Reviews

Sort By: Date Most Helpful Rating 21-30 of 75 Reviews
Michael   –  
United States US
Visited: November 2023 Reviewed: Dec 27, 2023

Email Michael  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Incredible trip - Kalanaga exceeded expectations!
5/5

We are two families with 5 college age children and this was our first safari experience. We spent a lot of time researching all dimensions of the different options - accommodations, tour operators, vehicles options, and routes/destinations. We concluded that the tour operator and their guides were the most important decision criteria because everything else is essentially a commodity. We chose Kalanga because it was clear across their excellent reviews that their owner and lead guide ‘Shoes’ was clearly a standout in terms of knowledge, personality and experience.

Sure enough, Kalanga exceeded our expectations. Given Shoes and his team and their families have lived and guided in the park for generations, their knowledge was incredible and they constantly provided tons of insight that enriched our experience. The meals they prepared were excellent and all logistics and communication were top notch. They even went above and beyond to accommodate a portion of our party who had a last minute itinerary change. Shoes also arranged a great one day tour of Johannesburg before the start of our safari. If you want a professional, turn-key experience, within incredibly knowledgeable and authentic local guides, who will help design a phenomenal experience, I would highly recommend Kalanga. When we go back, our first call will be to Shoes!

Bostjan   –  
Slovenia SI
Visited: October 2023 Reviewed: Nov 29, 2023

Email Bostjan  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Very unique and fantastic experience
5/5

Very good organization, we drove on side roads as well and we saw all big 5, except the rhino (we saw leopard

Gunnar   –  
Sweden SE
Visited: October 2023 Reviewed: Nov 5, 2023

Email Gunnar  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Excellent, personal, professional, attentive - a great experience
5/5

We spent three nights in Kruger Park with Khalanga Safaris. It was absolutely fantastic. We got wind, we got rain, we got sun. We enjoyed the different places, the food and the service. It was easy to book and the owners are very attentive and friendly! Thank you Johanna and Shoes!

We think we had the best guide in the entire park. Donald is outstanding. He always does the little extra. He tells you about the animals, he tells you about the plants and he shares personal stories. He drives the extra mile so that you really get out the maximum of your trip. Donald was a very safe driver and a good chef. Thank you so much Donald and Khalanga Safaris! Highly recommended!

Sam   –  
Australia AU
Visited: October 2023 Reviewed: Oct 26, 2023

Email Sam  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

The best! Such a wonderful team and amazing safari
5/5

Incredible safari, reservations team were amazing, they managed to accomodate all our requests at very short notice, and exceeded our expectations. Great knowledge and choice of lodges that were perfect for our needs, and all at a very good price. Thanks so much for the wonderful experience!

Thomas Roehrig-Gericke   –  
Germany DE
Visited: August 2023 Reviewed: Aug 29, 2023

Email Thomas Roehrig-Gericke  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

Tour operator with professionality and love for nature!
5/5

Shoes is an abolute professional. This was clear from the first minute we met him.
He picked us up in our lodge and after a drive of one hour we arrived at Ophan Gate / Kruger N.P.
Every meter of the safari was excellent. Shoes showed us everything. He saw all the big and the small animals in the parks. He has an outstanding knowledge about birds, mammals and landscape of Kruger.
He operates a small family company and it was very clear that he is his own boss who wants to make his customers happy.

Thanks for that!

Michael   –  
Belgium BE
Visited: July 2023 Reviewed: Aug 10, 2023

Email Michael  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Shoes knows how to do a real safari!
5/5

A safari of 5 unforgettable days. We have seen and done so much. From the Blyde canyon to almost every point of the Kruger Park. The big five is not difficult to find with Khalanga safaris. Shoes always knows how to find the beautiful spots for the sunsets!

At the end of the day shoes cooked for us, we got traditional south african dishes and were delicious. Certainly the breakfast was very extensive.

In summary, if you want to do a safari without worrying about safety, food, Big 5 then Khalanga Safaris is the best option!

Courtney   –  
United States US
Visited: June 2023 Reviewed: Aug 6, 2023

Email Courtney  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Fantastic safari with Khalanga!
5/5

We chose Khalanga to organize a safari for us and our three older teens. What a great choice! Shoes took our requests and coordinated a fabulous 5-day trip for us. We stayed at Olifants (amazing view over the river valley) and Talamati in Kruger National Park and Tshukudu, a private reserve in Greater Kruger. We enjoyed the boat cruise in Blyde River Canyon as well. Our group had so much fun learning from Shoes and joking around. He grew up in the area, knows lots of people and has much knowledge to share with his guests. The food was wonderful and he catered to the vegetarians, meat eaters and dairy-allergic in our party. We enjoyed spending time with his family as well. I highly recommend Khalanga for an affordable custom safari to the Kruger area!

Kim   –  
Australia AU
Visited: July 2023 Reviewed: Aug 3, 2023

Email Kim  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Our second time and could happily do a third
5/5

We did a 5 night trip through Kruger with a group of 6 friends/family and we had Donald as our guide.
From pick up to drop off everything was perfect. Donald was so knowledgeable and friendly and not only did we have some amazing sightings (leopard at the car on day 1!!) but we had a really fun time with lots of laughs. We have done this trip twice now and would highly recommend to anyone wanting an affordable, professional trip to one of the best places on earth.

Reginald   –  
France FR
Visited: March 2023 Reviewed: Jul 14, 2023

Email Reginald  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Everything went smoothly, from the first contact to the start of the tour. Explanation were clear.
5/5

We were 6 friends, 3 couples. Everything went smoothly, from the first contact when we got the explanation of the tour. Shoes listened to our specific request for a wedding anniversary and responded perfectly. Great communication before and during the tour.
Unfortunately Shoes was not available for personal reason but a friend of him, Donald, took extra care of us and we had a wonderful time.
I highly recommend taking a tour with Khalanga and big thank to Donald who made sure to make our experience and trip a thing to be remembered.

Anastasia   –  
Belgium BE
Visited: May 2023 Reviewed: Jun 11, 2023

Email Anastasia  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Amazing private safari!
5/5

We had an amazing private safari with Shoes and our guide Donald. As of the first email, Shoes was very quick to reply and to address our questions and concerns. Shoes was our guide for the Panorama route and has shared with us so much about the country and culture!
Our 6 day safari was truly outstanding! Donald, our guide, has such a vast knowledge of the wildlife and the Kruger NP. He was able to maximise our experience by carefully planning out routes every day and it truly felt like he knew every road and every turn in Kruger. Donald really is a wildlife expert, he understands the behaviour of animals, and you can also feel that he really enjoys what he is doing. It was simply fascinating to us how he was able to spot animals, where we would have completely missed them. He also communicated with other guides, which is always helpful. Thanks to Donald, we were able to enjoy some absolutely unique unforgettable moments, like seeing a cheetah with her babies or a couple of rhinos up close or a leopard walking on the road and so much more.
Besides this, Donald is a great cook and we’ve enjoyed warm tasty local cuisine every day.
Thank you so much, Donald and Shoes for an outstanding experience!!

Average User Rating
5.0/5
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