Pat & Elaine Brakspear, owners - African Encounter
African Encounter
- Located In:
-
Australia
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2003)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $200 to $1,500 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Mandy archer | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Customer service excellence; fantastic recommendations; no hiccups; awesome trip
I used African Encounter based on a recommendation and am so glad I did. They took away all the headaches and their first hand knowledge of where to go and stay based on the time we had were all spot on. They suggested a meet and greet at joberg airport which was great to get us through immigration and customs; then the option to fly or drive to the safari parks was also fantastic. Their communication exceeded all expectations - quick replies to email queries and nothing was too much trouble. Very professional itinerary and the price was extremely competitive. Then the trip: We loved every minute of our 10 day safari at 4 different lodges. Our transfers were always there on time and very professional and each lodge was unique and had its own highlights. It was my dream to go to south africa and i couldn't have done it without African Encounters. I am hard to please but in this case i couldn't fault anything and would highly recommend this company. Upon our return was a followup Email asking for feedback☺ - just brilliant.
Email Neville | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
For organising an African safari from Australia there's no one better than African Encounter.
I've just returned from a most enjoyable and exciting safari in Africa, this time in Kenya. African Encounter organised every detail from arrival/ departure in Nairobi, including transfers, safari operator, accommodation etc. I'm a keen photographer and have used African Encounter six times in the past ten years to book safaris with a few colleagues in various parts of Africa and there has never been a hitch. They are capable African safari specialists with unbeatable knowledge and experience. They know their African connections well. It took only a few weeks to organise and complete the booking, and every detail was taken care of by Elaine and Patrick at African Encounter. I would not use an ordinary travel agent for a safrai, most have little knowledge of Africa.
Communication during the booking process was always prompt and friendly. I was given plenty of good advice, ideas and appropriate suggestions... this was important for getting the best for the recent trip, especially with my limited knowledge of Kenya.
The Safari in Kenya was fantastic, the safari operators (African Horizons) were the best and went out of their way for us. They knew where to find the wildlife, and we saw plenty. Accommodation, food, lodges etc were great, and were just what we wanted.
Whether you're a first timer looking for an African adventure, or going back to Africa again for another, I would highly recommend African Encounter.
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Email Larry | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Perfect arrangements
We found African Encounter through a friend who has used them to plan his annual safari vacations in South Africa for almost 20 years. From the beginning, Elaine and Patrick were terrific partners in planning and executing our own safari. They recommended parks and lodges that matched our criteria for location, game viewing, style, kid-friendliness, and price without trying to up-sell us to more expensive arrangements (as did another travel agent we had consulted). They handled bookings for lodges, hotels, in-country flights, local guides and ticket purchases, and airport transfers/pickups, all of which went flawlessly. Everything was fantastic!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Third African adventure booked by this company, absolutely wonderful without any incidences!
I have no hesitation in recommending African Encounter to book any future travel to Africa. They provided unlimited information and recommendations to support a wonderful holiday experience within the allocated budget. The companies which are used within the Continent of Africa were extremely professional and provided a wonderful service to their tourists. The whole experience was uneventful and lived beyond our expectations. i will be booking with this company on my return visit, never considering anyone else to arrange our travel.
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Prompt efficient service with great attention to detail
Tkanks to Patrick , Elaine and the African Encounter Team I was able to experience the wonderful sights
of Victoria Falls and view the animals of Chobe Valley before undertaking an amazing 15 day safari of Kenya and Tanzania - viewing so many animals and birds in their natural habitat.
Due to African Encounter's eceleent organization of my trip -including flights , accomadation , transfers etc
this allowed me as a solo traveller to enjoy a completely trouble free time in Africa . I would definitely
recommend African Encounter to any wishing to enjoy travel in Africa.
Email Judy and Graeme | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful destinations, amazing wildlife,excellent accomodation, trouble-free organisation. Perfect!
African Encounter gave us excellent advice when planning our trip, with great ideas, website links to help us make decisions and prompt replies to emails. The written itinerary had lots of information to make sure we knew what we were doing.
The trip was beyond our expectations - each place we visited was quite different giving us a range of experiences. The tours were all amazing and we saw all the wildlife we hoped for and much more. We always had only 4 or a maximum of 6 people in a safari vehicle, making wildlife viewing and photography easy. Safari guides were all helpful and went out of their way to locate the more difficult-to-find animals. Accommodation and food were excellent everywhere. We enjoyed the trip immensely and it made us want to go back to see a lot more of Africa. We would definitely use African Encounter again & would highly recommend them.
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65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
I would not go anywhere else....
My first trip with African Encounter was about 12 years ago. Elaine and Patrick provided knowledgeable, personalized, professional, detailed advice and trip planning. I was a first-time visitor to South Africa and that was my first safari. My experience was so outstanding that I've engaged African Encounter as my sole travel provider and willingly recommended them to friends and business associates.
I cannot overstate how happy I am with this company. They treat me as if I am their only customer and have never steered me wrong. I use Elaine and Patrick to plan my travels one to two times per year with absolute confidence. They know their business hands-down! I will continue to trust them with my travel needs and unequivocally recommend them to anyone.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was a truly wonderful experience, a privilege to see animals in their natural habitat.
Thanks to Patrick and the African Encounter Team we had an amazing adventure in Kenya and Tanzania. With their expert guidance we tailored a diverse and very personal 4 week safari. We wanted to visit multiple locations for different wildlife viewing and their knowledge was invaluable in bringing it together. Our trip ran like clockwork, all of our transfers seamless. Whilst all our camps were amazing, chimpanzee trekking at Mahale Greystoke on Lake Tanganyika was an absolute highlight. So was seeing the all the 'Big 5' on the Mara. Visiting Africa had long been a wish and it did not disappoint.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Friendly, efficient and with great attention to detail.
Listened to my requirements and tailored a personalized itinerary to suit.
Every element was well organised and well documented - leaving me to enjoy a trouble-free and truly amazing trip.
Recommended without reservation.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Enjoyable, interesting and often exciting encounters.
My 8 day "Cheetah Safari" certainly lived up to any expectations I had.
In the main, accommodation was very good to excellent, as was their food and service. Our driver/guide was most genial, helpful, efficient .... and good fun! Maximum use was made of areas visited and time spent in each location. As a result animals "performed" accordingly with sightings of a leopard close up, a number of black rhino and a river crossing, as well as many lions, elephants, cheetahs, wildebeest, jackals etc. Special arrangements were also made so that I could visit the Carnivore Restaurant in Nairobi (an inclusion at the end of the tour) before catching an early flight. This African Encounter is thoroughly recommended.