Bianca & Craig your expert safari planner/guides
Southern African Tours
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2008)
- Member Of:
- SATSA, CTT & intrasure
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $79 to $129 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
CA
Email Sheryl | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Terrific Garden Route Tour with added extras
My son and I recently took the Garden route tour with Craig...he was great!..He added a 6th day to the tour to accommodate us as we wanted a surfing lesson for my son...all was taken care of. The accommodation provided for the whole trip was well above my expectations!!..well done Craig!...the food was excellent as well. Craig was more than willing to adjust the route to our liking....spending more time in some places and cutting out places we were not so interested in. The Safari tour was magnificent!...We saw all the animals except for the elusive leopard...got some great pictures to share with our envious friends. The Cango Caves adventure tour was well worth it!...try it if you can fit through the openings!!... If you are looking for a great trip..look no further...this trip hits all the hi-lights!...We would recommend this company to anyone who is interested seeing a part of this great country...a very scenic part!..From ocean drives to mountains to semi desert..you will see it all...thanks so much Craig...we had a fantastic time!
FR
Email Daniel | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
An exciting and wonderful 3 weeks trip.
During 3 weeks Craig does like to share his passion for his country.
With him we were able to wander off the beaten track.
Of course we visit the main sites of SA. We met the locals.
He can show us animals, vegetal...he has a good grounding in natural sciences.
The trip was very well done and Craig waits on us hand and foot.
The choices of accommodation were judicious.
We can heartily recommend this kind and enthusiast guide.
Email Peter Jones | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Nothing better than hosting overseas friends and loving the SA experience as much as them!
I was not sure what to do with my old school friend and his wife from London, as they wanted to spent time with me as well as experience the beauty of SA. Why do I not go on a trip with them - will I be bored? Well, I should never have worried - we opted for Southern Africa Tours 15 day trip - and what an experience - I never knew that there were live Hippo's wondering the streets of St Lucia! Where else in the world can one see the big 5 and go snorkeling on the same day - Isimangeliso Wetland Park is a must for all travelers (and South Africans). I had been to Kruger before, but one day is never the same, and it is even more special when you get to share the magnificent park with close friends - it makes us proud to be South African. Our guide, Craig, was witty and regaled us with endless interesting stories during our 2 weeks - a true Tour Guide that seemed to love his "job".
FR
Email Lilli Stromsted | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
well planned 3 week circuit
We were 2 couples, who wanted to explore South Africa and from our search we found Southern African Tours to be the most comprehensive and the owner, Craig Lucke to be very helpful in changing the little bit we wished to change.
Craig is an excellent guide; he loves his country, which clearly shows in his way of guiding.
He is enthusiastic, knowledgeable and a very pleasant person to be with, which is so important, when you share a car for 21 days.
He went above and beyond, what was expected from the programme, added extra without expecting extra payment and also gave the four of us time alone, when possible.
We stayed in lovely guesthouses and game lodges around the country and thoroughly enjoyed our tour.
We can heartily recommend Craig and Southern African Tours.
US
Email Nancy | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A fantastic three-day private tour tailored to our interests
The 3-day tour of the Southern Cape, Agulhas, Safari & Little Karoo was as billed: a wonderful drive along the spectacular southern coast visiting a penguin colony, and viewing many bird species and animals. A stop at Cape Agulhas, southern tip of the continent and stay over at an austere but clean beach house. Day 2 we traveled through historic towns, stopped at the aloe factory and had brunch at the perfect Blue Crane. We went to Botlierskop for a “big 5” safari. The drive covered a huge, gorgeous landscape with a good guide but very few animals. After the safari we continue to the town of Oudtshoorn (via the Robertson’s pass), which is the capital of the Little Karoo, renowned for its spectacular arid landscapes, fossil finds, succulent desert plants and had dinner (ostrich carpaccio, figs and fresh farm cheeses!) and stayed at the incomparable De Denne Country Guest House near the Highgate Ostrich farm. Our guide Derek Keeling was terrifically knowledgeable and flexible, allowing us to skip the caves and tour the ostrich farm, and explore the towns the Route 62 wine route between two mountain ranges on day 3, completing our 800 mile round-trip that started and ended in Cape Town. I would do it all again in a heartbeat!
CH
Email Nicole | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Outstanding service with a lot of heart and passion
My partner and I really enjoyed our 15-Day South Africa Tour including Swaziland and Lesotho and we want to thank you very much indeed for everything you did to help us have such an incredible time. All the arrangements with flights, accommodations, excursions – everything went so smoothly with your tour. We also loved your company and we fondly remember all the interesting explanations and conversations but also the quiet moments which gave us time to digest the wonderful impressions. Your willingness to answer all our questions in depth and sharing a special part of yourself made this journey very special to us.
Choosing you was a wise decision as we were able to adjust our itinerary along the way according to our interests and needs. We very much appreciated all your professional help and support in making our trip an experience of a lifetime.
Thanks to you we learned a lot about South Africa, its cultures and customs and the country’s past and future. Hearing the stories of people and their lives and visiting some of the most breathtaking places was fantastic!
Now looking at all the photos fulfils us with a great deal of happiness and joy.
Thank you very much once again for this truly memorable adventure, Craig ! You were amazing and we just loved your own personal touch! We would recommend you wholeheartedly to anyone who is planning to visit South Africa.
Hopefully we will get more people from Switzerland to travel to South Africa with YOU. We hope to see you again in the near future.
US
Email Steve Gorden | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A Great Time and Fantastic Experience
Craig, our guide and host, couldn't have been more helpful. He was able to tailor a trip for us that was exactly what we had hoped for. We simply let him know what our interests were, along with budget parameters, and he did the rest. He was careful to explain what to expect and was quick to answer any questions we had. He was polite, cheerful, and extremely informative. We could not have had the great time we did without his able assistance. We would definitely recommend him and his company
Email Spoorthy | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An incredible tour filled with memories
We are just back from a trip across the southern cape and Klien Karoo for 4 days and our experience with this tour operator was simply amazing! The customized itinerary for 2 of us was awesome, there was no hassle with the payment or contacting the operators. When the tour started, the guide provided was incredible, the hotels that were organized were homely and nothing to complain about during the entire trip, but that it was over already :) I would definitely recommend this operator if you are looking at doing some off the beaten track tours.
US
Email Jim, Diane & Bridget | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible Western Cape Adventure
We just returned from our visit to S. Africa that included a 3-day tour with South Africa Tours. The Southern Cape, Safari and Little Karoo tour packs so much into such a small amount of time - it matched our needs perfectly. Unfortunately, Craig was unavailable to guide us, but Jen (his substitute) was terrific, with a very positive attitude and a wealth of knowledge covering the history, land, people and animals of this amazing area. The lodging, food, and stops were all top rate. We have no reservations about recommending this tour operator to those visiting S. Africa, or any other destination they might offer.
CA
Email Steve | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great “once in a lifetime” experiences with knowledgeable local guide. Overall great value!
Anyone looking for great experiences in Southern Africa should consider hiring Craig as their private tour guide. Being a native South African, Craig has local firsthand knowledge of South Africa past and present. He answered all our questions and educated us about 'all things South Africa' with knowledge and pride. His own enthusiasm was contagious! Our adventure in South Africa would not have been as seamless and positive if it wasn't for Craig.
Our family of 4 from Toronto, Canada had an incredible time with Craig as our private tour guide. We hired his company for 2 separate trips; a 4 day 3 night tour of the Southern Cape (including Cape Point, Oudtshoorn, Congo Caves, Private Game Reserve, Cape Agulhas, Hermanus and Betty’s Bay) and a 5 day 4 night tour of Swaziland, Kruger Park (including many hours of Safari driving) and the Blyde River Canyon.
Craig took care of all the details including itinerary, bookings, vehicle rental, driving and guiding. We appreciated that Craig drove us through spectacular regions, ensured we saw major tour spots, as well as, experienced special 'off the beaten track' places that made our trip so special. The best things about our trip were the many excursions, knowledgeable local guide, flexible itinerary and overall great value.