But Africa-bound consumers shouldn't rely too heavily on those fancy brochures. Of course you should study up on health precautions, crime and political instability. None of this means you should shun safaris. For a consumer, staying safe means looking for clues to a company's financial stability. Unfortunately, this is more art than science.
Some outfits look good on paper right till the end.
Buy travel insurance, either through a travel agent or directly from a travel insurer. But beware of policies that limit coverage. For example, if you buy a policy through your tour operator, the business failure of the tour operator may be excluded from coverage. The three Africa travel specialists above have shut down. Anderson, a veteran Africa hand, founded David Anderson Safaris in 1985.