FIT and GIT safaris differ in who travels and how the price is built. A FIT (free independent traveller) safari is a private trip for a couple, family or small party. A GIT (group inclusive tour) safari is a fixed programme for a larger group, with shared vehicles and rooms, a lower cost per head and stricter contract terms.
Sense of Adventure is a Nairobi-based ground operator licensed by Kenya’s Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA1/47/C01/77087), handling both independent travellers and groups for travel agents, tour operators and wholesalers. This guide to FIT and GIT safaris in Kenya explains the eight key differences in planning and pricing, shows how vehicle costs are shared, and helps you decide which model to sell to each client.
Table of Contents
✅ FIT and GIT Safaris: The Quick Answer
- FIT: one to about seven travellers, private vehicle and guide, flexible dates, priced per party and then per person.
- GIT: a group on one fixed itinerary, often 10 or more travellers, several vehicles, priced per person on a minimum number.
- Cost per head: lower for groups, because vehicle, guide and fixed costs are shared by more people.
- Fixed per-person costs: park fees and most room rates do not fall with group size.
- Contracts: FIT terms are simpler; GIT terms add release dates, minimum numbers and name-change rules.
- Lead time: FIT can often be confirmed in weeks outside peak season; GIT usually needs 6 to 12 months.
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What FIT and GIT Safaris Mean in the Travel Trade
In the travel trade, FIT and GIT safaris are two ways of packaging the same destination: one built around an individual party, the other around a group.
FIT is usually read as free independent traveller (sometimes fully independent tour). It covers couples, honeymooners, families and small private parties who travel on their own dates, often with a private vehicle and guide. GIT stands for group inclusive tour, a package in which a group travels together on one itinerary at a price per person that assumes a minimum number of travellers.
There is no single legal threshold between the two. Many suppliers treat about eight to ten travellers, or a set number of rooms, as a group, and apply group terms from that point. Always ask each supplier where its group terms begin, because it changes deposits, release dates and cancellation rules.
Where private small groups fit
A family of eight or a group of friends sits between the two. Operationally it may need two vehicles, like a small group, but commercially it often behaves like a FIT: flexible dates, private vehicles and quick decisions. Our private Kenya safari options cover this middle ground.
FIT and GIT Safaris Compared: 8 Key Differences
The table below sets out the eight differences that matter most when you plan and price FIT and GIT safaris in Kenya.
| Factor | FIT safari | GIT safari |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Group size | 1 to about 7 travellers | Often 10 or more, on one itinerary |
| 2. Dates | Client chooses; flexible | Fixed departure, set months ahead |
| 3. Itinerary | Tailor-made, easy to change | Fixed programme for everyone |
| 4. Vehicles | One private vehicle and guide | Several vehicles and a lead guide |
| 5. Pricing basis | Per party, then per person | Per person on a minimum number |
| 6. Cost per head | Higher; vehicle shared by few | Lower; fixed costs shared by many |
| 7. Contract terms | Deposit, balance, cancellation scale | Adds release dates, minimums, name changes |
| 8. Lead time | Weeks to months | Typically 6 to 12 months |
Expert tip from our Nairobi operations team: classify every brief as FIT, small private group or GIT before you ask for prices. It tells your supplier which rates, terms and vehicle plan to use, and avoids a second round of quoting.
How FIT Safaris Are Planned
FIT safaris are planned around one party’s dates, flights, interests and pace, so the itinerary is built to fit the client rather than the other way round.
- Brief: dates, flights, number and ages of travellers, budget per person and interests.
- Route and camps: two or three options, with drive or flight times and named camps.
- Availability check: rooms and, where needed, light-aircraft seats for the chosen dates.
- Quote: itemised price per person, with child and single prices if relevant.
- Confirmation: deposit, vouchers and a pre-departure pack.
- Arrival: individual meet and greet at JKIA or Wilson Airport, matched to the client’s flight.
Because FIT clients arrive on their own flights, each booking needs its own transfer and a flexible start time. In FIT and GIT safaris alike, single travellers usually pay a single supplement on rooms, and a solo FIT client also carries a vehicle alone; our guide to a solo safari in Kenya explains this for clients.
How GIT Safaris Are Planned
GIT safaris are planned backwards from a fixed departure date, with space held early and numbers confirmed in stages.
- Concept: route, dates, target group size and price point for your market.
- Holds: provisional rooms, vehicles and flights for the maximum expected group.
- Contract: deposit, release dates, minimum numbers and cancellation terms.
- Sales period: you market the tour; we update holds as numbers move.
- Release: unsold rooms are returned by the agreed date to avoid charges.
- Final lists: rooming list, flight manifest, dietary and medical notes.
- Operation: group meet and greet, lead guide, daily briefings and updates to your office.
For the operational side of FIT and GIT safaris with larger numbers, group logistics such as vehicle maths and rooming lists are covered in detail in our guide to Kenya group ground handling. Incentive groups follow their own pattern; see Kenya incentive travel.
How FIT and GIT Safaris Are Priced
Pricing for FIT and GIT safaris uses the same cost lines, but the way shared costs are divided changes the price per person.
Shared costs and per-person costs
A safari price has two kinds of cost. Shared costs, such as the vehicle, fuel and driver-guide, are paid per vehicle per day and divided among the people in it. Per-person costs, such as park fees, most room rates and meals, stay the same whatever the group size. That is why a group lowers the price per head, but never below the per-person costs.
| Travellers in one vehicle | Share of vehicle and guide cost per person | Per-person costs (parks, rooms, meals) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100% | Unchanged, plus single supplement |
| 2 | 50% | Unchanged |
| 4 | 25% | Unchanged |
| 6 | About 17% | Unchanged |
This simple model shows why a couple pays more per person than a family of six in the same vehicle. For GIT pricing, the same logic runs across several vehicles, plus a share of the lead guide and any group extras.
Park fees in FIT and GIT safaris
Park fees are charged per person per day and passed through at cost in both FIT and GIT safaris. In 2026 the Masai Mara charges non-resident adults USD 200 per day from July to December, and Amboseli USD 90 per day. Check the Kenya Wildlife Service for current national park fees, and our guide to Kenya park fees for tour operators for quoting rules.
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Minimum Numbers, Supplements and Group Concessions
In FIT and GIT safaris the pricing rules differ: GIT pricing depends on a minimum number of travellers and FIT pricing on supplements, so both need clear rules in the quote.
- Minimum numbers (GIT): the per-person price is valid only if at least the stated number travels; below that, the price is reviewed.
- Price bands: many operators quote GIT prices in bands, such as 10 to 14 and 15 to 19 travellers.
- Single supplements: charged by most camps for single use of a room, in both FIT and GIT safaris.
- Child pricing: camps set their own child ages and rates; some have minimum ages.
- Tour-leader concessions: some suppliers offer a reduced or free place for a group leader once a group reaches a set size; terms vary by supplier.
- Seasonal supplements: festive periods and peak months may carry supplements or minimum stays.
We never publish trade rates or concessions, because they depend on dates, camps and group size. For how net and commissionable pricing work, see safari net rates vs commission and Kenya safari wholesale rates.
Contracts, Deposits and Risk for Each Model
The commercial risk in FIT and GIT safaris sits in different places, so your terms with clients should mirror your supplier terms for each model.
| Term | FIT safari | GIT safari |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit | To confirm the booking | To hold group space, sometimes in stages |
| Balance | Weeks before arrival | Weeks before arrival, often earlier for peak dates |
| Release date | Rarely used | Unsold rooms returned by a set date |
| Name changes | Usually simple | Allowed to a deadline, sometimes with a fee |
| Cancellation | Sliding scale by days before arrival | Sliding scale plus attrition limits |
| Main risk | Late changes by one party | Unsold places and falling numbers |
Typical practice varies by supplier and season, so always ask for written terms. Our client-facing guide to safari cancellation policies explains sliding scales in plain language.
Expert tip from our Nairobi operations team: for GIT departures, set your own client booking deadline a week or two before the supplier release date. It gives you time to release space cleanly and avoid paying for empty rooms.
Lead Times for FIT and GIT Safaris
Lead times for FIT and GIT safaris depend on season, group size and the camps you want.
- FIT, peak season (July to October, festive): six to nine months for the best camps and flights.
- FIT, other months: often a few weeks to three months, subject to availability.
- GIT, peak season: 9 to 12 months, because groups need several rooms in one camp on the same nights.
- GIT, other months: four to six months is often workable.
Our guide to how far in advance to book a Kenya safari shows typical lead times by season that you can share with clients.
Which Model Should You Sell? FIT and GIT Safaris by Client Type
The right choice between FIT and GIT safaris depends on the client’s priorities: flexibility and privacy, or value and shared experience.
| Client type | Best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Honeymooners and couples | FIT | Privacy, flexible pace, special touches |
| Families with young children | FIT or small private group | Own vehicle, shorter days, child-friendly camps |
| Photographers | FIT or small special-interest group | Time at sightings, seat space for gear |
| Clubs and associations | GIT | Shared interest, value, social travel |
| Student and educational groups | GIT | Fixed programme, supervision, budget |
| Corporate and incentive groups | GIT | Uniform standard, events, fixed dates |
| Solo travellers on a budget | Small group where available | Shares vehicle cost; FIT carries full vehicle cost |
Ready-made private trips such as our Kenya Family Safari: Nairobi, Naivasha and Masai Mara suit FIT families, while the Kenya Group Safari: Mara, Nakuru and Naivasha is a good base for a GIT departure. Browse more in our B2B trade partners portal.
How to Brief Us on FIT and GIT Safaris
A complete brief gets a fast, accurate quote for FIT and GIT safaris alike.
- Model: FIT, small private group or GIT.
- Numbers: exact for FIT; minimum and maximum for GIT.
- Dates: fixed dates, or a window for flexible FIT clients.
- Style and budget: lodge, tented camp or conservancy camp; budget per person.
- Room types: doubles, twins, triples, singles and family rooms.
- Special needs: diets, mobility, child ages and celebrations.
- Pricing model: net or commissionable, and whether you need white-label documents.
Your clients will need an approved Electronic Travel Authorisation from the official Kenya eTA portal in most cases, and every Sense of Adventure safari includes complimentary AMREF Flying Doctors emergency evacuation cover, alongside their own travel insurance.
How Sense of Adventure Handles FIT and GIT Safaris
We plan and deliver FIT and GIT safaris for the trade from Nairobi, so your agency keeps the client while we run the ground.
- Trade pricing: B2B net rates or commissionable rates, terms confirmed in writing, plus seasonal offers.
- Speed: quotations within 24 hours from a dedicated trade desk, with real-time operational updates.
- Ground handling: accommodation, pop-up roof 4×4 Land Cruisers and safari vans, English-speaking driver-guides, scheduled light-aircraft bookings, park entry and activities.
- Arrivals: meet and greet at JKIA and Wilson Airport for individuals and groups.
- Range: private safaris, custom itineraries, MICE and incentives, and Kenya and Tanzania with Zanzibar, Uganda and Rwanda extensions.
- Branding and support: white-label documents and emergency support from our Nairobi operations team.
Verify our licence with the Tourism Regulatory Authority, check operator membership with the Kenya Association of Tour Operators, and read our full trade terms on the Kenya DMC for travel agents page.
FIT and GIT Safaris FAQs
What is the difference between FIT and GIT safaris?
A FIT safari is a private trip for an individual party, such as a couple or family, on its own dates and pace. A GIT safari is a group inclusive tour on one fixed itinerary, with shared vehicles, a per-person price based on minimum numbers and stricter contract terms.
How many people make a group on a Kenya safari?
There is no single rule. Many suppliers apply group terms from about eight to ten travellers, or from a set number of rooms. Ask each supplier where its group terms start, because it changes deposits, release dates, minimum numbers and cancellation rules.
Why are GIT safaris cheaper per person?
Shared costs such as vehicles, fuel and driver-guides are divided among more travellers. Per-person costs such as park fees, most room rates and meals do not fall, so a group lowers the price per head but never below those fixed per-person costs.
Do park fees change for groups?
No. National park, reserve and conservancy fees are charged per person per day for both FIT and GIT safaris and are passed through at cost. In 2026 the Masai Mara charges non-resident adults USD 200 per day from July to December.
What is a release date in a GIT contract?
It is the date by which unsold rooms or seats held for a group must be returned to the supplier without charge. After that date, cancellation or attrition charges usually apply. Set your own client deadline before the release date to avoid paying for empty rooms.
Can a FIT client join a group safari?
Only if a group departure with space exists and the group organiser agrees. Most Kenya safaris sold by the trade are private, so solo travellers on a budget should ask for small-group options, while FIT clients who value flexibility usually stay private.
How far ahead should FIT and GIT safaris be booked?
For July to October and the festive season, book FIT trips six to nine months ahead and GIT departures 9 to 12 months ahead. In quieter months, FIT trips can often be confirmed within weeks and groups within four to six months.
🏕 Partner With Sense of Adventure in Kenya
Kenya-based ground operator. Real local knowledge. Transparent trade pricing. Send us your next FIT or group brief and we will quote it on the right basis, under your brand. 📋 Request B2B Rates · 💬 WhatsApp Our Trade Desk
Call or WhatsApp: +254 799 160 081 · Email: info@senseofadventure.co.ke
Related Trade Guides
- › Kenya DMC for Travel Agents: B2B Rates and Ground Handling
- › Kenya Group Ground Handling: 9 Steps to Plan Large Groups
- › Kenya Incentive Travel: 10 Steps to Plan Incentive and MICE Safaris
- › Safari Net Rates vs Commission: Which Model Suits Your Agency
- › Kenya Park Fees for Tour Operators: 2026 Guide for Quoting
Official licensing & park resources: Tourism Regulatory Authority ↗ · Kenya Wildlife Service ↗
