Reviews

Sort By: Date Most Helpful Rating 41-50 of 62 Reviews
Cherine Aouni   –  
Canada CA
Visited: August 2022 Reviewed: Oct 4, 2022

Email Cherine Aouni  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

The review below is the personal opinion of Cherine Aouni and not that of SafariBookings.
Good service
3/5

The service provided was very satisfying via emails - I always had good answers and replies and on time

But I was disappointed at the hotel as I was reassured the room was comfortable with a queen bed : I got a family bedroom with poor sanitary conditions as it was very dirty hotel and the pool was disgusting

The agency service was good

Thanks

Reply from The Mzansi Experience
Reply from The Mzansi Experience
Posted on Oct 6, 2022

Hi Cherine,

Thank you for taking the time to write a review on SafariBookings.com

I am honestly disappointed in reading this negative review with strong statements such as poor sanitary conditions and a disgusting pool. We take great pride in excellent review and great guest experience and find your review surprising. Our rooms are cleaned properly to required hospitality standard and are regularly quality checked.

We wish you would have reported your concerns to us - or even at the reception desk - instead of having such a negative experience and not speaking up will being at our lodge. We take complaints very seriously and would have immediately investigated your complaints to rectify the problem, as we want all our guest to have the best possible experience.

I am aware that you repeatedly emailed regarding your room and preferred bed type even before you arrived. We are not posing as anything else as a value-for-money package based at a 3-star accredited lodge whom we have worked with for many years. Most reviews are overwhelmingly positive, but we cannot always be perfect. However - poor sanitary conditions and disgusting pool are extremely strong statements to make, which can damage our reputation unnecessarily. I would like to engage with you on this further for a detailed brief on exactly was so bad about the room and the pool.

Warm regards,
Leon Steyn
Managing Director - Mzansi Experience

Shaun   –  
United Kingdom UK
Visited: September 2022 Reviewed: Sep 20, 2022

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

Fantastic experience on safari organised by Mzansi.
5/5

Absolutely faultless experience with Leon at The Mzansi Experience. The communication was excellent throughout. Leon offered us a variety of options to start with which were clearly explained including through YouTube videos - the options covered a range of experiences to suit different budgets. He answered all our questions thoroughly and very promptly.
The safari experience itself was perfect. Organisation was spot on, from the pick-up at the hotel, transfer to the lodge, and transfer back. The lodge and staff, guide, game drives were all incredible.
This was an amazing experience which exceeded all our expectations and we cannot wait to explore more of Africa's beauty!

Priscila   –  
Argentina AR
Visited: August 2022 Reviewed: Sep 18, 2022

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

Best option to visit Kruger Park (and Panorama Tour)
4/5

I have to say that I was traveling alone and hiring a package with Mzansi Experience that included everything (hotel, airport transfers, safaris and food) was the best decision I made after doing so much research and finding out. First of all, the hotel (or camp) is very comfortable, it has heating and air conditioning, a refrigerator and everything you need for a wonderful stay. It is about 30 minutes or 1 hour from the entrance to the Kruger and they organize excursions with specialized guides, they are punctual and breakfast is included. Please ask Michael as a guide, he is the best and with him you will have the opportunity to see many animals, it is incredible. The people at the hotel are friendly and very professional. The experience included the Panorama Tour and it is a must, you cannot leave the place without that excursion. The hotel food is very good and dinners are included, the beds are comfortable. I have to say that for a woman traveling alone I felt safe and cared for at all times. I think that for the person traveling alone it is the best option since there is no public transport nearby and guides are needed to visit the park. I was never charged for two people, which I found very important because many operators there ask you to pay for 2, which is a scam. The package includes being picked up at the airport round trip, it's great. In short, do not find out more, contract with Mzansi and do not worry about everything, without wasting time.

(automatic translation from Spanish)

Gloriya Grinsteiner   –  
United States US
Visited: August 2022 Reviewed: Sep 14, 2022

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

awesome communication, works with you to find the best package as possible, great operator
5/5

I have never expected that I will get the great vacation with this operator. He worked with my short vacation, being a solo traveler. Great communication, prompt response on all my questions, helped to puck the best time for me to go on safari. I don't enjoy heat and humidity. I felt very safe there even being a solo female traveler. Everything was exactly as described. Shuttle to the lodge and lodge were great. I like the stuff at the lodge. Very courteous and friendly. Very good selection and taste of food at the lodge, cooked to order. Amazing nights with bonfire at the lodge. Game driver was awesome. I got lucky to see all 5 big and 5 ugly at the safari besides other animals. Tour guide for panoramic view was very friendly and courteous. He showed more interesting places than I expected. I made a lot of photos. I had one of the best vacations of my life.

Joel   –  
United States US
Visited: July 2022 Reviewed: Aug 26, 2022

Email Joel  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Excellent safari at a reasonable price
5/5

Our five-night safari to the Kurula Lodge in the private part of Kruger through Mzansi was excellent, from booking all the way through to our departure. Safaris are an expensive vacation, but for everything we got, Mzansi was very economical. The lodge itself was beautiful, and we had it all to ourselves with a very friendly staff - almost an embarrassment to have a five-person team there entirely for our benefit! The safari drives were very enjoyable. It's a different experience then being in the open savannahs of Kenya and Tanzania, where we visited 15 years ago. At least the private part of Kruger is remarkably intimate, with much thicker vegetation and only a few jeeps out on game drives at the same time, and animal encounters felt much more personal as a result. The quantity of animals was also a little lower, but sheer luck factors into that, and we saw all of the big five other than leopards (and cheetah, which our guide told us are rare in South Africa). Our guide Troy was fantastic - personable, patient, and our kids (14 and 12) enjoyed spending the days with him as much as we did. The five days of game drives were great, but we equally enjoyed the day Troy took us out of the park and into the mountain and areas surrounding the park, which rounded out the experience with natural beauty and variety in the activity. The food was good, prepared by an excellent chef, and we would recommend a stay at Kurula to anyone.

Estelle   –  
France FR
Visited: July 2022 Reviewed: Aug 6, 2022

Email Estelle

Efficient, keen to adapt the itinerary to our wish
5/5

Boteti River lodge is a nice place, clean and calm with good food. We slept well with sound of the hippo from the river.
Caltex our guide was kind, knowledgeable and a very good and safe driver.
Leon was super reactive to our demands at the time of booking.
Thank you all.

Mikaela Cheslock   –  
Canada CA
Visited: July 2022 Reviewed: Aug 5, 2022

Email Mikaela Cheslock  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Organized, friendly, and helpful!
5/5

The trip was great value for the money. My only complaint is I didn't book a long enough trip!! The lodge was amazing, clean and the staff were so friendly. I had a great experience on safari and saw almost all of the big 5 thanks to my great guides! And the Panorama Route was amazing. Definitely worth booking through Mzansi Experience!

Rajesh and Amy   –  
United States US
Visited: June 2022 Reviewed: Jul 30, 2022

Email Rajesh and Amy  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Our tour operator made the experience something truly special and memorable.
5/5

We are so glad that we came across the Mzansi experienced and signed ourselves up. We had never been to the African continent before and were not sure what to expect. They guided us through the process every step of the way, starting with being very responsive to our endless questions and finding a package that was perfect for our family. Our three day trip to Okavango river delta and the "glamping" experience was something that we will cherish for a lifetime. Such a beautiful paradise, with every meal a true delight to look forward to. The tents were very comfortable and cozy. But of course, the safaris were the best part- we opted for dugout canoe adventure the first day and gaming the next. We took so many amazing pictures of the wildlife. The tour guide, Owen, was the best- very knowledgeable and experienced-- we'll never forget.

Jess   –  
United Kingdom UK
Visited: April 2022 Reviewed: Jul 29, 2022

Email Jess  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Very good value, reliable and friendly staff
5/5

The Mzansi Experience is worthwhile if you want to experience the magic of Kruger without taking out a mortgage. Reliable transfers from Johannesburg to Kruger using CityBug. The staff at the accommodation were very friendly, the food was good and the everything was clean. There's flexibility to add a full day safari or trip to Blyde River Canyon which is a must. The guides were very knowledgeable and with good fortune had some great sightings of the Big 5!

Ian Baker   –  
United Kingdom UK
Visited: April 2022 Reviewed: May 18, 2022

Email Ian Baker  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

Excellent service from Leon, always responsive and made sure everything was arranged as requested.
5/5

We stayed at Kurula Lodge for 6 nights and the experience was amazing.
The staff at the lodge were exceptional and the guides were extremely knowledgable on the area and animals involving us all the time and making sure we saw everything we had hoped for.
The animal viewings were the best we've ever had in South Africa and whilst a lot of this is genuinely down to luck, having experienced guides meant that we had the best possible to chance to see all of the Big 5.
I would recommend both Mzansi and Kurula to anyone and we will definitely be trying to get back again in the future.

Average User Rating
4.8/5
Rating Breakdown
  • 5 star 50
  • 4 star 8
  • 3 star 4
  • 2 star 0
  • 1 star 0
Write a Review

Disclaimer

  • All corporate and/or tour info is provided by The Mzansi Experience, not SafariBookings
  • The tours offered by The Mzansi Experience are subject to their terms & conditions