Personal & Genuine African Safaris
Siya Phambile Expeditions
- Located In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2016)
- Member Of:
- Southern Africa Tourism Services Association
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $14 to $825 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email Johan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A very personal and knowledgeable guided tour
Siya Phambile and Ben is a highly recommendable tour operator. He recommended the very nice Bateleur private game reserve and then took us to experience the Kreuger park and its camps. Ben is a very friendly and easy going person who knows the Kreuger park and its animals very well. He will share his experiences and knowledge with you in a nice way. Finally he drove us back through the panoramic circuit on the way back to Johannesburg.
Our warmest recommendations,
Kaja & Johan
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Email Ivan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An incredible and surprising journey into places I could not imagine!
I've never gone on safari before...I've never used this service...and I really didn't know what to expect. I felt like there was a chance I could be scammed but boy was I incredibly wrong.
I signed up for a tour here with the intent of just wanting to see some animals on a Safari while I was in Cape Town and I received so much more. I got a geography lessons, cultural insights, the best thing I ate on my vacation, animal friendships, and a new brother from our tour guide Ben-G (Benjamin)
Although we only had 4 days, Benjamin lived up to all expectations in making this a really customized trip. He genuinely listened to my requests, remained flexible, and brought us to so many interesting things. My partner and I are younger folks who wanted adventure and Benjamin definitely delivered but he also made sure to be attentive and reactive to our needs throughout the experience. If we ever needed anything or needed a change of plans, he was accommodating. And so much so, that there were just pleasant surprises all throughout our tour experience -- I won't spoil anything as I know that's part of Benjamin's magic itinerary planning but I would say trust in the man and come with an open mind. You can certainly tell the man is passionate about Africa, its people, and its animals and has the knowledge to back it up. It made me wonder why I don't know a quarter of the things about my hometown compared to the encyclopedia-like knowledge he knew about EVERYWHERE we were. Learned quite a bit just being around him!
I came for a safari and quite frankly my highlights were pretty much all things beyond that, which really just shows you how adept Benjamin is at figuring out your needs and giving you a unique experience you can't find on your own. I'm excited to return back to Africa and to go on a longer journey with Benjamin and we've even taken some of his catch-phrases with us back to the states. Classic!
Please don't hesitate with choosing these guys. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a real taste of Africa.
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Email Molly | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a Lifetime!!
This was my first visit to Africa and to be honest...I had no idea what to expect and was a bit nervous. The trip turned out to be one that far exceeded my expectations with great memories that will last a lifetime. Benjamin is an awesome tour guide who clearly has a passion for the wild and all the great things Africa has to offer.
The tour was set up perfectly where we were introduced to South Africa in Cape Town. We were able to explore all the great neighborhoods Cape Town has to offer while slowly immersing ourselves into the African culture. We then visited Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe which moved us a bit deeper into Africa and gave us a great taste of what we could expect in the wild bush of Africa. The final piece of the tour was Kruger National Park where we came face to face with Africa's beautiful wildlife and experienced nature like never before.
Throughout the trip Benjamin was professional but also a lot of fun. We learned a lot and experienced things we never would have if it hadn't been for this amazing trip. We met some incredible people and made a few more friends along the way. Booking a trip with Siya Phambile was great choice and one that I would make again.
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Email Dustin | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of ones lifetime
I highly recommend! Our guide Benjami was amazing! Some words to describe him: knowledgeable, patience, fun and organized.
The Safari was outstanding. The accommodations where better than I had expected. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!
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Email Lucy | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A trip of a lifetime
I had an amazing experience with Siya Phambile Expeditions. Benjamin was our most excellent guide and he truly went above and beyond to make sure we enjoyed the beauty and wonders of South Africa.
The Safari Tour at Kruger National Reserve was incredible. I feel so lucky to have had such a knowledgeable and experienced team on our tour.
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Email Michael | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Once in a lifetime experience.
Benjamin was great to work with. I started planning my trip one year in advance and Benjamin made sure to respond to all questions relating to the trip. Our trip consisted of us visiting Cape Town, Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe), and Kruger National Park.
Upon arrival, Benjamin was there to pick us up and take us to our hotel. While in Cape Town, Benjamin took us to see Table Mountain, Robben Island, Cape Point, and wine tasting in Franschoek. Table Mountain was spectacular. We had the option of hiking up to the top but decided on taking the tram (quicker to the top) in order to enjoy the views from above. Cape Point had amazing views and we could have easily taken picture after picture. The wine tasting in Franschoek was great. You jump on a Wine Tram which takes you from vineyard to vineyard. By far the best day weather wise.
Our next stop was Victoria Falls. Although Benjamin did not join us in Victoria Falls, he ensured our airport transfers to and from hotel had been arranged along with booking our excursions for the two days we were there. We had dinner on the Zambezi river at Sunset and words cannot describe how beautiful it was. The following day was a trip to Victoria Falls and we were in awe of how beautiful and massive the falls were. Didn't realize it was the biggest in the world. My group of friends split up for the next excursion as half decided to walk with lions and the other half spent it with elephants. Yes, we actually walked with lions! Such a surreal experience that I will never forget. My other friends had a wonderful time interacting with elephants by feeding, petting and spending some time with them. Our last dinner was a drum show at BOMA. We enjoyed the drum show and were able to participate in the dancing in the end.
Our last stop was Kruger National Park. Benjamin met us back in Johannesburg to finish the last leg of our trip. We thoroughly enjoyed our Safari. We had a combination of night and day time safari's. We saw every wild life possible except for a Rhino. But how can you be disappointed when the views were spectacular, we got to see lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, leopard, buffalo and even Wild Dogs! Our campsite was great and big enough for our party of 11. We enjoyed a day on the deck and watching wildlife walk along the dry riverbed. Great time for us all.
In the end, we could not have asked for a better experience and Benjamin was the best host and tour guide. The entire trip was excellent. My friends and I really enjoyed our time and I would highly recommend him.
Email Robyn and Karl | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic, personalised, no stress, month long trip in South Africa at very short notice.
Benjamin was a gem. We gave him very short notice, just a few weeks, of coming to South Africa for a month to do primarily safaris and wanted to experience from self catering to 5 star. His communication was excellent and he quickly mapped out a trip for us that would maximise seeing wildlife. He greeted us at the airport and sorted out all issues, eg mobile phone coverage, car rental etc. Part of the planned trip ended up not happening due to changes to train schedules and Benjamin worked with us to make alternative arrangements. In the end, considering we ended up doing a walking safari, this was probably even better than our original plan. We saw lots of animals, including the endangered black rhino and it was one of the best holidays we have had. Benjamin made the trip pretty much stress free and I can't recommend Siya Phambile Expeditions highly enough. Thank you Benjamin for such a wonderful time.
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Email Michele Gaudreau | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Benjamin Wilson and Siya Phambile have provided a wonderful, unforgettable, made-to-measure trip.
Dear Benjamin, this review is in the form of a letter to you. When we left home in Quebec, we didn’t know exactly what to expect, having never traveled in South Africa before. But from the get-go your emails in response to our many questions were always prompt, clear, complete and friendly. This gave us confidence that Siya Phambile was a good, trustworthy company and that we would be taken good care of. We were.
The 14-day expedition which Diane (59) and I (70 ) went on with you in Zulu Land was so much more than we could ever have dreamed. So full of discoveries, marvels and laughs! It is one thing to go on game drives 6 hours a day in a group, it is quite another to be accompanied at every step by a guide who is passionate about his work and so able to share his knowledge of wild animals, birds and people. AND what a good cook you are! Those wonderful omelets in the morning outside our tents were a great way to start the day.
Thanks to your caring and personal attention to every detail of this amazing trip, our experience in the African bush will remain with us forever. We thank you and Siya Phambile with all our hearts. Who knows, we might write to you again soon...
Michele
Email Rosemary | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful Kruger safari and African adventure!
I highly recommend Benjamin Wilson and Siya Phambile. Initially I was drawn to Siya by the reviews, the itineraries and the fact that it is registered with SATSA (South African Tourism Services Association). I could not have been happier with my choice.
From the outset, Benjamin patiently and promptly answered my many questions and devised a customised safari in Kruger followed by a week self drive at the coast, split between Kosi Bay and St Lucia. This holiday more than met our high expectations and the different wishes of our family of 6 (aged 15 – 56). Benjamin was a fantastic tour planner and guide. From the moment he met us at the airport we relaxed, knowing we were in safe hands. He helped us arrange local SIM cards then it was off on our adventure. The accommodation was clean and comfortable with air con and sometimes a pool so just what we wanted. We occasionally had wifi which pleased the kids. Benjamin is extremely knowledgeable about the bush, the wildlife, the geography of South Africa and the local customs and languages of the various peoples. He is also a great spotter of wildlife and we were blown away by how much we saw, often at close range. Even my iphone was capable of capturing lots of animal encounters – I have a great video of wild dog puppies playing at the den. Of course, I would recommend taking a proper camera with a zoom too! Some of the kids were reluctant safari goers to begin with but soon relished the game drives! Benjamin rose to the challenge of cooking for 2 vegetarians and 2 vegans which we appreciated. He thought about the details which make for a comfortable trip e.g. we always had ample car snacks and binoculars to share (although we also had our own). He’s a keen card player which made for some fun evenings in camp. By the end of our safari we felt we were saying goodbye to an old friend.
My only regret is that we cannot do this trip every year! Thank you Benjamin and Siya Phambile and best wishes for all your future adventures.
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Email Diane Boulé | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A trip of a lifetime in the African bush we would like to relive again
An incredible trip with an exceptional guide who has shared with us his passion for animals, birds and trees to name a few.
Benjamin accompanied us throughout this 14-day expedition that ended in early August. He chose different parks and very interesting for us. He also has unparalleled cooking skills and demonstrates incredible calm and wisdom throughout his stay with two women of a certain age. He could have been our son and we appreciated him for all his qualities and for the surprises he has reserved for us. We are still filled with these strong experiences of being close to giant and small animals. A very great feeling of gratitude inhabits me and I wanted to express it in French so that this message is well received. Wanting to translate this trip, it was indeed an expedition in the African bush in winter with such dry areas demonstrating the ability of animals to adapt to survive. The Zulu people of this part of the world welcomed us like queens and I will never forget their sincere smile.