FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
very good trip. no problem
Thanks to the excellent driver Isaac our safari was a complete success. We had a pleasant stay both in the car and at the hotel. We were able to see them all. animals . Truly excellent. Thank you ISAAC
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Well informed and passionate tour guide of Rwanda
Great experience for a two-day tour around Volcanoes National Park (golden monkey trekking), Lake Kivu and Nyungwe National Park. Emmanuel was very organised which allowed the tour to go smoothly throughout. He was very knowledgeable about the country and provided ongoing explanations on the culture, history and geography of the country. It was good value for money given the amount of attractions we got to see across the whole country. I would recommend the tour provider to anyone visiting Rwanda!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
He displayed professionalism at its best.
The service was top notch, and maximum value of money due to how the staff communicated with us as a team.
FI
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Zimbabwe & Botswana Game Tracker - worth the price, some challenges
We did Sunway Safaris Zimbabwe & Botswana Game Tracker (ZBa16) in March-April 2024 with a Sunway Safari truck and all together 12 participants and 2 guides. Here is a summary of the trip. All in all, the level of the tour operator was reasonable by Arfica's standards and the trip was generally worth the price. The guides were of a good average level and the arrangements were generally smooth. The food was average.
The car's safety level had some shortcomings (three-point seat belts were missing and a lot of loose items were kept in the passenger compartment), but the driver's driving skills were good. It is worth noting that the car is built on a truck chassis and the suspension is therefore very stiff. Spending tens of hours on bumpy roads in Africa is therefore quite uncomfortable. In addition, the car's air conditioning is insufficient for hot climates, so you should be prepared for discomfort. Contrary to what is said on the website, there is no drinking water tank in the car, but passengers are advised to buy their drinking water from shops.
The itinerary was mostly good. The biggest disappointment was that a few weeks before the trip, the tour operator announced that Khama Rhino Sanctuary was removed from the plan, as seeing Rhinos was one of the main reasons we booked this particular trip. It was replaced by Goo Moremi Gorge, where we did a small nature walk in a large group of tourists and where there was practically nothing to see. The reason for the change was that one of the couples participating in the trip had booked earlier flights, which is why we had to be at the airport earlier and therefore travel further the day before and miss the Khama Rhino Sanctuary. In my opinion, it is not fair that the route of those who have already booked the trip is shortened and destinations are left out, so that those who booked later can book earlier flights.
Another big disappointment on the trip was the game drive arrangements of the Hvange nature park. The itinerary promises 4WD game drives in the park led by a local guide. We also booked the night game drive offered as an extra. In practice, we got an ancient truck from the 80s and a non-English-speaking driver who couldn't drive it and wasn’t interested in the animals or guiding. At the very beginning, we got stuck twice in the sand, from which we had to shovel the tires and push the car (the safety instructions prohibit not getting out of the car, but we had no choice but to push the car out of the sand). After this, the driver refused to drive on the dirt roads anymore and only drove back and forth on the main road of the park, with the result that we saw nothing but a couple of elephants that were in the middle of the road. Also, the night game drive light used by the driver was so weak that you couldn't spot animals in its light. Despite our complaints, the Sunway safaris guide didn't do anything about it, but went himself to another car, which drove small dirt roads and saw a lot of animals. When we demanded a refund for the payment, the guide didn't even try to find a solution, but bluntly stated that we should pay for these "game drives".
There was also one very dangerous incident on our trip. In the Okavango Delta, a hippo attacked one of our group's canoes. A local paddler barely managed to keep the canoe afloat by jumping into the water himself and hitting the hippo with a stick, which broke in a flash. Fortunately, no one was injured, only the clothes and belongings of the people in the canoe got wet. However, the situation was life-threatening.
The accommodations were mostly as described, some quite basic, some better and even luxury.
The Great Zimbabwe hotel turned off the electricity at night to save electricity from 1-5, with the result that the air conditioning did not work and we stayed up sweating almost the whole night. You couldn't open the windows because of the monkeys and mosquitoes, which was very uncomfortable.
Okavango Delta tent camp was very basic, as promised. It was quite nice there as long as the weather stayed good, but on our last day there it rained non-stop, which made it quite uncomfortable. We also had to leave the camp in the pouring rain, so all our things were soaking wet after the trip.
Hermits Peak Guest Lodge in Matobo, Nkosi Guest Lodge at Victoria Falls and Goo Moremi Gorge Resort were the best and good quality accommodations of the trip, the rest were quite ordinary.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Eddie the happy Chappy was fantastic and funny guy
I tried many campany but mo-Africa was the best I do Kruger we see a lot of animals lions with a caps it was good the happy Chappy was on fire thank mo-Africa
Very informative & knowledgeable
Took off early in morning with Eddie, our tour operator & driver. Did a lovely drive seeing nearly all the animals from the Orpen gate entrance, he went out of his way to find them. Unfortunately the leopards would not show up today, but all the other close encounters were amazing, to name but a few: elephants, giraffe, lionesses with their bubs, zebra & many buck, hippos, the list goes on… thanks Eddie aka Happy Chappie for making our trip into Kruger so awesome
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Superb safari
My friends and I did a safari to Masai Mara we got bcl contacts through a referral,
It was one of the best we ever did , our contact person Bernadette was very responsive and good in communication
On our first day we were graced to see the big five ,our guide musa was awesome ,he did an incredible job and he had a good knowledge of the park and very friendly
Thank you bcl team I will definitely choose you
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A Once-in-a-Lifetime Journey with Big Apes Africa
From the very start, Big Apes Africa stood out with their exemplary customer service. Our guide, Peter's, responsive and flexible approach made booking a breeze, crafting an itinerary that far exceeded our expectations. This level of personalized service and seamless organization set the tone for an unforgettable adventure through Rwanda and Uganda.
Peter was the heart of our journey. His deep knowledge and passion for his home country of Uganda and neighboring Rwanda were infectious. Listening to him share his insights on the local culture, wildlife, and conservation efforts was a true highlight. More than a guide, Peter was our guardian, ensuring our safety, keeping us on schedule, and immersing us in the authentic local culture with delightful roadside snacks.
The wildlife encounters were beyond compare and accommodations were exceptional, particularly the forest lodge near Bwindi, offering comfort and immersion in nature. The transport by a comfortable green bus and the smooth handling of logistics ensured we could focus entirely on the experience without a worry.
Conservation and respect for local communities were clearly a priority for Big Apes Africa, aligning with our values and enriching our journey. It's gratifying to travel with a company that not only seeks to provide an unforgettable experience for its guests but also cares deeply for the environment and the people who call these places home.
Overall, my experience with Big Apes Africa was extraordinary. I've already recommended them to friends, confident they'll deliver the same magical experience. If you're seeking an adventure that combines thrilling wildlife encounters, cultural immersion, and impeccable service, look no further than Big Apes Africa.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very supportive. Provided much needed information
I happened to come across Trav-interactive while searching for an ideal tour company for my holiday. Since the first contact, I have to my expectations were met. Good and supportive staff, timely pick up wonderful hotel reservations, everything was that smooth and admirable.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Not the "luxury" we were expecting (Capetown)
This is my experience and my opinion of my latest trip booked with Kanyezi. This is my 2nd time I booked through Kanyezi. The first was a last minute trip (2-3 weeks notice) my flights were my only gripe and I take partial blame for that due to my last-minute booking, so this time I booked my flights myself to solve that issue.
I was expecting luxury or at least upper end accommodations based on their sales of a "luxury" trip, their contract and my previous experience. Our accommodations in Cape town were changed the last few days prior to us leaving on this trip, they were changed from a wine estate to a golf resort? This was not what we had been planning, we don't play golf but we were to go with this change as we were told the other accommodation (Spier or Lanzerac) were not available. The resort, which I will call a "motel" was def not upper end/luxury. We did not even have a/c one night as it didn't work, mold in bathrooms, hairs in the bathrooms, a kitchenette (like an inn suites) also there were private residences on this property, so dogs were barking constantly, laundry hung out to dry all over the place, dust an inch thick on the plastic plants, you get the drift. When I called Chris to express my discontentment he really didn't care and said when he stayed here (10 years ago) it was a nice place. He would rather argue with me than try to sort out our stay somewhere else that was more of what we felt we paid for and were expecting. He was NOT customer service oriented and had a lot of excuses, some were just downright untruths.
There actually was room at the other resorts as we checked, and another couple booked also through Kanyezi actually moved to one of the "unavailable" resorts, however our funds were paid to Kanyezi and we simply didn't have extra funds to make the move to the nicer and what was expected accommodations.
The way were treated by Chris was unacceptable and honestly shocking! This was 4 nights (33%) of our 12 night trip spent in unacceptable accommodations.
Also, I will also say their communication was poor and often took days to respond to emails and most often didn't answer my questions I had asked in my emails. The lists of restaurants to book for dinners given by Kanyezi had not been updated and most of them I called were now permanently closed, because they had not even bothered to check to update their recommendations. Our contract was not updated throughout after they changed our accommodations in Capetown still saying the original "Spier Wine Estate" throughout. Chris is very "contract" driven and mentions his contract regularly.
Given the response and treatment to our situation I would never use Kanyezi again and would not recommend!
I will say Dulini, the safari resort, and The Palms in Zimbabwe were both excellent! I will book direct next time and save myself the hassle of being treated like crap not to mention the anger and frustration I experienced the first days of our long awaited and expensive trip to South Africa. Never again KANYEZI!!
