Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana
Shipungo Safari & Tours
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2015)
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $200 to $360 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Bonnie | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent experience
Our experience with Shipungo was great! Mark was extremely helpful in making our arrangements (and changes we requested as our itinerary evolved) and the campsite and meals were always prepared and waiting for us when we arrived back from game drives. Perhaps most importantly, Cane was a wonderful safari guide and lovely person all around to spend time with. We would happily recommend Shipungo to others!
Email Jackie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Comfortable Camping Experience with an Amazing Guide
We had an excellent tour with Shipungo and this safari was a great way to see animals in Botswana. We did a 5 night 6 day safari in multiple locations across the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park. We chose the nicest tent / food options for the entire safari. Not everything matched the amenities listed (e.g. tent was slightly different than described, less breakfast, and didn't get the cheese at dinner) however, we felt that the experience was more than worth it and that we got some things we weren't expecting (e.g. additional game drives). The hot shower and unlimited drinks (water, soft drinks, coffee, alcoholic drinks) were listed amenities that we particularly enjoyed. Our guide, Cain, was absolutely amazing. We've been on several safaris and he was by far the most knowledgable guide we've had. We told him lions were our favorite animals and he did a great job of prioritizing those sightings. We saw many animals including 18 adult lions and 11 cubs across multiple sightings. The team managing the camp was also great, they did an excellent job setting everything up and keeping us comfortable. The food was really tasty and filling, which was surprising with the isolated campgrounds we were staying at. This was our first time doing a camping safari (previously stayed in lodges) and we would definitely do this again. The campgrounds were inside the safari areas and we could hear the animals all around us at night. Overall, we felt this was a well organized safari and we were happy with our experience.
Email Olivia | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic guide and experience at a great price
Our group of 6 had a wonderful experience on a 7-day mobile safari from Maun to Vic Falls through Moremi, Khwai concession, Savuti, the Okavango Delta and Chobe national park.
The tour
We saw an incredible amount of wildlife including a huge range of birds, elephants, zebras, giraffes, various antelope, wildebeest, buffalo, hippos, crocodiles, wild dogs, jackals, lions, leopards and cheetahs, on up to 7h per day of game drives. Voice, our driver and guide, was outstanding - he knew exactly where to spot wildlife and was able to answer all our questions. We found the 7 day safari the perfect length to be able to see a wide variety of wildlife, and enjoyed the varying scenery throughout the tour - overall, Savuti was a standout for us, where we were lucky enough to spot our only cheetah of the trip as well as some mating leopards and multiple lion prides.
We also enjoyed the mokoro excursion and the Chobe river cruise - it was nice to break up the game drives and see the landscape and wildlife from a different perspective. One small disappointment for us was that the brochure provided had indicated there would be some opportunities for guided walks, which was not part of our itinerary in the end.
Voice was also an excellent driver, navigating sandy and bumpy tracks expertly, even when rushing to make it to a wildlife sighting. The vehicle was completely open which was fabulous for game drives, but quite dusty/windy for the longer drives - face coverings were very useful for these segments. It was quite chilly in the mornings but the provided ponchos, which were both cosy and cut the wind, were a big help.
We were very well looked after by the camp staff who set up our tents, provided hot water for hand and face washing twice a day as well as showers, and prepared filling and tasty meals over the campfire. We had opted for the mid-range option and the tents were spacious, beds comfortable and bathroom facilities (individual pit toilets and safari showers for each tent) more than adequate. We appreciated thoughtful touches like the nightly campfires and hot water bottles being provided on colder evenings. We also loved being out in the bush at night, seeing spectacular starry night skies and hearing wildlife.
Communication, booking and reliability
David promptly responded to our initial booking enquiry and follow up questions. We were able to make payments via PayPal, with different payment links for each member out our group, which made things very easy. The information provided could have been more detailed and up-to-date, for example we would have appreciated a packing list, information about weather/what to expect, but ultimately this didn’t cause any issues.
Value for money
Compared to other options we had researched, we thought Shipungo provided excellent value for money, and would highly recommend them to other travellers interested in an adventurous safari experience. We originally planned to come as a group of 4 but had two additional friends join, which gave us a small discount, which was much appreciated.
Email Dina Snaith | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Bored, entitled staff members, lack of transparency and shorter tour than I was led to believe
Very dishonest company - I paid for a 2 day, 1 night tour and my tour took less than 24 hours!! Before paying I wanted them to confirm in writing my pick up time and drop off time and they purposefully avoided answering the question. Now I know why!
IE
Email Siobhan Martin | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
From start to finish everyone was very warm and friendly
Myself and my boyfriend did the one night camping mokoro. It was amazing. The polers and the guides were so lovely and kind. They worked so hard to make sure everything was perfect for us. I love the fact it is a Botswanan company run by Botswanans and they work with the local people from the village.
Email Paul | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing experiences and great service
Private tour for just the 2 of us. Prompt pickup and attention to detail all the way through the tour. Fun and exciting tour to Kalahari and Nxai Pan. Mobile camping a great experience to stay inside the parks. Private safari vehicle, the way to go. Great staff looked after every detail, food great. Saw amazing wildlife with our tour guide who worked hard to track and find the wildlife for us. Very happy and would highly recommend this company.
NL
Email Sander Nijenhuis | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderfull Okavango overnight safari
Very friendly and professional staff ! Wonderful setting on an isalnd in te delta.
FR
Email Marguerite | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent tour with good capacity to adapt despite bad weather
We went for a 5 day Safari trip. Sadly it was rainy season and so the Moremi park was closed because of flooding so we had to change the plan.
Our tour guide was an excellent driver and managed to not get us stuck.
The sleeping accomadation was very comfortable (camping in tents with beds) and the food was absolutely delicious.
Despite the change of plan we were able to see lots of animals and see beautiful sunsets in the reserve.
SE
Email Claes Eklund | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Highly professional, service-minded, and good at finding wild life
Shipungo provided a mobile camping safari through 4 parks in Botswana (Moremi, Khwai, Savuti and Chobe) that was unforgettable, well-organised, and filled with experiences of being present in the stunning wilderness and close to magical wild life. The guide/driver Kem was highly experienced, service-minded, and incredibly good at finding magnificent animals, including leopards, cheetahs, and lions. The crew was very friendly and efficient, the food was great, and the tent and beds were comfortable considering it was a mobile camping safari. The safari gave good value for the money. I highly recommend Shipungo!
DE
Email August | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A short intensive time, with africans and Africa very close
Our tour was easy to book, due to very good communication. The locals staying with us were very friendly, polite und helpful. Always ready to explain answer to our questions. Very good value for money!!