South Africa Big 5 Safari and Victoria Falls Journey

Our Hwange Safari and Victoria Falls tour, expertly arranged by Cayleigh Brown from Discover Africa, was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. From the seamless logistics to the eco-conscious charm of Insika Lodge and Sable Valley Lodge, every detail reflected thoughtful planning.

Special mention goes to our guide, Mr. Caleb, whose knowledge and passion brought the safari to life. Discover Africa delivered exceptional service and support every step of the way.

Highly recommended for anyone seeking a meaningful and unforgettable African adventure.

This trip was all about making memories, and it did just that. Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Mala Mala Safari Lodge, Victoria Falls, and finally Zanzibar. Our boutique hotels along the way were nothing less than stunning, as was Lanzarac Manor in Stellenbosch. The lasting memory is that of Mala Mala. If I could score it higher than 100%, then I would. So well organised.

Brilliant guide – Geena. The big five, not once but on several occasions. Excellent accommodation and first-rate staff. The whole trip went like a dream thanks to Vihann Van Wyk who checked in with us several times and even checked us in for all of our flights. I’d strongly recommend Discover Africa Safaris to anyone considering a trip to Africa and especially a safari. Well done Discover Africa. One off the bucket list!

First of all, we highly recommend Discover Africa. The service they provide is invaluable. Our travel planner, Vihann, gave us expert guidance on our accommodations and tours. He arranged for all of our transports including internal flights and he even checked us into our flights! Everything went like clockwork and we had the comfort of knowing Vihann was available to us if needed. We will definitely use Discover Africa for our next trip.

Here’s a summary of our trip: For our first trip to Africa, we wanted to focus on South Africa. We started in Cape Town and stayed at the Victoria & Alfred on the waterfront which is an excellent location. We went on a city tour, tour of the Cape and also visited the wine country. We had the same tour guide for three days providing continuity. Cape Town was a great way to start our trip. We then went to Timbavati Private Reserve (at Vihann’s recommendation) and stayed at Kambaku River Sands. We arrived in the early afternoon and went on our first game drive. Within 24 hours, we saw the big five and much more. The accommodations, food, and staff at the lodge exceeded our expectations.

Sharon's Safari Experience

Next, we traveled to Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, Arathusa Safari Lodge. Our suite faced the watering hole where hippos reside plus elephants, giraffes, etc came to drink often. Again, the lodge staff, food and accommodations were excellent. Between the two reserves, we went on 11 game drives. We ended our two week trip in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, at the Old Drift Lodge located on the Zambezi River. The Lodge staff helps put together an itinerary from the list of numerous activites available to you. There are morning and evening game drives offered as the lodge is located in the Zambezi National Park, but we chose other activites such as the sunset river boat safari, tour of the falls, and breakfast at the Lookout Cafe.

With Vihann’s help, we also booked white water rafting with Wild Horizons on the Zambezi and Devil’s Pool. All activities were fantastic and again, the staff, food and accommodations at the Old Drift Lodge were outstanding.

This trip has been a work in progress since 2019. We originally started planning this for our 50th wedding anniversary and then Covid hit. When we first spoke to Matthys we were not familiar with anything in Africa. We told him we had to see the “Big Five”, but other than that we didn’t know what we really wanted. Well, let me tell you everything was absolutely perfect. We flew into Cape Town and enjoyed 5 days of perfection. A tour to the wineries, table mountain cable car, down to the southern Cape of Good Hope, and Robben Island were tours that he arranged. Then it was on to Victoria Falls.

Our next stop was Sabi Sabi Little Bush Camp at Krueger National Park where we stayed for 3 nights. Not only did we see the big five but we also saw, giraffes, cheetahs, ostrich, hippopotamus, zebra and so much more. Matthys recommended we split our time between two safari camps so our next stop was Leopard Hills. Both lodges were above and beyond our expectations. We even got to see lions mating. The last leg of our journey brought us to Mauritius for a relaxing beach vacation. We had a long layover on our return trip to the States so Matthys arranged a day trip to Soweto.

Every stop on our vacation was perfect. There was always someone to meet us and escort us to our destination. Matthys listened to our wants and delivered a vacation that surpassed anything that we expected. Africa truly is life-changing

Discover Africa delivered the most amazing honeymoon experience to South Africa. The Dulini safari lodge in Sabi Sands was so special, private, and the game drives are packed with adventure. Then the boutique Camps Bay hotel in Cape Town was beautiful. Transfers and tours were first class. A seamless experience. We cannot recommend booking enough – it is worth it!

I am giving below my feedback about all aspect of the trip from 24th May to 5th June, 2016.

a) Accommodation at Johannesburg, Victoria Falls, Skukuza Rest Camp, Kruger National Park and Cape Town was well located with comfortable rooms as per our requirements.

b) Transfers and Tours at all places was on time and we did have not much of a problem.

c) Flights booked for various places were on time and we were able to maintain our schedule.

d) Two Dinner arrangements at Johannesburg and Cape Town was satisfactory. I have only following comments which if amended will help other travelers.

1) Guide at Victoria Falls was not very helpful. We had to spend some funds to cross the Bridge by walk. I am not sure why this was not included.

2) Kruger National Park – Safari timing during Morning and evening appears to be on fixed irrespective of seasonal variation. This resulted lots of time in movement in darkness which was a waste. This can be easily rectified if Kruger National Park changes Safari timings as per Sun rise and Sun set.

3) Wine Tour at Cape Town should have been included. You ultimately accommodated us at an extra cost. I once again like to convey my sincere gratitude and thanks to you and Discover Africa for arranging this wonderful trip for eight Senior Citizens from India and UK having ages 70+.

I shall definitely recommend Discover Africa and particularly you whenever any of my family and friends plans trip to South Africa and nearby countries.