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 Karen and Chris Graber | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime in a beautiful country
Wow this trip exceeded our expectations. We booked the 8 day safari and 8 day Cape Town tour with Lucia who was great to work with and very helpful. The itinerary that she sent before we left was so helpful and had so much information about our trip. Once we arrived in Johannesburg everything ran seamlessly. Bakkies picked us up at the airport and was so friendly and a wealth of knowledge. We stayed at Dunkeld Country Estates and Tshukudu Lodge for the first part of our trip. Both were nice lodges with beautiful grounds. The staff were all friendly and eager to make our stay enjoyable. We will never forget the safari’s and seeing all of the majestic animals in their natural habitat. Tyler was our safari guide and was very informative and his love for animals showed. He was determined to find as many animals as possible including the big 5. The highlight was watching two male elephants playing in the water for over 30 min and we could have watched all night.
Cape Town was a beautiful coastal city. Jonathan was our guide and is a proud Cape Town native who provided insight into the culture and history of his city. As for the hotels Belle Marco and Shark Bay were right on the water so we enjoyed walking the beach and it was the first time we’ve seen flamingos in the wild. Stillness Manor had beautiful grounds, but needed some updates and TLC. Again all the staff were friendly and eager to help. We enjoyed some delicious seafood and some wine in the wine lands.
Overall it was an amazing trip and we enjoyed every day to the fullest. If you are considering a trip to South Africa you would be foolish to try and book your own itinerary. Go with Go Touchdown Travel because you will experience things you would never see on your own.
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Email Robert and Karen | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our trip was beyond our expectations.
We were taken care of from the start to the end when we were dropped off at the airport. Every accommodation was excellent as well as all the food provided to us. The Safaris were amazing, we were so lucky to have had Johnson as our guide while in the bush. Being in the nature among the wildlife was a once in a lifetime experience. When in Cape Town we were treated to so many site seeing tours and adventures to experience. We had the best time and would do it all over again.
Caring, provided excellent service each day!
The trip to South Africa was beyond AMAZING! The accommodations, for Shark Bay and Belle Maroc exceeded my expectations in all areas! (5 stars). Stillness Manor (3 1/2 stars). The property was ok, my room/decor was dull, unclean vibe, the staff and food was excellent! (5 stars)
Our tour guide J.P. was a great guide, full of information, kind spirit, patient, and a great sense of humor. He went above and beyond throughout the week; (sharing what places to visit for certain types of souvenirs, etc. (5 stars).
I'm in awe of the overall experience! My heart if filled with gratitude and joy, and I want to thank Deon and staff for all the kindness given prior to my departure. I would highly recommend Go Touch Down, (5 stars) and continue to share with others.
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Email Jan | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
She was very helpful even though we had set backs because of Covid.
We were four senior ladies traveling for the first time to Africa so we had to trust our tour company for their knowledge. The safari exceeded our expectations from the accommodations to the food. We saw all of the big five animals in the first two days of the safari, The staff in the lodges couldn't have been more accommodating.
Tsukudu Game Reservewas beautiful and our rooms were spotless. Avani resort at Victoria falls was beautiful as well as the falls. Each time we were to be picked up the driver was there to bring us to our destination.
We couldn't have been more pleased.
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Email Susan | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
A fine tuned, well oiled machine.
The guides were great. They all knew everything about everything. I had a million questions about animals and birds and they were able to answer them. The food was great. No bad meals. The accommodations were very nice and they kept getting nicer as the tour went on. At first, I didn't understand how it all worked since I had never travelled with guides who helped us with everything and took us everywhere. Other than the road into Tshukudu was extremely bumpy (gravel might help the vans negotiate the road better), all of the accommodations were nice--once we got there.
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Email Natalie Malin | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dream of a Lifetime AND no single supplement
Overall, my trip to South Africa through Go Touch Down Tours was fantastic. The trip was everything that the tour operator said it would be. It was tremendous value for the money as all the accommodations were included and were first rate; majority of meals were included; all entry fees were covered; and we covered a lot of South Africa. This was one of my first times traveling internationally by myself, and I always felt safe with the Tour group. Here are some highlights:
· Mpumalanga - Tour guides & Tracker – I cannot say enough wonderful things about our tour guide, Joseph. He was very kind, and extremely personable. He ensured we saw everything promised on the tour, but he was flexible, and was so gracious in answering our questions and sharing about his country and culture with us. Additionally, our tracker at Tshukudu, Johnson, was so knowledgeable about the land and the animals. Our time with him at the game reserve and at Kruger were some of my best highlights. The staff at Tshukudu were all very warm and friendly. They were always ready to serve and to ensure we had a great visit. Food was delicious and there was always ample to try and experience.
· Mpumalanga itinerary – I am a city girl, but hands down, the safari portion of the trip was my favorite. The beauty in the area is amazing between The Chief and his three wives to Lisbon Falls to Potholes to God’s Window….all are majestic and photos cannot capture the true beauty of the area. BUT nothing matches the beauty of the animals and how close we were to many. I have a short video I took which I affectionately call “The Lion King Shot.” It has giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, impalas running in the shot, and it was amazing to see. We were with Johnson one day, and he turned a corner, for us to immediately start going backwards because two elephants were walking on the road towards us. Another day, we saw the lions eating a wildebeest, and then one morning the lions were walking near our jeep. There are so many wonderful memories!
· Cape Town tour and staff – This is an action packed itinerary, and JP, our tour guide, did a great job of dealing with Cape Town traffic and showing us all the sites. Cape Town is stunning from Simons Town with the penguins, Chapman’s Peak, the Cape of Good Hope, V&A Waterfront, the coastline, Table Mountain, and of course the wineries. Robben Island, which was an extra excursion on the last day was fantastic, and it is a must see!
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Email Cristina O. | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceptional Service
I went with my 4 sisters and 2 friends and we all had a memorable experience. All the staff were very friendly and helpful. They always have a big smile on their faces. Both our tour guides Thabo and Shamrack were exceptional. Thabo is a very happy person and very efficient. He’ll get things done even without you asking. Shamrack is a very skilled game guide. He knew exactly where to find the animals and we learned so much from his knowledge. We were so lucky to have both take care of us. We also think the food was delicious. We really had a very nice and memorable trip.
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Email Maggie | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The best
Well organized everything was unbelievable great , hotels we stayed were clean, food was good service excellent
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Email Denis W | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
South Africa at its best.
This is our second trip to South Africa using Go Touchdown Travel & Tours, our first bring in 2016. We used them again because we had a wonderful experience with them in 2016 and were excited to see and catch up with several of the Go Touchdown family/staff we met from our 2016 vacation. In 2016, we were some of the very first travelers to visit The Songimvelo Nature Preserve, staying in the Humala Lodge, deep inside the preserve. Songimvelo/Humala Lodge is one of our most favorite places in the world with stunning South African savanna’s, mountains, game drives and wonderful hosts, who we have kept in contact with since 2016.
We planned for a 3 week tour of South Africa and Victoria Falls for the Fall of 2020, but then COVID happened. With constant contact with Go Touchdown, we were able to postpone and eventually reschedule our trip for the Fall of 2022, Spring in South Africa, time to view p all of the baby animals. This time, we had a group of 6 travelers, taking in Cape Town, Songimvelo/Humala Lodge, Tshukudu Lodge, Kruger National Park, Victoria Falks in Zimbabwe and Chobe River National Park in Botswana.
In Cape Town, we stayed in three boutique hotels, Belle Morac, Sharks Bay in Langebaan and Stillness Manor on the foothills of Table Mountain. In Cape Town, we took in all of the sights, Table Mountain, Robben Island, Cape of Good Hope, wine country in Stellenbosch and Franschoek and so much more. We had a wonderful experience at the Gold Restaurant, featuring African cuisine and African performers and dancers.
From there, off to Songimvelo/Humala Lodge in East Central South Africa, bordering Swaziland. The views are simply stunning, everything we’d imagined Africa would be like. Mountains, savanna’s, rivers, rough roads and animals, lots and lots of animals. And you are alone with your game driver, no big crowds, no timelines, just you, nature, animals and great views. From here, on to Tshukudu Game Lodge and Kruger National Park. Now we’d view the Big 5, elephants, rhinos, Cape Buffalo, lions and leopards. No African Safari is complete without a trip into Kruger, and Kruger doesn’t disappoint. The views, the animals, the experience, a once in a lifetime experience.
We finished with traveling to Zimbabwe to experience Victoria Falls, one of the seven wonders of the world. Another breathtaking experience. Then onto Botswana and the Chobe River National Park. Here viewing hundreds of elephants on the Chobe River.
What makes Go Touchdown so wonderful, is the people we interact with at all their locations. The drivers, the game rangers, the staff, the performers at Humala, everyone made you feel at home and special.
I’d highly recommend this company and tour packages for anyone looking to experience their dream African Safari.
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Email Charlie | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Go Touchdown is a great travel asset to help navigate an unforgettable vacation experience.
We enjoyed an extraordinary vacation in South Africa. Our guides were extremely knowledgeable of the historical and current culture of this beautiful country. The game drives were unforgettable. I couldn’t believe how close we were able to get to the many different types of animals. This was truly a bucket list trip.