Testimonials

Hi Sandie

 I just wanted to thank you and the team at Destinations Africa for organising our trip over the last couple of weeks.

We had a fabulous experience without any hitches or stress.  At every stage we were met by friendly people who seemed intent on making us feel welcome and made sure we arrived safely at the various locations.

The camps we stayed at were outstanding and we have brought back unforgettable memories.

 Thanks again for your professional guidance and assistance.

 Geoff and Annette.

Maurice and I had planned to email you and send some photos (will do hopefully later this week) to thank you for the wonderful experience you organised for us and especially for recommending Savanna.  It was everything you said and more.

We absolutely loved everything about it and cannot wait to return. We had Paddy as our guide and he was fabulous. You really start to bond and feel like a family spending so much time together and then you have to leave. We will have to make sure that next time we stay for a week and no less :)

We really appreciate everything you did for us and everywhere we stayed and all the activities organised was spot on and truly and unforgettable holiday.

Thank you again and as mentioned we will email you some photos shortly.

Regards,

Teresa Randello

Just want to let you know that Lindsay and I have had the most amazing experiences of a lifetime – and yes, as promised, it all really did take our breath away!

Our accommodation at the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge was just fabulous – a terrific view of the waterhole from our room and a lovely feel to the whole place.  We enjoyed having dinner overlooking the waterhole where we saw our first elephants drinking at night.  We kept our binoculars handy to get close up views of the different animals that visited the waterhole.  This was so exciting.

Helicopter over the Victoria Falls was great….but not as great as actually walking along near the falls, hearing them and getting wet from them….they were really something….as were the monkeys along the pathway.

Our elephant ride was one of the highlights of our trip – Lindsay couldn’t believe how good it was as he had been a little tentative about it all.   The whole experience was wonderful – especially feeding the elephants at the end!  Our elephant had two young ones that came for the walk with us – and we even now have an copy of our elephant’s footprint to hang on the wall.

We actually saw elephants swimming across the Zambezi River while we drank Zambezi beer on the Sundowner cruise….cool!

So we had our appetites wet and were ready for our safari.  The only part of the itinerary that we would probably skip if we did it again would be the Panorama tour – even though the country was beautiful and I really enjoyed the market places at each stop – we couldn’t wait to get to our safari and see more animals.

So of course, the biggest highlight of all was our Savanna Private Game Park experience!  It was unbelievably good – it really did take our breath away – not only the game drives and animals, the staff and the accommodation and food – just awesome!  We were blown away when we were taken to our room – we were honestly speechless – such luxury!

The game drives were an amazing experience and we were so sad when they had to come to an end.  We learnt so much from our ranger, David, who looked after us so well as did all the staff who made you feel so special all the time.  Our first animal sighting was of a leopard – we’ll never forget it – she was hidden in the long grass – very still – then suddenly she moved – and Lindsay and I held our breath!  What an amazing sight – she got up and walked out into the open and posed for us – so beautiful!!  We couldn’t believe a leopard was so close to us. This was definitely one of the most memorable experiences for us – our first leopard sighting!  We then saw a lion calling for her one year old cubs – who came out of the grass and they all went to drink at a waterhole!   So that was just the beginning and we saw so much more – elephants (large numbers), giraffes, rhinos, hippos, (especially the performing hippo that showed us his huge yawn over and over again), hyenas, warthogs, water buffalo, wilderbeast, Impala, Kudu, Nyala, zebras, a whole pride of lions with different aged cubs playing with each other, quite a few more leopards and one in a tree! etc etc…..I did keep a log – just as well as there was so much to remember.    Meal times were a pleasure and the Africans who came to sing to us on some of the nights were wonderful.  This park was an experience never to be forgotten – we have some wonderful photos and videos to help keep the memories alive.

Our train trip went well and we enjoyed being able to just sit for awhile and enjoy the scenery.  Cape Town was as beautiful as everyone says and our accommodation overlooking the waterfront  was great.  At first we had a room at the top with a sloping ceiling like an attic and only 2 small windows facing upwards.  So we asked if there were any other rooms we could have when we returned from the wineries and they moved us to the first floor where the view was just amazing!!  Made such a difference.   We saw a lot of Cape Town and surrounding areas….very handy having the car at this point.

We loved the wineries and especially enjoyed sipping wine at Le Petite Ferme winery with a view to die for.  Our accommodation here was also lovely and we enjoyed a beautiful meal with lots of different wine tastings to go with each course.  We had lunch at Boschendale as recommended by you and it was wonderful.  Such a beautiful place.

We also made it to the gymnastics and the two Australian Teams won their events and Kristy won bronze on both bars and beam – so it was all a great success.  The girls managed to do lots in between their gymnastics and thoroughly enjoyed themselves and the new places to see and experience.

So we feel as though we have had the holiday of a lifetime and have been thoroughly spoilt along the way. 

Thank-you so much for organizing such an amazing trip and making it all happen for us at such short notice.  It was very comforting to arrive in a new spot and be greeted by someone and looked after – that made it all so much easier and everything went so smoothly – even my bag made it back to me after its little sideways journey!

So thank-you to both of you once again,

Joy and Lindsay

I want to thank you all for your time, effort and dedication in creating an amazing itinerary. You not only captured the essence of Africa but also gave me a snapshot of every place I visited from various experiences, lodges, camps and adventures.  
 
It can be quiet overwhelming not having the slighest idea where to start as Africa is a destination like no other. From the begining to the end every step was well planned and organised. I never once doubted anything or felt I didn't know what was going on. 
 
Many people have asked me what was the highlight? In all honesty, every place I visited was a highlight, unique in it's own way but to see a kill, that topped the cake - it's something you only see on National Geographic - Amazing!!!
 
Today I look back at the photo's and it feels so surreal but this I know forsure, I'll be back!     
 
Cheers,
Said Sattout

Dear Sandie and John,

We are now home from our amazing trip to Eastern Africa - we had the most wonderful holiday. Brad and I enjoyed the Safaris so much especially at Governors Il Moran and Serengeti Bushtops. All our guides, butlers, hosts, guards etc were absolutely faultless with their service and care and they were so friendly and engaging. The Mara, especially at Governors Il Moran, was bursting full of wonderful wild life and we had one amazing experience after another. Serengeti Bushtops was the most fantastic place that we have ever stayed at and the North Eastern Serengeti is magnificently beautiful. We were fortunate enough to witness 4 river crossings: one was absolutely huge as thousands of Wildebeest thundered across the river and one where the Zebras crossed with the Wildebeest. They were very dramatic and awe inspiring occurrences.

Brad and I loved Arusha Coffee lounge and we both successfully summited Mt Kilimanjaro without too much ill effect from the altitude. It was probably one of the most difficult things that we have done but we had the most wonderful team of guides, porters, cook and washer-up boy to help us. Our guides Isaack and Nixon were exceptional and took amazing care of us all of the time. Climbing the massive mountain was a very special and incredible achievement for us.

Zanzibar was a lovely relaxing end to our stay (we did very much appreciate John's good advice that we spend the night of the climb at Arusha before travelling to Zanzibar the next day).

Every connection and small flight that you organised ran like clock work and it was a joy to arrive at all our various places to find a smiling person waving a card with our name.

Our only slight disappointment was the Ngorongoro Crater. Given the drought it was very very dry and there was not too much to be seen. We did see Rhinos and flamingos but only as tiny dots in the distance. Ngorongoro needs to be visited in Feb - March when it is wet and hot to see it in all its glory. The animals at the drinking holes was interesting but once again we had to view from afar.

Thank you so much for doing such a wonderful job organising and helping us with our trip. Your service and help has been of the most impressive and high standard and it is with great pleasure that we will recommend you to as many people as possible.

And yes we are going back to Africa. This time to South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. Sadly it won't be for a few years but we will contact you when the time is right. This time the children come too!!

Kindest regards and great memories

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Dear Sandie,

Hope you have been well. I can say I have started to settle back into the daily grind and churn of what constitutes reality but constantly dream of returning to South Africa!

Firstly, I would like to say a huge thank you to you and your counterparts in SA for making my trip truly memorable. Every single aspect of the holiday ran smoothly. It was well organised and my family raved about the quality of the hotels and professionalism of the tour guides.

Could I make a special mention about Savanna and SEAL. They were real standouts for me and would definitely recommend them to anyone looking to travel to SA for the experience of a lifetime.

At Savanna from the moment we arrived I knew the experience was going to be special. We had a wonderfully accommodating ranger (Greg) who was extremely knowledgeable about all the animals (loved the fact that he had a degree in zoology!) and was happy to bush bash through the undergrowth to find us wildlife. Our tracker (Nordic) had the most amazing abilities in spotting animals. The host Kelly and butler Sandile graced us with their presence in the evenings and provided much banter and laughter to dinner conversations. There was nothing more special than arriving back in the room after the evening game drive to find the hot tub ready with a glass of sherry. I think every single member of my family was so excited we phoned each other up to rave about the experience. To Savannah, thank you so much. You had three generations visiting your lodge and you managed to make each and every generation enjoy their stay – that is truly commendable. We became closer as a family because of this stay, so thank you very much.

To SEAL expeditions – I am so glad things went wrong with the previous company I was booked to go with – because I would not have done my first Sardine Run with you otherwise! Thank you for a most amazing experience. The professionalism of your crew members was exceptional. This was certainly the most challenging launch I had encountered in 12 years of diving but with the adherence to high levels of safety never once did I feel anyone was at risk. Nic’s operation runs like clockwork in tough conditions and that is commendable. Thank you to my skipper and dive master (BJ and Matt) without whom I would not have experienced my first swim with humpbacks and dolphins. I admired your patience and tenacity. Every single member of the crew played a crucial role in the team and showed their dedication and commitment to their job – a sign of true teamwork and kudos to Nic for selecting the right mix of people. I will be back for the Sardine Run and there is no other entity I would do it with.

Once again Sandie, John and the Destinations Africa team, you made me fall in love with South Africa, thank you so much for the experience. I know where to go for my next trip there in the future.

Best,

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Hi Sandie,

Hugh and I have been saying to each other that our Kenyan holiday is possibly the best one we have ever had! We just loved it! The people, the animals, the safaris, the guides, the guards, the tent, the camp, the scenery, the 4WDs, the food, the service, Kenyan coffee, Tusker beer .... just amazing. We have taken thousands of photos.

We would like to congratulate Destinations Africa on your wonderful organisational skills – everything ran as clockwork. Guides, links, etc, all there when promised, luggage waiting for us at Giraffe Manor (what a gem!!), chatty Albatros Travel drivers (Morfett and then Godfrey), great Nairobi hotel in the Southern Sun although we did wonder if the stop/start traffic was ever going to let us get there!!

Words are useless to describe how we feel. It exceeded our expectations. We felt safe. We felt very spoiled. We felt privileged to be able to see that lovely world. We felt humbled listening to the little comments and stories from the guides about their own lives and dreams.

So we can only say thank you a million times for organising everything for us and for your prompt responses to emails, questions, etc. We were SO lucky we found Destinations Africa on the internet when we first decided to go to Kenya.

Many, many thanks once again

PS Hardly any mozzies, doxycycline tablets did not make us sick (no effect at all) and so far no malaria!!!!
PS Kenya was so good we almost forgot we had spent the previous week in Venice!!

Kind Regards

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“What a big day today. We did the elephant safari and then walked down
 to Victoria Falls in both cases getting extremely wet and yet both
 were well worth the effort. Then with a quick freshen up and dry off
 ready to go out for our helicopter flight over the falls, again another
 indescribable experience.

Yes you are right you have definitely saved the best until last. All my dreams of seeing the various animals has happened. Just one small wish left and that is to see a group of giraffes. Have seen one but would like to see a group. Hopefully I am not being too demanding.

Savanna is simply incredible. I don’t know how to describe it and do it justice and Paddy has been simply wonderful as have all the people here in trying to ensure our needs are met.

Thanks to all of you for arranging such a wonderful experience for us, something we definitely would not have been able to do on our own.

Carol and Frank McGowan very much enjoying their African Safari.”

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Hi Sandie,

Everything went well! I really enjoyed Victoria falls and the pick ups were all there on time. I even met two Australian girls that also went through Destinations Africa at Victoria Falls.

All the activities were all booked and I even decided to do the gorge jump on my last day!

Thank you for all your help and advice. Africa is definitely a place I would really want to go back to.

Kind Regards,

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Dear John & Sandy,

Well what can we say. FANTASTIC. Everything went exactly to plan. Right from our very first game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater. It was so exciting to see so many animals in one place. Also the beautiful sight of hundreds of flamingos on the lake. Marco was our Driver/Guide in Tanzania and he was wonderful. His knowledge of animals and birds was brilliant.  It was sad leaving him at the Kenyan border after travelling with him for 10 days. Lukuba Island on Lake Victoria was beautiful, with just the sound of the waves at night to put you to sleep. Food and service on the
island was excellent.

After a very bumpy drive from kenya border(about 4 hours), we arrived at Karen Blixen Camp in the Masai Mara National Park. What a great place, right on the river with its resident hippos. Also, during the day there were many other animals  coming down to the river to drink. All the staff at the camp were wonderful. A highlight of this area was spending the morning at a rhino sanctuary and walking with a guide in the bush and being about 6 feet from white rhinos. It was great to have a break from game driving and then head to Zanzibar. Stone Town was really interesting and we learned much more about the town by going on a walking tour.

Then we headed down to Cape Town.  This is a beautiful city with great shopping and restaurants.

The Victoria & Alfred Hotel was lovely and very central to many attractions. We had a great full day tour down to the Cape of Good Hope and the wineries. After our little r & r break it was back to game driving in the Makalali Private Game Reserve. It was a lovely lodge with great staff and we had lots of fun with our driver and tracker (Lynette & Jan). We really enjoyed our early morning special coffee with "Amarula" mixed in.(I brought some home from duty free). Our last wonderful 4 night stay was at Savanna Private Game Reserve. This lodge is absolutely fantastic. It was the "icing on the top" of our fabulous holiday. They thought of everything and it was amazing to come back at night after game driving to a candlelit hot bubble bath and a glass of sherry. Neil and Tash are wonderful and all the staff are so helpful. Neil was our guide and was always willing to help us to get the best pictures. Up until now we had not seen leopards and cheetahs up close. Neil fulfilled our wishes with great viewing of both animals. They were absolutely beautiful.  We had a lot of laughs with Neil making our game drives really enjoyable. On our last night we were surprised with a bush dinner. The food was fabulous and we were entertained by local singers and dancers. We were really sad to be leaving this lodge, it was unbelievable.

All our lodges and game drives were very different which made every place exciting.  We saw many different landscapes and the  animals in different situations. The food and service was absolutely brilliant.

Our Lion Encounter and Elephant Back Safari and Zimbabwe were great days. We have the dvd's to prove it. It was really exciting to be able to touch these animals.

Thanks John & Sandy for having such a great itinerary together for us. John, we took your advice of never missing a game drive. Something different happened every time. We had a wonderful five weeks in Africa and would love to go back again.

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Hello John & Sandie,

We're living in the lap of luxury here in Savanna - our last full day of this wonderful trip that you put together for us all. I just wanted to let you know that we have had an absolute ball and every day has been a new experience. The places you have chosen for us have all been so different and so interesting, as well as being laden with adventure, and both Jim & I have really enjoyed seeing Africa this way.

We move on to Egypt tomorrow for another 2 weeks and as we may not see another computer I'm grabbing this moment (between eating, playing with rhino and breathing in the ambience) to let you know that all has gone well and to thank you so much for such an innovative adventure.

Talk again when we return to OZ.

Regards,

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Hi John

Christine and I just wanted to drop you a line to thank you and the Team (Sandy and Faye) for the fantastic African experience you arranged for us. We had a great adventure and a wonderful holiday.

Your itinerary gave us a very special insight into the wonders of Southern Africa and we feel very privileged to have the opportunity to have seen so much in such a short period of time. The Big 7 in one morning game drive in Sabi Sands was something very special and will be a treasured memory.

A BIG THANK YOU for a job very well done.

Cheers,

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Hi Sandie

Just a quick email to say thank you for your assistance and expertise in organising our African Adventure!

My 12 year old son and I had a fantastic time and saw everything we wanted to see. We felt safe and well looked after at each stage. Exactly what I was after!

Both Kapama and Motswari were spectacular and unique!  The staff were very friendly and helpful. The food and settings were magnificent – and we made friends around the world with other guests from Germany, America, England and Brazil.

We got up close and personal with the big five and more!  It was wonderful to see the Lions on the hunt (catching and killing) and the Leopards! We saw a big cat every day!  This for us, far outweighed the many other magnificent animals we saw – Elephant, Rhino, Hippo, Giraffe and Zebra. We even glimpsed the very rare spotted Civet along with some endangered wild dogs in the Timbavati!

The visit to the Endangered Species Centre was well worth it and so much value for money!  A “furry feel good” for the trip!  Although we did not glimpse the Cheetah in the wild – the experience here made up for it!

The highlight of the trip would have to be the last day when we stopped to re-visit some male lions on a kill from the previous day. As we stopped to take photos a large male leopard came wandering up on the other side of the vehicle – he sat about 2 meters away from the car and looked at us – then he saw the Lion on the other side of the vehicle – it was amazing to watch these two magnificent animals stare off at each other!

I was able to relax to the full not having to worry about the details. All the transfers worked wonderfully and I did not have to worry about anything! 

I will send you some snaps when I have worked my way through the 1500+ photos we took during our ten day adventure!

 I have to say it is not the easiest thing for a mother to relax when travelling with her precious child to a country such as South Africa! But thanks to you I was able to do it!

Many thanks

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Returning to some normality...haven't had rain for 3weeks, just hot African sun...what have you done????

We are planning our next trip already...in 3 years to Botswana and Vic Falls...the Wilsons want to come as well.....so diarise 2013 for Masson/Wilson trip!!! 

Attached are a few photo's of "Girls on Matemo" summiting the coctail list!!! 

We really enjoyed our holiday and want to thank you for all the organising you did to make it a success and so enjoyable....I could die and be left at Selous forever!!!
 
Regards,

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Hi Sandie,

Got back in one piece it was a great holiday. We saw all the big five multiple times and a lot of other animals even wild dogs now gone from Serengeti. Governors and Sabi where stand outs but all was excellent. I recommend Giraffe manor to anyone lots of fun.

Only issue was were we were not aware of weight restrictions on bags on internal flights and flying business class and being in Dubai before hand and shopping made us overweight. Your land agents stored our bags so the problem was solved.

Also now in Kenya you have to use US notes later than 2000 and some places 2006

Haven't had a chance to go thru over 3000 photos thank god for digital

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Thank you for your welcome home email, and apologies for not responding sooner…been a bit tied up with the back-log at work.  Yes, we all had a fantastic time.  Each day seemed to hold its own amazing moment, from seeing a pride of lion with cubs within a couple of metres, a leopard walking alongside the vehicle as we drove along the road, to being between a couple of young lion and a very agitated herd of buffalo!  Of course the elephants are always a joy to watch, as are the hippos and giraffe.  We were so spoilt in all the things we saw, our daily challenge was not just to see the Big 5, but everything else AND their babies…. and we almost did!!

The accommodation was brilliant, the guides were absolutely wonderful, and even the weather was kind to us…so thank you again for putting it all together for us.  It was a great itinerary…Lukuba Island was fantastic….we even considered applying for the position of manager but the new manager there was reluctant to vacate the position!  The villages we encountered as we travelled from one area to another were also really interesting, as well as seeing the Masai living as they have for centuries.  Our guide in the Masai Mara was actually a Masai and he took us to visit his home village on market day…not another tourist in sight….it was a real treat.

So we have lots of photos but haven’t had a chance to go through them properly yet. If I come across any super-amazing ones when I’m editing them, I will definitely send them on to you.

Kind regards.

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Hi Sandie,

We had an absolutely fantastic time in Africa. It's was the best holiday I've ever had in my life and well worth the money spent on it.

The first stop in Victoria Falls Hotel was absolutely awesome...sort of 'unreal' if you know what I mean. The elephant ride was incredible as was the falls, the helicopter flight, and the cruise on the Zambezi river.

We spent a day exploring Victoria Falls township, and catching up with a friend of a friend who works in Victoria Falls pharmacy!

Then hired a taxi who took us to see the 2nd largest tree in Africa, and we visited the hospital (my daughter is a nurse) and toured the local living areas.

Next stop was 'The Hide'. This was an amazing experience and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The owners of The Hide were visiting at the time, and we really enjoyed their company. We made friends with a lovely couple from Switzerland who I am going to keep in touch with.

We saw all the animals, which was 'surreal' and we had to pinch ourselves sometimes to appreciate that we were in Africa. The lions were elusive, but one morning (one of my dreams) I was woken up at 5am by the sound of lions....unbelievable! Then the next evening, I was the only person on the night game drive....and we ran right into them! I spent 20 minutes just observing this pride of wild lions...it was one of the most fantastic moments of my life.

Cape Town was also a fantastic experience. Table mountain was awesome, and we decided to go there on the second day. It was a beautiful fine and warm day, and we were told it had been closed for 4 days due to strong winds and bad weather. We went to Robben island which was a very moving experience to see the cell where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned.

The Victoria and Alfred Wharf complex was wonderful, and we spent quite a lot of time there, exploring, shopping and eating. Meals were very reasonably priced and the seafood was fantastic.
I had my first tattoo, two days before coming home - a ring of Impalas running around my arm. Everyone here at home just loves it.

We went out to Mama Africa's for dinner the night before leaving, and I had the 'game platter'. It consisted of crocodile, kudu, ostrich and warthog sausage. With maize meal and delicious African sauces, I think it was the most beautiful meal I'd ever eaten!!! I've made quite a few black African friends, wonderful people that I will keep in touch with.

All things considered, it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I've brought home heaps of African items which will adorn my African style lounge room and hallway.

Well I'd better leave this letter there, or it will turn out to be a novel!

Warm regards

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Dear John, Hilary, Sandy and co

Happy New Year to you all!!

Emily and I have our feet back on the ground and it is only a week until she recommences her school year. She starts year 11 so the work load will be challenging for her. Our trip was simply fantastic. As usual John all was in place. Our day trip from Jo’berg was great fun. The Maropeng centre was awesome. Emily and I had so much fun trying everything out. The Endangered Species Centre was an amazing experience for both Emily and myself, and Emily wasn’t ready to leave when our time was up. Our time at Trees Too Lodge was also very good. Our driver, Henri, was very professional and pleasant. He couldn’t do enough for us. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t very cooperative and our day trip to Swaziland was a bit of a waste. It was really cold and wet and we could barely see anything for the mist and the rain. The Chimp centre was fantastic. The weather also had an impact on our outing there but they decided to let the chimps out for the 2pm viewing so we did get to do the tour. It was wonderful.

Our day trip to Mozambique was sensational. The tour guide, Felicity, was brilliant. Emily and I had such a fun day with her. All in all our time at Trees Too was fabulous. Then we made it back over to Camp Jabulani and had the whole place to ourselves. We were so spoilt. Jabu has grown so much but still has everyone doing what he wants. He is just gorgeous. Emily did have the honour of being on Jabulani for our elephant safari. We caught up briefly with Rudolph the chef which was very fortuitous because he was leaving that week for his next adventure. He is setting up business in Cape Town. It was so nice to see him though. On our last morning we met and spoke with Lente. It simply topped off a wonderful wonderful trip. She is so lovely, and so passionate about what she is doing. We had a long chat. She had two wild cat kittens that she was hand rearing so Emily and I got to play with them for a while when we were waiting to head off to the airport.

We cannot thank you enough John. You and your team had everything in place and all went according to plan. We were very well looked after by everyone we came into contact with. Emily is still writing her stories and playing with photos and video so we should get together again to show you.

Our regards to you all. Take care.

Love

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Dear John

From the beginning to the end we cannot complain, groan or in any other way display any discontent. Your suggestions, contacts and organisation went like clockwork, what a professionally put together tour. My family and I are indebted to you for providing us with a truly sensational experience. We took over 7000 photographs and 14 hours of video footage, we had the most wonderful time and will enjoy the memories for decades to come. I think you will have to book us back to Bots again next year!

I know it will sound corny, but if you ever get a customer who is a little skeptical (like me!), feel free to ask them to contact me. I cannot commend you enough, thank you.

Kind regards

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Dear John

Home at last. Only arrived back in to Perth yesterday as we went to Europe for 2 weeks after our African adventure.

You will be pleased to hear it was all absolutely fantastic for both of us. All of the travel arrangements went 100% smoothly. Every transfer, flight, pick up etc occurred without fault and on time and given the short amount of time you had to organise all of this we were very impressed.

It was the trip combination though that scores 11/10! The Botswana safari was an incredible start to our journey. 5 in our group and we all got on very well. The comfort aspects of this safari made it perfect as it strikes the ideal combination between remote bush camping and the creature comforts of a WC and hot shower each night. Our guide was very knowledgeable and the camp assistants were all really great. We saw and experienced so much more than we thought we would from the very start and our cruise on the Chobe River was an incredible commencement to the safari. The only thing I would have done with the benefit of hindsight is to spend an extra day or so at the end of the Botswana safari on/in the Okavango as opposed to the edge. Perhaps a night or 2 at Chief's Camp or similar, plus a scenic flight, to travellers with a budget enough to afford it, would be a perfect end to the adventure as this trip does not experience the Okavango.

The 3 days we spent at Vic Falls was also well worthwhile. After 8 days in the bush we (James in particular) were ready for a change of scenery and some adrenaline adventure. A swim in Devil's Pool, white water rafting and a bungy jump certainly ticked that box. The hotel you chose was ideally situated for the purpose and the facilities and service were excellent. We both commented at the end of this leg that we think it was ideal that we did the safari first and Vic Falls after and would recommend other travellers to do so if possible.

Then Sabi Sands and Savanna. What can I say. We both had high expectations given the rave reviews you gave both the park and Savanna. Nothing could have prepared us however for the amazing experience we had there. Savanna is truly one of the loveliest places I have ever stayed as much for the staff as the incredible location and lodge. We felt at home within hours of arriving. Our guide, Johnno, was brilliant as was our tracker Lawrence. All at Savanna provided a friendly and professional service second to none. We were quite lucky that Dave and Dee were there at the time and they made our stay even more special with invites to their suite for pre dinner drinks and a very special bush breakfast that took us by surprise.

The game viewing there was so much more than we expected. Within an hour of our first drive we had seen rhino and mating lions. That was just the start of it. We had a truly special 3 days in Sabi Sands and will definitely return again one day.

So, as you may have gathered, we are absolutely thrilled with the trip you put together for us. You lived up to your website promise and created an individual package for James and I that suited both of us and so much more. The variety was great and dealing with Destination Africa could not have been a more satisfying customer service experience. Thank you Sandie and John, I will certainly be recommending you to anyone travelling to Africa. Dave said to say hello by the way John.

Please feel free to publish any/all of the above comments on your website etc if you so desire.

I will certainly be in touch next time I want to visit Africa and feel fairly certain that a Namibia trip will be in the offing next year.

Lianne and James

Kind regards

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Dear John

Our holiday to Africa including camps in Sabi Sands, Okavango Delta and Zambia was certainly a trip of a lifetime, a holiday like no other we have ever had. The arrangements were spectacular - everything just "happened"! We saw the "Big 5" each day in Savanna in addition to watching a beautiful female leopard stalking warthogs. Eagle Island Camp in the Okavango Delta was superb - food, staff, facilities,boating and walking , definitely the Delta at its best.

Our favourite camps were however the two in Zambia, Chiawa and Old Mondoro, especially Old Mondoro were a hot shower was dependant on awaiting the herd of elephants leaving the camp to cross the Zambesi River in front of our "tent", even the staff with our hot water contained in a barrel in a wheelbarrow thought that retreat was safer, leaving our hot water at the mercy of the elephants. This holiday contained memories from every day that will never be forgotten in addition to the warmth extended to us by the camp hosts, in particular John and Lana at Old Mondoro, who managed to make our holiday end on the most amazing high!

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Hi John,

We're currently in Whistler skiing every day, having a blast. Savanna was the best experience we have had in all our travels. The accomodation, atmosphere, staff & rangers were amazing. I would highly recommend it to anyone. Jabulani was amazing for the elephant riding & cheetah interaction. The accomodation was very nice and the staff & rangers were very helpful, but it lacked the atmosphere of Savanna.

I am glad we did Jabulani, but wouldn't do it again. However, we will definitely do Savanna again. Both were amazing experiences and we are so greatful you organised it all so well for us.

Hope your festive season was great and look forward to being in contact again.

Kind Regards,

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Dear John

I am writing to thank you for our superbly organized safari to Namibia.

Deirdre, Jan, Max and I thoroughly enjoyed the entire adventure.  The Lodges and experiences you suggested were all outstanding.

I have travelled throughout Africa for close to 40 years in which time I have used many Travel Agents.  I can honestly say that this was the best planned and organized trip that I have ever experienced.

Thank you,

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Dear John

It was perfect, everything went well, the only thing I felt was wrong, I was very spoilt at Savanna game park ,and it raised the bar too high for every where else, got some good photos I will send you them later.

Thank you,

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Dear John

We are back from Africa and I really don’t know how I can ever thank you enough.  We truly had the most amazing, wonderful and happy time.  The attention to detail regarding our travel plans was superb.  Travelling as a family with young children is always an adventure, albeit challenging, but when things work so very well it is so enjoyable and happy for everyone.  It was so impressive to turn up for each booking whether it be the car hire or the accommodation and be expected and welcomed so warmly.  I couldn’t give you a negative word on the whole trip.  We were so well looked after.  We all felt safe and comfortable and even the challenge of having the children in separate rooms and areas was not a problem.  They felt safe and comfortable too.  The game parks were just awesome.  I could never have imagined the experience being so incredible.  It far surpassed my expectations.  Camp Jabulani was simply fantastic.  I don’t have enough words to describe how much we all enjoyed the visit there.  It was truly a highlight and one of the most pleasurable experiences.

Bruce, the children and myself not only enjoyed a family holiday but we enjoyed the whole experience as individuals also.  There was so much on offer to experience so each of us were able to enjoy the trip individually as well as being together as a family.  The fact that you had put everything in place so well made it all the more pleasurable.  The information package given to us on arrival was excellent.

This has been a truly significant experience in my life and comes closely behind my wedding day to my wonderful husband and the birth of our gorgeous children.  I truly cannot thank you enough for putting it together for us.

I look forward to seeing both you and Hilary again soon.  There are lots of photos to see.

Warmest wishes

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Hi John

Deb and I just returned from our 5 week trip to Africa and just wanted to let you know how incredible our trip was.  Botswana was truly incredible.  The safaris we went to were brilliant.  We had so much fun.  The people working at both safari camps were great, the game viewing was awesome, the people we met were so warm and welcoming and the food was out of this world.  The same applied for the 2 safari camps in Sth Africa.  Specifically, the accommodation you put us into at Kapama game reserve (ie Camp Jabalani) was the nicest accommodation we have ever seen or stayed in, and the game viewing in Sabi Sands and the friendliness of all of the staff at Savanna Lodge was unbeatable.

The hotels and bungalows you booked us into along the way in Jo'Burg and Mozambique were also exactly what we were after.

In addition to the top quality lodges you booked us in for, I just wanted to mention that every other aspect of our trip was booked to perfection.  There was always a person waiting for us at our transfer destinations (either when we arrived at airports or looking to leave hotels), everything ran on time, everyone was professional and it allowed us to get the most out of our trip.

I will certainly recommend you to anyone that is looking to book a trip to Africa.

Thanks again and we look forward to using your services once again when we return to Africa (hopefully soon!).

Warmest regards

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Dear John

My wife and I have stayed at Savanna Camp on three separate occasions. Once in 2002 and twice in 2007 and I must say that the experience just keeps getting better. We have made five trips to the African continent and stayed at least 25-30 different tented camps or lodges so we feel quite experienced to state that Savanna Camp is by far the most enjoyable camp we have ever stayed at with our five trips. Apart from some of the most knowledgeable rangers I have the pleasure go game viewing with and the best up close viewing of all the big cats I have ever witnessed, the service provided by all the staff is what makes all the difference at Savanna Camp. Staying at Savanna Camp is like staying with old friends, all of the staff cultivate an aura of casual friendliness with guests in such a subtle way that simply has made our previous visits not only rewarding for the game viewing, but unforgettable due to the social nature that is fostered by the staff.

To add further to attractiveness of Savanna Camp is it is so reasonably priced for the service received. We have stayed at Londolozi Tree Camp & Phinda Vlei Lodges previously where we were swamped in more luxury than we could possibly need and paying approximately two and half times the price for the pleasure than that of Savanna Camp. Whilst Londolozi & Phinda could not be faulted, there was nowhere near the social interaction or enjoyment. The casual but professional nature of Savanna Camp is especially suited to Australians who generally prefer a more casual atmosphere with their stay. I urge you to market your camp even more to the Australian market.

Sincerely

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Hi John,

We arrived home yesterday after a fantastic months holiday.

Our trip to Tanzania and Zanzibar was absolutely phenominal. Everything went smoothly and we had the best time. We saw the big 6 plus part of the Migration and a Serval Cat and a Tortoise which are fairly rare.

The weak link was Blue Bay...the resort was fabulous and we had a ball. The pick up from the Emerson and Green Hotel was 45 mins late and our transfer to the airport even tho I had got guest relations to confirm our flight and ensure we were down for 11am transfer didn't materialise and we were bundled into a local taxi at 1125 and had the hairiest trip ever to the airport. I am not making a complaint as everything went so smoothly I just felt this let down the efficiency of your operation....both were transfers organised through Blue Bay.

Bruce is back at work and I am catching up on washing/shopping and worst of all...wondering what the hell to cook for dinner....one month of no cooking has left me not wanting to cook again!!

I would just like to thank you and Anita for the wonderful organisation of our trip which meant all we had to do was enjoy it. Our guide "Matthew" was knowledgable and we learned so much from him, in fact all the "handlers/picker uppers etc" were all polite and curteous and we can't thank you enough.

Once again, many thanks and hope you are enjoying the Bay!!

Regards,

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Dear John,

I am sorry I have not been in touch before to say thank you for organising a truly fantastic trip for us in Namibia. Everything was absolutely perfect and I have to say it was so clever of you to arrange for the accommodation to get better and better as the adventure proceeded. The first part really was a true adventure and the Skeleton Coast was even more  spectacular than we could have imagined. We have found it so difficult to describe to friends because I know they can not imagine the experience that it was. Having Bertus Schoeman as a guide through the Skeleton Coast made it even more exceptional - what a pilot!. To be honest had we been told what his camps are like, we would probably not have gone, but in hindsight that would have been a huge mistake. It was a trip of a lifetime. Having our own aircraft was a stroke of genius - everything went so smoothly and it made us feel so special every step of the way. Also there was no time wasted anywhere. The people at Tree Tops at Onguma were delightful and they made us very comfortable. It was our first visit to Etosha and we were not disappointed. The amount of water in the Zambezi  and the Chobe rivers made the stay at Ntwala especially enjoyable - a great contrast to our previous visits to the Cobe area, and I have to say catching a 4.5 Kg tigerfish on the Zambezi was exhilarating. The lodge at Okonjima has to be seen to be believed - such luxury. Although the game viewing is not the experience that it is in other parts of Africa it was nonetheless interesting to see the valuable work that is being done by Africat and the very dedicated people working there.

Of course we were very lucky to be able finish off our trip with a few days at Savanna, and in spite of the wonderful time that we had in Namibia we still believe the game viewing at Sabi Sands is second to none.

David and Dee were brilliant people to travel with and we had so much fun I can not begin to tell you. It seems we were laughing all the way. Of course that was made so much easier for us by your planning and organisation which meant there was nothing for us to worry about - or even to have to think about since we knew it was going to be done for us (except for the wretched coats, which David will happily explain).

Thank you again for what was an incredible holiday and wonderful experience. We really do feel we saw the very best of Namibia and in the very best way possible.

Kind regards,

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