Part of the happy Pembury team having a laugh!
Pembury Tours
- Office In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 1996)
- Member Of:
- Southern Africa Tourism Services Association
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $100 to $2,000 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 Jillian | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The most epic and perfectly tailored-to-us itinerary
This is the second "once" in a lifetime trip that Kerry has planned for us. Just like our previous tour, nearly 10 years ago, Kerry took the time to truly understand what we wanted out of our experience. With a kiddo along for the adventure this go around, we sought out Kerry's expertise knowing that she would keep things both in budget and full of adventure. We had specific things we wanted to see and do and Kerry was able to work them all into a tour that was well suited to our specific time constraints and budget, as well as reworking a few things when we changed our minds. The ease of working with Pembury as well as their consistent delivery of what is promised is why we recommend them to everyone who is interested in travelling in Africa. Let the experts show you why they are the experts!
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Email Laurel | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Heidi was the most valuable part of our planning process and the outcome was flawless.
Heidi assisted me with planning a custom tour based on specific needs / wants related to celebrating my 30th anniversary. The dedication and effort she demonstrated to ensure our satisfaction was conveyed throughout the entire process. Heidi was always very responsive to my questions and provided feedback to the ideas I proposed. Her attention to detail was greatly appreciated and it instilled trust every step of the way.
The overall tour surpassed every expectation that we had. Located in the Sabie Sands, specifically staying at Arathusa and Ulusaba was amazing from a customer service perspective. The game drive viewing was exhilarating and rewarding all due to the effort of the Rangers and Trackers at both locations.
My husband and I are genuinely eternally grateful for the experience we had and the partnership we established. I only wish Pembury tours extended beyond the South African border so we could continue to work with Heidi.
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Email June | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Gail Davis from Pembury Tours is a masterful Africa travel planner, highly recommended!
Gail put together a terrific trip based on our list of interests in an amazingly short time. We made our first approach early May, Gail was so easy to communicate with, she immediately understood what we were looking for. After a couple of tweaks, our trip to Vic Falls, Chobe and Namibia was finalized and confirmed in a matter of days! The highlights were the Namibia small group tour and a brief taste of Chobe in Botswana. We are so pleased we took her advice and guidance as she came up with such a variety of places to visit, excellent lodges and guest houses each with its own character and style, plus great activities, many of which we would never have even contemplated. Our trip came in close to budget, every single detail was planned, including local flights, intricate road transfers, tours and so on. Everything worked flawlessly, without a hitch, quite amazing - it made traveling so easy! We would love to do another trip to Botswana in a year or two, and we would not hesitate to call on Gail and Pembury Tours again. We are seasoned international travelers who grew up in Africa so we can recognize an expert with extensive local knowledge and experience. Highly recommended!
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Email Bill Maxwell | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a Lifetime
We have wanted to go on Safari for years. When we were ready I did a lot of research on tour companies. Most are a set schedule tour and the itinerary is pre-planed. After researching I selected Pembury and started working with Anya. She took our desired sights and started planning our trip. We added changes that she incorporated. As this is a long trip and expensive we wanted to cram in as much as we could. Anya built a totally custom trip for us. Pembury arranged and coordinated everything. They met us on arrival and escorted us to connecting flight. The entire trip was like a private tour built around our wants. The selections of lodges, hotels and schedule was excellent. We packed in 8 days of safaris at 4 lodges; Simbavati Waterside, Inyati, Chundu Island, Chobe Bakwena. All were excellent and very different. Simbavati was the most luxurious accommodation with impeccable service. Inyati was the best game viewing. We saw 8 different leopards and had a bush chase of a lifetime to view Wild Dogs! Every place had something unique and different. Victoria falls is a must and amazing. We tacked on the helicopter tour which is well worth it. Our packed schedule was made effortless and Pembury arranged for everything.
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Email Lisa | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
I could not imagine any other tour operator could do better than Heidi at Pembury Tours
Heidi at Pembury Tours did an excellent job putting together our tour. I thought the price was very reasonable when I got the quote but I was blown away with the actual top notch experience. Everything was taken care of for us every step of the way-internal flights, our stays & our drivers who transported us. Throughout the whole tour we were pleasantly surprised with every turn. Our lodging was over the top! I highly recommend Heidi at Pembury Tours. We’re already sharing her contact information with family & friends who plan on taking advantage of having Heidi plan their dream tour.
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Email Shelley | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible Bucket List Trip to Africa !
We had a fantastic trip working with our tour agent Anya Jarvis at Pembury Tours this June! Our two week trip was a wonderful mix of experiences in Capetown, the Cape Peninsula, Sabi Sands, Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park in Botswana and Johannesburg. Anya planned a very well organized, smooth and safe trip for us and set us up with fantastic guides. She was very available to us for any questions or concerns. I highly recommend Anya. We can't wait to plan a return trip to Africa with her help!
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Email Ron | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic Botswana safari coupled with wonderful Victoria Falls visit
I cannot say enough good things about our Pembury Tours safari vacation to Cape Town, Botswana and Victoria Falls. I was a little nervous about all the air and ground transfers as we moved from place to place, but the people and services set up to greet us at every step of the trip were flawless. There was someone helping us with transportation and through the lines at airports and visa entry points which made everything easy and comfortable. Our Pembury Tours travel agent, Kerry Ririe, was always available via phone or WhatsApp, and that connectivity was reassuring throughout our trip.
I loved our three nights at Camp Xakanaxa. It was beautifully situated in the Okavango Delta with large decks overhanging the water where we enjoyed cocktails and wine around a fire every night. The sunsets and sunrises were so gorgeous there. The camp was meticulously kept up, our tent well-tended to and housekeeping stellar. The food was delicious. They set up a dinner one evening in the courtyard with tablecloths and lanterns. It looked magical and truly felt like an outdoor safari dinner. They also provided wonderful boat rides on the water to view the hippos and birds.
The Xakanxa safari guides were wonderful at the camp, joining us for meals and making sure we were informed every step of the way. Our guide was Ketz - he was super. We saw lots of animals, including a pride of 8 female lions devour a large Cape Buffalo while it was still alive. What a NatGeo moment!!
Chobe Game Lodge was beautiful and very modern. Our rooms had flower petals spread over our beds when we arrived -- nice touch! We were kept very busy there with safari outings in the morning and late afternoon and a boat ride on the Chobe River right after lunch. Our guide was Irene, and we saw hundreds of elephants, lots of lions (and their cubs), giraffes, baboons, crocodiles, zebras, cape buffalo and of course the ubiquitous impalas. They also set up tables all around the grounds one evening so you had your own intimate table by yourself. The table area was lit with lanterns and service was great.
Both Camp Xakanaxa and the Chobe Game Lodge were full-service arrangements, meaning all meals were included as was an open bar. Our safari outings on land and water were always supplemented by water, sodas or other refreshments. If it was a cool morning we were provided blankets to keep us warm. The jeeps and boats were always clean and comfortable, and operators focused on traveler comfort and safety while seeking the best wild animal viewing opportunities.
Victoria Falls was mesmerizing. The water level was pretty high and we had a great guide named Lucky leading our tour. The Hotel Ilala was very nice and situated very near the Falls. The lodging at Ilala included a magnificent breakfast. All the staff we engaged with were extremely courteous and helpful.
We used Uber to get around Cape Town and that proved to be very easy. Pembury Tours arranged our tickets to visit Table Mountain. We got up to the top in the morning and were able to enjoy the stunning views of Cape Town. We stayed in The Commodore Hotel down near the waterfront and enjoyed exploring the shops, bars and the aquarium. The Commodore breakfast was superb, and we sampled evening dinners at nice restaurants (Villa 47 and Codfathers) in the local area.
The foundation of our highly successful safari vacation was Kerry Ririe! Beginning months before our Pembury Tours down payment and contract signing, Kerry was helpful with email exchanges addressing questions and concerns we had. She volunteered advice and counsel as we tailored our safari itinerary, and once in country she kept in touch periodically to ensure all was going to plan. When our departing international flight was suddenly canceled and slipped 24 hours, she quickly arranged for an airport pickup and hotel rooms for the three of us. She ensured our daughter was surprised with a birthday cake and champagne at Chobe Game Lodge -- how considerate! Kerry was fantastic and made the trip so enjoyable for us in every respect. I highly recommend her and would definitely use her Pembury Tours services again.
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Email Ellen and Chris P | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kerry Ririe Planned a Fabulous Trip
My husband and I want to recommend and thank Kerry Ririe for planning our best trip we have ever taken. This says a lot as we are very avid international travelers. We visited Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Cape Town SA recently. We live in the USA and even with the time difference Kerry was always quick to reply to any questions we had during the planning stage. She listened to our criteria and planned an adventure which far exceeded any of our expectations. We saw so many animals, (The Big 5 by our second day), met wonderful people, visited a village, saw Victoria Falls, ate delicious food, had beautiful accommodations and received outstanding service. We truly enjoyed every moment of our holiday. Everything about our trip was seamless which alleviated any stress traveling so far to experience new countries. This was due to the expert planning by Kerry and the excellent reputation of Pembury Tours. We hope we can one day return to Africa and we will certainly use Kerry again as our planner. Until then we are singing your praises to everyone we meet with an interest in traveling to Africa. Thank you again!
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Email Anna | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible trip and remarkable experience working with Melanie!
We had an incredible experience with Melanie from Pembury tours who organized a trip to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana for us. Melanie went above and beyond before, during, and after our trip and she always was extremely responsive, helpful, competent, and attentive. The response time to any question was pretty much immediate and there was no question Melanie was not able to address.
Organization and the whole process was exceptional. We haven’t encountered even one single issue or delay with any transfers, hotels, flights, etc. during our 12 days tour. Melanie also remained in touch every step of the way and was welcoming any feedback we had. Before the trip we felt a bit nervous since it was our first time in Africa. However, everything within the tour worked as a clock when we arrived and we felt completely taken care of and relaxed for the whole trip. We were confident that all the arrangements were made and everything was going as planned because Melanie was on top of it.
We feel extremely lucky that we did a tour with Melanie and honestly could not ask for any more support and attention than we received. I wholeheartedly recommend Melanie and Pembury Tours and I personally will never go back to Africa through any other tour provider but Pembury. I have been already talking with Melanie about my next trip to Africa and I can't be more excited as I know I am in the best hands and it will be absolutely fantastic.
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Email Pam A | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great planning that made the trip easy, fun, and amazing
Anya from Pembury was great to work with from start to finish. Great communication to turn our thoughts into reality. We just provided a list of things we wanted to do and she designed a plan with lodging, transfer, air, some meals, and tours that we loved. It was EASY to just follow the plan and effortless on our part. We had great lodging, especially in Cape Town and at Arathusa in Sabi Sands and great tour guides as well. We really appreciated the ‘tips’ on packing, weather, tipping for service, etc since it was our first time in Africa.
