Guides & Their Toys
Go Touch Down Travel & Tours
- Offices In:
-
United States
Canada
Australia - Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Tour Types:
- Small & medium group tours (Mid-range & luxury)
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $300 to $800 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email Christine | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Best!
The GoTouchdown tour was fabulous! The tour guides were always on time and full of information about everything from the animals to the terrain to the history and people of the region and culture of the area. And they were incredibly friendly, nice and unbelievably helpful getting you whatever you needed.
The Seasons hotel was ok but the Hamala and Dunkeld accommodations were fabulous! Dunkeld Estates was a total surprise - it was like Scotland in the middle of Africa with stone buildings and beautiful horses and trees - and with incredible accommodations, definitely 5-star.
The Safari guides were so knowledgeable both at Hamala and Pilanesburg that they made the experience even better. I had tears of joy seeing the giraffes, zebras, hippos, and elephants so close. The park were the lions, cheetahs, etc were was just ok but I was happy to see the big cats, and they had fabulous gift stores. I must say the Hamala Safari ride is not for people with back or neck problems but I thoroughly enjoyed the bumpy ride. Visiting the local terrain and parks showed me how vast and mountainous and diverse South Africa was.
I loved the Safari week so much that I thought the 2nd week which was in Cape Town would be a letdown but I could not have been more wrong! Our fantastic guide, JP, picked us up every morning at 7:30 or 8:00 from the Stillness Manor and we were on the go all day long seeing everything from the Most Southern tip of Africa, botanical gardens, penguins, beautiful villages like Hermanes, a cable car ride with incredible views, a bird zoo where squirrel monkeys crawled all over you ( I could have stayed there for hours), various shopping venues that had primitive local art to others with upscale African designers, and a tour of the history of diamond mining ending with an opportunity to purchase some beautiful gems.
And the restaurants! Lots of incredible food and beautiful places. My favorite was Gold where everyone got their face painted, played native drums, was entertained with various vignettes of native singing and dancing, all while dining on 14 courses (tapas size) of native foods! This place is not to be missed! There was also the restaurant at the edge of the rocky shore in Hermanes which was gorgeous. And there were lots more all included in the tour price.
The Township Tour explained how apartheid affected the people, showed how some of the poorest people still live, and showed the continuing struggle in neighborhoods today. It ended with lunch in a lovely lady’s home. It was truly an education that enhanced my understanding of South Africa and should not be missed.
I honestly didn’t want to leave. By the way, I was traveling alone and had a wonderful time meeting new people and felt safe and secure the whole trip.
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Email LaVette | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Always felt safe and secure no question was dismissed and the operator was personable and caring
I would travel with the agency again I wish they had trips to wards west Africa. Everyone was easy to work with they were very helpful with the accommodations and everything went through without a hitch
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Email SR | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great itinerary at a reasonable price.
Accommodations were great, most owned by the tour company. We spent a week around Cape Town, then a week on safari in the north part of South Africa and extended to go to Zimbabwe to visit Victoria Falls and to Botswana to visit Chobe National Park. We saw amazing animals, scenery and history but it was the people we met that made our trip so wonderful.
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Email Lynne E. | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Both our tour operators were committed to making every wish happen.
I signed up for this tour several years ago and for various reasons, the actual departure date had to be rescheduled several times, so I was feeling a little apprehensive about the tour now that I was older and the initial excitement had begun to turn to a little anxiety about going someplace so very foreign to any travel I had ever done before--I need not have worried. Go Touch Down has their tours down to a science, and the people they employ and/or work with are excellent in every way. From the tour guides who stayed with us for every part of the Cape Town week and the Safari week to the staff at the Go Touch Down properties where we stayed, I felt cared for and sincerely welcomed. The itinerary was packed in Cape Town and yet we never felt rushed at any venue; the pace was a little more relaxed on the safari week as we had some down time between the game drives. The accommodations were first rate and comfortable--a special shout out to Shark Bay and Humala River Lodge, which became personal favorites. The food, whether at the hotels/game reserves or at local restaurants was beautifully plated, delicious and bountiful with ample opportunities to sample South African cuisine. We saw amazing things! The variety of experiences was mind-boggling. The ancient history from visiting fossil parks and first people educational centers to the more recent history of apartheid struggles was interspersed with delicious samplings of wine and cheeses at old world wineries. And, of course, the animal encounters were spectacular, whether it was privately owned game reserves, different animal sanctuaries (where we actually interacted with lion cubs, elephants, panthers, caracals, monkeys), national parks, or visits to island or coastal habitats. The scenery was diverse and gorgeous--breathtaking more days than not. But I have to come back to the people, the staff, the hosts, the bartenders; everyone was so nice, so friendly, so genuinely happy to see us and I have to say this is probably the best tour I have ever taken. The trip as a whole was the most expensive I have ever taken and I wondered whether I would think I had gotten value for my investment. The answer is a definite YES. In fact, given the quality of lodging, excursions, food, and experiences, I believe Go Touch Down was a bargain. Since my return I have promoted them to friends and family and I plan to use them when I take my grandsons in a few years.
MT
Email Norman | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well organized. On top of all things. Prompt response to all queries.
Enjoyed it all.
Both Safari and Cape Town.
Tours are very organized and detailed. Drivers well mannered.
Safari: Animals wake up early and so must you if you want to spot them.
Cape Town: Nice restaurants. Mostly a la carte menus. Accommodation in well appointed boutique hotels.
South Africa: Nature at its best. Exceptional country. Pleasantly surprised.
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Email JW Burdette | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Cared about his passengers and how their experience was
The accommodations we excellent. Our driver James was the best. Treated us like Family. Angie and Dana did an excellent pretrip job. They were available for my questions and so helpful with getting me ready for the trip. I came to see South Africa and I did. From the start I was taken to see the beauty of Africa and the wonderful people of the country. Would recommend this trip and more
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Email Linda | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing best trip ever!
Top notch vacation accommodations 5 stars site seeing 5 stars and food 5 stars!
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Email William R Cavins | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolute Amazing African Adventure
We participated in a drawing at Gay Days back in 2017. We were contacted and decided to book the tour to mark our 20th year together and our 10th Wedding Anniversary. We’ve gone through a few different people handling various portions of the trip. Everyone tried to make us happy.
Touchdown handled the airfare and all aspects of the tour. We were pleased with the easy payment plan that fit our budget. Sadly I understand the 5 year plan isn’t available for future travelers. However they will work with you to make your Adventure in South Africa is a memorable one.
I will write a separate review of the tour itself at another time. For now know that Go Touchdown’s staff in Sarasota, FL is there for you.
Could they have have done more. Perhaps a few little things that should be improved. Adapters that said they were for Africa weren’t. So perhaps a brand recommendation or make them available through Touchdown. Also I don’t recall seeing a reference to a limit on ATM withdrawals to 3000 Rand per card per day. I also suggested they provide us with a cheat sheet of some local languages for staff members so we could say hello, goodbye, please and thank you in Swazi, Zulu or one of the other 9 languages. All little things.
Rest assured they have the big items nailed down! They even mark birthdays and anniversaries.
We will always.remember the work Angie, Deborah, Natasha, Deon, Joseph, Bakkies, Thabo, Bill, Rosemarie, Tandi, Buffalo Soldier and Anisa did for us. We look forward to booking Cape in the future.
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Email Susan | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Go Touchdown provided a South African tour which was personal, service centered and upscale.
For those of you considering a safari in South Africa, we highly recommend Go Touchdown Tours. If you are looking for a small upscale group tour which is guided by caring, knowledgeable and detail oriented professionals, then this tour company is for you.
Their stateside representative, Angie Main, was very knowledgeable and accessible. She answered emails within 24 hrs and was flexible in arranging her schedule when a group conference call was requested. Upon arrival in South Africa, we were greeted by a tour guide who was prepared to take us to our first hotel, Seasons Spa. It was clean and fairly spacious with a front or back porch. There was a common area in the middle of a 4 room configuration. We took the Elephant and Monkey Sanctuary tour. Highly, highly recommend it. Very interactive.
Thabo, our guide, was with us the entire tour. He was punctual, organized and very knowledgeable. His attention to detail went even so far as to warning us about the potholes in the road in case we got jostled. I could write a lengthy list of the many thoughtful things he did to to make this a memorable trip for us. Suffice it to say that Go Touchdown has an invaluable employee in this man. He is a wonderful representative for this company.
Dunkeld Estates is a beautiful resort. We highly recommend the horseback riding. The rooms are beautiful!
Humula Lodge is exactly how we envisioned a first rate accommodation. Our room had a front porch next to the river. The flowing water was a constant background sound. The staff truly cared about our needs and our wants. A special shout out to Blessing and Ayanda. They both are hardworking young men who catered to our every need. Ayanda not only made our soups and delicious bread but served our meals, as well. Blessing was the bartender, front desk clerk and conceriage. He did everything with a warm and gracious smile.
Our safari guide, Lindo, possesses exceptional tracking skills. He drove our group on 5 safari outings. Each time he never stopped looking for signs of animal activity. We were so lucky to have him as our guide through the Bush.
We returned to Seasons for our final 2 days. Visiting Plainsburg Reserve was one of the highlights of our trip. There was an abundance of animal sightings including elephants, giraffes, hippocampus, kudus and even a jackal. Buffalo Soldier was an outstanding and knowledgeable guide.
If you are contemplating a South African safari you would not regret choosing Go Touchdown. We loved every minute of it.
A Dream Realized
Truly a dream come come true. From sales (Angie Main)to service (Dana Spencer) to the actual adventure, every phrase was top notch. It all starts at with the airport pick-up. Our driver guide, James was with us the entire time in South Africa. He was knowledgeable professional and treated not only as VIPs, but also like family. The staff at the resorts we stayed at were all outstanding. But the true experience begins at Humala River Lodge. The staff there was superb. Our twice daily safari drives proved to be an adventure of a life time. Our safari guide, Lindo, was on point with his knowledge of the wildlife and how to spot them. Every aspect of this trip was beyond our expectations. We added side trips to Victoria Fall in Zimbabwe (3) days and a day trip to Botswana. The entire trip was a dream come true. Thank you Go Touchdown Travel