Reviews

Sort By: Date Most Helpful Rating 11-20 of 109 Reviews
Lawrence   –  
United Kingdom UK
Visited: February 2015 Reviewed: Mar 11, 2015

Email Lawrence  |  65+ years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Excellent and varied holiday with great accommodation
4/5

We spent a second holiday with Giltedge Africa (formerly Southern Africa Travel) and enjoyed the experience again. All arrangements were made according to our agreements and there were no hiccups and the accommodation in all of the places we stayed were exceptional. An excellent apartment in Camps Bay, a wonderful game park in the Nambiti Hills, an original design lodge at the Zulu war battlefields and a luxury hotel on the coast near Durban were the highlights.
The guide at the Game Park was very experienced and committed and added to the enjoyment of seeing the wide range of animals (including the Big 5).
The tours of the battlefield were interesting although the guide was somewhat outdated in his style and attitude.
Although the whole organisation of the trip was good, the consultant on our previous trip was far more proactive than this time, but nevertheless all worked out very well and the knowledge of good accommodation of Giltedge Africa is second to none

Bill Bronner   –  
United States US
Visited: March 2015 Reviewed: Apr 9, 2015

Email Bill Bronner  |  65+ years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Excellent itinerary, but could have used better communication prior to travel
4/5

Our itinerary was just right. Suggestions made by Giltedge Africa (formerly Southern Africa Travel) were generally very good.  
All travel connections worked and all guides appeared as planned. Our guides were all quite knowledgeable, well-spoken and very pleasant. I think some of the extras that we incurred should have been included in the package price or more clearly stated, but this was a minor issue.  My only real complaint is that pre-travel communication should have been better.  The information provided was more for appearances than substance. And the wallet provided at landing was embarrassingly short on any substantive materials.
Our hotels were all excellent, except for &Beyond Xudum which suffers from the necessity of a 75 minute drive each way over bumpy roads between the air strip and the lodge.  They also had our poorest guide. Otherwise, the staff and food were very good.
We especially enjoyed Singita Boulders and the Views Hotel, although the food at the Views could be improved. The Harbor House restaurant on the Cape was outstanding.
I'm not sure a guide was needed at Victoria Falls, although he did get us to the falls at a good time of day for viewing which we might otherwise have missed. The river cruise was only interesting because of the wildlife on the banks.
I also want to recommend the Fat Fish restaurant in Plettenberg.  It's a little more casual, but the food was excellent.

Our guides at both Singita lodges were terrific, as were our guides in Cape Town and Joberg.

Overall, we enjoyed a wonderful trip.  

Andy   –  
Singapore SG
Visited: March 2015 Reviewed: Apr 11, 2015

20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

One of the best holidays we've been on
5/5

We just got back from South Africa and my wife and I both agree this is one of the best holidays we've been on.

Thank you so much for helping to plan and book the Victoria Falls and Sabi Sands leg of our trip. The accommodation at both locations were excellent and the transfers were seamless and went without a hitch. It was overall a very special experience for the both of us. We are happy that we took your recommendation on Kruger over Bostwana as we pretty much saw all the wildlife we wanted to see, given the relatively short amount of time we had available to go on safari.

We'll definitely recommend you to any of our friends who might need some help planning a trip in Africa.

Samantha, London   –  
United Kingdom UK
Visited: April 2015 Reviewed: Apr 15, 2015

50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

An unforgettable family trip
5/5

We are a family of 5 (we travelled with our 3 grown up children) and have just had what will probably be our last family holiday together. And what a fantastic holiday it was - probably our best ever! From the original booking, right through to the end of the holiday itself, everything ran smoothly and the experiences we had will stay with us forever. I can't fault the choice of accommodation and the activities that were planned for us and all the additional information about the places we would be visiting was invaluable.

Sally Willetts   –  
United Kingdom UK
Visited: May 2015 Reviewed: May 21, 2015

35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Great travel operator that really puts the customer 1st!
5/5

We initially contacted Giltedge Africe (Southern Africa travel) by email & was very impressed that Monique Dean, our allocated tour adviser, was back in touch with us within 24hours of initial enquiry. As we were travelling from England we mainly contacted Monique via email as this was easier. However Monique did set up one telephone call where we were able to briefly outline our interests for the trip & budget. Following this call it wasn't long before Monique came back to us with an initial itinerary which fulfilled the brief exactly so we booked up! Right up to departure Monique stayed in touch & answered any last minute questions that we had, this support was also offered for the duration of the trip should it also be required.

The trip itself was amazing! We did a 3 stop tour (Cape Town, Garden Route & Shamwari Game Reserve) all accommodation that we stayed at was fabulous and exceeded our expectations! All in all a fantastic trip of a lifetime helped by the knowledge & the excellent service provided by Giltedge Africa! Would highly recommend!

Anne @ Jonathan Blades.   –  
United Kingdom UK
Visited: April 2015 Reviewed: May 25, 2015

65+ years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Far exceeded our expectations the organisation was excellent very professionally done.
5/5

From the very first conversation with Monique it was obvious Giltedge Africa (formerly Southern African Travel) knew exactly what a dream holiday meant and that's what we had, from the moment we were met at the airport it ran like clockwork, Cape Town Grootbos , Safari, Victoria Falls, Zambeze Queen cruise on the Chobe River each part of the holiday was just as amazing as each other but in its own way different an experience we shall never forget, top class accommodation wherever we stayed very friendly people could not fault it, internal flights went very smoothly and on time, can't wait to do it again!

Jill and Gus, Sydney   –  
Australia AU
Visited: June 2015 Reviewed: Jul 13, 2015

50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

A trip of a lifetime that just kept getting better and better
5/5

The trip we took went from Wow to Wow and was beyond our expectation. It was designed to highlight the variety of experiences available in South Africa taking us from city to country, whales to safari. The attention to detail in the planning ensured it ran smoothly and we enjoyed every part of the trip. Our consultant was readily available to answer our smallest query. The accomodation was fabulous, the food scrumptious, the animals larger than life but the people of South Africa were the highlight; so warm and friendly. South Africa was a land of contrast, community, history and amazing experiences. Can't wait to return.

Char.   –  
United States US
Visited: July 2015 Reviewed: Jul 21, 2015

Email Char.  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

A Perfect and Wonderful Experience
5/5

When I decided to plan my trip with Giltedge Africe (Southern Africa Travel), I knew nothing about the company other than the reviews I read.  Let me tell you, I would plan a trip at any time using this company after the experience I had.  Working with Robyn-Lea Meyer was wonderful.  She gave wonderful suggestions and always responded to my email questions in a very timely fashion.  Not ever being on a safari before and knowing that we wanted to go to Kruger National Park, Robyn-Lea suggested Jock Safari Lodge.  We took her suggestion and could not have been more pleased.  The accommodations are private, comfortable and in a very natural setting, the food is outstanding, and the safaris are given by guides who love their work.  Plus there are only two seats per row in the vehicles so each person has a side seat and no one is stuck in the middle.  We learned so much from our guide, Cliff, and fell in love with the total experience.  A big thank-you to Robyn-Lea for leading us in the right direction.  Everything booked by Giltedge Africa went flawlessly, the flights, the drivers/tours, etc.  On our next rip to Africa, there is no doubt we will use Giltedge Africa!  Thank you for everything!!!

Ciarán   –  
Ireland IE
Visited: August 2015 Reviewed: Sep 10, 2015

Email Ciarán  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

The experience of a lifetime. Can we do it again, please??
5/5

A friend recommended Southern Africa Travel (Giltedge) to us to help organise our honeymoon. From the moment we contacted Giltedge Africa, we felt included and important in all decisions made. We were consulted on each step of our trip and all enquiries from us were dealt with in a timely, courteous and professional manner.
All our transfers, accommodation and pre-booked tours were expertly organised, which allowed us to relax completely on our holiday. All services provided were entirely efficient and professional with an individual touch, making us feel quite important :)
The safari tour in Sabi Sands game reserve was the highlight of our trip. From the moment we arrived at Savanna Lodge until it came for time to leave, we had what can only be described as an unforgettable experience. The level of service was extraordinary and every little thing you could possibly need was catered for. Without a doubt the most fantastic place we have ever stayed.
Southern Africa Travel comes highly recommended, with good reason!
They fully deserve a 10/10 review.

Marjorie Rivero   –  
Peru PE
Visited: June 2015 Reviewed: Sep 11, 2015

Email Marjorie Rivero  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

I travelled alone, but never felt lonely because the agency took such good care of me!
5/5

Communication was fine, accommodations too (everywhere I stayed). The safary had great accommodations, animal sightings, food, etc. Everything was on time. I would definetely return!

Average User Rating
4.8/5
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