Owners Ines & Christopher
Indigo Safaris
- Located In:
-
United Kingdom
United States
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2009)
- Member Of:
- ASTA, APTA, FGASA & DEMA
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $70 to $500 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email Chrissy and John | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Five-Star Experience Diminished by Interpersonal Deficiencies
We traveled to Dominica with Indigo Safaris in December 2024 to swim with sperm whales, accompanied by Christopher Bartlett, Managing Director of Indigo Safaris. We chose Indigo Safaris over other tour companies based primarily on the lower cost of the trip ($5400 where others ranged from $6500 to $9000 per person), the larger number of days in the water with the whales (six versus five for most of the others), and the smaller group size (six guests, only three in the water at once according to the permit). We also liked the location of the trip, removed from the capital city in a more quiet setting. An added advantage of Indigo Safaris’ offering is the choice of lodging to accommodate a variety of budgets. We chose Jungle Bay, the high-end option and were pleased with the choice. It is a gorgeous hotel, surrounded as the name suggests, by a lush tropical setting – many of the fruits and vegetables offered in the dining room are grown on the property.
Our experience in the water was spectacular. We swam with the whales six out of the six days, and were lucky to have a variety of experiences. Our local guide and the holder of the permit, Izzy Madisetti, is a postgraduate marine biologist who was a former fisheries officer in Dominica and one of only three people officially authorized by the government to guide the sperm whale experiences. Our captain Duggy and his crew maneuvered the boat with expert skill and safety. All of these aspects of the trip deserved a five-star rating in our opinion.
Our interpersonal experience with Indigo Safaris (three stars) contrasted markedly with that of the Dominicans and the whales. Christopher’s participation in the trip is more appropriately characterized as that of a booking agent than any kind of host or guide. He was responsive to inquiries in advance of the trip, though his communication style is curt and short on detail. Some of the trip inclusions (such as an Indigo Safaris agent to meet us at the airport on arrival and photography coaching) were not provided. These omissions would not have warranted a mention had we felt that Christopher actually took an interest in the quality of our experience and that of the other guests. On other guided trips we have taken trip leaders took certain measures to engender a sense of community, such as a welcome dinner, group introduction and overview and engagement with the guests throughout. Christopher mostly kept to himself and told us that he was too busy with work to participate other than the time on the water with the whales. While on the boat he disparaged other tour operators and former clients and issued profanity-laced tirades on his cell phone. He told us that he prefers his own company to that of anyone else and that the main reason he leads the whale trips is that he enjoys them for himself. Unfortunately all of this detracted from the overall experience, which was otherwise fantastic.
Email Halyna | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very grateful for them to finding the amazing trip for me
I am very grateful to Shannon for her personalized approach - she found the best matching Namibian tour for me, and I was impressed with the quality of the tour, accommodations and food. The itinerary was perfect. And it must also add that our guide was the most knowledgeable humble amazing person.
Email Daniel Haine | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Listened to our requirements, tailored a flexible solution to meet our needs & always on hand
Indigo Safaris and Michele Addison delivered the best trip we could have imagined. Namibia was on our bucket list and clearly a step into the unknown. There are many travel companies offering tailored safari packages but from my initial enquiry Michele listened, advised & adjusted the itinerary to meet our needs. Michele then provionally booked all the accommodation and vehicle rental - she was able to send a detailed PDF itinerary with insightful descriptions of key places to visit and accommodation. The plan worked like clockwork - starting and finishing at the same lovely guesthouse in Windhoek which was a nice way to round off the trip! Michele was always on hand via email and WhatsApp with rapid response to enquiries we made whilst travelling around. Namibia is an absolutely lovely country with so much to offer with wonderful people - we believe that Indigo Safaris and Michele's expert knowledge and advice helped maximise our 9 day self drive accommodated trip around the country.
DE
Email Stephen Stead | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful trip , superbly organised
I am back in Europe , Thanks for organising a great safari for me. Everything worked perfectly and i saw many amazing landscapes and animals
I am impressed as to how smoothly everything worked out
Thank you Matthew at Indigo
Email John Halliday | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Safari was efficiently and professionally organised without issues.
Indigo Safaris acted as agent for Chameleon Safaris in Namibia and Bushways Safari in Botswana. Both Safaris were fantastic and represented true value for money. Communication was excellent with Indigo and the comprehensive itinerary provided by them was excellent. Both Safaris were camping, with Botswana only having bush ablutions. The food on both was really good camp food well prepared and plentiful. The guides were incredible insofar as their knowledge and spotting abilities. All equipment was clean and functional.
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Email Carrie Anne + Mark | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Matthew was patient, wise, new all the good spots to go, and created the Perfect Safari/Beach Vaca!
I worked with Matthew for over 18 months creating the Perfect Kenyan Safari + Chale Island Beach vacation for my husband and I. He was so very patient with me, answered every single question of mine (and there were a LOT of questions - as neither my husband nor I had ever been to Africa!), and gave us all the tips of traveling in Africa, where to go, where NOT to go - and worked with us in such a kind manner while also keeping our budget in mind. I would HIGHLY recommend Matthew as a tour operator to anyone that wants that Perfect experience in a different land, while also keeping us very safe as well!!!!
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Email Ali | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Attentive to details and very accomodating
My sisters and I took my 80 year old mother on safari for her 80th birthday. We worked with Shannon Maclean from Indigo who was very patient with us in the coordination and planning. She listened carefully and helped us work through our specific challenges. She was a wealth information and created an itinerary that worked seamlessly. We started in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and then made our way to Xanetseni in Klaserie Private Reserve, South Africa. Travel is typically full of unanticipated twists and turns, but with Shannon's guidance and careful planning, the entire trip went off without a hitch!
Email Daniela | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A travel agent who does not listen
Super disappointed about the experience: a travel agent who does not listen, empty promises, long wait after 5 hours of drive, another 2 hours for a room ( triple for a person)
Definitely not an agency which I recommend, try and get someone who is really professional and tries to do something for you
No value for money, despite promises of a good experience, just excuses
Reply from Indigo Safaris
Posted on Oct 22, 2024This is one of the most surprising and untruthful reviews we have ever received. As the Managing Director of a company I have built over the last 16 years by providing tailor-made experiences to travellers of all budgets and backgrounds, I take any complaint very seriously and look into them with commitment. Thanks to our detailed communication systems, I have been able to look into all the communication that took place between the client, Cristina (not Daniela), and my safari specialist Michele, who looked after this inquiry.
Initially Cristina enquired about a budget accommodated two-night short Etosha safari at short notice, which we found availability for, then changed her mind on the dates, then came back asking for a one-night Etosha trip from Windhoek, which we do not offer as we consider it to be too short a time on site for what are two long transfers either end. Our advice was unheeded, and Cristina insisted one night would be fine. Michele found availability at Etosha Safari Camp, booked it, invoiced it, and sent a detailed digital itinerary with images of the camp and details of the routing. The accommodation was reconfirmed as being at Etosha Safari Camp and not Etosha Safari Lodge via WhatsApp. All Michele's replies were punctual and very timely, and did as the client requested.
Upon arrival at Etosha Safari Camp, Cristina messaged Michele that the drive had been five hours. This is as per the usual driving time, and as per the information provided in the digital itinerary. I find it very surprising that someone who works in Windhoek and who has a senior position at the University of Namibia doesn't know that Etosha is five hours away. Nevertheless, there is nothing we can do about making the point of departure and the national park closer together. Moving either of Windhoek or Etosha NP is beyond our powers :-)
The client then complained about having to wait to check in to her room, even though she had arrived prior to check in time. Again, as a frequent traveller, I am at a loss to understand why she thought there would be an early check in as none was ever discussed or offered.
Christina then requested an upgrade to Etosha Safari Lodge. Immediately Michele enquired an found a room was available, at normal check in time, for an upgrade fee, and informed Cristina, who refused to pay it. Cristina then contacted the lodge by phone, and tried to make them believe we had sold her Safari Lodge and that is what she had paid for. Having worked with us for many years, the lodge found this hard to believe, and asked her to pay the upgrade fee if she wanted the upgrade.
During this time, Michele tried t ascertain why the client wanted to change, having been provided what she had been offered and paid for, to whit a private room with en suite bathroom, to no avail. Why it a room designed and sized for three occupants is a problem for single occupancy remains a mystery, as after the trip I reached out to Cristina to have a chat to try and ascertain where she felt Michele had made promises we didn't deliver on, but was told that she didn't want to talk about it.
Regarding value for money, this is obviously a matter of personal perception. This trip, as a two-night, three-day Etosha lodge safari with transfers is, in my professional experience of nearly 30 years of Namibia travel, very good value and the cheapest option out there at 9425 NAD for single occupancy for two nights half-board with a half-day and full-day game drive into Etosha (or 8500 NAD pp based on two sharing a room). As a one-night trip, it does lose some of its value for money as the transfers make a large portion of the trip, and this was communicated from the outset. But when the offer was sent, with images of the accommodation and camp, Cristina considered it to be what she wanted and one would assume value for money. I have tried to find out why that was not the case once on site, and why she felt the need to lie about our contract with her to a tested and trusted service provider, but no answers have been forthcoming.
The conclusion to my investigation is that Michele did nothing wrong, other than allow herself to be persuaded to provide a trip that I consider to be too short in duration in relation to the transfer times, in order to please a demanding client. Michele has been involved in African travel in many capacities over four decades; scuba dive business owner, lodge manager, and safari specialist to name some of them, and has excellent reviews from our clients, some of which can be found in reviews as recent as September and August below.
As we are as committed as ever to providing quality experiences for our clients, for whom we handle around 800 trips a year, I have reminded my team of experts that one night trips are not to be provided, however good the intention is.
Christopher Bartlett, Managing Director.
Email Andrew Reynolds | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent itinerary and information.
Indigo Safaris drew up a fantastic itinerary for our travels through Namibia. It was evident from the first day that they had placed us in the best camps and resorts in every place we visited. The information and GPS maps they provided were accurate and informative and made reaching each destination easy. Full marks to Indigo Safaris for planning an amazing trip for us.
Email Rhonda Edwards | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Michele listened, developed tour required which exceeded our expectation, communication excellent.
Michele listened to what type of safari we were looking for and the dates were very specific to our travel needs. Michele organised flights, transfers and gave much needed general info on the area and cultural requirements. Umkumbe Bush Camp meet our expectations and all travel connections ran smoothly.
