Kate & Darren Humphrys with Henry, Olive and Hume
Compass Odyssey
- Office In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2006)
- Member Of:
- Southern Africa Tourism Services Association
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $300 to $1,000 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 Adolfo (J.R.) McGovert | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Compass Odyssey exceeded all my expectations.
I can not say enough good things about Compass Odyssey. I had always wanted to go on a safari but had no clue on how to go about it. After deciding it would be best to use a travel company rather than trying to organize everything myself; I found Compass Odyssey on SafariBookings. All the reviews I read were very positive so I felt comfortable reaching out to them. Darren got back to me immediately and proposed an excellent itinerary based on my budget and interests. He was always quick to reply to my emails and answer any questions I had (there were a lot) with total patience and professionalism. I have never worked with a travel company that was so attentive to my needs and detailed in every regard (info, activity planning, flight arrangements, etc.). They took care of everything and relieved any anxiety I had in advance of the trip. From beginning to end, they made me feel as if I was their only client and that my satisfaction and enjoyment was their only priority and concern. I couldn’t have been happier with my accommodations, activities, and wildlife experiences. The good times I had will last a lifetime. Darren is a class act and raised the bar for what one should expect when working with a tour company. I highly recommend Compass Odyssey to anyone interested in a top-notch, stress-free, experience in Africa. I look forward to working with them again in the future now that I’ve been bitten by the African bug.
CA
Email Lynne & Larry | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic local knowledge. Terrific recommendations. Great attention to detail. Easy to work with.
Darren and the team helped us book a vacation of a lifetime. Listened carefully to what we wanted and set up a great itinerary. Fantastic guides on the ground. Wonderful recommendations for where to go, where to stay, how to balance out the trip. Everything worked flawlessly on the ground. It exceeded our expectations.
Thanks Darren and crew!
A spectacular, well-organized, once-in-a-life-time trip that exceeded all our expectations.
From touch down in Cape Town (where we were greeted by Garth, our excellent Cape Guide) to our delivery to the Kasane airport in Chobe, this was a truly effortless trip. Garth was a font of information about the country and the region, and was delightful company. He also adjusted as the weather turned and as he learned more about what we wanted to see. Plus he recommended a great book which I took with me for the rest of the holiday. The safari experience at Mma Danare was truly breath-taking. The sheer amount of wildlife we encountered was amazing (our driver, Chris, was unstoppable). We were lucky enough to be able to follow two male lions (and, separately) a larger pride of lions. Watching two young male cheetahs hunt was another highlight. So too were the giraffes and elephants and impala and and and. The lodge itself was exquisite. Our second lodge near Joa was also picturesque. A slightly different experience (being on wetlands) we were able to take makuro rides (including a very special sunset one) and see the delta from a new perspective. While the wildlife sightings were limited (this would be the only quibble about the whole trip. Because of the lack of rain, while the lodge was pretty and the water was interesting, there wasn't a great chance to see many animals) it was an interesting, unique perspective. Chobe was sensational. The wildlife experience there (more lions, so many elephants, elephants swimming across river at sunset!) was superb. And while the room and food at the Garden Lodge were terrific, here are the only other quibbles I had about our trip. There was very loud music nearby both evenings we were there that continued into the early hours of the morning (3:00 am). There was nothing the lodge could do about it... but... And we often felt like we were being rushed through our dinners. The staff was TOO attentive -- hovering over our shoulders to clear the plates and bring the next ones out. But as I say -- small tiny little "problems" in what was a spectacular two weeks. Thank you so much for organizing such an amazing adventure.
Email Gabe and Charlie Winten | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Not just a number, our tour was a unique and personalised experience.
Not a seasoned traveller, I felt relaxed and confident with the tour that had been organised for us. The accomodation was personal and oozed quality. The guides were friendly and bent over backwards to ensure our needs were met. Transfers between destinations went smoothly with staff meeting us every time. Darren and Kate were in contact during our tour to reassure us we were cared for. I would definitely recommend Compass Odyssey to anyone wishing to travel to Africa, you’re in safe hands.
IT
Email Fortunato& Stéphanie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent planning for a real immersion into Africa’s wild nature
We had a wonderful experience for our safari in Victoria Falls and Botswana. Everything was very well organized by Darren and Kate! All the lodges and guides were very good and we managed to see a lot of animals.
CA
Email Christine and Don | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Once in a lifetime experience without any worries
Darren and his team were fantastic to work with. From the first email exchange where we described what we were looking for through the final day on the ground, working with Compass Odyssey made the whole experience exceptional. Darren's pre-trip communication is fantastic - he responded to all of our inquiries within 2-3 days (usually faster) and was very thorough and knowledgeable. His on the ground team knew the areas we were visiting, had great recommendations and were able to add both commentary and color to the various locations we visited. They made sure we didn't have to worry about a thing - we just relaxed and enjoyed our holiday. We would (and already have!) highly recommend working with Darren for any Southern African adventure.
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Email Myrna and Family | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
They're local: they know the territory and the best choices for your trip goals, and stay in touch.
Communication with Darren and Kate at Compass Odyssey was excellent, beginning with plans and decisions. Our safari route is a common one: So. Africa to Victoria Falls (Zambia, Zimbabwe) and Botswana, but this was not an off-the-shelf tour. We loved the small lodge in the Klaserie Reserve and the options to get out on the Zambezi and Chobe Rivers on canoe and boat trips, plus the amazing game drives. It was the first visit to this area for our family group of four 'girls' (from 3 generations) and we all loved it. Being a small group helped us meet new people, enjoy spectacular game drives and interact with our guides, who were happy to share their knowledge. The whole experience was far beyond the 'Big 5 checklist' and highly recommended. Do think about what you hope to gain from such a trip and make it part of the plans. Also, know that Darren will be in touch along the way, and local agents will help with border crossings and logistics in the Victoria Falls area. To sum it up: before we even got home there was talk of another trip!
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Email Val Naholowaa | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience
Darren & Kate were phenomenal it terms of communicating & putting together our trip. There was not one incident that occurred, everything went as smoothly as it possibly could! When we plan our next trip into Southern Africa, we will be contacting Darren again.
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Email Kim Daly | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Thoughtful and thorough
Darren was exceptional in handling all of the details in a timely manner which allowed me to travel at ease. He would anticipate my needs and offer recommendations that were spot-on. Expectations were fully met and even exceeded. The tour was well paced and offered an array of excursions that left me feeling inspired, joyful and never exhausted. Our hosts and guides were warm, informative, and fun. I highly recommend a trip organized by Compass Odyssey!
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Email Mala and Ramesh | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding Trip!
This was our first trip to Africa. We traveled to Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe and Zambia), Chobe, and Okavango Delta in Botswana.
Throughout our journey of planning, communicating, providing detailed information, and the various trip options, Compass Odyssey was with us all the way.
Traveling from the US, we had no clue on what to expect and was expected of us - medical, social, travel reservations, lodging, insurance, etc. Darren and Kate guided us with all these aspects. No question was too silly for them to answer, and we received responses within 24 hours.
Our baggage got delayed and did not arrive in Victoria Falls. Mortimer, Ruth, and Collin helped us shop for basic necessities. They were patient, friendly, and also gave us good vegetarian food options. Collin was our guide and he gave us lot of interesting info about the Falls. We also had a wonderful time in Chobe and Okavango Delta. The lodging facilities reserved by Compass Odyssey were excellent.
We would definitely go with Compass Odyssey on our next trip to Africa, and highly recommend them to others. Thank you Darren and Kate!