Kate & Darren Humphrys with Henry, Olive and Hume
Compass Odyssey
- Office In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2006)
- Member Of:
- Southern Africa Tourism Services Association
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $750 to $2,500 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
CA
Email Sarah Tand Bryan A | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceptional personalized service and attention to detail
Darren at Compass Odyssey was recommended to us by a friend, and we would without hesitation recommend him to plan your Africa adventure. He was exceptionally patient with multiple adjustments to our itinerary to meet our preferences, and listened carefully to the experience we were hoping to have on this bucket list trip. Our itinerary took us from Cape Town to the usual attractions but flexible enough we were able to fit in a mountain bike ride in the wine region. Whe. The preferred accommodations in Sabi Sands were booked for our dates, he worked tirelessly to find comparable alternatives. The pre trip dossier left no question unanswered, but if there were questions he was quick to respond. Local guides were personable, informative and helpful. We felt well supported on this trip. Not only did Darren and Compass Odyssey meet our expectations, they exceeded them, and truely delivered the experience we were dreaming of.
Email CATHERINE | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent service, value and experience
This trip was seamless, everything went according to plan and as scheduled. All the guides were knowledgeable, helpful and personable. We learned so much about each country from talking with the guides. All the lodgings were stellar and we had only positive experiences wherever we were. The tour covered everything we asked for while giving us the flexibility to adapt if we desired. Compass Odyssey representatives checked in with us often throughout the tour so we always felt like someone had our back, knew where we were and what we were experiencing. In addition, it was obvious that the guides were in touch with representatives as well.
Email Blanca & Timm Borden and family | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect, timely individualized organization; providing & indulging all needs and requests.
Our family of five had an incredibly memorable and personalized safari experience. The communication with them was always clear, timely and provided us an array of options. We traveled with our three 30ish adult children who had vegan cuisine requests, extreme sports requests and different people arriving and leaving on different dates. In other words, it was like herding cats. Compass Odyssey put together a safari itinerary that encompassed four different lodges which were all very well appointed, providing unique lodging experiences and wildlife experiences. Highlights were staying at the Hide and being able to experience the The Dove’s Nest tree house and our helicopter flights to the Okavanga Delta. Also the recommendation for doing a charter flight instead of driving six hours through rough roads was excellent. We met people that were tired and exhausted because they drove, while we were fresh and enjoying drinks and an afternoon game drive. Also, having Ruth accompanning us (babysitting us) through a large part of the first part of the trip was invaluable in navigating country crossings, guiding us through what we would experiencing and ensuring every detail was always on time and ensuring we booked the extreme sports with safe and reputable providers. We loved the trip. Excellent value for the very bougie and once in a lifetime safari experience.
Email Regan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Does not take responsibility
I wasn't going to write my own review but seeing how they responded to my husband's review I had to say something.
They take absolutely no accountability for issues during the trip. Its always someone else's fault. When you operate a tour company it is your responsibility to coordinate every detail of the trip and make sure the local guides no what they are doing as to not ruin experiences.
Reply from Compass Odyssey
Posted on Oct 17, 2026We refer the reader to Michael's review dated 23 May.
Regan, we have previously apologised and empathised with your and Michael's disappointment at arriving at your dinner venue after sunset. We do take responsibility for co-ordinating every single detail of our travellers' journeys (read any of our other reviews). We do take accountability for our travellers' journeys. Surely this was most apparent to you and Michael when after your first night in Swakopmund, we managed to find (and pay for) an alternative hotel for your second night even though the issue was from your doing (i.e. not advising us that Michael had to stay in air-conditioned accommodations)? We think it is unfair that both of you rate us as 1-star for this sole incident within a 20-day journey where everybody (and we mean, everybody) tried so hard to make you both happy. You have both now had your say and presumably you now feel heard. We will leave it to the reader to make their own judgement on whether your and Michael's comments correctly reflect Compass Odyssey.
As we did in Michael's review, we again apologise to the reader for this somewhat distasteful process.
Email Roger and Christine Harrop | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Remarkable
Our fantastic adventure with Compass Odyssey was remarkable.
Everything worked impeccably with Mortimer the perfect charming, helpful and reliable host.
The exclusive Toms Little Hide in Hwange National Park was simply fabulous - amazing accommodation, super food and delightful staff. Our guide Brendan was a star - and so knowledgeable- we saw just about everything possible to see!.
Chobe was another great experience- we saw a leopard out in the open and elephants swimming the river as well as much more.
Email Cheryl and family | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
What a Wonderful, Stress-Free Trip to Africa!
Darren and Kate at Compass Odyssey made our trip to Africa such a seamless, wonderful experience! We emailed them a list of our must-see activities, and they made it happen! We saw hyenas stealing impala meat from lions and laughing about it, elephants at their watering hole from our chalet at Senalala, a giraffe being chased by a lion (the giraffe won), two hippos having a disagreement, and so many other amazing animals and the beautiful Victoria Falls. It isn’t like the US, where you go to a national park and may or may not see animals. In Africa, you WILL see animals every trip out! We saw the Big Five within our first two days. We went on about a dozen game drives (on water and land) and flew to several different places within Africa, and Compass Odyssey made it all happen so perfectly. We had NO flight issues whatsoever. My friend had booked a trip with Compass Odyssey about ten years ago and loved it, so we decided to give them a try, and we are so glad we did! I wish there was a Darren and Kate in every country I want to visit! We were very impressed with them and can’t begin to express how happy we were with the trip they planned for us!
SI
Email Ursula and Mitja | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Once-in-a-Lifetime Trip We're Already Planning to Repeat
I put off writing this review for a while, mostly because I wasn't sure I could do Compass Odyssey justice. Our family of four had our South Africa holiday organised by them, and it's hard to put into words how much of a difference that made.
From the start, they were extraordinarily helpful in guiding us through every decision, especially the safari. There are so many options, and left to our own devices we would never have landed on the one they proposed for us. It turned out to be a perfect match, tailored to exactly what our family wanted without us even fully knowing how to ask for it.
What stood out most was how they made us feel like their only client. Planning a trip like this comes with real pressure, dozens of moving parts, logistics across a foreign country, matching everyone's interests, but Compass Odyssey carried all of that so we didn't have to.
Once we were in Cape Town, our guides Tim and Garth were exceptional. Their knowledge added a whole extra layer to the trip, the kind of detail and context you simply don't get without the right people showing you around.
Behind the scenes, Darren at Odyssey was incredibly responsive throughout, which matters more than you'd think when you're travelling somewhere as far-flung as Africa. Any question, any last-minute concern, he was on it.
My husband and I went into this thinking it would be our "once in a lifetime" trip. We were wrong. We're already planning to go back, and when we do, it will be with Compass Odyssey.
Email Laura M | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Professional excellence, attentive to detail, reliable, always executes the trip we hoped for & more
Compass Odyssey - Darren and Kate - are excellent, in the truest sense of the word. We plan through them for all our safaris and they never let us down. I’ve continued to recommend them to fellow travelers. They value a quality experience, ethical travel, are fast communicators, are understanding and flexible. This time, on our trip to Kenya, we saw all the animals we wanted to see, had amazing food, some really wonderful guides, and overall had a wonderful time w/ memories that will last a lifetime.
CA
Email Eliana | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Such a pleasure to deal with, on every possible level.
This was our fourth safari (fifth trip) with Compass Odyssey (CO). As usual, Darren and Kate did not disappoint.
Honesty; integrity; reliability; responsiveness; patience; knowledge; expertise; kindness; safety; cost effectiveness; attention to detail… I could go on and on; but, in essence, excellence is what characterizes them, and this is why we keep going back.
This was a particularly tricky safari to organize for various reasons. Nevertheless, CO guided us through the process, ever mindful of our wants and needs, with zero pressure to eventually travel.
You cannot go wrong with CO. We believe they are the best.
This safari was for myself, my adult daughter and one of her friends. The experience was tailored to suit us perfectly. We loved the itinerary, the camps, the guides, and of course the ANIMALS, including GIZA the black leopard!
Describe your dream to CO, and they will make it come true!
Thank you so much, Darren and Kate. We have so many new wonderful memories to daydream about, thanks to you and your team.
You can expect to hear from us for our next adventure in the foreseeable future!
Email Anton and family | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well designed broad set of experiences with high level of customer service
Compass Odyssey designed and executed a 16 day trip for us that included 4 countries and various experiences including, but also beyond safaris. Communication during the planning phase was easy and smooth despite a 9 hour time zone difference. From an execution perspective, Compass’s communication prepared us for what to pack, what to consider regarding vaccine/malaria meds, how immigration/customs would work, etc. Transit across the countries was smooth as the team was waiting for us at each airport and the instructions of what to expect upon crossing borders was clear ahead of travel, allowing us to handle some aspects ahead of time to expedite. The variety of activities was well thought out and matched our preferred cadence very well. The places that we stayed all exceeded our expectations, each being very customer focused and having unique qualities. More than anything, the local guides and safari guides were exceptional! They got to know us and our preferences quickly and both provided recommendations and experiences that enhanced our trip. If you want an incredibly memorable experience, work with Compass Odyssey!
