African Ubuntu Safaris
- Located In:
-
Australia
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2012)
- Member Of:
- ATTA, AFTA & ATAS
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $250 to $3,000 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Lorna & Colin | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Hakuna Matata- no worries everything was perfectly well organised.
Communication during the planning stage was great. Every issue or concern I had was addressed either on the phone or via email. Cuan was always honest and willing to discuss options and because of his experience, was able to make sound recommendations.The service was very good and we could set off on our safari with confidence.
The accommodation was excellent, surprising that such high quality establishments and services could be found in such remote locations. The only concern was that the Farmhouse at Ngorongoro Crater (although an excellent establishment) was quite a distance from the crater so it took a good hour or more driving to reach it on the morning of our safari.
All the safaris were excellent and each and every driver we had was extremely knowledgeable, interesting, friendly and easy going. This made each safari so much better. We were fortunate enough to see lots of different animals and birds and our guides were very accommodating so we could get the best possible view and have time to take plenty of photos. The highlight was seeing the great migration with thousands of wildebeest in the Masai Mara.
Each game park we visited was interesting and rewarding - offering something different in each place, so couldn't really say that one was better than the other - we enjoyed them all. The downside was the long, slow, dusty roads between places which meant we had very full days and little time to relax on arrival to the lodges. I guess that this is unavoidable when trying to fit in visits to lots of places in a limited time.
The hospitality and service at each hotel was excellent and so nice that the staff were very friendly and always willing to talk to us. So good to hear their stories. I felt that maybe the tipping is getting a bit out of hand and there is a growing expectation to tip for every service supplied.
In conclusion, we were thoroughly satisfied with the organisation of our trip with African Ubuntu Safaris and everything seemed to "spot on". We had no concerns whatsoever and would wholeheartedly recommend them to other travellers.
Email Simmone, Martin and Amelia | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Professional , knowledgeable, listened to our concerns and alleviated our fears
Can’t highly recommended Ubuntu safaris enough , from out first discussions of what we would like to do to the first proposals from which to choose was , insightful and professional and you knew that they knew what they were doing . They gave great suggestions where to stay etc for the best location of the great migration only someone with deep knowledge of the great migration would get this right which they did .
They listened to what our concerns were travelling with young ladies and put our fears at bay . Not a stoned was left unturned to ensure out trip was safe and exceeded all our expectations .
Quan made our wish list happen , covering 5 counties in 20 days , what we thought would be impossible, Quan made possible
No question was too difficult to answer , believe me we asked many along the way .
Quan went out of his way to accommodate our meetings in the office and at hand always when a question came up.
The itinerary was so detailed and had absolutely everything we needed .
He had to liaise with our travelling family in London and nothing was too much trouble even with time difference .
He even went out of his way to put us in touch with his wildlife photographer for tips and tricks before our trip .
We so were fortunate to have his father Gerald pick us up from Johannesburg airport and take us to our hotel .We had a wonderful dinner with Gerald and Louise at a wonderful local restaurant, what an unexpected and wonderful way to start our adventure, discussing our trip and what to expect and sharing their wonderful travel stories .Their hospitality will never be forgotten and truly a wonderful memory of our trip.
Once again so blessed to have Gerald pick us up from hotel and drop us off at the airstrip to start our safari , this personal touch money can’t buy.
All our adventures were in themselves amazing , hard to have a favourite as they were all soo different .
SA - Sabi Sands
Zambia
Tanzania , crater and Serengeti
Uganda - Gorilla trek
Each country and experience was beyond words and surpassed our expectations
It was important for us to experience the local culture and communities which he assisted in making happen . This definitely touched all our hearts and is an experience we will never forget .
There were 2 birthdays on our trip and Quan assisted in making these memorable and special .
There were no major hiccups along the way but knowing we had Quan and Gerald at an email / phone call away made us relax .
There was delayed local flight that would make our connection very tight and we weren’t getting much information from the local airstrip .
We contacted Cuan back in Australia, he found out what was happening with the flight and organised with airline to rush us through to connecting flight and then again had someone waiting for us as soon as we got off the plane to ensure connection made , we could have not made this happen .
Knowing this was arranged made us feel at ease .
I’m one who always organises our own travel , as good as I think I am I could have never even started to book a trip to Africa .
The complexities of our travel , countries , timing , could only be done by someone who has an in-depth knowledge of all the African countries .
We can’t thank Cuan , Gerald and Louise enough for making our trip the most memorable one we have ever experienced .
We left a piece of our hearts in Africa and we will be back and the first person we will see will be Cuan .
Thank you Ubuntu safari you made our dreams come true and exceed all our expectations.
Until next time .
Email Peter & Sandra | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Faultless, extremely well planned Safari that delivered beyond expectations.
Cuan summed up our needs accurately and delivered the perfect Safari for us.
All communications conducted in a timely and appropiate manner, attention to details was faultless, management of an unexpected Airline flight cancellation was handled very efficiently and as a result of all this the Safari itself delivered beyond expectations. We highly recommend African Ubuntu Safaris.
What a trip!
African Ubuntu Safaris gave us an adventure to remember. We are five ladies seeking adventure, and African Ubuntu Safaris put together a tour for us that was perfect in every detail. We saw so many fantastic animals, met wonderful people to stay with, outstanding guides, and everything went without a hitch. They were flexible in helping us plan this trip so that we really did see and experience what we were hoping for. I was mostly impressed with how every detail was included and perfect for us, so that we didn't have any concerns, just high expectations of what we would be seeing, and it all came about just as planned. I highly recommend African Ubuntu Safaris to anyone who wants a superb tour, customized to exactly what you ask for. For me, it was a trip of a lifetime.
US
Email Colette | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect in every way.
Cuan McLaren answered our questions immediately, understood exactly what we wanted, and provided the perfect private safari two-week tour. We asked for small, non-luxurious camps what would bring us closer to an authentic safari experience. We got exactly that! The camps were impeccable with gracious hostesses/hosts and managers, knowledgable guides/game spotters, excellent meals, and wonderful dinner conversations with others in the camps.
Transitions from one camp/country to another by plane, boat, van were seamless! African Ubuntu Safaris is the best run company around.
Email Helen & Bill | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
THANK YOU for a wonderful experience
We wanted to thank you for the wonderful trip you organised for us.
All the accommodation was fantastic, clean, great food, exceptional service in all the lodges, although Victoria falls hotel service, was a bit of a let down in the dining areas. Everything was organised exceptionally well with transfers and we had zero issues as first time travellers to Africa. Everybody was super friendly, with lots of great advice, knowledge and experience. I must say we thoroughly enjoyed the Houseboat in Chobe National Park and we consider this a highlight of our trip. Thanks for influencing our decision to go Victoria Falls (Magical) and the BOMA dinner (my daughter and Bill really got into it) as it would have been a shame to miss out on this.
Thanks for putting up with all our questions, changes and for us THANK GOD we had an experienced Safari specialist that consulted with us, had a point of view to help us make the right decision.
The recommendations and insights you gave us really made the perfect trip for us as first time visitors to this beautiful country and we cannot wait to return.
Thanks again
Email Brad and Rod | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic holiday arranged by a very professional company, all we hoped for and more.
My partner and I have just returned from the 13 Day Best of Kenya and Tanzania Safari and to say we were impressed would be a major understatement. Right from the time we started discussing options we found Diederik, who was based in Uganda, to be very helpful and knowledgeable. As a gay couple we were a little concerned about travelling in Kenya and Tanzania but Diederik put our mind at ease and to be honest it was never an issue. We travelled twin share but that was the only compromise we made. The locals made us feel very welcome and nobody ever questioned our relationship.
The safari itself was excellent, the organisation and various transfers were smooth and professional. The lodges were excellently located, they were very clean and comfortable, the buffet food tasty and plentiful and the staff were fantastically friendly making the stay very memorable.
The game viewing was all we hoped for and more and the ballon flight in Kenya flying low over the migrating wildebeest and zebra finishing with a fresh cooked breakfast (and champagne) surrounded by grazing animals was definitely a highlight.
We saw so many animals it was a delight every day. There is a fair amount of travel on some pretty (very) rough roads but with a small group, plenty of laughs and lots to see even on the travel sections the time passed quickly. The multiple nights at most lodges was welcome.
All in all a fantastic holiday organised by the very professional Ubuntu Safaris, I would not hesitate to use them for our next trip to Africa and yes there will be more for sure. You can’t go to Africa just once!
Email Sue | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Sofari so good
I write as a non photographer on a photographic safari and it was one of the best holidays I have had. Happy husband taking thousands of photos. Happy wife able to look through binoculars at animals I have longed to see, at very close quarters, with excellent guides who knew the terrain, so much about the birds and animals - their lives and their habitats. So many birds, so many animals. Macro and micro. We learned about ants and elephants and everything in between. Ubuntu in the shape of Cuan was a terrific communicator with an eye for detail which made the holiday very special. Our first stop at Victoria Falls Hotel was a gentle taste of things to come. We were glad to see Baboons and Warthogs on the lawns. Then 3 days on the River Chobe on a house boat viewing Crocs, Hippos, Elephants and Otters. After that 3 days in a Reserve in the Okavenga Delta where we saw a Leopard languidly eyeing the world around her on a branch on our first outing. And so it went on. The last three days in Linyanti - Cheetahs, Lions, Giraffes, (stop the car for a Warthog?) everything except a Pangolin -which we are saving for next time. Which there certainly will be, we hope.
Email Maree & Greg | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Everything went better than we ever expected
After trying some local travel agents, we realised that travel in Africa requires specialist expertise. I searched the internet and saw many positive reviews about Ubuntu. As soon as I spoke to Cuan, he filled me with confidence. He knows Africa and he knows about travelling in Africa. From our rough plans, he put together a fantastic itinerary, including all of the main features that we wanted to see. He made it all fit together and flow and everything went exactly as planned. We loved working with Ubuntu. We were kept informed all along the way, the admin side, payments, bookings etc, all went smoothly and the trip was a dream. We even met Cuan in Victoria Falls, which was great! Travel in Africa can be problematic and difficult, especially when you try to squeeze six countries into a month, but it all went without a hitch and we enjoyed every moment. If we return to Africa, and I suspect we will based on our firs experience, we will be using Ubuntu Tours.
Email David | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding service and organisation for Botwsana and Malawi trips with African Ubuntu Safaris
My wife and I were part of a photographic safari to Botswana and then travelled on alone to Malawi. Throughout, Cuan McLaren from African Ubuntu Safaris provided excellent service and the travel logistics went without a hitch. We had a wonderful safari: the game sightings were superb, and we stayed in and stylish and comfortable camps. Alistair MacDougall of Photo Organic provided excellent photographic assistance to the photographers in the group. All arrangements for Malawi were excellent. Highly recommended!