“Money is not the most important thing in the world. Love is. Fortunately, I love money.” — Jackie Mason

Have you ever thought you could actually make money while on safari in Kenya?

The reason we learn to love so fiercely is because that sensation has a way of making us feel alive. It doesn’t matter what it is you love; for most of us here it is travel while other people in general love…well, other people and possessions. The point is, whatever it is you love the most fuels your passions and gives you a reason to live. Money, unfortunately, is way up there with the best of them.

Despite the fact that we know it cannot buy us love nor happiness, it can take you to Hawaii and according to some people, that’s very much the same thing! Money may not be able to buy you everything you need in this world, but having a tidy sum of it sure does make life a lot more fun and easier.

Tips on how to make money when on safari

We have already established that most of us here like travelling just as we have also insinuated that we all love money and all it can do for us. So why not combine these two aspects and see if we cannot make our lives just….oh so fun?!!

While the right kind of luxury safari may not be cheap by any stretch of the imagination, there are ways through which you can save money and still have the same wonderful and rejuvenating experience while in Kenya. Now let’s go a step further and find ways to make money even while on safari.

Rent out your home for the duration of your safari

Thanks to platforms such as Airbnb, you can now easily transform your home into a money-making venture when you are not in it. The average Kenyan safari takes about a week. In that time, you will be spending most of your time out on the road, camping or sunbathing in one of Kenya’s finest coastal resorts. Your home, on the other hand, will be gathering dust. That is unless you put it up for rent on Airbnb and make money while you sip that refreshingly ice-cold cocktail in Mombasa.

Use your skills to freelance

The world is quickly moving towards an unstructured work environment. Millions of people across the globe now make money online from the comfort of their living rooms. While getting stuck behind your computer when on vacation is not exactly the ideal definition of a Kenyan safari, there is a good chance that you will get an hour or two in your day to get a little work done.

The best way to make the most of your freelancing skills while on safari is to try and get unbelievable photos of the kind of wildlife, scenery and people you will be meeting (be careful when photographing people though; you might need permission for that so you don’t come off as a creep). There are tons of publications and platforms online that will pay handsomely for a well-captured image or video. You just need to find them.

You could also always sell them on iStock or Shutterstock!

Get paid to advertise on social media

There are retailers and platforms such as CoSign that allow you to make a commission when you advertise products online. Say, for example, you bought amazing clothes for your Kenyan safari. If you take amazing selfies with those clothes, post them up online (Instagram, Facebook and such) and tag the brand, retailer and price, if anyone buys it you may be eligible for a 30% – 60% commission. With this method, you could actually be making money long after you are done with your safari.

Get paid for recommending great resorts

This is only feasible if you already have a huge following online like on your blog, Instagram or other forms of social media platforms. Some of the best hotels, resorts and destinations will be amenable to giving you some kind of payment to advertise them to that audience. Be advised though, most resorts and accommodation facilities will more likely subsidize your stay as well as meals instead of exchanging actual hard cash. Either way, that saves you money and we all know that a penny saved is a penny earned.

If you have a sizeable audience that listens to your recommendations, feel free to see if the destinations you visit are willing to come to some sort of agreement for those recommendations. You never know until you ask!

Trade on your skills

If you have sort-after skills; you might be a cocktail mixing ninja or a performer of some sort, you can easily earn some cash by trading on those skills. While the big resorts will probably already have a mixologist and hired performers if you visit the lesser known ones you could have a chance to wow their visitors with your skills and earn either on tips or an hourly rate.

Hire out your car

There are platforms in every country that allow you to hire out your car while you are on vacation. You could, however, hire it out to your friends or family if you do not trust strangers with your ‘baby’. Either way, it is one way to make your car earn you money instead of costing you money on airport parking fees.

The general idea is to get creative and bold. For most of these tips, such as the ones with social media marketing or free hotel stays for recommendations, you will have to approach managers and show them your worth. With just a little thinking outside the box, you can quickly identify different ways to make money while on safari in Kenya.

Just remember, you are on holiday! So do not spend all your time trying to make money. While it can help pay for the things you love, spending your time creating wonderful memories and gathering marvellous experiences is far more worthwhile. Trust us on this, we are travel experts. We would know!