Thank you for planning the most amazing trip that we have ever had. Antarctica used to have the top position, but this trip of a lifetime to Africa has surpassed it. Too bad the weather in Cape Town was what it was, but we managed to find other interesting activities to do. You were the right person for us, we knew that immediately. Kindest regards to you and your beautiful family.
As we settle back into the grind of our normal daily lives, we can’t help but wish we were still in beautiful South Africa! We were stunned by the country’s beauty. It’s unlike any place we’ve visited before. Each of the four destinations (Cape Town, Franschhoek, the Cederberg Mountains, and a private game reserve in the Karoo) we stayed at are breath-taking. The accommodations, too, were outstanding in their level of service, and we are pleasantly surprised now, more than even before our trip, at how reasonably priced everything was. Even the restaurants in Cape Town and Franschhoek were reasonable, with high quality food and service to boot. The service everywhere, in fact, was five-star. We were met with a level of hospitality that is so hard to find compared with where we live. We felt very welcomed and taken care of throughout the entire vacation. The high quality service everywhere was such a pleasant perk, and really increases our desire to return sooner rather than later!
We are so grateful to you for designing a trip that met each of our wish-list criteria for this special vacation, which we used as an early 5-year wedding anniversary gift to each other. Planning the trip with you was so easy and fun. You took everything we mentioned into consideration and we ended up with the perfect vacation – it didn’t feel rushed at all, we were able to see/visit all of the places we really wanted to experience, and you even recommended excursions and visiting certain locations that we hadn’t thought of before, which all, of course, ended up being fabulous. You are a true expert.
I also really appreciated your prompt replies to all of my many emails and questions over the past several months (in fact, you answered many of my initial questions/concerns prior to us even paying a deposit, which I know must be a risk for you with the time involved!). I am grateful and impressed that you went above and beyond on several occasions. I had mentioned wanting to have dinner at a specific restaurant during our stay in Franschhoek, and without me even asking, you had your colleague, Debbie, make the reservation for us! When an issue arose the day before we were to depart the States with the Robben Island tour that I had booked on my own, you were willing to contact them directly to re-organize everything for us.
Its service like this that is unfortunately so rare to find, and really deserves to be highlighted to your future potential clients. Thank you for all your hard work! Chris and I will happily recommend your services to anyone we know who is considering a trip to Africa, and we really hope to return again in the not so distant future. I am so glad that I found a recommendation for you through Trip Advisor last year.
Thank you again for everything!
The trip was AMAZING. We had the perfect amount of time in each place and it really could not have been better. Below are thoughts on each place:
Shumbalala – INCREDIBLE. Service, food, accommodations, view, game drives, everything was superb. 3 days would have been okay but 4 was perfect. The villa with the view near the watering hole is the best villa. We absolutely loved it here and the food was a huge part of the safari stay because there isn’t as much to do during the day so this was perfect.
Franschhoek – I LOVED IT HERE. Ryan was our tour guide – we ended up having a private tour which was really good. He was great and perfect for a younger couple; he was laid back and easy going which we liked. I love the Franschhoek Country House Villa. It was my favourite actual hotel room. Le petit Ferme was beautiful, we really enjoyed this.
Cape Town – Cape Royale was very nice. Table Mountain was beautiful, we were glad to have a whole day to designate so we could hike around up top. The waterfront was fun, the drive was great and Tintswalo was AMAZING. I would recommend stopping at the little towns at the beginning of the drive like Simons Beach and those because they are better than the ones at the end. Tintswalo was one of our favourite parts. I HIGHLY recommend it. It was beautiful. La Colombe was incredible!
Gansbaai – Grootbos was beautiful. The food was the best out of any location. It was ridiculous how good it was – and SO much. The views were the best part; rooms were nice. The shark diving was an experience, glad we did it but it was rough.
We cannot thank you enough and if I hear of anyone going to Africa I will be sending them your information. Thank you for being patient with me and for helping and taking care of us so well.
I just wanted to thank you so profusely for recommending the Pafuri Walking Trail to us, it was truly the holiday of a lifetime. The guides were friendly, kind and hospitable, they also had a great sense of humour and we had many light-hearted moments with them. Rhodes’ deep love of the bushveld and his respect for the wildlife were immediately apparent, he gently guided us on the walks and yet he was ever alert, we always felt safe and relaxed, even when a lone bull elephant walked right past the vehicle in an unplanned (but very exciting!) moment. Dan’s knowledge and professionalism were also impressive, and the kitchen staff were also so kind and welcoming. I can only eat gluten free food, and Eva totally rose to the occasion, every single food item that she served had a gluten free equivalent that she had baked herself, this was far beyond my expectations! She also looked after my mom (who didn’t join in on every walk) when she stayed in the camp and even threatened to adopt her as her own 🙂
The walks through the different areas were breathtakingly beautiful, we felt so incredibly privileged. What a wonderful experience it was to get back to camp in the mornings and shower with the wildlife nearby (at times watching us), unforgettable. At night we fell asleep to the sound of the nearby leopards, in the mornings we awoke to the sound of the baboons playing in the trees. It was super special, and my only regret is that we could not stay longer (as in 6 months) but I guess at some point we had to get back to reality. Thanks again to Inspired2Explore for arranging this, now we don’t have to envy you quite as much when you talk about the Pafuri Walking Trail 😉
First of all we had a wonderful time in South Africa. Everything was very well organised by you. Now we are a little bit sad that we are back in Germany and everything is grey and cold. Our holiday started very exciting. During our first game drive it was hailing and we had a drive like in a Water-Adventure Park. That was fun. We saw a lot of animals and everybody was so friendly. The only thing which scared us was that there was a puff adder next to the pool in Black Rhino and a Black Mamba in the Roof of the restaurant of Madikwe. That’s nature 😉
Both accommodations were very nice. In Madikwe for 2 days we were the only guests. They did everything to give us a great stay. We were really impressed of all the game drives. It was never boring and we saw so many different animals. We would everybody recommend to do this. And we would like to do this once again.
Our flight to East London went well and Crawford´s Beach Lodge was very nice. Unfortunately it was very windy but nevertheless the room was great and we slept so well while listening to the crashing of the waves. After this we drove to Tamodi Lodge which was our absolute favourite accommodation. Everything was so beautiful and Owen was so friendly. We really felt like home and we are still dreaming of the breakfast view we had there every morning. Absolutely recommendable. The area around Plettenberg was as well very interesting and sometimes it was difficult to decide whether to stay on the patio of Tamodi and enjoying the sun or to explore the surrounding of Plettenberg;) We found a good mixture and became as well big fans of “Enrico” the local Italian Restaurant. Hopefully we will once have the chance to go back to Tamodi.
In Hermanus it was again very windy but we had a warm welcome in Abalone Guesthouse. We even saw some whales from the balcony although we were out of season. This was a great experience. We also did a boat tour to see the whales but we saw nearly more whales from the beach than on the boat.
After this we made our way to Franschhoek. The position of our flat directly next to the little lake was nice. The owner did a wine cellar tour with us. This was really interesting and he was very kind.
Then we drove to Cape Town and had again a very warm welcome. Phil and his wife and the new staff member Lexi were so friendly and the house is amazing. We would love the live in a house like this in Germany;) The breakfast was a dream. After Tamodi this was our second favourite “home”. Phil and Lexi were so cooperative and arranged all Dinner reservations for us and were always open for any question or just a short chat. After writing so much I try to make a short conclusion;)
In total it was fantastic and all the people were so friendly especially in restaurants. We were really impressed. Maybe next time we explore Namibia. Thanks again!
Thank you so much for helping make our trip so wonderful. We had an amazing time (and yes, I had the best birthday EVER!). In terms of feedback, I wanted to share my thoughts with you on each of the things you helped us plan. Safari — this was amazing. Everything was wonderful, and having the larger suite was definitely a bonus (we loved the plunge pool!). So thank you so much for that.
Winelands —
- Karen was wonderful. We really enjoyed spending the day with her, and she took us to some great places. I would recommend her to any of my friends traveling to South Africa in the future!
- Thank you so much for arranging for us to get a driver for our self-touring day in Stellenbosch and a ride to the airport. Not having to drive made us feel much more relaxed and comfortable.
Cape Town —
- We enjoyed the Cape Peninsula tour, especially the penguins at Boulders Beach 🙂
- As far as other things in Cape Town that we booked ourselves, there were a couple which I would recommend: We did a township tour with a company called Uthando — it was amazing. Also, I really liked Derwent House. It’s a great little guest house with very modern amenities and excellent service.
Thanks again so much for everything — if I ever have the pleasure of returning to Africa, you will be my first call!
The trip was fantastic – mom really kept me on the go! Walden House was lovely as usual and Cathbert Country Inn was a real find. We were the only guests the entire time and they treated us like royalty! Thank you for booking us in there – I would recommend it to anybody. The setting was magnificent and we enjoyed the Winelands tremendously. I will be taking Gerard back at the first opportunity. Fairy Glen, which you recommended, was pretty great in its way. I think for a first wildlife experience, it’s good – especially since it’s so close to Cape Town. Mom loved it, which was the most important thing – I think she felt like a real adventurer in the crazy tractor they drove us around in. Again, we were the only ones there for breakfast and lunch (there was another family on the drive) but they pulled out all the stops for us and couldn’t have been nicer. Our ranger was hilarious. So yes, I would also recommend it for first-time visitors unable to get out to a ‘proper’ game reserve a little farther afield.
The weather was very kind to us and the time of year perfect for avoiding the crowds. It was also very interesting being there for the elections, which we followed with great interest.
So thank you again for organizing everything so well. Thanks, too, for phoning – I am sorry we didn’t get a chance to stop by. Next time, definitely – I travel at a much slower pace when I am with my husband, funnily enough. Take care and enjoy your own travels over the next few months.
Janine, we loved every minute of it. It was exciting and fascinating – the people we met were wonderful; the landscape was breathtaking; and the food was delicious. The places you chose for us to stay were perfection (we felt like we were in ‘Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous’ a lot of the time!). I can see why South Africans are so proud of their country – it is an indescribable place. None of us wanted to come home at the end of our two weeks.
We all had different ‘favorites’. I loved Cape Town and the coast; my husband enjoyed photography at Shamwari; my son’s highlight was being taken on a ‘walk’ by our ranger, Janni, to find three white rhinos in the bush. We are still buzzing about all the excitement!
The trip went absolutely smoothly. No problems of any kind except, of course, it ended too soon. Thank you so much for all your help and advice: I don’t think we could have had a better two weeks.
Thank you again, Janine. You have been a fantastic guide and resource throughout this experience and we credit you with much of our trip’s success.
Our trip was AMAZING!!! Adam and I have always dreamed of a South African safari and Inspired2Explore made this dream a reality. Every detail was covered and every question was answered. You were always upfront as far as pricing and always made sure we were comfortable with the trip you were planning for us. We never imagined what other great things South Africa had to offer, but our days spent in Cape Town and Franschhoek provided just as great experiences as the four days on safari. The bed and breakfast cottages you booked for us were absolutely perfect with unbelievable hospitality. Obviously you make your trip your own, but when you have such great accommodations and everything booked ahead of time, it makes it that much better. The safari was as amazing as expected and the accommodations while in the bush were spectacular. We will never forget our experience in South Africa and have Inspired2Explore to thank for it. Janine – we could never thank you enough for the trip you put together for us. It was an unbelievable experience and we could not have been happier with every accommodation you provided.
All flights and transportation was just as expected. What a relief to always have someone ready and waiting for us at the airports. Everything went off without a hitch. Franschhoek was just perfect. best way to start the trip, relaxing in the winelands. The Plumwood was exceptionally good. It was our favourite hotel of everywhere we stayed. Heated floors, breath-taking views (they upgraded us to a suite for our honeymoon), close to restaurants, and delicious breakfast with attentive service from front desk and owners.
Xakanaxa camp – we loved it!! the grounds are beautiful and the service was so great. Everyone was really nice and eager to please, the game viewing was good. The tents were really nice, a little scary being in the wild for the first time with all the hippos snorting!! They set up a very nice romantic dinner for us the first night. The food was absolutely delicious and prepared beautifully!!!
Lebala camp – I loved our actual tent. sturdy structure and the bathrooms were so nice! Our guide and tracker here were awesome, very friendly and informative and fun!! we were here with a group of awesome people.
Rovos rail – soooo nice!! I believe our favourite part of the trip (besides safari of course). Luxury and elegant all the way. We were upgraded to a deluxe suite, they arranged to have some cigars for Daniel on board, we got flowers and champagne and they even had a birthday cake for me!! It was so relaxing, we felt like we were living in another era. I can’t say enough great things about the Rovos!!!
Cape Cadogan – what a cute boutique hotel. The staff here was exceptional. they were so nice and helpful, always willing to book things for us online, call restaurants for reservations, arrange transportation. They had sparkling wine for me, arranged a romantic night for us in the room with roses. Our room was huge and so was the bathroom, the breakfast spread here was amazing!!
Our tour with Donovan was great, cape of good hope was impressive…. wow. The township tour was so interesting and honestly one of my favourite parts of the trip. It was humbling and eye opening to see how these people live.
Thanks again for everything. you were great every step of the way!!!!! I will recommend you time and time again!!
We are back, safe and relaxed, after ten very enjoyable days in Okavango – thanks to you.
GUNN’s CAMP: after a bumpy flight in a tired place… camp in a superb setting of great trees and stunning flowing rivers. Good welcome, official manager went on training second day and replacing ones were just good. Good service, comfortable tents, excellent guide, full of enthusiasm and dedicated (Kenny), particularly good in birding. Nice boat trips, mokoro, bush walks and picnic… excellent in whole. Season did not allow any big predator – only elies and crocs (one big, few small) and hippos (plenty), with loads of antelopes. Simple cuisine but very tasty. Good staff.
MACHABA: short flight, good plane. Great welcome, superb setting tucked in forest, brand new camp (we were only second clients), superb tents and furniture, all lounge, restaurant etc…. also under tents. Fantastic young manager, SIMON, passionate and highly educated – reasonable food. Good guide (Alan). Unfortunately heavy rains and violent thunderstorm first night did chase all game (but we saw leopard footprint) – very good birding – elies, and hippos too. Fabulous areas of marsh and lilies. Great drives when rain allowed. Excellent restful stay. Lions roaring the morning of our departure.
VOILA! In whole, we are happy! Merci
We had a lovely time. Absolutely loved Ruckomechi Camp despite the heat!!! The people at the camp were so friendly and the guides were so knowledgeable. Loved the early morning game drives when it was cooler and saw lots of game. On our last day the camp organised sundowners and little savouries on the banks of the Zambezi which we knew nothing about. Was bliss sitting watching the sun go down with G & T in hand. They even lit candles in bags dotted around so it was quite magical and something we’ll always remember. Was very sad to say goodbye to them all. Wilderness Safari at their best once again!
Staying in Victoria Falls was interesting. Elephant Camp was lovely and so nice to have air conditioning!! We didn’t see much game there apart from the tame Cheetah and the elephants but it was nice to do different things and see how people live. We visited a school and had a nice talk with the deputy head who told us all about the school. We went into a classroom and all the children stood up and sang to us which was lovely. We went to a market and a tour round the village of Chinotimba so that was all very interesting. The falls weren’t quite as spectacular as the last time we saw them but of course we were in the dry season so not surprising. Loved Vic Falls Hotel! So colonial. Enjoyed our Business Class trip to Jo’burg!! Pity it wasn’t a longer journey.
It was lovely to be back in Capetown again. Boy it was so busy and smart new roads from the very smart new airport!! I’m glad we had someone to take us to our hotel rather than drive as it took us a little while to familiarise ourselves with everything again. Even Seapoint seemed to have had an upgrade and it was lovely to walk along the prom. Was also nice to see the Waterfront being as busy as ever. It was nice to visit our old haunts and see how things have changed. Capetown certainly seems to be doing well and was as buzzy as ever. Had lots of lovely meals, did lots of Christmas shopping and generally had a great time!!
So big thank you once again for organising it for us. Everything worked like clockwork, planes were on time, pick-ups were there, no problems at all. Hopefully the sunshine and the memories we experienced in Zim and S.Africa will take us through the long winter months here. It’s not just the sunshine, it’s the light as well if that makes sense to you. The evenings in Zim with the light in the bush as the sun goes down is just lovely to experience. Here it’s dark at 4.00 now and nearer Christmas it will be dark at 3.30 p.m!
Anyway, my thanks once again. It was a wonderful experience which we will never forget. All the best.
In a word, the honeymoon was spectacular. Dom was over the moon with everything, and I was really pleased. The Sanctuary Zebra Plains walking safari camp was the highlight of the Zambian leg, although all three were great. Kaya Mawa was perfect. We did absolutely nothing while we were there, which was what was required. So the itinerary was structured perfectly as well, as I think we both took the first few days to wind down, so it was good to have activities and walking safaris first, winding down to the sun and sand. The people at all of the lodges were great as well. So, thank you again and I will drop you a line for our next African trip! Best regards.
Addo House was marvellous, very welcoming and comfortable; we loved our stay and all the trips you arranged. The elephant riding safari was extraordinary-fascinating to be on, near and then with the ellies for nearly 3 hours. Pumba was a real find with so much to see and a dinner to remember in the boma; we met lots of lovely people from all over the world. Highlight was 43 ellies in a breeding herd at Addo waterhole for 2 hours; it made my wife’s trip! Thank you for all your efficient help in setting us up so well. Best wishes.
Janine, we just came back from the trip, and had a fantastic time! I wanted to say thank you for your help that made it happen. Everything you booked was perfect, and we had no issues with transfers or anything else. Abalone guest house in Hermanus was a beautiful place! We just loved Elephant Plains and saw all big 5 almost immediately. We really appreciate all your help, your patience and the time you spent with me. I would never hesitate to recommend your services to everyone. So, thank you once again, and I hope we will stay in touch. This is definitely not our last trip to Africa!
Our vacation was really fun. The whole trip was organized very well. I really enjoyed Elephant Plains, Simbavati and Dreamfields accommodations. Thank you! We saw a lot of animals everywhere. We had one extra free day that we decided to do a self drive in Kruger. We even saw 2 male lions there.
It was a great surprise and delight to meet you at the safari camp. We had a truly amazing time. It was a brilliant holiday with some perfect memories. Thank you so much for organising it for us. To be up close to such amazing animals in the Kruger was an experience of a life time. The Garden Route, as you are no doubt aware, was beautiful. Thankfully we had a car otherwise we would have missed out on so much. Thanks again, and we’ll be in touch soon.
Our trip was all fantastic. Loldia House was great, the people were great, the food fantastic and the ambience just so relaxing. We went for game drives every night (trying to find a leopard for Kev to see). Although we couldn’t go to Crescent Island, we did manage a 30min boat ride on Sunday morning staying close to the shore…Lake Nakuru was FAB, saw heaps of animals. We did get really close to a family of rhino taking a mud bath. Safari Park hotel was good – although we got in fairly late, had a quick walk around the property (it’s huge) and went to bed. The traffic was a bit busy on Friday to get through Nairobi to Naivasha – but all good. The driver was good. Thanks again, your choice of accommodation always exceed our wildest dreams and has comfort, style and relax all wrapped up in one! Thanks a million!
We were delighted with our stay at Africa on Foot and Umkumbe Camps! We’ve seen of course a lot of animals, and plants. The two lodges were very different in ambiance: the first one without electricity (that was fun for us), but very comfortable.
The weather was rainy there, and I could take my shower (with hot water) while the rain was falling on me, because there was no roof in the bathroom. That was also a very agreeable experience. The rangers were two young men, really professional, interesting and passionate with their work. We met also interesting people there, tourists like us.
In the second lodge (very very comfortable and cosy) we were the only clients sleeping there, and that was an occasion for us to know well our hosts Celeste and Herman. They are so fine people! They offered us a familial atmosphere, eating with us and exchanging like friends. The scenery was beautiful there, the animals splendid, and as we were often alone, we had time to observe them: we spent one hour with a magnificent leopard, I had a beautiful chamaleon walking quietly on my arm… I have a lot of splendid memories, and I think that would not have been possible in the greater Kruger Park, with often a lot of cars gathered to look at the same animals. The people taking in charge the transfers were also fine, we met 3 different persons, all smiling and agreeable, proud of their country and happy to show it to us. We couldn’t see the canyon because of the mist – but that’s only bad luck..
We were very happy to find someone like you, eager to adapt herself to our desires, that’s rather rare (instead of wanting to adapt our desires to what they have to propose…) You can be sure that we would give your name to other people, and maybe be in contact with us again (we dream of going to Namibia one day).
The trip went very well, everything was smooth, not even slightest hiccups. We enjoyed the drive, roads are all in very good condition, the scenery was fantastic. The lodges we were booked at was great as most of the owners took great care up to little details on their property; we did a lot of walking trails, enjoyed having beaches for ourselves, food was great, so as most of the service in the restaurants…The safari was great, we had good animal sightings and “persistent” ranger who tried to make us see the best, though I underestimated the weather, it was very cold..
Hermanus: Abalone Lodge was “WOW” – looked like from design magazine ! The view from all room (our bedroom & living room, dining room, etc) have great view to the sea – service was good (esp. the breakfast…) – did good walk on the trails, and in the morning another one to city centre – but we couldn’t walk back due to the rain, but we’re happy with the shopping….A note on our way, we’re adviced to stop in Farm Stall near Napier (if I’m not mistaken) for lunch…it was a good advice!
Arniston: Though we knew we can’t avoid big hotel due to the lack of other option, in general the service has been good and we enjoyed our walks on the beach, to the cave.
Montagu: The Mimosa lodge was beautiful, and May got a dip in the pool. We also found a nice spot called, “the Olive Tree” with nice restaurant and garden – Kataya, one of the owner was so nice to pick us up after our trek on the “Lover’s walk’ ending at the hot-springs, she knew that it’ll be to much of back & forth walk on that trail – we then closed the afternoon having cold white wine in her garden again…
Plettenberg Bay: The Bayside Lodge was great. Lindy, who’s in-charge made the differences, she is a real hostess, always helpfull, chat with us during breakfast, proposing things to do if you asked her, making booking, etc, all in her cheerful way. We enjoyed Pletts, the various restaurants, the shops; the Robberg trails hike – thugh at one point we thought we’ll be blown up by strong wind while scalling the cliffs; then the trips to Knysna’s waterfront. We also managed to “sneak-in” Emily Moon, which takes few days to have reservation – also due to Lindy’s insistence…The restaurant was very good, service was good and the view…wow!
Lalibela game reserve: We really enjoyed it, the animal sightings was good and the area is beautiful. I did other safari before in Sabi, where it has more animals, but Lalibela is beautiful by itself, and the sceneries compensate. We also had good animal sightings and “persistent” ranger who tried to make us see the best, though I underestimated the weather, it was very cold….that the staff put electric blankets for us and heating in the dining room. The atmosphere was also special as we had very good group of people that we can talk and have conversation about a lot of things, one day when we couldn’t leave the lunch table, we joked that we had ‘solved the problems of the world”.
Well…hope the above summarised, thank you so much for helping us making this a great trip! We hope we’ll have another trips again to other parts of Southern Africa, it’s definitely still a lot to explore!
Kensington Place was a beautiful hotel. Everything about it was just right – location, size, bedroom, staff (including the owner), breakfast and facilities. We cannot speak too highly about it.
Rovos Rail was just perfect from beginning to end (including the departure lounge). We will never forget it. Shamwari Game Reserve was a truly wonderful experience. Our accommodation in the Eagle’s Crag Lodge was magnificent; our ranger, Graham, was intrepid and enthusiastic; full of knowledge which he was very happy to impart to all of us in his vehicle; and a thoroughly nice person to boot. The animal life and times which we saw through his efforts were priceless and captured on our video camera. We enjoyed our stay at Lairds Lodge very much. It was a beautiful hotel in lovely surroundings and we enjoyed the evening meals on a large table with all the other guests at the same table. Oceans Eleven was a very clean hotel with superb views over the ocean. Unfortunately there were no whales by the time we got there so the value of the view was diminished. We found a nice Mediterranean restaurant in Hermanus which we visited on both evenings. Wonderful breakfasts in the hotel, particularly their fresh fruit. Franschhoek Country House was also a lovely place. We thought the decor and furnishings in our room were very attractive. The meals were good and the staff helpful and we felt relaxed there. We had a good wine tour through the hotel which the guide was very happy to customise to our particular wishes (he took us to Wellington because I wanted to see a particular wine). All of our guides through the stay were friendly and informative. Overall, we had a truly wonderful holiday and we would like to thank you most sincerely for what you organised. We would be more than happy to provide a reference should any prospective client wish to get in touch.
Thank you for your help in making this a trip of a lifetime! We so thoroughly enjoyed every minute and our experiences truly changed us for the better. Madikwe was amazing – we saw wild dog three times and a brown hyena! The two big carnivores I hadn’t seen yet. The other game sightings were really special – in particular all the babies 🙂
The birdlife was simply stunning and my rustiness quickly fell away under the guidance of Patience and Tebiso. Michael even started to learn to his birds! The chef was a magician and even especially cooked up some kudu fillet for us on our last night. The barman, a wonderful young man whose name I could never remember, was our Tswana coach and everyday we asked him to teach us more words. I think all the staff got a chuckle out of our attempts to speak the language! Jack had a wonderful babysitter and while he was so sad to see us go each drive (and yes we went on everyone except the first) he was as happy as could be when we got back. The schedule worked so well – I will certainly strongly recommend Thakadu to other families! We’re already talking about our next trip perhaps next year sometime – we’d like to start in the Cape and work our way north…
It was such a pleasure to work with you and Debbie and I look forward to planning our next trip! And this time we will fly direct so we don’t have to deal with delays in Europe 🙂 Best wishes for 2011 and please let me know if there is anything I can do as far as recommendations for you or the places we visited!
Travel was perfect, Wildlife Safaris Namibia is also a fantastic organisation in Namibia, good choice! The only ‘bad luck’ we had was in sossus/deadvlei, sandstorm! Just before we left deadvlei, we had 2,5 hrs NO visibility! From the lodges Doro Nawas was far away the best (service, location, food etc), a topper! The afternoon game drive is better then the morning, as you close the trip with a sundowner on a fantastic spot. You have even more chances seeing the elephants, as the guides are advised by the trip made in the morning where they are. There were not a lot of people in Etosha, but we tracked all animals by ourselves. Thanks!
The trip was FANTASTIC! Thank you for organizing it. Zambia is fabulous: Shumba, Kafue is exceptional. The balloon safari must be compulsory, food, guide, animals etc…difficult to beat. Puku Ridge (South Luangwa), fabulous: Animals and Landscape very different from Shumba but as magnificent. Malawi is a real African paradise. Likoma Island a beautiful place. We enjoyed Kaya Mawa too. Dominique and myself are very grateful to you and your organization, this trip shall be remembered as one of our best souvenirs of Africa.
We had such a stunning honeymoon – thank you so much for arranging everything so well for us – everything went very smoothly!! And it was the perfect holiday – we just swam, and slept and ate and drank – and it was so beautiful, and so peaceful! The resort, Breezes Beach Club & Spa, is absolutely stunning! – beautifully decorated and the people so lovely. The little touches, and the staff and the service was amazing – everyone so friendly and helpful. And they left us little complimentary slips for massages, and yoga, and kite surfing lessons, and put a bottle of champagne in the fridge for us. And one day arranged to have ‘sundowners’ (wine and snacks) delivered to our room before dinner. They left a litre bottle of water every morning which we thought was real nice touch – and the one morning we went on our dolphin trip really early (before breakfast started) and they set a table for us early so we could eat before we left! So those things really made you feel like they go the extra mile!
The transfer and everything as so prompt and friendly and well organised – and then someone form the touch company met us to go through some options of trips and tours they could arrange for us – which was great – we went to stone town for half a day which was very interesting.
In terms of the food – the ‘dinner for two at the tides’ is such a stunning idea – and beautiful setting. The service and the little extra touches were lovely – like cocktails when you arrive, and water on the table. The main restaurant for breakfast and dinner was really great. Breakfasts were divine, the usual full on buffet with everything you want – and they varied the dinners quite a lot which was nice.
Thank you so much for organizing us the most wonderful trip of a lifetime. We had a wonderful time and some mornings I catch myself longing for the vast plains of the Serengeti and the beautiful people. Our guide, Sadiq was wonderful and went the extra mile, trying to help us with every photographic need or anything else. our advice regarding visiting the Ngorogoro Crater for only one day was perfect. One day is more than sufficient. The accommodation you have hand-picked for us was out of this world. Thanks again for personally chatting to me, getting to know us and making our trip therefore exactly what we wanted. We will be in touch again for another trip, hopefully as soon as next year. Take care and all the best for the wonderful work you do.
My family and I fell in love with Africa many years ago but Janine is a big reason why we keep on coming back for more. She has an uncanny ability that few travel agents possess; she seeks out the places that are just right for us. Thanks to Janine we have had the great good fortune to experience first hand the beauty of Africa through its landscapes, wildlife and people. Her unfailing attention to detail coupled with her passion for Africa makes her exceptionally good at her job.
Thank you for everything. The trip was fantastic and we are very grateful for everything you have done. I hope to meet up with you when I come back next year. South Africa is a wonderful place. The country did a much better job than the last 2 countries that hosted the world cup, and that will only help the tourism going forward. All the transfers were fantastic. We really liked Clarendon House and was very happy there, but the Cape Grace hotel was our favorite place to stay. Again, you were wonderful and your country was too. We had an ‘A’ time and without you we would never have been able to pull it off. Thanks again!
Just to let you know that the trip was fantastic. Phinda was unbelievable and we saw all of the big 5 except for leopard.mCape town was also great. Thanks again.