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
US
Email Dave | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Did not meet expectations
After a year delay due to the pandemic we finally made out trip to South Africa. I would first like to say that the Go Touch Down staff were friendly and accommodating. We started our tour at the Seasons Resort and Spa, we would not rate this as a five star resort there were many small maintenance issues that needed to be corrected, from loose door knob, no wash clothes for 4 days, towels not replaced, animal droppings on the miniature golf course playing area, bricks sticking up on with walking path. The restaurant on the property (only one) had a very limited menu offering and than a lot of the items were not available. The elephant sanctuary tour was fantastic, would highly recommend, also enjoyed the hot air balloon ride. The drive from Seasons to Dullstroom for the panoramic route was long however the sights were very beautiful. It started with a grab and go breakfast to enjoy while driving, ( a cheese sandwich, hard boiled egg and an apple) , not a usual American type of breakfast. Made three stops along the way. The Dunkeld Lodge was very nice, we had a late lunch in the 1883 dinning room, in the evening we had an outdoor fire with a dance performance and retreated into the bar area to enjoy the bbq that was prepared. Was a cool temperature for the time of the year but the fireplace in the room kept it warm and cozy. Next morning we left for Humala River Lodge, stopped in Dullstroom, would have enjoyed a longer stop in town, only had 30 minutes to walk around. than a long drive. Once we got to Humala we had to transfer from the van to the game jeep for a 45 minute ride from the entrance out to the lodge. The lodge was everything we expected it to be, little cold as it got down to 39 degrees one night, the game drives we great. The only negative might have been at there is no menu , you get what the cook prepares. For us luckily it was all good and we enjoyed everything but for some people it could be a problem .
Humala was what you expect Africa to be. We again had an outdoor bonfire and Swaziland dancers did a show. Since this is a game reserve the amount and type of animals are limited. Than a long drive back to Seasons Resort. with a stop at Lion and Safari Park. The animals here are in large fenced in areas that you are driven through, have a good variety of animals but it is a captive situation. Next day it was drive to Pilamesberg National Park. again we had grab and go breakfast to eat in the car (tuna sandwich which no one ate) at the park we choose the open jeep and had a very good guide. Highlight here was watching the parade of 17 elephants going to the water hole, the restaurant at the park was closed so we ended up at Blimpies a fast food hamburger restaurant. Next day it was off for the hot air balloon ride which had been delayed from day to until the next to last day. We originally received a very detailed itinerary for the trip, it was however in constant state of flux as tours changed, and due to the pandemic some tours were cancelled or only parts of them were available.
Overall for the cost you get a lot with the tour, meals, transportation in country, some tour guide local tours it is not a high end tour but it is a good tour, more detail to the property maintenance at Seasons and what US visitors are expecting could be improved. Expect to spend a lot of time driving 6 people plus the tour guide in a 2 row van.
US
Email Liz | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Go Touch Down Travel & Tours organizes amazing trips that make memories of a lifetime.
Our Go Touch Down South Africa Safari and Cape Town trip was truly exceptional. We can't thank the Go Touch Down staff enough. Their behind-the-scenes planning and hard work—especially during a pandemic—provided us with a seamless experience from beginning to end. Although we are accustomed to traveling around the world and often make our own travel arrangements, trying to plan a trip to South Africa was daunting and we knew the logistics would be complicated since we wanted to visit game reserves as well as Cape Town. Where to start? Reviewing Go Touch Down's itineraries and relying on them to handle all the planning and details allowed us to relax and look forward to a memorable trip. We found the pricing reasonable. As it turned out, the value was excellent. Before leaving, the staff answered our questions and concerns quickly and effectively. They also provided a very complete handout that contained information about the itinerary, currency, etc. Once we arrived in South Africa, our guide picked us up at the airport, handled our luggage, and brought us to our first resort. Along the way, we were made to feel welcome, told about our itinerary, and began to learn about the area we would be visiting. When it came time to change locations and resorts, our guide handled everything and either transferred us personally to the guide at the next location or assisted us with checking in at the airport, etc., giving us easy instructions for meeting our next guide. It all worked flawlessly and we felt very comfortable at every step along the way. The small group size and comfortable vans made our day-to-day travel pleasant. We can't say enough about our guides. Their professionalism, friendliness, thoughtfulness, and knowledge helped educate and give us an appreciation of each location we visited. More than that, their love of and pride in South Africa and the areas where they live and work came shining through, which greatly enhanced our experience and made us appreciate this beautiful country and its warm and friendly people. The itinerary was well paced to maximize our time yet also allowed for periods of relaxation. The abundance of wildlife, our memorable encounters during game drives, and the incredible natural beauty of our surroundings from beginning to end were outstanding. No one place was better or more beautiful than the other; each provided different perspectives in diverse settings from our glamping accommodations at Humala River Lodge to our pampered boutique hotel experience at the Belle Maroc on the beach, overlooking Cape Town's iconic Table Mountain. We are so glad that we combined the safari and Cape Town itinerary. The latter is a beautiful city surrounded by outstanding natural beauty. The neighboring areas offer many interesting encounters with remarkable flora and fauna that should not be missed. Overall, our Go Touch Down experience was excellent and we look forward to returning to South Africa!
US
Email EH | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Relax and enjoy the sights, sounds, tastes and friendly people of South Africa and Zimbabwe
Such a wonderful trip to Southern Africa that exceeded all of our expectations. Starting in Cape Town, we thoroughly enjoyed exploring this wonderful coastal city at the southern tip of the African continent. It all began with our top-notch greeting from Tony, our guide, at the airport upon arrival through customs. We were very pleased upon our arrival at the boutique hotel, Belle Maroc. These accommodations located in Blouberg were well-appointed and located right on the beach. The food and drink during our stay in Cape Town was delectable every single day. We were splendidly surprised by the quality and taste of the delicious seafood selections throughout the region. We will return for the food. Some of our favorite spots in and around Cape Town were Table Mountain, Neethlingshof Estate Wine, and Hermanus by the sea. Tony was one of the best guides that we've met in our travels. He ensured that each and every day of the tour was perfect. Baie dankie to the wonderful staff at Belle Maroc in Cape Town. We will return for the people.
After wrapping up our tour in Cape Town, we headed north to Johannesburg for an amazing tour of safaris and exploration. Our favorite spot during safari was the stay at Humala River Lodge in Songimvelo Game Reserve. This is an amazing place to enjoy safari and relax in paradise. The staff provide excellent service and ensured that our stay was pleasant at all times. Lindo was one of the best rangers that we've met in our travels. He knew where to find the game animals for viewing and ensured that we saw them on every trail ride. Our guide throughout our safaris was Thabo. He was also one of the best guides we've met in our travels. He made sure that everything was pleasant and safe during our stay.
When we finished our safari adventure in and around Johannesburg, we jetted off to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. The two most amazing sights to see are the Falls and the Zambezi river. The stay at Ilala Lodge is truly a one-of-a-kind experience where you are whisked back in time to imagine what it would have been like to travel to Africa in a simpler time. Our guide, Taffe, was also one of the best guides we've met in our travels.
Our entire trip in Southern Africa was especially pleasant because of the wonderful people that we met every day. Southern Africa is truly a special place in the world. We will return.
US
Email DON | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime, WOW!
Our ten day Signature tour of South Africa was amazing. Every detail was full and complete: service, accommodations, food, sight-seeing, game drives, information about local people and customs, tours in Johannesburg and Cape Town, cable car rides, local restaurants, and one dinner theater with inter-active entertainment. We felt very safe because Go Touch Down owned each of the three hotels/resorts that we stayed in, as well as all of the staff were employees of the tour company. This included guides, rangers, drivers, cooks, and servers. There were five in our tour group and we were treated like royalty!!
The tour company also went above and beyond expectation when our return flights were grounded in Cape Town due to grounding by the South African authority. Our guide, Jonathon, was in constant contact with the GTD South African Operations Manager and another airline to get us rebooked to fly to the USA. We couldn't have done this ourselves, and thanks to them we arrived home on the original day. This tour company is the best!!
US
Email Glenna | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
This was an AMAZING trip.
Every aspect of the trip that was planned by Go Touch Down was the best it could have possibly been. The places were stunning. The knowledge of our guides exceeded our expectations. The people who cared for us became our friends. They were genuinely looking out for our best interest and our best experience. The accommodations were first rate. When British Air shut down, "our" representatives at Go Touch Down swooped into action and rescued us. Even the animals cooperated to give us a stunning look at their everyday lives. We have already raved about this once in a lifetime trip and recommended Go Touch Down to friends.
US
Email Laz | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great staff & experience!
I truly enjoyed my African travel experience! The trip was simply amazing! I thoroughly enjoyed the entire itinerary and team, but I want to specifically highlight James and Humala River Lodge for being my favorite experiences! I can't say enough about the entire experience and will definitely use Touch Down again when I return to Africa!
US
Email Jonni Bondarenko | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
All of the Go Touch Down staff are extremely dedicated to providing the best experience.
On the day we were leaving to come home, we were already discussing when we should go back. And I would absolutely reach out to Go Touch Down again to help us set up our next adventure. All of the agents who helped us were from South Africa, and therefore incredibly knowledgeable. They all hung in there with us throughout the Covid pandemic and assisted with a couple different rescheduled bookings. Ultimately, they ended up creating three separate bookings for us due to all the government shutdowns that caused us to reschedule. Agents were always prompt in their responses to us and always eased my anxiety over all the unknowns created by the pandemic. They created a level of trust that is so important for a big tour so far from home. Ultimately, we were able to finally enjoy our tour and it was the most epic journey of a lifetime. The food and the accommodations were all incredible. And we LOVED all of our local guides! These guys felt like instant family and we had so much fun driving to and from our activities with them.
US
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.
CA
Email Craig and Carolyn | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
OUTSTANDING, Trip of a lifetime, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
We are very experienced travellers having travelled all over the world with various tour companies like Trafalgar, Colette, Globus, Scenic cruises etc. Our experience in Africa was second to none and it created special and fantastic memories that will last a life time. In travel the phrase "trip of a lifetime" is often overused but this truly was a trip of a lifetime! The experiences and memories are unforgettable!
Marie Brivik was wonderful and always went the extra mile to ensure our trip was unforgettable and all the many details for us were looked after. She even gave us her What's App contact info in case a problem was to occur. She was professional, thorough and always willing to listen.
We started in Cape Town and had wonderful experiences with the highlights being Buffelsfontein, Langa township tour and lunch with a local lady, Boulders penguins, Robben Island,Table mountain, the wineries, the Gold African dinner and show. These wonderful experiences can simply not be matched and would be impossible to do on our own. Absolutely awesome! Shark Bay and Belle Maroc were amazing properties!
Our second week was the 7 night safari tour at Humala and Tshukudu game lodges. The differences between the two properties gave us the opportunity to see and experience two completely different types of safaris. The swazi dancers at Humala were outstanding! The day spent in Kruger was an amazing experience and can't be missed. The sunset river cruise on the African Princess was superb, relaxing, with wonderful appetizers and drinks!
The staff was most helpful and did whatever they could to ensure our every need was met, simply speaking they spoiled us! More specifically Trevor at Buffelsfontein was awesome, Joseph who drove us to Humala and then on to Tshukudu always greeted us with a smile and went above and beyond to make our trip the best, Lyle at Humala was always eager to help and give us the best experience possible and finally Michael our guide at Tshukudu whose professionalism, knowledge and sense of humour was the best, always ensuring our safari was unforgettable by answering our many questions. Thanks to all.
The food we had was delicious, well prepared and added to our African experience!!!! Special mention must go to Pancake Harry's for their bobotie, San interpretative center restaurant for their Eland burger, Kruger lunch stop for their snails and finally Mariner's wharf. I have had lobster at many places over the world and theirs was simply the best!!
Thank you Go Touch down for a truly amazing experience that cannot be matched.
CA
Email Carla | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An exceptional tour with people who care about you every step of the trip.
My 1st trip with Go Touchdown was in April, 2019. I had a fantastic time. Accommodations, food & the people who work there were fantastic. My 2nd trip, Oct., 2023 was even better. I couldn't ask for a more informative & knowledgeable group of people who work for Go Touchdown for both of my trips. I did a 10 day safari for the 1st trip & then decided to do a 5 day safari & 5 days in Cape Town for my 2nd trip. We were able to get much closer (safely) to the wildlife on my 2nd trip. I would highly recommend Go Touchdown to anyone wanting a "safari" experience plus the "city" experience of Cape Town. I've read books on S. Africa, but the experience this company brings to you is by far so personable. I can't recommend this company enough for bringing a once in a lifetime (twice for me) experience you'll get when you go & see for yourself.