As a specialist in luxury travel, you understand your client. They’ve played the iconic courses, and they’ve enjoyed the five-star resorts. They are no longer just looking for a holiday, they are searching for a narrative, an itinerary that speaks to the different facets of their passion. And in my years of creating elite African experiences, I’ve found there is no combination more powerful, more utterly unforgettable, than the fusion of two seemingly opposite worlds: the untamed African bush and the perfectly manicured fairway.
At Ascot Tours, we aren’t just experts in safaris or specialists in golf travel. We are the architects of the tour that marries both. We understand that for your most valued clients, safari travel isn’t an “either/or” proposition. We are the undisputed authority in delivering the ultimate double-header.
Once your clients set foot on its shores, Africa takes hold. Experience the epic scale of the wilderness, the rhythm of the bush, and the sense of stepping into an ancient and thrillingly alive world, an experience that transforms you. The Swahili word for the African continent is safari, meaning “journey.” But what does that look like when your client’s other passion involves a Titleist and a tee time?
It looks like perfection.
Africa’s Championship Credentials
Let’s first debunk a common misconception. A golf trip to Africa is not a compromise. It is a destination in its own right, boasting a portfolio of courses that stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the world’s best. The magic, however, lies in the experience that surrounds the game. It’s about more than just the scorecard.
Imagine your clients teeing off at Leopard Creek, bordering world-famous Kruger National Park, where a wayward shot might be scrutinised by a giraffe and the water hazards are home to hippos. Leopard Creek is a world-class course that seamlessly blends golf and wilderness.
Picture them navigating the three championship courses at Fancourt in South Africa, including the iconic Gary Player-designed Links, consistently ranked number one in the country. Or perhaps they’re taking on the challenge of the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City, home to the prestigious Nedbank Golf Challenge.
And the experience doesn’t end on the mainland. We can seamlessly connect them to the ultimate “bush and beach” itinerary, flying them to the heart of Africa, which is Kenya, to play oceanfront masterpieces like Vipingo Ridge and Leisure Beach.
At Ascot Tours, we see these courses not just as destinations but as anchor points in a much grander story.
From Birdies to the Big Five
This is where our expertise becomes your greatest asset. We understand the unique cadence of a golf and safari trip. It requires meticulous logistical planning to move clients from a golf resort to a remote airstrip in the heart of the bush without a single moment of friction.
We weave the safari experience around their time on the course, ensuring every day is a symphony of contrasting delights.
- The Classic Game Drive: The quintessential African experience. After a morning round, your clients can be in an open-sided 4×4 vehicle, G&T in hand, watching a pride of lions stir as the sun sets. We work with the best lodges and the most qualified rangers to ensure the game drive is an immersive, educational, and utterly thrilling part of their day.
- Walking Safaris: For the active client who appreciates walking the fairways, a walking safari is a revelation. There is nothing more riveting than tracking wildlife on foot. In Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park, the birthplace of the walking safari, or the remote wilds of the Kruger National Park, your clients can feel the bush come alive in a way a vehicle can never allow. I recall one of our guests describing a hair-raising encounter with a leopard, an electrifying moment that became the defining story of their trip. This is the kind of visceral memory we create.
- Gorilla & Chimpanzee Trekking: For the client seeking a truly life-altering experience, we can arrange a trip to the misty mountains of Uganda or Rwanda. Coming face-to-face with a family of mountain gorillas is an indescribably profound and humbling encounter. Chimpanzee trekking provides its own thrilling, high-energy experience. We manage all the complex permitting and logistics, creating a seamless add-on to their golf and safari adventure. Chimpanzee trekking undoubtedly represents the ultimate wildlife experience.
- The Great Wildebeest Migration: Imagine the contrast: the quiet focus of a 10-foot putt, followed by the thunderous, chaotic spectacle of over a million wildebeest crossing the Mara River. We know the seasons and the locations to give your clients the best possible chance of witnessing this “Wonder of the Natural World” in the Serengeti or Masai Mara, creating a memory of staggering scale and drama.
Why Trust Ascot Tours with Your Reputation?
Going on an African safari is to escape into another world. When you combine that with the passion of golf, you are designing an itinerary that plays with all the senses. It requires a level of on-the-ground knowledge, logistical prowess, and an intimate understanding of two very different worlds.
This is our world.
We are not just booking agents, we are your partners. We are an extension of your brand, dedicated to flawless execution that makes you look brilliant. When you present an Ascot Tours itinerary, you are presenting a promise of an itinerary that is deeply personal, utterly luxurious, and truly transformative.
So, let’s talk. Challenge us with your most ambitious client requests. Let’s create the ultimate double-header together.
Scott Edkins
CEO, Ascot Tours