This Tour Is Offered By
Bianca & Craig your expert safari planner/guides
Southern African Tours
- Office In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2008)
- Member Of:
- SATSA, CTT & intrasure
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
-
ZA
Craig Lucke, CEO & expert safari guide of Southern African Tours is deeply embedded in his work & has an intuitive knowledge built up over a lifetime of growing up on the continent. His tangible passion for travel in Africa that was born years ago when he decided to cross the length of the continent in a not so trusty Land Rover. Nothing could have prepared him better for his next adventure which was to be the birth of SATOURS. His team have been creating unforgettable African safaris since 2007
Reviews68
US
3 week trip of a lifetime!
We recently had the pleasure of touring South Africa with Bianca and Craig over a three-week holiday trip that spanned Christmas and New Year's. The experience was nothing short of exceptional, exceeding all our expectations.
Our journey began in Johannesburg, where Bianca and Craig warmly welcomed us. From there, they guided us through an incredible itinerary: driving to Kruger National Park for thrilling wildlife safaris, exploring the breathtaking Panorama Route, and visiting Eswatini for a unique cross-border experience. We continued to the coastal town of St. Lucia, ventured into the majestic Drakensberg Mountains, and even made a stop in Lesotho. We then flew from Durban to Cape Town, where we explored the vibrant downtown area, relaxed in Hermanus, and soaked in the charm of Kalk Bay.
Bianca and Craig meticulously planned every detail. They surprised us with thoughtful giraffe-themed gifts and even arranged a visit to a giraffe rescue center, knowing how much we adore giraffes. Over the holidays, when many restaurants were closed, they ensured we were well-fed—even cooking us a traditional South African braai, creating unforgettable memories.
The activities they organized for us were fun and tailored to our individual interests. We experienced multiple safari game drives, including after-hours safaris, and embarked on a ranger-led game walk where we had the rare opportunity to get close to wild rhinos. We enjoyed a peaceful riverboat cruise featuring loads of hippos, went snorkeling, and took part in a stunning 4x4 mountain drive into Lesotho via the Sani pass. Bianca and Craig also arranged a giraffe feeding at a sanctuary, a memorable cheetah encounter where we could interact with the animals, shark cage diving, surf lessons along the coast, and invigorating mountain hikes through South Africa's stunning landscapes.
Navigating South Africa's challenging roads, with unmarked speed bumps, unexpected pedestrians and animals, and unique driving customs, is stressful. We were grateful that Craig handled all the driving, allowing us to relax and enjoy the journey aside from when the roads were truly crazy. Their responsiveness was outstanding—always available on WhatsApp to address any questions or needs.
What truly set Bianca and Craig apart was their extensive local knowledge, strong network of trusted operators, and their commitment to supporting minority-owned businesses and animal welfare, ensuring a positive impact on South Africa. Their passion for their country was evident in every thoughtful decision they made.
If you're looking for a personalized, seamless, and deeply enriching South African adventure, we wholeheartedly recommend Bianca and Craig. They turned our trip into an unforgettable experience. Five stars without a doubt!
US
Poor communication
We felt that this tour operator had poor communicative and didn’t book our tour or flights as originally expected. We originally booked our November safari with them in March 2024 and paid our 50% deposit at that time. After multiple emails over the next several months asking for confirmation that our flights and lodge had been booked, we found out in September 2024 that the flights hadn’t even been booked yet. We proceeded to book our own flights at that time. We would not recommend this company.
Interesting
I was very stressed and scared. I have never done a game drive before.But I found it to be quite nice.
US
Excellent service which goes beyond the normal expectations of personalization
Prior to diving into the details, I would like to thank Craig and Bianca for the great experience. Beyond the sites and activities, I must mention that Bianca was so instrumental in ensuring my wife's birthday was memorable. It takes a special, caring individual such as Bianca to ensure that we were able to obtain a beautiful, delicious (only got better later - trust me!) gluten free cake to celebrate my wife's birthday, during which of course, based on the amount of time we had spent conducting activities together, was only fit you were a part of. Thank you for not only assisting me with ordering and selecting the right cake but retrieving it from the baker and "surprising" my wife in the hotel lobby. She loved it!
Specific to the tour services, it was tailored to us completely. My wife and I are "on-the-go" folks, who hike, SCUBA dive, surf, and love to drink coffee. Regardless of the time constraint challenge in their hands, Craig and Bianca ensured they could accommodate every single activity we wanted - including an overnight stay at Inverdoorn Game Reserve, paragliding off Signal Hill, shark cage diving, hiking to/on Table Mountain, and a light buzz for my wife and me on a wine tasting (that was an unexpectedly fun time)! Plus, luckily enough for us, we got to drink some awesome South African coffee in a couple of spots, which included a small Cuban café across from our hotel.
Hence, what can I say, but thank you again for treating us like "long-time" friends, and for ensuring my wife's birthday and the whole visit was just outstanding!
GH
Appears not to be a trustworthy tour operator
I booked a ZAR 144k tour with this agency and unfortunately had to cancel due visas issues beyond our control . I paid a deposit of ZAR 78k and the operator advised that they could only refund ZAR 50k , deducting various penalties and their own admin fees. This was happening in summer 2023. I even agreed that they repay in installment of ZAR 10k as they were raising some cash flow issues. For the last 6 months they haven’t paid anything !! They always come with an excuse as to why they have not paid me yet….This has become a nightmare!
I would caution anyone to deal with this agency as I believe they are simply not trustworthy
