Viva Safaris team look forward to seeing you soon!
Viva Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 50-100 employees (Founded in 1991)
- Member Of:
- Southern Africa Tourism Services Association
- Tour Types:
- Mid-range tours that, when possible, use accommodations owned and operated by them
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $79 to $196 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
IN
Email Dr. Faisal Daud | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Memorable...
There are so many things to articulate but if I had to condense it into something a little more concise, I would say that Tremisana felt like home: warm, welcoming and breathtaking. Educate was the perfect host, not to forget an all-rounder, taking care of everything the best he could, immaculately and with joviality. We also thank the ever-smiling and amiable Nyarai, who always went out of her way to help us out whenever we needed it. Naideen's presence during the excursions was a mood-booster.
Lastly, we had to HAD TO mention Mark and Luke. Being fervent wildlife enthusiasts, we travel all over the globe to catch glimpses of wilderness's marvels, but Mark and Luke made our experience in Tremisana exceptionally beautiful and immersive: Mark, with his evergreen charm and passion, and Luke, with his determination and expertise. Mark made the safaris vividly memorable for us and Luke made the bushwalk into perhaps one of the most exhilarating and educational experiences we've ever had. Our family is absolutely in awe of them, and we really miss them a lot. Their zeal for wildlife, their brilliant knowledge and their sheer will to show us the animals enamored us, especially my eldest son.
And though we couldn't see some of the predators we wanted to (but don't worry we saw EVERYTHING else, loads of elephants, impalas, greater kudus, spotted hyenas, lionesses including atleast 20 rhinos overall) their indomitable efforts made the trip memorable and worth it.
We would, however like to mention that we wish the safari hours in Kruger were managed to make the driving hours longer, since the park opens at 5:30 am and closes at 6:30 pm. This is because the overall driving hours are tapered into a mere 6-hour drive because of a number of delays in-between, which could be slightly underwhelming for safari enthusiasts like us, who want to keep the expedition going.
We also think that the overall experience could be improved a little if the dining options were increased a little more then what was available. But other then that Mama B's tender smile and delicious Mac 'n' cheese made us very happy.
Tremisana and Viva Safaris made this experience a very memorable and nostalgic one, and we thank them for it.
Regards,
Dr. Faisal Daud
PS- Luke and Mark should also thank us as they got to see so many rhinos on the safaris because of us 😝
Email Rachel | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience, great value for money. Sad to leave
I did the 6 days 5 nights recently. I booked with Viva Safaris due to the volume of positive reviews on these sites. I can confirm that the good reviews are justified. They had a varied itinerary that kept you busy and allowed you to have a good chance at seeing as many animals as possible. The guides were really friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. The rooms were good and they kept us well fed throughout the trip each day. I was sad to leave and would love to return in the future.
IT
Email MT | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience!
We were very happy with the choice, the lodges were comfortable, great meals and service, we even had some unexpected visits from some animals that came to drink near the lodge.
Game drives took place both in the Balule Reserve and in Kruger NP. The experience was wonderful, with lots of encounters with animals, thanks also to our wonderful guides who took turns on the various game drives, in particular Rocky, who accompanied us on two wonderful full days at KNP (with a fantastic rhino sighting!!), Ray and Marc, who took turns on the drives at Balule and the bush walk and gave us all sorts of informations on the animals and the nature around.
Email Mary | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent
The tour guides went out their way to find as much game as possble. They were always full of fun and gave us such a wonderful time out looking for game, especially the leopard,which we never saw.
Email Dea | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our tour guides were above amazing
What an amazing experience with knowledgeable, fun and caring tour guides we had Rocky, Smiley and Lucky. Cannot speak highly of them enough, what an amazing experience made by these wonderful people. What an asset to this company. These amazing tour guides and the beautiful and talented wait staff, mama D, Bell and Sophia, and all the ladies, loved our experience and we loved our time with you. Thank you so much. they are all the true gems of Africa join these beautiful people and have a fabulous experience like we did.
Email Abby | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very professional and helpful with all needs and questions
We are just back from a 3 day safari trip using viva safaris, any questions or needs I had sent via email got replied to extremely fast which was very helpful and professional, during the safari the food was great, accommodation was great, the staff were very welcoming it felt homley ( which is needed especially if you are travelling far it’s refreshing to have friendly faces) during the safari we got a good amount of knowledge about the animals. Definitely recommend this company. I also left something personal behind at the lodge and the staff have been extremely helpful in helping getting this item returned to me which I extremely appreciate! This shows the staff at viva safari care about you as a person throughout the experience and afterwards also!
Email Ashley | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Such fun and knowledgeable guides who knew exactly where to find some incredible animals up close!
All of the staff were so so friendly and happy to answer questions. Rocky, Smiley and Victor made safari so much fun and gave us plenty of reasons to laugh. They worked together to spot and track down animal sightings so we could get up close with the Big 5 and so many other incredible animals. Highly recommend to anyone heading to the Kruger area!!
US
Email Barry Hobbs | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
We couldn't have asked for more!
My wife and I arrived at Tremisana Lodge in latter October, 2024 for a 7 day safari experience. We were not disappointed! I cannot emphasize how outstanding the staff were! Tucked into the bush of Balule Game Reserve, visits from various large to small animals were quite common to the lodge and a thrill for the visiting guests. It amazed my wife and I at how everything was so well choreographed, from meals, arrivals and departures, bush drives, who's going where and when, etc. like a finely tuned watch. Momma "D" and her staff always served up outstanding food and the drivers, guides, and spotters were second to none. I won't mention any one particular individual other than my mention of Momma "D" because everybody was outstanding and I don't want to leave anybody out. However, we did have a favorite one or two. The guides went above and beyond to find animals during the bush drives and walks and their enthusiasm was very obvious. The facilities were a bit rustic, but quite comfortable and the grounds were beautiful. Viva Safaris has done a wonderful job overall with their lodges, scheduling, and communication from start to finish and I HIGHLY recommend them to anybody planning a safari getaway to the Kruger National Park, Balule Game Reserve area!
Well done, Piero!
DE
Email Manuel | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well organised, great adventure
We really liked our tour with different spots in Tremisana and at Marc‘s tree house. Everything was perfectly planned and worked according to the plan. Food was really good and we had an unforgettable time with our guides watching wild animals.
US
Email Dave Whitley | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fabulous experience, very highly recommended
My wife & adult daughter and I took a 4 day safari with one night at Tremisana and 2 nights at Marc's Treehouse Lodge. It exceeded all expectations and was a truly wonderful experience. All aspects of the logistics of the trip ran remarkably smoothly--from making the reservations & down payment, through the pick-up & return to Johannesburg, to our move between lodges and to the scheduling of the daily game drives. Perhaps a key factor was that the entire staff treated us like family, making our stay very friendly & comfortable. I still dream about the chicken curry pie we had at Tremisana, while my wife and daughter (vegetarians) rave about the vegan-version they had, while the wildebeast stew I had one night at Marc's was fabulous. The game drives of course were the highlight and our drivers--Smiley and Rocky--added greatly to the experience, both due to their knowledge and their friendly banter. My only regret is that we weren't able to schedule a longer trip; next time it will be the 7 day safari. I very highly recommend Viva Safaris; I'm confident you won't be disappointed.
