Your consultant Ute, y'r eyes & ears on the ground
Roho Ya Chui
- Offices In:
-
Netherlands
Germany
Austria
United States
Australia - Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2007)
- Member Of:
- ATTA, APTA & SATSA
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $500 to $900 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
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Email Paul Shirley | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very responsive to the type of camps we wanted and exposure to game.
We did a "five camp" safari over 12 days in Zambia and Zimbabwe. This was our fifth trip to Africa, and we had not spent an appreciable amount of time in either country. The terrain was dry, as expected. We are willing to trade off the beauty of green flora for the absence of mosquitoes,
so always travel to Africa in September.
Our camps ranged from older bush camps to newer contemporary camps. The bush camps are due for a "refresh", but the food and staff were both excellent as were the game sightings. This was our first trip that included walking safaris. They lasted about an hour each, and were excellent, giving the guides an opportunity to share their extensive knowledge of tracking with us. We learned a great deal, and highly recommend them when offered.
We also did a canoe trip at Chiawa. Majestic scenery and interesting wildlife. I am older, and the guide did the paddling...I never touched one, so it was an easy, peaceful journey.
At the first three camps in Zambia we had pleasant surprises with meals, ranging from lunch being served at tables in the river (only about 6 inches of water in September), a lunch on a boat and a BBQ dinner in the bush. While these are surprises, we have come to expect them over the years, and were somewhat disappointed that our two stops in Zimbabwe did not provide that experience.
We had hoped to do a bit of fishing, but mother nature delivered some rather strong winds, so we were not able to experience that.
I won't go into any detail about game sightings but suffice to say they were plentiful and exciting (especially the cheetah chase down and the hyenas running around with a zebra leg).
The logistics on this trip were a bit complicated, and I would pay closer attention to them on future trips. It was my error that we did not spend a night in a hotel when we arrived in Africa, and ended up going on two in country flights and a long drive to the first camp, making the journey about 48 hours. Also, moving from Zambia to Zimbabwe was cumbersome and time consuming. I will definitely take a closer look at that aspect next time.
All in all, another wonderful trip to Africa!
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Email Michelle | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Ute was very professional, thorough, patient, and prompt to respond to all my questions/input.
Communication was excellent and Ute was very prompt to respond to all my questions/queries. She was also prompt to respond once we arrived in Africa. Pre-trip information packet was extremely thorough and included all aspects of our safari. The trip exceeded all expectations. The accommodations were lovely and our game viewing experiences were excellent. We were completely taken care of and directed every step of the way upon arriving in Nairobi, as well as upon returning to Nairobi for our departure home. Overall, an excellent experience. For those of you interested in more specifics regarding camps, our safari was throughout Kenya. Elsa's Kopje in Meru was excellent. Beautiful with excellent game drives. Managers George and Theresa were wonderful and our guide George was excellent! Sasaab in Samburu was beautiful and we had an excellent guide, Steve Tilas, there a well. However, we felt the manager Nikkie was very pretentious and intentionally made us feel very uneasy and uncomfortable. Bateleur in Masa Mara was nothing short of AMAZING!!! Dennis was an incredible guide as well! Little Joe our butler was excellent. Attention to detail and accommodations were superb! Management was excellent. Sand River in Masa Mara also provided an excellent game viewing experience and Javan was an excellent guide as well. Chris and Debbie, managers, were genuine and caring. However, the outdoor dining area was definitely lacking in terms of the view as well as pesky birds pooping all over the umbrella tables. Also, the pool (as seen on the website) is not yet completed. And, although the outdoor shower is lovely, there is not an indoor shower in the tent. Which could have been an issue if the temperature was any colder. And lastly, Tortilas in Amboseli was beautiful, however, it definitely was lacking in the game viewing arena. The managers, Graham and Candy were lovely and pleasant. However, as compared to all the other places we stayed at, the game drives were very short. So much so, that we even questioned why were back so early. We also seemed to stay fairly close to the camp as compared to all other places. I hope this is helpful to those seeking more detailed information.
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Email Stuart Friedman | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very helpful and always there when we had questions or needed to make changes
Communication and Service was great at all times. The trip exceeded our expectations. The 3 camps we stayed at were very different experiences, which I believe added to our experience. Connections all went smooth and there was a lot of moving around. Trip of a lifetime is a common expression for something like this and I believed it met that expectation.
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Email Celia | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wilderness Adventurers provides an inconsistent experience
The guide was outstanding. Namibia is beautiful and fascinating. I had three trip objectives and all were met. HOWEVER, Damaraland Adventurer Camp is in major need of refurbishment. One sample: the radio was not functioning. Absent WiFi and cell service, this is a potential safety problem. Another example:the electrical wiring kept failing. I could go on and on. Other accommodations were fine. Tents could benefit from heaters. Long drives, although clearly described, did cut into time available at destinations.
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Email Marco Condoleo | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Flawless Safari Experience from an Exceptional Safari Company
Throughout the booking process and up to our departure, Ute of Roho Ya Chui provided expert guidance and put together an itinerary that worked perfectly for our group. We initially spoke over the phone then subsequently completed the transaction via email. Communication was timely, clear and precise. Our 14-day Safari adventure was a dream from beginning to end. We didn’t have to worry about anything. For example, we learned flight departure times often change at the last minute with these short flights and our handlers were well aware of every change. In fact, we stopped paying attention to departure details as we knew someone would make sure we got to our next destination on time. We simply were able to enjoy the Safari experience without having to worry about details. Our handlers worried about details for us. Additionally, everything from lodges to inclusions were as advertised. I highly recommended using Roho Ya Chui to handle your Safari.
RO
Email Emanuela | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very good advices received throughout the preparation phase which led to a wonderful experience.
Ute was extremely helpful and her advices and recommendations proved to be of real value once we started our trip. The safari tour was just perfect, Gavin and Gap Tours were a solid and reliable partner. We could enjoy our holiday to the fullest knowing that we are surrounded by professionals.
IT
Email Lisa Colella | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great Communication, Beautiful Accommodations, Amazing Wildlife
We began working with Ute earlier this year. When we initially reached out, we weren't certain on dates, so in the coming months as we determined our timing, we had to follow-up with Ute several times to find dates that would work with the itinerary we wanted. Ute was very accommodating throughout this process, and planned a great trip for us. Because of the date change, one of the initial lodges she recommended wasn't available, so she recommended Pangolin Lodge in Chobe. We were a bit nervous as it hadn't yet opened, and was only scheduled to open one month before our trip. As it turns out, we're quite lucky we ended up with this accommodation as it was amazing! They offer photo safaris with really nice cameras, and we got amazing photos with the team. We saw all kinds of animals and had a great time. The lodge was great as was the food. Our guide Aubrey was fantastic, as was all of the staff at the lodge. Prior to Chobe, we stayed at Victoria Falls Hotel, and initially had a bit of an issue when we checked-in with two twin beds in each of our two rooms. We didn't believe this had been booked for us as Ute knew we were two couples traveling. After speaking to the Victoria Falls Hotel and also Ute via WhatsApp/e-mail, we were able to get the beds pushed together and it turned out just fine. They also left each one of our rooms a bottle of wine, which I imagine was because of this mix-up - very thoughtful and appreciated. Lastly, we stayed at Machaba Camp in Okavango Delta - likely the best aspect of our entire trip. The staff there are absolutely amazing, our guide Glen was fantastic, the food was wonderful, saw lots of animals. This was one of - if not the best - trips we've ever taken and couldn't be happier with the experience. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Roho Ya Chui and Ute. We would certainly use them again in the future. We never use travel agents and typically book directly ourselves, but glad we booked how we did. Knowing the price of each of the the individual components of the trip, the overall price was completely fair. I believe it was actually better priced to book together with Roho than had we booked each piece on our own (plus the complexity aspect!) Thank you Ute and Roho!!!
AE
Email Marc Grahame | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Roho exceeded our expectations with our Safari, from the smooth running to the quality of the guides
Ute was super helpful and incredibly professional and honest in helping us plan and book our safari to meet our travel schedule and budget.
Our guides were very good and punctual, we saw the most incredible animal sightings and were able to completely relax and enjoy the safari. I would highly recommend Roho and Ute and I look forward to booking our next African adventure with them.
Email Scott | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An outstanding experience that gave us the best of all worlds in Kruger
This was our first trip to Kruger, so we really needed to rely on an expert. The itinerary Ute suggested we felt was just perfect. We experienced 3 camps, and each offered something different. As a result, we felt that we got a really balanced view of Kruger, that would have been missed by just going to one camp. Ute was easy to deal with, super helpful throughout, provided great advice, suggestions and support. I would happily go back to Ute if we head in that direction again and would definitely recommend her to anyone looking for a safari.
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Email James | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Ute at Roho Ya Chui was very helpful and quick to respond to all of our questions.
Ute was great! There was a slight mix up the how the local flights were booked, the airline was given a name that didn't match a passport but all in all Roho Ya Chui was outstanding. I think using a tour operator in a country like Zambia can make booking a safari much easier. And of the companies we worked with, Roho Ya Chui was among the best.