35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very efficient and very well organised with many sightings
We had a very pleasant time with Albert, he was very organised and on time and put a great deal of effort into making sure that we saw as many animals as possible from all possible angles and met everyone's requests with no complaints.
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very disappointing experience with Johills – deposit ultimately refunded in full
In June 2026, we booked a fully organised 14-day private safari for six adults in Botswana with Johills Travel Agency, scheduled for April 2027. We paid a deposit of approximately €4,740. Johills confirmed receipt and assured us that preparations and reservations would begin.
Unfortunately, the problems started with the very first quotations and invoices. These repeatedly contained errors, including incorrect travel dates, activities assigned to the wrong locations, and even an invoice bearing another customer's name and an entirely different tour description. I constantly had to check documents myself, identify mistakes and request corrections. The biggest problem, however, was the lack of visible progress with our reservations over several months.
Our original itinerary included five nights at Chobe Game Lodge, two nights at Planet Baobab, three nights at Khwai Hippo Pool and three nights at Camp Xakanaxa. These were the accommodations on which the proposed safari package was based. Despite paying our deposit in June 2026 and being assured that preparations would begin, we still had not received satisfactory booking confirmations months later. Ultimately, Johills failed to secure a single one of the four accommodations originally promised to us.
A major turning point was when I contacted Planet Baobab directly. In September 2026, their reservations team confirmed in writing that they had received nothing from Johills regarding our proposed booking. I found this extremely concerning, as Johills had promised months earlier that reservations would begin. In October, Friedrich then informed us that Planet Baobab only had availability for one of our two requested nights. He also disputed the information I had received directly from Planet Baobab. To my surprise, I was then able to book both of our originally planned nights, 10–12 April 2027, directly with Planet Baobab within a single day. I cannot know exactly what Johills had done in the meantime, but this sequence of events seriously undermined my trust.
Only when I started pressing more firmly for clarity and concrete solutions did various alternative accommodations begin to appear. Friedrich sent Booking.com confirmations for hotels and lodges that differed considerably from our original itinerary. Every one of these reservations was free to cancel, and they were bookings I could just as easily have made myself as an ordinary customer. There is nothing inherently wrong with refundable reservations. However, after months without convincing confirmations for the original accommodations, these bookings offered me very little reassurance. They could, after all, be cancelled again without charge. By then, my confidence had already been seriously damaged, partly because of the information I had received directly from Planet Baobab. The constant changes to accommodations and arrangements continued, without a clear and reliable overall itinerary emerging.
One striking example was the sudden addition of an overnight stay in Maun. Without any prior discussion, a hotel in Maun suddenly appeared among Johills' proposals. Originally, we were supposed to spend our final night at Camp Xakanaxa and travel to Maun the following day for our return flight. An overnight stay in Maun had never been part of our agreement. Johills proposed, among other options, The Three Tree Hotel: three standard rooms for six people, costing less than €150 in total for one night. This was a completely different type of accommodation from the safari lodges in our original itinerary. Although we were eventually willing to accept an overnight stay in Maun, this did not mean that we automatically considered every proposed hotel suitable. Our main frustration was the way arrangements kept changing without clear explanations or prior consultation.
The travel logistics were also inconvenient from the outset. Before booking our flights, I had suggested flying directly to Victoria Falls, as this would be the first destination on our trip. However, Johills advised us to fly into Kasane because of our planned five-night stay at Chobe Game Lodge. Although that route was less practical, we accepted it because of the beautiful accommodation and because Johills would be arranging all transportation. When Johills subsequently failed to secure Chobe Game Lodge, we were left with flights to Kasane. We now have to arrange and pay for additional transfers from Kasane to Victoria Falls and then back into Botswana. This means unnecessary travel time, an additional border crossing and extra transport costs, even though I had suggested a more logical route before we booked our flights.
Quad biking on the Makgadikgadi salt pans, which had been included in our itinerary from the beginning, also led to considerable discussion and uncertainty. An alternative near Maun was even suggested. Johills eventually stated that the original activity had been arranged, but only after extensive correspondence. Throughout the entire process, we genuinely tried to make the trip work. We were willing to accept considerably less luxurious accommodations because the safari experience itself mattered more to us than luxury.
Eventually, I offered to book and pay for certain accommodations directly myself. I was increasingly worried that suitable accommodation would become unavailable and wanted some certainty about where we would be staying. I was also reluctant to transfer any more money to Johills while so many arrangements remained unclear. This was entirely my own initiative. It certainly did not mean that we wanted to take over the organisation of the entire trip. That was precisely why we had hired a travel company in the first place.
On 18 October 2026, Johills informed us that the original itineraries were essentially no longer valid and that we should arrange accommodation and activities ourselves. This was a far cry from the fully organised safari we had booked. On 19 October 2026, we therefore terminated the agreement and requested a refund of our deposit. To be fair, Johills ultimately refunded our entire deposit of €4,740. I appreciate that Friedrich honoured his commitment, and I believe it is important to acknowledge this.
However, the refund does not erase the time, uncertainty and stress this experience caused me. This special family holiday is intended to celebrate my parents' 40th wedding anniversary. What should have been an enjoyable planning experience turned into months of checking, chasing answers, discussing changes and searching for solutions. In the end, I organised the entire trip myself, alongside my full-time job. After two weeks of intensive email correspondence, I had arranged the accommodations, activities, transfers and other logistics. It took an enormous amount of time and energy, but remarkably, I achieved more certainty in those two weeks than I had during almost four months of dealing with Johills. I now have direct contact with the providers, know exactly what has been agreed, and can finally look forward to our holiday with peace of mind and confidence.
We never actually travelled with Johills, so I cannot comment on their guides or the quality of their safaris. My review relates solely to our personal experience with the planning process, communication, reservations and agreed arrangements.
Despite receiving our deposit back in full, based on our experience, I would not recommend Johills Travel Agency.
RU
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An Unforgettable 4-Day Safari Experience!
We had an absolutely amazing 4-day safari visiting three national parks! It was truly one of the most incredible experiences of our lives.
We saw so many beautiful animals in the wild — elephants, giraffes, lions, cheetahs, leopards, hippos, countless zebras, and even a rhino! Every day was full of excitement, breathtaking landscapes, and unforgettable moments.
A huge thank you to our fantastic drivers and guides, Prosper and Gilbert! They were incredibly friendly, professional, knowledgeable, and always made sure we had the best possible experience. Thanks to their experience and sharp eyes, we managed to spot so many amazing animals!
Four days, three parks, and memories that will last a lifetime. We couldn't have asked for a better safari adventure!
Highly recommended! Thank you for everything!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
One of the best safaris
I booked 12 days safari with beach with Pride of Africa Adventure. I did the booking after comparing with other tour operators and I realised that this company with give me one of the best due to how fast and accurate information they were giving. I paid the safari deposit way back in May and all the hotels were well reserved.
The driver guide was very experienced and I saw Big 5 animals which I really wanted to see. Accommodations were really nice and food.
I recommend this company for any traveler who wants to have best ever experience.
AE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Efficient, affordable and organized. Stress free Safari for me and my colleagues.
Thank you Joan, James and team for making our Safari memorable. Thanks for giving us an amazing Driver! I would definitely rebook and recommend Amazing Africa to anyone looking for a stress free Safari experience in Kenya and beyond!
IE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unbelievable safari experience!
Had the most amazing safari with Josh Dreamland Safari with Danford our guide! Saw all of the big five and so much more! The accommodations, food and everything we learnt from Danford was 10/10🙌🏻 Once in a lifetime experience and couldn’t recommend the company more for anyone going on safari🤩
CZ
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An unforgettable Safari experiences
This was our first real Safari in our lives, and we didn’t know what to expect. But everything exceeded our expectations. Communication with Dominik was excellent, he responded to our questions immediately. Shortly before our trip, we changed our travel plans, we wanted to spend the first part of our holiday in Watamu and the last part in Diani, so Dominik arranged for us to be picked up in Watamu instead of Diani and drop us at Diani. There were only two of us traveling, so we had the entire car to ourselves and could even take our suitcases with us.
We were very lucky to have Modi as our guide and driver. He is a very friendly young man who did his best to ensure we saw as many animal species as possible. He gave us a lot of information not only about nature and the lives of wild animals, but also about the lives of people in Kenya. We saw the entire "Big Five"with the exception of the rhinoceros, as well as many other species of wild animals. Modi is a very good driver, he knows his Land Cruiser perfectly, and we felt safe with him.
The organization of the trip was also perfect. We had beautiful accommodation right in Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks, and just a short distance from the entrance to Amboseli National Park.
We appreciate the professional approach of Kentau Safaris, and we liked that we were able to make the payment from home instead of having to carry large amounts of cash with us. The payment and cancellation terms are very clear.
Thank you for everything and we wish you much success in your future work and many more satisfied customers.
EE
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
All arrangements worked flawlessly.
We did a 5-days safari trip Amboseli - Lake Naivasha - Masai Mara and 5 days holiday in Diani Beach. We began planning the trip back in the spring. We discussed it among ourselves and put together a fairly demanding itinerary. It was a truly fascinating and moving journey; we saw a lot of animals and experienced so many exciting moments. Our driver and guide, Tom, was simply excellent. All the accommodations arranged by Peak Season were very good, and our stay by the ocean was just luxurious. Everywhere we went, the people were incredibly friendly and helpful. The entire 12-day trip, including flight tickets costs from Tallinn, cost approximately 3,000 euros—an excellent value for money. I highly recommend Peak Season to everyone.
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing- so thoughtful, knowledgeable and goes the extra mile - cant recommend enough - brilliant
Had the most wonderful safari. Extremely knowledgeable and friendly guide and driver. We saw more varieties of animals and birds than I could have imagined. Couldn't fault the whole experience- amazing.
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Leonard from Meru Slopes was an exceptionally attentive, professional, and reliable organizer.
We went on a full six-day safari with Meru Slopes Tanzania and can recommend the team without reservation. The trip took us through Arusha National Park, Tarangire, the Serengeti, and to the Ngorongoro Crater—a wonderfully curated itinerary filled with many unforgettable moments.
The pre-trip documentation was impressive, and our communication with Leonhard was always warm, prompt, and highly reliable. Our special requests were accommodated without hesitation, and we felt exceptionally well taken care of from our initial inquiry right through to the end of the journey.
It is difficult to pinpoint just one highlight that impressed us most: seeing the "Big Five" up close, witnessing live hunts—including the moment a predator brought down its prey—and encountering the Great Migration, with hundreds of wildebeest and zebras passing by. Every single day offered its own unique highlights, and the entire experience was simply overwhelming in the best possible way.
A very special thank you goes to our driver, Rashid. Over the course of the trip, we became like a little family; Rashid’s warm and attentive nature ensured that we always felt welcome and safe. He is a careful and reliable driver, incredibly helpful and friendly, and he shared his extensive knowledge of the environment, wildlife, and the region with great enthusiasm. His dedication to Meru Slopes and his personal commitment truly enriched our trip.
The catering was another excellent example of the thoughtful organization: lunches while out on safari were always delicious, served with care in insulated containers and accompanied by a tablecloth. Our overnight stay at the crater turned into an intense encounter with nature due to stormy weather—and thanks to the prime location, it was the perfect starting point for entering the Ngorongoro Crater the following morning. We would choose Meru Slopes again in a heartbeat and highly recommend booking through this team. Thank you so much, and wishing the company continued success! 😍
(automatic translation from German)
