​User Reviews – South Africa

Sort By: Date Most Helpful Rating 271-280 of 1,113 Reviews
Ilka Rivera G.   –  
Mexico MX
Visited: June 2023 Reviewed: Jul 9, 2023

Email Ilka Rivera G.  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Like being on the red carpet of the documentary Oscars
Overall rating
5/5

It is a place with a lot of cultural richness and very warm people. The safari tour was an extraordinary experience. The guides, the administration people, the ranger, I thank each and every one of the people who made it possible for us to have such an incredible experience.

Joe L   –  
United States US
Visited: June 2023 Reviewed: Jul 8, 2023

Email Joe L  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Amazing experience between both the guides and wildlife
Overall rating
5/5

My wife and I did the safari package with 2 night at umkumbe safari lodge and 2 nights in Kruger National park at skukuza. It was an incredible experience at both sites. With umkumbe being on the Sabi sands game reserve the guides are able to go off-roading and drive right up to animals if they are deeper in the bush whereas in Kruger you do have to stay to the road, however we did see some great sighting in Kruger with lions, elephants, rhino, etc all being very close to or even on the roads. We saw all of the big 5 in umkumbe and and all but leopard in Kruger. The staff was very accommodating and the food was incredible. We utilized the included shuttle service from OR Tambo airport to get to and from the safaris (about 5.5 hour drive) which went smoothly. If we were to do it again I would probably fly directly to skukuza instead but the drive was not too bad. We were on planes for about 19 hours the day before so just a lot of sitting.

Gideon Tan   –  
Singapore SG
Visited: May 2023 Reviewed: Jul 5, 2023

Email Gideon Tan  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Enjoyed it
Overall rating
5/5

Great place for Safari viewings! This is my second trip to Kruger and I can recommend Satara Camp over Pretriouskiop which was much more touristy and crowded. Overall I would recommend Kruger NP as a great place to start on safari

Graciela Gama   –  
Mexico MX
Visited: May 2023 Reviewed: Jul 3, 2023

Email Graciela Gama  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Kruger Park & Johannesburg
Overall rating
5/5

I’m Mexican so my review will be written with a latin point of view I hope is helpful . Johannesburg for me was a interesting city because of the shocking economical segregation, coming from a 3rd world country I thought it wouldn’t be as shocking from me but it was… you just can’t use your mobile on the streets because you could get robbed even on the best areas… I was lucky I had a host who told me all these details and gave me a tour around the real Johannesburg and saw all the actual culture which is beautiful.
Kruger park was my first safari ever and I had a great accommodation in Kriger Gate Hotel, right next to the entrance which is very convenient since you’ll start very early in the morning , food is amazing I just had the impression that the staff is a bit tired of tourists for example I did ask to the lobby manager if there was no danger of animals coming into the hotel (I saw a impala right next to my door) and she was quite dry on her explanation about how safe the place was, I just thought it was a normal care since I don’t live in Africa , examples like this were repetitive with the safari staff and the hotel staff without been really rude but just kinda tired of tourists.
Animals are all over the park you can see all of them , take 3 days to see the whole area. My experience in Mozambique was completely different, all the people was so good to me and you could feel absolutely safe everywhere but didn’t see as much animals , just by the sea.

Danielle Giardini   –  
United States US
Visited: March 2023 Reviewed: Jun 28, 2023

Email Danielle Giardini  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

My best trip to date
Overall rating
5/5

This has been a bucket list item for so long. The Accomidations and price were great. Well organized. We were extremely lucky to see all of the big 5 the guides were great. This is a MUST DO trip.

Isabelle Kbidy   –  
Réunion RE
Visited: May 2023 Reviewed: Jun 26, 2023

Email Isabelle Kbidy  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Great place to see wildlife!
Overall rating
5/5

We enjoyed our safari very much. The drive from the airport was a bit long but we forgot it quickly on arrival at Marloth Park. Our lodge was great and our hostess very nice. It was amazing to see animals so close to the lodge. We loved the three safaris we went on, sunrise, sunset and all day. And we also enjoyed our time off at the lodge, where we could see from really close zebras, kudus or antilopes. I highly recommend going to South Africa and booking a safari with Safari Bookings.

Rita   –  
United Kingdom UK
Visited: June 2023 Reviewed: Jun 24, 2023

Email Rita  |  65+ years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Excellent
Overall rating
4/5

Everything went smoothly,pick up and drop offs. Kruger accommodation was excellent hosts
food, company all went well. Thoroughly enjoyed South Africa,2nd trip in a year! So can't be bad!

Sean Forbes   –  
United States US
Visited: May 2023 Reviewed: Jun 24, 2023

Email Sean Forbes  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Travel destination that exceeded expectations.
Overall rating
5/5

We took a three week trip for our honeymoon and we had a blast. There's just so much to do. For example we took a multi day Safari trip in Kruger. We did a day long wine tasting trip in Franschhoek. We took several shark cage diving excursions. Highly recommended. Quite a bit of sightseeing, including shopping and the most southern point in Africa. We went to the worlds largest open air aviary, if you love birds, it's definitely worth checking out.

Perpetua   –  
Singapore SG
Visited: June 2023 Reviewed: Jun 24, 2023

Email Perpetua  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Best experience ever that was life-changing and awe-inspiring.
Overall rating
5/5

Judy from Wildlife Encounters was amazing from start to end. She provided us with tips, advice and planned our itinerary well to suit the needs of our family. She also ensured that we were well-taken care of by all the different operators throughout our 5 days.

Our experience from when we landed at Johannesburg was indescribably amazing. Our airport transfer driver was friendly and knowledgeable and ensured that our needs were met throughout our 6-hour long drive to Hoedspruit.

Thereafter, the experience at Milima Big 5 Safari was absolutely wonderful. The game drives were stellar and unmatched, and our guide, Thomas, had a wealth of knowledge to share about all the different animals and birds that we encountered. He also went out of his way to ensure that he was there with us throughout our game drives over the 5 days. We saw all the possible animals that we could have encountered, even though we had absolutely no expectations, knowing that the wildlife are roaming the lands on their own. Despite this, the birds, elephants, kudu, baboons and impalas that visited the watering hole at Milima each day were already enough for us to feel contented. Yet, Thomas ensured that each game drive was a memorable one as he demonstrated his skill and expertise in studying the tracks and knowing where the animals would mostly be. The close proximity of the wildlife, their calmness, coupled with the beauty of the surroundings, and especially the sunsets, were absolutely indescribable. Together with the service and care we received from the warm and friendly staff at Milima, the experience is truly one that would live on in our hearts for a long long time.

The 1-day drive out at Kruger was also excellent as it gave us a good view of the large herds of animals that we had previously encountered in smaller groups whilst at Milima. Our guide, Jessie, took effort to read the sightings board to help us decide our routes for the day, and we were rewarded through his knowledge and expertise as well.

On our last day, Judy also helped to arrange for us to visit the Blyde River Boat Tour, which helped my children to appreciate the beauty of the Three Rondavels and Blyde Canyon itself. The guide there also helped to share more information about the landscape, vegetation and biomes of the area which led to a rich learning experience.

These beautiful experiences culminated with a life-changing experience at Maholoholo Wildlife Sanctuary which strives to educate about the need to protect and conserve our wildlife. We fully appreciate and applaud the hard work they go through to ensure the safety of the wildlife, to rehabilitate them and to do what is necessary to release the rescued wildlife back into nature where possible. The stories of each of the animals are amazing and tear-jerking. Knowing that they have an ongoing volunteer programme also made us want to come back to help when the children are of the right age. The tour helped us to further appreciate the balance of the ecosystem that can only be achieved when the value of each individual species is recognised and respected.

We left Hoedspruit for Cape Town with a newfound appreciation and love for wildlife and nature. Even though we had a great time exploring the vibe and culture of South Africa through Cape Town, our hearts remain in the bush and we will definitely be back.

Thank you South Africa, for the life-changing and excellent experience.

Crystal Brown   –  
United States US
Visited: April 2023 Reviewed: Jun 17, 2023

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

Good company!
Overall rating
5/5

My fiancé and I felt very safe with this company. They handled any issues with Cate and professionalism. We opted to stay at a nice hotel, which was part of the package. They have a variety of options for sleeping. The Safari tour guide was knowledgeable and answered all of our questions.

Average User Rating

  • 4.8/5
  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding

Rating Breakdown

  • 5 star 944
  • 4 star 144
  • 3 star 15
  • 2 star 3
  • 1 star 3
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