Christine Sales Office
Wildlife Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 1971)
- Member Of:
- Southern Africa Tourism Services Association
- Tour Types:
- Small & medium group tours (Mid-range)
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $211 to $236 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Christopher Mumford | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An unforgettable Experience
The whole trip was fantastice from start to finish. The accomodation was very comfortable and the food very tasty and satisfying. The best part of the trip was of course the safari itself. I don't know if we were just lucky but we saw so much wildlife, including 'the big five'. Our guide was Hoppy who greatly enhanced our experience. He was extremely knowledgeable and experienced and knew exactly where to find the animals. We really couldn't ask for more!
CH
Email Steve and Stephanie | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolutely Perfect
We just returned from a South Africa trip that included a six-day (five night) safari hosted by Wildlife Safaris (WS). WS normally offers a five-day safari, but I asked whether our safari could be modified to add an extra day. This turned out to be a fantastic decision, and a modification that we would encourage anyone looking into a safari with WS to investigate. WS should ideally offer this as a standard offering since it elevated the experience well beyond what the shorter timeframe could offer.
We arrived at Nelspruit airport and were met by Hoppy, who became our guide, driver, companion, and friend over the six days we were with him. Hoppy was the consummate host, and we could not ask for a better travel companion. His knowledge and insights into everything relating to Kruger National Park and the wildlife we encountered was as valuable as anything we saw. He spotted things (Dung Beetle with its ball-o-dung, beautiful porcupine quills lying on the road, etc.) along our drives that we would never have noticed, all the while keeping his eyes on the road and driving expertly. He knew/sensed that two lions we encountered were about to mate and waited around until they did so, right under our noses! Amazing. Hoppy also seemed to have bionic hearing from the front seat of the van, always noticing when we had questions or wanted to make a stop. He made sure our curiosity was satisfied, asked if we'd like to stay at a particular spot longer, and made sure we had gotten all the photos and videos we wanted. Hoppy's early morning coffee-making skills were also much appreciated since we normally don't do breakfast. His quiet sense of humor was also very welcome. We already miss him.
We saw so many animals from the very moment we entered Kruger that it felt almost staged. We saw a distant leopard as well as two close-by rhinos the very first afternoon. I cannot promise that everyone's safari will be as fruitful (animalful?) as ours was, but a large part of our success was due to Hoppy's sense for what and where to look. Dinners at the Kruger lodges were a great chance to revisit what we had seen, and what the next day's drive might bring. Hoppy seemed bemused by our questions and interest, especially my predilection for various antelope steaks for dinner. If you get the chance to try the Impala and Warthog pie at the Skukuza Station Restaurant, I highly recommend it!
The last two nights were spent at Mohlabetsi Safari Lodge. This included two daily drives in the open safari vehicle with a tracker and a guide from the lodge. Words cannot do justice to what all we encountered on these drives. From more rhinos (3!) and buffalo just meters away from the vehicle to lions feasting on a (stolen) Impala, every drive was an adventure. Our guide, Lucky, and tracker, Enock, were fabulous at finding the animals, but also made sure we felt safe around them. This is not easy when lions are devouring an Impala just meters from the vehicle or when a group of elephants, with young in tow, wander past.
The staff at Mohlabetsi was fabulous, from Kiddy greeting us with iced tea when we arrived, to Sam (another lodge guide) sharing his harrowing experiences living so close to dangerous and unpredictable animals. Prescilla was justifiably proud when announcing her daily creations from the kitchen - we certainly did not suffer from a lack of excellent food. I hate to leave out the rest of the staff, but there were simply so many people making sure that we were indulged throughout.
Staying that second night at Mohlabetsi and developing a familiarity with our lodge guide and tracker really made the difference in our trip. Only one night there would have felt too rushed and overwhelming without that extra time.
Thank you again to everyone, especially Hoppy, who greased the wheels every step of the way and made this a truly stress-free, perfect vacation for us. He is a true professional and the best possible travel companion and guide you could ever ask for.
CH
Email Tariq & Karina | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable Safari Experience: Gratitude to Wildsafari and Guide Simon Taylor
We can only express sincere gratitude for the unforgettable 5-day safari experience and the Panorama Route under the guidance of Ranger Simon Taylor. From the pickup at the Johannesburg airport to the smooth return at the end of our safari, the organization by the Wildsafari team was outstanding. We felt well taken care of by the team. Particularly noteworthy was our Ranger Simon Taylor, who exceeded our expectations with his attention and dedication. He sensitively addressed our individual wishes and designed the safari with love and passion. His extensive knowledge of Kruger National Park, wildlife, and other topics enriched our experience. The evening conversations were not only interesting but also created a warm atmosphere in which we felt completely comfortable. We are more than satisfied with our safari experience as well as the beautiful places along the Panorama Route that we visited on the last day. Wildsafari and Simon Taylor definitely met our expectations.
Email Isabella Dedrick/ Kim Wells | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Simon our Tour Operator was exceptional in every way.
Not only is Simon extremely knowledgable on the wildlife in Kruger National Park he has a deep knowledge about the history of South Africa. But more than that he is a great human being. His warm and friendly, he was exceptionally easy to talk to, approachable and very accommodating. He was more than happy to stop for us to take photos and answer every silly question we had. This is the only way to tour Kruger National Park. The whole process from start to end, booking the tour, the three amazing days we had in the park and our transport back to the airport was incredible! We could not recommend Simon enough and we will be back as soon as we can. Thanx again Simon you were the BEST!!!!!
QA
Email Lu & Chris | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It's worth it!
My husband and I had a great experience with Wildlife Safaris. They had good communication before the trip, providing us with useful information and promptly clarifying our questions. Our safari was amazing; we saw many animals. Our guide, Mr. Anthony Hoppy, was experienced, patient, and very attentive with us. We stayed for 3 nights, each in a different accommodation, and all were good. We loved the safari and strongly recommend Wildlife Safaris
Email Andrew Orchard | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent safari with Excellent guide
From start to finish we were completely taken care of by our guide Hoppy, From collecting us from the hotel to dropping us off five days later everything was taken care of. The Kruger Park is a beautiful area with so much to see, A Pride of Lions chilling on the road in front of us, a herd of Elephants with baby’s, Crocodile's, Leopard, African Buffalo and Hippos.. we have so many photos to look back on and cherish.
Whatever we wanted or needed was never a problem.
US
Email Shane J | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience!!
We did a three day guided tour of Kruger.
The team did a great job with communication prior to the safari to ensure that all our questions were answered promptly. We had no major issues before the safari and during it as well.
Nick was our guide during the trip and he was fantastic!! He made the trip enjoyable by providing plenty of commentary on the animals and we’re very happy with his knowledge. He made the trip an absolute blast and really went out of his way to make sure everything went smoothly. We couldn’t be more happy with the experience! We did only see three of the Big 5 but fault at all from Nick - More just luck of the draw.
US
Email James | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Nick was super knowledgeable, great with our kids, and an amazing host.
This was our second safari with Wildlife Safaris and this time we brought our children (4 kids aged 7-12 yrs). We loved the 4 day itinerary last time and did the same reservation as before. It was a completely different experience, October vs April! The accommodations were wonderful, the food was both new/exotic but familiar enough that the kids loved it, too.
Don’t miss the night safari from Skukuza, and the ’Nasa Road’ was a real surprise wildlife spot!
Email Mike Roberts | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic experience with quality guide
The whole experience with wildlife safaris exceeded all our expectations. Nic our guide was knowledgeable and made every effort to insure every aspect of the trip went perfectly. We were very fortunate to see the big 5 but had we not I feel that everyone would still had memories to treasure.
What was a surprise was the quality of the hotels they offer and the food provide at dinner was amazing.
A truly once in a lifetime experience made possible by Nic or guide
Thanks
TH
Email Ian Baxendale | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
kruger park safari may 2024
Fabulous experience,we were very lucky to have a great guide named Hoppy..... i would recommend everyone to do a safari like this at least one time in their life..... hospitality was amazing... and it was great to see these kind of animals living in the wild and not locked up in cages.