Our Safari Blog

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.

Very professional in the approach of customer’s needs. Intelligent in the approach and in the design of our safari in Botswana taking into account some of the constraints that we had. We were extremely happy with all the camps that were recommended to us. Thumbs up!

All bookings were at luxurious and convenient places. The camp tents are beautifully decorated with a rustic look and feel. Food service were amazing for most part. The bush drives are as best as it could be given the rainy season etc. Punctuality has been an added attribute.

From start to finish, every phase of our trip was seamless. From the man who greeted us at Nairobi airport when we arrived to the woman who assisted us at our departure, we were taken care of perfectly. Our lodges at Saruni Samburu and Saruni Mara were beautiful. The staff was welcoming and we had genuine conversations that gave us an appreciation of their culture. Matthys at Discover Africa listened to our priorities. He communicated well and made our remarkable safari to Kenya a dream come true.

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.

Everything was more than what I expected. From the safari drives to the lodging and food was five star. At the camps, one was pampered. Everyone was personable and made me feel at home. The entire trip was wonderful!