Kruger Park Travel
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2014)
- Member Of:
- Southern Africa Tourism Services Association
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $108 to $269 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
ES
Email Clara | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
They never sent me detailed info of my trip. I had to claim dinners and sunset safari :(
The Outlook Safaris made the transfers and there were always on time. We also stayed one night near the airpot. I like the accommodation and the food. The Hippo Hollow hotel was nice also and the Kurt Safari Co was great with good guides.
The only problem was Kruger Park Travel. We had to continually write asking for times of our trip because they never sent us detailed information. We also had to claim dinners, they are already paid and the hotel did not know it. They tried to give us a safari day instead of one morning and one afternoon . And it's not the same! in the heat of the day they are not animals.
We had to argue a lot with Kylie and got to give us a night safari on the last day ... but the information never came, we spend four days asking the guides and the staff if they knew what we had to do that day. I would never hire this agency.
Reply from Kruger Park Travel
Posted on Jul 17, 2016Dear Clara,
My sincerest apologies that you found aspects of your trip planning and co ordination unsatisfactory. I assure you that we strive to provide our clients with the best possible advice and recommendations before and during the trip.
After investigation I can provide some light on the matter.
1. Our reservations team emailed you the travel voucher which would contain all the times and pick ups for your safari drives. It would seem that you never received that voucher and for that I do apologize.
2. Our suppliers call the hotel each and every night to confirm pick up times and this has worked well for us for many years, as we are not on tour with you. If this too never happened, I apologize again and will certainly investigate the short comings.
3. In regards to the dinners, I will certainly follow up with the hotel as this is certainly un acceptable as we make a booking and pay for breakfast, dinner and the bed night.
4. The tour that was booked never included a night drive, and just to explain, we do not facilitate the night drives. This is done by the National Park Rangers and they have a minimum departure requirement and also can cancel at the last minute. So it is extremely difficult to make confirmed booking until on the day, unless there is already other people booked on the trip.
I am however pleased that my suppliers provided you with a sufficient service and I will extend the message onto them.
Please accept once again my sincerest apologies, but if you had just received the travel voucher, all of the above could have been avoided.
Michael Swart
Managing Director
AE
Email Laszlo | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Miscommunication or misunderstanding?
Having read the other reviews I must say apparently Kruger Park Travel just had a few bad days when organizing my trips. I am happy nobody had to go thru the horrors I had experienced!
In short, written confirmation of trip details were not held and I had to pay extra to meet my expectations of private safaris, once I faced the situation. When I complained about this, the first reaction was immediately to threaten me with the company lawyer! I presented all email communications to them, but nobody bothered to give me any fair explanation of how this could have happened.
Reply from Kruger Park Travel
Posted on Jan 14, 2017Good afternoon Laszlo,
Thank you for submitting a review. All reviews good or bad help us to improve on our service to future clients. You are indeed correct that your trip was unfortunately one of those trips that if something could go wrong it certainly did. I believe there was a miss understanding between you and our offices in regards to your exact requirements.
We did however try our best to resolve the issue whilst you were on safari and to my knowledge your wife eventually received what she was expecting.
I am extremely sorry for any inconvenience caused by the misunderstanding but assure you it is and always will be our intention to provide clients with a full travel service that allows them to relax and enjoy their holiday with the peace of mind knowing that all their arrangements are in order.
In regards to your allegation of threatening you with our Companies Lawyer. I only indicated to you that I will defend our Companies good name and integrity even if a lawyer is required. It was not my intention to threaten you and I apologize if that is how it was perceived by you.
Again please accept my sincerest apologies as it was never our intention not to provide you the service you desired and paid for.
Best Regards
Michael Swart
Email Asghar Fakhr | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Not good
I do not recomend it to anyone. Problem is not in the camp. The probvlem comes, what you contract and what you find there. Mike send me Shiduli Lodge picture, but later spoke about Chisomo River Lodge, and my Family and me finalized in Chisomo Camp.
They are using Kuruger name!!?? I do not know why?? Kruger Park is something Fantastic; but this is an open zoo only.
Reply from Kruger Park Travel
Posted on Jan 12, 2016It is most unfortunate to receive a review like this as the client has not been in touch with us to complain. However that said I would like to try explain our side of the story.
The client came to see me at our offices and it was considered a last minute booking as he wanted to travel on the 27 December 2015 and he gave me only a few weeks to arrange the entire trip including flights. December is peak season and there was no availability inside the Kruger Park.
Initially the client sent an enquiry for a tented lodge and I then managed to secure a safari for him at Chisomo Lodge which forms part of the same reserve as Shiduli Game Lodge. The safari included a private pick up for him in Pretoria as well as a drop off at the Hoedspruit airport on the last day including flights back to Johannesburg.
Chisomo is certainly not in the Kruger Park and I never claimed it to be, as it is a Private Reserve near Hoedspruit. I did send the client information regarding the trip and he was aware that the booking was at Chisomo.
It is with regret that the safari did not live up to the family's expatiations and I apologise for any miss communication or miss conception the client had regarding the trip.
The lesson learnt for me is to make sure the clients understands exactly what they are getting when they book and pay for a trip.
Best Regards
Mike Swart
Email Arielle | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Quick and easy, clear communication throughout!
Booked a Tydon Safari Camp tour through Kruger Travel (who are a 3rd party travel agent). Had a good experience - very clear and prompt communication with Ruben, and had the best time on safari! For those who are wondering - you can also book direct, but Kruger Travel didn't charge any additional fees/commission. Only downside for me was not being able to pay by AMEX but that's minor. Also, they mixed up the name on my booking (didn't actually affect the safari tour itself) but caused me a panic when I realised on the flight over thinking that they'd mixed the booking itself up!
IN
Email Cittrarsu | under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Nice experience
Many more animals in this park, yeah super entertainment
GR
Email Angie | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A well-organised,pleasant and reliable company
The staff were professional and reliable while being amicable and approachable.Services rendered were very satisfactory,with exceptional cuisine.A truly worthwhile experience.
US
Email Joanne | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
overall good. Required a lot of questions to get all of the information needed
this was a great way to plan and book our own vacation.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experiance and lovely accomadation
The communication was excellent given that I only booked 1 week before going, everything was up to spec and the Accommodation at Kruger Park lodge was excellent. Though if I was to do it again I would stay within Kruger park at Skukuza rest camp. Though not as luxurious there is more to do and the food is better. We spent 5 days 4 nights at Kruger and went on 2 full day safaris, 1 evening drive, 1 morning drive and a panorama tour. On hindsight I would have done 2 full safaris a bush walk and other activities available at Skukuza which is the main camp inside Kruger. Though given enough time I am sure Kruger park travel can cater to all activities.
In summary , it was an unforgettable experience one which I would love to again, Kruger park travel as a booking company were great given we only booked 1 week ahead of departure and were prompt and forthcoming with any information or travel plans we needed.
AT
Email Mathias | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
well organised and friendly safari operater
the tour in kruger was very good organised with no complications or Problems. The Game Drive Operator (Outlook Safaris) had also good and well trained Tourguides.
The Transfers from and to Kruger were also very comfortable and took not as Long as we expected.
5 day safari experience
This is the first time for us to be on a safari trip. We slept the first 2 nights nights in the very basic, but comfortable shalet we had ordered in Skukuza, the "capital" of the Kruger National park. The crew took very well care of the group (about 20 people). The late breakfast (9 am. after the morning drive)and dinner (7.30 pm after the afternoon drive) were delicious. Before leaving Skukuza on the jeep at 6.30 am. we had just coffee and something small to eat.
Like for all partipants of our group, this was our first safari and we were fascinated each time we spotted an animal. The driver stopped each time someone called out which animal was there to see. He would explain about the animals lives and tell us interesting facts. Each time we encounterd an other jeep, the drivers would exchange information about which direction to drive to find certain animals, that we had not yet seen.
On the first day we started immediately after we arrived at 3 pm. with an afternoon ride till almost sun down.
We had been picked up from our hotel in Johannesburg at 7am. and were supposed to arrive in the Kruger national park at 2 pm. but we arrived 1 hour later.
We regret to have missed the "meet and greet" session, ment in the itinerary, for the start of our stay. Therefore we had no idea what we were going to do or where the different facilities were located. We could have used more general information and we felt a bit lost on the first day.
Altogether we had a wonderful time at the Kruger park and we saw and photographed many wild animals in their natural surroundings.
On the third day after breakfast we were picked up and driven to our next destination: Kapama private safari.
The luxury of the Southern Camp at Kapama was a complete surprise to us. We had no idea that such beautiful hotels do exist on safari grounds.
Except for the 5 stars accomodation and meals, also the drives on the open jeeps were more luxurious. For example, after 2 hours driving, the ranger stopped the car in a safe, open area and we were allowed to get off the jeep. A small table was set up with drinks and snacks and we could strech our legs for 10 minutes, walk around and enjoy the view from ground level, before continuing with the drive. After dark we continued for an hour and with a flash light we could see different animals, like hippos or an owl.
Besides those jeeps, no other cars are alowed to be driven through Kapama. The many driveways are unpaved and go criss-cross through the area. You can get closer to the animals than in the Kruger park, where you stay on the paved road and have to use more the binoculars. There we sometimes were waiting in line, like in the regular traffic, to get to a point where something interesting could be watched.
There has been a draught for over two years. The safari looks very dried out with not much green on the trees. It is hard to find grass and only under dry riverbeds there is some moist ground. An artificial lake is formed by a dam. Small lakes have dried up and when there is some water in a stream it is filled with islands that normally are covered with water.
It is easy to see what is going on from long distances through the dried bush without leaves. That is the only good thing about it. Piles of grass had been dumped on the dried out soil so the buffalos, zebra's, rhinos, etc. would not starve. The carnivores could take care of their own food since there are great numbers of small deer-like animals, who multiply fast.