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
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Email Marta | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beyond my wildest dreams Darren is awesome and extremely knowledgeable
Our trip was full of many adventures and action packed to say the least. Had always been my dream to go to Africa and this trip exceeded all my expectations. We were in South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. Trip was 14 days not including travel and we saw everything we wanted to see plus more. Guides were knowledgeable and had great sense of humor. Accommodations were great and I was very happy with all aspects of our time and Darren was always quick to respond and always had a smile on his face.
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Email Cindy N | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Compass Odyssey is amazing thorough; knowledgeable and responsive. Highly recommend!
Darren & Kate brought our dream of a Safari to life - and it was more incredible than we ever expected. Their communication prior to our trip was highly responsive and could not have been more thorough; that reduced a significant amount of pre-Safari jitters. The reassurance Compass Odyssey provided in terms of knowing we would be met by an English speaking guide and that all travel arrangements had been pre-arranged was a huge relief as none of us traveling together had ever experienced the unique experience of a Safari.
Once in Africa, our itinerary was executed flawlessly. Guest houses and lodges provided superb accommodations and were very welcoming. Guides spoke English impressively well and were highly knowledgeable....jeep rides (humorously called African massages) as we tracked lions and leopards are unforgettable, as were evening boat excursions on the Chobe River. We saw more wildlife than we could have imagined and have a new appreciation for the birds of Africa.
Darren & Kate made our Safari dream become a once in a lifetime experience.
Email Stacey | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dedicated, professional and friendly small company
From my very first inquiry with Darren at Compass Odyssey, it was clear that he was dedicated to providing me and my partner with a great trip that met our requirements. He quickly adjusted our original suggested itinerary and was in regular contact in the run up to and during our trip.
The pre-safari information that was provided, along with a detailed itinerary, gave me confidence that everything would go smoothly and it did. The transport provided by Mortimer and our guided tour around Victoria Falls was excellent, and Mortimer helped us arrange some additional activities at short notice while we were there. Our onward transport to Botswana went smoothly and the accommodation we were booked into by Darren, both in Vic Falls and Botswana were great.
The safari trips we did were excellent and all the staff and guides were super friendly and knowledgeable.
I honestly can't rate Compass Odyssey highly enough - they are hands down the best travel company I've ever dealt with and I would recommend them without hesitation. If I go on another trip to Africa - and I'd love to - Compass Odyssey will be my first port of call.
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Email Ed | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Thorough, caring, personal
This was my first time using a tour company: I prefer to organize my trips myself, and don't really want to sit on a bus with 20 other people looking at the same things thousands of people have seen.
But this was my first visit to Africa. I had a general idea of what I wanted to see/experience, but how to get from here to there, where to stay: I filled 10 pieces of paper with dates, flights, rental car and lodge info... I couldn't coordinate everything.
I can't remember how I got to their site, but I saw that they had generally what I wanted ("8 night Kruger/Victoria Falls/Zambezi.") I got in touch, and thus began a multiweek correspondence with Darren Humphrys. Darren said that they could personalize my trip, and Zambezi became Okavango.
It was a huge load off my mind to be met at the airport, taken to the place I was staying,, taken to the airport, and met at the next place. To be handed off to the next stage of the trip was a great comfort.
Part one of the journey couldn't begin until I got myself to Cape Town International Airport. For some reason the airline called Darren to say that I hadn't checked in when in fact I had. Darren sent me an email that said that if I didn't make the flight there was another I could take. He had time of flight and how to get to the lodge I was scheduled to stay at. He even called my number in the United States, a fact I didn't learn until I returned home and turned my phone on.
Again, I'm someone who prefers an independent trip. Compass Odyssey walked that fine line between making me feel like I was taking an independent trip and the comfort of, if something went wrong, they were there to make things right. I felt like I was their only client.
Email Annette Kowalczyk | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Superb hardly describes the efficiency and congeniality of Compass Oddesssy
Every aspect of our African safari organised by Compass Oddessy was perfect. At all times we had communication and contact with the staff who were there to assist. The preparation for our holiday was managed expertly an professionally and with a great deal of involvement to ensure that everything was planned right down to the last detail. Accommodation chosen was fantastic, as were the drivers and guides at every stop. Thank you Crusty and team for everything.
Email Sandy | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Don’t look further to arrange your custom African experience of a lifetime.
My experience in Africa has been uniquely special. Travelling as a group of 4, our 12 days had been planned to maximise our perspective of the landscapes, the wildlife, and meeting first class people to guide us. Each transfer at airports from Immigration to small chartered flights was seamless. There were multiple opportunities where without Darren’s attention to detail, it may have been a challenge. Particularly the border crossing at Zimbabwe and Zambia which could have taken hours longer. It’s clear Kate and Darren’s years of experience and knowledge of Africa shine through in every organised detail. Even while “on tour” Darren was in touch with us to check we were on track. He had our back all the way which took my sense of a travel service to a whole new level. Truly amazing attention at Compass Odyssey! Value = priceless!
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Email Amy N | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Provided our family with an organized, unique, and exceptional experience of Southern Africa.
Darren of Compass Odyssey helped created the most memorable trip for our family. Communications prior to our departure were timely, informative and extremely helpful. Darren took extensive amount of time to address all questions and concerns from our group, thoroughly. Upon arrival, the entire trip experience exceeded our expectations. Each leg of the trip was flawlessly organized and each guide was welcoming and prepared. Darren incorporated all of our "wish list" activities and locations and guided us through Southern Africa in the most efficient manner. All lodging, inter-continental travel, guides, and activities are properly researched and vetted, making our experience significantly more enjoyable and stress-free.
I would highly recommend Compass Odyssey to help you develop your trip to Africa. The attention to detail, preparation and overall experience will leave you with the most memorable experience. Thanks Darren & Compass Odyssey for everything!
Email Tracey van Vliet | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our two week tour in South Africa, Vic Falls and Botswana was Absolutely Fabulous!
Dealing with Darren from Compass Odyssey was so easy. He replies to queries and immediately. He advises on travel ideas. He isn't phased if you need to change plans. The guides he uses on the ground are very friendly and informative. Dot and Tim Cummins in Cape Town were exceptional. Their love and enthusiasm for informing travelers of SA is great, they really love their job.
The animals were amazing, we saw all of the big 5 and more. Chobe was abundant with hippos and elephants. In fact everything but rhinos, but we saw them in Kruger. There are no rhinos in Chobe because of the poachers.
The chance to do river safaris as well as land safaris was a real bonus. We got real up close and personal on a few occasions.
The accommodation was great and so was the food.
I highly recommend Compass Odyssey for your African adventure.
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Email Sunil | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A professional, caring and diligent tour operator
From the very first email, Darren conveyed that he is a professional, thorough and caring service provider. He goes out of his way to understand our preferences and always explain alternatives. In our case, he put together the entire trip a week before the departure date. In spite of the obvious time crunch, he never rushed us into making a decision. I like that all of his arrangements were well planned, tour guides were knowledgeable and accommodations were central and quality places. As a result of his planning and thoughtfulness, we were able to relax and enjoy the trip rather than worry about the logistical details. It was a sheer pleasure dealing with him throughout the whole trip. Overall, a great experience and I highly recommend Compass Odyssey to anyone who is looking for an African safari.
Email Gail and Tony | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great choices of accommodation and guides and impressive flexibility.
The tour totally lived up to our expectations. We had already been to Zimbabwe some years ago but hadn’t been to safari lodges in Botswana, Zambia or South Africa. I especially wanted to see rhinos as we saw none the last time. So even though we were only in Zambia for 1 night we saw 8 White Rhinos!!! Darren did a terrific job of organising our 2 week trip - starting in Joberg and ending in Cape Town. The lodges were small and personal attention was terrific. The food good to excellent. We loved things like hippos munching on the grass of our safari lodge back yard. Combining both the river and land in Botswana was superb. This is the second time we have travelled with Darren - the other trip was Morocco and we loved the accommodation and experiences there too - so we didn’t hesitate to ask Darren if he organised Southern Africa trips too.
