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 Carolyn Scotton | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Game / guide great, food did not meet quoted standard
We undertook a 6-day five-night Safari for three adults and three children opting for package B out of three choices. The difference between A and B was the provision of toilet/shower enclosure behind the tents and an enhanced meal package. Although the food provided was good, it fell well short of that outlined in the itinerary. Cereal and scrambled egg for breakfast, no brunch, a cooked lunch, no afternoon tea and only a one course evening meal not the three advertised i.e soup, main and sweet . Only on one evening we did had a sweet.
Particularly disappointing was the absence from the package of the night drive.
When I raised this with Mark on our return, he " express(ed) our sincere apologies for the mix-up- it was our mistake and we are completely responsible for it" .
He stated that our guide Voice, who was absolutely great, had said we were not keen to do the night drive. In fact I had asked about it and was told it had not been arranged.
"For meals we will refund you $350."
I pointed out that the difference between the two packages amounted to around $1,600 and that in fact our meal package did not even meet the standard set out in package A, but did include the toilet/shower enclosure which surely didn't amount to $1,600?
Mark's final response was " the camping standard was the one you booked and you were not happy about the standard of the food which was breakfast" despite his earlier acknowledgement and apology.
The game drives themselves were excellent but that would have been the case whoever we had booked as the area itself was fantastic.
IL
Email Shlomit | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
NIce people but really poor equipment
We took a 3 day Central Kalahari Game Reserve trip with Shipungo. The three people that came with us, Kem the guide, Kem the chef and slo, were very nice and helpful. The food was excellent, and the tent/camping was fine.
However, the vehicle was old and bad un condition. The roof rattled horribly the whole time. It was not suited to pull the trailer, so we got stuck in the sand, and then the trailer kept falling off. On the way back the main tank ran out of petrol and the driver could not switch to the second one, so we waited 2 hours for them to bring petrol.
Since the team was really nice, if you are considering them, ask about the vehicle. They may/should have replaced it.
Email Fernando Pegado | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Traditional Grassroots Safari Experience
If you’re looking to rough it out on a Safari, Shipungo Safari and Tours is the company for you. Tough to beat from a cost benefit perspective, but there are still opportunities to improve the overall service. They provided a great support team for photo Safari, with experienced guide. The vehicle is fine, although demonstrating some age. The food prepared met expectations. The purpose of the trip was wildlife photography, the mission was accomplished. Strongly recommend that they install radio in the vehicle to communicate within the local guide network, this would go a long way to finding animals, but above for safety concerns, in the event of an emergency situation in an isolated or remote location
US
Email Colleen | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Mark was very kind to arrange a last-minute tour for us.
Overall we had a good experience. The safari vehicle certainly felt every bump! Kem, our guide for the day, took good care of us and showed us a lot of animals. We are unused to the constant radio contact between drivers and converging on the same spots, but it did mean having close-up views of a cheetah and many lions. We had value for our money.
Email Katharina von Maltzan | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Excellent communication upfront, timely pick up.
Shipungo Travels wa a very reliable partner as we had to plan our trip from Kenya. Their offer was fair and they kept it valid until short notice (we wanted to wait and see how the weather in Ocavago was at the planned days). The communication upfront was excellent. We were picked up very punctually, the vehicle was in excellent condition. All was well planned. Some minor improvements in the equipment - and staff (The main guide was extremeley knowledgeable and experienced but his English language skills basic so that we could not understand a lot of the information provided. Pity!
IT
Email Luca Manghi | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
reliable and professional
The holder Marc , was very professional and reliable , he was always present both for departures and arrivals , and his driver too.
PL
Email Maciej | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Professional, punctual, helpful.
Absolutely fantastic experience - the staff was very helpful and I felt that they really care to make my experience as great as possible. I had a great time seeing all different species of wild animals - it was one of the best experiences in my life! I can definitely recommend this company :)
DE
Email Afrika Girls | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I would recommend it at any time
The trip was beautiful. Our tour guide CAM was great. He showed us so many animals. Aron and Shine were Great.
Good Time.
Food was great.
ES
Email Alberto Jiménez | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Simple to book, attentive to our needs, and high-quality service.
We were a couple on a private safari, and from the very first moment, they were very attentive to us and our needs. For example, we are vegans, and they went out of their way to prepare us an elaborate daily menu with alternatives to meat, like vegan sausages.
The location of the camp was unbeatable, right in front of an open plain where lots of animals would gather, and you could watch them while having breakfast or lunch.
Our guide, Kem, was both the guide and driver for our safari. It was clear that he loved what he was doing, and he made sure we could fully enjoy the experience, not only by seeing as many animals as possible but also by teaching us many fascinating facts about the park and its wildlife.
US
Email Rebecca Wu | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Professional, knowledgeable, and friendly
The 3 day and 2 night tour was the perfect amount of time for seeing the Moremi Game Reserve. We spent one day near the camp and one day near the delta -- there was a ton of wildlife everywhere at all times. The guides knew where to look and provided interesting facts along the way. The tents were set up for us at night, and some of the guides made our cots / folded our clothes / provided fresh towels. The tents were huge - you could stand up in them and put a suitcase at the end of each cot. It was a very comfortable setup - pillows and linens included. Overall would highly recommend to others.