Facts about the African penguin

First safari for us – 3 days in Arusha, 2 Tarangire, 2 Ngorongo, 4 Serengeti and 6 in Zanzibar.

We found the choice of potential locations, accommodation, routes etc almost bewildering at first. Matthys at DA carefully sought to understand we were looking for and came up (after a couple of face to face discussions and several emails) with a suitable schedule

Pre and mid trip communication was excellent. The DA portal is very detailed and comprehensive and the app was very useful on a day to day basis once we arrived in Tanzania.

The recommended accommodation and transport was mostly superb, only issue was transferring from Kogatendi to Zanzibar where a supposed direct flight was in fact 2 flights with a 2 hour delay on the second, meaning we arrived in Zanzibar around 4 hours later than planned. We understand this happens quite regularly in the bush so not a big deal.

My wife was unfortunately taken ill during the trip (not attaching any blame to any lodge or hotel, these things can happen any time). An initial doctor visit was very well handled by our first guide (en route from Tarangire to Ngongoro), and after a slight recovery she again went downhill when we in the Serengeti. Between Matthys from DA and our driver in Zanzibar a hospital visit was pre-arranged when we arrived and the recommended hospital was excellent. The camps in Ngongoro, Serengeti and the hotel in Zanzibar really couldn’t have done any more to make sure she was as comfortable as possible.

The accommodation was fabulous in all locations and the two guides/drivers absolutely exceptional. All arrangements went as planned and everyone we encountered were so friendly and helpful. Despite the illness disruption we saw many amazing things, too many to list here,

Would very happily recommend DA and use them again.

Chrizaan was friendly, organized and extremely knowledgeable about lodges and safari options that we were interested in. We booked an 11 night tour through Zimbabwe and Botswana starting in Victoria Falls at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge then going to Botswana to Chobe Game Lodge, Camp Okavango, Camp Xakanaxa and Leroo La Tau.

All the lodges were 5 star safari lodges or tented camps. The food was delicious and plentiful and the staff and guides were friendly, fun and very knowledgeable. We saw 4 of the Big 5 (no rhinos) plus hundreds of elephants, zebras, wildebeest, crocodiles and more.

The thing that stood out the most to us was how organized the tour was with Desert & Delta Safari Group managing timely flights between camps that coordinated flawlessly with game drives and meals.

I researched many Africa tours but could not find an itinerary that did exactly what I wanted to do. I contacted Discover Africa to see if they might be able to help. Bianca was terrific. She listened to what I wanted to do and put together a perfect itinerary. She offered a couple of different “camp” options at each stop along the way. She put the whole thing together and helped me work to a price point I was comfortable with. The entire trip went flawlessly. I was very impressed with Bianca and Discover Africa.

The trip that was put together by Chrizaan Troch at Discover Africa was amazing. The accommodation was perfect as was the driving experience. This was our third self drive tour in Namibia and it was one of the best. Maps, accommodation, car, support all seamless.

We were initially overwhelmed with all of the options for African Safaris when we first started planning our trip. Luckily, Discover Africa responded promptly to our initial request for information and we were quickly scheduled for an initial consult with Adelle Bell.

Adelle presented several options and really listened to our feedback to tailor a perfect week in the African bush for our honeymoon. She took care of absolutely everything for us besides the international flights, which was a big weight off our shoulders after just planning so much time planning our wedding ourselves. She was also extremely communicative throughout the planning process and while we were on the ground the week of our honeymoon as well.

We spent 3 nights at Motswari in the Timbavati Private Game Reserve followed by 3 nights at Arathusa in Sabi Sands Private Game reserve. Both lodges and reserves surpassed our expectations. Motswari felt like a much more traditional and authentic safari experience, while Arathusa felt more up-scale and resort like. The staff and hospitality at both were fantastic, and the game drives surpassed our expectations immediately.

If you are considering booking a vacation to Africa, I would highly recommend booking through Discover Africa and asking for Adelle specifically. She will knock it out of the park!

It was an extensive planning process to put together a 24 day safari and adventure trip covering Victoria Falls, Mana Pools and Hwange Park in Zimbabwe, followed by a wonderful experience in Botswana on the Chobe River and Okvango Delta. There were flight considerations and a few changed plans along the way. I was worried that I was becoming a bore but no, Adelle was just as excited to plan my trip as I was to go on it. Finally the day arrived and I boarded my flights and arrived in Victoria Falls after 36 hours of travel. There waiting for me was my shuttle driver and the hotel was amazing. The next day the same level of service and off to Mana Pools I went. Same wonderful level of service.

But 1.5 days later I fell in the middle of the night and fractured two discs in my back. The care and support I received from Adelle is what got me through what could have turned into a tragedy. She was there for me every step of the way and continued to check in with me after I was finally safe at home. I don’t know what I would have done without her. A 5 star rating is simply not enough. Discover Africa and Adelle deserve a million stars. Once my back is healed we will begin the planning process again. They have won not only my repeat business but also my heart. I cannot sing their praises loudly enough.