Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana
Shipungo Safari & Tours
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2015)
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $200 to $360 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Dave Sansom | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent.Fantastic experience. The staff and guide were very good
So we did 4 nights 5 days. The whole experience was excellent. Our guide Voice was friendly, very knowledgeable. We saw lots of Animals and got some great pics. The back up team who looked after us, setting up the tents and cooking/ serving our meals were really friendly and made the safari easy.
I would highly recommend these guys to anyone
It was also great value for money
NZ
Email Bryce Williamson | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Shipungo gave me one of the most amazing experienced of my life
This was a brilliant trip, a seven-day safari that gave my two colleagues and I (three Kiwis) a wonderful taste of the Okavango and Northern Botswana. An excellent variety of amazing experiences of flora, fauna and landscape in the presence of amiable and knowledgeable Shipungo staff -- Voice, Kev and Arvalino (not sure of spelling there). We saw all manner of animals, including countless lions and five leopards. I'm particularly keen on birds and, with help from Voice especially, I managed to photograph 138 identifiable species. That number will increase once I have time to consult web resources. And then there was a handful of identifiable birds that I wasn't able to photograph. Tent accommodation and, especially, the food (thanks Arvalino), were unbelievable. Amazing value for money too -- I don't see how the company can charge so little. Any downsides of the trip? As a New Zealander, northern Botswana is hot and dusty; and the roads are very rough, to the point where the "African massage" was generating calloses on my buttocks. But those things are not under the company's control and easy to bear in comparison with being able to see this amazing part of the world. I would rate this as one of the best experiences of my (six-and a-half decade) life. Thank you so much.
IE
Email Daragh Fogarty | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great value, flexible and easy to deal with online, even more friendly in person.
Great safari experience, for a rate that was very competitive compared to other online prices for Maun (you can find cheaper prices for everywhere if you're in person, but then you run the risk of not having things available on your dates). We felt very happy with the experience we got, which was tailored to our specific needs in having a flight we needed to get back for. Like all safari companies in the area, they subcontract with local guides, and LK was fantastic and incredibly knowledgeable. Had a fun mokoro experience and a wonderful game drive with two comfortable nights camping as well. Overall highly recommended, and easy to deal with when organizing everything online.
MX
Email John | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding experience
Overview
My family and I (3 people) completed a 7 day mobile safari that included the Moremi Game Reserve, Kwai Concession, the Savuti Marsh and Chobi National Park/river front. We had a fabulous experience. Our team of Kem, KG and Shine took exceptional care of us. The game drives were amazing, the food was plentiful and excellent and the camping (dome tents with en-suite camping facility that consists private shower and toilet) was very comfortable.
Game drives
Kem was our driver and game guide. He really knew his task and seemed to always put us in a position to see many and varied animals. While there is no guarantee of what you will see, we were fortunate to see many harder to find animals such as painted dogs, leopards (3), hyena and sable antelope as well as a multitude of elephants, lions, zebras, giraffes, hippopotamus among others. Khem was very knowledgeable providing information on the animals, habits etc. He was very patient answering our multitude of questions, and even taught us some Setswana.
Food
The food was amazing. I didn’t think I could gain weight on safari, but I assure you it’s possible. Shine turned out the most delicious food cooking over a campfire, including freshly made bread. We had a variety of meals including steak, pasta, lamb chops and chicken. Every dinner included fresh vegetables. I recall one meal while we were eating delicious lamb and hearing lions in the bush. It was unbelievable. KG also made meals feel special by announcing dinner and presenting the food.
Camp
KG made sure we had everything we needed. The camp was well thought out and very comfortable. I was a bit unsure how I would fare sleeping on cots for a week, but the cots were sturdy, the mattresses comfortable and the blankets cozy to keep us warm on cold nights.
Each morning we woke up to a basin of warm water to clean up before breakfast. The shower and toilet are attached to the tent, so you have direct access by the back zipper. The showers were fine for camping, hot water with a hanging shower head. The toilet was better than I expected. It was normal height and easy to manage.
KG and Shine were experts at setting up and breaking down camp as we moved sites.
Final thoughts
This was my first safari so I can’t compare Shipungo to other companies. I can say that there was not a single aspect that left me wanting more. Our entire family was highly satisfied and if we have the good fortune to return to Botswana for a safari I would use Shipongo and request Kem and his team again. I recommend them without hesitation.
HR
Email Ilijana | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unforgettable Safari with an Amazing Team!
We were on an amazing 7-day mobile safari with Shipungo, and we cannot recommend it enough! From the moment we arrived, our guide, Kem, and the crew – Shine, Left, and Keji – made sure everything was taken care of.
Kem was a great guide, sharing his knowledge of the wildlife. We saw an incredible variety of animals up close, making every game drive a new adventure. The crew worked seamlessly to make sure everything ran smoothly. One of the highlights was the delicious and diverse food they managed to prepare it exceeded our expectations.
What really stood out was how well they cared for us when my partner got sick. We were far from civilization, but they arranged for medicine to be delivered, which was no easy task.
We had such a great time that we would absolutely do it again – and with the same crew! Thank you, Kem, Shine, Left, and Keji, for making this safari such a memorable adventure.
TW
Email Hsiaoyun Yu | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A wonderfull and the only one experience in my life
That was a 4D3N camp trip in Okavango Delta.
We have never stayed in the jungle or somewhere like this,
guides are patient to teach and remind us all the time.
We love the everyday bush walk and mokoro sunset,
and the meals are delicious, even the cook had no experience with Asian food though.
Hope to have a chance to go back.
ES
Email Rob Schell | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Great experience with Shipungo Safari & tours
We booked a Full day Moremi tour and a Mokoro tour with Shipungo. Mark, the owner, reacted very fast on my request and gave me all the information I needed. After deciding to book the tour with him payment was secure and easy. Once in Botswana we were picked up at our hotel, strictly on time. Our guide to Moremi was Voice, a very nice guy, good driver and guide. We were lucky to see many animals and had a fantastic day.
The next day Voice picked us up and brought us to Mokoro station. There the guide from the local community was already waiting for us, his name was Papillon. He also was a nice guide with a lot of experience. He could tell us so much of the environment and all the animals we saw. After a bushwalk and a lunch we went back to the hotel, looking back at another great day. We can highly recomment Shipungo!
US
Email Amanda Sullivan | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Professional and Attentive
Our ten day tour which included a two night mokoro trip, walking safari, and mobile safari through Moremi, Savuti, and Chobe reserves was outstanding. The planning of our tour was easy, the trip itself was an amazing family experience, and we would recommend Shipungu for others without any hesitation. Our guide, Voice, was a true professional. He was incredible at reading tracks and finding hidden cats especially! He also is just a wonderful human and we enjoyed getting to know him and all of the staff that traveled with us from site to site. Avelino (the chef) in particular impressed us with his campside bread making skills and delicious meals! We felt taken care of at every turn and the staff managed a casual yet professional tone that suited our family perfectly - attentive but gave us privacy and generally fun people to spend an extended camping trip with! Thank you Shipungu!! We hope to be back someday to do it again!!
US
Email Allegra | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Genuine and exciting trip into the Okavanga!
We booked a 3-day camping trip via Shipungo where we had a tour operator, two other mokoro drivers and a chef. The team was absolutely excellent, and we cannot recommend them enough. Special thanks to Hello, Junior and Lucky! Shipungo was clear on pick up place and time, and the overall itinerary for the trip. Even though there was early communication on this front, the actual itinerary differed slightly, so we think Shipungo could work closer with the folks who were facilitating our trip to ensure it was a bit more clear. Overall, value for money was high - as we felt the food was excellent, the tent and sleeping arrangement comfortable, and the walking trips and boat trips were well worth it. The company was very easy to get in touch with via email and then via WhatsApp in the days before our trip. It is possible we did not ask enough questions before - hence the slight difference in itinerary vs. actual trip. Overall I would recommend the tour and think Shipungo did a good job of getting us a nice driver, chef and tour guide. Thank you very much!
FR
Email Mathilde & Jean | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very exclusive experience, very nice and competent staff.
We did a four days, three nights safari in Okavango Delta and Moremi Game reserve.
We booked only one month in advance and the team was very quick to help us organise, very flexible and responsive.
The experience was amazing. The camps were very comfortable, the food was great, the guides and the staff were very experienced and showed us a lot of things.
We faced a car breakdown and the team was quick to send another vehicle and mechanics on the spot.
We could not do the boat tour because of a breakdown as well. This was replaced by a nice game drive.
We were not expecting such a long transfer from Okavango Delta to Moremi game reserve. We would suggest that clients are told in advance about the length of transfers so that they can reflect on whether they want to keep the format of the trip as is or adjust it to have less transfers (e.g. only going to Moremi). It did not impact our experience as such but maybe to have it in mind if you travel with kids for example.
Otherwise it was a very amazing experience. Recommend 100%.
