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South Africa User Reviews

South Africa Safaris South Africa
Sort By: Date Most Helpful 71-80 of 1,096 Reviews

Average User Rating

4.8275 / 5 4.8 /5
4.8409 / 5 4.8127 / 5 4.6257 / 5 4.5219 / 5

Rating Breakdown

5 star 1096 / 10 1,096
4 star 158 / 10 158
3 star 21 / 10 21
2 star 3 / 10 3
1 star 3 / 10 3
0 star 4 / 10 4
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Male avatar icon Paulo Portugal flag PT       Visited: August 2019 Reviewed: Aug 30, 2019

Email Paulo  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Astonishing and rich experience

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 5 / 5 4 / 5 4 / 5

This was a perfect experience. Accommodations accordly to expectations. Very diverse and good food, both in quantity and quality. The hosts, drivers and guides have always been outstanding in their competence, availability, organization and friendliness.

Avatar icon Kim Colter United States flag US       Visited: July 2019 Reviewed: Jul 7, 2019

Email Kim Colter

Splendid trip to Sabi Sands

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5
Our family group of six stayed at Jaci Sabi house in Sabi Sands and had a wonderful experience. Ralph, our ranger, and Nkosi, our tracker did a splendid job of finding animals for us. We spent more hours pursuing animals with Ralph and Nkosi than we did on our prior visit to Sabi Sands five years ago. We did more searching for animals in the dark on this trip than on our previous trip. Highlights of this trip included nearly an hour spent with a leopard including seeing the female leopard kill and eat a crested francolin; an hour spent with a pride of ten lions that included five females and five cubs, all in a lazy post prandial state. We saw bush babies, civet cat, genet using spotlight after dark. The birding was terrific with sightings of fish eagle, tawny eagle, Bataleur eagle, Verreaux's eagle owl, pearl spotted owlet, ground hornbill, goshawk, crested barbet, lilac breasted roller, ostrich male and female, oriole, go away bird, others that I would need to check my notes
Read more for. I saw many, many owls on this trip, which was not the case on my previous trip. We visited Sabi Sands five years ago and had a wonderful experience then as well, staying at Chitwa Chitwa. Jaci Sabi house is smaller, with a group size of six the usual maximum. The Jaci Sabi House household staff were wonderful and went out of the way to accommodate a wedding anniversary of our daughter and son in law that occurred during the trip. I am an amateur astronomer and visiting during new moon afforded terrific views of the southern Milky Way, southern cross, omega centauri, coal sack, eta carina, and before dawn the large and small Magellanic clouds were visible. I had no telescope but enjoyed binocular views of objects. Quite honestly, there were exquisite things to be seen around the clock, making it difficult to know when to sleep.
Male avatar icon William Hui United States flag US       Visited: May 2019 Reviewed: Jun 17, 2019

Email William Hui  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Beautiful, serene, and a wonderful country

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5 0 / 5
South Africa Safari was amazing. Kruger National Park was everything I had expected and so much more. The wildlife was, by far, the most surreal ting I have ever seen and witnessed in my life. It was such a privilege to be next to elephants and rhinos. The scenery was something out of a fairy tale. Lush fields with impala galloping across, watering holes with wild birds and hippos -words cannot describe it.

The accommodations were also very nice. We stayed at the Satara camp and it had all the amenities you would need - fresh towels, rooms cleaned daily, pool, restaurant, and store. The food was delicious, our guide, Ryan, was a great cook and very knowledgeable of the area and history of Kruger. Transportation was also very good and on time.

As mentioned above, our guide, Ryan from Wildlife Safari was amazing. He was courteous, kind, and patient. He brought us around Kruger for two full days and showed us all the hotspots in the area. We were
Read more able to see four out of the five Big Five. I would highly recommend Ryan and his tours!! Ryan and family - thank you very much for such an amazing and life changing experience!!!
Female avatar icon Jennifer Delacruz United States flag US       Visited: February 2019 Reviewed: Mar 16, 2019

Email Jennifer Delacruz  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Amazing Trip!

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5 0 / 5
We booked the first part of our S. Africa trip through Safari Occasions and had an amazing time!! I worked closely with Leon prior to the trip, and was nervous to use a newer company without many reviews. However, Leon was extremely professional the entire time, and I'm very glad I was not scared off. He made our trip a wonderful experience. During the booking process, he really catered our trip to our family. We were travelling with our little one (4 yrs) and he helped us select a very family-friendly lodge that allowed my son to go on all of the game drives. He noticed during the booking that it was going to be my husband's birthday (without me saying anything) and recommended a special activity that day to celebrate. And he worked with me to find a local tour and then worked with the vendor to make modifications after I told him what I was looking for. Once we arrived, Leon's entire family drove quite a ways to meet and greet us at the airport, making the arrival
Read more process very easy and special. The lodge he recommended (Kololo) was fantastic. We all enjoyed the game drives and only wish we could have stayed longer. We frequently saw wildebeests and warthogs from our lodge steps, and Kololo backs right up to Welgevodgen Park and is separated by a see-through fence, so you have a clear view of the wildlife. The restaurant was great (I recommend trying the wildebeest!) and we especially enjoyed the breakfast each morning. The lodge was spacious and just what I had hoped for. There was a small change in our plans (the hotel did not show one of the activities that we were supposed to be scheduled for), and although we were disappointed at the time, Leon worked with the hotel to find a suitable alternate. Overall, a very nice experience and I would recommend Safari Occasions and Leon to anyone looking to have a low-stress, worry-free vacation.
Male avatar icon Bert United States flag US       Visited: May 2018 Reviewed: Jan 21, 2019

Email Bert  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

My dream safari adventure come true

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5 0 / 5
I decided to go "first class" as it was my trip of a lifetime and I wanted to go to more exclusive areas not open to the hordes of general public and self drivers and dozens of land rovers surrounding a pride of lions.... I was not disappointed. I stayed at "Kings Camp" and Notten's Bush Camp". I cannot recommend those camps highly enough. (Note that Notten's Bush Camp operates by night by candle and lantern light only - which is a bold move and you have to be into that. I found it really a great idea - set up a great, classic safari vibe, exciting and romantic, but I suppose you have to be into that. You were able to recharge electronics in your room at any time)

I especially commend Paperjet Travel - who worked on giving me the exact trip I wanted - and they found camps (in the mid season granted) who would not charge extra for single occupancy. I think I exchanged 35 emails with them over time. They answered every question promptly
Read more and generously, even questions about the drought in Cape Town and the potential strike by South Africa Airways (so - they supported me beyond the call). They put me at ease with detailed and accurate information. They tweaked my itinerary several times after giving me numerous options until it was exactly what I wanted. I can't recommend Paperjet highly enough. Ask for Jason. He is THE best.

Guides were every informative, congenial, accommodating - couldn't be better
Wildlife - we saw every conceivable animal. I stayed in two different camps so that I hedged my bets on seeing all animals. That turned out to be a great choice.
Accommodation was truly first class in every aspect. The food, the set up of the camps, design and architecture, amenities, the personnel, the service; I was treated like a king
Transportation was flawless from airports and between camps. Even the drivers acted as guides. They stopped once or twice to show me animals.
I was not at any disadvantage as a result of going "mid season". Animal sightings were excellent and plentiful

Male avatar icon Devin United States flag US       Visited: January 2019 Reviewed: Jan 18, 2019

Email Devin  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Captivating and breathtaking beyond compare!

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 4 / 5 5 / 5 0 / 5

South Africa exceeded any expectations that I may have had. The safari at Entabeni was one of the highlights of the trip, aside from the great music in Johannesburg and scenic mountain views in Cape Town. Our ranger at Entabeni, Carl, was a charming and knowledgeable host. Our boarding accommodations were wonderfully situated on a lake and the food/staff was great!!

Male avatar icon Jon & Lisa United States flag US       Visited: September 2018 Reviewed: Nov 2, 2018

Email Jon & Lisa  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Wild Planet Safari offered an outstanding experience featuring abundant Wildlife in Krueger

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5
Our four day Safari with Wild Planet Safari at the end of the dry season in Krueger Park surpassed all my expectations. The park and campsites themselves are appropriately developed to offer a comfortable and accessible environment for visitors. If this is to be your first, or only African Safari, I highly recommend Krueger and Wild Planet Safari.

Our Wild Planet Safari with our Guide Ryan and his assistant in a private enclosed vehicle was the perfect choice. We had personalized service and wonderful meals. The information Ryan shared about the animals we saw was extensive. Additionally, Ryan was able to speak knowledgeably about Conservation not only in Krueger but in other parks in southern Africa, South African politics, and culture providing us with a much richer experience than we would have had touring on our own.

The dry conditions meant foliage was sparse which helped in spotting and viewing wildlife. Speaking of wildlife, the abundance and
Read more variety of birds and animals we saw continues to amaze me and the pictures I share with family and friends get rave reviews. Ryan's knowledge of the park itself meant he maximized every minute outside the campsite gate and visits to all the best animal viewing spots.

If you go, Go with Wild Planet Safari. Get your self an Animal guide Book because it is the ONLY way you will be able to keep track of every animal you see. Take the Morning Ranger led Bush Walk to spend time on the ground walking the trails used by the animals. You may not see ALL the animals you traveled to see but you will see far more animals/birds than you ever imagined you would.
Female avatar icon Emily United States flag US       Visited: July 2018 Reviewed: Aug 15, 2018

Email Emily  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Once in a lifetime adventure - not to be missed!

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 3 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5
We stayed at Tremisana Lodge the first night and it was very comfortable. The bushwalk was very informative and we got to experience smoking elephant dung :) That was my nieces favorite part! The bar / concessions needed more staff. It was hardly ever open so you couldn't even get waters. The dinner was excellent the first night and we even had some wildlife visitors - hyena, honey badgers, and a porcupine.
The second two nights we stayed at Marc's Treehouse. The treehouses were unique and comfortable but chilly. The food was good and the bar was open daily. The breakfast overlooking the river was outstanding - nice view of wildlife and outdoor setting. Keep an eye on your biscuit or the monkeys may steal them.
Kruger park was pretty good but many of the animals were at a distance so make sure to bring binoculars. Also the ride to Kruger in the open vehicle was very chilly so dress very warm and bring extra blankets. The restaurant at Kruger Park was
Read more the only lowlight. The food was below average and the service was terrible. My son did not get his food in the time we had to stop for food so he had to get it to go and try to eat while we were bouncing around in the vehicle.
The staff was friendly.
Female avatar icon Tracy United States flag US       Visited: July 2018 Reviewed: Jul 23, 2018

Email Tracy  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

GREAT ADVICE AND EXPERIENCE 10/10

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5

I was connected with Walter Kohrs thru Trip Advisor in August of 2017 for a Safari in July of 2018. Walter asked me many questions and wanted to understand what I was looking for before making any recommendations on what part of Africa, budget and type of things my family wanted to do. We decided on South Africa and specifically a Bush Camp in SABI SANDS.

We ended up at Nottens Bush Camp which Walter booked along with Airport Transfers to the lodge. Everything exceeded my expectations... I highly recommend Walter and his excellent knowledge and service he provides.. We traveled from the Orange County Ca with 17 year old twins who were not that excited to go initially . They both LOVED the Safari and the attention to detail provided by Walter and Nottens Camp.

Female avatar icon L Mullin United States flag US       Visited: June 2018 Reviewed: Jul 2, 2018

Email L Mullin  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

AMAZING experience!!

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5 0 / 5

We were a family of 4 and used Viva Safaris with a stay at Tremisana Lodge. We did a 5 day/ 4 night safari. It was the most amazing experience from beginning to end!! We saw all the “Big 5” and so much more ! Tremisana Lodge was wonderful. The grounds were rustic and beautiful , the food excellent, and staff amazing.

Viva Safaris was beyond our expectations. The safari guides/ drivers were beyond knowledgeable and our itinerary perfect. The itinerary kept us busy, but with the needed downtime in between. It was the perfect balance of activities. From Bush walks, game drives, and animal rehabilitation centers, there was so much to do and see!! We would highly recommend Viva Safaris and a stay are tremisana Lodge!!