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 $472 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
Email Vina | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A holiday in Botswana and Cape Town to rave about
The best thing I did for our safari was ... to work with Kathi Simon! I have not used a tour operator for any holiday for more than a decade and thought I could organise our safari on my own. After spending hours late into the night researching online, struggling with flight connections and even contacting game lodges directly, I made the wise decision to go with Kathi, who was recommended by a friend.
Kathi's brief was not an easy one - a short trip of (only) 2 nights in Cape Town and 5 days on safari; first-timers on safari who wanted to see everything; budget constraints. She tackled all this in a professional manner, and even saved us money! Kathi was always patient and prompt with all my questions, nudging me gently in the appropriate direction in my planning, making great suggestions and reassuring me about my choices, all based on her vast experience and insight.
Our guide Rhys had the unenviable task of fulfilling our wish list for our single day in Cape Town.....which he more than delivered. Using his immense local knowledge (of traffic, especially!), Rhys made tweaks to our initial plan, packed our day in, and has whetted our desire to return to Cape Town.
Camp Kalahari exceeded all our expectations - it set the mark so high (as our first safari destination) that we wondered what Machaba Camp could offer, as an ‘upgrade’ to Camp Kalahari. Machaba Camp was newer and larger in all aspects, yet the hospitality and warmth of the staff still shone through. Food at Machaba Camp was great, but Camp Kalahari was even better.
The animals turned up in force during the green season. The Makgadikgadi salt pans had loads of zebra, their resident meerkats, lions etc etc, while Khwai River had hippos, elephants, lions, impala, lechwe etc etc. A leopard sighting appeared elusive, but Mmatsebe and her near-adult cub finally turned up..... up in a tree with an impala, in our last hour there! Lionesses 'visited' during our sundowner and got mock-charged by hippos. Our vehicle got stuck in an aardvark hole while off-roading tracking a lion, and separately, we got stuck in (yet) another hole and needed a tow, while surrounded by wild dogs and hyenas at a zebra kill. All this was amazing, but learning from and watching our guides Jonah and Kitso do the job they love, with skill and sensitivity to the environment, made for an unforgettable trip.
Can't wait to return to Africa, and when we do, I will start off by contacting Kathi at African Welcome Safaris! A well-deserved 5 stars!
Email Michael | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
I knew exactly what I wanted and they sorted it for me.
They were extremely helpful,offering me a number of options,but I knew what I was looking for in a safari lodge
and they came up Tintswalo which matched my needs exactly.The lodge was excellent and the staff there were so genuinely friendly and helpful.Game spotting was quite difficult as it was February because of the denseness
of vegetation in some areas and I understand viewing would have been easier two or three months previous.
Nonetheless,I enjoyed very close sightings (and photos) of leopards,lions,buffalo,elephants,rhinos,giraffe,lots of different antelopes and birds,zebras,wildebeest etc.Overall a very satisfying experience.
Email Trevor Bianchi | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Efficient reliable service
Our South African Safari went very smoothly - our thanks to the attentive, diligent service of Kathi Simon from African Welcome Safaris.
Everything was handled professionally and cordially from our first enquiries until arriving back
to our hotel in Johannesburg. All went so smoothly - flights and accommodation - and the information which was emailed to us with our tickets was relevant and significant. The aftermath of a cyclonic rain depression resulted in our party being accommodated at Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge instead of Sabi Sabi Selati lodge. Kathi kept us constantly updated with regard to flights in and out of the reserve and the subsequent unavoidable alteration to our accommodation.
Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge was fantastic. The suites were impressive - the food and service very good - and the game drives and daily activities well organized. We got to see many animals up close and personal. A truly exciting and extraordinary experience.
US
Email David Freese | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
This company is first rate in all aspects of booking a wonderful African travel experience.
African Welcome Safaris delivered top shelf service in coordinating our multifaceted tour to Cape Town and Kruger National Park. Kathi Simon, our contact at AFS, was most helpful and professional in providing information in a timely manner. All questions and/or concerns were addressed promptly. The tour itself was a truly wondrous experience on every level. The accommodations were second to none. Managers and staff at all locations were always helpful, courteous and responsive. In Cape Town, our most knowledgeable tour guide, Rhys Bradshaw, was a true gentleman and a delight. Alistair Leuner and Emily Booth at Tintswalo Safari Lodge provided an absolutely fantastic experience of great food and lodging in an elegant space with the twice daily excursions to view the magnificent animals - a profound moment in and of itself. In all, the whole trip was a grand, fabulous time from beginning to end.
US
Email Laura | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent service and great value
We got a recommendation from a friend who had previously used Kathi at African Welcome Safaris, and I'm so glad we did! We had the best experience from beginning to end. Kathi was incredibly responsive and made sure we stuck to our budget. Then, when we decided we wanted to upgrade, she went back and provided even more options. She provided excellent options and included lodges that we hadn't heard of in our own basic research. We went back and forth until we found just the right lodge, then she magically planned everything else around it: airfare, transfers, payment with the lodge.
On the ground, everything ran so smoothly. Our flights were lovely and perfectly scheduled to ensure we would come in and leave at just the right times: to get there for lunch and the evening game drive on the first day then time to do the morning game drive and pack on our last day. Those were details I didn't think about, but Kathi did. Our ground transfers were on-time or early, so we were never worried about being late.
I would absolutely recommend using African Welcome Safaris -- and plan to use them again in the future!
PH
Email Joanne Mae | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An experience I won't ever forget
Last 2012, my family decide to go to South Africa for a vacation. I consulted with a local agency, they were not able to give us an itinerary since it was too early (March 2013, intended date of our vacation). So I went online to see if I could just book a tour or look for other agencies, the 1st website I checked was African Welcome Safari, I answered some questions on their website. I wasn't sure if they would reply since I have experienced with other agency who didn't. When Kathi Simon replied, she gave us an idea of what to expect, places to visit, what clothes to wear, what kind of luggage to bring and etc. She took care of everything. Fast forward to 2016, we decided to go to East Africa this time and I inquired if I she can give us an itinerary and she did. She took care of everything again. My sister asked me why do we have to go to 3 different camps or lodges if we can just stay in 1 place and experience it all, like we did in South Africa. We only appreciated it all when we were there and experienced all different places that we went to. In short, I have no regrets whatsoever of booking with African Welcome Safari. If we ever decide to go back to Africa, we will definitely book again with them.
Email Susan | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
An unforgettable experience !
Having been confused by a multitude of safaris on offer we were fortunate to have a friend recommend African Welcome Safaris.
From our initial enquiry Kathi Simon was welcoming, efficient and quickly gained our trust, which was particularly important to us, considering the transfer of money necessary.
Kathi acknowledged our requests and organised a safari to suit us. All arrangements worked perfectly and all personnel were friendly and efficient.
The safaris were more than expected with Camp Okavango being a highlight. We particularly enjoyed the walking safari and felt the animals were truly wild.
We had complete trust in our wonderful guide, Zac, which was tested on a few occasions!
Everyone, on the ground & in the air made us feel really special & welcome....could not have done more!
I even had a Birthday cake made for me, along with a rendition of Happy Birthday sung in the local language!
I t was SO special....I cried with emotion!
This was a trip I'd dreamed about & it turned out to be so much more....unforgettable!!!
SG
Email Jean | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kathi was amazing!
Kathi was incredibly patient despite all the changes we had her make. She was helpful and replied as soon as she could. While the trip was unlike anything we had done before, we felt more options could be given regarding the type of car we were paying for. Well, we got a Mercedes and should not complain. Yet I can't help but wished we were given options (regular sedan vs luxury) beforehand and its corresponding costs. My tour guide was friendly and we had fun exploring Cape Town with him. Cape Town is beautiful and our safari was great.
SG
Email Amy | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Listen + Understand + Plan = Unforgettable & Awesome holiday :)
We had a really wonderful time there. We saw the most beautiful sunset, had the most amazing game drives and received awesome services provided (especially at the Tintswalo Manor House). It was really an experience for all of us and South Africa is really a beautiful place! The planning was very detailed, with useful advices on the number of days to spend on each places. Perfect!
Email sarah | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
wonderful
Wonderful experience from the beginning of organising our trip. Thank you Kathi! Most efficient person to deal with and nothing is too hard, just makes everything work. Thank you for the attention to detail