US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable Safari Experience with Africa Zim
I rarely write reviews, but my recent safari with Africa Zim was so extraordinary that I felt compelled to share my experience. Planning a safari can be overwhelming—tedious, nerve-wracking, and expensive—but Africa Zim made it seamless. I highly recommend them for your next adventure.
Booking Process
After extensive research via Reddit and Lonely Planet's Southern Africa guidebooks, I decided on a safari itinerary that included Moremi GR, Chobe NP, a night in the Delta, a Mokoro excursion, and a full day at Victoria Falls to visit Devil’s Pool and enjoy an additional excursion. With a budget of around $2200 USD per person for a 9-day safari, I initially planned for three people, eventually expanding to five (all mid-20s females).
I contacted over 10 safari companies through Safaribookings.com with my dream itinerary. Africa Zim stood out for their pricing, itinerary customization, and ease of communication. They perfectly tailored our itinerary and efficiently accommodated additional travelers. While there were minor issues with the itinerary PDFs (such as incorrect day counts), Africa Zim assured me of accuracy and handled updates promptly. Their guidance on what to do, when, and how many nights to spend in each location was invaluable.
Itinerary
Our safari included: Fly into Maun, Moremi (2 nights camping), Okavango Delta (1 night camping), Elephant Sands Lodge (1 night), Chobe NP Lodge (2 nights), and Victoria Falls Lodge (2 nights), departing from Victoria Falls airport.
The Trip
We were warmly greeted by Julius (from Go Bold) and Muto (from Africa Zim) at Maun airport in an open-air safari vehicle. Go Bold was subcontracted by Africa Zim for the Botswana portion of our trip. Julius, our fantastic guide for the first three nights, drove us to our Moremi campsite, where Chef G and Trey welcomed us. Chef G prepared incredible meals, and Trey’s presence added great fun to our experience.
The two days in Moremi were filled with exciting game drives and wildlife sightings. On the third day, we transferred to the Delta, where we camped on an island, enjoyed Chef G's meals, and participated in bush walks with our knowledgeable guides, Double K and Bathusi. Their expertise and enthusiasm greatly enhanced our Delta experience.
After our Delta adventure, we said heartfelt goodbyes to Julius, Trey, and Chef G, who had made our time unforgettable. Muto took over, driving us to Elephant Sands, a pleasant halfway point with elephants visiting the watering hole near our lodgings.
In Chobe, we stayed at Kwalape Lodge, where we enjoyed game drives and a river cruise. Special thanks to our guide Lops for his outstanding guiding skills and positive energy.
Crossing into Zimbabwe, we added a thrilling Zambezi white-water rafting adventure to our itinerary (Shoutout Martin “Sugar” Impala for being an awesome raft guide), visited a local market, and enjoyed lunch at one of Muto’s favorite spots. At Nguni Lodge, we took a sunset booze cruise on the Zambezi and experienced the Livingstone Island/Devil’s Pool tour—an absolute highlight! Muto’s local knowledge and warmth made our time in Victoria Falls even more special. We treated Muto and his family to a traditional dinner at The Boma, where we celebrated birthdays and enjoyed a drumming session with the entire restaurant.
Final Thoughts
Muto drove us to the airport the next morning, and we bade farewell. The hospitality and joy of every guide, chef, and helper were remarkable. Africa Zim's motto to “Pack a sense of humor… It’s Africa!” truly resonated with us. Every person we met was eager to share jokes and ensure we had a memorable time.
Takeaways:
* Moremi GR: Camping in the reserve was extraordinary, surrounded by constant wildlife. Facilities were well-maintained with dedicated bathrooms and delicious meals.
* Chobe NP: Staying outside the park required a short drive to the entrance but offered fantastic wildlife viewing.
* Guided vs. Self-Drive: I highly recommend guided tours. Guides communicate via radio to update each other on sightings, enhancing the experience significantly.
* Tipping: While Africa Zim recommended $10/person per guide per day, it’s challenging to predict the exact amount needed due to varying numbers of guides. Ensure you have access to ATMs.
* Food: Delicious and accommodating to dietary needs with many Western options available.
I cannot recommend Africa Zim, Julius, Chef G, Trey, Double K, Bathusi, Lops, Muto, and his family enough. Thank you for making our safari the trip of a lifetime.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
all the best wishes to Daisy; fast, smart, loving, professional,
one of the best and unforgetable experience i have ever had. sincere thank to my operator Daisy.
We had a lovely tour with Jemu and would definitely go again!
We had a lovely tour with Jemu and would definitely go again! George our driver was very knowledgeable and the Mara Simba Lodge was just beautiful. It was amazing to hear the hippos at night from our accommodation! George was very reliable and always there early to pick us up. He knew absolutely everything about the animals we saw and went out of his way to ensure we had a great time.
BR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable experience!
My 3-day trip at Sekekama camp with the Mo Afrika crew was just amazing! I got to have an incredible South African experience, everyone was so lovely, the place was great, the food was delicious and the tours were perfect! All of our guides were super friendly and shared so much knowledge with us.
This was truly an unforgettable experience for me, I recommend this to everyone!
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredibile experience
Beautiful experience and very kind personnel for the safari and the accomodations.
P.S.: Ngutuni lodge is awesome!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Zimbabwe is a beautiful country with astonishing diversity, breathtaking scenery
Our experience with Off2Africa for our safari to Robins Camp was nothing short of incredible. From the moment we arrived, it was clear that every detail had been carefully planned and arranged. The wildlife we encountered was astonishing – we were lucky to see so many animals in their natural habitat, making the safari a truly unforgettable experience.
The food was also fantastic, and every meal felt like a special treat. Robin’s Camp itself is spectacular, situated right in the heart of the safari. Waking up to the sounds of wildlife and being surrounded by nature at all times was surreal.
A special thank you goes to Lue, our guide, who truly made the safari worthwhile. He was with us every step of the way, sharing his immense knowledge about the animals and the wildlife. Lue’s energy was infectious, and he made every moment – from sunrise to sunset – exciting and fun. His passion for what he does really shines through, and his expertise added so much depth to our experience.
We also want to thank Emma French, our organizer, who did a brilliant job making sure everything ran smoothly. The whole trip was seamless, and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
If you’re looking for an unforgettable safari, we highly recommend Off2Africa, Robin’s Camp, and, of course, the amazing Lue!
CA
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
One Of a Kind Spectacular Experience
Setting up this adventure took a fair bit of planning and Dr. Robert was there every step of the way while our itinerary was tweaked multiple times. He always listened and offered helpful suggestions. On the day of our arrival both Dr Robert and our guide, Augustine, were there to meet us at the airport at 2am to get us to the hotel. We couldn't have asked for a better guide than Augustine. He was knowledgeable and personable and not only led us on our journey but he quickly became one of the group himself. The accommodations were all clean and comfortable with very friendly and helpful staff to make your stay more enjoyable. Upon our return to Entebbe, Dr Robert met us for dinner and even brought along one of the hotel owners to get first hand feedback of our travels and stay. A trip like this is truly a one of a kind adventure and I would highly recommend African Adventure Travellers to help guide you along the way. Oh and don't forget to ask for Augustine as your guide. I promise you won't be disappointed.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Lion King Adventures made this bucket list trip effortless
We recently returned from our 6-day safari in Tanzania and and it honestly wouldn’t have been this great had it not been for both Lion King Adventures and our amazing guide, Heaven. Not only did Lion King Adventures ensure that we had a spectacular trip while we were there, but they made the planning process as seamless as possible. A safari has been on my bucket list for years, but I certainly didn’t know where to start. Lion King Adventures removed all the guesswork for us. Yes, we still had to book the flights, coordinate our vaccines, and secure visas, but they provided information to help us through all of that as well. Everyone on the team was so helpful – from Godwin and his initial outreach to Naurey who worked through all of details.
I can’t say enough about the amazing accommodations provided, all the staff, and our guide. Our guide, Heaven, was stellar! With 14 years of experience, we looked to him and his guidance and that was one of the best decisions that we made. If he suggested getting up early and getting out on the road before the heat of the day, we did it. And he never disappointed. He made us feel super comfortable and shared so much knowledge, as well as some great stories and wisdom. We’ve already shared some of those great stories and nuggets of wisdom with our son!
The staff was so kind and accommodating. I have a gluten sensitivity and they were so respectful, ensuring that I had plenty of wonderful foods to eat and even preparing my food separately, when needed.
We’re so fortunate to have been able to take this trip. I don’t know that we’ll ever be able to top this experience. And I can’t imagine doing this trip any other way. I’m so grateful for Lion King Adventures and Heaven for making a bucket list trip one to remember forever.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect time in Tansania
From the huge range of providers, we chose Ndutu and have no regrets. Communication with Tom was quick, friendly and reliable. The selected lodges met our expectations, the food was always sufficient and good. The route (5 days) gave a great insight into 4 national parks - all different and beautiful; but the Serengeti remains undisputed number 1 for me! Our driver Manuel (Manu) was a perfect driver and a great guide. With patience and skill, he always got us into good positions for the animals. In addition to information about the animal world, it was a pleasure to talk to him about family, life and Tanzania. Our jeep was quite old - but and much more importantly: it took us through the savannah without a breakdown and was a reliable mobile home. Thank you for the great time!
