Journey Beyond
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2002)
- Member Of:
- Southern Africa Tourism Services Association
- Tour Types:
- Custom luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $60 to $1,400 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
BE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Nice luxury accommodation
The accommodations recommended by Journey beyond, were nice luxury accommodations, with very nice food.
We have really enjoyed our stay.
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
From the Kalahari Desert - Moremi - Okavango Delta - Chobe and Vic Falls
Deception Valley Lodge and the Kalahari are well worth a visit. The Lodge was great and just by observing the area around the waterhole I could see plenty of big groups of tiny little birds up to Giraffes, Wilderbeest, Kudu and much more. The guides and the tracker was very knowledgeable so we could see lots, specially lions and also lots of birds, owls on the game drives. It is amazing what the guides and trackers can see and find on the drives. I also want to mention the amazing scenery and also the bushmen walk was very interesting. Accommodation, Food, Service and the activities was excellent.
Xakanaka - from the desert to the water. I think Xakanaka is another must visit on a trip to Botswana. The game drives were amazing, the guides very knowledgeable and excellent, the atmosphere in the Lodge was very personal and sleeping in tents while hippos walk through the camp is an experience!
Sanctuary Chiefs Camp - another change in the scenery. Accommodation, Service and Food were excellent. Unfortunately the transfer from Sanctuary Chiefs Camp to Sanctuary Baines Camp was delayed by 4 hours. We were waiting at the airstrip for 30 minutes when the guide asked at the lodge and they asked at Mackair. So then the lodge found out about the delay and we drove back to the lodge and they were already preparing a 3 course lunch menu for us. My compliments in preparing this in such a short notice.
Sanctuary Baines Camp - very personal service, I loved the Mokoru ride through the delta, the very surprising and romantic bath under the stars and sleeping outside. Due to the delayed transfer from Chiefs Camp I didn't have enough time to do the elephant acitivity. The drives through the waterways is certainly an experience you don't get anywhere else.
Chobe Game Lodge - this 3 days made this trip from excellent to "only" good. I cannot rate the Chobe Game Lodge as a 5 star Lodge. They only offer buffet style breakfast, lunch and dinners. In a 5 star property I expect dinner to be served on the table. In the 4 main meals I had, there was one pizza buffet (lunch)und one pasta buffet (dinner). If I want Italian food I don't need to travel all the way to Botswana. There are no waiters in both bars to take orders and bring the drinks to the table. I have seen 12 seater game drive vehicels from the Chobe Game Lodge packed up with 10 passengers of different parties and other cars had only 4 passengers. The staff didn't help elderly guests in and out of the cars. This was done by other guests and watched by the staff. In comparison to the other lodges I also need to say that I had the feeling that the guides are less knowledgeable then at other lodges.
I am sorry but in a 5 star Lodge I expect a higher quality of service.
The Chobe Nationalpark ist known worldwide for excellent game viewings and I was really looking forward to it. During my visit the game viewings were very poor and I believe one reason is that the access to the park is very limited. And when there is a sighting you might have to share with 20 or more other cars everyone fighting for the best spot. This is not a safari experience I would recommend.
Ichobezi Houseboat - very relaxing and a nice change to the Lodges.
Elephant Camp - all excellent, the Lodge, the staff, the food, the activites. I could do the walk with a Sylvester the cheetah and enjoyed the excellent guides and met the elephants. Also the tour to the Vic Falls was phantastic and our guide showed not only the falls but gave us also lots of information and showed us plants and wildlife.
Vic Falls Hotel - just awesome. You can feel and read about the history of this special place throughout the hotel. The location, the atmosphere, the service are phantastic. Thank you very much for this special place.
And finally the sunset cruise on the Zambesi River. That afternoon was a storm coming and I didn't realy feel to go on this cruise. But I went and it was a nice closing to this trip through Botswana and Zimbabwe. We had some great sightings and another amazing African sunset.
Thank you very much
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Professional and prompt service
I have worked with Journeys Beyond for years but only now have I had a chance to experience their product on the ground and it's safe to say I couldn't have had a better experience. All of our arrangements ran smoothly and on time with professional and engaging staff to answer any of our queries that we had along the way. I wouldn't hesitate in recommending Journeys Beyond to anyone.
BR
Email Veri | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
breathtaking experience
Live this experience was lovely. As a professional in the tourism market, having the opportunity to experience the safari far beyond what the TV channels show is really enlightening. Witness the attack of the lions to zebras was positively indescribable as all the service you offer. Amazing! The experience brought me knowledge that I now share with my clients and friends. Its a full experience. You have to live it!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
South Africa
The folks at Journey Beyond were extremely helpful and professional, dealing with many changes, special dietary need issues, and coordinating with another family's travel plans. They also made great recommendations and sent us a complete printed itinerary with everything documented. I don't know how we would have done it without them!
US
Email Pamela | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Memorable! Fascinating! Life changing! Thrilling! Perfection!
I had the most positive experience with Mable vanderMuelen, Lauren and Philip of Journey Beyond!
The itinerary they planned for me was flawless.
This trip was everything we wanted and from the moment we arrived the entire journey including flights, transfers to the lodges and tours were well coordinated.
The accomodations were luxurious, the food outstanding and the game viewing was indescribable.
Our entire trip from Botswana to Zambia to South Africa was way beyond our expectations.
BR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Excellency from start to finish
I travelled with Journey Beyond twice this year and could not have been more impressed with the service and team. Attention to detail, quick replies and extensive knowledge before travel, and an incredible dedication and quality of services, from hotels to transfers to guides. Journey Beyond excels from travel planning to delivery, and I would not consider a visit to Africa without their guidance.
BR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
AMAZING TOUR OPERATOR IN AFRICA
In August of 2013 I had a beautiful trip in South Africa. Journey Beyond took care of an amazing 10 days trip with friends going to a Safari Lodge (Royal Malewane), Capetown ( Ellermann House Hotel), in the wine region ( La Residence) and in the shark coast of Hermanus ( Birkenhead House). In every corner we felt their care in everything. City tour in Capetown with wonderful local tips, wine degustations during sunset, shark diving tour with a preservation group of people, safari tour with one of the six best rangers in the world... What I can tell is that I am now on my way to South Africa again, with my daughter, with the 100% garantie that it will the best version of another Africa experience.
CH
Experience level: first safari
Most Amazing Trip Ever perfectly planned by Journey Beyond
My wife and I spent 2 weeks in South Africa in February of this year and it was one of the most, if not THE most amazing trip we have ever taken and we can thank Journey Beyond for making it happen for us. We learned about Journey Beyond through online research and word of mouth and we started planning our trip early with them. We worked with Tanya Robinson and Annette Holtmann from Journey Beyond and we gave them a budget and a rough agenda of what we were wanting to do and see while we were in South Africa and they took it from there and put together a itinerary that was absolutely perfect. They were so easy to work with and so helpful, in the end all we had to do was show up as they had taken care of everything else. Before our trip, they conveniently mailed us a guide booklet with our detailed itinerary, with each section explained with helpful tips, all needed phone numbers for contacts and useful information about each stop we had.
We started our Trip with 2 days of Safari in Kruger National Park and we stayed in the Tinga Lodge at Lion Sands. After 2 days we relocated to the River Lodge at Lion Sands with Safaris in the Sabi Sands National Park. It was great because Journey Beyond gave us the opportunity to stay in both Lodges, which were quite different from each other but both amazing along with having the 2 different experiences of going on Safari in Kruger and Sabi Sands National Parks. Staying at Lion Sands was the perfect plan as the Staff at Lions Sands take care of every one of your needs and make it so all you have to do is relax and have a good time!
After 4 days of Safari, we flew to Capetown where Journey Beyond had planned our next 3 days of sightseeing. We had a guide arranged by Journey Beyond, Darren, who was a local and extremely knowledgeable of all the areas we saw. All of the suggestions for sights we saw were perfect! Journey Beyond even planned in a day off for us to relax on the beach and by the pool while we were in Capeteown. From Capetown, Darren drove us to the Wine Country in Franscheok where we spent the next few days eating delicious food and drinking some of the best South African wines.
From start to finish we experienced so many different adventures while we were in South Africa from Safari to Beaches to Wine Tastings. Journey Beyond made the trip so memorable for us and by FAR helped exceed our expectations. We are so thankful that we used them to plan our vacation and would highly recommend them to anyone who is looking to get the full South African experience. We hope to make it back and will certainly use them again!
oustanding service attention to detail
we have used Journey beyond for all our travel arrangements in Africa and the indian ocean. Their attention to detail is superb and they have far exceeded our expectations with their service - from original enquiries to follow up on return. If you want excellent professional service, use journey beyond.