Mr Samuel Mopalo has been working in the tourism
Early Kingfisher Safari
- Located In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2017)
- Member Of:
- BOGA & Botswana Tourism
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $50 to $400 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Luke | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The trip of a lifetime, all thanks to Early Kingfisher
Where to start...I had never gone on safari before, and felt quite overwhelmed with the choice on offer from different companies. Early Kingfisher stood out to me because the tour sizes were small, the costs were competitive, it was run by local people, and the reviews raved about Sam's passion for animals. Having completed a tour with them I can say confidently: if you book with them, you won't regret it.
The week was unforgettable, in large part to Sam & his staff. The animal spotting, knowledge I gained from Sam, the quality of the food we ate (3 course dinners every night), camping setup (practically luxurious), and travel arrangements (not a moment of stress during the course of the week). I am so, so glad that I overlooked more established companies in favour of Early Kingfisher, and I cannot recommend this company highly enough for what to me felt like a true safari experience. Some personal highlights are below...
Camping: the camping setup was perfect; spacious tents with a REAL BED, as close to a real (hot) shower/toilet as you'll find in the middle of nowhere, and even a turn down service twice a day (because why not). I haven't stayed in a lodge for a safari, but hearing deafining thunder, lions roaring and hyenas laughing during the night is simply unforgettable. And whilst most people might think camping and safari doesn't mix, I honestly felt no fear the entire week in the camp.
Staff: the staff on our tour were simply wonderful. I felt like I got to witness a group of friends cheerfully go about their jobs every day, and to such a high standard. Joan was our chef, who worked actual magic by preparing every single meal, including our 3 course dinners, each day, with only an open fire to work with. And it truly was delicious food. As I was on a week long tour, there were lots of pack downs to move location, all catered for by the staff, but the process ran like clockwork. And lastly, returning after an evening game drive to a song from the staff, was fantastic.
Game drives: I loved the twice-daily game drives, not just because I saw an abundance of animals, but because we had an awesome, passionate guide in Sam. His knowledge was second-to-none, always ready to answer our questions, but his ability to track animals was so impressive. As another reviewer has noted, many other guides came on the radio regularly to get his opinion, and we regularly found animals that no one else had, enjoying them in peace & quiet until other trucks invariably saw us and rolled in. Every detail was considered, from rugs in the morning when it was seriously cold, to 'Sam's Cafe' opening for business mid morning for a coffee break.
Photography: I went on safari for the photography, and Sam's understanding of light showed his experience not just of animal spotting, but how best to view them. He helped me get photos that I am extremely happy with by perfecting the angle. Our first night saw us spot a male lion with the setting sun right behind him, as just one example.
Learning: honestly, I learned so much from Sam during the week. For one example: over dinner one evening I asked if termites created their mounds from the earth as they dug down. In response we got a 15 minute reply detailing exactly how they function, and how they contributed to the formation of the Okavango delta. I don't think there was one animal or bird the entire week he couldn't identify.
Communication: before the tour, I found Sam to be very communicative over email in the run up to the trip, answering all my questions, and ensuring I had no concerns.
Recommendation: go for at least a week, if not longer, to ensure you're not spending full days travelling between locations. There were long journeys, but even on these, we were treated to seriously good food & animal sightings.
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Email James Williams | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a Lifetime!
Other reviewers have already said it, but here it is in a nutshell. Everything about this trip was amazing! Sam and the crew provide a first-class experience in the wild. This photo safari far exceeded my expectations! I highly recommend EKS!!!
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Email Andy Brown | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing guides, amazing service, amazing comfort, amazing food!
Do you want a top-notch safari with experienced, respected guides who love animals as much as you do? Do you want to be close to the environment? So you want service every day that feels like lodges with the mobility and flexibility of a tented safari? Look no further. Early Kingfisher Safaris is everything you’re looking for and more!
I traveled on a 12-day tour spanning Chobe National Park and surrounding local game reserves, including the Chobe River, Savuti, the Moremi, and the Mbabe Depression with 8 total strangers and had an amazing safari experience. Owner, founder, and lead guide Sam has deep, passionate knowledge about the area and is highly respected by other guides (stopping along the way, Sam would share their information with other groups freely and happily). Co-guiding this trip was Paul, Sam’s brother-in-law, who is an incredibly guide in his own right. The combination of their knowledge, experience, and instinct led us to be spoiled by experiences observing animals up close, but in a way that we simply became part of the environment. The two of them clearly love guiding and introducing us to the animals they’ve come to know so well.
Campside, tents are large and well-appointed. Real beds with firm, comfortable mattresses were dressed each days with fresh linen, made up after we left on the morning game drive and turned down before we returned from the afternoon. Rugs in the front half of each tent for your comfort, but not in the back half - that’s where the entrance to your bathroom is, so it makes sense if you’re drying off on that side. Each tent has its own, private outdoor bathroom and shower, and a sheltered veranda for afternoon relaxation. Hot water was there when we woke up for a quick wash and again at lunch, and then hot showers were ready at night (and while I didn’t take advantage of it, I heard from other guests that hot water was made available at other times when they asked). Members of the EKS team were friendly and made you feel at home - but also faded into the background while they did what needed to be done. You just didn’t notice all of the little things that go into what made the experience so enjoyable.
Food? Second-to-none, and made all the more impressive by being cooked over open flame. PK, EKS’s new chef is amazing. Soups, breads, meat dishes, vegetables, desserts - all made with our needs and tastes in mind, but also local flavor, styles, and dishes traditionally made (this was reserved for the last night in our case). The dinner announcement was something we all looked forward to every night. Breakfast and lunch and tea time were equally delicious.
Game drives started early - that’s when the animals start being active, so it makes sense to go out with them. Mid-morning tea was a highlight at “Sam’s Cafe” (if you know, you know). And then back to camp for lunch and siesta. Around 4pm, just after afternoon tea, we would head out for an afternoon/evening game drive and also to get great views of the sunset. For animal lovers, this means the best opportunities to see animals active. For photographers, these times ensured the best light.
Vehicles were comfortable and spacious, and you could talk to Sam and Paul throughout each game drive. We had near 360-degree views wherever we went. As for what we encountered, we saw four of the Big 5 (sadly, no wild rhinos in the area), cheetah, serval cats, antelope of all shapes and sizes (including elusive reedbucks and steenboks), hyenas, wildebeest, zebras, giraffes, three species of mongoose, and elephants by the score. This doesn’t even touch on birds.
I couldn’t have asked for a better first safari experience and cannot wait to go back! Early Kingfisher Safaris is who I will travel with again when I go back to Botswana!
