A Leading Kruger Park Safari Specialist
Shinzelle Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2014)
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $413 to $1,063 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
US
Email Randy | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Danielle was great to work with and our private tour guide Jessica was excellent.
service was excellent, planning was made difficult for Danielle because we had a change in our schedule but she was able to accommodate us. Our tour guide could not have been better, not only in her knowledge of the animals and the park, but was so much fun to be with for the five days. That made our meals and just driving through through the park enjoyable.
DE
Email Sophia | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best Safari one could wish for
Looking for a Safari in Kruger National Park? Danielle and Brandon are the people you want to reach out for. They are the masterminds behind Shinzelle Safari and a great couple to say the least. We booked a three day Safari with them, and had a lovely time. Danielle made sure all our needs (food, transport, lodging) were met, and really made us feel welcome from day one (sadly, we did not get a chance to taste her famous Portuguese cooking). Brandon was our guide at the Safaris, and we could tell that he enjoys his work (and yes, its includes a whole lot of driving and waking up extremely early) and does it with all his heart. With over 10 years of guiding experience, his extended knowledge of wildlife is very authentic and we could tell he knew very well how to encounter the animals (made us feel very safe too). He was also keen to show us as much wildlife as possible, including "the big five" (we also listened to the lion radio ;-)). Nevertheless, the magic of the Safari that he guides lies (beyond the big cats) and in the details (we loved his bird facts), and he really conveyed to us the sense of respect and humility that we humans should feel before these beautiful and wild animals, and that has really made a lasting impression on us!
Dear Danielle and Brandon, we want to give you both a big thank you for this beautiful (5 star and 5 star worthy) experience, and we really hope that you continue doing Safaris for many many years to come as the passionate and hospitable people that we have met. Please also make sure to come visit us in Europe or Brasil. Best regards, Sophia and Ken
Unforgettable experience!
Danielle and Brandon were amazing since my first contact! They are lovely people and the tours were awesome! We could saw the big 5 in Kruger safari and the blade river canyon is stunning!
I have no words to describe the bush walk. Stay at the same place the animals live and feel the expectation they appear makes your heart beat faster!
I'll never forget those days!
US
Email Fernanda | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent service despite last minute lodge change. Kruger guide Edson was fantastic
Have had excellent experience with Danielle via email and whats app. Despite last minute change in lodge we have enjoyed Tshukudu lodge. Great service and sunrise sunset safari. Our guide Edson is amazing had a adventure packed Kruger day safari with a unique and unforgettable experience. Saw white lion mating. Dingo family. Leopard. Cheetah stalking. Elephant families with little ones. Zebras. Wilderbeast. Impala and so much more. Hipos and zebras. Lunch was in a great restaurant. Exceeded all our expectations.
US
Email David | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Friendly, professional and reliable tour operator with an expert, knowledgeable driver/guide
Communication with Danielle from Shinzelle was friendly and professional. We completed the booking process in July for a 3-day December safari + 1-day Panorama excursion. Stayed at the Gecko Lodge about 15-20 minutes from Kruger's Phabeni gate. Jeffrey, our driver and guide was excellent, friendly and knew all the right places for sightings. His 16 years of experience showed as we enjoyed spectacular sightings on each day in Kruger. We were always first in line to enter the park and saw animals no matter the weather, even providing ponchos for the rain. Panorama tour was slightly affected by rainy, cloudy weather, but our guide Henroux made the most of it, doubling back to places we had already visited when the weather cleared. That was much appreciated. The lodge was comfortable and the hosts very friendly and accommodating. There are more expensive lodging options inside the park itself, but this tour fit our budget and our needs perfectly. Would highly recommend this tour operator, our safari driver/guide and the lodge.
Email Philip | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An amazing experience!
Due to COVID we had been waiting 3 years to do this Safari and it didn't disappoint! Many thanks to Danielle, our guides and hosts who looked after us and ensured that we had an amazing experience. We had 2 safaris in the Pridelands conservancy and spent 2 full days in Kruger where we got incredibly close to the big 5 animals. We also had very rare and special encounters with wild dogs and cheetahs! Seeing wild dog pups and hyena cubs was like something from David Attenborough. We also did a 1 day tour of the Blyde River Canyon which showed us beautiful areas and taught us a lot about the local culture. African Rock Lodge where we stayed was extremely comfortable, with excellent food, staff and very friendly hosts. It also had lots of interesting wildlife wandering close by as it is inside the Hoedspruit Wildlife Estate. All in all, an unforgettable trip!
AE
Email Roberto Rubio | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Jeffrey, our Safari driver, was great; the rest of the logistic was below par.
The best part of the tour: Jeffrey, our safari driver, did what he could to show us some good sights. However, there are better months to see the big five at Kruger than September and October.
Good: Dinner at Gecko Lodge was good; the lunchbox they give you for taking early in the morning before your safari, not so much.
Below par: the rest of the logistics, poor communication, pick-up was late, lodge had some issues.
Overall: I would not repeat it, but it was a decent experience.
Email Zdenka Rosecky | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent holiday
The operator of Shinzelle Danielle suggested that we change our original plan to spend all our time in Skukuza camp, and it was obvious that she knew well what we might like. This change provided a more diverse countryside and wildlife experience.
However, as Mark mentioned sometime close to the beginning of our holiday, our conversations with Danielle were not as smooth as before, occasionally making us uncomfortable. It was apparent that she had a primary job of communicating with customers herself. The main surprise was that we started in Pretoriuskop Rest Camp instead of Skukuza Camp. It turned out to be a perfect choice, perhaps even better, as it was closer to the airport and very comfortable. Nevertheless, we believe we should have been informed of this change beforehand.
During our 4-night stay in Kruger National Park, we switched between two camps with clean and comfortable accommodations. We spent two nights in Pretoriuskop Rest Camp in the south and two nights in Letaba Rest Camp in the north. Both were good, but we particularly loved the latter because it was situated on the bank of a river, allowing us to see a variety of animals wandering around the water.
For the last three days, we enjoyed private luxury accommodations and an excellent day trip to Blyde River Canyon. This package included three private safaris, which were very enjoyable. We saw a lot of animals, except for the elusive leopard.
Our guide, Rufus, accompanied us for five days from morning to evening, filling that time with his deep knowledge of wildlife and nature. He was always happy, smiling, patient and willing to answer any questions we had.
Would we choose Shinzelle again? Absolutely. Everything worked smoothly, and we loved every minute of our trip, including the food, accommodations, people, countryside, and wildlife. The entire 7-day experience was exceptionally well-organized, starting with our pickup from Nelspruit Airport and concluding in Hoedspruit.
Email Helen | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Made my dreams come true
We booked the four day Kruger and Private Reserve Tour with Danny, staying at Khaya Ndlovu Manor House. First of all, the accommodation and food was first class. The manor is beautifully decorated, with a deck area and infinity pool overlooking a water hole, where you can watch zebras and other wildlife come down to drink. The game drives were out of this world! Johnny our guide for Kruger was so knowledgeable and could spot all types of wildlife. We were extremely lucky and saw everything we could, and the trackers and guides at Khaya Ndlovu also went above and beyond to track cheetahs and lioness. Everything was perfectly organised by Danny, so we just had to sit back and soak up the whole experience.
US
Email David | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Safari Adventure
Danielle kept us informed before and during our Safari. Jeffery, our guide, had 16 years experience and an eagle eye for spotting wildlife and bringing it to our attention. The Panorama tour was fantastic...but make sure you go when the weather is nice. Our hotel had large rooms, a welcoming and kind staff, and air conditioning that worked. (For Americans that are only used to high end US hotels, you may want to spend more money and request fancier accommodations...though I did enjoy our stay at our hotel.)