NZ
Email Marty | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding African wildlife and wilderness experience
4 days in Kruger the highlight of my daughter and myselfs 5 week African dry season trip. Had seen all the big 5 by day 2. Transport, accommodation and food were all of a good standard and truly reflected our budget. We were very impressed with our guide Simons passion and knowledge for the wildlife and bush and he kept us fully engaged and involved in the park drives. Full on days on the hunt for viewing animals with never a dull moment. Definitely not just tourists on a bus traveling from A to B here. So many highlights but being charged by a big bull elephant (unharmed), watching 2 lions stalk a herd of zebra, seeing a big herd of buffalo stampede, seeing a leopard up on a big rock silhouetted by the sunset, close encounters with 2 rhino and 2 young hyena deserve a mention. Unfortunately didn't see any cheetah or wild dogs but that's safaris for you and good reason to go back again. If you love the great outdoors and have a desire to see some of the amazing animals that live on our beautiful planet in their natural environment then this is for you. A real taste of Africa awaits. Highly recommend.
US
Email Frank Ferrer | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
tO BE THIS CLOSE TO WILDLIFE WAS AMAZING....ONCE IN A LIFETIME!
We had our arrangements made with Go safari. They were great. They booked at the Mohabetsi reserve at Kruger which was spectacular. Jock and Nina who managed the facility when we were there were superb. Jock was also our driver and wild life expert during our daily drives in the bush. His knowledge of the area, of the animals and his attentiveness to his passengers were outstanding. The lodging and food was excellent. I strongly recommend both Go Safari and the Mohabetsi reserve if you are planning a safari.
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Email Emily | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Once in a lifetime adventure - not to be missed!
We stayed at Tremisana Lodge the first night and it was very comfortable. The bushwalk was very informative and we got to experience smoking elephant dung :) That was my nieces favorite part! The bar / concessions needed more staff. It was hardly ever open so you couldn't even get waters. The dinner was excellent the first night and we even had some wildlife visitors - hyena, honey badgers, and a porcupine.
The second two nights we stayed at Marc's Treehouse. The treehouses were unique and comfortable but chilly. The food was good and the bar was open daily. The breakfast overlooking the river was outstanding - nice view of wildlife and outdoor setting. Keep an eye on your biscuit or the monkeys may steal them.
Kruger park was pretty good but many of the animals were at a distance so make sure to bring binoculars. Also the ride to Kruger in the open vehicle was very chilly so dress very warm and bring extra blankets. The restaurant at Kruger Park was the only lowlight. The food was below average and the service was terrible. My son did not get his food in the time we had to stop for food so he had to get it to go and try to eat while we were bouncing around in the vehicle.
The staff was friendly.
MX
Email Jose Escandon | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great
It was a great experience in Sabi sands we see a Leopard hunting a n Impala and Rhinos plus other animals, nice acommodations with very good food. The guide was excelent
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Email Svetlana | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Impressive!
It was a great experience with VivaSafari tour operator. I stayed at Tremisana lodge and it was a piece of paradise in a dry and brownish bush. The staff is excellent, accommodations are comfortable and the food is very good. The safari itself is incredible - lots of animals and birds. when wild animals appear next to you - it is magic. The company structure the stay well and have interesting activities like for example visiting the animal rehabilitation center. They have several properties for those who do not want to stay at the lodge all the time. They can arrange a night in Kruger under the sky!
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Email Nicole | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing animals, incredible experience!
We got great viewings of all the big 5 and many more. Accommodations were extremely comfortable ("glamping" is underselling it), food was delicious and varied. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and really went out of his way to find the cool animals. It was a fabulous trip. So wonderful to be able to see so many animals in their natural habitat.
Exceeded Expectations -- Great Safari plus Beautiful Country
South Africa has been on our bucket list for years mainly for the safari but our trip was so much more than that. We started with Kruger and couldn't have asked to see more wild life than we did. We then traveled to Cape Town, Stellenbosch, the Garden Route and Durban. Golf was a major part of our trip and we played 3 golf courses ranked in the top 100 in the world. Great scenery throughout -- long stretches where mountains are just a few miles from the ocean. Not surprisingly, Table Mountain was a highlight in Cape Town but also enjoyed tour of Cape Point, the history of the District 6 museum, a casual seafood feast in Hout Bay, and the Waterfront. In Stellenbosch, stayed at Lanzerac which was one of the best hotels we've ever visited. Franschhoek was a scenic excursion well from there and well worth it. Enjoyed penguins and whales in Betty's Bay and Hermanus on the way to George. Detours off the main road were well worth it along the Garden Route.
We went in winter (August) so while weather was a bit cool at times, it also made for great wildlife viewing in Kruger as foliage is less full and animals converge on watering spots. We felt safe at all locations and navigation was easy (we had our own rental car from Cape Town to George).
BR
Email Jose Reck | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Most incredible experience for those who love nature and animals
South Africa is an amazing place to visit... For those who love to see animals and nature it is a dream place. I want to come back every year... Kruger National Park and Sabi Sands Game Reserve were places that every person who want to see wildlife must go.
CL
Email Pamela Ruiz | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
amazing
It was really amazing, a very good experience. I highly recomend it.
CA
Email Kelly L | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
This trip was incredible.
Safari bookings website was very useful to narrow down some criteria for our trip. Once our criteria was entered, Safari bookings webpage produces all of the tour companies who meet that criteria. From this list, I narrowed my search to about 6 tour companies as Safari bookings suggest obtaining a few quotations from different tour companies to compare cost, itineraries, etc. When I narrowed down my search, I contacted the tour companies directly and asked more specific questions, such as availability and some more details about what was included. We booked through Viva Safaris, this company was a great organization for first time travellers to South Africa. The itinerary was busy, but well organized and included both visits to Kruger and Private reserves as each has a different feel. The busy itinerary made good use of the 6 day safari but also had good down time as well. The accommodation at Tremisani Lodge were nothing short of fantastic, it was a bit of an upgraded price but well worth it and would definitely be happy to stay there again - zero complaints. Very private, secluded chalets and a private chef for the 8 lodges. The staff at the lodge could not have been more friendly and helpful and the chef was passionate about the food he prepared. The time of year we went was winter, the trees are sparse and it makes viewing the wildlife better. The scenery was spectacular and the stop at the Blyde River Canyon on the way back to Joburg was great. I particularly enjoyed our guide Nico, he made the safaris fun and interactive. One thing about these guides that impressed me the most, that being a guide isn't just a 9-5 job, but a way of life and conservation is of the utmost importance to all of the guides that we encountered - very impressive. The one thing I also noted was that safari wasn't as expensive as I originally imagined, there are all sorts of packages available. This is a must do bucket list kind of trip. Prior to this trip, we could only see wildlife like this on television on nature specials, so thankful I was able to see these beautiful animals in person, its almost like a trip back in time. Lastly, I was very impressed with the efforts at the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehab centre, the job at hand that these people are undertaking is difficult and trying, but I so appreciate their efforts at conservation.
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