Personal & Genuine African Safaris
Siya Phambile Expeditions
- Located In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2016)
- Member Of:
- Southern Africa Tourism Services Association
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $13 to $790 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
HU
Email Judit | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent and very personal service - a perfect trip
Most people think that there are only two ways of visiting South Africa – self-drive or luxury lodges. There is also a third possibility: a private guided tour. It guarantees privacy (unlike game drives at lodges that are mostly shared) and a professional guide, who will spot animals you could easily overlook. We have met travelers who spent a similar amount of time at Kruger like us, but never saw any leopard or cheetah, only a few lions from distance. In contrast, on a guided tour with Siya Phambile Expeditions we saw 3 leopards, spent an hour with a cheetah and her two cubs and saw many lions close up, including a kill that took place just in front of us.
Siya Phambile is the only company I found that offers cultural tours in combination with a safari. We have visited in addition to a week at Kruger also Mapungubwe national park with its beautiful landscapes and rich history and the Venda and Tsonga people in the province of Limpopo. These authentic cultural experiences were very special and we will always treasure them.
From the initial contact with Benjamin I knew that we will be in good hands. He has answered all the questions I had and made sure we got a trip tailored to our interests, with great attention to detail. Due to Covid, I have contacted him only a month before travelling, and he managed to organise a perfect trip at such short notice. The last weekend of our journey was even a national holiday in South Africa, but Benjamin has managed to secure accomodation at Southern Kruger even for this time frame.
Food and accommodation during the trip were great. Benjamin made sure that the food fit our dietary requirements and preferences. In addition, delicious snacks were provided during game drives.
As stated above, Benjamin is a very professional guide, who would spot animals from a distance. His driving skills are excellent - he navigated all kinds of road conditions with ease. During game drives, he knew how to position the vehicle even in crowded situations in Southern Kruger in a way that we got a great view every time. He always kept an eye on the whole picture, for example from the behaviour of herbivores he was able to tell if there might be any predators around. We have learned a lot about different animals from his explanations. Also he is a very friendly and pleasant person to be around, which is not unimportant if you have to spend a couple of weeks with a guide.
We are experienced travellers, but this 16-day safari with Siya Phambile was a very special experience for us. It was perhaps the best trip we took so far. We are already planning to return to South(ern) Africa next year and will certainly book with Siya Phambile again.
CA
Email Caecelia and Chris | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Ben was trustworthy, reliable and the best game driver. Ben was punctual in the duration of our trip
My husband and I went to South Africa and we chose Siye Phambile company. Ben, the tour operator was knowledgable, trustworthy and dependable. Ben was punctual from picking us up from the airport and drop us at the end of our trip in South Africa. Ben was the best game driver. Our safari started at 08:00 an and at 2 pm, we had a break from 2:00 pm to 4 pm and we started our game drive from 4 to 6 pm at Kruger National park. In the Kruger National park, Ben was tried to his best to go to dirt roads so we could see the Big Five. Thanks Ben for the wonderful experiences
LV
Email Maris | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Beautiful experience and perfectly organized a littlebit complicated tour.
We started plan our tour 1 year ago.The communication was exelent and very qick.We and Bebjamin finded the best decisions,how to see the Cape Town,winerys,Victoria falls,Botsvana safari and Kruger national park.We saw a lot of animals,big five and the leopard too.In these days national avio company was on strike,but Benjamin solved all the problems.Beautiful safari,beautiful excursions and great time whith Siya Phambile Expeditions.
CA
Email Diane Boulé | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A trip of a lifetime in the African bush we would like to relive again
An incredible trip with an exceptional guide who has shared with us his passion for animals, birds and trees to name a few.
Benjamin accompanied us throughout this 14-day expedition that ended in early August. He chose different parks and very interesting for us. He also has unparalleled cooking skills and demonstrates incredible calm and wisdom throughout his stay with two women of a certain age. He could have been our son and we appreciated him for all his qualities and for the surprises he has reserved for us. We are still filled with these strong experiences of being close to giant and small animals. A very great feeling of gratitude inhabits me and I wanted to express it in French so that this message is well received. Wanting to translate this trip, it was indeed an expedition in the African bush in winter with such dry areas demonstrating the ability of animals to adapt to survive. The Zulu people of this part of the world welcomed us like queens and I will never forget their sincere smile.
Email Rosemary | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful Kruger safari and African adventure!
I highly recommend Benjamin Wilson and Siya Phambile. Initially I was drawn to Siya by the reviews, the itineraries and the fact that it is registered with SATSA (South African Tourism Services Association). I could not have been happier with my choice.
From the outset, Benjamin patiently and promptly answered my many questions and devised a customised safari in Kruger followed by a week self drive at the coast, split between Kosi Bay and St Lucia. This holiday more than met our high expectations and the different wishes of our family of 6 (aged 15 – 56). Benjamin was a fantastic tour planner and guide. From the moment he met us at the airport we relaxed, knowing we were in safe hands. He helped us arrange local SIM cards then it was off on our adventure. The accommodation was clean and comfortable with air con and sometimes a pool so just what we wanted. We occasionally had wifi which pleased the kids. Benjamin is extremely knowledgeable about the bush, the wildlife, the geography of South Africa and the local customs and languages of the various peoples. He is also a great spotter of wildlife and we were blown away by how much we saw, often at close range. Even my iphone was capable of capturing lots of animal encounters – I have a great video of wild dog puppies playing at the den. Of course, I would recommend taking a proper camera with a zoom too! Some of the kids were reluctant safari goers to begin with but soon relished the game drives! Benjamin rose to the challenge of cooking for 2 vegetarians and 2 vegans which we appreciated. He thought about the details which make for a comfortable trip e.g. we always had ample car snacks and binoculars to share (although we also had our own). He’s a keen card player which made for some fun evenings in camp. By the end of our safari we felt we were saying goodbye to an old friend.
My only regret is that we cannot do this trip every year! Thank you Benjamin and Siya Phambile and best wishes for all your future adventures.
CA
Email Michele Gaudreau | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Benjamin Wilson and Siya Phambile have provided a wonderful, unforgettable, made-to-measure trip.
Dear Benjamin, this review is in the form of a letter to you. When we left home in Quebec, we didn’t know exactly what to expect, having never traveled in South Africa before. But from the get-go your emails in response to our many questions were always prompt, clear, complete and friendly. This gave us confidence that Siya Phambile was a good, trustworthy company and that we would be taken good care of. We were.
The 14-day expedition which Diane (59) and I (70 ) went on with you in Zulu Land was so much more than we could ever have dreamed. So full of discoveries, marvels and laughs! It is one thing to go on game drives 6 hours a day in a group, it is quite another to be accompanied at every step by a guide who is passionate about his work and so able to share his knowledge of wild animals, birds and people. AND what a good cook you are! Those wonderful omelets in the morning outside our tents were a great way to start the day.
Thanks to your caring and personal attention to every detail of this amazing trip, our experience in the African bush will remain with us forever. We thank you and Siya Phambile with all our hearts. Who knows, we might write to you again soon...
Michele
Email Robyn and Karl | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic, personalised, no stress, month long trip in South Africa at very short notice.
Benjamin was a gem. We gave him very short notice, just a few weeks, of coming to South Africa for a month to do primarily safaris and wanted to experience from self catering to 5 star. His communication was excellent and he quickly mapped out a trip for us that would maximise seeing wildlife. He greeted us at the airport and sorted out all issues, eg mobile phone coverage, car rental etc. Part of the planned trip ended up not happening due to changes to train schedules and Benjamin worked with us to make alternative arrangements. In the end, considering we ended up doing a walking safari, this was probably even better than our original plan. We saw lots of animals, including the endangered black rhino and it was one of the best holidays we have had. Benjamin made the trip pretty much stress free and I can't recommend Siya Phambile Expeditions highly enough. Thank you Benjamin for such a wonderful time.
US
Email Michael | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Once in a lifetime experience.
Benjamin was great to work with. I started planning my trip one year in advance and Benjamin made sure to respond to all questions relating to the trip. Our trip consisted of us visiting Cape Town, Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe), and Kruger National Park.
Upon arrival, Benjamin was there to pick us up and take us to our hotel. While in Cape Town, Benjamin took us to see Table Mountain, Robben Island, Cape Point, and wine tasting in Franschoek. Table Mountain was spectacular. We had the option of hiking up to the top but decided on taking the tram (quicker to the top) in order to enjoy the views from above. Cape Point had amazing views and we could have easily taken picture after picture. The wine tasting in Franschoek was great. You jump on a Wine Tram which takes you from vineyard to vineyard. By far the best day weather wise.
Our next stop was Victoria Falls. Although Benjamin did not join us in Victoria Falls, he ensured our airport transfers to and from hotel had been arranged along with booking our excursions for the two days we were there. We had dinner on the Zambezi river at Sunset and words cannot describe how beautiful it was. The following day was a trip to Victoria Falls and we were in awe of how beautiful and massive the falls were. Didn't realize it was the biggest in the world. My group of friends split up for the next excursion as half decided to walk with lions and the other half spent it with elephants. Yes, we actually walked with lions! Such a surreal experience that I will never forget. My other friends had a wonderful time interacting with elephants by feeding, petting and spending some time with them. Our last dinner was a drum show at BOMA. We enjoyed the drum show and were able to participate in the dancing in the end.
Our last stop was Kruger National Park. Benjamin met us back in Johannesburg to finish the last leg of our trip. We thoroughly enjoyed our Safari. We had a combination of night and day time safari's. We saw every wild life possible except for a Rhino. But how can you be disappointed when the views were spectacular, we got to see lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, leopard, buffalo and even Wild Dogs! Our campsite was great and big enough for our party of 11. We enjoyed a day on the deck and watching wildlife walk along the dry riverbed. Great time for us all.
In the end, we could not have asked for a better experience and Benjamin was the best host and tour guide. The entire trip was excellent. My friends and I really enjoyed our time and I would highly recommend him.
US
Email Lucy | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A trip of a lifetime
I had an amazing experience with Siya Phambile Expeditions. Benjamin was our most excellent guide and he truly went above and beyond to make sure we enjoyed the beauty and wonders of South Africa.
The Safari Tour at Kruger National Reserve was incredible. I feel so lucky to have had such a knowledgeable and experienced team on our tour.
US
Email Dustin | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of ones lifetime
I highly recommend! Our guide Benjami was amazing! Some words to describe him: knowledgeable, patience, fun and organized.
The Safari was outstanding. The accommodations where better than I had expected. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!