Mr Samuel Mopalo has been working in the tourism
Early Kingfisher Safari
- Office In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2017)
- Member Of:
- BOGA & Botswana Tourism
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $50 to $400 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
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Email Kathy | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
The only way to see Africa's wildlife and enjoy its friendly culture!
As I was excitedly telling a friend I was going on an African Safari in January, a woman overheard me and told me she goes to Africa yearly. She warned me I was making a mistake by going during the rainy season and said I wouldn’t see any wildlife. Her advice couldn’t have been more wrong!
Visiting Botswana Central Kalahari Reserve and the Magkadigkadi Salt Flats with David Shaw (Lead Photographer) and Sam Mopalo (Owner of Early Kingfisher Safari) was filled with incredible wildlife experiences! Sam, an accomplished naturalist who grew up and lives in Botswana, knows the wildlife in this area like the back of his hand. He can spot a lion, leopard, or any African beast from afar with his naked eye. It took the rest of us binoculars and the directions given by Sam and David to find it. The magic was getting close to this wildlife, close enough to photograph it. Sam’s tracking skills are beyond comparable. We were almost the only vehicle following the wildlife for days and never shared a viewing opportunity with anyone else.
David and Sam made a great “tag team.” What one missed or didn’t know, the other did. David, the avid and excellent photographer, ensured we had the best angle for the best shot, although Sam often nailed it before he said a word. And I came away with some remarkable photos, my favorites being those of the lions interacting with one another. I never guessed they could be as affectionate as a house cat!
Sleeping in tents with our every whim taken care of by Sam’s crew kept us close to the action. It was easy to be up early to photograph wildlife while it was still actively enjoying the cool morning light. While we rested in the shade of the sun during the middle of the day, we were back at it until sundown.
It was the best mobile safari camp experience possible. Sleeping in the bush, with everything we needed brought in—lights, food, warm and cold water, and shelter—the night rewarded us with a dark sky filled with stars that looked close enough to touch. The sounds of wildlife rocked us to sleep and gently woke us in the morning.
During the trip, we also spent a few nights in comfortable lodges with excellent food and hospitality. Still, the best food was cooked over an open flame or baked buried with coals underground. Sam’s cooks were the best; their tasty flavors for various grains and vegetables heightened the rest of the meal.
David and Sam’s cheerful, friendly personalities brought the rest of us into the fold, and we all became friends with stories to tell for the rest of our lives.
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Email Tina and Jamie | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Suberb!
We spent five days with Sam and were blown away by the depth and breadth of his knowledge of all sorts African wildlife, from termites to lions. His passion for all life and the ecology of (in our case) the Okavango Delta shone through every day. He's a terrific birder as well, and we joked with him about remembering what page in the bird guide each bird appeared. :-) The camp was quite comfortable and we were well looked after. Thanks so much, Sam - all our best to you and your lovely team!
Email valerie Christine | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Brilliantly organised, Sam is often first at viewings due to his extensive tracking skills.
Husband & I only decided at New Year 2025 to do a tour, and March seemed to work for us; went to Botswana Tourism site and found rave reviews about Early Kingfisher Safaris; contacted Sam and received speedy reply and literally a breeze getting a route, price, and time to suit us sorted, so we were all ready to go in three weeks, and flew out of Australia for 7 nights Touch of Okavango camping safari, commenced Maun 11 March. Stunning weather. Experienced travellers for almost 50 years, Sam's Early Kingfisher adventure would rate as one of the very top trips we've ever done around the world. Amazingly, we were the only guests on the tour, but that's Sam's point of difference (that he will go with just 2 guests if necessary!) He's a very safe driver. His Jeeps are maintained very well and are comfortable, with blankets provided for the early morning safari every dawn. We didn't know if the campsites would be within compounds or would be fenced, but they weren't and we had nothing to fear (even when a pride of lions passed behind our tents at Savuti at 3a.m. one night: 8 of them decided our campfire embers provided a bit of warmth and were still there, sleeping, when we got up!). I had mentioned I would prefer a gluten-free meal/bread plan: Chef cooked my own buns/bread for every meal, and his range of menus was always delightful. We had beautifully set tables every night, G & T while we waited for dinner, and housekeeping was immaculate with clothes washed when we went out each morning, then placed, ironed, on our big bed each afternoon. Nothing was too much trouble for Sam and his staff, and we left as friends. Sam pointed out many birds in Moremi and Savuti and everywhere in between, wildflowers in profusion, and of course the only one of the BIG 5 we didn't see was the relocated rhinos. Amazingly we viewed copulating leopards (3 in total) from a very close vantage point, and wild dogs! Not to mention the afternoon when Sam heard a commotion during our rest time, and quickly sang out to us to hop in the jeep because he could hear a pursuit - we arrived in time to just see a zebra being taken down, and sat mesmerised for another 2 hours - again we were the first vehicle on the scene. It was magical.