50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Etosha National Park by Eileen Blignaut
The poor quality of the roads in Etosha certainly detracted from the enjoyment of the bush experience. The driver did not have the opportunity to view game, as he had to concentrate on careering on the very neglected roads in the park (even though we drive a 4x4). This needs to enjoy urgent attention from the parks authorities.
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good and fun trip but a bit disorganized
There was a problem with the airline and the plane landed 2 hours ahead of schedule. However, I ended up waiting 4 hours at the airport because the guide experienced some problems with the van. On the first day, we spent several hours repairing the vehicle, and we had to drive additional kilometers to switch to a different van on the third day. Despite these setbacks, the tour was good overall.
The guide/driver (Julias) knows how to entertain clients and make the long journeys enjoyable.
BE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Lovely safariparks
We had high expectations of our safari.
They were partially fulfilled: the parks were lovely, our driver was very friendly and punctual and the communication with the company was good.
But...
We asked to do 3 parks in 6 days. While doing the tour, it became clear that the distances were too long. I wish the company would have warned us before that the driving times are usually longer than the internet says.
2 of the 3 hotels were perfect. Charming, lovely views, nice food...
The third hotel was a disaster. It was everything the other hotels were not. We felt really unhappy being there. I don't understand why the company chose that hotel. More profit? So we ended our vacacion with a disappointed feeling.
The company apologized for this but that's it. I would have appreciated a small refund for the last hotel. After all, we paid a lot of money, also for a hotel that costed almost nothing to the company.
JP
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safari was good, guide less so…
I usually don’t leave a comment when I’m dissatisfied with a tour or service, but a safari is on another level in terms of cost, especially when you choose a private one.
First, the positives: the person I corresponded with by email to organize the safari was professional, and the safari itself was enjoyable. We appreciated the stunning landscapes and wildlife, although, as it was our first safari, we can’t really say if we saw more or less than others.
However, we had issues with our guide’s manners.
The first impression was terrible. The pick-up was scheduled for 8:30 AM, as confirmed by the company the day before. Yet, when we arrived in the hotel lobby, the first thing he said was, “I thought you had vanished.” We were confused, and he went on to say he’d been waiting for a while because, according to him, we were supposed to leave at 8:00 AM. Even after I showed him the confirmation message from his company, he didn’t acknowledge the mistake or apologize and simply carried on as though we were at fault. Not exactly the best way to start. My husband and I were bewildered and instantly uneasy about what kind of person we’d be spending the next four days with.
Unfortunately, there were several other moments during the trip that made us uncomfortable. For instance, one evening we had to share a table at dinner. My husband, who was drinking a beer, thought it would be polite to offer one to the guide as well. To our surprise, the guide ordered two beers without hesitation — and to make matters worse, he didn’t even say thank you. It came across as entitled, like he just assumed it was his due. This lack of basic manners, combined with other odd comments and behaviors, made us feel increasingly wary and uneasy around him.
In the end, we decided not to confront him to avoid ruining our four precious days. We even gave him a generous tip since that seems to be the norm. He probably has no idea how we felt. However, we can’t help but think another guide would have made the experience far more memorable.
Ultimately, it was the breathtaking landscapes and incredible wildlife that saved the trip for us.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
The safari was great but service could have been better
We were fetched by the driver (Smiley) At 4:30 in the morning, he was driving so fast on a dirt road it felt uncomfortable.
Going from our hotel (Higrove) to the Kruger lodge where he was fetching other passengers - he stopped about 5 times as he was speeding the car top kept opening
He was good in knowing where the animals were and we saw 4/5 big 5's.
The only issue was that he was condescending in his responses to whenever we asked a question which I found disrespectful
My partner gave him R100 as a tip at the end of the tour - his response was that half a bread is better than nothing... can you imagine post a terrible service he gave us
So yes - he was great in getting the animals but customer service could improve
CO
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Kruger is way too big for encountering wild animals
The Kruger National Park is incredibly vast, which can make wildlife spotting more challenging. A better option, in my experience, is visiting private game parks. These parks are smaller, and the staff typically have a deeper understanding of the animals’ locations, making it easier to see them up close and enjoy more intimate encounters.
One thing I didn’t enjoy about Kruger was the extensive burned areas. I was informed that the vegetation is intentionally burned to increase animal visibility for tourists, but it felt unnatural and detracted from the experience. Additionally, because of the park's massive size, tour guides often seem rushed, giving you less time to take photographs and fully immerse yourself in the beauty of nature.
CH
20-35 years of age
Quite okay Mt. Meru experience with Ups & Downs
Average price compared to other companies but for our group size of 2 people incomprehensible why 4 porters are needed (all of them have to be tipped, other companies use 2 porters for that group size).
We have not been proactively contacted for the briefing, sleeping bags not on the prep list so that we didn't bring any and had to rent them from the company...our guide briefed us and took photos of our passports, afterwards the organizer again asked us for photos of our passports, unclear if there was any communication. On the summit ascent (3rd) day we only got a poor and sweet food package for on the go, unfortunately not enough for such a hike. Our guide was a very funny, motivating and sociable guy but lacked a bit of healthy distancing and could not tell us a lot about historical backgrounds. Other than that, staff was very kind, friendly, always tried to provide the best service. Food was amazing and tasty, very big portions.
PT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Okay, but
The safari experience was incredible, we were able to see the animals up close, we just didn't see the rhinos, but we saw many other animals.
Positive points: water was provided during the safari, driver/guide was very friendly
Negative points: in our jeep with 8 people we were in 4 different hotels, which delayed the start of the tour on the 2nd day, during the tour we were given little information about the animals, a 3-day tour that is only worth it for the second day, the rest of the days are long trips on very damaged roads, although this is not the fault of the company that organizes the tour, however, the jeep could be more comfortable, the semi-reclining seats could not be adjusted, in short the jeep was very worn and not very comfortable
(automatic translation from Portuguese)
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Important to be Aware
The people selling you the tour (agency) and driver running the actual tour (operator) are rarely the same company so:
- agencies do a great job presenting you a professional itinerary , however…
- communication is lacking between the agency and the operator
- different parties in the jeep may have different itineraries
- the driver is stuck having to reset customer expectations during the tour based on his schedule, which is frustrating
Best way to look out for yourself… have a detailed conversation with the driver, before leaving, on what you expect to happen and when. Where you are staying each night. List all activities and who is paying for each.
During my tour, logistics and schedules were a nightmare. However, all game drives and activities were run well. It was just frustrating having to figure things out during the tour.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Tsavo East National Park by Cindy Eyler
Pretty sparse with animals the evening and morning we went. It wouldn't have been worth it if it weren't for staying at the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary.