Your consultant Ute, y'r eyes & ears on the ground
Roho Ya Chui
- Offices In:
-
Netherlands
Germany
Austria
United States
Australia - Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2007)
- Member Of:
- ATTA, APTA & SATSA
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $500 to $900 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
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Email Michel P | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Best vacation ever
We were late in booking our safari. As I travel several times a year to Africa, mostly with one month - or less - notice, it didn't occur to me that many (most?) people plan their safari months in advance.
After some back and forth with Ute Sonnenberg - and being on a "waiting list" - we spent six days/nights on safari in and around Kruger National Park in South Africa. Communication/updates were frequent and efficient and as indicated above, my wife and I who have traveled the world agree that this was the best trip ever. It was not our first safari, but it seemed that everything was hand picked and that we were the center of attention.
The highlight were the wild dogs and the leopards. But then there was the 18 member lion pride... and soo much more
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Email Jim Flynn | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The experience we had was much better than anything I expected.
My daughter was living and working in South Africa. When I suddenly found an opening in my schedule I contacted Ute at Roho Ya Chui and asked if she could put together a Safari for my daughter and me. My only parameter was that it would be memorable. We ended up spending three days as the Phinda Reserve at the Phinda Rock Lodge and three days in Sabi Sands at Kirkman's Lodge. The entire trip was amazing.
In working with Ute I found a true professional who really cared about the quality of our stay. She took care of everything from the time of arrival in South Africa to my transfer back to Johannesburg. She was fully accessible and immediately responded to all my questions. I cannot find words to fully describe this wonderful adventure.
One of the best holidays we've ever had! 5 stars!
We had an amazing holiday! AndBeyond safari lodges were fantastic. We were blown away by the high standards and superior service. Everyone remembered our names, and all staff were wonderfully friendly. Nothing was too much trouble. The accommodation in Exeter River Lodge was a real highlight. A truly stunning suite, and although it was a bit too cold to use the private plunge pool (we missed the 40C day and had 25C weather for much of our stay), we did enjoy sitting outside watching the Nyala, warthog, monkeys and lions wander by. This is absolutely the place to go if you're on honeymoon or want a romantic getaway.
The AndBeyond game rangers and trackers were excellent - both at Exeter River and particularly at Ngala, where I'm sure because of our tracker (Fanny) we seemed to see more wildlife than anyone else! Rhino, lion, several leopard (incl. cubs), buffalo, dwarf mongoose, cheetah, wildebeest, African wild dogs and pups, hyena and pups (they were surprisingly cute!), elephant (incl. lots of babies), yellow-billed hornbills and lots more.
Additionally the food was an unexpected highlight of our stay in the AndBeyond lodges. Every day we were impressed at the spread and quality of the food. We asked for many of the recipes and ended up buying their recipe book. Really, it was divine! If there was any criticism it would simply be that there was too much food and it was too irresistible - we came back weighing 1-2 kg heavier than before we left :-)
The staff were incredibly helpful and welcomed us warmly and professionally with airport transfers from the remote airport (where part of the Ngala rangers role was to chase any animals off the airstrip!). The short flights (10mins) between lodges were definitely the way to go (saved a 2-3 hour drive through uneven terrain). We really didn't want to leave when our guide and tracker returned us to the little bush airport (well, runway) for the final time.
We then had 3 days at Royal Chundu in Zambia to see Victoria Falls. Royal Chundu River Lodge was amazing! It was a bit of a treck to get there - an hour's drive from Livingstone, mostly along an unfinished and very bumpy road. By the time we arrived we were feeling slightly motion sick and starting to wonder whether it would all be worth the long drive there. But it absolutely was! When we stepped out of the car and into the resort it was the most serene and peaceful place, instantly dissolving any doubts we may have had. There was an infinity pool overlooking the Zambezi, the restaurant tables also overlooked the Zambezi. There was a welcome drink waiting for us and a beauty therapist ready to give us a shoulder massage whilst we completed the paperwork. The chef at the Royal Chundu was amazing - he trained under a 2 Michelin star chef and I have to say the evening food was divine - both in presentation, innovation and taste. And the room was amazing! Both Royal Chundu and Exeter River were stunning places to stay - probably the nicest places we have ever stayed at before.
The only slight disappointment with the Zambia trip was that the Vic Falls were very dry when we went (mid-late October), as the rains hadn't started yet. So it was a little like looking at a regular waterfall. So the views from the helicopter ride were not the stunning gush that we had hoped for, and there was no roar of water from the falls. But being in low season did mean we got to swim in Devils Pool - right on the edge of the falls, which was very very good! Apparently you can't do that in high season as I guess there is too much risk.
This trip has honestly been one of the best holidays we've ever been on, which is saying a lot as we are both well travelled. We can't recommend enough the lodges we stayed at: Exeter River Lodge, Ngala Lodge and (in Zambia) Royal Chundu (River Lodge). We also thoroughly recommend Ute Sonnenberg of Roho Ya Chui for organising this amazing holiday. She was enormously helpful and even added a wonderful personal touch of collecting us at the airport when we returned from the safari. She truly helped to make this trip so great.
BE
Email Jan Keteleer | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A great help
It is almost impossible to plan a first trip to South Africa without the expertise of a travel agency that is based in South Africa. However there is always an unsafe feeling doing business with someone living in another continent. To do everything in confidence it was good that a friend advices us to contact Roho Ya Chui which is an agency based in South Africa however also in Europe, the Netherlands. So planning the trip was very easy and all financial stuff was done very correctly. We had a great trip.
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Email Lydia | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Roho Ya Chui provided first class service from beginning to end!
I don't even know where to begin, I cannot say enough good things about Ute and her team. I would rate her all the stars in the South African bush night sky if I could! I first started planning this trip of a lifetime in 2019 to celebrate my 50th birthday in 2020. Ute organized a perfect itinerary, exactly what I envisioned and within my budget. Then came Covid and the trip had to be rescheduled twice. Ute was a dream to work with, communication was seamless and she always addressed my questions and concerns with patience and professionalism. All of her advice was spot on and she provided valuable practical information for all of our destinations.
Overall the trip far exceeded our expectations. Our trip was a combination of safaris and cities and all of the lodgings were absolutely perfect. The transfers were all on time and better than expected. Ute communicated with us before, during and after our travel to provide updates and to make sure everything was going smoothly. For example, a new requirement was added at the land border into Botswana and we were the only ones in our transfer vehicle that were aware of it. Little things like this make all the difference in the world.
I highly recommend Ute and her team at Roho Ya Chui if you want to plan a perfect African safari adventure. Thank you Ute for organizing this truly unforgettable adventure!!!
FR
Email Laura | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
excellent organization, lodges and activities!
Our tour in both Zimbabwe and Botswana have been amazing. A big thank you to Ute for the organization and for your availability throughout our trip.
Local guides and lodges are very good. Food, locals, services, rooms.. amazing ! We loved the ones in Botswana for their respect to animal wildlife and the natural parks.
Our trip could not have been better!
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Email Ted and Michael | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
epic adventure in Okavango Delta and Victoria Falls, tailored for a father and son!
Roho Ya Chui delivered an exceptional experience that exceeded expectations! I shared a budget and a general sense of what we wanted for an experience for my young adult son on his first trip outside of North America. Ute kindly suggested an itinerary that modified my initial ideas and budget expectations. Her recommendations were spot on!
We spent 3 nights in Victoria Falls and 3 nights in the Okavango Delta. Accommodations were excellent with warm and attentive staff. Throw in a little luck with the weather and wildlife viewing...perfect! I will post comments on the specific
Thank you!
Email Attila Koppány | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfectly organised tailor-made safari with Ute Sonnenberg
Our family has been travelling with Roho ya Chui to four countries in Southern Africa, namely to Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.
This was a complex and unforgettable experience for us with the largest waterfall, an untamed wildlife, endless deserts and beautiful landscapes.
Ute Sonnenberg has organised this three weeks long trip with flawless professionalism and complete attention to the details. She was constantly available to fulfil our requests. We will always keep this amazing journey among our fondest memories, because it has made our dreams come true. We definitely intend to continue our travel cooperation with Ute.
IT
Email Lisa Colella | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Another fantastic African safari thanks to Ute & Roho Ya Chui!
Ute and Roho Ya Chui have been nothing short of fantastic in planning (and re-planning, 3 more times) our trip to Giraffe Manor in Nairobi, AndBeyond Kichwa Tembo in the Masai Mara, Kenya, and Sanctuary Kusini in the Serengeti, Tanzania.
This was our second safari with Ute, after our first trip to Okavango Delta, Chobe and Victoria Falls in August 2018. The first experience was so great, we didn't hesitate to book with Ute again...originally planned for only 1.5 years after our first trip because it was so wonderful!
Full disclosure: we never book our trips with third parties, we always book everything ourselves. However, at least in the case of Africa, I really recommend looking to a travel agent. The booking is quite complex with the number of camps, flights, etc, and often the camps aren’t used to booking directly either. There’s also a lot of inside knowledge that you really wouldn’t know without having someone who specializes in African safaris. We actually got lower rates booking with Ute and she organized everything for us, with no extra cost.
We booked our trip in 2019 for spring of 2020. Unfortunately, we were scheduled to leave the same week in March that Italy (where we live) shut down for coronavirus. We were not allowed to leave the country, even though Africa was still open at that point. Ute worked tirelessly to convince the camps to let us reschedule. That was no easy feat.
We rebooked for June because we thought the world couldn't possibly still be shut down by then. How wrong were we! Ute was able to help us add 2 extra nights at Sanctuary Kichakani to ensure we would see the great migration, but alas, the timing wasn't possible. At this point, while Italy was doing a bit better, Africa was now shut down.
August is a big travel month in Italy, so we rescheduled for then, thinking things may open up for the summer since it's one of the biggest months for African safaris. We paid an additional supplement as many camp rates are higher during this time. Still, no luck. Travel was fairly open in Europe, but much of Africa still closed.
At this point, we looked at traveling the following August in 2021, but it was already quite full since many people had already pushed out their travel to the next year. Finally, we decided on December 2020. Between Christmas and a big birthday for my husband, we thought this would be the perfect time.
This means that Ute planned our trip FOUR times. Every time involved changes, contacting camps and updating flights, and extra camp / flight costs, but she pulled it off. Ute did quite a bit of extra work for this trip but at no additional cost. Her communication is always outstanding and she is willing to go above and beyond to ensure everything is planned well. She also negotiated on our behalf a couple of times when the prices began spiraling due to all of the changes.
And that’s not all! A week or so before we were leaving, we found out Kichakani wasn’t reopening as they didn’t have enough guests, so we could either move into their Ngorongoro Crater camp, or add a couple extra nights at Kusini. We chose the first option as we were looking forward to 3 camps, and we were glad we did (though it was quite the travel day getting to the crater, particularly with one of the usual airports closed!) We also added a third night at the crater as we didn’t want to travel on Christmas. Turns out that was a good call also. We had great sightings on Christmas Day, and spent the entire day with a picnic lunch in the crater. This allowed us a peaceful day and to save the drive and flight for the following morning. Have you lost count of how many updates Ute made to this trip? I have!
On December 18, we set off on our adventure. We spent 1 night at the Nairobi Four Points airport hotel on our own, then 1 night at Giraffe Manor, 2 nights at AndBeyond Kichwa Tembo, 3 nights at Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crater and 2 nights at Sanctuary Kusini.
The trip was nothing short of amazing. One of the best we’ve ever taken. Every place we stayed was so lovely, the people friendly, the food delicious. Because of current times, we had our game drive vehicles completely to ourselves for every one. Usually there’s an up-charge for this and it made for a really special and peaceful experience.
Ute knew it was my husband’s birthday during this trip, and we had several special cakes and songs to celebrate - it was a lovely touch!
All staff at all 4 of the places we stayed were very professional. Always masks and hand sanitizer, often gloves, and they sprayed our items to disinfect also. I never felt nervous - everyone was so careful, and honestly, it didn’t make the experience any less wonderful.
Sadly, camps were at a fraction of capacity, which was nice for us because we felt we had the place for ourselves, but sad for them as they desperately need the tourism to come back.
On our last day, we were the only game drive vehicle in the entire southern Serengeti...during the Great Migration!!!
There was a bit of confusion about when COVID tests were needed. We had taken one within 96 hours of arriving to Kenya as required, but Tanzania doesn’t require one, nor does Italy when returning back home. At the Nairobi Wilson airport in Kenya, at first they insisted we needed one when we left to head to Tanzania. I didn’t believe we did and Ute confirmed this as well. The airport then called to Tanzania and they confirmed we wouldn’t need one. But then when we arrived to Tanzania, they then started saying we would need a test to leave Tanzania. We explained we weren’t flying back through Kenya, but there was obviously some confusion as they were pretty insistent. Ute again confirmed we didn’t need one. Finally at Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crater, the camp manager came to us on Christmas Eve and said he received a message from the head office that we needed to drive 3 hours roundtrip on Christmas Day to the local hospital for a test. We kindly pushed back, and Ute again confirmed we didn’t need, and she would have someone call. All along, we were very happy to follow all regulations in place and were quite careful, but there is is still a bit of confusion with the virus and what’s needed, where and when. Ute stuck to her guns and so did we. We flew out from Kilimanjaro airport to Rome with a stop in Doha, and sure enough, not a single person asked about a new test. Instead, we are quarantining for 14 days in Italy following country regulation.
This was the biggest complication we encountered on the whole trip, which I would say is quite good considering the current circumstances. It didn’t detract from our trip and we knew going in there would be an added layer of complexity traveling at this time.
There is something so magical and indescribable about the African bush. Our trip was a perfect mix of camps, with different scenery and wildlife along the way. We saw the big 5 (elephant, rhino, buffalo, leopard and lion)...we actually saw more than 50 lions on our trip, everything from small cubs to full grown males. We also saw giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, jackals, hyenas, hippos, impala, many birds and lots more. We even saw one cheetah...every animal on our wish list!
If you are considering a safari, I highly recommend it. I promise it will be a highlight of your life. Even during this time, you can do it carefully and have a really special experience. Options are available for a range of budgets, and Ute and the Roho Ya Chui team will put together a perfect itinerary for your needs. Ute really went above and beyond in this planning, and we look forward to booking with her again when we visit the gorillas in Uganda! I can't recommend her or Roho Ya Chui more highly, and if you are considering booking a safari, now is the time!
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Email Tony Wideen | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
At 62 years old one of my top two vacations of all time. Simply wonderful
Everything was excellent with great transportation, two different type camps both unique, wonderful customer service from staffs & Guides were outstanding as saw all Big Five in first 1.5 days of 5 day, 4 night trip. Ute gave us every type of information we could use & was a phone call or text away with anything I had questions on. Got home just before Virus hit the world so may never have been able to do this again. A trip of a lifetime with my only son.
Thanks Ute, You Rock.