This TikTok Hack Can Help You Book a $22,000 African Safari for Less Than $3,000
The savings are enormous. An outdoor lounge around a fire pit at the JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge in Kenya . Going…
The savings are enormous.
An outdoor lounge around a fire pit at the JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge in Kenya .
Going on a safari is high on many travelers' must-do lists. And really, who came blame them? Getting to see animals in their natural habitat, witnessing Africa's stunning landscapes, and disconnecting from the rest of the world, even for just a week, is the stuff of vacation dreams. However, safaris often come with an extreme price tag, running into the thousands for a single night and a single bed. But TikTok creator David Shae may have a way for you to go on that long-dreamed-about safari for much less than you think.
Zebras and Impala's surrounding the pool at JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge.
Courtesy of JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge
“This is how you can book a $22,000 all-inclusive African safari using only your Chase, Amex, or Marriott points,” Shae began in a quick TikTok tutorial video.
He goes on to point out the fantastic all-inclusive JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge in Kenya. “It averages $4,000 a night and includes everything on your entire trip, from actual safari tours to luxurious accommodations to all the food and drink your heart can handle — and you can book this entire trip on points.”
Here’s how.
According to Shae, “Right now, Chase has a 70 percent transfer bonus, which means if you send Marriott 100,000 Chase points, you’re getting 170,000 Marriott points.”
To begin, Shae noted, you have to find availability with the safari outfitter. To do so, he instructs followers to go to the Marriott Masai Mara homepage and select flexible dates with five nights for two adults. Just make sure to select "pay with Marriott points."
"We can see that there's a five-night window in May for just under 500,000 points. Nice deluxe king suite, and check out the redemption; we get a fifth night free. This is an awesome perk of using Marriott points," he added.
A common area inside the JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge.
Courtesy of JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge
If you don’t have a Marriott account already, that’s OK. Shae explained, all you need to do is go to the Marriott Bonvoy website, “enter a few details, and boom, now you have an account number. So, now you just link your Marriott account to your Chase account and select ‘Ultimate Rewards,’ ‘more,’ ‘transfer points to partners,’ and Marriott is the first one. Enter your Bonvoy number, and 290,000 is the magic number.”
This will give you an additional 203,000 points, getting you to the 492,000 required to book the trip.
"I realize this sounds like a lot, but at the end of the day, if you were to trade these points in for gift cards, that would only be $2,900. You're getting a $22,000 vacation for the equivalent of $2,900 dollars," he added.
But wait, he has one more tip.
“Say you didn’t have enough points. You can actually even buy Marriott points at a rate of $1,250 for 100,000 points, so enjoy your incredible $22,000 dollar all-inclusive safari in Kenya.”
