Personal & Genuine African Safaris
Siya Phambile Expeditions
- Located In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2016)
- Member Of:
- Southern Africa Tourism Services Association
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $14 to $828 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
CA
Email Michele Gaudreau | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Benjamin Wilson and Siya Phambile have provided a wonderful, unforgettable, made-to-measure trip.
Dear Benjamin, this review is in the form of a letter to you. When we left home in Quebec, we didn’t know exactly what to expect, having never traveled in South Africa before. But from the get-go your emails in response to our many questions were always prompt, clear, complete and friendly. This gave us confidence that Siya Phambile was a good, trustworthy company and that we would be taken good care of. We were.
The 14-day expedition which Diane (59) and I (70 ) went on with you in Zulu Land was so much more than we could ever have dreamed. So full of discoveries, marvels and laughs! It is one thing to go on game drives 6 hours a day in a group, it is quite another to be accompanied at every step by a guide who is passionate about his work and so able to share his knowledge of wild animals, birds and people. AND what a good cook you are! Those wonderful omelets in the morning outside our tents were a great way to start the day.
Thanks to your caring and personal attention to every detail of this amazing trip, our experience in the African bush will remain with us forever. We thank you and Siya Phambile with all our hearts. Who knows, we might write to you again soon...
Michele
Email Robyn and Karl | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic, personalised, no stress, month long trip in South Africa at very short notice.
Benjamin was a gem. We gave him very short notice, just a few weeks, of coming to South Africa for a month to do primarily safaris and wanted to experience from self catering to 5 star. His communication was excellent and he quickly mapped out a trip for us that would maximise seeing wildlife. He greeted us at the airport and sorted out all issues, eg mobile phone coverage, car rental etc. Part of the planned trip ended up not happening due to changes to train schedules and Benjamin worked with us to make alternative arrangements. In the end, considering we ended up doing a walking safari, this was probably even better than our original plan. We saw lots of animals, including the endangered black rhino and it was one of the best holidays we have had. Benjamin made the trip pretty much stress free and I can't recommend Siya Phambile Expeditions highly enough. Thank you Benjamin for such a wonderful time.
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Email Michael | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Once in a lifetime experience.
Benjamin was great to work with. I started planning my trip one year in advance and Benjamin made sure to respond to all questions relating to the trip. Our trip consisted of us visiting Cape Town, Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe), and Kruger National Park.
Upon arrival, Benjamin was there to pick us up and take us to our hotel. While in Cape Town, Benjamin took us to see Table Mountain, Robben Island, Cape Point, and wine tasting in Franschoek. Table Mountain was spectacular. We had the option of hiking up to the top but decided on taking the tram (quicker to the top) in order to enjoy the views from above. Cape Point had amazing views and we could have easily taken picture after picture. The wine tasting in Franschoek was great. You jump on a Wine Tram which takes you from vineyard to vineyard. By far the best day weather wise.
Our next stop was Victoria Falls. Although Benjamin did not join us in Victoria Falls, he ensured our airport transfers to and from hotel had been arranged along with booking our excursions for the two days we were there. We had dinner on the Zambezi river at Sunset and words cannot describe how beautiful it was. The following day was a trip to Victoria Falls and we were in awe of how beautiful and massive the falls were. Didn't realize it was the biggest in the world. My group of friends split up for the next excursion as half decided to walk with lions and the other half spent it with elephants. Yes, we actually walked with lions! Such a surreal experience that I will never forget. My other friends had a wonderful time interacting with elephants by feeding, petting and spending some time with them. Our last dinner was a drum show at BOMA. We enjoyed the drum show and were able to participate in the dancing in the end.
Our last stop was Kruger National Park. Benjamin met us back in Johannesburg to finish the last leg of our trip. We thoroughly enjoyed our Safari. We had a combination of night and day time safari's. We saw every wild life possible except for a Rhino. But how can you be disappointed when the views were spectacular, we got to see lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, leopard, buffalo and even Wild Dogs! Our campsite was great and big enough for our party of 11. We enjoyed a day on the deck and watching wildlife walk along the dry riverbed. Great time for us all.
In the end, we could not have asked for a better experience and Benjamin was the best host and tour guide. The entire trip was excellent. My friends and I really enjoyed our time and I would highly recommend him.
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Email Lucy | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A trip of a lifetime
I had an amazing experience with Siya Phambile Expeditions. Benjamin was our most excellent guide and he truly went above and beyond to make sure we enjoyed the beauty and wonders of South Africa.
The Safari Tour at Kruger National Reserve was incredible. I feel so lucky to have had such a knowledgeable and experienced team on our tour.
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Email Dustin | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of ones lifetime
I highly recommend! Our guide Benjami was amazing! Some words to describe him: knowledgeable, patience, fun and organized.
The Safari was outstanding. The accommodations where better than I had expected. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!
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Email Molly | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a Lifetime!!
This was my first visit to Africa and to be honest...I had no idea what to expect and was a bit nervous. The trip turned out to be one that far exceeded my expectations with great memories that will last a lifetime. Benjamin is an awesome tour guide who clearly has a passion for the wild and all the great things Africa has to offer.
The tour was set up perfectly where we were introduced to South Africa in Cape Town. We were able to explore all the great neighborhoods Cape Town has to offer while slowly immersing ourselves into the African culture. We then visited Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe which moved us a bit deeper into Africa and gave us a great taste of what we could expect in the wild bush of Africa. The final piece of the tour was Kruger National Park where we came face to face with Africa's beautiful wildlife and experienced nature like never before.
Throughout the trip Benjamin was professional but also a lot of fun. We learned a lot and experienced things we never would have if it hadn't been for this amazing trip. We met some incredible people and made a few more friends along the way. Booking a trip with Siya Phambile was great choice and one that I would make again.
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Email Ivan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An incredible and surprising journey into places I could not imagine!
I've never gone on safari before...I've never used this service...and I really didn't know what to expect. I felt like there was a chance I could be scammed but boy was I incredibly wrong.
I signed up for a tour here with the intent of just wanting to see some animals on a Safari while I was in Cape Town and I received so much more. I got a geography lessons, cultural insights, the best thing I ate on my vacation, animal friendships, and a new brother from our tour guide Ben-G (Benjamin)
Although we only had 4 days, Benjamin lived up to all expectations in making this a really customized trip. He genuinely listened to my requests, remained flexible, and brought us to so many interesting things. My partner and I are younger folks who wanted adventure and Benjamin definitely delivered but he also made sure to be attentive and reactive to our needs throughout the experience. If we ever needed anything or needed a change of plans, he was accommodating. And so much so, that there were just pleasant surprises all throughout our tour experience -- I won't spoil anything as I know that's part of Benjamin's magic itinerary planning but I would say trust in the man and come with an open mind. You can certainly tell the man is passionate about Africa, its people, and its animals and has the knowledge to back it up. It made me wonder why I don't know a quarter of the things about my hometown compared to the encyclopedia-like knowledge he knew about EVERYWHERE we were. Learned quite a bit just being around him!
I came for a safari and quite frankly my highlights were pretty much all things beyond that, which really just shows you how adept Benjamin is at figuring out your needs and giving you a unique experience you can't find on your own. I'm excited to return back to Africa and to go on a longer journey with Benjamin and we've even taken some of his catch-phrases with us back to the states. Classic!
Please don't hesitate with choosing these guys. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a real taste of Africa.
BE
Email Johan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A very personal and knowledgeable guided tour
Siya Phambile and Ben is a highly recommendable tour operator. He recommended the very nice Bateleur private game reserve and then took us to experience the Kreuger park and its camps. Ben is a very friendly and easy going person who knows the Kreuger park and its animals very well. He will share his experiences and knowledge with you in a nice way. Finally he drove us back through the panoramic circuit on the way back to Johannesburg.
Our warmest recommendations,
Kaja & Johan
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Email William Drake | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Had a wonderful trip and experience with Benjamin . Everything went like clockwork.
The Safari was a trip of a lifetime. Benjamin was an excellent guide and the safari was tailored to our wish list. The Kalahari was a wonderful adventure and we even did two nights wild camping in Botswana. I would highly recommend Siya Phambile to any one who would prefer a more personal safari experience.
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Email Christy & Charlie | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Highly recommend Siya Phambile for a bespoke "Africa experience"
We could not be happier with the service, experience and value Siya Phambile provided - from start to finish. They took into account all of our wishes and ideas and with their extensive knowledge, crafted a perfect itinerary for our 12-day safari. All details were addressed from morning coffee and preferred snacks during drives to specific wildlife and cultural interests. We loved every one of the reserves and accommodations they selected, which were spot-on with the experience we sought (i.e., they listened and tailored accordingly).
Benjamin's knowledge and skill goes far beyond organizing and spotting wildlife. He is keenly personal and passionate about Africa and its people, continually furthering his own knowledge and understanding which he shares - stories, history, cultural/societal and behavioral information so the tour was not only magical from a wildlife viewing perspective, but educational and fulfilling from a spiritual sense.