Hosted Journeys to extra ordinary places
Cuckoo Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2019)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $150 to $600 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Trymon | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Jam packed African experience
we had a great time in Victoria falls. I was picked up at Victoria falls airport and from then onwards l knew l was in trustworthy hands. The guides were knowledgeable and always available. I loved every minute and had a such fantastic time. It was a great experience in a wonderful little town. I will definitely back in Victoria Falls. Thank you Cuckoo Safari. I highly recommend the company
DE
Email Mary & Wayne Gokey | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Heart of Zimbabwe
Simon and his team were first class professionals. They brought us to the heart of Zimbabwe and into the hearts of the people. Well organized tours with many options for diversions. We dream of Africa.
BR
Email JOAO VALDETARO | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An Unforgettable Adventure
I recently went on the 8-day tour with Cuckoo Safaris, covering Chobe National Park, Elephant Sands, the Okavango Delta, and Victoria Falls. Overall, it was a fantastic experience that I’d recommend to anyone considering a safari in Southern Africa.
Communication and Service:
From the moment I booked, communication with the team was clear and efficient. They provided all the details I needed before the trip and were responsive to any questions I had. During the tour, our guides were professional, approachable, and knowledgeable. They made sure everything ran smoothly and that we were comfortable throughout the journey.
Value for Money:
The tour felt like excellent value for money, considering everything that was included: transportation, accommodations, meals, and the activities. Each part of the itinerary was carefully planned, and it was clear that a lot of thought went into making the experience as enjoyable and hassle-free as possible.
Reliability:
Everything ran on time and as promised. The transfers between destinations were seamless, and there was always someone available to assist if needed. I appreciated the attention to detail and how well-organized the logistics were, which allowed me to fully enjoy the trip without worrying about the schedule.
The Tour Itself:
The variety of locations made this trip stand out. Chobe National Park offered amazing wildlife viewing, especially from the boat safari. Elephant Sands was unique because of the proximity to elephants—they were right there at the waterhole, just meters away. The Okavango Delta provided a peaceful contrast, with mokoro rides through the water channels being a highlight. Ending the trip at Victoria Falls was perfect, as it’s truly a must-see destination. The guide’s insights added depth to each experience, making it more than just sightseeing.
Accommodations and Food:
The lodges were comfortable and clean, and I felt well taken care of at each stop. Meals were fresh and tasty, with enough variety to keep things interesting. While the accommodations were not luxury-level, they were exactly what I expected for this type of tour—practical, safe, and located in great spots.
Final Thoughts:
Cuckoo Safaris delivered a reliable, well-structured tour that exceeded my expectations in terms of organization and overall experience. It’s a great option for anyone looking to explore Southern Africa’s highlights without the stress of planning everything independently. I left with incredible memories and a newfound appreciation for the region’s beauty and wildlife.
Email Sam and Karen | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Epic 10 day trip of Zimbabwe and Botswana with Cuckoo Safaris
We personalised the Cuckoo Safari 10 day tour with the help of Tatenda, adding Hwange NP and removing the Saltpans. We also upgraded our Chobe hotel and Tatenda was very helpful with all our queries. Before the trip we were added to a whats app group with our guide Simon who we had read about in previous reviews and was so happy to hear would be our guide. We stayed at the Pioneer Lodge in Victoria Falls which was a gorgeous lodge style hotel with lovely gardens, at Chobe we upgraded to a riverview apartment with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and an amazing balcony definetely worth the upgrade, elephant sands was our break inbetween kasane and maun accomodation was basic but comfortable and the elephants were the star of the show and at maun we stayed at Cresta Maun which was fine comfortable room and friendly staff. In Victoria Falls, we did the sunset cruise, the falls tour from both sides and a day trip to Hwange. The falls were at their best on the zimbwawe side and Simon took us round and was a brilliant guide, our guide on the Zambia side Delphister was lovely too and it was interesting seeing more of the geology on this side. Hwange was an interesting drive Simon and the other Tatenda did really well negotating the roads, we stopped at Hwange Safari Lodge to pick up our packed lunch and then met our guide Big M who was brilliant and took us out into the park, we saw 3 male lion, elephant, hippos, giraffe, antelope etc. We then went to Chobe where we did 3 game drives with Gift and a river boat cruise with July both from Puku safaris, both great guides, Gift was amazing at tracking the wildlife and we saw lions on every outing with him including cubs amazing. We also did a game drive from elephant sands and then in Maun we did the helicopter flight over the delta amazing but terrifying as we had never been in a helicopter before and then this one had no doors! A very peaceful and scenic mokoro trip with Gidean from the local village and then a long but brilliant day to Moremi game reserve with Lee where we saw wild dogs (and pups) and hyena. We were really lucky when it came to wildlife, but also through great guides tracking skills, our main guide through it all Simon was amazing so knowlegable and friendly he is a credit to cuckoo and I would highly recommend him as your guide, we had a few issues along the route as always happens on trips but they were all sorted and we always knew Simon was there to help either in person or through whats app. Zimbabwe and Botswana are both incredible countries, with wonderful people and the amount of wildlife is just incredible I never thought I'd lose count of the amount of lion we saw, we were also very lucky to see leopard, countless other wildlife, and beautiful scenery and sunsets if you are wondering whether to go we highly recommend as two sisters we never felt unsafe. One of us got a upset stomach towards the end of the trip but this did not spoil the trip just to be aware this may happen. We both managed to eat vegetarian fine at all times on the trip but found it more tricky to eat vegan although Simon did his best to help and this was really appreciated. We hope to travel with Cuckoo and Simon in the future and are excited to hear of their plans in Namibia.
US
Email Sarah | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Awesome trip! Simon was best guide
Cuckoo Safaris was amazing! I gave them very little information- how many people, that we wanted private, the month we wanted to go, and that we liked a mix of safari like activities, cultural and mid level luxury. They created the perfect multi city itinerary for us. They kept in constant contact with us throughout the process and I never waited more than a day for a response from them. In country they were responsive to whatsapp and made sure we felt comfortable. We did Zimbabwe with safari, sunset cruise on Zambezi River, and Victoria falls. Then we headed over to Botswana for a multi-day safari where we saw all but one of the Big 5! Simon, our main guide was AMAZING. He was so funny, humble, accommodating and hospitable. He really made our trip special. Our lodging accommodations were perfect. a mix of traditional, safari camp style and more modern/luxury. One that had us so close to the elephants! all of the food we had was amazing. At one point we had 3 buffets in one day! I'm a vegetarian and they made sure to accommodate that and I never worried! 10/10 recommend.
Email Desley Randle | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well organised and friendly
This trip was amazing from the moment we were collected from the airport until we were dropped off. Our driver Lewis and guide Simon were very friendly and genuinely seemed interested in us personally as well as asking us our priorities of what we wished to see the most. My dietary needs were catered for every day . (except for lactose free milk which seemed to be unheard of in any part of the country). The accommodation was clean with very friendly staff.
Each day we were collected promptly and the tours were absolutely wonderful. The days are long and very good value for money. We saw so much wildlife close up both from the vehicles and from the boat trip. This was the trip of my childhood dreams and it came true.
US
Email Becca | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very knowledgeable and friendly!
The tour was very informative. The family at the homestead was welcoming and we had adequate time to ask questions. It is a great opportunity to learn more about the culture outside of the touristy areas.
Email Luwis k.Dombo | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Simon was the guide,that guy is so amazing thanx Simo &the driver Lewis.great job guys
Guys I rate u most high so far.prices are very fair and they are more worth the service .I do recomend to turn the holiday to adventure with this team.me and my family n friends we never disappointed.All think goes as they say .
I loved Cuckoo
AR
Email Pablo | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Perfect
Excelent experience, always aware of the client, good prices, super recommended
US
Email Mike from Kentucky | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding Tour of Chobe, Victoria Falls, Hwange and Matobo. Highly Recommend!
From the moment we arrived in Victoria Falls to our final day of the Safari, our guide for Cuckoo Safari, Simon was always on time, extremely communicative and set my wife and I up for our best vacation ever.
Our opening Dinner Cruise on the Zambezi River, was a great enticement of what was to come. The food was presented elegantly, and the quality phenomenal!
The accommodations provided exceeded expectations, and the service and staff at the lodges that Cuckoo Safari selected for our trip was also above expectations. From the rooms to the meals provided, we never had to worry about a thing and were never disappointed.
Transportation provided between each of the parks was well communicated and was always on time. The stories and information about African Culture, about the parks and animals and about food that Simon told, were thought provoking and entertaining and will be moments that will stay with us forever.
The guides that toured us at the National Parks that Cuckoo Safari connected with, also went above and beyond to give the best experience to what you wanted to see. Knowing that no animal interaction is guaranteed and is by chance only, our guides at all the parks were knowledgeable, connected with other guides in the parks and professional at all times. Chatting with other travelers on safaris, not with Cuckoo Safari, I summarized that we had better interactions in the parks with animals because our guides took us further and deeper in areas that got us more interactions. This made our trips to Chobe, Hwange and Matobo legendary! We saw the "Big 5" Lion, Buffalo, Elephant, Leopard and Rhino. But we also saw, Jackal, Cheetah, African Wild Painted Dog, Black Mamba, Banded Mongoose, Kudu, Antelopes, Wildebeest, Giraffes, Hippopotamus, Baboons, Monkeys, Zebra, Waterbuck, Bushbuck, Warthog, Water Monitor, Nile Crocodile, so many birds and many more that I cannot recount. Many of these were not just a one time but multiple time interaction. The closeness we got to the animals was also, very unexpected. We were a long shadows length away for Lions, Elephants, Rhino, Crocs, Cheetah and many more. It was incredible!
When looking to book a safari group in Africa, I highly recommend you put Cuckoo Safari at the top of your list.
