Safari Reviews

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Mary Visited: February 2015 Reviewed: Feb 28, 2015

Friendly hospitality at a high price.
3/5

The Sunset lodge is a nice and wonderfully located in a private game reserve. If you are looking to get away from the big city and stress, and are willing to be overpriced for it, then this is the place for you.

Unlike what I was told by Rueben, there was no buffet for meals, but a limited tasty set meal each day. On the actual safari days, although it says you will get sausage and eggs and hot coffee, in reality it is one boiled egg, a muffin, maybe no coffee, or one sausage, and the rest of the items mentioned (depending how many people are in the group).

At dinner, all beverages ordered - juice or wine - you will be charged for it, even if it is a glass. I think this this important to mention, because for the price you pay, you would expect a glass of wine or juice would be included with dinner. They never tell you the price or that you will be charged for it until the last day you leave which was a surprise to me. Although it wasn't too expensive, it still was an unpleasant surprise. Another unpleasant surprise is here on Safaribooking.com, it says a 3-5 day safari is whatever, but they charge an extra 14% in taxes which makes it more than originally advertised when you actually book with them.

If a single person did this as a once in a life time event, then I would rate the Themba operators and the whole experience as average and overall a great experience with the wildlife and seeing this part of the world. If I rate this for people who have a family, I would say it was overpriced for what you get, especially the bigger the family.

Considering that a four person family is paying about $4-500 a day to be there, you are paying a lot for limited food and drink (although the family who runs the Sunset Lodge are spectacular), and time. A "3 day safari is really 2 days - or 1 1/2 days" etc because the last day you are only driving back to Johannesburg, and the first day you take 6 hours to get there, and you are paying for any snacks or drinks along the way. This is WAY too much to pay for what you are actually receiving.

However, with this being said, the animals in and around Kruger's park are amazing, and the experience was unforgettable. I will definitely go back, but I am unsure I would use this operator again unless I got a serious discount to match what I felt I received.

Jaco Beukman | www.go-nipper.com   –  
South Africa ZA
Visited: December 2010 Reviewed: May 25, 2015

20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

Review about Waterberg Biosphere Reserve by Jaco Beukman | www.go-nipper.com
Overall rating
3/5

Nice for the locals. Ecosystem unbalanced.

Jaco Beukman | www.go-nipper.com   –  
South Africa ZA
Visited: December 2010 Reviewed: May 25, 2015

20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

Review about Manyeleti Game Reserve by Jaco Beukman | www.go-nipper.com
Overall rating
3/5

Needs more taken care off. Honor to local efforts

Jaco Beukman | www.go-nipper.com   –  
South Africa ZA
Visited: December 2010 Reviewed: May 25, 2015

20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

Review about Golden Gate Highlands National Park by Jaco Beukman | www.go-nipper.com
Overall rating
3/5

Regarding highlands I prefer the central Drakensberg area with massive cliffs instead

Jaco Beukman | www.go-nipper.com   –  
South Africa ZA
Visited: December 2010 Reviewed: May 25, 2015

20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

Review about Addo Elephant National Park by Jaco Beukman | www.go-nipper.com
Overall rating
3/5

There seems to be an unbalance ecosystem present, as if too much human interference abides. I recommend more careful measures to be taken in future conservation and more training of staff.

Marjorie Ginoux   –  
Netherlands NL
Visited: October 2023 Reviewed: Nov 6, 2023

35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

About: Kenya
Not my best experience but nice to see big animals in real life
Overall rating
3/5

Tsavo east and west + Amboseli / Lansdcapes were nice but very dry in many places so no animals as it was desertic.
Compare to my souvenir 13 years ago, (only 2 nights in Nairobi) this new experience to let my kids discover Kenya was really poor. Only possible to see one lion's family from closeby. A lot of driving with no animals in the parks.
Kenyan people see you as only m a way to make money and give you pay same price as in Europe. They really abuse on the price they want you to pay and when you see the difference in fixed price shops... When I spend a lot of money in my travel all inclusive, I don't expect to spend so much extra money when I go to Africa... 50Ksh a coffee in one place and 250Ksh at the next stop for the same instant coffee. And also, as a single woman, not feeling safe outside the hotels or without the guide in the safari.
+ The tour organizer made a big story and refused to let my 3 days safari continue because 1/3rd of the amount was still to pay after 1 day safari. Like if I will fly away for the safari... We were late starting the safari and he really made me feel like a thief, breaking my holiday feeling.
It could be a beautiful place to visit but I did not like how European are threaten. We are not all stupid tourists full of money...

Massai_1 (Carsten M.) Visited: November 2014 Reviewed: May 25, 2015

Review about Amakhala Game Reserve by Massai_1 (Carsten M.)
Overall rating
3/5

Lions not in the main area, nice scenery (river), stayed two nights but went to Addo for one day.

Rick Engel   –  
Canada CA
Visited: February 2015 Reviewed: May 21, 2015

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

Review about Tarangire National Park by Rick Engel
Overall rating
3/5

When we were there, the flies were worse than anywhere else on the Safari. We have lots of bugs back home in Canada, but because we had not experienced this before, it threw us off a bit. Otherwise, it was a beautiful place to see wildlife, especially the elephants.

John Bragg of Oregon Visited: September 2014 Reviewed: May 16, 2015

Review about Addo Elephant National Park by John Bragg of Oregon
Overall rating
3/5

I learned one must be in Addo when it is very dry (winter), since it is the only significant large watering hole for miles around. I got there Sept. 27, two days after the rains began, and though there were no elephants, nor any large game of any kind, I had a wonderful time photographing birds all around the camp. Dugout, ground-level photo blinds make for spectacular low angle shots, but as soon as the rains begin, the elephants and other aanimals quickly disperse.

Many birds! Addo is self-drivable, but there is lots of tall, dense brush which makes it advisable to hire or have a safari vehicle. Park vehicle are available but always full of tourists...not an option for me, as I need a steady, immobile platform for taking pix. I probably would not go back to Addo, but might consider other options near by.

RedCany0n Visited: September 2013 Reviewed: May 14, 2015

Review about Bwindi Impenetrable National Park by RedCany0n
Overall rating
3/5

My husband and I felt that the behavior around the wild mountain gorillas was somewhat disrespectful of these animals. The guides hacked the vegetation away from the gorillas with machetes, leaving them suddenly exposed while they had been napping and resting. The gorillas covered their faces with their hands and buried their heads in their arms, as though flinching, and It felt like we had intruded on their peace. When discussing this with a guide, he said that the gorillas were there for our entertainment, an attitude we didn't agree with.

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