Kate & Darren Humphrys with Henry, Olive and Hume
Compass Odyssey
- Located In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2006)
- Member Of:
- Southern Africa Tourism Services Association
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $750 to $2,500 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
PH
Email Benjamin Campomanes | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
They took care us really well the minuit we landed in Namibia until our departure
We were treated like visiting family. They took care of everthing so you don’t have to think of the whole trip. Amazing hospitality.
Email Bill and Christine Goergen | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Helpful, knowlegable, and a nice guy!
We had a great experience with Compass Odyssey on our Father-Daughter trip in June 2026. The most important thing to convey about the trip is that everthing Compass Odyssey committed to us happened exactly as they said it would. Every pick-up, every transfer, every accomodation, every flight, and every experience was flawless. Not a single bit of unwanted drama in the whole trip.
We were especially appreciative of the pre-planning help Compass Odyssey provided as we had some non-standard requirements that made our itenerary a bit complicated. However, they listened to our requests and responded with options that made the whole process easier than we had a right to expect.
Highly recommend Compass Odyssey for any African Adventure.
SG
Email Nicole and family | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Go with Compass Odyssey, they treat you as if you're their only client
Our safari with Compass Odyssey in Sabi Sand and Namibia has exceeded our expectations beyond our wildest dreams. A few weeks prior to departure I had an injury that affected my mobility, and immediately Darren made arrangements on all our flights so I would be assisted appropriately and ensured my rooms would be situated most conveniently for my injury. The trip was extremely well organised, and we felt assured we were in good hands every step of the way. When I texted Darren to say I needed to be connected at all times with phone signal (a mission in Namibia!) due to an emergency at home, he immediately checked and reassured me that thankfully the lodges upgraded their wifi.
Darren was also infinitely patient in putting together our itinerary (which changed many times!), and providing the best advice so our trip would flow well and we could make the most of our time there. We communicated our priorities in Namibia to photograph Deadvlei at sunrise which led to him proposing we stay within the park instead of outside. Our guide Elvis was an incredible driver and a more incredible person to spend our time with - he could spot animals from literally a mile (he pointed out mountain zebras that we could really only see through his binoculars). He sorted out every detail, and shared so much about Namibia and their culture, during the long drives. Once he dropped us off at the water hole while he took care of procedures, and we saw a black rhino there! In 40 hours (highly recommend anyone else to stay longer) in Etosha we saw lion, cheetah, rhino, elephant and MUCH more, all thanks to Elvis. I also threw Darren a curveball after we 'finalized' the itinerary leaving him to book a horse ride for me out of nowhere - he found the best stable that treated their horses right, and gave us a beautiful Moonscape ride.
In Sabi Sand, Darren had arranged a private game drive vehicle which felt incredibly luxurious (and also the extra space helped my condition). All transfers were also organised smoothly, our safari began immediately with Surprise, our driver, pointing out animals between the drive from the airport to the lodge!
Compass Odyssey were very quick to respond to any and all queries we had (we had alot!!) - we felt like we were their only client. Being traditionally "DIY" travellers that booked our own trips, booking via an agent went against every instinct but I can safely say its paid off beyond what we imagined. We felt like we got great value out of this trip and most importantly felt very well supported. We definitely plan to use Compass Odyssey when we return to Africa.
Email Louise and Owen | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Another fantastic experience with Compass Odyssey
This was our third trip to Africa organised through Compass Odyssey and we had another exceptional experience. We were travelling to Kruger with a large group and Darren and Kate made everything seamless for us. Their communication is fantastic and they take the stress out of organising a big overseas trip. We could not recommend them enough.
NZ
Email Justin Robbers and Maianne Hoen | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Extremely knowledgeable of the area, very helpful with our requests, very adaptable to timetable.
5 star service, planning and execution. Excellent.
Email Julie | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Darren, Kate and their team were an absolute dream to work with.
My husband and I are fiercely independent travellers but felt we needed on the ground experience and expertise for an African adventure. Through research I found Compass Odyssey, and am forever grateful. From the very first email contact, Darren was both patient and understanding of what we thought we wanted to see and experience. Budgets were reworked, itineraries revised and all with the constant knowledge that we were being truly heard and that an amazing trip would be the result. And amazing hardly seems adequate in describing our 4wks in Sth Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana, with Johannesburg and Cape Town thrown in. In 4 weeks of travel, there was not one single glitch, due solely to the impeccable behind the scenes planning by Darren, Kate and Compass Odyssey. Other reviews have outlined the professionalism of the guides, the high level of accommodations, the excellent food, the outstanding game drives and animal sightings, and our experiences certainly mirror those views. But for us, it being the first time in southern Africa, to know that Darren was available at any time should we need him, made for a most memorable and stress free adventure. His recommendations for safari parks were exceptional and our Guides (Elvis/Mortimer/Innocent) were quite simply, wonderful. Their knowledge of the wildlife, flora and fauna was outstanding. We feel truly blessed that we found Darren, Kate and Compass Odyssey and would absolutely recommend them to anyone thinking of travelling to Africa. As we say in Australia..'Do your self a favour' and contact Darren - you'll be so glad you did. Happy African travels.
Best trip ever
Compass Odyssey were fantastic to deal with from start to finish. I came across the website when doing research for a trip to Africa that was both safari and other adventures and felt that the Southern Africa itinerary was the type of thing we were after. We are normally independent travellers but knew we needed some expert input for the best experience in a relatively short time. We really appreciated the wealth of information provided to assist us in finalising the itinerary for our family of 4 (parents plus two teens). All the suggestions from Darren & Kate were spot on.
From the moment we arrived in Joburg til the day we left we felt supported but with the flexibility to adapt where needed. All our guides were knowledgeable, friendly and helpful, as well as putting up with endless questions on all topics. We did a lot in the two weeks but the pace was maintainable with balanced time between drives, river tours and other adventures such as the Devils Pool and rafting at Vic Falls. The accommodation was all amazing and exactly the type of thing we would’ve chosen ourselves. And the service provided at each location was also above and beyond. None of us could fault the trip and while it wasn’t of course cheap, the costs were always clearly spelt out and we know exactly what was and wasn’t included. Compass Odyssey were happy to work within our budget at all times. The safaris themselves were beyond description and despite it being summer with lots of growth we saw the big 5 plus many, many other creatures large and small. We will definitely return to Africa and 100% would use Compass Odyssey to assist us. If you are thinking about a trip- do it!!
Email Eric Issa and family | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Kenya-Tanzania Safari December 2025
From the first time we got in touch with Darren regarding planning our trip to Kenya and Tanzania, he was very responsive and was able to design a itinerary that fit our interests and budget. He scheduled time to meet with us via video conference to address questions and any concerns we had. He gave us options and provided the pros and cons for each proposed itinerary and lodging so we could make an informed decision. This was our second safari experience where we sought Compass Odyssey's help and we have once again been very pleased with the services provided. We highly recommend Compass Odyssey to anyone interested in exploring Africa.
Email Henry Morse | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Compass Odyssey is just simply fantastic!
This was my third trip to Africa, the second using Compass Odyssey to put the trip together. I was so pleased with the last trip, three years ago, that I didn't hesitate to use them again for this trip. Last time I went with my immediate family. This time was with my older sister. I had such a good time in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and South Africa last time, that my sister and I covered much of the same ground again this time. Mortimer met us again in Victoria Falls, and he and his wife and son were wonderful hosts during out time in Zimbabwe and Zambia, as well as our transport to Chobe in Botswana. I highly recommend the Elephant Cafe in Zambia if you like the idea of close interaction with elephants, combined with excellent food and wine! The Chobe River Lodge, and the safari drives, on land and in boats, are among the best I've done in all the places I have gone in Africa. The leopard siting was fabulous. And Garth, our tour guide in Capetown is as good as one gets. His understanding of South Africa history, and his ability to explain the historical context of the places we are visiting makes a significant difference in the enjoyment of the places we visited. I highly recommend Compass Odyssey, with Darren and Kate, to help you put your special visit to Africa together!
Email Charlie and Kath | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Extremely attentive to detail
Compass Odyssey were recommended to us by a friend and they proved an excellent choice. Although they are a small company they were super responsive and very flexible when it came to recommending and booking our Safari vacation across Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana. Their support and advice during the trip was exemplary - everything went extremely smoothly and we had the holiday of a lifetime. We also had a very useful de-brief when we got home. Darren and Kate are lovely people and we couldn't recommend them more highly.