Christine Sales Office
Wildlife Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 1971)
- Member Of:
- Southern Africa Tourism Services Association
- Tour Types:
- Small & medium group tours (Mid-range)
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $198 to $221 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The trip of a lifetime!
Thank you for a perfect trip and a wonderful adventure. The plans worked perfectly, and accommodations were fine. We preferred the Park to the private game reserve, though folks there were also very accommodating and friendly. “Hippo Hollow” was also fun, and a great way to end the trip.
Most importantly, Anthony Hawell (Hoppie) was a fantastic guide, on every dimension. He is extremely knowledgeable, and knew the answers to all of our questions. It is clear that he loves the Park, and this made touring with him a very special experience. He led us to remarkable sightings, including a beautiful leopard and so many lovely birds. He would pull into some amazing sight, like a watering hole with a variety of animals to see, and quietly point out key features, giving us plenty of time to absorb what was there, and ask lots of questions. We never felt rushed or pressured. He took excellent care of us. In addition he was delightful company, so funny and kind, and quickly came to be a real friend, not merely a guide. I especially enjoyed the after-tour, stimulating conversations, over dinner or drinks, where I learned a great deal. It was a trip of a lifetime, and I will never forget it.
US
Email Cliff | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful 5 day safari to Kruger National Park and Game Preserve
We had a fantastic time and the excellent service was complete and portal to portal from our B&B's in Johannesburg. Anthony our humorous guide was an indefatigable driver, a sharp game spotter, and a knowledgeable naturalist with a great love of the African outdoors which he conveyed to us. Since he had served in the Johannesburg fire department as both a fireman and paramedic, we felt we were in great hands in this our first time in Africa. And we photographically bagged the Big Five. Highly recommended.
US
Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Family trip of a lifetime!
My husband and I traveled with Wildlife Safaris in 2006 and had a wonderful experience. When we decided to plan a safari with our family, we immediately contacted Wildlife Safaris and were pleased that Christine was again the person to help us with our booking. Through her expert help, we arranged the perfect vacation including staying at Waybury House the first and last night. Hoppy was our guide for our 4 night safari and I can't say enough about how well he took care of his. He was friendly, accommodating and very knowledgeable. We saw the Big Five within the first two days! An added bonus was running into Clive, our guide in 2006, in Kruger! I highly recommend Wildlife Safaris and hope to return for another safari in the not too distant future.
NO
Email Ida and Marte | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceptional and highly recommended
We recently had the pleasure of experiencing a safari with Wild Life Safari in Kruger National Park, led by the exceptional guide, Hoppy. From the moment we set out, Hoppy's expertise and passion for wildlife were evident. His keen eye and deep knowledge enriched every sighting, making each moment memorable. Hoppy's commitment to conservation and sustainable tourism added another layer of depth to our journey. We also gained a deeper appreciation for the animals habitats and ecosystems. During the trip we had problems with the car. Nevertheless, Hoppy did what he could to ensure that we, his "princesses", had the best possible experience.
The accommodations were luxurious yet thoughtfully integrated into the surrounding environment, allowing us to feel fully immersed in the wilderness without sacrificing comfort. Each meal was a culinary delight, showcasing local flavors and ingredients that added another layer of richness to our journey. The diversity of wildlife we encountered was simply astounding and the overall experience was nothing short of exceptional.
We wholeheartedly recommend Wild Life Safari, especially with guides like Hoppy, for an unforgettable adventure in the heart of Africa's wilderness. Thank you, Hoppy!
SG
Email Conrad | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Memorable First African Safari with Wildlife Safaris
Brought my family on our first African Safari @ Kruger National Park in December 2023.
We were most fortunate to have “Hoppy” as our guide - passionate about African wildlife, knowledgeable about the ecology of Kruger National Park, Hoppy was most happy to share his knowledge.
With Skukuza as our base camp, we explored Kruger from Hoppy’s eyes - saw more animals than we thought possible, and heard many more interesting stories. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and wished that we could have stayed an extra day.
We stayed at Skukuza Rest Camp Chalets. There were other newer, more expensive lodges but having travelled a long way from Asia, we preferred these chalets as they offered us an authentic African safari experience. Skukuza, we felt, was also more central location wise and being in the nature reserve, facilitated easy access to game drives and animals.
Mealtimes were enjoyable and rich in conversation, as were the morning coffees with Hoppy. For us, mealtimes were interesting too for other reasons - there were breakfast at Skukuza Golf Club aka “Wildest Golf Club in the World” amongst Hyenas and Hippos, Mugg & Bean Lower Sabie amongst African Buffaloes, lunch at Alzu amongst a large collection of reared African wildlife, and dinner at Cattle Baron back in Skukuza after a long day out.
It was a memorable safari.
Best Wishes Hoppy, loved our trip.
Conrad
CL
Email Germán Peñafiel | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
All good, but evening safari was a scam
The tour itself is very good. Hoppy (our guide) was very experienced and could spot animals really well. He also geve us a lot of information about the animals and respond every single question we asked. Accomodations and food were also good.
The really bad part of this tour is the evening safari. The guide was very unexperienced and just cared about driving, keeping his eyes on the road all the time, and talking a lot and veeeery slow. The few animals we saw were spotted by the tourists, not the guide. In addition, the torches were supposed to be operated by the tourists, but we had no instructions about it.
Definitely the worst safari I have ever had in Africa. WildSafaris sould change the operator for this safari, as it is very unprofesional that they put unexperienced and non-motivated guides.
Reply from Wildlife Safaris
Posted on Dec 7, 2023Hi German - we are sorry to hear the sunset drive was a disappointment. This activity is operated by National Parks and their vehicles are the only ones permitted to drive in Kruger Park after sunset. Consequently we cannot look for an alternate Operator. However we do offer itineraries which include private safari lodges so I expect this option may suit you better next time. Thank you for your feedback - we will follow up.
Admin Wildlife Safaris
DE
Email Frank Adamek | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A great tour operator who responded to every wish.
Our safari and driving the Panorama Route with Wildlife Safaris was just fantastic.
Everything was very well organized from the start. Christine and Jonathan helped us with our hotel search. Thanks again for that.
We would like to say a big thank you to Nik. He amazed us with his knowledge of South Africa and his stories about nature and wildlife. A super nice personality with a warm charisma. We felt very comfortable in his presence. Through Nik's experience we got to know and love the unique wildlife of the Kruger National Park. Nik always organized everything perfectly, had an answer to all questions.
The accommodation and food were very good.
We had so many great moments at the Kruger, the sunrises in South Africa, the tranquility, we were so lucky on this trip. The national park wasn't overcrowded, we saw so many animals, the Big Five on the first morning. It was a nice experience to be a guest in the animal kingdom.
US
Email Kwami | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Your guide was knowledgeable and friendly
The tour was well-planned. I didn't get to see the big five (the leopard was elusive), but overall, I enjoyed the experience.
BR
Email Fernando | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience at Kruger National Park
Our driver, Lilly, did a great job! She picked us up at the hotel on time. She provided us good information about the animals that we found. She was nice all the time and she treated us very well during all the time. I recommend this operator, they achieved our expectations and had a good price also.
US
Email Stacey & Andy | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding Guide and Overall Experience!
We were impressed with Wildlife Safaris from the first emails we exchanged to get a quote and tour details. They were incredibly responsive and willing to answer every one of our questions. On tour, we were fortunate enough to have Hoppy as our private tour guide - he is EXCEPTIONAL!! Hoppy filled our days with adventure, amazing food, unbelievable animal sightings (Big 5!), history, culture, and humor. He was charming and willing to accommodate our every need. Note - we'd highly recommend a private tour!! Having Hoppy all to ourselves, we were able to make our own agenda, eat when we wanted, take breaks when we wanted, watch the (enter animal name here) longer if we wanted, take the 1000's photo of (enter animal name here) if we wanted. It definitely added to the ease and enjoyment of our trip. We could not have been happier with the experience!
If it helps others, our itinerary was as follows: Flew to Joburg (JNB), overnight at hotel near airport (helps with jet lag and in case your flight is delayed), picked up by Hoppy morning of Day 1 - drive Panorama route, overnight at Sabie River Bush Lodge (fantastic!), Day 2 & 3 - drive around Kruger, overnights at Skukuza Rest Camp, dinners at Cattle Baron (outstanding!), Day 4 - morning in Kruger, drive back to Joburg, overnight at hotel near airport, flew out next day.
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