The African safari is one of the great someday trips, the one people file away for a birthday that ends in zero or a year they finally feel flush. File it away long enough, though, and the trip changes while you wait. In 2026, the safari is splitting into a booming ultra-luxury tier and a widening budget one, with the familiar middle-priced trip caught between them; that middle is becoming two different decisions, and the one you were picturing is the one under the most pressure.

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