African Ubuntu Safaris
- Located In:
-
Australia
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2012)
- Member Of:
- ATTA, AFTA & ATAS
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $250 to $3,000 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Helen & Bill | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing, very responsive
We had a very short time frame to visit Africa, due to some work commitments. Cuan gave excellent advice that allowed us to see as much as we could in that short time. It was an amazing, dizzying fast and eclectic race through: Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa. During the 12 days we had safaris by: boat, helicopter and car. All were impressive. The guides were fantastic- how do they see things??? The food and accommodation was wonderful. We did the camp out on the salt plains. I didnt enjoy the quad bikes- but they are not for everyone! Seeing the stars out there was well worth the trip. We were so spoilt in our river lodge and had a ball at the Okavango- our favourite place. We will be returning and we will be asking for Cuan’s assistance. We finished with a half day tour of Soweto- which i didnt expect to enjoy. I was surprised and of course there is a lot of confronting material there. However, the thing that made every place we went was the people. They were so lovely. So helpful- even places where i would expect a bit of angst- immigration- all smiley, helpful again. What a wonderful trip!
Email Tanya | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Ubuntu delivered a brilliant itinerary with flawless on-the-ground support.
Our experience with Ubuntu was outstanding. Paul and Cuan communicated brilliantly and designed a superb itinerary. Flawless on-the-ground service meant we could simply relax and enjoy every moment. They listened, understood, and delivered exactly what we wanted – the perfect blend of adventure, comfort, and peace of mind. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone visiting Africa who wants genuine local knowledge and flawless delivery. Ubuntu gave us the trip of a lifetime!
Email Chris and Jane | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
What a trip, beyond any expectations
Cuan was recommended by a colleague of mine. From the first point of contact, he was very responsive and attentive to our needs and budget. He absolutely nailed it by creating a purpose built itinerary for our family of 4 with 10 days in Namibia with a private guide/car and 4 days in a private game reserve in South Africa. The camps/lodges chosen by Cuan were in amazing locations with limited number of guests, meaning we avoided the crowds of tourists despite being in peak season!
In Namibia, every day had so many highlights from the Namib desert to Swakopmund, Damaraland, Etosha and Okonjima. Highly recommend it to anyone looking for an awesome adventure between desert, safari and cultural experience. Way beyond our expectations. Our guide/driver Gottfried “Chicco” Ekandjo was absolutely awesome and a perfect match for our family. After spending 10 days with Chicco, it was very sad to say goodbye at the airport.
We finished the trip by spending 3 nights at the Bateleur Safari Camp in the Timbivati. Again, an amazing camp. We went for 6 game drives and could not have finished the trip in a better way. So many lasting memories.
Thank you Cuan for collating the perfect trip for us - it was a 10/10 from everyone and nothing to fault. We would 100% recommend Cuan/African Ubuntu Safaris to anyone wanting to travel to Africa. We will definitely reach out again when we decide on our next African adventure!
Email Jenny | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Trip of a lifetime
We could not have been more delighted . From start to finish the trip was amazing. Cuan really took the time to find out exactly what we were looking for in a holiday and what experiences we wanted. The organisation and communication, planning and execution was second to none. Could not recommend more highly.
Email Ian & Kerry | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Customised itinerary that matched our requirements perfectly
We had used Cuan McLaren from Ubuntu previously so went to him again for our next trip to Eastern Cape in South Africa. We were taking our 11 year old grandson so we’re looking for activities that he would like and accommodation that suited our budget and requirements. We were also looking for recommendations suitable for an active 11 year old. Cuan absolutely nailed it! Special highlight was 5 days at the Kariega Game Reserve which was wonderful. Could not recommend Cuan and Ubuntu strongly enough
HK
Email Kristee | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Highly knowledgeable and personally familiar with each and every camp and/or safari offered
My daughter and I had the most extraordinary and beautiful experience in Namibia curated perfectly by this small and immediately responsive locally familiar Southern Africa company.
The camps were superb, every connection seamless and the one camp unavailable due recent rainfall was swiftly replaced by a stunning alternative. Highly, highly recommended.
US
Email Rajal & Ishan | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Paul was amazing , very helpful , always responsive,Listened to our needs and delivered .
Paul helped us create a wonderful 8 night itenerary to kalahari and the delta . He made some very useful suggestions in going certain times of the year since we were trying to plan on a budget . We wanted a focus on different eco-systems and wildlife specifically wild dogs and predators . The camps he picked for us delivered big time . We had some amazing encounters with all the
predators , saw over a hundred birds and herbivores also caught the zebra and wild beast migration in the salt pans and created memories of a lifetime with our kids 10 and 14 and also their grand parents . The trip could not been better and we hope to plan another trip with Ubuntu safaris .
Excellent Service
Cuan designed our trip around our wishlist, budget & his recommendations.
Communication was super along with his service, value for money and reliability.
No question went unanswered.
The trip far exceeded our expectations and with some unforeseen hiccups, beyond anyone’s control, he had them sorted in no time!
We have no qualms in highly recommending African Abuntu Safaris.
Email Abbie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime in Africa!
Wow! Wow! Wow! I could not recommend Cuan and his team enough. My friend and I both knew Cuan was the person for us (two ladies in their 30's from Aus) from the first phone call. Cuan's expertise is exceptional and he created the most magnificent itinerary that was EXACTLY what we were looking for. He was extremely prompt with all communication and happy to answer any and all questions we had. I had been wanting to go to Africa for about 10 years but had put it off because of the perception of it not being very safe. Having someone like Cuan to assist in putting everything in place such as transfers, staying at comfortable and welcoming places etc. made all the difference. My trip completely challenges the perception of Africa not being safe and I cannot wait to go back. The other thing that was on my mind was the cost. I was happy to pay for safe and comfortable accomodation but I didn't have all the money in the world to splash out on everything. This was absolutely no problem for Cuan, we found a price range that would help me have the experience I wanted to have and was achievable from a cost perspective. The itinerary was a perfect balance of animal and nature sightseeing, delicious food and provided lots of opportunities to get to know the locals and hear their stories. Will be forever grateful to Cuan and his team for creating the trip of a lifetime!
Email Tracy & Amanda | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
The name you need to know for travel in Africa
While we usually organise our travel ourselves, travel in Africa was a complete unknown so we opted to go with a travel agent. Selecting African Ubuntu Safaris was the first best step in the trip of a lifetime. Our agent Cuan McLaren, listened to our trip ideas and budget and came up with a range of appealing options based on his extensive experience as a travel agent and guide in Africa. When we had to change part of our travel plans he came up with the perfect Plan B.
From Cuan’s suggestions we chose the Jenman’s 23 Day Intimate Botswana Zimbabwe Encounter Small Group Safari. Jenman’s is a well-respected company which develops amazing itineraries at reasonable prices (given that travel in Africa is very expensive).We were in good hands with our knowledgeable and efficient guide, Thulani, who dealt with any minor hiccups that arose, and our driver, Tham, who kept us safe on some very dodgy roads. Local guides were used wherever possible to ensure we got the best local information on our trip. Two small plane flights were included to reduce the amount of time spent on the dusty bumpy roads, which we really came to appreciate! The itinerary, which included houseboat time on Lake Kariba, was varied and interesting. Days were often long but this is an unavoidable feature of African travel and there was downtime wherever possible. There were so many highlights but the beautifiul Matobo Hills deserve special mention as does the sunset views at the Shashani Matobo Hills Lodge. Accommodation was varied, interesting and comfortable. The traditional thatched huts of Planet Baobab was a highlight. Last but not least, the dizzying variety of animal and birdlife made every day an unforgettable adventure.
Post tour we spent time in Cape Town in the perfectly located Commodore Hotel, minutes away from the Victoria and Alfred wharf. After a tour of the Cape Peninsula, including Seal Island and the penguins of Boulders Beach, we relaxed in the wineries of Franschhoek, a perfect end to a busy few weeks. Our fabulous B&B, Maison Chablis, was another great choice.
Cuan organised every detail of our trip with great care and often went above and beyond. Thank you for interrupting your own family holiday in Africa because you wanted to cover some issues to your satisfaction! Thank you for the tip spreadsheet to help us work out what tips might be needed and when!
We cannot recommend Cuan and African Ubuntu Safaris highly enough to anyone thinking of going to Africa. We certainly will be contacting Cuan for any future travel there.
