Twelve people, one camp, no compromises.

Taking a group on safari is a different exercise from taking a couple. Rooms have to be balanced, ages have to be catered for, somebody wants to walk and somebody wants to sleep, and everyone has an opinion on dinner.

Done badly it becomes a logistics problem that follows you around for a fortnight. Done properly it is the most relaxed way to travel in Africa, because the camp is yours and nothing has to be negotiated with strangers.

Get the property right for the numbers and most of the usual group problems simply stop existing.

We take groups of six to thirty, whether that means a block of rooms at a larger lodge, a small camp taken whole, or a private villa. Milestone birthdays, three generations travelling together, groups of old friends, boards and incentive trips.

One advisor holds the entire party, from the first rooming list to the last transfer, and we invoice individually where that makes life easier for whoever is organising it.

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In Short

Private group safaris, at a glance.

Ongeri Expeditions handles groups of six to thirty across East Africa and the Indian Ocean. The essentials are below.

Group size: 6 to 30 travellers, split across neighbouring properties above that
Property options: A block of rooms at a larger lodge, or a smaller camp or villa taken whole
Movement: Scheduled and private light aircraft rather than long road transfers
Vehicles: Multiple vehicles and guides so the group can split by day and reconvene for dinner
Payment: Invoiced to the organiser or to each traveller separately, with card processing fees absorbed
Booking window: 12 to 18 months ahead for peak season, longer over Christmas and New Year

Why Ongeri

Why groups land with us.

Six things that decide whether a group trip is a holiday or a job.

We size the property to the party

Sometimes that means taking a small camp entirely. Often it means blocking eight or ten rooms at a larger lodge that absorbs a group comfortably. Both work well, and we tell you which one your group actually needs.

II.

We move groups by air, not by road

Long road transfers are what break group trips. We use scheduled light aircraft and private charters so that a party of twenty arrives together, rested, in the same hour.

III.

One advisor, one point of contact

Whoever is organising the group deals with one person, not a booking system. Rooming lists, dietary requirements, arrival times and payments all sit in one place.

IV.

Days that suit everyone at once

Grandparents who want a slow morning, teenagers who want to be out at dawn, and somebody who simply wants the pool. Multiple vehicles and a flexible camp make that easy rather than a daily negotiation.

Payments handled sensibly

We can invoice the organiser once or every traveller separately, take payment in stages, and absorb card processing fees. Chasing eleven friends for money should not be part of your holiday.

VI.

We are on the ground here

Nairobi based, with our own relationships at every camp. When something needs to change for twenty people at short notice, that is a phone call rather than an email chain across time zones.

What We Do

What we take on.

The parts of a group trip that quietly consume weeks if nobody else is doing them.

The Right Property for the Numbers

A block of rooms at a larger lodge, or a small camp or villa taken whole. We shortlist both, with the costs side by side, rather than pushing you towards the more expensive answer.

ii.

Private Charters and Flight Management

Aircraft sized to the party, timed around your international arrivals, with luggage limits sorted in advance so nobody is repacking on an airstrip.

iii.

Celebrations and Events

Milestone birthdays, anniversaries, small weddings and company dinners. Bush venues, catering, sound, flowers and a photographer, arranged and run for you.

iv.

Split Days Without Splitting the Group

Multiple vehicles and guides so that different people can do different things and still eat together. The single most useful thing on a multigenerational trip.

How It Works

It starts with a conversation.

No forms to wrestle with and no template itinerary landing in your inbox an hour later. We talk first, then we design.

Tell us who is coming

Numbers, ages, rooming, and what the trip is actually for. A fiftieth birthday, a reunion and an incentive trip look nothing alike, even at the same camp.

ii.

We shortlist properties that take the whole party

Larger lodges with room blocks alongside smaller camps taken whole, with the arithmetic on both, so you can see exactly what privacy costs before you decide to buy it.

iii.

We hold, plan and run it

Rooming, flights, vehicles, menus and events. One advisor throughout, reachable at any hour, from the first deposit to the last departure transfer.

Good to Know

Questions, answered plainly.

What size of group do you take?

From six to around thirty. Below six a private safari is usually the better structure. Above thirty we split the party across neighbouring properties and run the days together, which works well and is more common than people expect.

Do we have to take a whole camp?

Not at all, and often you should not. Larger lodges absorb a group of eight or ten rooms very comfortably, and you keep the facilities, the choice of dining and usually a better price. Taking a whole property makes sense when the group is large enough to fill a small camp, or when privacy is the point of the trip. We quote both and let the numbers make the argument.

Can different people in the group do different things each day?

Yes, and it is the main reason to travel this way. Multiple vehicles and guides mean an early game drive, a late breakfast, a walk and a day by the pool can all happen on the same morning, with everyone back together for dinner.

Can you handle payments from individual travellers?

Yes. We can invoice the organiser once, or bill each traveller or family separately, in stages. We absorb card processing fees, so nobody pays a surcharge for using a card.

Do you arrange corporate and incentive trips?

Yes. Boards, leadership retreats and incentive groups, including meeting space, connectivity where it is genuinely needed, and a programme that does not feel like a conference in a tent.

How far ahead should a group book?

Twelve to eighteen months for peak season, and further for Christmas and New Year. An exclusive use property can only be sold once, so the good ones go early and they go completely.

Can you combine a safari with a beach for the group?

Yes, and it suits larger parties particularly well. A week on safari where the days are structured, then a week in a beach villa where they are not. We handle the flight between the two so nobody spends a day in a vehicle.

Private Group Travel

Twelve people, one camp, no compromises.

Private group safaris, at a glance.

Why groups land with us.

We size the property to the party

We move groups by air, not by road

One advisor, one point of contact

Days that suit everyone at once

Payments handled sensibly

We are on the ground here

What we take on.

The Right Property for the Numbers

Private Charters and Flight Management

Celebrations and Events

Split Days Without Splitting the Group

It starts with a conversation.

Tell us who is coming

We shortlist properties that take the whole party

We hold, plan and run it

Questions, answered plainly.

Tell us who is coming.

Private Group Travel

Twelve people, one camp, no compromises.

Private group safaris, at a glance.

Why groups land with us.

We size the property to the party

We move groups by air, not by road

One advisor, one point of contact

Days that suit everyone at once

Payments handled sensibly

We are on the ground here

What we take on.

The Right Property for the Numbers

Private Charters and Flight Management

Celebrations and Events

Split Days Without Splitting the Group

It starts with a conversation.

Tell us who is coming

We shortlist properties that take the whole party

We hold, plan and run it

Questions, answered plainly.

You may also be looking at.

Multigenerational Safaris

Private Villas

Family Safaris

Small Group Journeys

Tell us who is coming.