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
Email Will S | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic tour with an extremely knowledgeable and friendly guide
This was our first visit to South Africa and we thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Southern Africa Tours setup a great itinerary tailored to our needs that packed in a great deal of things in a relatively short space of time.
We started by giving them a list of the attractions we wanted to see and the timescale that we had and they managed to get everything we'd requested and more.
I'd also like to make special mention to Gerard our tour guide. My wife and I were both instantly comfortable with him from the get-go. He is extremely knowledgeable about South Africa and each of the locations we visited and made great company.
Thank you again for such a fantastic experience!
Email Jeff | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Cape to Addo national Park with the owner and guide. Highly recommended.
My wife and I went on a private tour with Craig, the owner and guide of his tour company, what a wonderful,intelligent and highly knowledgeable chap, we could discuss any subject whether it be the ecologically sensitive Knysna lagoon, the price of property or the political situation.
Accommodation was in ''charming'' friendly establishments, including a private ''lodge'' in the Addo National Park. I highly recommend this tour for it's huge diversity, value for money and Craig's personal touch. Bravo Craig I know Southern Africa tours will grow from strength to strength.
SG
Email Yen | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
11 Days Victoria Falls, Cape Town, Chobe, Kruger National Parks, Blyde River Canyon
We have a fabulous holiday. Thanks to Southern African tours for being flexible and plan the full itinerary to fit in our short
schedule. It was very well planned and varied, covering coastal city with vineyard visit in Cape town for city and scenic visit; to
awesome private game drive Safari near Kruger and a different experience on river safari in Zimbabwe and Botswana.
Sheilagh and team at Southern African is very responsive and accommodating on the numerous changes and requests. They are
very professional and quick in getting on text and call with us in Singapore. Overall I would recommend Southern African Tours
to friends doing Safari trip.
NL
Email Lauren Kaas | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Breathtaking!
Craig and his team at Southern African tours took really good care of us. They handled every aspect of the planning of our trip, which eliminated any anxiety that we had of travelling to an unknown destiny. They also put in a lot of effort to tailor make our trip to suit our budget and our wish-list of places to visit. Whilst the tours are set out with a specific itinerary, they had absolutely no problem tweaking and adjusting our travel programme.
Craig’s hosting and guiding skills are excellent. He made us feel at ease and was very knowledgeable on every aspect of our tour. There was never a concern about our safety, or that an unforeseen glitch would spoil the trip for us. It’s been a truly breath-taking and educational experience and we highly recommend Southern African tours to anybody who wants to travel to Africa. We will be homeward bound in the next two days with happy memories and smiles.
MY
Email Steve Morton | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Taste of South Africa
My wife, adult daughter and I have just completed a private 5 day garden tour with Craig. We only had limited time to see and do as much as we could in South Africa and Craig achieved this for us. While the tour was structured we had the flexibility to add and subtract to better tailor our trip to cater for our personal interests and tastes day to day, making the whole experience so fantastic. Some of the things we saw and did would not have been achieveable on a larger bus tour and we would probably have missed if we had taken a self drive option. Craig is passionate about his country in all respects, has great knowledge of its history, flora and fauna and wants to share his enthusiasm with you. A very likeable and responsible guide that really made our trip something special. Best memories....Storm River, Catching a wave at Natures Way, geology throughout the trip, exploring little towns and Victoria beach near George. I would definitely use Craig's services again.
GH
Email Curtiss D. | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Appears not to be a trustworthy tour operator
I booked a ZAR 144k tour with this agency and unfortunately had to cancel due visas issues beyond our control . I paid a deposit of ZAR 78k and the operator advised that they could only refund ZAR 50k , deducting various penalties and their own admin fees. This was happening in summer 2023. I even agreed that they repay in installment of ZAR 10k as they were raising some cash flow issues. For the last 6 months they haven’t paid anything !! They always come with an excuse as to why they have not paid me yet….This has become a nightmare!
I would caution anyone to deal with this agency as I believe they are simply not trustworthy
Reply from Southern African Tours
Posted on Mar 18, 20249th June – We received a email from Curtiss stating the trip cannot happened as his wife’s Visa was denied – This is 15 days prior to tour starting and the client had received vouchers as we made an acceptation to assist with the Visa even though we had only received 50% of the tour payment price and we had flight tickets organsied.
22nd May - -Asked for trip to be brought forward to 24th June – The whole trip then needed to be rebooked.
Original Tour was suppose to start on 4th July
Bianca went well out of her way, changing bookings at the last moment, sending receipts for her wife's visa, basically being there for every wish and whim required by Curtiss. Many, many hours of work was put into it.
The bottom line is we cannot retrieve the deposit paid to our suppliers at the very last moment. I told Curtiss earlier on, well prior to his arrival date that he should take out a travel insurance which would have covered his deposit in many unfortunate eventualities.
Its sad that such an ethical and hardworking tour operator deserves to get a bad review for a situation where our terms and conditions are quite clear. We had also promised to pay him a compensation in instalment's as and when funds where available.
US
Email Malvina | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Above and Beyond: Bianca and Craig, My Unforgettable Heroes
Southern African Tours, was chosen by my tour organizer to guide the 14 of us through the captivating sites of Cape Town for the first five days of our 16- day journey. Each of the first three days I spent with Craig as our guide was an extraordinary adventure. He was extremely knowledgeable, flexible, and charismatic. However, fate took an unfortunate turn on the fourth day when I encountered a debilitating accident, rendering me unable to continue the remainder of our scheduled trip. As the tour group carried on without me, leaving Cape Town and me behind, a sense of abandonment overwhelmed me, leaving me unsure of how to navigate this unforeseen predicament.
In the midst of my despair, an unexpected beacon of hope emerged: Bianca and Craig, the epitome of compassion and care. They embraced me as though I were kin, tending to my every need with unwavering devotion. Bianca took charge and swiftly contacted my travel insurance company, leaving no stone unturned to ensure my well-being. She arranged for medical visits, holding my hand throughout the process, and accompanied me on a gentle stroll to the pharmacy, making certain I lacked nothing. Sensing my discomfort, they orchestrated a seamless transition to a charming boutique hotel near their home, surpassing any expectations I held. Bianca even did my laundry!! She rescheduled my return flight and arranged for a wheelchair. She and Craig drove me to the airport, sparing no effort to guarantee a smooth journey back home.
In this ever-chaotic world, where selflessness often feels scarce, Bianca and Craig shone as beacons of hope, guiding me through the darkest moments of my trip. Their actions surpassed the boundaries of their professional obligations, leaving an indelible mark on my heart. I am forever indebted to their unwavering support and profound humanity.
Above and beyond the call of duty, Bianca and Craig exemplified the true essence of heroism, transforming an otherwise traumatic experience into a testament of human compassion. Their unwavering dedication and remarkable care will forever be etched in my memories, a testament to the extraordinary individuals who stepped forward when I needed them the most.
DE
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!
Email Leanne | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very enhoyable and met our expectations.
Southern African Tours were able to design a tour of South Africa and Victoria Falls to meet our desired destinations. Communication was straight forward and our questions were always answered. Craig and/or Shelaigh always attended to any issues during the planning stage. Our safari experience in Kruger National Park was very well organised by Outlook tours. The staff of Outlook Safaris in PretoriusKop Rest Camp, Kruger National Park were A+ in all areas and our activities were outstanding.Wild Horizons organised a wonderful itinerary in Victoria Falls the visit to Chobe National Park was excellent.
Our favourite places in and around Cape Town were Cape of Good Hope, the Peninsula, the seal colony, penguin colony at Boulders, the vineyards and Kirstenbosch gardens. Gerry our tour guide in Cape Town was a wealth of information and a true gentleman.
ES
Email Alvaro Moleon | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A SAFE OPTION TO TRAVEL IN AFRICA
Last week, my girlfriend and me came back from Southern Africa (South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana). We did the trip with this agency and we only have good words for all they did for us. They were attentive during all our stay, solving any problem even at midnight. The activities, hotels, guides... everything was perfect. They got we have one of the best experiences in our lives. Thank you so much Sheila and Craig! I hope see you again in Africa!