Golden Africa
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2005)
- Member Of:
- ATTA, HATAB, BOGA & House of Beyond
- Tour Types:
- Mid-range & luxury tours that, when possible, use accommodations owned and operated by them
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $690 to $2,500 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Lucy | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable fortnight in a remarkable country
A trip of a lifetime is an overused expression but this absolutely was. Having thought this would be my one experience of an African safari, the problem now is I want to come back!
Our trip was for two weeks . Rob and Charlotte arranged the perfect mix of lodges and two three days mobile safari. The advance information was brilliant, just enough to raise the excitement levels and anticipation and we were not disappointed with the reality. The lodges were lovely and the mobile safari was definitely the highlight.
Every day for the whole fortnight saw us seeing something new. An animal round every corner ( some more difficult to access than others) with the occasional elephant providing siesta entertainment by wondering past the camp as we lounged on the extra "chill out" area tent. Besides the animals there was the most incredible number of birds all reliable identified making our wildlife books almost redundant for everything except reliving the days exploits!
The safari team were remarkable, the tents put up and set out so that we had all the pluses of camping but none of the discomforts. Miles from nowhere, really in the middle of the bush but with all the home comforts. En suite showers and loos were great but above all the food and wine was absolutely superb and would compete with any static restaurant or hotel. What's more the team were lovely and couldn't have been more welcoming.
I really hope I will be back.
Email Amy Williams | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfection. Magical and Wonderful Wildlife. Rob was a perfect guide explaining everything.
We couldn't have asked for a better experience travelling and learning about the Okavango Delta than with Golden Africa. Rob our guide had an in depth knowledge of all the wildlife & was able to teach us so much about the Country, Animals and nature around us.
The organisation of the trip was perfect, everything was tailored to what we wanted and was done in a relaxed and professional way. We would recommend a Golden Africa trip to everyone & will be booked another trip in the future.
Email Mik | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Super wildlife , beautiful area, great guide
Our safari in Botswana was organised by Rob Barber at Golden Africa. Some of it I the Khwai area in a tented camp, and some of it at the Tubu tree camp. Tubu tree is a luxury lodge with high-quality accommodation, good food and good guides. The highlight of the safari for us, however, was the time that we spent in Khwai being guided by Rob. The accommodation was much less luxurious, but the overall experience was fantastic. Not only is Rob an excellent guide and very skilled at finding the wildlife, he is also an excellent communicator. We not only saw wildlife, we also learned about the different alarm calls, and to look for tracks and signs of the animals. We have been on a number of safaris in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Namibia, but the days with Rob in Botswana were the best, and we are looking forward to our next safari with Golden Africa.
Email Susan Gray | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A journey through the best wilderness on the planet with a born naturalist and bush expert.
I was brought up in the bush, have had numerous wildlife experiences, so I am no push over on quality experiences in that environment. I was truly impressed by the knowledge shared from the story about the size and volume and intricate nature of the simple termite mound to spending more than an hour as part of an elephant herd with their babies all around us and both parties totally relaxed and witnessing Elephant parenting dynamics such as trying to get the young to have their midday nap. Then on seeing a couple of twitching ears amongst the foliage Rob got down low and sent some calls into the dense undergrowth and then what emerged in front of us on the road was a pack of beautiful Wild dogs, a rare siting indeed. They were on the hunt and we followed them on their hunt for at least an hour and a half through dense bush bumpy terrain - wow! What an experience even the most priveleged of us bush folk recognise the enormity of the experiences we had on that 10 day trip of a lifetime. Only a true naturalist such as Rob has his finger on the pulse in the most beautiful environment that is the Okavango Delta - the last of real Afica and now a UN World Heritage site.
Email Anne and John | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
We didn't want to go with a group, we didn't want to do the tourist trail, we were NOT disappointed.
"I suppose upon reflection we initially took a bit of a gamble with Golden Okavango (now Golden Africa): we hadn't heard of them before, we just liked the look of their web site and the fact that they mentioned private guides and mobile camping which we wanted; then we liked the sound of Rob Barber's reply to our original enquiry, and it went from there. Rob so obviously listened to what we wanted, took on board what we had experienced before in East Africa, suggested a package that we liked the sound of, and we decided to trust him with our safari. We are very glad we did; he and his team did an excellent job with efficient organization for everything to flow smoothly: flights, transport, accommodation and being totally looked after. This was exclusively for us. Our open camp was set up in beautiful, wild places in Nxai Pan, Moremi, Khwai and Savuti. Breakfast was held up one morning as two lionesses strolled through our camp! We also had 'little surprises' which Rob organised because of what he had learnt about our interests. That initiative particularly impressed us, and the wild dogs and meeting Tico was very special, as was looking at the amazing African Sky at night through a powerful telescope, and our first helicopter flight over the delta when we spotted a leopard hunting a warthog! We felt our money was managed wisely and that we also had value for money. We had just the best time ever in Botswana with Safari guide James Haskins and Annelies, owner of Drumbeat who organised our camp with efficiency and amazing food.
We could not recommend Golden Africa more highly. Go with them and enjoy!
DE
Email Karl | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Spectacular Safari with Rob!
My family and I have traveled to Namibia and South Africa for many years so we finally decided to go to Botswana for my mothers birthday trip. Golden Africa was recommended to us by our dear South African friends who have been on safaris all over Africa and we could not have been more lucky with our choice. Right from the beginning we felt very comfortable with Rob and were very impressed by how smooth and professional he put together a trip according to our preferences. The in-country services were equally as impressive! Robs knowledge of the region really allowed us to find stunning wildlife scenarios including a wild dog kill right in front of us. Rob had been the only guide who was able to properly track them down so we had the scene to ourselves. There were many situations where it was very clear to us that we picked the right company for our trip, we wish we could make it down there every year and go on another adventure with Golden Africa!
We highly recommend their services! 5 Stars easily!
Email Janet Reid | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An unforgettable fortnight in Botswana closer to nature than I have ever been
We were a family group of 6 adults. The whole holiday was planned with our requests and needs in mind. Every lodge that we stayed in was of a very high standard, but the highlight for me was the set up of the mobile safari camps. I loved everything about them from the exceptionally friendly staff who genuinely seemed to love what they were doing and got on very well together, the superb food cooked in what must be pretty challenging conditions, the very comfortable tents with real beds, hot water bottles and flushing toilets, the 'chill out tent' where we could relax and write up the day's doings or just watch the world go by, the night times round the log fires under the stars, to the exceptional way we were looked after by Rob during the day. From the hard boiled eggs and nibbles on the makeshift table on the front of our jeep after our early morning porridge to the sundowners which took account of all our individual tastes (mostly gin and tonic!) we relished every moment. Rob's knowledge and tracking skills were amazing and we saw so much, and learned a lot. We saw everything that we'd hoped for - lions (very close to our tent demolishing a warthog!) elephants wandering through the camp and on one occasion approaching near to us in the jeep - keep calm is the motto (!), innumerable birds which kept my bird loving sister in seventh heaven, and the variety of terrain from the Okavango to the Kalahari with fascinating glimpses in between from our little flights from runways often shared with zebra! We loved every minute and would go back like a shot, and would recommend anyone to travel with Golden Africa. You definitely won't be disappointed.
US
Email Robin & Matt | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The trip of a lifetime, wedding of our dreams, and memories that will last forever!
What can we say - Charlotte and Rob pulled off the impossible - an unforgettable intimate wedding for 5 people in the beautiful Botswana bush and an 11-day safari that went off without a hitch. Charlotte was with us every step of the way through a legal ceremony in Maun and a ceremonial wedding in gorgeous Khwai surrounded by wildlife - we even had a few unexpected (but very welcome) animal visitors. Charlotte organized decor, cake, a wonderful photographer, an entrance to remember, music, and many thoughtful surprises for us along the way. We couldn't be happier with the experience or more grateful for Charlotte's efforts!
On top of the wedding, Charlotte organized the most incredible 11-day safari for our group through a great mix of lodges and mobile camps. Rob was a highly-skilled, knowledgeable, and entertaining guide - the best in the business. We were thrilled to see a huge variety of wildlife and some rare and exciting sightings including 2-week old leopard cubs, feasting lion cubs, and a huge pack of wild dogs hunting. Charlotte and Rob's mobile safari gear is unbelievable, their team are lovely, and the food was incredible. We felt so well taken care of from the moment we landed to the moment we (regretfully) had to leave.
We couldn't recommend Golden Africa more highly! We can't wait to join them again for our next trip.
A dream come true
Golden Africa Safaris is simply a secret I can no longer keep to myself.
From planning the Safari right through to the final goodbye, Charlotte & Rob made it all seemingly effortless and ensured our Safari was indeed a dream come true.
On the drive from Maun we already saw wild dogs and so much other wildlife that we arrived a trifle late for sundowners. The fire had been lit and after following Covid protocols meticulously but not intrusively, we were shown to our very comfortable and beautifully appointed tents.
What the chef manages to conjure up in a field kitchen cannot be achieved by many competent chefs with all modern machinery and gadgets. The spinach roulade was a particular highlight!
Every day we were woken with a jug of warm water and fresh coffee to spur us on, and then taken on a long game drive.
What was so special is that there are no real set times but when a sighting was good, we would just stay out longer. Once we even downed our plates mid-dinner to follow the call of nearby lions.
Midday allows for some quiet time (there even is a hammock) and after some light refreshment we were off again for more wildlife. Although the Delta was more flooded than normal, Rob found always new areas to explore and discover. The only animal he was not able to conjure up was a leopard but I’m so glad there is a good reason for returning to what can only described as a magical experience.
If you want to come up close and personal with nature and wildlife in a wonderfully sustainable way, Golden Africa Safari is the outfitter you should go to.
Thank you Charlotte & Rob and your whole team!
NZ
Email Joan | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Extremely professional, hard working, considerate, and experienced. We loved the camping in the wild
We loved the carefully planned route tracks and huge effort for us to experience the animals and birds. Understood our needs. Loved it.