Shamwari – Riverdene

Our trip to Kenya and Tanzania met and exceeded expectations! The Africa Safari Expert took our group’s information and my requests and created a trip that hit all the highlights of an African Safari. The itinerary took us through two countries and six regions – all with different views, animals and people. Accommodations were nicer than expected (even the temporary camp) and all were clean with extremely attentive and helpful personnel. All our guides were very knowledgeable, got us closer than expected to a wide range of animals and were responsive to our requests. For six days of the 12-day trip, we had two Discover Africa guides who were tremendous – they were nice, enthusiastic, friendly and extremely knowledgeable. It was obvious they were quite experienced, with books and maps to enhance their information.

Normally I love planning our trips but quickly realized it needed a professional since African travel is complicated by many factors. I picked Discover Africa because of a friend’s recommendation and their reviews. During the planning process, the Discover Africa representative provided an itinerary with detailed information (including pictures of the lodgings). Once the trip was booked, our representative made changes when our flights to/from were rebooked. As the trip got closer, they sent us comprehensive travel information (including pre-trip checklists). And there was an online link to our itinerary we used while on the trip!

I was especially impressed by all the vendors they used. All the guides, cars and planes were ready for us – no searching or waiting. All the lodgings were beautiful. And when there was an issue with a hotel (a water leak in one of the wings), another hotel had already been arranged (equally nice and down the street, and we got a free dinner too!).

My best friend and I just recently returned from an excursion in South Africa. There are simply not enough adjectives to describe this experience. Starting with the initial “interview” with Matthys Van Aswegen…. Matt was so thorough, so personable and extremely knowledgeable. I was able to comfortably explain to him exactly what we wanted without feeling “snobby”. He put together a package that was amazing. Everything we wanted and more. I basically said we wanted to be treated like queens and we were! The accommodations he arranged in Cape Town, Simbambili and Rattary Lodge were unbelievable. Our main focus was to see as many exotic animals as possible. We saw absolutely every animal except the cheetah (extremely rare). Every. Single. One. We were treated to the rare sight of wild dogs, and a hippo OUT of the water as well.

Booked almost a year in advance, Matt was vigilant in his correspondence. He sent numerous suggestions for preparing for the trip which were extremely helpful and informative. He answered all of my emails and questions within 24 hours. Just before we left he also gave me his personal phone number in case we ran into any difficulties ( we didn’t). I can’t say enough about how incredible he was and firmly believe he was the reason our trip was so spectacular. After seeing my photos and videos, several friends are now interested in a Safari and I have strongly recommended him.

If anyone is interested in a Safari, Discover Africa would be the first place to start. Bar none.

Planning the trip with Bianca was a pleasure – she was patient and helpful and provided prompt answers to all our questions.

The trip itself was remarkable, offering a wide variety of locations and experiences to make our exposure to Africa and safaris an excellent and exciting opportunity. The guides were knowledgeable and had a network of other local guides with whom to connect so that they could always lead us to sites where animals were present. The lodges were comfortable and well furnished and the meals were well-prepared and tasty. The staff were friendly and always interacting with us. Altogether a wonderful experience!!

I have just returned from my third African safari organised by Discover Africa, and once again Susan did an outstanding job of planning every detail.

The journey began at my favourite destination, Kruger National Park, where the wildlife experiences were as memorable as ever. From there, I travelled to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, an awe-inspiring destination. The microlight flight over the falls was simply unforgettable, offering breathtaking views and an experience I’ll never forget.

The final leg of the trip took me to Elephant Valley Lodge in Botswana, where the game drives in Chobe National Park were exceptional. The afternoon cruise on the Chobe River provided a completely different perspective on the incredible wildlife, making for a perfect conclusion to the safari.

This was another outstanding holiday, and I have no doubt that my fourth trip to the African continent will also be organised by Discover Africa.

Was just awesome, pre-service to service and after-service, just great. At the lodge, the staff had a special birthday party for my son who turned 16. The drives were awesome too….

This was our first time going on a Safari, and also the first time using a travel expert to organise part of our trip. I was so impressed with how quick and easy the whole process was and Chrizaan tailored our experience to meet our travel needs whilst providing recommendations / tips for some really special and unique safari lodges.

I have recommended Chrizaan and the Discover Africa company to anyone who will listen!