Martin Smith, Managing Director
Kingfisher Safaris
- Office In:
-
United Kingdom
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2012)
- Member Of:
- Botswana Guides Association
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $100 to $1,500 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
CA
Email Gary Potts and Mariane Piché | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A highly responsive, communicative team that works with you to realise your dream holiday.
We spent considerable time reviewing many different tour operators and their scheduled tours and finally landed on a 12-day Namibian tour with Kingfisher Safaris. We worked with the Managing Director, Martin Smith, who made sure he understood what we wanted to get out of the trip. The 12-day Namibia Classic Accommodated Safari offered exactly the type of accommodations we were looking for--the perfect blend of comfort, luxe and African authenticity. I had many questions throughout the period before and after booking the trip and Martin was consistently quick to respond to emails. Communication was seamless. We wanted to make a slight change to the agenda, which he accommodated without hesitation. A detailed pre-departure dossier was provided to help us with "must have" items and important information for the trip: luggage size and type, tipping recommendations, clothing, etc. Our trip was exactly what we had hoped for: seeing the vastness of Namibia's open spaces, its varied topography, and of course, its wildlife. Namibia is a trip of a lifetime!
Email Cathy Lemon | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Incredible Safari with Amazing Staff
We had the most incredible safari in Botswana and saw so much wildlife.Pilot and his team were fantastic and so attentive. Pilot was extremely knowledgeable about the wildlife, Elena was an excellent host -we really enjoyed chatting with her, and Pauline was a super cook producing amazing meals on an open fire. The safari vehicle was great and the tent and bed were very comfortable.
We also appreciated Martin's prompt and helpful answers prior to going away.
All in all a definite 5 star experience.
Email Steven & Tiffany Turner | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Brilliant organisation from start to finish
In 2025 we made contact with Martin at Kingfisher safaris expressing our interest in booking a mobile safari in Botswana followed by a couple of nights in Victoria falls. Martin provided us with a 9 night mobile safari itinerary and organised every aspect of the holiday including transfers, a trip to elephants haven in Maun and our accommodation in Maun before the safari and in Victoria falls at the end. Dealing with Martin was incredibly easy and he was always available to answer any questions we had. Prior to the trip our itinerary was changed slightly due to the localised flooding that has occurred in areas of Botswana and he put our minds at ease immediately regarding the two new camping locations. He stayed in contact through WhatsApp during our trip and when we arrived in Maun he perfectly executed a change to our elephants haven trip to make sure we got to experience it that afternoon as our Mack air bush flight for the following day had changed time which meant we wouldn’t have been able to visit. The mobile safari itself was incredible, Pilot and his team were first class and made sure we were well looked after throughout our trip. Our game sightings in all areas were incredible and Pilot was a wealth of knowledge and truly dedicated to making sure we could see as much as possible. We were able to see wild dogs in all three locations including pups at a den which was a personal highlight. Leopard was also on the agenda and we were lucky enough to see them twice in Savuti thanks to pilots dedication and constant radio contact with other guides. The Sahara tent was extremely comfortable, the food, drinks and camps were all fantastic. Our transfers to Victoria falls all went smoothly and our stay at Bayete lodge was lovely and they were very welcoming. We are already planning our next mobile safari and wouldn’t hesitate to use Kingisher safaris and Pilots mobile safaris again and highly recommend them, they really do go the extra mile to make sure their guests have the trip of a lifetime.
Email Richard Cotton | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Kingfisher listen to client wishes , then provide a safari package to accommodate those wishes .
Kingfisher put together a safari experience exactly as we requested and then their chosen safari partner Pilot Mobile Safaris delivered with a most spoiling service in terms of game seen and hospitality provided .
FR
Email jean | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
perfect organization
Thanks, Martin.
Everything was perfect—the lodges, the organization, and Mackair. You were always quick to respond to every request.
Email Stephen | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Kingfisher delivered on every count
This is a top notch outfit. No lodge can match driving, dining, and sleeping out in the bush. It's a 24-7 experience with Pilot and his wonderful crew. Best of all, Pilot knows where the animals are going before they do. We enjoyed sustained sightings--alone--of an hour or more up and down the food chain. We two parents with two adult children enjoyed an African experience of a lifetime. We cannot recommend them highly enough.
Email Kevin and Anna | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very well organised and genuinely caring.
We wanted to do a lot in our five weeks taking in Namibia, Botswana and Victoria falls and finishing in Mauritus (which we planned ourselves.)
We actually had four tours which ran fairly seamlessly from one to the next. The planning process was a collaborative process in which we could say what flights we were able to book - some are quite limited or infrequent, and Martin at Kingfisher suggested itineraries. We were able to book the flights online and he was able to match us up with all of the activities - safaris, lodges, guides etc. He was there throughout the planning process and was always available. He clearly has a lot of local knowledge, contacts and a wealth of experience.
The entire itinerary, flights and route maps were all kept together on the Safari Buddy app. Since it was quite a complex itinerary this was great as it meant we could relax and enjoy rather than constantly having to think what was coming next.
The trip itself was amazing. We loved all of the accommodation arranged for us - the hotels were very good and the lodges were absolutely stunning.
Before going to Kingfisher, we had tried to organise a few bits ourselves. We didn't mind small groups, but the costs soon started spiralling. Kingfisher were able to give us what amounted to a private tour for far less than the cost of a group tour if we had orginised it ourselves.
CA
Email Bibi Popovic | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Responsive, detailed and informative communication
We booked 2 weeks with Kingfisher Safaris for October ‘25. This was our first safari and Martin helped us create itinerary for the first leg of our trip which included visits to Cape Town, Victoria Falls and the incredible Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. We are so glad we did it.
The second leg of our trip was a camping safari in Botswana’s Okavango Delta with a group of friends.
We loved every moment we spent in camps in Moremi and Khwai Concession. Our guide Pilot and the rest of the staff were there to make sure we have everything we need in order to feel as comfortable as possible. Pilot is one of a kind guide. He has decades of experience and very deep understanding and respect for the wildlife. I have to mention his great sense of humour as he made us laugh all the time. His dinner time stories were the best!
Thanks to Martin, Pilot and the ground staff, our trip was an amazing experience.
CA
Email John White | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Knowledgeable, thoughtful, and understood what we were after.
We booked a visit to Namibia and Botswana for October 2025, and boy, we were not disappointed. The two locations are very different, and Martin knew how to bring out the best of both. Our Namibia adventure had us range over 3000 km to see the amazing landscape that is Namibia, guided by our excellent tour guide Joe, and we never felt rushed, or that it was too much. The Botswana leg was a very different experience, taking us as close as possible to nature, and again led by the ever surprising and resourceful Pilot. We didn't just get to see wildlife, we got to experience it.
I stronly recommend booking your next African adventure with Kingfisher Safaris.
Email SM | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Seamless and responsive safari operator & experience
What an incredible trip to Botswana. We have memories that we will cherish for years to come. So appreciate Martin's prompt replies and availability. He was incredibly responsive and detailed in his replies to our many questions while also providing honest context on animals/terrain, travel prep, etc throughout the few months between booking and our travel dates. I had been in contact with a few tour companies before booking with Martin, but he was the most detailed, personable, and responsive in all of our email communications that it was the right choice.
We stuck with a more classic 7 day safari itinerary given our time was limited, but it felt like a truly immersive trip regardless and we felt at ease the entire time. The mix of accommodations were fantastic as well! We enjoyed the variety of activities - mokoro, game drives, night drives, and walking safaris. It was seamless having everything taken care of by Martin and the local operator so we could just focus on the experience. Sad to be back from our trip, but we look forward to visiting Africa again soon.