African Welcome Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 1999)
- Member Of:
- Southern Africa Tourism Services Association
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $121 to $464 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
HK
Email Pat | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Overall speaking quite good.
Everything--lodges, food, services, tour guides, etc.-- is as expected or better, with one exception. One of the safari lodges did not have air-conditioning. At 40C during midday, which usually lasted for about five to six hours, it was very uncomfortable. Even though there were no safari drives during midday, staying in our room with the fan blowing only hot air, it was close to unbearable. The one way out was to take a dip in the pool, but not everyone wanted to do that.
US
Email Steve Katzen | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
African Welcome Safaris creates dream tours of Africa.
Friends recommended African Welcome Safaris after their trip to South Africa and Victoria Falls. We were amazed at how informative, efficient, and personable Kathi was, and how easily she helped design our fantastic tour of Capetown and the Garden Route, as well as our trip to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
She asked us what we wanted to see, where we specifically wanted to go, and what activities we wanted to do. Once we started communicating, Kathi came up with an itinerary that included all places that met our desires and fit our timetable. She suggested guided tours with local guides and activities that we could book through her, or in some cases, we could book on our own.
Kathi booked all our regional flights, transfers, and incredible accommodations. She also arranged a rental car for our self-drive tour of the Garden Route.
We spent three nights at Arathusa Safari lodge at Sabi Sands bordering Kreuger and our ranger guide and tracker found all of the Big 5 plus lots of other animals including hyenas and crocodiles, impalas and kudus. Roy, our ranger guide had 21 years experience and could tell about the family relationships between lion prides and leopard mothers, cubs, and fathers!
All in all, our detailed daily itinerary spelled out everything we needed to know to have a seamless travel experience.
We highly recommend African Welcome Safaris to anyone seeking a tailor-made unique visit to South Africa, Victoria Falls, and Safaris.
We can't wait to return!
US
Email Deanne Cricks-Smith | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Life changed
I was nervous about going to SA because of rumors of violence and the state of the world. I always felt safe. I was picked up from the airport and taken to the hotel, that was very nice. The value for the money was incredible. My guide Henrik was very knowledgeable, and my Agent Kathi made sure I was having no problems by keeping in contact. Everything we did was top notch and the personal attention was over the top. We always had our own guide. Nothing was a group until the safari, but even that was an incredibly small group.
I did NOT want to leave and I got home less than 1 day ago and already planning a next trip.
The only part I would change is the wine tasting. If you love wine it is perfect. However my stomach cannot handle it, and I had to take a lot of antacid and suffer. The experience was awesome even with the pain, but given an option I probably would have skipped that part.
US
Email Nancy Zimmerman | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime - could not have been better
We traveled to Madikwe from South Africa in late September - stayed at the Tuningi Safari Lodge.
We had some specific requests as we were three people and had a tight timeframe as we had to be back in JoBurg for a flight to Lesotho.
Kathi was SO attentive to our needs and requests - she put together an itinerary that worked for us and fit our budget. She responded to emails or whatsapp messages in a timely way and gave us the attention we needed. She even got us reasonable transportation to and from the hotel before the trip.
The detailed itinerary that is easily accessible from a web link gave us peace of mind and the information we needed to feel comfortable traveling from the United States for this trip.
Tuningi is first class - we couldn't believe how nice the lodge is. Heidi and Gavin were warm and welcoming and the staff is first rate, kind and caring and looking out for every aspect of our experience.
The rooms - suites were amazing, beautiful and comfortable. I felt like I was in a movie...each room has a canopy bed, inviting sitting area with fireplace and coffee service. The bathroom is huge with a full size tub and outdoor shower. They also each have their own private deck with loungers to watch the animals trek to the onsite watering hole (which they do every afternoon).
The food - omg the food was incredible. Fresh, delicious and gourmet. One meal was better than the next. They took great care to make sure we always had what we wanted and every dish was beautifully plated.
Andrew was out guide on each days safari drives (there were 2 a day, 6am and 4pm). Andrew made sure we saw as much as we could and we incredibly knowledgeable about the area, relaying facts about the animals and birds we saw each day. We saw a lot of Elephants, Zebras, Giraffe and Ibex but found something new on each drive.
Whether we were out on game drives, relaxing by the pool or watering hole each day or eating a delicious gourmet meal the staff was the absolute best. I didn't worry about anything.
I would defiantly return to Tuningi and wouldn't hesitate to use African Welcome Safaris again or recommend them to friends.
Email Steve Allen | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Outstanding!
When we first considered travelling to Africa we contacted some UK travel agents however it wasn't until African Welcome Safaris was recommended to us that we appreciated how important it was that our agent was 'on the ground' and had specialist knowledge of the region. Kathi Simon put together a fantastic itinerary that managed to capture all the places that we wanted to visit but not only that but with much greater value for money than the UK agents. This included arranging upgrades on both Rovos Rail and the Zambezi Queen river boat. All our transfers worked like clockwork and the private guide that Kathi chose for us in Cape Town was outstanding. Kathi stayed in touch with us both before and during our holiday and nothing was too much trouble. She even recommended restaurants for us to eat in Cape Town and made reservations on our behalf. My wife and I were incredibly impressed with African Welcome Safaris, as indeed other friends of ours have been, and we would not hesitate to recommend them if you are intending to visit Africa.
Email Ravi & Jessica | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing
We had such an amazing experience for our trip, our package was put together so well and we got to experience all the things that we wanted to explore and see. We went to Cape Town, Kruger Park and Zambia, all three experiences were different, but so amazing. Overall, our package that we had was so amazing, as well as the guides and help that we had throughout.
SG
Email Lavinia Chen | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highly Recommend!
First time travelling to South Africa and Kathi from African Welcome Safaris made everything so easy and smooth! She was very responsive, and made great recommendations on our personalised itinerary. She was easily reached on mobile and provided all the information we needed through the app, and whatsapp. Highly recommended and looking forward to return again :)
ES
Email Barzurol | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Couldn't be better
Álex and his team organized a wonderful 20-day trip for us.
Everything perfectly fitted and detailed.
Do not hesitate.
(automatic translation from Spanish)
US
Email Tracie Hepper | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kathi was always available while also being incredibly sweet.
When I first started looking for a safari I had no idea where to begin. I spent time trying find out as much as possible on my own before getting in touch with Kathi. I wish I would have found her earlier! She is someone I will reach out to again for assistance. She was very accommodating even when I just had questions about South Africa in general. She was very quick to respond and even shared her personal details with me in case I needed anything. She made me feel like I had someone I could rely on or guide me during my time in South Africa. We ended up at the Chitwa House thanks to her, at the gorgeous property of Chitwa Chitwa and I can assure you it was an experience like none other and will forever be grateful to her for making it happen. I look forward to going back very soon! Thank you so so much!!
US
Email Nancy | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Phenomenal Service, Awesome Experience, Unbeatable Price
We had wanted to travel to Africa for several years but had been put off by the high prices and inflexible attitudes of American travel agents. The minute I spoke with Kathi from African Welcome Safaris, a world of difference opened up. She really listened to our priorities, gave us several options to choose from, and easily worked within our budget. The result was an unforgettable trip that was just right for our family -- with a savings of more than 50% over what the American operators charge while still using the same luxury hotels and lodges. All of this would be enough to justify a 5 star rating but there is another crucial element. Our flight from the US was cancelled at the last minute and we feared that might mean we would have to scrap the trip. To our astonishment, Kathi literally worked through the night to shift all of the arrangements so that we were able to fly a few days later and still do everything on our original wish list. Every detail -- from domestic flights to local excursions to accommodations -- was flawlessly arranged. She provided truly exceptional service and did so with a personal touch that made it seem we were the only clients and the top priority. If you are looking to travel to Africa and want to ensure an amazing trip, Kathi will definitely make it happen!