Discover Africa Safaris team
Discover Africa Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2002)
- Member Of:
- ATTA, SATSA, CTT & IGLTA
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $450 to $2,000 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
Email Robert Lefebvre | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
What a Great Customer Experience
I found Discover Africa via a web search and connected with Diane Du Plessis one their safari travel experts. As this was my second trip to Sth Africa I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted for my family this time around and specifically I wanted to return to Honeyguide Mantobeni in the Manyeletti private game reserve for the first leg of our safari, and I needed Diane to help us find another lodge for a different experience on the second leg of the holiday. Diane listened to what we wanted out of this holiday and put together a trip that was brilliant, including the lodges organising internal flights and transfers from airports to and from the lodges, all of which ran like clockwork. Diane even texted me while we were in transit from Singapore to Johannesburg to remind me that our internal Airlink flights were open for on-line check in. So, she was still working for us before we even got there. Absolute 5 star for her attention to detail.
Diane booked us into Honeyguide at my request. As I said I'd been there before and really enjoyed it. I would describe Honeyguide as a 4 star Lodge with very nice tented accommodation. Tents are elevated, have a nice seating area out front, shower, bathroom and good bed. If you want to feel like you're in Africa it works. The staff are very attentive and the meals are plentiful. It's not fine dining but more than adequate. If needed, they will cater for dietary requirements, in our case Dairy-free for our daughter. Drinks are not included in your package but beer wine and spirit prices are so reasonable it doesn't matter.
The lodge is situated on its own waterhole which attracts loads of wildlife. Zebra, antelope, wildebeest, elephant. Elephant roam the camp daily and come to drink from the lodge's swimming pool giving you a very up-close and personal experience. We had lion roaming through the camp at night and one large male lion came through during the day. So, you'll get wildlife in spades.
The game drives in Manyeletti make this the ideal first stop on a safari holiday. I would rate the game viewing 5 Star because of the variety and sheer numbers of animals and the landscape itself which is more open plains or savannah than bush. So if you are out on a drive looking for Lion, you will see herds of elephant, Zebra, Wildebeest etc along the way. We came upon 2 Cheetah enjoying their fresh kill one morning. As for Lion there are 2 or 3 Prides so no issue in terms of finding them. There's nothing quite like being eyeballed by a lioness as she strolls past your vehicle at a very intimate range. What are less prevalent in this reserve are Leopard which are just establishing themselves and Rhino which are at the far southern end of the reserve. The reserve is some 24,000 Hectares which is massive and the dirt roads are not kept in the best condition. They do not use trackers at Honeyguide so the Guide is playing a dual role. I suspect this is because of the abundance of wildlife and the radio communication with other lodge vehicles who operate within the reserve. I've been twice and I'll probably go back again. It's a wonderful experience which will not break the bank.
Diane did some research based on what we wanted and what we had experienced the yr before at Honeyguide and another Lodge in another province. She suggested Inyati in the Sabi Sands Private reserve which was about a 90 minute drive from Manyeletti. We went with her suggestion and were delighted with the whole experience. First the lodge is 5 star, the accommodation is individual chalets and the staff were amazing. Again food was plentiful with enough variety to suit any palate. The Lodge overlooks the Sand river with its resident Hippos and crocs antelope by the hundreds, elephant etc. This is a totally different experience than the first lodge, which is why Diane suggested it. Rather than open plains it is more bushland. The reserve is famous for Leopard and they roam freely in and around the Lodge. (had a leopard kill literally 3 meters from our chalet front door one night).
Upon arrival our guide asked us what we'd like to see that afternoon, we said Leopard and within 10 minutes our tracker found one. Saw Leopard cubs, saw Painted dogs with a litter of 10 pups, saw a painted dog running down an impala, lots of Rhino and rhino calves, Elephants, baby elephants Cape buffalo Lion and lion cubs. So the big 5 as well as the baby 5. Lions were more difficult to find at Inyati and it's probably because of the bushland setting and the Sabi Sands is another massive private reserve and the animals roam. Totally different experience, more tracking involved and not the masses of Zebra and Wildebeest along the way as you track down whatever it is you were looking for, but a herd of Giraffe running down the sand river and having your path blocked by Rhino or elephant is also quite the experience. The guide and tracker were excellent with amazing knowledge about every animal you came across including the wide variety of birdlife.
All drinks were included in the package and the staff couldn't be more helpful and delightful. The lodge has a gym but we preferred sitting on the lodge's main deck soaking up the view of the sand river and the wildlife with a cold drink in hand.
Great lodge, much more upmarket, tons of wildlife--a definite yes. Thanks Diane Du Plessis for putting together a holiday we'll talk about for years. Look forward to talking to you about what's next for us.
US
Email Dino | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding
Matthys handled our entire trip. Recommended a ten day trip based off my interests. The trip was flawless. Every detail from transportation to lodging was handled and well documented.
We visited Cape Town, Victoria Falls, and Kruger. Everything exceeded our expectations. Six out of five stars. We even seen the Big 5 at Kruger National Park
IT
Email Emanuela e Fabrizio | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Fantastic experience in Zimbabwe and Zambia
The organization of the trip was perfect in every detail. We visited three parks, Hwange, Lower Zambezi and Sourh Luangwa, with challenging transfers both by land and by small planes. But everything was organized very well. Even the lodges where we stayed were of a good standard and very hospitable. We thank Discovery Africa and in particular Dev for this fantastic experience that has remained in our hearts.
US
Email Zhenchao | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Susan of Discover Africa has been a one-of-kind caring and knowledgeable tour counselor.
We booked our safari trip with Susan of Discover Africa. Susan has been very caring, patient and professional. She listened to our requests and questions patiently and responded promptly. When she discovered that a larger group’s booking with the same camp as our booking had overlap, she reached out to us and suggested alternative camps to maintain the possibility of an intimate safari experience. Our entire trip to the three camps has been a wonderful experience. We saw many animals easily in Amboseli. The guide Dickson was really great, and we learned a lot about the animal behavior and their ecosystem. The Elewana Tortilis camp was great with an intimate atmosphere and very friendly staff. The Governor’s camp had access to a larger area of wildlife so one doesn’t get the feel that animals are everywhere. But we did get to see a lot of them. The highlights included seeing large herds of elephants (more than 40) reaching the Mara River bank, drinking water and contemplating crossing the river, and seeing lions feasting on their kill, and seeing a leopard patiently waiting for a group of impalas and finally making a hunt, albeit unsuccessful. The great migration completed about two weeks ago. Our guide Issac explained that the distinction between dry and rainy season is no longer that clear, there has been more rain in Tanzania around this time in recent years so fewer wildebeests have crossed deep into the Mara area in the last five years and they have returned south earlier. The Governor’s camp was also very good but one doesn’t get as personal receptions from the management as one gets from the Elewana properties. The Elewana Loisaba property had exceptionally warm staff members and management—we would like to single out our meals server Ali for his warm hospitality, in addition to its breathtaking views from the tents and through much of its conservancy. It’s harder to spot some of the animals due to its terrains and bushes, but we did get to see many beautiful animals, including the precious rhinos and large families of giraffes. All in all we have had a wonderful experience in our eight days of safari trip over there camps. This has been a great experience and we can’t thank Susan enough for her help.
US
Email Madeline | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Discover Africa did an amazing job planning our South Africa/Zimbabwe trip!
Every aspect of the trip was expertly planned by our Discover Africa Travel Consultant - Lana Goodwin. The hotel location and the tours that were set up for us in Capetown were exactly what we came to see there- the wineland tour and the coastal tour (penguins!). Garonga Safari Camp was in every aspect, 5 star from the food to the game drives to the on site staff. Victoria Falls also did not disappoint. Discover Africa handled it all for us, including internal Africa flights - so all we had to was get there! Highly recommend this company and would use them again!
Outstanding Service and Unforgettable Safaris
This review is long overdue, but I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Vihann at Discover Africa for organizing my two incredible visits to Africa Safari over the past two years. Vihann is not only a pleasure to work with, but his expertise in customizing itineraries is truly exceptional. He makes sure every detail is communicated clearly and always responds promptly to any questions or concerns. His friendly and approachable nature elevates the entire experience.
On my last day in Cape Town last year, I was anxious about the ongoing taxi strike and whether I’d be able to get back to the U.S. on time. While having lunch at a restaurant, I texted Vihann to share my concerns. He responded right away, asking if I could return to the hotel within a specific time frame. He was arranging an earlier ride to the airport to make sure I caught my flight. I was so grateful that he went above and beyond to address my concerns.
Thanks to Vihann at Discover Africa, I've had two wonderful trips, and it's hard to resist the allure of Africa. Perhaps next time, it will be for a gorilla trekking adventure!
CH
Email Susanne | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A dream trip to Africa
We had a unforgettable time in Botswana and South Africa! Everything was well organized by Diane from Discover Africa!
Great Lodges and all was always in time.
We loved the animals/ game drives, the guides, landscapes and people.
It was one of the best experiences of our lives.
US
Email Karen Ding | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
My first Safari wonder was absolutely memorable with Matthy's expert arrangement
My experience was wonderful. Matthys helped us to plan the trip to see great wildebeest migration. The timing was planned perfectly, the trip arranged in detail. In addition, Matthys always answered our questions timely and expertly before and during our trip. Each camp we stayed was beautiful with friendly staff. The Cliff is highly recommended with stunning views of the lake.
SG
Email Ian | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Authentic Safari Experience
I felt safe throughout my safari experience under the management of Discover Africa Safaris and I was also able to experience the wildlife in the bush up close. I paid slightly more for comfort in a premium safari but there are also cheaper alternate options.
US
Email Ken | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Discover Africa’s expertise and outstanding service created an unforgettable trip.
We had an excellent experience with Discover Africa!!! Matthys was our agent, and he is very knowledgeable and thoughtful, and spent a lot of time planning with us, both through zoom and email, to make sure our custom itinerary was spot-on. The trip was incredible! Exactly what we dreamed of for a first-time Africa experience. We visited Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park, the Okavango Delta, and Cape Town. All of the accommodations and guides were wonderful and all of the travel arrangements were smooth. We highly recommend Matthys and Discover Africa!