10 Day Best of Africa – Big Five Safari Review

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.

Amazing and truly unique experience!

Susan was absolutely wonderful from start to finish. She was incredibly friendly, professional, and always available to help with every detail. Her knowledge, organization, and passion made the entire safari unforgettable.

Everything was perfectly arranged, and the experience exceeded all expectations. The wildlife, the landscapes, and the overall adventure were simply breathtaking.

If you’re looking for an authentic African safari experience, I can highly recommend Discover Africa Safari. Thank you, Susan, for creating such beautiful memories!

Our entire experience was magnificent. Everything was in place and perfectly reliable. We wanted for nothing and were taken care of every step of the way. To use the word “life changing” seems so cliché, but my husband and I both found the whole trip an amazing experience. From the first day we felt like we were in good hands. Communications from the start of planning to our trip home were clear and precise.

After discovering a high number of camps in and around the Okavango, and at a price higher than we typically go for on a safari, we were very unsure on the route to go down for our honeymoon (especially whilst trying to planning our wedding!). So we reached out to Adelle at Discover Africa Safaris and she put the perfect itinerary together for us, which matched our budget, and the experience far exceeded our expectations!

Rhys and Grace's Botswana Experience

We had a fantastic time at Rra Dinare, Moremi Crossing and Nxai Pan camps. All of the camps are managed by Kwando Safaris who are also exceptional. We had great wildlife sightings at all 3 camps – it was very hard to choose which camp we preferred as they are all amazing in their own way, as are the guides and staff at all camps. Adelle had also arranged private dinners and champagne for us at 2 of the 3 camps, which was a lovely addition. Our highlight was the camping out in the bush evening under the stars listening to the hippos calling and lions roaring all night.

We just returned from our first African trip and had an absolutely amazing and memory making trip. We are usually self planners for our vacations but with essentially no knowledge I attempted to do research on Africa and felt overwhelmed. As suggested from different sites I did contact several companies and ultimately chose Discover Africa and was certainly glad we did.

We worked with Susan and after a lengthy phone conversation and some e-mail follow ups she put our itinerary together. Revisions were not an issue for her and Susan provided some great knowledge when it came to deciding our ultimate plans. In hindsight, I never would have been able to co-ordinate all the different aspects of accommodations, air and ground transfers, and paperwork the way she did. The availability of using the TravelKey App was great.

Our 15 day safari far exceeded our hopes. Each camp/lodge had their own unique qualities and all the guides and staff overflowed with knowledge and kindness. As I told Susan, when the experienced guide gets his camera out because the siting was rare or exceptional you know you have had a WOW moment.

Susan was great about keeping tabs on us and assuring all was going smoothly. She even contacted the lodge to assist in getting my husband some food items more to his liking. Our trip itinerary consisted of:
2N-Xugana Island Lodge- Okavango Delta
2N-Camp Xakanaxa- Moremi Game Reserve
4N- Camelthorn Lodge- East Hwanga National Park
2N Insika Lodge- Victoria Falls
4N Sable Camp- MalaMala Game Reserve

We have been blessed with many wonderful travels prior to this trip but it’s fair to say we will go back and explore more of what Africa has to offer and Discover Africa, and Susan will take the lead!

We booked our safari adventures in Kenya and Tanzania with Susan at Discover Africa. The trip was nothing short of amazing, one of the best safari experiences we have ever enjoyed. Susan was thoughtful and patient throughout the planning process and really took time to understand what we wanted in a safari. Her recommendations were perfectly on point for us and our travel needs.

All logistical elements were smooth, and the services and amenities at both lodges that Susan recommended were exceptional. Our stay at Nimali Mara was particularly special with guide, Benson, offering us not only great sightings, but amazing animal interactions – from curious lion cubs playing (some still in the den) to lions mating to a lion challenging hyenas to access a watering hole! Our big cat experiences were truly top notch.

Thank you Susan for arranging such a special and memorable vacation for us; we will surely be in touch to plan our next African adventure.