Matumi Destinations
- Located In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2023)
- Member Of:
- SATSA & MARULENG TOURISM ASSOCIATION
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $168 to $578 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
NL
Email Rik | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Exceptional tracker, zero hospitality, think twice before booking
We completed two game drives (morning and afternoon, approximately 3.5 hours each) with guide Leone at Pridelands Private Reserve, Kruger Park.
Leone demonstrated strong technical knowledge of South African wildlife and tracking. From a purely observational standpoint, she performed competently. Unfortunately, the guest experience fell significantly short of expectations. Throughout both drives, Leone made no effort to engage with us as guests, asked no questions, offered no conversation beyond the strictly necessary, and made no attempts to create any sense of hospitality or shared experience. After several failed attempts on our part to initiate dialogue, we also noticed a growing irritability in her responses to questions.
We chose to address this directly with her, which we acknowledge is unusual, but the behaviour was that notable. Her response was that we perhaps did not understand her personality. We would respectfully suggest that if social interaction is a genuine challenge, the role of safari guide requires serious reconsideration, as making guests feel welcome is at least as important as wildlife expertise. We also encourage Matumi Destinations to reflect on whether this profile is appropriate for a guest-facing position.
If your sole priority is animal sightings, Leone may suffice. If you are looking for a memorable, warm, and enriching bush experience, we would recommend requesting a different guide. We hope this review helps future guests make an informed choice.