I disagree on the notion of booking with a local agency. As my colleague put it: "You do not need to contact a local operator. You can contact a specialist safari agent anywhere in the World (Kenya, Philadelphia, etc). The key for you should be that the person you contact works directly with the lodges and knows Africa very well. When booking a luxury safari, specialist agents in the source markets (USA etc.) have the best net prices. This does not necessarily mean they are the cheapest way to book. Source market operators will mark-up their net price to a “sell price” which may be the same or more than the rate you see online. If they charge more, it will be because they are adding tremendous value by fully preparing you for your trip and matching you to the right safari experience in the first place. They may even have an air department and take care of every aspect of the journey. You might need to contact a few companies in a few parts of the World to sort it all out."

I think you are on the right track my asking people online for resources. There's no shortages of great safari specialists out there. If possible, I'd focus on finding a safari consultant that is non-commissioned, has a depth of knowledge, feels trustworthy and the company whom they work for doesn't have any vested interested in any given safari camp/product.

Kota Tabuchi - Managing Director: Africa - Travel Beyond