Planning your vacation should be as relaxing as going on one.

You’ve probably been daydreaming of safari for a while… finding yourself in a remote corner of the world, breathing in the fresh air, met by a warm smiling face, a fresh towel and a welcome drink. Locking eyes with a leopard on a game drive and finding the perfect spot to soak it all in with a sundowner before the day fades.

Safari is about the easiest thing in the world to dream about, but when it comes to actually planning your trip, it is hard to know where to start. There are so many game-rich reserves across a continent that could swallow the mainland United States three times over. That’s a lot of ground to cover! If you’re traveling with companions, you’re also juggling their interests and making sure you have a plan to keep everyone happy at all times. Even if you plan the trip perfectly, some things are just unpredictable. All of a sudden, you’re carrying a whole lot of responsibility when you should be enjoying yourself.

So how do you know who to trust with your vacation planning?

Let’s face it – in travel, pretty much anyone can claim to be an expert, and many do. But what defines an expert? Here are a few questions we recommend asking your travel designer:

• When was the last time someone from your team visited the destination I’m headed to?
• What new properties have recently opened or been renovated in the areas I’ll be visiting?
• Do you have a relationship with the managers of the properties where I’ll be staying?
• Based on my interests, what unique experiences would you recommend for me to enhance my trip?
• What should I be looking for in an insurance policy to protect my travel investment?
• What do you do to give back to the destinations where you operate?