Guiding Style

Guiding Style

All our custom journeys are designed with the involvement and expertise of a skilled trip or safari guide who has an integral knowledge of the area you will visit.

We offer two distinct guiding styles of journey – Premium and Classic styles.  They differ by how much guide involvement you prefer in your custom journey or safari.

Premium Style – Accompanied by a specialist A Step Ahead multi-country expert

This is how A Step Ahead began and is where our travel expertise arises, guiding our own safaris. In the past we referred to this style as a private guided safari.

On a Premium Safari, your dedicated A Step Ahead specialist safari guide becomes your constant companion from the moment you arrive, working in tandem with local camp guides throughout your journey. This continuous presence allows them to truly understand your interests and preferences, carefully tracking your wildlife encounters and experiences. Unlike camp-based guides who are limited to their specific locations, your personal guide can strategically plan each day based on your previous experiences and upcoming opportunities, coordinating with local guides and camp managers to create special moments and surprise activities.

Our A Step Ahead guides bring exceptional expertise to your safari, with comprehensive knowledge of African wildlife and natural history (or Spanish culture for European journeys). Their broad international experience and deep familiarity with multiple regions across Africa or Spain ensures you benefit from their wide-ranging insights and connections. For Spanish itineraries, we enhance the experience by arranging specialized half-day excursions with local experts in selected cities, complementing your A Step Ahead guide’s extensive knowledge with detailed local perspectives.

Classic Style – Private vehicle and your own camp-based guide in each location

On a Classic Style safari, you experience the meticulous attention to detail that comes from having your journey custom-designed by one of our A Step Ahead specialist guides. A thoughtfully planned sequence of camps and activities ensures you make the most of each location, while maintaining flexibility to accommodate your interests and preferences.

Your Classic Style safari adventure begins with a warm welcome from our local representative, who provides valuable insights about the country and ensures a smooth transition to your first wilderness destination.

At each new location, you are hosted by an expert camp-based safari guide who becomes your dedicated companion throughout your stay, occasionally accompanying you across multiple camps. While you’ll share the camp’s welcoming atmosphere with other guests, you enjoy the privacy of your own game-viewing vehicle and activities. These local guides bring invaluable expertise, often built over years of experience in their specific area. They share intimate knowledge of the surrounding wildlife while offering authentic perspectives on local customs, languages, and traditions, creating a deeper connection to the places you visit.