Neil de Jonge | Safari Travel Expert
Jewel of Africa Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2002)
- Tour Types:
- Custom luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $359 to $994 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email Margrethe | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Fun and professional :D
I was with a group of volunteers, who went to Kruger nationalpark for safari in 2014. We had such good time with Neil (our tour operator). He is so much fun, and he knows so much about all the animals and the nature. He is a great guide, and we all had so much fun, so I went back the year after too, with the same tour operator. Neil told us a lot about nature, the big five, birds and all other animals, and he has a lot of funny jokes and stories to tell, so you will never be bored (even if there is some dead time, when your just driving around looking for animals). We got to see most of the animals we wanted, and it was great. I would definitely recommend Jewel of Africa Safaris to everyone! You will have a great time! :D Next time i'm back in South Africa I will definitely book a safari with Jewel of Africa Safaris again, for a third time! :D
US
Email Joel Lang | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Immaculate
Our Kruger safari with Neil was a dream trip in every sense for my mother and I. We'd dreamt of such an adventure for years, and when we were actually there it was an immaculate dream of a trip...hypnotizing landscapes/wild, dusty roads/lions literally close enough to touch (if the windows had been down)/galloping herds/lazy jaguars/royal giraffes. This really can't be overstated. I've just tried, but I've failed.
Regarding the day-to-day, the most important thing is Neil. He's a classy, fun, intelligent dude with a mildly humorous accent. As a result of this, everything else falls into place. Lodging could be described as rustic, spectacular. And South African bacon should be considered a national treasure.
The only thing anyone really needs to understand is that if Neil were not guiding others, he'd probably be out there himself. He, and Jewel of Africa Safaris, have a real and proud hunger for what they do.
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Email Jorge | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Completely professional, but feel like family.
Jewel of Africa does not deliver as they promise. They do so much more! The service is personalized while maintaining the highest degree of professionalism.
BE
Email Joke | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Simply the best!
Our first trip to Africa, with the kids in 2014 was full of wonders. Luckily we had a great guide, Kobus. He knows all the stories, also some fun anecdotes and is very entertaining. Since he is a ranger too, we got to know all about the wildlife on our trip to Kruger where he managed to show us a large variety of animals.
As Kobus says:"you may leave Africa, but Africa never leaves you", so we started dreaming about going back the minute we got home. This time we were a bit more demanding and had a customized trip made for us. South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, .... all in a 16 day trip. The organization was impeccable, the guide (again) super, the trip a journey never to forget.
Kobus has become a dear friend and we hope to be back with him soon!
US
Email Johann F. Szautner | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Jewel of Africa safaris provide great opportunities for spiritual renewal, cultural enrichment & fun
This was our 4th. safari with Jewel of Africa, a customized 10-day tour of the Okavango Delta, Victoria Falls, Zambia's Elephant camp and of course Kruger Park. Accommodations and service were first class, our guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining. Every day was a new adventure, and an opportunity for incredible photographs. Wherever we went, we were welcomed by an African smile, and always felt safe.
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Email Frannie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great First-Time in Africa
My husband and I wanted a safari trip with a visit to Victoria Falls as an add-on. Kobus at Jewel of Africa helped us planned a ten day trip that included staying 4 different lodges in South Africa and Zimbabwe. This offered us a diverse range of experience. The accommodations and game drives were all very good. We had an amazing time in Africa and saw all of the Big 5 thanks to Jewel of Africa.
I am giving them a 4-star because I think communication could have been handled better.
1) Email communication at times was delayed and many follow up emails were required.
2) Our package included a lion walk and a hippo feeding, when we got to both places, both tried to collect money from us because they claimed they hadn't received prepayment for our visits. Even though the payment issue was resolved eventually, it was still very awkward for us to be a part of.
3) Our return flight was supposed to depart from Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. When the final airline ticket was issued, it had changed to depart from Livingstone in Zambia. We were not advised of this change beforehand. This was not only inconvenient, it also made it so that we had to pay extra Visa fee to enter Zambia.
All in all, Jewel of Africa delivered on the itinerary they planned for us. The lodges they chose and the activities they included were really good. I obtained quotes from 8-10 different companies before deciding on Jewel of Africa. This is a legitimate business that offers good value for your budget.