Craig your expert safari planner & private guide
Southern African Tours
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2008)
- Member Of:
- SATSA & CTT
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $79 to $129 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email Tomica B | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Craig & Bianca made my tour amazingly memorable.
I cannot express how incredible Craig & Bianca made my trip to South Africa & Zimbabwe. The level of communication leading up to and during my trip was stellar. Their overall level of service was awesome. I had a spectacular time and won't hesitate to book with them again. I did a semi-private tour and they made me feel more like a friend than just a client. It was worth every penny.
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Email Harry Verge | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Top notch and reliable
My daughter and I booked with Craig and Bianca for late March / early April 2022. Dealing with them was a great relief since we had just had our original tour cancelled by another operator and we ended up being very happy with Craig and Bianca's level of concern, communication and flexibility in laying out our semi-private tour. They kept us in the loop the entire time.
I feel we had excellent value for our money and ended up staying in great places throughout our trip. We especially loved staying near Kruger National Park as the accommodations were beautifully arranged and very peaceful. We had an excellent time on safari, where we were able to see tons of wildlife including the big five. Craig and Bianca showed up a great time all around Cape Town, making sure we had a safe and enjoyable experience. Very reliable and we would definitely rely on them if we ever had the chance to return to beautiful South Africa.
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Email Lori Collins | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dream Africa Holiday
Wow, Southern African Tours custom tailored a 12 day trip for us that included all of my ‘ must see’ including Kruger National Park, Cape Town, Boulders Beach and Victoria Falls. Our trip was perfect and very reasonably priced. I can’t recommend these folks highly enough. Great company, very responsive!
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Email Alexander Bering | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Perfect 12 day honeymoon
We had 12 days for our honeymoon in June 2022 and wanted to see as much as possible. Southern African Tours looked after us very well from the start and we certainly weren't easy customers. Bianca and Craig listened to all of our requests and worked with us to put together our dream vacation. On site, we got along very well with our guide Gareth right away. He really drove us everywhere and convinced us with his enormous knowledge. If we travel to South Africa again we will definitely book with Southern African Tours again!
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Email John & Chryl, Columbus, OH USA | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Southern African Tours made our family trip a huge success
My wife and I had the goal to return to southern Africa ever since we took our elementary children to Zimbabwe in 1989 and 1993. It finally seemed that 2022 would be the year. However, this time our family of four had grown to 11, including our children’s spouses and five grandchildren spread out in both Ohio and Wisconsin. Our age span was from 8 to 70, quite a challenge to coordinate.
After lots of research and interviewing Craig and Bianca on Zoom, we finally made the choice. We weren’t the easiest group to work with considering our varied ages and expectations, but with regular communication we were able to develop a wonderful two-week itinerary for South Africa, Zimbabwe and a day trip to Botswana. We had some definite things that we wanted and they had a wealth of ideas. We also had financial restrictions that they were able to work within.
When we put everything together, it turned out to be our family’s trip-of-a-lifetime. We were able to tour Cape Town and the surrounding area. It was stunning. Then we moved on to Blyde River Canyon and Kruger National Park. We saw many natural wonders that we will remember for years to come. After that, we flew to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. It was even more spectacular than we had remembered. If you’re at the Falls, make sure that you don’t miss the opportunity for a day trip to Chobe National Park in Botswana. You enter the park on safari vehicles and come out by boat. It was spectacular being up close to crocs, many hippos sunning themselves and in the water, and this was topped off by watching an elephant family swim across the river.
Southern African Tours worked out everything – the in-Africa flights, ground transportation and excursions. Both Craig and Bianca were the keys to the trip’s success. They were flexible, accommodating and caring as well as a wealth of knowledge. A real bonus is that our family has new friends in South Africa.
We highly recommend Southern African Tours for your future trip’s guide. They’re the best!
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Email Gene and Pat | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Trip of a Lifetime
We had the trip of a lifetime. It was all we had hoped it would be and even more. Thanks to the folks at Southern African Tours for the way they took care of us and for the people who guided us along the way. Levi, with Kurt Safari was wonderful; and how could we have asked for anyone better than Gareth in Cape Town. Both Levi and Gareth were very sensitive to my wife's mobility issues and took care of her tenderly as if they were caring for their mother. The same was true of Anthony in Johannesburg. We loved being at the Umbhaba Eco Lodge, Shearwater Explorer's Village, The President Hotel, and the Emperor's Palace. The ballooning experience in the wine country was fantastic and the people from the ballooning company were a delight. All of our flights went without a hitch. Words cannot describe how much we enjoyed our African adventure. Many thanks to Craig and Bianca for doing such an excellent job of turning our dreams into a reality.
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Email Shadab Khan | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Longing to relive an amazing experience!
It's been close to 3 weeks since we got home and if there was ever a trip we didn't want to end and would like to repeat without changing anything, it would be the trip my family took in Southern Africa in August. From the beginning when I reached out to Craig, the experience had been excellent. Between Bianca and Craig, every detail was worked out keeping our requests and tastes in mind while leaving an enormous amount of room for last minute requests and changes. And the suggestions both Bianca and Craig gave were definitely worthwhile and they also worked with us when we wanted to books specific Marriott hotels as I had tons of points to spend.
Initially a trip that should have only been 10 days ended up being 27 days when the planning ended and included 5 countries - Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. And we enjoyed every minute of the trip regardless if we needed to get up at 3 AM to take a hot air balloon ride. We just saw so much including incredible scenery, animals on the various safari, Cape Town (one of the most beautiful cities I have seen). And we also had amazing food and stayed at some excellent bed and breakfast places, farm houses and hotels.
But the best part was the time spent with Bianca and Craig. Not only did they take care of our every request, but they made sure we an amazing experience. And it's the extra things they did which made the experience great. One of the places we stayed at suggested a restaurant for our dinner, but before it was decided on, Bianca and Craig checked them out and their menu. There were many similar behind the scenes things that Southern Africa Tours did from the first time I reached out to them and this made the difference. We can't wait till August, 2025 when we return for Malawi, Namibia and Zambia and look forward to traveling with Bianca and Craig again.
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Email Herman | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Flexible tour arrangement in function of best timing to visit all places to be seen and much more
We (myself and my son) contacted Southern African Tours for a tailor made 7 days tour arrangement for Cape Town, the Cape and the Garden Route till Port Elisabeth, where we left towards Kruger by plane. Our wish list was given by someone who lived for three years in Cape Town. Craig and Bianca were able to organize a tour after which we were able to check mark every line of our wish list. No surprises about the fee that was agreed for in front. The road trips were animated by Craig and Bianca. Because of their long experience they had a lot to tell about South Africa's history, culture, language (Afrikaans and English), nature, etc . The places where we stayed during the night were well chosen and variable. We had a fancy hotels in Cape Town nearby the Waterfront, B&B's in front of the whales or above the lagoon in Khysna, a studio in front the Indian Ocean, an exceptional lodge in Addo. They also helped us to find the wright places to eat. They even prepared a 'braai' for us. It is a tour that will stay unforgettable and it gives also a reason to come back.
PS: a security topic ... don't call a traffic light a traffic light. South Africans call them 'robots' ?!
Email Rachael | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Five star, luxury 10 day trip of a lifetime in Western Cape and Kruger
Craig and Bianca arranged an amazing 10 day itinerary for our first visit to South Africa which blew all of our expectations.
Our accommodation in each location was absolute luxury; from Whale viewings from our bedroom window in Hermanus, to relaxing in an outdoor pool on the outskirts of Kruger, we benefitted from Craig and Bianca's connections and experience in the industry at each point, which also translated into amazing value for money.
Our guides in both locations were outstanding - Christopher from Kurt Safari in Kruger, and Gareth in Cape Town. Both had such a wealth of knowledge about the local areas, history and culture; there was never a dull moment on the journeys.
This was the only company who we communicated with where we really felt like our trip was completely tailored to exactly what we wanted, with helpful tips and suggestions added in if we wanted. We were catered for from start to finish, each stage of the trip was carefully planned and communicated throughout.
Furthermore, upon learning of an unplanned flight delay on our final day, Bianca went above and beyond to find us alternative accommodation, transfers and dinner; all in beautiful and safe locations. She made what could have been a stressful end to our holiday (thanks to the airline) an absolute breeze, we are incredibly grateful for her help in our hour of need. This just epitomised the personal level of service we recieved from start to finish.
Thank you for the adventure of a lifetime. We have already recommended Southern Africa Tours to friends and family and can't wait to come back!
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Email Terri J | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceeded Expectations on Safari & Cape Town City Tour
Our experience with Craig and Bianca with Southern African Tours was exceptional. They were incredibly easy to work with, responsive to messages, and provided solutions to our specific travel needs. We were delighted with our Kruger safari and accommodations at Umbhaba Eco Lodge. Our game driver, Fortune, was knowledgeable and highly skilled in spotting animals. I had read "80% chance of spotting the big 5 in a three day safari". We saw them all (repeatedly) in our first day! We were astonished by how close we were to the animals. I never would have believed how many animal species could be viewed so close in Kruger and with the exceptional skill of our guide. My husband and I had booked a semi-private tour and the company of a Danish couple and Spanish solo traveler added to our enjoyment. Also more eyes in helping to spot animals. We also visited the Elephant Whisper. It was neat to learn more about the elephants and get to interact with them directly.
We did the Panorama Tour one day and visited God’s Window, Bourke’s Luck potholes, and Blyde River Canyon-3 Rondavels. It was a private tour with Nicky as our guide. Nicky was very knowledgeable and set the pace to ensure the best viewing times (to avoid the fog). We enjoy hiking and it was a pleasure to get out and walk/hike these unique and beautiful settings.
We completed our trip with a private 2-day Cape Town city tour. Gareth was our guide and organized and timed everything perfectly. We stayed at Radisson Red which is an ideal location to safely enjoy the city night life. We had a wonderful dinner at Den Aker (French/Belgian) and highly recommend. A few of our favorites included Table Mountain, the Boulder Beach penguin colony, and Cape Good Hope. There was high wind and Table Mountain had been closed the day prior. Gareth was on top of all details and was monitoring the situation and our itinerary to ensure we were able to see it and at the optimal visibility. Sightings of wild baboon and ostrich right at the side of the road were an unexpected delight. After wine tasting at De Grendel, Gareth surprised us with a stop at a lovely beach and we were able to tip our toes in the water. We ended our adventure with a drummies and dinner show before heading to the airport for a late night flight back to the USA.
We truly had the most wonderful time. Without hesitation, we felt completely safe and well cared for. Our program was customized with the safari, panoramic tour and Cape Town and we would not have changed a thing. We give Southern African Tours a 5+ star rating and highly recommend.
