Flying was a Game Changer

Chrizaan was wonderful. She took our requests to heart and created a once in a lifetime trip for us. The transportation was arranged flawlessly and the safaris were breathtaking. We saw so much and did so much but it didn’t feel rushed. I would recommend Chrizaan 100%. It was a truly amazing trip.

My son Max and I just returned from an incredible trip to South Africa and Mauritus, and I can’t say enough about how exceptional Susan Veldman was throughout the entire process. From the very beginning she listened to what we wanted and designed an itinerary that was exactly right for us-thoughtful, seamless and perfectly tailored. Every detail was handled flawlessly. The drivers were prompt and professional, the local agents knowledgeable and the hotels outstanding.-each one what we hoped for. There was not a single disappointment on the trip which is rare for a trip of this scale.

What stood out the most was Susans care and attention. She checked in regularly to make sure everything was going smoothly.
I would highly recommend working with Discover Africa for a trip that would be memorable, stress free and tailored to your preferences and budget. Susan is not only incredibly organized but highly invested in making your experience special.

Debby Anziano's Safari Experience

She found the most outstanding places for us to stay with our favorite by far Leopard Hills Lodge in Sabi Sands Reserve, A small intimate lodge with incredible rooms, food and the game drives did not disappoint as we saw the big 5 every day and many leopards while feeling we were only ones in the park. I have been on several safaris in Africa but this was different how alone and private it was.

The other hotel I would not miss was one of the best hotels we ever stayed at in the world in Johannesburg, The Residence Hotel which was amazing and since our flight was cancelled due to a Lufthansa strike we had to stay an extra night which was also a highlight of our trip and we would go back to Johannesburg to stay there again.

Thank you Susan for making this such an amazing trip!

Discover Africa and their trip advisor Megan Warrington did a fantastic job arranging our trip to Cape Town, Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe), and the Chobe River and Kwara Camp in Botswana. We originally planned this trip a few years ago, but had to cancel. Megan was able to resurrect our itinerary with a few improvements this year. The trip details they provided were very accurate and helped us in our planning (and packing). All the transfers/transportation went without a hitch. Greeters met us at each location and guided us to the appropriate next step.

All the accommodations they booked us in were top notch; better than we anticipated. In particular, they had booked us into a camp in the Okavanga delta run by the Kwando Safari company. When they Kwando company ended up closing the camp for renovations Megan made sure that Kwando upgraded our camp and we ended up at the amazing Kwara camp, their flagship location, with no additonal cost or bother for us. (That camp was amazing great wildlife, staff, food and “tents”.)

I would recommend Discover Africa and Megan to anyone planning a trip to the Southern Africa area for a safari or city visit.

The best trip of our lives!! I am so glad I came across Discover Africa and was paired with Dev. We started with a video chat and Dev listened to my vision for the trip- all of the things I was excited to do, and he shared his travel expertise. He took those ideas and created template for my dream trip to South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. Lots of back and forth finalizing the trip (I am very detail oriented in my planning and so is Dev, thankfully) and we came up with the perfect itinerary.

Dev was always quick to get back to me, which I appreciated. Dev and his team arranged all of our 6+ bush flights between the cities/countries, hotels, full transportation, accommodation etc. From the second we landed in Cape Town, my husband and I felt fully taken care of and safe. Dev recommended Leopard Hills for our safari lodge in the Sabi Sands- and were BLOWN away by them in every aspect. We had a boutique experience in Leopard hills as it only has 8 rooms and we felt very catered to. The lodge’s staff was top notch and we saw about 10 leopards, many lions/lioness, rare african wild dogs, hippos, rhinos, hyenas…you name it.

Nithya's Safari Experience

This was everything we wanted. This lodge was very ethical, which was important to us. There is so much that goes into planning the ideal African Safari and it is very helpful to have a good planner. At one point in Zimbabwe, I had to call Dev for a concern I had at the lodge. He answered right away and handled the issue. Couldn’t ask for more.

We have traveled to 20+ countries at this point and I can confidently say that this trip comes #1. Hands down would recommend this team if you are looking for an amazing safari experience.

We did a 3-week bespoke tour with Discover Africa and specifically Devryn Panaino. South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana game parks. Our group of 6 had a fantastic time, as the itinerary was top notch, transfers smooth and now we can’t wait to go back. We were nervous about small plane transfers but it was very smooth and professional service. In fact, it puts Aussie’s Jetstar in the shade. We saw all the animals big 5, ugly 5, small 5 and everything in between. Would definitely recommend this company and Devryn. Hot tip: be prepared to spend a bit of money it’s worth it for a truly unique experience.

Vicki's Southern Africa Journey

We had a wonderful experience with Discover Africa and, specifically, Dev Panaino. Dev helped us plan a dream vacation to South Africa and Zimbabwe and made the planning from our end effortless. We met with Dev via Zoom calls for the initial trip planning, and he regularly followed up with us via email. Dev was personable, easy to work with, and really listened when we outlined the experiences we desired on this trip. He designed an itinerary that met and even exceeded all our goals. With his knowledge of the area, he had great ideas for enhancing our adventure. Discover Africa provided us with comprehensive information on how to prepare for the trip down to the smallest detail. We left home with our travel documents safely in tow and the knowledge that we could reach out to Dev at any time should difficulties arise. And they sure did.

It’s worth noting that Dev arranged all our ground transportation at each leg of the trip as well as a private guide for several excursions. We traveled in unexpected luxury on the excursions with a knowledgeable, friendly guide who really added depth to the experiences. Dev also strongly recommended a safari lodge other than the more popular (and expensive) choices we had researched ourselves on-line. It turned out to be a true hidden gem, upscale yet cozier and more intimate than the others.

One of us had an unfortunate, vacation-ending injury on the fourth day of the trip (bad fall resulting in a broken kneecap requiring immediate surgery). We contacted Dev almost immediately in near-panic about what to do and how to get home. He really rose to the occasion, reassuring us that he would help and we’d be safe. Dev made many on-the-fly arrangements for us, from finding last-minute hotel accommodations and dealing with the local airline to arranging ground transportation and making all the necessary cancellations/re-bookings. Following our return home, he provided gathered helpful information to support our travel insurance claim.

Although our trip did not work out as planned, needless to say we highly recommend Dev Panaino at Discover Africa and would absolutely work with him again.