Kimkim Trip Reviews for South Africa

We travelled to Namibia as a family of 4 adults. I have an extremely busy life so to plan a trip like this is very difficult. Bianca planted the seeds of the adventure and have several iterations, we settled on a final plan. Bianca was very patient and responded quickly to any questions (we had plenty of them).
The trip was excellent. The accommodation she selected met the brief exactly....basic lodgings for the one nighters and more comfortable (upmarket) lodgings for the remainder. The car rental company were also top notch.
All in all, we had a very memorable adventure and would love to visit Namibia again (with the help of Bianca of course).

Activity Review

Windhoek day on leisure

Windhoek

We recently entrusted our honeymoon plans to Esther, and we couldn't be happier with how it turned out. Over 18 unforgettable days, we explored Cape Town, Franschhoek, Sabi Sands, and Mauritius. Right from the beginning, Esther took the time to understand our preferences and seamlessly integrated them into a personalized itinerary. Her responsiveness was remarkable, making us feel like a top priority.

The accommodations Esther curated in Cape Town and Franschhoek were nothing short of spectacular, and our Safari at Dulini Moya in Sabi Sands Game Reserve was the absolute highlight of our trip. Each of the hotels was truly a 5 star experience with incredible and attentive staff, luxurious accommodations, and delicious food.

We found ourselves stuck in Franschhoek during a natural disaster. Due to unprecedented flooding, there was no way in or out of the town, and we were unable to depart for our safari. Esther truly went above and beyond, tirelessly working at odd hours to find a solution. Her dedication and support during this unexpected situation not only alleviated our stress but demonstrated her professionalism and genuine care for her clients.

From the outset, every detail was meticulously planned, allowing us to relax and fully immerse ourselves in the joy of our honeymoon. We can't thank Esther enough for this truly unforgettable experience!

Our three week self-driving tour of South Africa far exceeded our hopes and expectations. On past vacations we've always done our own research and booking, and typically that's worked out great. But for our first African vacation, and our first safaris, we reached out to the experts and they really delivered for us.

Our trip was a mix of animals, landscapes and culture. We started in Joburg with a bicycle tour of Soweto. From there we drove to Graskop and the Panorama Route along the Blyde River Canyon. The highlight was a half day hike into the canyon, where we saw our first monkeys and baboons and swam in a lovely water hole. Then it was on to Kruger, where we spent three nights at the Umkumbe Lodge in Sabi Sands and two nights at the Mjejane Lodge on the Crocodile River. The animal sightings were nearly constant, including a morning drive at Umkumbe where we saw the big 5 plus a cheetah. Watching a herd of elephants come to drink, play and cool off in the Crocodile River from the patio at Mjejane was another highlight.

From Kruger we headed south for two nights at Stone Camp in the Mkhaya game park in Eswatini. There the focus was on rhinos, including a pair that walked right through the camp! We continued south from Eswatini with two nights in Mkuze. The highlight there was a private birding safari in the Manyoni game park, which oh by the way included time with a pair of lions. We finished this segment of the tour with three nights at St Lucia, exploring the iSimangaliso World Heritage Park (hippos! crocodiles!) before flying to Cape Town. The weather on the cape was perfect for a drive to the Cape of Good Hope (penguins!), an exploration of the Kirstenbosch gardens and a hike on Table Mountain.

Throughout the trip the accommodations were excellent. We very much appreciated Esther and Lucy's suggestions for things to see and do and places to eat and shop. Three weeks went zipping by and we feel like we just scratched the surface. We hope we can come visit again soon.

Hotel Review

Stone Camp

We stayed in some beautiful places on our 3 week tour, but Stone Camp was our favorite. We loved the fact that there is no electricity, no phone and no internet. The huts are gorgeous, the food excellent, the people friendly, and the feeling of being out in the bush is unparalleled.

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Despite being totally off the grid the huts felt quite luxurious

Activity Reviews

Soweto Cycling Tour

South Africa

The 4 hour cycling tour through Soweto was an excellent introduction to South African culture and history from the perspective of those who suffered most under the apartheid system. We very much appreciated the local guides sharing their lived experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Transport

Manyoni Birding Safari

Mkuze

Our birding safari was a welcome change from the safaris we had done previously in Kruger and Eswatini. While it was thrilling to chase the big game on the typical safari, it was quite satisfying to slow things down and have the birds come to us. Our guide Lucky was quite knowledgeable, teaching us not only about the birds we were seeing but also about the whole Manyoni park and ecosystem.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cape Malay Cooking Safari

Cape Town

It was fun to learn about the history and culture of the Cape Malay population, but the highlight was making and eating amazing food with Faldela. We are so grateful to her for opening her home and sharing her expertise and personal stories.

Bianca booked our honeymoon perfectly! We had a wonderful mix of relaxation and adventure and were set up with a great tour guide who was able to move things around when one of our bookings was cancelled due to weather. Would definitely recommend Bianca if you want to make planning easier for yourself!

Petru was a great source of knowledge helping us navigate South Africa. Everything was conveniently arranged to free us from any worries. The tourist companies she used were the very best in the business and we felt comfortable. We enjoy our trip to the fullest from Johannesburg to the rustic camps for ours game drives -And from Franschhoek and Cape Town touring the major attractions. We went from experiencing rustic camps to 5 stars hotels. It was an epic experience for mother/son trip. Thanks Petru 🙏🏼😊

My mother, Gigi, and I had a spectacular time on our South African adventure. We were very happy with KimKim as the entire process and planning was made simpler for us. It gave us a peace of mind that everything from accommodations and attractions were taken care of by the planning and execution of the staff at KimKim.

Petru was our superstar planner. We were very happy with her service as she was extremely patient and thorough with us. We were very confused and disoriented with the planning process before hiring KimKim (Petru) as our planner.

The staff at Tangala Safari Camp at Thornybush and Timbavati Game Reserve were delightful. Our accommodations and attractions planned for Franschhoek and Capetown were top notch. We enjoyed every step of the experience. The animals! Wow! Watching anything on the National Geographic channel will never be the same as it'll always come second to our up-close experience with every animal we had encountered.

Our favorite part of our trip was experiencing the amazing and beautiful South African people. Everyone was so genuine, kind, charming and welcoming. A giant thank you goes out to everyone from every step of the way who made our trip that much more enjoyable and memorable. We even learned a few words in Afrikaans.

Thank you, Petru! You made it an exciting trip and we'll always remember how good you were to us.

Until next time!

Joe Gilani

Bianca was amazing to work with not only leading up to our big trip but was so helpful while we were there as well. She really put me at ease. We traveled to South Africa from Switzerland with 2 young kids (11 and 10) and with our parents who met us there from the United States. There was a lot of organising and planning to make this trip seamless. And it was exactly that...seamless and relaxing. We absolutely loved our driver and guide Graham in Cape Town and our guide Matthew at Kariega during the safari. I HIGHLY recommend using KimKim to plan the most amazing trip.

Absolutely amazing honeymoon. Bernice was a joy to deal with, and we will definitely use kimkim for future trips.

Lize did such a good job putting together this custom trip for my husband and I. We particularly loved that we had a private guide (Andrew) in Capetown. It made our experience so personal and unforgettable. We also could not say enough amazing things about the safari lodge where we stayed (Arathusa). I could have stayed there for months! This is the very first time I have ever used a “travel agent” and I was so pleasantly surprised. I did not have to worry about a thing. Lize was great at making sure all transfers, rides, tours, etc were all taken care of. She was even great about checking in on us and being accessible while we were on our trip. Thank you, Lize!!

We had a wonderful once in a lifetime trip to South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. Many many thanks to Deb and her team. They were always friendly and quick to respond to my many questions. I had no idea what to do or how to plan this trip and Deb put together an amazing itinerary that had us see so many different places. Our favorites were the game drives and staying at Ivory Wilderness. Special shout out to Corlia who helped us in-country in so many ways from helping with lost luggage, scheduling a doctor's visit to our hotel, to booking last minute game drives. She was friendly and helpful and so accommodating with her time. We can't thank you all enough!!

We just had an incredible 11 days in South Africa and cannot say enough good things about the process, our guide (Liz in Cape Town) and the accommodations and people at the Thabamati Luxury Tent Camp. Even our guesthouse in Franschoek was incredibly cute and convenient. We would 10000% recommend this exact trip for anyone visiting the country. Our only swap might be cutting a day in Cape Town to spend an extra night in wine country or safari.

Hotel Reviews

Thabamati Luxury Tented Camp

Kruger National Park

This place is amazing. The food, the staff, the accommodations are all first class. We only spent four nights here but my wife cried on our last dinner as she never wanted to leave. Courtnee, Brett, Mish, Sips, Oscar, Caswell, Zona (I know I’m misspelling this one) and all others were so great and helpful throughout.

Authenticity & Character

Just an amazing place

Location

It has its own watering hole that is always vibrant with wildlife!

Staff

If I could give them 10 stars we would

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, comfortable, luxurious

The Commodore Hotel

Cape Town

The Commodore was a great hotel in a nice location. Nothing g fancy but a clean place with great staff and amenities

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right by V&A waterfront

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and cozy

Avondrood Luxury Guest House

Franschhoek, Western Cape

Such a cute guesthouse steps from downtown Franschoek. It had a cozy feel with a fire and honesty bar, great rooms, and a lovely staff.

Authenticity & Character

Such a cute main house with a fire each night and lovely, spacious rooms.

Location

Steps from the wine tram and downtown Franschoek

Staff

They went above and beyond d throughout, even packing us take away breakfasts for our early morning trips.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Loved the warm bottles they used to heat up our beds on the cold nights.

Activity Reviews

Half Day Private Table Mountain and City Tour

Cape Town

Our guide, Liz, was amazing. She was extremely knowledgeable and flexible when the weather got in the way of our plans. We felt like she was a third traveler with us rather than an intrusive guide. We didn't get the best weather for our Table Mountain visit, but Liz was able to shuffle things around for us and the experience was still remarkable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Hermanus tour including Whale Cruise

South Africa

The whale cruise was a unique experience. My wife is a big nature and animal lover, so it was a treat for her. It was a bit crowded but still an experience worth having.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day Winelands Tour

South Africa

This was unexpected. We had Liz as our guide again and she provided us with great recommendations for wineries and restaurants. The wineries were incredible, especially the Ernie Els Winery.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Days on Safari

South Africa

The safari was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We were in the middle of nowhere and got up early for the safari. We wished we could have done a few more bushwalks but it was too hot. We spent our days reading and watching the animals come and go from the watering hole.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bianca was very helpful in planning our trip. She was always quick to respond and answer our questions. There were different local tour companies used in the various locations we visited. Some were good, some excellent and others I would not recommend. Camp George a private reserve in Kruger National Park was excellent. Our guide Alex was wonderful as was all the staff at the camp. Sable Tours that did our panoramic tour of Blyde River Canyon I would not recommend using. Our guide seemed to be in a hurry to get us to our hotel instead of showing us the sights. And the next morning our flight was at 11:35 am and they insisted on picking us up at 6:00 am for the airport. We sat at the airport for more than 4 hours. The desk to check luggage and get our boarding passes did not even open until 2 hours after we arrived. We only had 6 people on our flight so we were dropped off early because it was convenient to them not us. Wild Horizons tour company. in Victoria Falls was mixed. Some days they were on time for the tours and other times they were not. Once we waited for 30 minutes and gave up and the people at the hotel took us to the location for our sunset cruise. Paradise Touring in Cape Town was very good. Our guide Farook was great and we would recommend him. Overall it was an enjoyable trip.

Hotel Reviews

Premier OR Tambo Hotel

Nice hotel. Breakfast staff was very good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Convenient you airport.

Staff

Front desk not very welcoming but breakfast staff very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Simbavati - Camp George

The guide and all the staff were wonderful. Always extremely friendly and helpful. Couldn't ask for better service.

Authenticity & Character

Lots of animals to see while at camp and also on the safari.

Location

Convenient for safari.

Staff

All the staff were very welcoming and extremely friendly and helpful. We couldn't have asked for a better experience.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was very clean and comfortable.

Graskop Hotel

Graskop

Only stayed over night but room was alright, nothing great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Convenient for our tour of Blyde River Canyon.

Staff

Helpful. Packed us a very elaborate breakfast to take with us since we had to leave before breakfast started.

Cleanliness & Comfort

A'Zambezi River Lodge

Victoria Falls

Very clean and staff very helpful but room small.

Authenticity & Character

Nice places to sit outside and enjoy the view of the river.

Location

Right beside the Zambezi River.

Staff

All staff were very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms small.

The Victoria & Alfred Hotel

Cape Town

Room was spacious, staff were helpful and breakfast was very good.

Authenticity & Character

Nice facilities.

Location

On the V and A waterfront.

Staff

Very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was good size and everything was very clean.

Activity Reviews

Full Day Private Johannesburg, Apartheid Museum & Soweto Tuk Tuk Tour

South Africa

The Apartheid Museum was closed the day we were there but we went to Constitutional Hill which was interesting. We also enjoyed the traditional lunch and Soweto Tuk Tuk tour.

Quality of Experience

Meeting local people.

Food

Traditional food experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide on time, knowledgeable and friendly.

Transport

Comfortable car.

Afternoon Game Drive

South Africa

Our guide Alex was amazing. He was so knowledgeable about all the animals and plants. We saw all the Big Five plus many, many more. Excellent experience. Would highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Everything was wonderful from the safari to the food and lodging.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Alex was very knowledgeable and friendly and all the staff were extremely friendly and helpful.

Transport

Riding in the Jeep for safari was fun.

Klaserie Game Drive

Klaserie Private Nature Reserve

The safari was great. And our guide was wonderful. All the staff were great.

Quality of Experience

Staff, food and facilities were all great.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Alex was wonderful. We saw lots of animals and he was extremely knowledgeable. All the staff were every friendly and helpful.

Transport

Enjoyed the Jeep for the safari. Alex our guide made sure we had blankets for the chilly mornings.

Final Morning Game Drive

South Africa

This morning game drive was as wonderful as all of them were.

Quality of Experience

Saw lots of animals.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Alex was very knowledgeable and friendly. All the staff were great.

Transport

Enjoyed the Jeep ride. Could get close to the animals. Alex our guide made sure we were comfortable with blankets for the chilly mornings and provided drinks and snacks for the safari trips.

Full Day Panorama Tour

South Africa

The Blyde River Canyon was a beautiful area but our guide did not seem interested in showing us.

Quality of Experience

Better guide.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Need someone interested in showing the area.

Transport

Car was comfortable.

Boma Dinner

Victoria Falls

Nice and enjoyable evening. Wild Horizons tour company was 15 minutes late picking us up to take us to the dinner but once we got there the Boma Dinner was a nice experience.

Quality of Experience

Very traditional. Enjoyed the experience.

Food

Lots of traditional foods to try.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

People at the dinner were very friendly.

Transport

15 minutes late picking us up.

Tour of the falls

Victoria Falls

We were there at a low water time but the falls were still nice.

Quality of Experience

Nice falls.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was good.

Transport

Transport on time.

Sunset cruise

Victoria Falls

Alright if you have extra time. It was cloudy so no sunset the day we went.

Quality of Experience

Better seating.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was fine.

Transport

Our transport company never showed up so hotel people took us there.

Full day Chobe Tour

Victoria Falls

Enjoyed the morning tour on the boat. Afternoon safari there were lots of jeeps around so didn't stay near the animals for long.

Quality of Experience

More private safari.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides were good.

Transport

Because lots of people being transported together we had to wait an extra two hours on the bus at the passport control because a couple of people had problems with their papers.

Full Day Cape Peninsula Tour (excluding lunch)

South Africa

It was probably a beautiful area but our day was cloudy and rainy so we couldn't really see the views. We did enjoy seeing the penguins.

Quality of Experience

Weather did not cooperate.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was great but he couldn't control the weather.

Transport

Car was comfortable.

Full Day Hermanus tour including Whale Cruise

South Africa

We had nice weather and it is a beautiful area. Enjoyed seeing the whales.

Quality of Experience

Beautiful location.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was great.

Transport

Car was comfortable.

Full Day City, Table Mountain & Robben Island Tour (excluding lunch)

South Africa

Robben Island was interesting but were unable to go on Table Mountain because cloudy, rainy and windy. Also weather kept us from getting out and walking around the city.

Quality of Experience

Needed better weather.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was great.

Transport

Car was comfortable.

My husband & I enjoyed a wonderful 5wk journey through Namibia & South Africa thanks to the expert help of Esther! We had a general outline of what we wanted to do, but working with a local company was invaluable. Esther helped us refine & enhance this outine into a wonderful & varied itinerary. In Namibia, we did a 2wk road trip that included the Namib Desert & Damaraland. In South Africa, we spent time in Johannesburg and Cape Town, of course... but also took a fantastic road trip between the two cities! Our hotels (mid/high-range) were excellent, including several that we would not have found on our own. We always had beautiful rooms, and she often had special treats waiting for us upon arrival (welcome notes, bottle of wine) . She also suggested many wonderful excursions that helped us get on & off the beaten path while experiencing both beautiful countries. And Sandra, her lovely concierge, helped us book restaurants and other events... what wonderful people! Our group chat was full of information, humor & timely responses! They both helped make our trip seamless and unforgettable. We recommend Esther very highly!

Kudos to the team for organizing a truly spectacular trip of a lifetime! From my first inquiry with KimKim to the interactions with the local specialist team, communication was flawless. The itinerary was perfect! Anna-marie checked in with us periodically throughout the trip to ensure all was going well. The accommodations were amazing throughout the trip and the activities were perfect. The first safaris out of Simbavati allowed us to see the big five and many other animals. Our tour guide for excursions out of CapeTown (Wendy) - Peninsula/Penguin tour and wine country - was exceptional! Perhaps one of the most memorable was the Pangolin Photo Safari - and we are by no means photographers. The pictures we captured under the expert guidance of Sara will be treasured memories of our trip. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in South Africa and appreciate all of the efforts by the team to make it so. We highly recommend the KimKim/Elgin Africa team!!

Africa was phenomenal! Out specialist Lucy made sure that we had the most incredible experience. She helped us with the planning and was in touch with us while we were there making sure we had no issues. This was my second time using Kimkim and I would definitely use them again.

Hotel Reviews

The Victoria & Alfred Hotel

Cape Town

This hotel was beautiful and in a great location. However, we had a bit of a situation where my friends had money stolen. The hotel said they did an investigation but we felt they could have done more.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Abalone Guest Lodge

Hermanus

We loved this hotel. The location was beautiful, the space was great and we enjoyed walking along the path by the ocean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kapama Buffalo Camp

Hoedspruit

This place was fabulous. The people were very friendly, our guide was great and the accommodations were amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Intercontinental Johannesburg O.R Tambo Airport

Johannesburg

The accommodations were great and the people were nice, but we didn't like the restaurant. The food was too fancy for our liking.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sable Alley

Khwai

We loved this place. It was more rustic and wilderness-like than what we were used to but we liked that. The food was great and the people were nice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day City Tour, Robben Island & Table Mountain

South Africa

I adored Cape Town and our guide was fabulous. He was with us the whole time we were there, taking us to the wine country, Cape Point, and the city. He was very personable and it was great having the same guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cape Peninsula Tour

Cape Town

This was a nice tour, and our guide was excellent. We enjoyed exploring the area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cape Town Wine, Cheese & Chocolate Tour

South Africa

We visited a few different wineries and had cheese at different places. It was not really a wine and chocolate tour, but more of a tasting experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marine Big 5 Boat Tour

Hermanus

This tour was okay. We saw some whales, but we thought we were going to see more and there were a lot of people on the boat. It was fine but not great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Kapama Game Reserve

South Africa

We loved the game reserve. Our guide was good and we enjoyed the accommodations and spa.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Cruise - Signature Deck

Victoria Falls

This was a lot of fun. We really enjoyed the experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Through the eye of an elephant

Victoria Falls

We enjoyed all these activities, especially the elephant sanctuary and Victoria Falls. However, we had issues with the tour company as they were often late

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Activities at Sable Alley

Okavango Delta

We loved Botswana, it was my favorite place. The safari was even better and the Okavango Delta was incredible.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour of Jo'burg & Soweto

South Africa

The tour was interesting and informative, but our guide was quite intense and pushy.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful trip! Everything was great great hotels, great activities, and Anna-marie was awesome! The extra added attention she gave really saved the day when she got my wife some replacement contact lenses for the ones she left at home! The whole Pangolin experience was probably the highlight of the trip and our guide Sara's enthusiasm was infectious. She had us taking some really fun and good pictures and we were complete novices. The most highly recommended part of our trip!

Loved our 10-day trip to South Africa that Petru helped us plan. Highly recommend Franschhoek and the Bush Lodge at Amakhala as the highlights of our trip. Also, loved our guide Zane through Paradise Tours, very knowledgeable and friendly. Zane made us feel safe and added to our overall experience on our honeymoon. We had the trip of a lifetime and would recommend our travel plan to anyone!

My family and I had the pleasure of working with Nadia, from Salty Travel, through our booking on kimkim.
We visited Cape Town, went on safari at Karongwe River Lodge, both in South Africa. We then traveled to Zimbabwe to view the Victoria Falls on the way to safari at Chobe National Park, staying at Chobe Bush Lodge.
Planning the trip with the crew at Salty Travel was very easy. They very informative, answered all my questions in a timely manner, and were good about staying in my budget.
Nadia was with me via WhatsApp through out trip and would always reach out after we changed locations to make sure we had made it to our next destination. We had trouble checking into our hotel in Johannesburg for our overnight on the way to Zimbabwe. I reached out to her and she immediately called and spoke with the front desk at the hotel and got everything sorted out. Anytime I had a question or concern, I could reach out to Nadia and she responded quickly, always happy to help.
We had a trip of a life time! I highly recommended kimkim and Nadia!

All three of us thought this was a truly wonderful trip, beautifully planned by Deb. There were so many high points: In Jo'burg: the Peech Hotel and the tour of Soweto,. The amazing Ivory Wilderness Lodge near Kruger NP and the extraordinary guides Warren ("elephant whisperer") and Shane (infectious enthusiasm). The enjoyable Panorama Route tour. In Cape Town: our excellent tour guide Matthew for both the Cape Peninsula tour (including Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden) and the breathtaking spring flowers in the West Coast NP.
Deb and her team were exceptionally responsive throughout. This was a once in a lifetime experience.

Hotel Reviews

The Peech Boutique Hotel

Johannesburg

A great place to get over jet lag. Staff exceptional.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ivory Wilderness River Rock Lodge

Bushbuckridge

Incredible service way out in the bush. Extraordinary guides. Fine dining among the animals. Our agent, Deb, really pushed this place and she was 100% right.

Authenticity & Character

Slept in rondavels with all the modern conveniences.

Location

Location was great, but it was 2 hours on a bumpy road to reach it.

Staff

Cannot say enough about our guides Warren and Shane--experienced and in love with the animals. The rest of the staff was great too.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hard to believe this was far out in the bush.

Unembeza Boutique Lodge & Spa

Hoedspruit

Very comfortable but had to leave room before our flight pickup. My family loved the private reserve right outside our door.

The Victoria & Alfred Hotel

Cape Town

Very comfortable and great staff though we got one of the smaller rooms with no view.

Authenticity & Character

Fine but not distinctive.

Location

In the center of the V&A waterfront.

Staff

Very responsive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Soweto & Apartheid Museum

Johannesburg

The Soweto tour was led by proud residents who showed us the full spectrum of Soweto. Very educational. The Apartheid Museum was sobering but necessary.

Quality of Experience

Food

Authentic African cuisine.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Soweto tour by Lebo was very informative.

Transport

Tuk tusk were fine, but bumpy.

Arrive at Your Lodge in Kruger & First Game Drive

South Africa

As said in lodging section, a long and bumpy drive, but amazing accommodations out in the bush.

Quality of Experience

See comments in lodging.

Food

Hard to believe this fine dining out in the bush.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I wish there were six stars for this. Up close to animals with someone who loves them.

Transport

Very bumpy, but unavoidable.

A Day in the Kruger Bush with Two Private Game Drives

South Africa

Both drives with the infectiously enthusiastic Shane. Among other animals, saw a lovely parade of elephants.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Another Day in the Kruger with 2 game drives

South Africa

Both drives with Warren, who is extraordinarily knowledgeable. Loves the animals, a true "elephant whisperer." Can't say enough about his quality.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

See above.

Transport

Final morning game drive & next stop

South Africa

A fine finish to an extraordinary experience. Got up close with a lion. Enjoyable Panorama tour, dramatic scenery. Unembeza Lodge was a good way station stop.

Panorama Route Tour

Hoedspruit

Not the most amazing scenery ever, but well worth the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver/guide explained things well.

Transport

Like all the SUVs, comfortable.

Dinner at GOLD Restaurant

Cape Town

Worth the experience, though a little discomfort about cultural appropriation .

Quality of Experience

Very well thought out. Good portions of food. Entertainers could have explained the cultural history of the music and dance at least a little.

Food

A good sampler of African food.

Transport

Explore Table Mountain

Cape Town

It was a little hazy, but glad to have done it.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide Matthew was excellent.

Transport

SUV good as usual.

Cape Peninsula & Penguins

South Africa

Very enjoyable, especially as sun came out at Cape Point.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great guide.

Transport

West Coast Wildflowers Tour - August & September

Cape Town

We were really looking forward to this, and the fields of flowers did not disappoint.

Quality of Experience

The flowers were awesome.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide Matthew knew exactly were to go.

Transport

There are just no words for out trip, it was truly amazing! Everything went seamlessly and Deb and her team were absolutely wonderful to work with. We had wonderful guides, and drivers, and the staff at our lodgings were world-class.

When we told Deb and her team that we wanted to see all the nature that South Africa has to offer and do it within a comfortable setting, they really nailed it. The Tree House Boutique Hotel and the Ivory Wilderness Resort were the perfect places to rest our heads at night and the staff were some of the kindest people I have ever met. Our guides were always on time for our pickups, had so many interesting facts to tell us along our journeys, and really made us feel taken care of. Everyone just went above and beyond to ensure that we had a wonderful time in South Africa.

A huge thanks to Deb and her whole team who constantly checked in on us and even met us in Hermanus and took us to a local winery! I managed to find that wine here in San Francisco and bought a few bottles the other night...what a memory!

When we boarded the plane to go back home, we found ourselves extremely sad to leave this beautiful country and so appreciative that we got to have a once-in-a-lifetime trip as mother and daughter. Seeing all the animals and learning about their daily lives and habits was truly such a pleasure and privilege. It won't be my last trip to South Africa, and I will 100% use Deb and her team again in a heartbeat.

Hotel Reviews

Tree House Boutique Hotel

Cape Town

The staff at this hotel was wonderful! They were constantly eager to please us and make sure we were having a great time. The location was perfect and the rooms were spacious! Their breakfasts were out of this world good! It was so great to feel so taken care of and highly recommend this hotel to any travellers passing though Cape Town!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ivory Wilderness River Rock Lodge

Hoedspruit

There really are no words! When I messaged friends back home to tell them about our days and game drives, they simply could not believe the experience we were having...because they had all been on safaris and not had the personal touches, care, and intimacy with the animals that we were having! We saw so many animals very up close and got to observe their habits and routines. Our guide Craig went above and beyond to answer my constant questions and educate us on the conservation, flora, fauna, and animals from birds to buffalos! I felt like I not only saw the animals but truly understood them after our drives. Prudence, Xoli, Origin, Craig, Warren, the maids and the gardener were outstanding hosts, I really cannot emphasize enough how kind and attentive they were. This is an intimate lodge with only 6 rondavels, so it was perfect to experience the authenticity of the area and really gave us a chance to get to know the staff well. Origin made the most delicious and nutritious meals for us and Xoli and Prudence somehow always knew what you needed and wanted. I am so incredibly grateful that Deb and her team chose this lodge for us as it really was magical!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Lunch at Crofter's Kitchen

Cape Town

Nicky is amazing! DO NOT MISS THIS ACTIVITY! She welcomed us into her kitchen and made us a 6 course meal that was out of this world! She also walked us through her garden where we tasted leaves, flowers, and berries and we even got to take home a spice blend from her! This was so special...a must do!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport