This Operator Reviews
21.
| Client: | Kate Smith - from United Kingdom |
| Trip: | currently unavailable |
| Rating: |  rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | I would thoroughly recommend the tour operator. The staff were knowledgeable, friendly. The accommodation was fab and the food was superb. I saw three of the BIG 5 and many more interesting birs and animals. Well- satisfied. |
22.
| Client: | John & Diana Tass - from United Kingdom |
| Trip: | currently unavailable |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | My wife Diana and I had a wonderful Safari. Neil was a wonderful ambassador for the Kruger and his intimate knowledge of animal behaviour, his patience and advice brought great rewards in seeing the real Kruger and its wildlife. We were not there to ‘tick boxes’ but to have a first-hand experience and knowledge of the natural history of the area. The back-up service, camp facilities and cooking arrangements ‘al fresco’ suited us down to the ground, and the fact that we had to be up with the animals at the break of dawn was a very rewarding experience. I would recommend anyone who wanted to see the real Kruger and experience the Natural History first-hand to join Neil in one of his future adventures (safaris). Gordon, who cooked for us and provided the back-up logistics support was a great character. Full marks, we would love to do it again! PS. Great value for money! |
23.
| Client: | Jo Preston - from Australia |
| Trip: | Private Family Safari to Kruger National Park |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | A holiday of a lifetime that we will remember always. It was a pleasure to meet Neil who gave us not just the “big 5” but so much more. From teaching our two boys how to track, to an afternoon of bird watching, the beautiful flora and of course the “big 5”. To Gordon who treated us like kings and always had a big breakfast for us and amazing braai’s at night not to mention fantastic conversation and lots of laughs. And of course Tina, without her none of this would have run as smoothly as it did. She was a pleasure to deal with, very professional and so well organised that everything went off without a hitch. I would highly recommend them to anyone and everyone, in fact I already have. |
24.
| Client: | Lesley Abbott - from Australia |
| Trip: | 15-Day North to South Adventure Kruger Safari |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | Going on Safari with them was the most awsome, exciting, mind blowing and educational experience of my lifetime. I have travelled extensively throughout the world for many years. I travelled to Churchill Canada recently where I observed and photographed Beluga Whales and Polar Bears which at the time was the best thing I had experienced....but then I went on safari in the Kruger! THAT experience far exceeded my expectations. Coming from as far away as Australia...it was amazing to see such wonderful wildlife and indeed to be educated by Neil about the animals, people and environment of the Kruger. I appreciated his willingness to share his passion and knowledge with us and I loved listening to his stories of life in the Kruger National Park. I feel happy, thankful and lucky that I chose to experience the wonders of the Kruger with them and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone interested in experiencing a safari in South Africa. |
25.
| Client: | Kiran Nathan - from Singapore |
| Trip: | Private Family Safari to Kruger National Park |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | We had a wonderful trip and a highly memorable safari and would recommend this operators services highly. They customised the whole 6 day trip for us, keeping in mind our family profile - a couple (aged 41yrs), 2 kids (aged 31/2 and 71/2 yrs) and granny (aged 72 years). We had 4 days of guided game drives in open air safari vehicles, and a day of sightseeing and visiting the Moholoholo animal sanctuary, and a day of free and easy activities. We were able to see the Magnificent 7, and Neil kept us well-informed about the wildlife and flora in the park, got us great positions for fabulous photos, as well as kept us safe even with such close proximity to the wildlife. |
26.
| Client: | Manfred and Sylvia - from Canada |
| Trip: | currently unavailable |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | Our safari was the best experience ever. We saw every animal we could think of, the pride of lions was great. We loved to learn all about the different animals Behavior. Neil was very knowledgeable. If he didn’t know something we had inquired about he would find out and let us know. Everything from the Impala to the elephants was a wonder. Right from our trip from the gate upon entering we started with the impala and even saw a lion on our first day. We learned what a maulk charge and a rhino charge was all about. We always felt Neil knew what he was doing and kept us safe. Both him and Gord have a unique sense of humor which we both enjoyed. The weather was perfect as we came from 30 below to 30 above. We saw wild dogs, rhinos, hippos, hyenas, giraffes, kudos, buffalo, impala, lions, leopard, jackals, zebra, sable antelope, wart hog, elephant, so many birds I can’t mention. The bush was beautiful as well. Gord fed us like kings and queens. The food was great, and was served wine at super. It was great coming back from a game drive or walk and have a nice cold beer. Gord always made sure we were taken care of. Hats off to you both. There was so many animals I am sure I didn’t list some but that didn’t make them any less important in our eyes. It’s a beautiful country and I would like to return some day. Our memory of Neil telling a joke and the hippo laughing was priceless. Our accommodations were very nice as I was expecting to ruff it. Thanks again we will think of this trip often Manfred and Sylvia Edmonton ab Canada |
27.
| Client: | Allen lewis - from Puerto Rico (US) |
| Trip: | currently unavailable |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | My wife and I enjoyed a four day trip in Kruger. The booking details were handled expertly by Neil's wife, Tina, who also helped us arrange an initial overnight in Nelspruit at the lovely Jorn's Gastehaus with transportation to the park the next morning. Upon reaching Skukuza at noon Neil met us, showed us our room and gave us a quick orientation to the rest camp's facilities. After lunch he took us on our first safari drive in his comfortable open vehicle. We had indicated a special interest in birds which Neil was happy to accommodate. He knew many of the birds by sound and knew where we should be looking. After two nights at Skukuza we transferred to Berg en Dal. The trip was a success in every way. The pace was comfortable with time to appreciate every creature. By mutual agreement we were on the road by 5:30 AM each morning, exploring until early afternoon and then again after lunch with a night drive arranged for us on the last night. With limited time we chose to stay in the southern portion of the park where we saw the Big Five, most of the Small Five, and the Intermediate Twenty or So (this is meant to be humor; we saw a great diversity of mammals). We also saw over 150 species of birds from tiny cisticolas and crombecs to huge ground-hornbills and seven species of eagles. Throughout we benefited from Neil's deep love of Kruger, his knowledge of its wildlife, and his awareness of the broader issues of conservation. He was tireless in his efforts to make sure that we experienced the magic of the place. He was not just an excellent guide, but a gracious host. |
28.
| Client: | JP and Patricia Vanderschueren - from Belgium |
| Trip: | currently unavailable |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | well, what can we say... I have made Safari's in several countries over Africa and jungle treks in Central- and South America and in the Far East. Neil has a fantastic tailor made safari operation. the accommodations were excellent, and the fact that the group is limited to 6 people, gives it a very intimate character. Even tough we were only six, several of us had our little "interests" and "passions", and , being in the "customer service business" Myself, I was amazed how Neil and his right arm and cook, Gordon (this cook is a wizard - incredible what he can do in the bush), went out of their way to suit the (nutritious and interest) needs of everybody. As I said, I am not knew to having wildlife experiences, but the way that Neil "reads" the bush and animal behavior is beyond words. we can only recommend the safari operator to everybody who wants an "off the beaten tracks" experience in South Africa, in Kruger. We will definitely come back and book our stay in Kruger again with this tour operator. |
29.
| Client: | Don and Sue Zmarzty - from United Kingdom |
| Trip: | 15-Day North to South Adventure Kruger Safari |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | This is my wife and I's second trip sourced through Africa Guide and both have been excellent. Our trip was thoroughly enjoyable. We'd just enjoyed an amazing 5 days in Sabi Sands in a private lodge and had some fabulous experiences so were somewhat doubtful whether the Kruger Safari could come up to expectations. We needn't have worried! Neil is an excellent guide and great company on safari as well as having everything organised extremely well. We managed to see all that we had hoped for wildlife wise and all enhanced by Neil's experience and anecdotes following his many years in the bush. He and Gordon, his excellent assistant, even managed to cater for our vegetarian diet with a good variety of different meals. We would definitely like to travel with Neil again and would certainly use Africa Guide as a starting point for sourcing future Africa trips. |
30.
| Client: | Rebecca Churchill - from United Kingdom |
| Trip: | currently unavailable |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | The operator went out of their way to help me find an appropriate Safari to match the dates I was in South Africa for. I was booking this from another country, not my home and they made sure I only went with a company they trusted and they did a very good job. I had an excellent walking safari and saw some fanastic game. The guides went out of their way to make sure we saw the big 5 and we spent most of our time out on the reserves, which was fabulous. |
31.
| Client: | James Trickett - from Japan |
| Trip: | currently unavailable |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | We inquired about a safari through The Africa Guide website on short notice. The operator immediately tried to accommodate our itinerary and offered us a four-day safari in Kruger park. It would be the two of us and our guide, Neil, for the duration of the trip. They helped us arrange transportation from Nelspruit airport and that was fine. Neil met us at the gate, welcomed us and took us for our first game drive that afternoon, where we saw an adult lion resting at sunset. The following days were filled with sightings of beautiful animals out in their natural environment. In the mornings, we would be out as soon as possible when the park gates opened. Neil prepared flasks of coffee for our mid-morning break and offered us the best homemade rusks. During the game drives Neil spoke of the animals, their behaviors, and their habitat. He was incredibly knowledgeable and showed great respect for the animals and their environment. We saw and learned so much. We would most definitely go on safari again with them. |
32.
| Client: | Gorm, Laila and Niels - from Singapore |
| Trip: | currently unavailable |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | We liked very much what Neil was saying about The Kruger National Park and his own safari tours. No doubt that he knows what he is talking about. He is running not only a safari tour, but also as an educational experience as well. His knowledge and experience made us fell touched and we gained understanding about this fantastic environment. It was a very memorable tour, fantastic in every aspect, and we would do it all over again. |
33.
| Client: | Patty Seabock - from United States |
| Trip: | Cape + Kruger Safari |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | The tour operator was outstanding. Neil took every effort to make sure all our needs were met. We saw the big five including the elusive leopard (not once but twice). Our cook, Gordon was an excellent cook. Because they specializes in small groups, the safari becomes very personal. By the end of the trip, you are saying goodbye to good friends with fond memories. I highly recommended them. |
34.
| Client: | Kelly & Joe - from United States |
| Trip: | currently unavailable |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | Our safari exceeded our expectations in every way possible. From the start, Tina promptly address all our questions and concerns. She was in touch with us every step of the way. Neil, our guide, was fantastic. We could not have asked for a better man to teach us about the bush. His knowledge and understanding of the animals and their behavior was so impressive. He was also very in tune to our feelings and emotions. Nothing was too much trouble. Gordon, our cook, prepared a fabulous spread at every meal. Again, our every need was attended too. We would highly recommend this safari operator. We hope to make the trip again some day ourselves. |
35.
| Client: | Sue Hill - from Australia |
| Trip: | currently unavailable |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | We have just returned from South Africa. Neil and Tina provided exactly what my family and I were seeking in terms of a Kruger Park Safari. We were not sure how the trip would pan out given we had two young children with us but it couldn't have been easier. Neil's commentary during the drives really worked in keeping them interested - not an easy feat when you are out driving around for several hours at a time. During our trip I saw other larger groups on tour and thanked my lucky stars every time that I was not with them!! This operator is perfect for anyone wanting a personalised smaller group or family safari. I must say that from the first email contact I had, through all the planning stages e.g. what type of meals we would like, what did the children drink etc and throughout the trip their attention to detail was fantastic We have already recommended them to other people and by the way I found your site really useful too |
36.
| Client: | Norma Snipas - from United States |
| Trip: | currently unavailable |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | Booking this safari was very easy since the lines of communication were always open between me and the tour operator. The response time to my queries was immediate. It was the most fabulous safari imaginable!! Our guide, Neil, was very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna of the Kruger. We learned much about the animals' life styles, their foot prints and how to track them, and about the predator/prey relationships. We were very fortunate to have seen very many animals- even some of the rarer ones like the wild dogs. Our drives were leisurely and very successful. We learned about the various species of trees and the multiple uses of each tree. Many birds were pointed out to us- they were beautiful. We booked the luxury safari and could not have asked for anything better. The accommodations were fantastic- gorgeous locations and very comfortable surroundings. Our chef, Marco, was excellent. We were catered to in every way- from being served refreshments in our vehicle to the many deluxe meals at the sites. The night at Blyde River Canyon was awesome. We enjoyed the ride from Kruger since the scenery was spectacular. Visiting the small towns and stops along the way was very interesting in that we were able to see the native tradespeople displaying and selling their wares. I would recommend this safari to everyone. It was the most remarkable holiday we ever enjoyed!!! |
37.
| Client: | Edwina Cameron - from Australia |
| Trip: | Private Family Safari to Kruger National Park |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | I don’t need a paragraph, just one word..... fabulous! Neil and his team looked after us like gold. We were looked after very well, enjoyed great food & comfortable accommodation. For me, the best part about our trip was Neil’s ability to share his incredible knowledge of animal behaviours with us, we learnt so much & now appreciate how the animals live together . It made a good holiday into an amazing one. His choice of lodges was great - each was small, so we were not fighting other tourists for space in Kruger, they were quiet and we felt like we totally away from civilization, one night we even heard lions roaring very close by! My children are still talking about the differences in animal tracks, animals and their behaviours, what a fabulous trip. I would recommend this safari to anyone chasing a memorable visit to Kruger. |
38.
| Client: | Odile Bulten - from South Africa |
| Trip: | currently unavailable |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | The level of service that was provided by the safari operator was of the utmost professionalism. I contacted them to arrange a holiday for my friends who would be visiting from the Caribbean. Despite, a late request to arrange the safari, Tina, managed to secure accommodation, when everything was already fully booked in most lodges for the Easter holiday, and to organise a private safari for a short stay. Her advice regarding packing and health precautions that should be taken when travelling in a malaria-infected area, were most welcome. When I could not secure a flight for my friends from Cape Town to Nelspruit, because again all flights were fully booked for the Easter holiday, she even went the extra mile by facilitating plane bookings with a local travel agent to ensure that my friends would reach Nelspruit on time to drive to the Kruger Park. I was amazed at her flexibility, service-oriented mind and most of all her persistence in not giving up even when things seemed impossible to resolve. Unfortunately, my friends did not make it to South Africa, due to unexpected health problems of one of them, thus, she had to be disembarked from the plane before leaving from the Caribbean. When I informed the tour operator that I had to cancel all bookings, Tina suggested and offered all possible alternatives, including to hold the bookings until my friend would feel better to travel, so as to avoid a heavy financial loss to my friends due to cancellation. Since it was impossible to postpone the trip, and all bookings were cancelled in the end, Tina provided me with all the necessary administrative requirements for my friends to file a claim for reimbursement with their travel insurance. Now, I don't know many agents or companies who would be so concerned about their clients, and assist them until the end. Until today, Tina has repeatedly told me that she would remain available at any time, should my friends require additional documentations for their claim. So, definitely, I would give a big bunch of thumbs up to them for their professionalism, flexibility, service-oriented attitude, and most of all their friendly and caring service. I have personally expressed to Tina my full appreciation for the quality of service she has provided as well as her competence and professionalism. |
39.
| Client: | Annali-Joy - from United Kingdom |
| Trip: | Private Family Safari to Kruger National Park |
| Rating: | rating 5/5 |
| Comment: | The safari operator gave our family the holiday of a lifetime. They could not have been more attentive in looking after us. We have a five year old son as well as two teenage children and all our needs were taken into account from the moment we were met at the airport until we left South Africa. The safari was well planned and appropriate for our needs. Neil was a very informative and competent guide and tailored the game drives to suit our family. We saw much of the wildlife in the Kruger and learned a lot about animal behaviour. We would certainly recommend the company to others. |
40.
| Client: | Dave Mayes - from South Africa |
| Trip: | Cape + Kruger Safari |
| Rating: |  rating 4.5/5 |
| Comment: | We did have a very fine holiday with Neil and his company. The accommodations were luxurious and the bush food was excellent – I even brought home some recipe ideas. We learned a lot about animal behavior and the ecology of the park from our guide (Neil) who worked very hard to help us experience the wild. We saw lots of animals, but my wife wasn’t too excited about the hyena kill we witnessed within 10 feet of our vehicle. In retrospect, we would have liked to have experienced one game walk; six days is a long time for us to go without exercise. I certainly can recommend the tour operator and their very professional services. |
