Travel Planning: Frequently Asked Questions

Who are Opulent Travel?

Opulent Travel grew organically out of Opulent Africa, following more than 15 years of planning bespoke journeys. As our clients began asking us to plan trips further afield, we expanded naturally, bringing the same thoughtful, experience-led approach to destinations around the world.

Our team is well traveled and plans each journey with a clear understanding of how trips should feel  balanced, well paced, and quietly seamless. We work with clients all over the world, many of whom return to us time and again or come via personal recommendation.

What makes Opulent Travel different?

We focus on how a journey comes together, not just where it goes.

Rather than offering off-the-shelf itineraries, we design trips around:

  • Flow and pacing between places

  • The right hotels/accommodation and experiences for your travel style

  • A balance of activity, rest, and meaningful moments

  • Routes that make sense in real life, not just on paper

Our aim is to create journeys that feel intuitive and enjoyable, without being over-planned or rushed.

Why work with a travel planner at all?

Most of our clients lead busy lives and simply don’t have the time to research every detail of a trip, compare endless options, and sense-check whether it will all work properly once they’re on the ground.

Our role is to bring clarity and confidence to the planning process. We help you make informed decisions efficiently, avoid common pitfalls, and create a journey that feels well considered rather than overwhelming. We also take care of the logistics behind the scenes, so you can focus on the experience itself.

What types of trips do you plan?

We plan a wide range of journeys, including:

  • Cultural and historic travel

  • Food and wine-focused trips

  • Nature and wildlife experiences

  • Family and multi-generational travel

  • Honeymoons, anniversaries, and special celebrations

  • Longer, more immersive journeys through a region

Which destinations do you cover?

Opulent Travel plans journeys worldwide, including:

  • South America

  • Asia

  • Africa

  • Australasia

  • The Middle East

  • Europe

  • North America

For specialist safari and gorilla trekking travel, we work closely with our sister brands Opulent Africa and The Gorilla Safari Company.

What if we already have ideas or a draft itinerary?

Many clients come to us with a starting point, a rough outline, a list of places they’re drawn to, or an early itinerary they’d like help refining.

That’s often a great place to begin.

We sense-check ideas against real-world experience, looking at routing, pacing, seasonality, and logistics. We’ll suggest where to slow down, where to simplify, and where small changes can significantly improve how a trip feels once you’re traveling.

How involved do we need to be in the planning?

As involved as you’d like.

Some clients enjoy being closely involved in shaping every detail, while others prefer to review clear recommendations and leave the rest to us. We adapt to how you like to work and adjust the process as the planning evolves.

Do you book international flights?

No we don’t book international flights.

Many of our clients prefer to manage long-haul flights directly or through a flight specialist, often to maintain airline status, points, or flexibility. We’re very happy to advise on routing and timing, and we coordinate all land arrangements around your flights.

We do book internal flights, accommodation, transfers, and experiences as part of the overall itinerary.

What budget should we expect?

Every Opulent Travel journey is bespoke, and budgets vary depending on destination, season, level of exclusivity and the pace of travel.

Our clients typically seek high-end, thoughtfully designed experiences, whether that means private guides, exceptional accommodation, unique access, or seamless logistics throughout. We build each itinerary around your priorities and the level of experience you would like to have.

During the planning process, we will have an open conversation about investment from the outset. This allows us to design a journey that aligns with your expectations, ensuring that every element feels considered and appropriate.

Our focus is always on delivering exceptional travel experiences, tailored to you.

How far in advance should we start planning?

For most trips, we recommend starting the conversation 6–12 months in advance, especially for popular travel periods or specific hotels.

That said, we can sometimes arrange excellent trips at shorter notice, depending on availability and flexibility. Early conversations are often the most useful, even if plans are still quite loose.

How do you choose hotels and experiences?

We choose accommodation and experiences based on location, service, character, and how well they fit into the overall journey.

This often includes a mix of:

  • Small, characterful hotels

  • Well-located luxury properties

  • Experiences that add depth rather than distraction

We’re constantly reviewing and updating where we send clients, keeping up to date with new openings, refurbishments, and changes on the ground.

What happens if plans change while we’re traveling?

Travel doesn’t always go exactly to plan. When changes are needed, we work quietly behind the scenes to resolve issues and keep everything moving smoothly.

Knowing there’s someone looking out for you adds a great deal of reassurance, particularly on more complex or multi-country trips.

Who do you typically work with?

We work with couples, families, and small groups who are looking for a well-considered journey rather than a rushed checklist.

This includes honeymoons, anniversaries, multi-generational family trips, and travelers planning once-in-a-lifetime experiences. A large proportion of our work comes from repeat clients and personal referrals, which we value enormously.

What is your planning process?

Once you decide to move forward with us, we take time to understand how you want your trip to feel, along with any specific interests or past travel experiences you’d like us to build on.

We then shape and refine the itinerary with you before sharing it via a private travel app, where you’ll find day-by-day plans, accommodation details, and practical information in one place.

We stay closely involved in the lead-up to departure and remain connected while you’re travelling, ensuring everything runs smoothly from start to finish.

Explore our full collection of handpicked destinations