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 Shawnie | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
I liked knowing I could count on a prompt and helpful response from Ute.
This trip was initially scheduled pre COVID. Ute was very helpful in rebooking our trip several times. The camps in Chobe and Okavango Delta were both very nice. The staff at both camps were very accommodating and went great to work with. Our guides were knowledgable and wanted to make sure we found the animals we wanted to see. It was a great trip and a good value for the money. Overall we were very pleased with our trip.
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Email Lynn and Rich | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Quickly responded to inquiries and did an excellent job matching our itinerary to our desires.
My husband and I just returned from the most spectacular trip we have ever taken: a 10 day Safari in Tanzania! Ute Sonnenberg gave us an itinierary and arranged accommodations that exceeded our expectations, going well beyond our stated focus to see elephants and the Migration and to learn about the animals and culture of Africa. Ute's attention to our desires, quick responses to inquiries, and accessibiliy throughout our tour was very much appreciated.
As we had never been to Africa, it was a little daunting to plan. Along with some research of my own, Ute helped us successfully manage the entire trip, from booking airlines to obtaining visas, to arranging a day lodge before our flight home. Although I must admit I never really had a comfort level with tipping guidelines....
The safari itself was absolutely amazing, in no small part due to our extraordinary guide, Hassan,with Simba Safaris. The company was well organized and efficiently operated. We always felt safe and that we were in good hands. But it was Hassan's passion and expert knowledge of animal behaviors, his knowledge of the country's people, as well as his warm personality, attentiveness to our interests and safety, and excellent driving skills that brought us up close and personal to the Africa we came to experience. This truly was the trip of a lifetime..... Asante sane to Ute, Simba Safaris, and Hassan for making it happen.
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Email Paul Shirley | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very responsive to the type of camps we wanted and exposure to game.
We did a "five camp" safari over 12 days in Zambia and Zimbabwe. This was our fifth trip to Africa, and we had not spent an appreciable amount of time in either country. The terrain was dry, as expected. We are willing to trade off the beauty of green flora for the absence of mosquitoes,
so always travel to Africa in September.
Our camps ranged from older bush camps to newer contemporary camps. The bush camps are due for a "refresh", but the food and staff were both excellent as were the game sightings. This was our first trip that included walking safaris. They lasted about an hour each, and were excellent, giving the guides an opportunity to share their extensive knowledge of tracking with us. We learned a great deal, and highly recommend them when offered.
We also did a canoe trip at Chiawa. Majestic scenery and interesting wildlife. I am older, and the guide did the paddling...I never touched one, so it was an easy, peaceful journey.
At the first three camps in Zambia we had pleasant surprises with meals, ranging from lunch being served at tables in the river (only about 6 inches of water in September), a lunch on a boat and a BBQ dinner in the bush. While these are surprises, we have come to expect them over the years, and were somewhat disappointed that our two stops in Zimbabwe did not provide that experience.
We had hoped to do a bit of fishing, but mother nature delivered some rather strong winds, so we were not able to experience that.
I won't go into any detail about game sightings but suffice to say they were plentiful and exciting (especially the cheetah chase down and the hyenas running around with a zebra leg).
The logistics on this trip were a bit complicated, and I would pay closer attention to them on future trips. It was my error that we did not spend a night in a hotel when we arrived in Africa, and ended up going on two in country flights and a long drive to the first camp, making the journey about 48 hours. Also, moving from Zambia to Zimbabwe was cumbersome and time consuming. I will definitely take a closer look at that aspect next time.
All in all, another wonderful trip to Africa!
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Email Celia | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wilderness Adventurers provides an inconsistent experience
The guide was outstanding. Namibia is beautiful and fascinating. I had three trip objectives and all were met. HOWEVER, Damaraland Adventurer Camp is in major need of refurbishment. One sample: the radio was not functioning. Absent WiFi and cell service, this is a potential safety problem. Another example:the electrical wiring kept failing. I could go on and on. Other accommodations were fine. Tents could benefit from heaters. Long drives, although clearly described, did cut into time available at destinations.
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Email VS | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Safari
The operator was very responsive in arranging the 3-day package through very many emails.
The overall safari went smoothly including transfers and pick up and drop-offs.
One Tour guide was very knowledgeable, friendly, and committed. Other was not so much.
Operator should accept US CC to avoid Paypal surcharge.
Reply from Roho Ya Chui
Posted on Jan 7, 2016The comment on the credit card acceptance needs clarification. We do accept US credit cards. The credit card payments are processed by PayPal, as they have the lowest credit card transaction fees on the market. All credit card processing facilities from any provider come with a transaction fee.
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Email Pierce Smith | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
First African Experience Was Overall Good ++
Following is a review of the places we visited this past month (June 2014). Roho Ya Chui helped us plan and book the trip. It was a group of 5, with 3 of us being newbies and and the other 2 old hands at African Safaris. Ute Sonnenburg was a delight to work with, and she went the extra step for us on several occasions.
I thought I'd give you my reviews of the places we visited.
Lawhill Apartments: I think this was a good choice, though a bit spartan in amenities / furnishings. Great location at the Victoria & Albert Wharf. Dionne (spelling?) was a good guide and flexible to our suggestions. I really liked Cape Town and Stellenbosch. Next time I might do 2 nights in Stellenbosch as it is quite a nice little town.
Xigera Camp: This one was my favorite. The staff were incredibly friendly and the whole "vibe" was inclusive. When new people came we were all introduced and had a communal table for dinner. And in one of life's little coincidences there was a couple that lives 1/2 mile from where I used to live in Hermosa Beach, California. Our guides, Onx and Rider, were very personable and knowledgeable. And for our last two treks we did game drives rather than the boat. The management at Xigera, Olivia and Masha, were very accommodating. This was my very first experience at game drives/floats (?), so seeing that first elephant, or hippo, or giraffe, or Cape Buffalo was really amazing.
Getting to Victoria Falls: This was an odd experience, from the airport near the Botswana - Zambia border, being dropped off at a small boat on the river to cross over to Zambia, then the wait at the border while the guide / drive had our passports processed. It was a bit unnerving for some of us.
Royal Livingstone Hotel at Victoria Falls: This was a very deluxe place with a head doorman with his hand constantly out for tips. The service in the dining room was excruciatingly slow. There is relaxed dining, and then there is "I should have brought a book" dining. The falls were at full flow and beautiful, and we had the chance to get pictures in the evening and the ensuing morning.
Moving on to Nelspruit, it was a long drive after our flight, BUT we did see a cheetah along the side of the road when we entered the Londolozi reserve.
Londolozi: Obviously a first class 4-5 star facility. The staff that we met were very friendly and accommodating. The "vibe" here was more exclusive, no attempt was made to introduce us to other guests, nor did the other guests seem inclined to socialize. But the rooms were very nice, the meals plentiful and tasteful, and the hot water bottles in the Range Rover for the morning game drives were a much appreciated touch. Will Ford, the camp manager, and the assistant assigned to us, Jeremy (I might have this wrong), were great, as were our guides, Alfred and Chadrock. The butler, Stanick, was always there for us in the dining room. Will Ford arranged a sundowner wine tasting for just our group one night which was a special treat. And we saw the Big 5 in our very first trek! The game here was more numerous than in Xigera. A great experience all around.
Jo'burg: The guide, whose name escapes me, was a disappointment. He met us at the private general aviation lounge at the Jo'burg airport and managed to snag a bottle of water for himself, but not for us. He had a tour he was determined to make and there was no flexibility in his schedule. We probably could have used an extra day in Jo'burg, but not with this guide.
Michaelangelo Hotel: This was a very nice place with big comfortable rooms (apparently if your AC was working which it didn't for the Browns). I was a bit disappointed in the restaurant, or at least the menu. But we had a chance to meet this delightful woman who had booked our trip, oh yeah, that would be Ute. So that made the evening good all around!
Serena Lake Victoria - Entebbe / Kampala: As previously noted by Stephanie, this hotel was too far away for a one night visit, and arduous to get to. And the staff didn't seem to know how to register guests, or at least were very inefficient at check-in and check-out. The restaurant was basically a buffet cafeteria, and not very good, a big disappointment for a property this beautiful physically.
Sanctuary at Bwindi: Same comments as Steph's. I didn't think it was dirty, just more rustic than what we had experienced. The staff was pretty indifferent with the exception of our server, Barbara. And if you weren't trekking, there was not much to do, though I managed to finish a terribly written book on the day I declined the first trek. I must say I am very proud of my fellow travelers for completing that trek and then the "easy" one two days later.
And you know all about the high drama with Qatar Airways, but even that turned out okay eventually, but it was handled very poorly by the airline.
One lesson learned by me is that I don't like the one-night stands (Jo'burg, Lake Victoria, Victoria Falls) because you never really relax and unwind. I'll keep that in mind in the future.
All in all it was an enjoyable trip with delightful travel partners.
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Email Christian & Katerina | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing life experience in Kruger!
What an amazing trip. We were picked up at our hotel in Joburg and took the sightseeing drive to Hazyview. (Definitely stock up on the smoked macadamia nuts along the way!) Gods window and another great stop at a waterfall. Great sights. We arrived at Hippo Hollow and enjoyed staying in one of the garden chalets... it would have been nice to have a river view to watch the hippos at night and the elephants by day but all in all we were only 10 meters from the view so all was fine. We were picked up at 4pm for a night safari (it gets cold in April!) and actually saw a leopard eating an impala in a tree! Super rare and makes up for our not seeing a lion during the rest of our trip. The full day trips were very nice. less activity during mid-day but it was really nice to turn off the truck and soak in the sound and view from time to time. so peaceful.
What we did:
-1 night safari - Was ok but would not repeat. basically you shine a spotlight and drive slowly looking for eyes reflecting back at you. 99% are impala. we did a larger group with 10 people (strangers) and would not opt for that group size again. you lose all peaceful elements of the drive
-2 full day safari - definitely recommend a private tour or going with another couple you may know. its a long time to spend with strangers you may not care for
-1 1/2 day morning safari - this was fine as we were leaving for Joburg afterwards
What I would change...
-I would consider adding in a hike through the park with one of the trackers. This looks VERY cool!(and safe)
-I would consider staying at a camp inside the park. I actually would like to get deep into the [park and stray at one of the small camps... by camp I mean a small fenced in area with permanent tents and toilet. bare bones but very down to earth. May as well get very acquainted with the local beasts!
Ute and Roho Ya Chui did a great job and were very attentive of our needs during our trip. Its a fear that once you pay the broker is done with you but this was not the case with Ute. She is attentive and fast to respond during our trip. This is worth a lot and when we do another safari Ute will be receiving a call from us.
Enjoy your trip!
** Oh, one more thing. If you choose to do everything bay car/truck you cont need to buy all the safari gear listed on various sites. a tan shirt is more than enough. the animals cant see your legs in the truck and there are so many people moving through the park that you could have a flashing light on top of your head and the animals wouldn't care. okay, maybe that's an exaggeration but you get my point.
Enjoy!
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Email Birgitta van zwetselaar. | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Holiday safari
What a lovely holiday it was in South Africa!
The animals made a wonderful impression on us as well as the scenery. The food is excellent and the people are very hospitable. Our guide was very good at showing us around.
35-50 years of age
Organised
I went on the horse workshop in Pakamisa. It was really a stunning experience. Accommodation and food were really fantastic. All the organising into photographing the horses was really well done. Overall it was a really great time. Weather - one cannot control the weather although our weather was relatively good. My highlight were the horses - I love horses and love photographing and being around them.