Martin Smith, Managing Director
Kingfisher Safaris
- Office In:
-
United Kingdom
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2012)
- Member Of:
- Botswana Guides Association
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $100 to $1,500 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
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highly recommended
We approached Kingfisher online somewhat at the last minute to help us plan a two-part safari in Zimbabwe and Botswana, and were extremely satisfied with the service we received. From the very beginning Martin was always available via email or phone to answer any questions we had or make suggestions. He helped walk us though a number of logistical snags early on and was patient and accommodating. We were very happy at the lodges he booked us in within Zimbabwe (Kanga and The Hide) and even when we were in Zimbabwe he was always immediately reachable to answer questions on his phone. At one point a family member back at home was worried about us and contacted him to reach us, and he immediately helped her find us and put her mind at ease. She was so impressed by him and said that if I did ever write a review, I needed to mention that she thought it was the best customer service she had ever received.
We also asked Martin to put together a mobile camp safari for us in Botswana for the second half and really enjoyed that as a change from the luxury lodges. Although there were a few snags (late arrival for our pick-up at the border, things taking longer than expected), Martin was always available via phone and once we experienced the roads in Botswana everything made sense! Our mobile camp was a great time, and we especially recommend our guide Pilot to anyone going to Botswana - he really made the trip there for us. It's definitely not luxurious, but plenty nice for people used to tent camping and really special to be out in the bush surrounded only by nature! We heard animal noises all night and woke to lion and hyena paw prints by the campfire! The food was good and the staff worked hard to make sure that our desires were met. Our kids (ages 13, 11, and 9) had a blast, were very comfortable, and felt like they were on a real adventure.
All-in-all I would say don't hesitate to use Kingfisher to help you plan and execute whatever you're looking for in your dream safari.
Email Paul | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Thoughtfully planned giving different experiences of Desert, Delta and Salt Pans. Brilliant trip!
Excellent service with careful planning to meet our needs. The choice of Camps meant we saw different parts of Botswana, each special and very worthwhile. Expectations were exceeded and we met very knowledgeable guides and staff in the 3 Camps. Seamless transfers by light aircraft ensured trouble free travel. We will certainly return and trust our tour to Kingfisher who clearly have used their on the ground experience to best advantage, definitely hitting the spot for us! Thank you for a relaxing and rewarding holiday.
Email Bob and Ei | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Superb planning - we have holidayed all over the world but never felt so 'looked after' before.
We had never travelled to South Africa before so wanted to experience a safari but also to visit other parts of the country. We picked Kingfisher Safaris as we would be dealing with people who had actually lived and worked there. Our experience was was extremely positive from beginning to end, with Martin's suggestions and planning producing a well balanced trip that not only appeared exciting, but in the event exceeded all our expectations. All our accommodation was first class and arrangements fell into place like clockwork.
We have holdayed allover the world but never felt so 'looked after' before, with Martin even contacting us during the trip to ensure all was going to plan.
We visited ancient forests, national parks, intriguing villages and beautiful coastline but the highlight must be the safari section. Superb facilities were matched by an absolutely excellent guide with an encyclopaedic knowledge of his subject. Game viewing was brilliant and even included a successful lion hunt - apparently seen by very few.
Would we recommend Kingfisher Safaris? Absolutely. The thought and planning that went into our trip surpassed anything we have previously encountered. There's no doubt that real local experience and knowledge pays off, and in our case resulted in the best trip we have ever taken
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
South Africa - A luxury trip
We asked Martin at Kingfisher to put together a trip for 4 of us travelling from Cape Town, along the garden route & to include a visit to a Game Reserve. We let Martin make suggestions based on his knowledge of the area & of us & did not need to make any changes to his suggested itinerary. Our booking was handled efficiently & we were kept advised of everything at all times. The choice of places to stay & the accommodation arranged for us was beyond my expectations. They were diverse enabling us to enjoy a lot of what the Cape & Garden route has to offer, & all accommodation was top quality. This is the 3rd time I have used Kingfisher Safaris for my travels to Africa & I would have no hesitation in using them again.
Email Paul | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
An excellent tailor made Safari in Botswana covering desert, salt pans and delta, brilliant!
Well planned, understanding what we wanted and delivering.
Email Anuradha and Rajesh | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent customised service
We worked with Martin at Kingfisher to plan and book our customised tour /itinerary and then on the ground in Botswana, Pilot Manga was our tour leader and safari guide. Martin is very knowledgeable about Botswana having spent several years there and was able to hit just the right spot for us in terms of both luxury and adventure. He was always responsive and worked through all of our questions patiently and gave us good information and advice throughout.
On the ground, Pilot was absolutely brilliant. He one of Botswana's great guides (Every camp we were at, the staff in the camp knew/had heard about Pilot.) He was able to make our trip an absolute delight with his incredible intuition and tracking skills in the bush. We had fantastic sightings and opportunities to watch the behaviours of several of the Big 5 at close quarters and a lot of this we owe to Pilot's great skills. But more critically, Pilot is a humble individual despite his enormous abilities and his sense of humor and storytelling kept us regaled throughout our 13 day trip.
As and when we plan our next Botswana trip , we will reach out to Kingfisher Safaris again.
US
Email Marta Chase | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
What an amazing visit to Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana!!
We worked with Martin to organize a 4 week trip for us to Zimbabwe (Hwange and Mana Pools), Zambia (South Luangwa) and Botswana (Savuti, Khwai and Moremi). It was a trip of a lifetime.
We started with a lovely boutique guest house in Victoria Falls and headed off to three African Bushcamp sites in Zimbabwe. They were all lovely and the wildlife amazing.
We then headed to Zambia to South Luangwa and spent 8 nights split between two amazingly beautiful Sanctuary camp/lodges. We returned to many of the same spots on our daily drives but each day was a new one when it came to the wildlife. We felt like we knew the area by the time we left.
We finished with a 10 day mobile camping safari in Botswana with Pilot and his excellent staff (Maikano and Brighton). Pilot has the ability to find so many different animals in very difficult to see spots. This part of the trip was the highlight.
Martin did a wonderful job of providing the connections between all our different adventure. Everything went seamlessly. His choice of lodges was excellent.
We hope to return again and use his excellent services.
Thanks for a wonderful trip of a lifetime!!
Email Judith and Barry | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An excellent, well researched, well supported, bespoke safari tour in Botswana
This was the first time that we had been on safari in Africa. Martin at Kingfisher Safaris offers bespoke tours and he has first hand knowledge of the area. He discussed various options in detail so we could easily select an itinerary that suited us. We chose to visit 3 camps in Botswana over a period of 12 days. Communications from Martin were timely and appropriate. Martin provided an excellent service and was always available to answer any questions, offering support as required. Both the safari tour and accommodation at the camps were way beyond our expectations. We would definitely use this company again.
US
Email Robert | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The guide was knowledgeable and the camping was comfortable.
Charles gave us a very enjoyable and informative safari. He keeps animal guidebooks in the car for the benefit of his customers, but he never had to refer to them. He could identify every mammal and bird species that we saw. He was very good at locating game animals. In one case he saw fresh tire tracks turning off of the road into the bush. He told us, “There is something interesting here,” and followed the tracks to a family of leopards. He single-handedly chased away an enormous male elephant that was eating acacia seed pods in our camp (but not until after we took pictures). Charles is also very personable, and told us stories about growing up in Botswana (his father wanted him to raise cattle).
The tents were comfortable and the food was great. A very nice "glamping" experience.
CA
Email Melissa | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceeded our expectations! 10/10
Martin who arranged the trip responded quickly to our inquiry. We told him what we were looking for/ budget and he put together an itinerary that was perfect. We did a 9 night mobile safari at 3 different camps in Botswana. As outdoorsy people, we're used to camping but we were pleasantly surprised by well organized it was and the excellent service we received at camp. The food was delicious and they we're happy to accommodate my lactose intolerance and made me separate meals when necessary which I really appreciate. We had the larger tent which was really nice when we had downtime in the middle of the day and to spread out our luggage. Pilot, our guide, went above and beyond to make sure everything and everyone was take care of and his expert knowledge of the area and animals was what made the game drives so special, we saw all the animals we wanted to and more. He was also very respectful of the animals space and made sure we felt safe the whole time. We finished the trip at a hotel in Victoria Falls and they had all the transfers arranged so we didn't have to worry about a thing the whole time. Overall 10/10, great value for the money and we loved our experience in the bush.
PS. it's colder in the mornings in the open vehicle than you might expect so pack some warm clothes, I wore my wool hat almost every morning