There’s something we’ve been meaning to tell you.

We’re not always going to agree with you.

Now, that might sound like a strange thing for a travel company to say, particularly when our job is to help you plan the safari you’ve been dreaming about.

But sometimes, saying yes to everything is the easiest way to end up with a journey that isn’t quite right.

And we’d much rather have a slightly awkward conversation before you travel than have you come home wishing we’d spoken up.

Alison in the dunes of the Moroccan Sahara.

We were recently reminded of this when reading through a review from Alison, who first travelled with Darren when he personally guided her and her travel buddy, Karla, through Morocco ten years ago.

We’ve stayed in touch ever since, and when she decided it was time to return to Africa (with seven more travel buddies), she came back to Compass Odyssey to help arrange her journey.

Alison had some very kind things to say about the guides, accommodation and organisation. But what particularly caught our attention was this:

“Instead of just saying yes, yes, yes, he (Darren) will actually disagree with you and explain why he doesn’t think your idea might work for you and offer alternatives.”

We had a good laugh at that.

Because, well, she’s not wrong.

Darren has never been particularly good at agreeing with something simply to keep the peace.

But Alison understood exactly why.

When someone first contacts us about travelling to Africa, they often arrive with a list.

Places they’ve read about. Lodges they’ve seen photographs of. Animals they hope to see. Perhaps an itinerary a friend has recommended.

And that’s a great place to start.

But what worked beautifully for your friends might not be quite right for you.

A remote bush camp with no fences, limited electricity and a rather adventurous approach to getting there might be someone’s idea of heaven.

For someone else, it could make for a very long three nights.

Likewise, a lodge with every imaginable comfort might be perfect for one traveller, while another would happily give up the plunge pool for a more intimate camp with an exceptional guide.

Neither traveller is right or wrong.

They simply want different things.

And our job is to work out which experience will make you happiest.

One of the things we occasionally find ourselves advising against is trying to fit too much into one journey.

Africa looks deceptively manageable on a map.

You might think that adding another country, another national park or another famous lodge will make your trip even better.

But sometimes it just means another early start, another airport and another afternoon spent travelling instead of enjoying where you are.

We’d often rather see you spend an extra night somewhere wonderful than squeeze in one more destination simply because it’s on a list.

And sometimes we’ll suggest the opposite.

Perhaps three nights in one place is more than you need, given what you’re hoping to do. Or perhaps the destination you’ve set your heart on isn’t at its best during the month you’re planning to travel.

These aren’t always the answers people expect.

But they’re the conversations that matter.

Alison and friends on safari in Chobe with guide, Tefo.

This is probably our favourite part of planning a journey.

Someone contacts us convinced they want to visit a particular place.

We work out the best time to have a chat, ask a few questions, and discover that what they’re really looking for is something slightly different.

Perhaps it’s fewer vehicles at sightings, more time with one of our private guides, or a slower pace with fewer changes of accommodation.

And suddenly we’re talking about somewhere that wasn’t on their original list at all.

Those conversations can lead to some of the most rewarding journeys we plan.

Not because we know better than the traveller, but because we’ve spent years getting to know these places, the people who work there and the little details that can make such a difference.

And because sometimes it takes a few questions to discover what someone really wants from their time in Africa.

Of course, we don’t expect everyone to agree with every suggestion we make.

It’s your holiday, after all.

But we do think you deserve more than someone (or something…yes, that means you A.I.) who simply takes your wish list, turns it into an itinerary and is no more than a booking agent.

You deserve someone who’ll tell you when something might not work, explain why, and help you find an alternative that suits you better.

Alison put it rather nicely in her review:

“These tours are not one-size-fits-all.”

We couldn’t agree more.