G. Ramani 7th – 19th June
Hi Sam,
We are at our final night of the most amazing trip!
Thank you for all your guidance and ideas. We take off tomorrow am after our final morning drive. Every stop, every guide, every driver have been incredibly kind and helpful. We have all made memories to last forever and this trip has whetted our appetite for more! We are happy to share some photos once we get back (after sorting out the 1000s photos we collectively took).
J. Macey 1st – 13th June
Hi Dave,
T. Boudreau 31st May – 10th June
Hi Dave,
It was a great safari. They were blown away. Here are some comments about the trip.
Mkombe House — Great start to the trip, very private. Particularly nice at mealtimes. Notwithstanding the tall grass game viewing was surprisingly good, but only one wildebeest in 3 days! The staff was great.
Laba Laba — This was the highlight of the trip because we absolutely nailed the migration. The wildebeest and zebras were pouring into that area when we arrived and just kept coming the whole time. The camp is very nice. It’s owned by some French guy and he decorates the main area with interesting curiosities, mostly of a geological nature. It has an elegance that other mobile camps lack.
Pioneer Camp — Nice retro feel to this camp. Most of the rooms/tents are close together in a grove of trees and there is basically no view from the rooms. But the view from the lounge is amazing, looking out to the Moru Coppjes and Lake Magadi. Lots of lions and elephants in this area. The staff put on a great show to celebrate Dee’s birthday on June 9. You can’t just get a glass of wine here; you have to purchase a whole bottle.
Planet Lodge — nice and highly convenient to the airport.
At all three lodges we saw lots of lions, probably 50-60 in all. Several were walking through Pioneer Camp at night. Also several leopards, but no cheetah or rhino.
Thanks again for arranging this. It was great trip.
M. Carter 27th May – 9th June
Hi Sam,
The trip was amazing from start to finish. We were extremely happy with all the arrangements and all the lodges! Everything went very smoothly including pick up changes as the result of a last minute flight change on our way to Johannesburg.
Thanks for all your help in planning this!
S. Mouzaoui 27th May – 8th June
Hi Sam,
We have a great time in Zanzibar and Tanzania. All was perfectly managed and get no issue. People at the safari lodge were nice and we had a very good connection with them.
We have been lucky to see a lots of animals but unfortunately not big cats.
Attached are some photos.
Thanks for all.
B. Sklare 22nd – 31st May
Dave,
We are sitting in the Great Plains lounge (an unexpected oasis at a busy airport) adjacent to the Maun Airport after completing an 11 day adventure; which in almost every positive way was above expectations!
The camp staff and guides at all camps were outstanding; with the game drives and viewing at Qorokwe and Selinda Explorer the best. The “tent” at Qorokwe was a permanent structure and extremely comfortable. Duba Explorer had unexpectedly high water, which impacted the game viewing; but had the best food and the tent was very large with separate areas for the toilet and shower. The tent at Selinda Explorer was acceptable, although much smaller then the one at Duba and had the toilet, shower and sinks in one room.
For total value, the two Great Plains camps were very high. For Marcia and I, the Great Plains camps provided a most acceptable combination of high quality staff and facilities, food preparation quality and pricing. Getting 4 days for the price of 3 enabled us to view animals missed if we had only stayed 3 days – Marcia especially enjoyed watching hippos with a baby run from the land into the water
For comfort, Wilderness’s Qorokwe was outstanding (recognizing that the Great Plains camps however were also very comfortable). All camps were on large concessions and we never felt crowded in any way.
The advice of many experienced safari people and staff we met at the camps were to come to Botswana either the last weeks in May (great temperatures but also the most flora where animals can hide) or October or November (much better game viewing but much higher temperatures).
I think we would be interested in a second safari in 2026 in late October or November. Your thoughts?
We both thank you for recommending great camps and coordinating a most memorable adventure experience.
D. Berkowitz 22nd – 30th May
Sam,
Mullet 17th – 21st May
Hi Ted,
Had a wonderful time in Namibia, they can’t say enough good things about the planning and the lodges. The balloon ride over the Red dunes was phenomenal.
The grandkids LOVED the ATVing on the Skeleton Coast. Shipwreck Lodge…too cool…..
Thank you for everything.
S. Sheth 15th – 23rd May
Hi Sam,
D. Monroe 11th – 23rd May
Hi Sam,
A. Schroeder 9th – 18th May
Hello Sam
We are back from a wonderful trip to Zimbabwe. Everything worked smoothly. Our hotel in Vic Falls was fabulous. We were appointed to a premium room (which I did not realize in advance) and got a real special treatment, including a massage for both of us! The Falls had almost too much water so that our visit was a very wet one and due to the intensive spray the Falls could not be seen very clearly. It was a beautiful visit though and we were very impressed.
Davison’s Camp in Hwange is a relatively simple camp but with a lot of charm and the right amount of luxury compared to the wild land you are in. The guiding was excellent, as well as the lodging and the food. Because of the late rains this year there is still much water in the park. Therefore the animals did not gather very much at the water holes. Despite that we sas a lot of animals, especially two wonderful prides of lions. One consisted of 5 females and 16 cubs ! This was beautiful. There were also many elephants, many buffalos and eland.
Ruckomechi was equally beautiful and even with some more touches of luxury. The tent was great. The camp is also known as the elephant camp, and it showed ! The setting at the Zambezi is wonderful. Everything was green and with the mountains on the Zambian side it looks almost like in paradise! I love this river! Mana Pools is a great contrast to Hwange. We saw lots of animals, too, even one leopard. The wild dogs were (unfortunately) denning in another part of the park.
All in all it was a wonderful trip that we thoroughly enjoyed! I understand why Zimbabwe is dear to your heart.
Thank you so much for organising this trip! We might plan another safari in 2027 when we turn 60. We would love to visit the Kalahari and see aardvarks and pangolins. We know how difficult this is. I have however read that at Tswalu Motse chances are high!
V. Kite 9th – 16th May
Hi Sam,
Great trip!
Kwetsani delivered beyond our expectations – a beautiful camp in an amazing location, and we had great wildlife sightings, including a group of lions eating a giraffe carcass a 10 minute drive from camp which lasted our entire stay, leopard up a tree with a kill, being charged by an old bull buffalo, leopard under our tent at night etc. Good food, guiding and staff. We loved it.
Mokete started a bit slow but then things improved, with some great wildlife sightings, which the guides worked really hard to ensure – Lion sightings every day (probably twice a day), including hunting buffalo (unsuccessfully) etc. So, plenty of action! We did feel that guests at Mokete tended to arrive with very high expectations, given all the hype about the camp, and at least outside of the dry season it possibly didn’t live up to the expectations of many. Nevertheless, we really enjoyed it and would definitely go back there.
All arrangements and transfers worked perfectly and my friend has become besotted with Africa and safaris, and we are already talking about the ‘next trip’.
I’ll send you some photos.
S. Rathe 4th – 10th May
Thank you Dave. It’s always great to get back home but we had an incredible safari experience at both camps!
The meet & greet was very helpful especially since our flight was delayed 1/2 hour. She sort of bulldozed us through customs & security So we arrived at Wilson in plenty of time for our flight to Serian.
Serian sightings included 2 male lions on night patrol on the road as we returned to camp; a kill the next morning with 4 hyenas taking down a big bull wildebeest; 3rd morning a male lion from another pride had been killed & Serian male was eating him which is extremely rare! Our location along the river waking up to hippo sounds, beautiful sunsets, excellent guides & staff & a visit to Maasai village made it a very special experience.
Asilia Naboisho sightings included watching pride of 17 lions with cubs & seeing an African wild cat going back to camp which is rare to see. The sundowner the last night with campfire etc. was a very pleasant surprise. Our guide & the staff were excellent, our tent was luxurious where we woke up to beautiful sunrises in the mornings. Also, their chef was outstanding!
Lewis at Asilia said the areas in the Mara that you chose were the 2 best in his opinion!
We can’t thank you enough for putting it all together for us & sending the hats which we wore on game drives.
I hope to get through some photos in the next week & post them & we will definitely recommend you to everyone we know!
Q. Kuiken 21st – 25th April
Hy Sam,
Trip was amazing. Lion sands is incredible. Absolutely top notch. Cannot understand what londolozi etc could offer for more £ that we didn’t get.
Zero complaints, nice to be home but wow we will definitely be going back to Africa…
J. Block 20th April – 1st May
Hi Sam,
Sorry for delay! I wanted to have time to write you back. I can’t even begin to tell you how wonderful our trip was. I went into the trip with no expectations and was blown away at the experience. As far as logistics go all transfers and flights were great and ran smoothly. All three camps were special and had their own flair. The people at each camp were lovely and caring and hard working. Most of all, they were keen on educating us and I learned so much about the animals and the culture and lives of the people. Was extraordinary! Hard to choose the photos and the file was to large but I have some of the lions I will send in a following email. The lions were my favorite and the Selina Pride stole my heart.
Thank you for organizing such an amazing trip for me and my sister. Doubt you have heard the last of us!!
Sincerely,
K. Walrond 11th – 13th April
Hi Dave
The trip was fantastic all the arrangements worked perfectly.
The viewing was great for the shoulder season of April. I managed to see a pack of wild dogs hunting in Mokolwane and a pride of 14 Lions entered Mokete from the north for a day before leaving. That was just lucky timing. Watching them hunt and roam the depression was awesome. Helicopter flights were the best mode of transport with great sights of elephants at water holes and green/blue waterways in the heart of the delta.
I loved Mokete and it definitely is a raw hidden gem. Seeing it in all its glory late winter would be a sight. The guides there were very relaxing.
R. Dingle 6th – 19th April
Hi Sam,
We had a fantastic trip full of memories that will last a lifetime! We saw everything (plus more) including cheetahs, but unfortunately did not see the elusive wild dogs.
Thank you so much for the wonderful welcome at Umkumbe, as well as the generous offer to cover our drink charges!
Thanks so much for creating this wonderful adventure for us,
A. Huc 20th – 31st March
Hi Sam,
We had a fabulous time! The accommodations and hotels were great. Especially Madikwe, wow!!
The safari rides left us speechless.
We have lots of great photos that we will share with you.
Thanks so much for all you did. Everyone agrees that is the best trip experience we have ever taken.
W. Hood 9th – 16th March
Everyone has rested and recovered from the long trip! On behalf of Mr. Hood, the family had an absolutely wonderful experience at the Mombo/Little Mombo Camp in Botswana.
He indicated that every aspect of the resort met their expectations and was a fun and memorable trip. He noted that the guides were all very knowledgeable and the staff members they engaged with were efficient and professional.
Thank you for all you did to help make the trip a success for them.
I. Machin 15th – 25th February
Hi Dave
We had a wonderful trip to South Africa despite the weather being against us.
Tuningi Safari Lodge in Madikwe – a great place, all the rangers and staff were very good
Cape Town – everything went exactly to plan
Cape Cadogan Hotel is very good and has a very nice restaurant.
Sulieman from Wilderness Touring is very good – he has been guiding in Cape Town for 18 years and everybody seemed
to know him.
He was punctual and knew exactly which order to visit the attractions to get the most out of it.
The weather was perfect for Table Mountain so great views.
Franschhoek – again all went to plan
Country House Hotel is very good and also has a very good restaurant.
Thank you so much for organising the trip for us – we shall certainly bear your company in mind should we wish to do a similar trip in the future.
And will also recommend you to our friends.
Kind regards.
K. Vorontsova 11th – 18th February
Hi Sam,
Overall, the trip was amazing. Very well organised, lodges were great. Laba Laba has an exceptional customer service. Our guide James from Laba Laba was fantastic. We’ve seen all the animals. They made our stay really special.
Thank you very much for organising it so well!
I. Etheridge 6th – 13th February
Hi Dave,
We had a terrific holiday with some great sightings.
Both the Central and Southern Serengeti delivered an unforgettable holiday. The change between the two was a great suggestion.
It was a shame that the middle flight from Seronera to Ndutu did not happen and so that road journey was an experience that some guests may have found too arduous, but it worked out better for us than many others in the camps.
In terms of game viewing, we very much got into the migratory herds and had many great sightings across the board.
In terms of highlights:-
Caracal on two occasions walking along the road passing the vehicle at 2 metres in broad daylight and full visibility.
On the last day a pride of 22 lions, 12 lions and 4 lions making that 38 lion for the day
Two lions mating (which is apparently unusual to see)
Three Cheetah immediately after killing a zebra
Fantastic close sightings of elephants
Leopard two days running.
A Grants Gazelle take its first steps
We had two full days on the Ngorogoro and Serongeti Plains where we encountered wall to wall Wildebeest and ZebraIn terms of photos and videos we are not the greatest photographers, but have about a 1000 to sort through and so may be some time!!Thank you for everything you did, the camps and overall experience have been ten out of ten.
P. Pavlidou 5th – 15th February
Hello Ted
Yes, we are back
As mentioned we had a really wonderful time
The program was quite demanding ( departing almost every day at 04:30 and walking long distances in the forest or the bais and the swamp, kayaking , night drives and boat safari) Really enjoyed it as the environment is unique
Not many big animals, really have to look for them.
The experience with gorillas was amazing but photography very difficult as they are very active and not allowed to get very close
Humid, hot and lots of insects (some of them impressive in color and shape)
The lodges are beautiful and different to each other. The rooms authentic and nice aesthetics providing all necessary comforts,
The most impressive thing (apart from the environment) that made the difference was the vast knowledge of the guides that up lifted the experience to a different level. The same guide accompanies you to all the lodges
We were lucky to get the head of guides Josh, who has been in Congo for two years and is leaving the place the next two months to go back to South Africa
The logistics excellent with no delays , we felt safe and taken good care of
Apart from Africa you are developing also in other destinations? I would be interested in Galapagos if you have any suggestions.
J. Glenn 2nd – 17th February
Hi Dave,
Thank you so much for planning such a fabulous trip. We were fortunate to have good weather the entire trip.
First, I want to mention how much I appreciate the representatives who met us and guided us through customs and to our drivers. My husband gets anxious when traveling in unfamiliar areas so it takes a lot of pressure off of me when we are met by local representatives.
The Palacina hotel in Nairobi was very charming and the staff were friendly and helpful. The driver was nice enough and took us to a lovely lunch spot after visiting the giraffe center, Kobe tough beads and leather and the Karen Blixen Museum.
We loved Lewa Safari camp. Collins and Linda were very present and manage a very well run camp. The food was delicious, we especially enjoyed lunch by the pool watching the many beautiful birds. Our guide, Mike was knowledgeable and capable.
Tortilis camp was also lovely although not as tightly run as Lewa. I got my best picture here – with an iPhone no less, of a big tusker elephant in front of Kilimanjaro. I’ll send it to you. Both Elewana camps prepared a special breakfast in the bush one morning and a cocktail party with a view one evening which were both just lovely. We had a very magical last day because we saw a mama leopard with 3 large babies lazing in the sun about dusk. After having a turn to watch and photograph them, Patrick parked under a tree with a view of Kilimanjaro and poured us each a glass of wine.
We loved Ubuntu and our guide, Festo, was a bundle of energy and fun. Although the food at Ubuntu is not nearly as good as the 2 Elewana camps, it was our favorite camp. We loved the bonfires and group dinners every night which provided the opportunity to meet and get to know other travelers and camp staff. We were fortunate to be there for a birthday party which was one of the highlights of the trip. It was an energy filled festivity in which most of the staff (maybe all of the staff) participated.
The great migration was just starting and I could not believe all the zebras and wildebeests! Also, the Serengeti is so massive and beautiful.
Thanks again for planning this wonderful adventure for us. FYI. I did recommend Africa Odyssey to several travelers we met on the trip.
J. Scobie 31st January – 12th February
Thanks Sam we had a brilliant trip, everything went very well and my mum loved it.
Many thanks.
C. Wang 30th January – 7th February
Hi Dave,
It was an incredibly amazing trip, everything ran so smoothly and we were well looked after by the guides and staff from different lodges.
Upon arrival at Karibu, we received a warm welcome from Kevin and a detailed briefing was given later on. Karibu is one of my favourite incity accommodations, it’s surrounded by lush gardens, attracting many different species of birds, guests would never get bored while sitting in the garden.
For the chimps trek in Kibale, visitors were a little more than what I expected. Chimps were slightly more active on the ground during the morning’s trek. The property, Primate Lodge was at prime location of the park, which was wonderful. Besides, I personally liked the open and natural setup of the main area！
The Golden Monkey trek is particularly a bonus to us (many thanks for your recommendation!). Similar body size to Chinese snub-nosed monkeys, these monkeys are charming and photogenic. The gorilla trek in Mgahinga was awesomeas well, we saw 3 silverbacks in close distance.
Back to Bwindi, we finally met Nkuringo family (14 gorillas). The family has 2 silverbacks and they both are the sons of Rafiki. Another family we saw is called Posho, a big family of 17, including several adorable babies just above 1-year old.
Overall the trip is exceptional and we do enjoy every minute of it. Thanks much for the arrangement.
C. Fleming 10th – 16th January
Sam,
The safari was amazing! Well done! Asilia is a total class act. Highlands was great and then olakira was even better thanks to the staff. Happy to share more when we get home. Probably the best hospitality experience either of has had. They sang and danced for us at dinner to celebrate! Made hand- made cards! And the guides were both first class.
After two days on the beach in Zanzibar we head home tonight – a great honeymoon vacation!
C. Marhsall 10th – 31st January
Hi Sam,
Thanks for the email.
NO holiday blues here and lots of amazing memories.
The holiday delivered on just about every level and was really excellent.
Every piece was in place from your side of things.
Some feedback for you:
If we accept that safari camps must be judged on both inside and outside the camp, then RRA Dinare has to come first. The animal sightings were crazy, including:
*The wild dogs I was passionate about seeing
*Four cheetah brothers hunting together
*A huge pack of lions hunting giraffe
*A honey badger
We also had the camp to ourself which was lovely and Mark/Mike were great guides.
Lagoon would come last of the three, owing to the worst animal sightings. It is probably the best run camp and the nicest food. The lady who runs it is excellent (Bonnie). Not sure about 6 people in a truck though.
Four Rivers would come in the middle. Great animal sightings, including leopard and hyena as requested. Food sketchier than the other two. Lovely guide Clifford.
Overall it was an awesome safari experience, even better in animal sightings than the Masai Mara. The camps may be a notch down from Kitcheche but they are very nice.
The weather was wild and big and enjoyable. We saw bits of everything. The landscape was very green and we had no trouble seeing the game, including a pair of aardwolves.
The helicopter trip was a huge hit. Sara’s surprise/excitement was a joy to see.
All the little flights were fun and efficient.
Zimbabwe was almost rained off. We loved the guides who drove us around and the hotel was great. They upgraded us to the presidential villa which was amazing. Sadly we did not make the Zambezi river trip as it was too wet. The Falls were great though.
Namibia was wonderful. The self-drive on gravel roads may not be for everyone. We enjoyed it once we worked out how to start the car. Perhaps we could have spoken about getting a manual car. Still it was exciting albeit long. We made it through the scary pass and enjoyed apple pie in Solitaire (a great memory).
Namib Outpost was amazing. What a place. Very few guests which again was nice. Wonderful outing to the dunes and Big Daddy. Great guide Jason and great waiting staff. Sleeping outdoors was a great memory.
AsDunas was lovely. So well run and organised. Had it to ourselves for the last few days. Great staff. Nice food. Beach is good and interesting. Local town looks pretty drab.
The hotel in Joburg was fine.
Menzies was quite helpful. South Africa very easy to get in and out of.
I think you arranged us a trip we will never forget and that has to be good value for money.
Thank you, Sam.
I have some ideas for 2026 but Sara will kill me if I start talking about them now!