Kanyezi Africa Safari
- Located In:
-
United States
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 1983)
- Tour Types:
- Mid-range & luxury tours with set start dates and a fixed itinerary
- Destinations:
Reviews
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Email Garth and Anne | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well worth the wait!
Our recent trip with Kanyezi Africa Safaris was a bit unusual. We had started our adventure with a tour of the beautiful Cape Town area in March 2020, but were forced home early due to US restrictions to travel on account of Covid-19. Our experience with owner (and our tour guide) Chris, along with top-notch accommodations and personal attention, made us determined to return for the missing safari part of our planned vacation when it was possible again.
That turned out to be nearly two years later. Our already high expectations were exceeded by our stay at Dulini River Lodge under the auspices of Kanyezi. The lodge’s setting, overlooking a beautiful river valley with frequent animal sightings, was hard to beat. Each room was actually a separate villa with comfortable and spacious lounging and sleeping quarters, bathing area with soaking tub and walk-in shower, and riverfront deck with plunge pool and outdoor shower.
Food was creative, varied and more than ample. Our twice-daily game drives brought us in remarkably close proximity to all the legendary animals we had hoped to see – and a few more – in their natural habitat, behaving naturally if occasionally surprisingly. We were delighted to be the first group in two years to visit the local village where so many of the staff called home, to meet with groups of children and enjoy an impressive performance by the young people’s choir. Kudos to Chris for making it happen for us.
What really made the trip for us was the wonderful Dulini staff. Without exception, they were caring and competent, eager to take care of whatever we needed or wanted. Special mention should be made of our ranger Mac and tracker Prince, who seemed to have an almost telepathic ability to communicate the best routes and locations of the sometimes-elusive wildlife. Mac’s ability to multitask the challenging off-road driving, radio contact with other rangers, game-finding, and explanations to us was quite remarkable. We were also expertly catered to in the lodge by Sipho, our butler. Many thanks to all for making our stay so special!
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Email Sandy | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
An AMAZING adventure with Kanyezi!
The word AMAZING does not do justice to our KANYEZI AFRICA SAFARI that we just had in South Africa. This trip had been on our bucket list for some time and it was EVERYTHING that we wanted it to be!
We had paid for the “lie down” seats on the planes and we enjoyed EVERY minute of our flight. We were totally rested when we got there and got home. That part was wonderful!
Our few days as the “extension” at Spier Winery Lodge were great. Great facilities and great food. The tour of Cape Town allowed us to see the beauty and history of this beautiful city and surrounding sea and greenery. Beautiful!
THEN we flew again and arrived at Dulini Lodge! Talk about beautiful—this was IT! Our suite was large, African styled, and wonderfully clean . Our individual pool was great, large deck and we felt like royalty when the netting was drawn each night. Just like the movies!
The food was outstanding and served with much flair. Every meal was delicious and we even had a special night dinner out in the bush. The employees took care of our every need. It was top of the line!
THEN what we had come for — the SAFAR! Mere words do not describe our reactions and feelings as we would sit in our Range Rover and quietly watch the animals. Our Ranger, Nic, and Tracker, Dyke, knew the animals and told us so many interesting facts as we watched. We got to see elephants mating, hyenas breaking bones on an impala, zebras, giraffes, rhinos, crocodiles, water buffalos — to name a few. Nic and Dyke had such respect for the animals and their habitat — the animals were right up close to us — always. We had never expected this closeness and we had felt we would see animals further away. Not so — right up close. The personalities of Nic and Dyke were soothing and great. When we go again, we will request both of them. Dyke even made a special drink for our breaks out in the bush. We felt VERY safe with Nic, but were glad that he carried a gun that would have protected us if need be. The SAFARI was EVERYTHING that we could have dreamed about. Thank you, Kanyezi, for all of that.
Then there was Chris and Michael, father and son. I helped coordinate our group of 9 women and had dealt with Chris throughout the time of postponing the trip because of COVID. While at the Dulini Lodge, Chris turned the company over to his son, Michael. It is a GREAT COMPANY, founded in love of South Africa and Dulini Lodge. Happy Retirement, Chris. Thanks for all the set up you did.
Michael is a gem! He is so excited about his company and has had lots of experience in South Africa — ever since he was 12 years old. He stayed right with us all the way through our trip. He did so many things for my friend and me. We were the oldest women in our group and we ALWAYS knew that Michael had our back! He will do well with the future! Chip is going to do well as the Quality Man. They both love what they are doing.
I know this review is very long but I just HAD to write about so many wonderful things. I have only tipped the iceberg on our memories. Since returning home, I have been showing my pictures to several friends. I have told each of them about KANYEZI and how it is such a great company to go on SAFARI with.
I cannot say enough positive remarks about KANYEZI and ALL the employees that we dealt with. It is LUXURY at its finest. If you are hesitating, DO NOT! You will not be disappointed!
If I can answer any specific questions for you, just email me and I will be glad to answer. [email protected]
Happy Safari!!!!!
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Email Will & Marilyn Cantrell, Travelers | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Special attention and exceptional service!
Having spent a month on safari in East Africa, we thought we knew what to expect on Kanyezi’s South Africa safari. Little did we know we’d see the Big Five within 24 hours of our stay! We started our trip in March of 2020, then the pandemic broke out and the State Department called us home halfway through. We at least had a glorious time exploring the regions of Cape Town and Stellenbosch. In March 2022, we went back for the safari at Sabi Sands Reserve. A big surprise upon our arrival, was the quality of the service we received. It was truly a 5-star experience! That includes the lodging, as well as the staff. The trip was an exhilarating, once in a lifetime adventure!
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Email Heather | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kanyezi NAILED IT!! Magnificent!!
My Africa trip was very short notice, I had some unexpected time off and this was a bucket list trip I was to take with my daughter, who unexpectedly passed away. Kanyezi worked it out on very short notice and got me all booked to be able to use this time to go on what was a much-anticipated trip together. This was a very special trip for me and given the circumstances a very emotional trip. My flights were a bit all over the place and not the best most direct, but that was due to the last-minute booking by me, and I was just very happy to be able to go. Everything, I mean everything was top notch!! From my arrival in Cape town and Manie greeting me with his big smile and flowers everything was wonderful!! I stayed at an amazing wine estate, Lanzerac, and the staff was wonderful, rooms were comfortable. Manie was awesome and made my trip to Capetown just that much better!! He was knowledgeable, friendly, kind and even went out of his way to get me booked on an excursion that was not on the itinerary. We saw as much as possible in the short time I was there, and I felt like I made a new friend in Manie. Then it was off to the Safari portion of the trip and OH MY GOODNESS!! Amazing, life changing, beautiful, magnificent.... I could go on and on. From my pickup at the airport by my Ranger to the gorgeous Dulini resort and awe-inspiring game drives 5 STARS all the way! If I could give more stars I would! Dulini is a very special place, so beautiful, amazing food, wonderful staff and the GAME DRIVES, WOWEE!!!
Kanyezi arranged a most perfect trip and there was not a glitch or hiccup one, everything and everybody was on time and where they were supposed to be to greet me at every destination. This was important as I was traveling alone. There really are no accurate words to describe the safari, it was life changing and I can't wait to bring my family back someday!! THANK YOU KANYEZI!!
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Email Tom W | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic!!
We're just back from our safari, and on a scale of 1-10, it was a 12! The animals, lodgings, and staff were all much better than expected. We were on the 17-day safari (Cape Town, Dulini, and Victoria Falls), which I highly recommend. Nothing was planned for our first two days at Lanzerac Hotel in Stellenbosch which was great as it allowed us to adjust to the time difference from California and recover from our 30-hour flight. Lanzerac is five-star, and is located about 45 minutes from Cape Town. It's smarter to dine in Stellenbosch (a charming university-town) than to drive all the way into Cape Town to eat. Note: you will tour Cape Town one day and can dine there (try Pot Luck, it was excellent), and the hotel will pick you up for a fee. The Dulini Lodges are also five-star. We stayed in Mora and our suite backed-up to a creek with a lushly covered hill behind it so it was very private. There are no windows on the front of the suite (60 feet wide, with inside and outside showers, living room, and heated plunge-pool) but the rear is all glass so it's like living outside but you are inside in an air-conditioned environment. The Dining Room is open-air, and we even ate a dinner on the lawn--no bugs. If it's dark, you are escorted to your room for safety. We saw every type of animal imaginable as game is very abundant. We did 30 hours of Drives, and saw leopards and lions several times, elephants were often encountered as were giraffes and zebras. We were fortunate enough to see some rare ones, including wild dogs, and a pangolin. We also sat among a herd of cape buffalos that stretched a quarter-mile. We sometimes got within three feet of a lion or leopard, which is very exciting--as long as we remained seated in the safari-vehicle, we were ignored by them. At Victoria Falls, we stayed at the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, which is perched on a hillside and has a magnificent view of the Bush below. The Falls were roaring, so were dramatic, but you will get wet despite wearing a poncho. The staff everywhere we went could not have been nicer or more accommodating. In sum, it was one of the best vacations we've ever had.
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Email Bernie & Jody | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Magnificent!!
In March 2023 my wife and I enjoyed a 16 - Day Luxury Safari with Kanyezi Safaris - our best travel experience ever!! The team of Michael, Chip and Manny were excellent from the start as they planned an amazing itinerary including a very informative and historical tour of Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Wine Country and then onto Dulini Lodge in the Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve near Kruger National Park for 6 days of Safari and closed with a wonderful visit to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Amazing is all I can say!
The professionalism and knowledge of Michael, Chip and Manny were on full display as they were able to effectively team together and provide a wonderful experience for all, including catering to individual requests.
While all was wonderful, I cannot say enough about our time at Dulini. Observing the animals in their natural habitat was made possible by the expertise and experience of our guide and tracker - these folks are amazing. We were awestruck by mother nature and all she has to offer in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve. In between Safaris we were able to enjoy the 5-star accommodation of Dulini and all its comforts. The staff at Dulini is second to none.
I highly recommend a South African journey with Kanyezi, in fact, I am planning my second trip in October 2024 as I want my children and their spouses to experience this once in a lifetime opportunity.
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Email Sharon | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Truly a Life Time Dream Comes True
Many words come to mind when describing the Kanyezi Safaris trip to Southern Africa - Amazing, Fantastic, Rewarding, Educational, Stunning, Luxurious, wonderfully planned and coordinated - just perfect. Our hosts, Michael and Chip took care of us from the minute we landed in Johannesburg until we departed 14 days later.
Our first destination for four overnights was Lanzerac Resort located not far from Cape Town. The accommodations were luxurious and wonderfully appointed. The food at the breakfast buffet, two onsite restaurants and the winery was excellent. The winery gives most enjoyable tastings and the prices are enticing for purchasing a case to ship home. From the resort we took scenic and well designed day trips to the Indian and Atlantic oceans, Simon’s town to see the hundreds of penguins, a tour of Cape Town where there are many attractions, a visit to Victoria Wharf, the Cheetah Outreach, shopping and dining in the lovely town of Stellenbosch and a wine tasting at Groene Rivier. This area of Africa is at the time of our trip in March lush and green at quite lovely.
Our second destination was Dulini Safari Lodge Resort near Krueger National Park in Sabi Sand Game Reserve. It’s not easy to get there as just two flights a day are offered. But it was more than worth the travel to get to this fantastic part of South Africa.
Dulini consists of three beautifully designed, modern and luxurious lodges. The theme is African Safari and every bit of it lived up to our expectations. The location of the lodge on the Sand River offers wonderful views of the bush area along with a variety of animal visitors that roam right on the grounds. The food was tantalizingly prepared and delicious. But the best part was yet to come.
The safari rides were utterly amazing. Twice a day we went out early in the morning and late afternoon for 3 hour all terrain vehicle rides to see dozens if not hundreds of wildlife during our five day stay. The guides and drivers are skilled in driving and locating all varieties of wildlife including: lions, elephants, cape buffalos, hippos, leopards, zebras, giraffes, rhinos, jackals, impalas, kudus. Bushbucks, wildebeests, hyena’s, dozens of birds and much, much more. We were able to get close up to really see these magnificent animals living naturally in the wild.
There is no way a review can really fully describe this amazing trip of a life time. All so perfectly planned, coordinated and executed. Kanyezi Safaris can custom plan a trip for you or offer you options on already planned trips such as ours. There were 22 in our group that joined together to experience and amazing trip in a lovely and remote part of the world. I highly recommend Michael and Chris to you to help you have an experience of a life time.
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Email Susan | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Michael van Herk was a great tour guide.
I recently joined Kanyezi Safaris on a 16-day trip to South Africa. Each day was planned carefully with so much attention to the details of the days' activities and the beautiful accommodations. The Kanyezi staff and staff at the lodges helped to truly make this trip a trip of a lifetime.
The days on safari exceeded my very high expectations. Thank you, Michael van Herk and staff, for all the wonderful and amazing memories!!
Susan Fischer.
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Email Scott B | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding and memorable travel experience!
After a 3 year wait for the pandemic to pass, we finally found ourselves on our way to the trip of a lifetime. Celebrating the culmination of a 40 year working career, our South African safari was carefully curated by the experts at Kanyezi, with our individual interests and requirements considered. From the moment we landed in Capetown, to our final escort to the departing gate, every detail was executed perfectly. The guides, the accommodations, restaurants, the safari itself, were flawless. Throughout the experience, everyone was extremely helpful and knowledgeable. We highly recommend this company and this travel experience.
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Email Dominick | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Extremely knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and readily available.
My wife and I have been married for 47 years and have discussed going on a safari to South Africa even when we were dating. After being shut out by COVID in 2020, we began to think that our dream vacation would never materialize. However, with the help of Chip Allen and the Kanyezi team, our recent trip to Capetown, Kruger National Park, and Victoria Falls exceeded our wildest expectations. We were greeted warmly wherever we went, provided with all the information we needed, fantastic service, great value, and exposed to the wonderful elements of nature and wildlife that all of us dream about, and few will ever see. The staff was accommodating to all travelers' needs, and safety was always a top priority. As a world traveler, I would honestly say that this was truly the experience of a lifetime.