Efficiency, Professional
Highly recommend Safarilink. I have traveled with them regularly for around 2 years.
SG
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fuss-free Booking and Tour
I was looking for a fuss-free safari tour and this tour definitely fits the bill.
The process post submitting a request on Safari Bookings was handled by Rishen via Whatsapp. Even though the initial tour option I wanted was not available, Rishen was helpful and assisted me in looking for alternatives. A payment link was then sent which I could then pay with a credit card and everything was settled quickly.
On the day itself, the pick up from my hotel in Johannesburg was punctual and I enjoyed the first closed vehicle game drive. My guide, Itu was informative and tried his best to get us as close as possible to the animals.
Once dropped off at Ivory Tree game lodge, everything else was handled by the lodge which included a late afternoon open vehicle game drive, delicious braai dinner and an early morning open vehicle game drive the next day. Finally, there was a pick up from the lodge that drove around the reserve for awhile before heading back to my hotel.
The only minor things to improve would be the communication on the timing of the pick up on the last day (the lodge staff has no idea as this is arranged by MoAfrika). Overall, I really enjoyed myself.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A perfect trip, perfectly planned by NTN
The 11-day “Etosha, Caprivi, Chobe & Vic Falls” private safari that we booked with Nature Travel Namibia was absolutely amazing!
We had never done an organized trip like this before and didn’t really know what to expect. Everything was planned to perfection by Amber. All the lodges where we stayed were great, for accommodations, food, location and staff (we especially loved Mushara Bush Camp). While we would have loved to stay in Africa longer our work schedule did not allow that - but the way the 11 days on this trip were planned was perfect. Just the right amount of time in each location, so we got to enjoy the uniqueness of each place and got to see and experience so much. Everything worked smoothly in every one of the places where we stayed, with no problems on the whole trip.
Email communication with Nature Travel Namibia before the trip was very easy and informative. Amber answered our many questions patiently, helped us to prepare well for this trip that was so different from any vacation we had ever done, and made sure all the optional activities we chose were booked and paid for, down to the dinner reservation at the Lookout Cafe.
Our tour guide Stewart was wonderful – very knowledgeable, intelligent, reliable, enthusiastic, and always up for some fun (like a game of “Whose chosen animal will we see the most of on the drive between Etosha South and East?”, which the zebras won with 1015!). Stewart was as excited as we were for the incredible wildlife sightings we had and was very respectful to the animals and their habitat, which we really appreciated (we saw later on a game drive organized by a lodge how other guides crowd the animals and ruthlessly invade their space). He has an amazing eye for wildlife and was able to spot and identify so many animals for us.
We had so many amazing wildlife encounters, from a leaping Lion (on the first evening nonetheless) to baby Elephants and even African Wild Dogs! We saw all the Big Five and so much more!
The only disappointment was the drive through Bwabwata National Park, where we saw almost no animals, as there had been controlled burns along the major highway we were on.
It was so eye-opening to see the difference between the desert in Etosha and the paradise that the big rivers that we did boat cruises on (Kavango, Kwando and Chobe) provide for the wildlife. I am so glad we chose this particular itinerary, as we got to experience these very different habitats, and I would highly recommend going on the boat cruises, as each of these 3 rivers is so unique.
And capping the trip off at Victoria Falls for something completely different was the perfect ending to the trip of a lifetime.
This trip definitely exceeded our hopes and expectations!
We are looking forward to coming back in a few years to explore more of Namibia with Nature Travel Namibia and Stewart Matsopo!
AM
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very nice and friendly guys, quick replies and support
I did a Pilanesburg Ultimate Safari tour.
Everything went smoothly :) I’m very happy with the trip! It was very interesting and picturesque :)
SG
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
the worst operator ever, irresponsible and never solve the issues, only want to earn Chinese money
After a 30-hour flight, we discovered that our hotel rooms were not booked. I want to make it clear from the start that I don't want private messages asking for post deletion, nor do I need money to delete posts. I'm not lacking money.
We've just finished a 2-week trip to East Africa, where the natural beauty and adorable animals were stunning. However, the local tour agency, Africa Joy Tours, was a disappointment, greatly diminishing our experience.
In February of this year, our group of 8 people booked a customized 10-day trip to Kenya and Tanzania through Africa Joy Tours, starting in mid-July. We finalized the itinerary and paid the deposit in March. Subsequently, the agency's responses became increasingly slow, but due to numerous positive reviews on platforms like Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), we attributed it to the laid-back African style and didn't raise concerns.
The first issue arose when, just before departure, we were informed that three of the hotels we were supposed to stay at had no available rooms (we needed 4 rooms for 8 people). Despite having paid the deposit in March, the hotels were not confirmed before our departure. Moreover, some of the replacement hotels were virtually unknown, and we couldn't find much information about them on various platforms, leading to concerns about our accommodation experience.
The second issue was with the unreliable drivers. Our first interaction with the tour agency was when we were picked up from Nairobi to head to Masai Mara. As per our agreement, the driver was supposed to pick us up at 6 am. However, one driver arrived an hour late, and we had to wait in the cold hotel lobby for him. During the journey, this driver stopped for coffee, making us wait for more than 30 minutes while he indulged himself. He also had a heated phone argument with the tour agency's owner while on the road. The journey that was supposed to take 5 hours ended up taking 8 hours. Both drivers seemed completely lost throughout the trip, not knowing where to go or what to do, relying on us to recognize our own group members. They repeatedly asked us what our next steps were, which was frustrating since we expected them to lead as paid guides. They even had us get off the vehicle to arrange our own lunch instead of taking us to the contracted hotel as planned.
The third and most significant issue: after an 8-hour journey, we arrived at our Masai Mara hotel at around 2 pm, only to find out that our rooms were not available. We were tired, hungry, and frustrated. We contacted the tour agency repeatedly, but they were slow to respond and kept telling us to wait while they were supposedly confirming. Eventually, they informed us that they had booked the rooms for the same dates in August, effectively leaving us without accommodation for that day and the next. We were left in disbelief and shock. We couldn't even have lunch at the hotel because we didn't have a confirmation. After a lengthy ordeal, three of us shared a room that night, and the agency arranged alternative accommodation for the next day. We kept requesting confirmation for the remaining hotels, but the agency was unresponsive and lacked an apologetic attitude. We managed to squeeze through the first night.
The fourth issue: the replacement hotel didn't have our reservation either. The next day, we were told that two rooms were arranged in a nearby hotel, which turned out to be over 30 kilometers away, taking over an hour to reach. After our game drive, we rushed to the new hotel, only to find out that our rooms were once again not booked. Despite our repeated requests for hotel confirmation documents, the agency never provided them. Two consecutive days of such problems left us infuriated, prompting us to threaten with negative reviews online. Suddenly, the agency's representative, Thompson, became more attentive, and communication improved, with promises of actively resolving the issues. After much back and forth, we learned that the hotels were not booked under the agency's name (which they failed to communicate), making it difficult for us to verify our reservations. After prolonged discussions, they finally managed to sort out our check-in. The agency finally apologized and mentioned considering a refund for the first day's accommodation that we couldn't use. I firmly insisted that they must refund rather than just considering it. We agreed to meet in person in Arusha to discuss further.
The fifth issue: pushing for a refund for the unused hotel room and an additional $100 as compensation. In total, the refund amounted to $480 for our group of 8 people, translating to $60 per person (out of a total tour cost of $3400 per person). As agreed, the refund was supposed to be provided in cash on a specific day. However, Thompson, the agency's representative, disappeared and didn't show up. We repeatedly tried to contact him, but he never responded. We then had to contact Clinton, the agency's owner. He claimed they didn't have enough cash for the refund and hadn't prepared it yet. This was unacceptable since they had promised to provide the refund on that particular day. Their attitude towards resolving the issue was disheartening. We had to press Clinton to come and provide a partial refund in the evening, and he promised to complete the rest the next day. He was supposed to arrive at 10 am the next day but ended up arriving close to 12 pm. With this, our ordeal with Africa Joy Tours finally concluded. As an additional note, the agency initially claimed that lunch on the final day was included, but the hotel demanded $25 per person. We had to contact Clinton again to resolve this issue before we could have the lunch that should have been provided for free.
All the above incidents are documented through chat records. This is not an attempt to defame the tour agency. One peculiar aspect of Africa Joy Tours is their eagerness to attract Chinese tourists and promote their services, even repeatedly asking us to help them with promotion. Are we being treated as naive tourists, especially considering the experience we had? Not to mention the instances of sexual harassment by a driver in Tanzania who consistently made inappropriate comments and even shared his home address with female members of our group.
If the agency wishes to profit from Chinese tourists, they must enhance their services and improve their attitude. East Africa is stunning, but the tour agency's poor service greatly detracted from our experience. We spent days on end dealing with communication issues and disappointment, resulting in frustration and discontent.
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent and Efficient Service
Safarilink provided our transfer to and fro Jo’burg and Kruger National Park. The drivers were punctual and friendly. The transport vehicle was comfortable. Their services are well recommended.
CH
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The best tour operator with best tour guides I can recommend to anyone
What we experienced with Full Package Adventures was unforgettable. Faraja, our organizer, really organized everything perfectly. We visited Manyara NP, Tarangire NP and Ngorongoro Crater. Novatus, our guide, was just brilliant. He looked after us exceptionally well, was always on time, reliable, responsible and very competent. We are very grateful to him for that! We felt very comfortable from the beginning. Thanks to his experience, his good eye and his patience we were able to see many different animals. We were lucky enough to see the Big Five and watch a lion-boar hunt. Our accommodations and meals were great. We would recommend Full Package Adventures to anyone.
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The best experience of our lives
We chose the 11-day trip (6 days in Kenya and 5 in Tanzania). From the moment we were picked up at the airport, to the moment we were dropped off at the airport 11 days later, we felt super comfortable and pleasant. At all times, TouristLine has been concerned about our condition and has allowed us to enjoy an incredible experience.
The accommodations were spectacular, the food typical of Africa was delicious and the guides made us feel at home.
Not only were we able to see the Big 5 up close, but also all kinds of animals and landscapes that made us enjoy every minute of the experience.
Without a doubt, we will repeat this trip with this company, we are very grateful to the TouristLine team for the treatment received and for their experience in this type of trips.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Tumi was AMAZING!
Our safari was AMAZING! Our guide, Tumi, was so knowledgeable. We saw elephants, cheetahs, rhinos, hippos, and a crocodile...up close and personal. Seeing these animals in their habitat was a very different feeling. The service provided was excellent. Great communication and customer service was excellent. Would definitely recommend to friends and family.
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Efficient, prepared and punctual
The experience is truly all-encompassing. With the night at the lodge, the two Safaris take on a different and more complete flavour. We were also lucky enough to see 4 of the big 5 at close range without the need for binoculars ... unfortunately the lion is missing, but you know it's not the guide's fault.
(automatic translation from Italian)