African Welcome Safaris
- Office 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:
- $123 to $469 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
SG
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceptional South African experience!
My apologies that this review took so long... Was too caught up in work and in no way does it indicate any failure on the part of Kathi or African Welcome Safaris.
Kathi was amazing from the start, as I was e-mailing several tour operators to get a better sense of the options offered and costs involved. She seemed to understand exactly what I was looking for and was able to put together a detailed itinerary for my husband and I. We had a budget which she somehow managed to work around, still providing amazing tours across Cape Town, domestic flights, all transfers, quality and even luxurious accommodations and a 5-star safari experience!
Our tour guide in Cape Town, Emme, was a lovely lovely part of our trip and she really went the extra mile beyond just showing us around. The insights she provided into South Africa today and its history was compelling and she was just fun to be with. :)
Even on the ground, when we had questions or clarifications to make, Kathi made herself available via cell phone and we could easily reach her for such purposes. Really appreciate that she took the time to check in with us upon arrival to make sure we were okay and all settled in.
The safari experience promised to be great, and it really really was. In fact, I regret that we only spent 3 short days on safari at the fantastic Lion Sands River Lodge. It may not have been super luxurious in terms of the accommodation, but the service was truly amazing, and the game drives - unreal! Our ranger and tracker team, Landon and Eddy, really surpassed all our expectations and found us EVERYTHING we wanted to see.. and more! From the Big Five, to the highly endangered African Wild Dog, the cheetah, zebras (even in the wooded terrain of the Sabi Sands!), leopard cubs, lion cubs, lions mating, lions fighting over a dead wildebeest calf..... it only left us wanting more.
I am now keen to plan another safari trip, this time perhaps to see the Great Migration, and Kathi will certainly be the one I look for.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceptionally efficient and helpful
We didn't have to worry about a thing. We could just sit back and enjoy our stay in South Africa, knowing everything was taken care of.
SG
Email MT Foo | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A memorable, exciting and well taken care of experience.
The client contact Ms Kathi Simon is most thoughtful, efficient and helpful in all the times of communication/interacting prior to the trips. She is alsways assuring and meticulous in planning and expedient, thus, well prepared us for the trip.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very experienced travel agent with a great knowledge of the attractions
Kathi at African Welcome Safaris is an exceptional travel agent. We have used her on two occasions now (out of three visits to the continent) and have not been disappointed by her service, prompt reply to emails, and considered guidance in her itineraries. Her picks have been spot on, factoring in travel time, bookings, and attractions we wanted to see. She obviously can see what we are after, and match the itinerary.
You are reassured to be in safe hands when you book here, and we will likely use her again for future holidays.
CA
Email Marilyn P-S | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A stress free, imaginative, superorganized, without a hitch, magnifcent vacation!!!!!
Kathi Simon was an absolute pleasure to work with. As I live in Canada and was concerned that communicating by phone might be a problem, I discovered that she was more than willing to accommodate the time difference and call me when it was convenient for me. She was so warm and patient with any questions or concerns that I had and took the time to research any and every hotel or activity that I was considering, and got back to me within a day or two. She was always aware and concerned about my budget and thankfully abided closely to all my desires and requirements. This was a trip of a lifetime for my husband and I as we were travelling with our adult daughters, knowing that this might be the last trip they might be able to join us on as a foursome. Kathi not only fulfilled her obligations as a travel agent but cemented our relationship for any future travel to South Africa for us as well as any of our friends and relations. She was superb!
Every hotel and lodge we stayed at was fantastic and enjoyable, although I have to add that along with the wonderful environment, service (and food!) that each accommodation offered was the added bonus of the friendliness and warmth of the South African people wherever we went. The highlight of our trip was our four days at the Dulini Lodge in Sabi Sands. I have never experienced the wonder of staying anywhere of this caliber. The cabins were luxurious, each with plunge pools, magnificent furnishings and an outdoor shower with utter privacy. We were taken care of by Given, a lovely man who was our butler. The two safaris we went on each day were an exquisite introduction to the Africa of one's imagination. Our tracker, Martin was amazingly talented and our ranger Fred was so knowledgeable that all the information he passed on to us is indelibly inscribed in our memories to the extent that we still talk about what we learned. I must add that the owners as well as the staff of the Dulini were constantly making sure that all was up to snuff. The food the lodge provided was absolutely magnificent, with more than enough choices to fulfill anyone's desires including my vegetarian daughter!
Every domestic flight was arranged by Kathi beforehand and there was always a guide patiently waiting for our arrival anywhere we landed. One of our guides, Louis van Niekerk, who accompanied us for two weeks of our three week tour was unbelievably knowledgeable and had answers to almost every question about South Africa the four of us asked of him. To top it off, he was such a lovely man that he endeared himself to all of us enough to consider him family!!!
My husband and I have travelled the world over many years, and I have to say that this was one of the most flawless and enjoyable adventures we have taken thanks to Kathi and African Welcome Safaris.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A dream vacation, extremely well planned and executed
Our agent was helpful, considerate, very interested in what we wanted to do and organized our trip accordingly. Everything met or exceeded our expectations, accommodations were wonderful, guides friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating and the safari experience was incredible.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unforgettable Family Adventure
African Welcome Safaris, and Kathi in particular, made our adventures in Africa amazing. Her communication was immediate and attended to every detail. She sought to understand our goals and matched us with experiences and guides who exceeded our expectations. Our time at Kapama Game Lodge was incredible wihg many animal encounters, great service, and an outstanding guide, Stephan, and tracker, Rogers. Accommodations, food, and spa were excellent. Exploring Cap Town and the surrounding areas with Ryes was really cool. Our experience at Chobe River Lodge was fantastic with a highly attentive staff and RT our great guide. Victoria Falls Lodge provided epic views with vulture feedings and the stunning Victoria Falls. Lesedi Cultural Village was a great place to stay and to enjoy the tour and traditional dancing.
AE
Email John Hammond | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Meticulous in their planning, putting the customer first, high quality service delivery - faultless
We are a family of 6. Our eldest child is 12 and our youngest is 5. It is always a challenge finding a balance of experiences for us all for our holidays. African Welcome put together a perfectly balanced itinerary that combined time in the wild with urban exploration. The planning, communication and level of service was first class. We had a stress free experience during the planning and booking stage. The locations for our holiday - Kruger National Park (Tintswalo resort), Victoria Falls, Cape Town (V&A Waterfront) and Franschhoek (La Petite Ferme) were all stunning in their own way. The accommodation selected - mainly 5 star combined with self catering in Cape Town was all of exceptional quality and perfectly located. In particular the staff at Tintswalo and the Safari Lodge in Victoria Falls were amazing with the children and they are missing them after returning home.
We got to see the best of South Africa - amazing safari (we saw the big 5 and so much more), driving around Cape Town, the Cape area, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek - simply a stunning part of the world. Victoria Falls is world renowned for obvious reasons although the visa costs and park taxes imposed by the government are a little disconcerting. We picked some great places to visit and African Welcome picked amazing accommodation and service for us.
Top marks African Welcome. You really raised the bar. Not sure how we will better this experience next year or ever!
We look forward to working with you in the future - you're simply the best!
Professional, courteous, and detail-oriented.
My experience with African Welcome Safaris, and particularly with Kathi Simon, was five-star. She planned the perfect trip for me, and everything flowed smoothly from start to finish.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The entire experience was great: from brainstorming, to planning, to troubleshooting, to enjoying!
What I think is important to point out is not only that the experience was a great vacation, but working with Africa Welcome Safaris was what made it so great. Having never been on a safari before (nor visited the continent), Africa Welcome Safaris' made it easy and approachable to plan and enjoy: from finding a great place within my budget, to helping me prepare for the experience (and what to pack, what to expect), accommodating changes to my itinerary when needed and being there 24x7 when small travel hiccups occurred (e.g. airline flight changes or delays). I felt like Africa Welcome treated me and my trip as a top priority for their staff. I want to particularly commend Kathi Simon for making this on of my best vacations ever.