Kate & Darren Humphrys with Henry, Olive and Hume
Compass Odyssey
- Located 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
US
Email Eric Zicht and family | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Darren was knowedgeable, accomodating, and responsive.
Our journey with Compass Odyssey took us on an unforgettable adventure through Southern Africa. From the vibrant streets of Cape Town to the majestic wildlife of Kruger National Park, and the awe-inspiring Victoria Falls in Zambia and Zimbabwe, every moment was a testament to the beauty of this region.
What stood out most were the lodge hosts and trackers who made our stay truly exceptional. Their warmth, knowledge, and passion for the wildlife enriched our experience beyond expectation. In Cape Town and Victoria Falls, our guides were equally remarkable, offering deep insights and ensuring we discovered hidden gems at every turn.
The highlight was undoubtedly the game drives in the Okavango Delta in Botswana, where we witnessed nature in its purest form. Each safari was a new chapter, filled with thrilling encounters and breathtaking landscapes.
Thank you, Compass Odyssey, for curating such a remarkable journey. Your attention to detail and commitment to excellence made this adventure one we will cherish forever.
US
Email Preston C | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The best of southern Africa in 8 days
We participated in Compass Odyssey's 8-day Kruger-Zambezi-Chobe safari in August 2024; I'm not sure there's any other tour that takes in as many highlights of southern Africa in this span of time. I can't recommend it enough.
We began our journey in Cape Town and flew to Blyde River Canyon. This was an addition to the standard itinerary, but worth the extra day as the views are stunning. The next day we transferred to Senalala Safari Lodge near Kruger, which was the highlight of the trip. It's a beautiful, uncrowded place with excellent food served on the terrace every day, plus a watering hole just outside the fence where you can watch animals come and go. The game drives were phenomenal--we saw plenty of animals, but the deep knowledge of Senalala's guides made them extra special. I've been on safaris before but have never had a guide with such extensive knowledge of the natural world.
After three days in Senalala, we flew to Victoria Falls for two days. The Compass Odyssey includes a tour of the falls, which do not disappoint. We also highly recommend a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River; you can see hippos, crocs, and elephants hanging out in the water or on the banks, and hear the roar of the falls from a half-mile away. The last couple days we spent in Botswana, in Chobe National Park, where you can do both game drives and boat safaris--we recommend doing both! This place is wonderful because of the dense elephant population; you see them practically every time you turn around.
Overall, Compass Odyssey's tour is a great way to see the highlights of southern Africa in four countries (South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana), even if you have limited time. We packed in a lot, but the tour never felt rushed--the itinerary builds in lots of time for relaxing at the beautiful lodges. If you're looking to make the most of your time in southern Africa, this tour is the right choice.
US
Email Kathy | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Outstanding service
Compass Odyssey was very good to work with. The communications were excellent from the initial contact to the final documents. The 2 guides that I had were extremely knowledgeable. My Cape Town guide was very good at planning the days according to what I wanted to do. Even though I was a solo traveler for the Cape Town portion of my trip I felt I got good value for my money.
US
Email KwayLynn | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent
Using Compass Odyssey to arrange our family trip to four countries in Africa was one of the best decisions that we made. Compass Odyssey answered all of our questions and concerns promptly and thoroughly, which made us feel at ease that we were in great hands. We were right. The trip went off without a hitch. We were met at each location by wonderful people who helped us navigate our daily adventures. The lodges were better than expected, as was the food and the hosts and staff. We can’t recommend Compass Odyssey enough for putting this trip of a lifetime together for our family.
CA
Email Tara and Matt McFarling | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Compass Odyssey was so wonderful to work with throughout all the phases of our safari planning.
From the first email communication, Compass Odyssey made planning our dream trip to South Africa seamless and stress-free. Darren took our list of "must-do's" and created an itinerary that not only met, but exceeded our expectations. During the planning phases of our trip, we received updates, sample itineraries including detailed information about local activities we could participate in, and helpful details that allowed us to tailor our trip to make our dreams come true. We were even provided updates on the weather! Every "t" was crossed and every "i" was dotted by Darren and his team so we knew exactly what to expect from the moment we arrived. We had the most amazingly knowledgeable guides at every destination along the way. They all made us feel like family and took such good care of us throughout our journey. They worked so hard to make our experience that much more meaningful. The accommodations selected for us in each of the four countries we visited were very well appointed, spotlessly clean, and each unique in their own way. The safari lodges in Kruger (Senalala Safari Lodge) and Botswana (Chobe River Lodge) were especially lovely. I could not be happier or more satisfied with the work Darren and the entire Compass Odyssey crew put in to make our trip a massive success. We will cherish the memories, experiences, and photos we collected throughout our trip. I would, without reservation, recommend using Compass Odyssey to help make your safari dreams come true. From beginning to end, our experience with Compass Odyssey was simply amazing.
US
Email Peter | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Compass Odyssey does an excellent job - again
This is not the first time I've used Compass Odyssey to make arrangements for my African safari. Previous trips targeted Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, and South Africa. This year I went to Kenya. Darren's choices for places to stay were superb. All travel arrangements worked perfectly. I had a fantastic experience! Next year I plan to use CO again, and I heartily recommend it to all!
IT
Email Gianpaolo Bandera and Ywette Fischer | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Top for reliability, courtesy and attention to details
We had an unforgettable travel experience in South Africa and Zimbabwe thanks to the perfect organization of Compass Odyssey. Every little detail was as we expected and we perceived the care and attention that Darren put into organizing everything. He was able to answer all our questions, doubts or fears with extreme professionalism and friendliness. He assisted us in the long months that preceded the trip in a careful and punctual manner, with very quick and exhaustive answers. During the days of the trip he made us feel his closeness in a discreet but efficient way, to check if we needed anything.
I truly recommend everyone to rely on this agency and its collaborators present in the various countries. Serious, reliable people but above all rich in human qualities that are essential to face any journey.
US
Email Ronda and Jerry Morrison | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Worry-free Safari/Victoria Falls Vacation
My wife and I recently took a bucket list trip to Africa which included a stop in Victoria Falls and safaris in the Chobe National Park and Okavanga delta, Botswana. Our trip was absolutely amazing and checked off a trip of a lifetime for us. I will say that while the Victoria Falls visit and the Botswana safaris were incredible, even more impressive was the pre-planning, planning, service, value and overall trip details done by Compass Odyssey.
Every detail was provided to us before travel, including names/phone numbers of expeditors at every stop, visa details at the airport, details on each resort, to even a daily agenda of what our trip included. Darren (one of the owners of Compass Oddysey) was absolutely amazing and extremely responsive prior to the trip, asking us what exactly we wanted to do then creating our trip of a lifetime. He made any changes or additions that we asked for (such as we wanted to do a village tour at one of our stops), and ensured that everything was arranged. He provided us many documents prior to the trip which included the daily agenda, things to do in the towns where we were staying (in addition to what we already had planned), to information regarding Southern Africa, such as what plugs we needed at each location, to information on malaria and other diseases, to visa requirements at each location, and much more!
Darren ensured we had an expeditor at each location which facilitated our transfers from three airports to lodges, from one activity to another and even from one country to another. The expeditors were well versed on the area and overall excellent. Darren maintained communication with us up until our first pick up in Zambia and then directly with each expeditor to ensure that each portion of our trip was going smoothly and that we did not need anything from him.
I will say that I have taken many trips around the world and this was truly the first time that I did not have to worry about any detail…Darren had already thought of everything and made sure it was handled!
We started our trip arriving on the Zambia side of Victoria Falls and were greeted at the airport by Ashton who facilitated our visit to the falls on the Zambian side before driving us to the Zimbabwean side of the falls. Ashton was amazing, knew the area very well and provided background information, details about local areas, and had an excellent sense of humor. On our way to our hotel on the Zimbabwe side of the falls, Darren and Ruth took us to a helicopter company to arrange a helicopter ride over the falls the next day. We then stayed at the Palm River hotel in Zimbabwe and they were expecting our arrival and had all check-in documentation ready for us as they gave us a welcome drink. The hotel was amazing, food was amazing and the staff very attentive. Ruth then picked us up the next morning for a trip to the falls on the Zimbabwe side which was breathtaking. We enjoyed a village tour of the area which was amazing and then had lunch at the Outlook Cafe which was close to the falls and overlooked the zip lines and the gorge. We relaxed at the hotel before enjoying an amazing dinner at the Boma restaurant (one of the recommended activities). The next morning Mortimer picked us up at our hotel and drove us approximately 2 hours to the Chobe River Lodge in Botswana, which included being facilitated across the border. The lodge was absolutely amazing and once again they were expecting us upon arrival. In fact, we did not have to formally check in and the lodge had already arranged for our lunch before a boat safari on the Chobe River. This was a highlight of our trip.
The next morning we embarked on a morning safari prior to our travel via plane to the Khwai airport in the Okavanga Delta. Again, we were greeted upon arrival by Mpho who was our personal driver for the two days we stayed at the Nokanyana Camp. We had two days of game drives and a village visit. Mpho was passionate, knowledgeable and ensured we saw all the animals to see.
We departed the Okavanga Delta for Maun before further travel to South Africa and were greeted at each airport for expedition/driving to our hotels. In South Africa, we were met by Alan who drove us to our hotel and took us a scenic route to highlight some of the interesting locations.
I can’t explain enough how many different logistics went into this trip, including five different flights, four different countries, several different visa requirements, drivers/expeditors at each location, activities at each location, etc…and everything went flawlessly. Darren even added the parts of the trip we arranged (to/from the US) to his agenda to ensure we had a complete itinerary in one place…which was extremely useful when applying for online visas. Even more important to me, as someone who likes to be in charge of every detail on a trip, by the time we got to Zimbabwe, I did not even have to think/worry about logistics for the entire trip, which just made it that much more enjoyable.
I would absolutely HIGHLY recommend Compass Odyssey for any travel to Southern Africa!
US
Email Blossom and Howard | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Made all my dreams come true!
I love animals, and for as long as I can remember, I have wanted to go on safari. From everything I had gleaned, South Africa is a great place for a first safari experience - and has many other interesting things to do and see. Even though I typically plan all our trips, it was a little intimidating to plan this trip myself, so after a lot of research I enlisted the services of Compass Odyssey. I liked that not only were they highly rated, but that they are a small company with boots on the ground of South Africa itself. Darren made the planning process easy and fun - suggesting lots of ideas but also being open to ideas that we had. He provided very helpful information about what to expect and how to plan, and was always available to answer any of the (many) questions we had. Every element of the trip itself was seamless and perfect, and every detail felt thoughtfully chosen - from the contrast in the two types of safari lodges we stayed at, to the timing of internal flights, to the stellar personal guides we had in the bookend cities. From the moment we landed in Cape Town to the moment we boarded our plane home in Johannesburg we felt completely taken care of. My brain and heart are both still exploding with joy and wonder with everything we saw and experienced! Howard and I will be eager to do more travel in Africa - and safaris - in the future.
CA
Email Jim Prophet & Susan Scott | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Compass Odyssey delivers high quality service, from your first contact to your final experience.
My wife and I have always organized our travel experiences and this is our first trip using a tour guide company. I received an excellent recommendation from two friends who have used Compass Odyssey (total 3 times). So I contacted them first. From my first contact with Darren, our experience was wonderful. He responded every time without delay, was attentive to our budget and interests and offered suggestions that were pressure free, leaving us feeling like we were planning our trip as opposed to be instructed what we should do. This planning was flexible and done in a timely manner. The trip itself was first class. Accommodations and meals were excellent. The lodges had low occupation so they were quiet. The game drives were awesome, not just in the high quality viewing of Africa's game, but in discussions of animal behavior, fauna, birds, tracking, and other interesting topics. Game drivers were highly experienced and passionate about their work. We did 3 days in Krueger South Africa and 3 days in Chobe, Botswana. We also did 2 days in Zambia and Victoria Falls. All guides and driver escorts were excellent. We also spent 3 days in Cape Town and our guide there was very passionate about his home town. My score is 10/10. Our overall experience was way beyond our expectations.
