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Native Escapes
- Located In:
-
United Kingdom
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2007)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
-
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- Price Range:
- $187 to $999 ppper person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
First class trip
Our first time visit to SA we left everything in the safe hands of Simon and his team at Native Escapes. Communications were superb and the itinerary well planned to meet our needs. Organised accommodation throughout the trip was faultless and the driving notes provided between stops were extremely useful in judging travel times and linking with points of interest along our tour route. As our trip coincided with celebrating a big birthday and wedding anniversary all the hotels had been primed in advance and we were treated to bubbly, chocolates and birthday cakes along the way (nice touch and much appreciated). Hence the best thing of all about booking with Native Escapes is the personal touch, we really felt as if it was friends who had organised the trip for us not some sterile remote booking agent. We would highly recommend Native Escapes and consider using again if and possibly when we revisit South Africa again.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
South Africa and Zimbabwe
We had the holiday of a lifetime and cannot thank Native Escapes enough for putting together such an extraordinary itinerary.
Our 3 children (20, 17,17) are all on the cusp of adulthood and we wanted one last amazing family holiday to leave indelible memories – it certainly fulfilled that brief.
Cape Town lived up to expectations and the Radisson Blu was terrific. The rooms were stunning and the views out of this world. A porthole onto table mountain on one side, and a panorama of the sea on the other. We struggled to get tickets for Robin Island, but took advice and hung out down at the terminal from which the boat leaves, and we got some cancellations. In future, we would book this well in advance as we didn’t know it would be so busy. We took a private day trip to Cape Point, Klein Constantia and Boulder Beach – what a day! And a trip up table mountain – early in the morning, with great views and no queues – unforgettable – not least because my legs were like jelly and the kids were dangling over the edge. We took our santa hats and took next year’s Christmas photo (in which I look petrified!).
Franchhoek was stunning and the hotel was utterly divine. The kids could not believe their luck when each room was delivered a bottle of champagne and canapés on Christmas eve, and Christmas day lunch was superb. We had a quiet day by the pool on boxing Day (the only ‘chill out day’ of the holiday) and everyone underestimated the strength of the African sun! 27th – our wine tour was outstanding. Duncan was a brilliant guide and we visited some fabulous places – we will be ordering in bulk!
The verde airport hotel was great and out trip to Vic Falls v smooth.
I am so pleased you talked us into Zimbabwe- it was utterly fabulous. The adventure started on the drive to Camp Hwange when we were met at the Boom Gate by the fabulous Stephen in the open top vehicle. A 3 hour drive to the camp (after the 1 ½ hrs from the airport) sounded ominous, but it was fabulous. We were well wrapped up in big fleecy waterproof capes and we stopped for tea and views and animals. By the time we arrived at camp we had seen elephant, giraffe, impala, and so many birds. We arrived at dusk with the big camp fire roaring and the sun setting on the waterhole. We were greeted by Ruth who gave us a delicious welcome drink. Without a doubt it was the most breath-taking arrival we have ever had.
Julian was our guide and he and the team made the experience extraordinary. It was just what we wanted, beautiful, but remote, low tech and high-intensity. The sights, sounds and smells made us feel completely alert and although I didn’t sleep much the first night I didn’t mind. The rains had whipped the bubble frogs up into a state of high excitement and I have never heard a noise like it!
We tracked lion and elephant on foot and the thick bush made this a high adrenalin activity to say the least! We were out from 6 – 12 and from 4-7.30 or 8 every night – incredible! Our photos are remarkable. Despite it being the wet season we found plenty and I am now a bird enthusiast, much to our children’s amusement. The staff, the food and the accommodation were absolutely perfect and we will be life-long Hwange fans. We feel we have come to know the family dynamics of several lion families and will follow their progress on the web.
On the way back to Victoria Falls we saw one last lion – it couldn’t have been more perfect.
Victoria Falls was breath-taking and despite the horrors of our children zip-wiring and bungee-jumping, we had a great time. We ate mopane worms and warthog at The Boma and learned to drum. Perhaps a bit ‘Disney does Africa’ for us, but the Victoria Falls Hotel was a taste of a bygone era.
We cannot thank you enough for the meticulous attention to detail you put into organising the trip. We will recommend you whole-heartedly to anyone who will listen. I sense that we are already becoming safari bores!
David and I will certainly be heading back to Africa – and look forward to your help planning the next trip.
Email CJLondon | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Holiday of a lifetime - thank you Native Escapes!
Just back from an absolutely excellent holiday. Native Escapes couldn't have been more helpful in organising our itinerary and listening to what we wanted from our safari. They delivered our perfect trip staying at great accommodation and seeing all the animals we dreamed of, and more. Would definitely use Native Escapes again for our next trip to Africa.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A superbly organised trip of a lifetime.
Firstly, I had an absolutely awesome time (in the true sense of the word). I don't think I am really back down to earth even now, it truly was the holiday of a lifetime, and thanks are due to Native Escapes for all they did to make it possible. Their prompt attention to detail and their understanding of my concerns as a woman travelling alone were typical of the professional service they gave me. I have already recommended Native Escapes to friends without any hesitation.
All the accommodation was of an extremely high standard. The bedrooms were luxurious, and the opportunity to shower in an open-air bathroom under the stars in my favourite lodge was truly special. All the lodge and guesthouse staff were a credit to their country: friendly, courteous and helpful.
Best of all though was our guide, Tarry. A truly remarkable young man, his knowledge of, and passion for his country and its wildlife shone through from day one and I learned an enormous amount from him during the safari. His knowledge of the animals and their behaviour ensured that we had amazing experiences every day, and his sense of humour and mimicry skills defied description!
At the end of our trip Tarry asked what was the highlight for me. I really couldn’t answer that as picking out only one thing was impossible, but what rests in my mind now I am home are the awesome dunes of the Namib desert, the wilderness of Damaraland, kayaking and playing with the seals in Walvis Bay, a very close encounter with a desert-adapted elephant, and seeing a leopard make a kill at Okonjima.
Add to that the privilege of meeting the Himba people and the huge variety of animals and birds we saw in Etosha. Finally, I cannot recommend highly enough the opportunity to spend time at the Africat Foundation and learn more about the vital work that they do there. Close encounters with leopard and cheetah are pretty well guaranteed, and are unforgettable.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
This was our first holiday with Native Escapes and we would recommend them. There was very prop
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The scenery in different parts of Namibia is very dramatic and beautiful, especially Sossusvlei and Damaraland. The lodges are well situated with no fences round the camps so you can just watch the wildlife from your room. We saw a male lion at the water hole just 20 yards away from our porch and while in a night hide saw two rhinos fighting and they were only about 5 yards away. It was also very special going out for the sundowners with our guide singing and playing the guitar while the sun went down - we have come back with some lovely memories
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be aware that the days are very long (the longest was from 5.30am, spent all day at Etosha National Park, had dinner, went to a night hide and got back to the lodge at midnight). There is a lot of travelling on very uneven, rocky roads. The weather was extremely hot and the vehicle not air-conditioned, which made all the travelling very tiring. I dont think this holiday would be suitable for anyone over about 70 years old
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
All the lodges used employed local people and were all trying hard to reduce environmental impacts. All the people concerned supported conservation
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was a brilliant holiday. The guide was great, very knowledgable, very professional and his enthusiasm and love for his country shone through everything he did. He made our time in Namibia very special. All the lodges used were comfortable and clean and the food great and the people there friendly and helpful.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing bird & wildlife, wonderful camps & people, great horses, expert guides & faultlessy arranged
Safari was superb, good balance of camps (2 dry/wet & 1 riding) & excelled beyond our expectations. The camps were extremely comfortable & well run by caring, helpful people, the food was excellent, the Guides & Trackers were devoted to conservation & always informative, the horses were a delight to ride & the game/bird viewing was amazing. In all 3 camps, the attention to our safety was reassuringly paramount. Native Escapes tailormade everything perfectly & just could not have been more helpful - what better way to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary!
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very helpful, very efficient answering all queries and even booking our plane seats in advance.
We found Native Escapes professional and friendly and always ready when we needed advice. The holiday exceeded our expectations. Jason, our tour leader was great and the tour itself was varied and fascinating. We thought the vehicle with eight window seats, one for each in the group was well designed and comfortable. All the lodges we used were amazing and the friendliness of the staff everywhere made us feel very welcome. We were very impressed by Namibia and the attitude towards conservation. We learned so much thanks primarily to Jason. It was a superb holiday. Thank you Sharon and Native Escapes.
Email Pauline Bullock | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Nothing too much trouble in order to put together exactly the trip we wanted which was fantastic.
The communication between ourselves and Native Escapes was first class to every last detail.There was written confirmation of every stage of the planning of our trip to Namibia and much discussion to seek out what we really wanted.There are a lot of companies out there offering similar services whom I tried initially but due to Sharon appearing to understand the type of trip we wanted I stuck with Native Escapes..a very personalised service.The Safari Trip was absolutely fantastic from the incredible guide we had,the amazing landscapes,the wonderfully remote tented camps with their wonderful staff and the superb quality of accommodation and food.The heartfelt welcomes and farewells at the camps was truly special.Also it was a privilege to see the animals roaming free and to share their natural habitat with them.It was our first time to Africa and it had a huge impact on us both, in ways that are difficult to explain...so much so that there were quite a few group tears during and at the end of the trip.We will never forget Namibia.
Email Roger | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful experience from start to finish
Apart from the taxi rides to and from LHR, our entire trip was organised by Sharon at Native Escapes. We had two nights at the Victoria Falls, three nights at Lebala and two nights at Little Kwara. At every stage, Sharon was very helpful offering different suggestions before we booked, which helped decide the precise itinerary, and dealing with queries and changes that we requested. Questions were answered promptly and courteously.
During the trip we were met and helped at every transfer: at Victoria Falls Airport to the hotel, and then from the hotel to Kisane Airport, which meant passport control from Zimbabwe to Botswana. In Botswana, there were three light aircraft flights from Kisane to Lebala, Lebala to Little Kwara and finally to Maun to begin our journey home. Apart from one small delay waiting for the Botswanan rep, everything was faultless.
Detailed documentation was provided making it easy to understand where we were going and what we needed to do.
We had a great time and I have no hesitation in recommending Native Escapes to anyone who's thinking about going on safari,
The places that we stayed were all great. If you are interested in more detail, you can read my reviews on TripAdvisor:
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g472673-d1194523-r233423128-Lebala_Camp-Okavango_Delta_North_West_District.html
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g472673-d1052497-r233724080-Little_Kwara_Camp_Kwando_Safaris-Okavango_Delta_North_West_District.html
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g293761-d1310535-r232530092-Livingstone_Room_at_Victoria_Falls_Hotel-Victoria_Falls_Matabeleland_North_Provi.html
Email Mark Tulitt | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Highly responsive & extremely knowledgable
I wanted to self-drive in Malawi & explore the country/locations of my childhood. I therefore needed to visit specific places that are off the tourist track. I was also visiting the country 50 years after I had last been there so needed to understand how it worked if one was going to be travelling within it alone. Native Escapes knowledge was obviously expert & their suggestions of where to stay turned out to be ideal for me in every way. Their flexibility in accommodating my itinerary changes was exemplary. Their advice on important issues such as currency, what it is like to drive around a country like that, what to do and not to do was invaluable in giving me confidence that I wouldn't have any problems.
Organising anything in a country like Malawi is tough, I know that. The proof of the pudding was in the eating. I had excellent flights, ( they even made sure I had aisle seats as the on-line check-in wasn't working ), excellent car hire, first class accommodation & everything worked like clockwork on what was on the face of it a relatively bespoke trip. The organisation was seamless.
I would recommend Native Escapes for any trip within the region of their specific expertise, because they know their stuff, have the contacts, and can manage the organisation of one-off itineraries that don't fit into a specific package.
As their name suggest - they cater for those who want to do something a little less packaged or unconventional in countries that, by definition, are not mass tourist destinations. I wouldn't hesitate in using them again & will do when I next visit Africa.
Average User Rating
Rating Breakdown
- 5 star 30
- 4 star 0
- 3 star 0
- 2 star 0
- 1 star 0
Disclaimer
- All corporate and/or tour info is provided by Native Escapes, not SafariBookings
- The tours offered by Native Escapes are subject to their terms & conditions