December 2006

Thank you very much for our fabulous itinerary. You have perfectly organised our trip : all was perfect and we could completely enjoy and have a very good holiday. These three lodges are different and gave us a lot of advantages. You made an excellent choice and day and night game drives were always fantastic. We could appreciate the welcome and friendliness of the staff, the comfort of the lodges, the quality and quantity of food and drink, the security , the warm atmosphere and the responsability of every one.
We have lived a dream in  the heart of that wild nature and all the animals were wonderful.
Thank you again for all your advice and the care taken over our trip.
Warmest regards,

Jeannette.

December 2006

I am delighted to be able to say that our holiday to Botswana was verything we hoped it would be and more.
 
The travel arrangements at every stage were accurate and we were met at Johannesburg as planned and helped to get to the flight to Maun which went without a hitch. The short but exciting flight from Maun to Xakanaxa Camp was great. Our sad return to the UK also went smoothly.
 
Our welcome at the camp by Bob and Flo was very warm and we immediately felt at home. All facilities and food at the camp were excellent and everything was done to make our stay a happy one.
 
We were very lucky as there were very few other guests so we had almost personal treatment during the 9 days we stayed, and we were allocated a wonderful Ranger Guide by the name of Ngande who became a valued companion and showed and taught us so much about the animals, birds and plants.
 
While there was not a lot of game about Ngande managed to show us everything except  Cheetah. We saw Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Leopard, Hyena, African Hunting Dogs, Lechwe,Impala, Kudu, Hippo, Crocodile, Python, Mongoose, and many wonderful and colourful birds.
 
All in all we had a magical adventure, and hope to return to Africa again sometime in the future.
 
The holiday would not have been the success it was if the arrival and return travel arrangements had not been efficient, so I would like to thank Island-safari for their professionlism and support in helping to make this a wonderfully memorable experience.
Yours sincerely
Iain and Elizabeth

 

December 2006

Just a short note to let you know that our family thoroughly enjoyed Zambia and Botswana.
All our transfers to and from our accommodation was wonderfully handled by the Wild Horizon’s staff.
So grateful to you for our upgrade to the Royal Livingstone Hotel – just pure luxury and I can assure you the ‘Kids” were blown away, as we had not told them about this wonderful accommodation.
Harriet and I will definitely be making another stop off sometime in the future.
Well, what can I say about Kwarra camp. Fabulous, Wonderful, good Hospitality shown by both the manager Peter as well as our Guides Mothusi and Hobbs.They all made us feel like part of their family, as we all sat down to meals each day.The guides were sooo informative and we had such confidence in them, from a safety aspect.
Loved  the camp experience, and a good opportunity to meet up with lots of other people from different countries.
Caught up with a French couple who were staying at the camp at the same time as us, when we flew home from JHB, and they also said that the Kwarra Camp experience far outweighed their time spent at some other Game lodge, that they  stayed at after Kwarra Camp.
An added bonus was that we travelled to Kwarra camp on the Delta flight with Nigel , who was calling in to Little Kwarra.
After our wonderful stay at Kwarra, we found Chobe Game Lodge, rather impersonal, and touristy, but enjoyed our time all the same.
In short our time at Kwarra Camp and the Royal Livingstone Hotel, would have to be the most memorable times that we spent in Africa.
Thanks once again for all your patience with us over the previous months, trying to decide where to go and what to do.
All your hardwork and lots of emails back and forth, has made this holiday to Africa, one that our family will remember for many years from now.
Wishing you and your family a wonderful and safe Christmas and a prosperous 2007.
Best Regards
Lindsay & Harriet Brown

December 2006

Im so sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you.  Right after the honeymoon, I started a new job with my company its been a bit crazy.  Anyway, the honeymoon was fabulous and everything worked out perfectly. 
 
The service I received while I was booking the honeymoon was great.  You responded very quickly to the questions that I had and gave me your opinion based on your expertise on how we should outline our trip
The transfers worked out perfectly!  We never felt like we were stranded or werent being taken care ofthe people & service were great.
Mondior Concorde Hotel was very convenient to the airport and the free shuttle was great.  This hotel worked out perfectly for what we needed it forjust a place to stay the night.  They also held one piece of our luggage while we were on Safari.  When we returned we picked it up before we left for Mauritius.
Eagle Island Camp this camp was absolutely amazing and the people were great and very helpful.  We really enjoyed our time here!
Khwai River Lodge This lodge was also very nice, but not as quaint as Eagle Island.  I think it was because it was a bit bigger and more people.  We saw some great animals and had some great food.
Stanley Safari Lodge This was a charming, very attentive lodge!  We would recommend this place to anyone!  The only thing that I misunderstood was that our room was literally an open room.  My husband was extremely uneasy, but lived through.  The management at the lodge tried to accommodate us by changing us to another room, but in the end Tom decided to stay in our honeymoon suite which I absolutely loved.  The activities in the Victoria Falls area were absolutely amazing.  We had a great time.
The Residence Hotel was also great.  The rooms, the pool, the beach, the water activities were great!  The only complaint (and it really isnt a complaint) is that the lunch menu choices were very limited.  I also found the same for dinner.  However the breakfast was fantastic.  Again, we would recommend this place to anyone who was interested in going.
 
Overall, as mentioned several times we couldnt have asked for a better honeymoon.   I wish I could do it all over again!
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks again for all of your help.
Melanie

 

December 2006

You might know that this was our fifth stay at Dinarobin, and tenth stay in the island (since 1993).
 
First time through Island-Safari (for some reason booking at the hotel directly never gets us any discount, in spite of long and faithfuil attendance ...).
 
Everything was well organized, and the transfer cars of much better standard than the average taxi.
 
Your rep at Dinarobin, Ms Corinne, kindly took care of us.
 
So it's a strong possibility that we'll use your agency again next year!
 
Best seasonal greetings from Sweden.
 
Regards
Vivi Munthe

December 2006

The service provided by Island-Safari was excellent. We planned the journey long time in front and and during this time we had a lot of questions an changes.
Claudia gave us always best support and advice.
 
The transfers between the camps were good organised., no complains.
 
We were very satisfied with all of the three camps. We visited them in the correct order, i.e. the comfort was increasing from camp to camp.
And we were very lucky during game driving. Comming in the meanwile for more then 12 years to Africa, we have seen first time leopards, and this right away two times.
 
Thank you very much and best regards 
Dr Manfred Gaubig.

December 2006

Patricia and I would like to express our sincere thanks for all your hard work which made our recent visit to Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa such a pleasurable experience. We both had an absolutely wonderful time without a serious hitch anywhere along the way – a true credit to you and island-safari.com!
 
Each place we stayed at had its individual characteristics which made for an ever-changing experience. After the activity levels of Chobe Game Lodge (Jonathan Gibson made us very welcome) and the camps, the Vineyard was a haven of relaxation. Much changed since our last visit in 1993 and although substantially larger, the Vineyard has retained its essentially homely ambience; the revamped Mountain View Room (326) was excellent.
 
We particularly enjoyed Deception Valley Lodge with Vanda and Adrian proving super hosts; Adrian’s copious knowledge and the walk with the Bushmen were truly memorable highlights. Xakanaxa was delightful and we were all duly in awe of the headmistress, Flo (who sends her regards); I thought we were going to get a detention when we did not bring our ponchos for the first game drive – it rained! Flo is some lady – and the hair-do!
 
Did anything go wrong? No, is the answer and the only odd thing that happened was in Zimbabwe; on arrival we were told by Wild Horizons that our 11.00am pick-up on 19 November had been brought forward to 09.40am. Having gone on parade at the earlier time we then waited in reception at VH Hotel until we were collected at – yes - 11.00am; I knew you were right! Not a problem, but odd. On our way to Chobe (40 minutes into the journey) the other couple in the mini-bus became a little concerned and it transpired that they were meant to be going to VF airport. It was not a problem for us as the driver continued to the border before returning, but it does add up to two WH cock-ups on the same morning – food for thought?
 
We so enjoyed our visit that we are seriously considering something similar next year whilst we are still fit enough to cope with the early morning starts!  I will contact you in January if we decide to go ahead.
 
Once again many, many thanks for your contribution and please let Nigel know how pleased we were.
With very best regards
Chris

December 2006

Greetings to you in sunny South Africa.
I have just (last night) returned home from my travels in Africa.

Regarding some feedback and my level of satisfaction: First of all - let me mention that I am a very picky customer who have
done somewhat homework and had limited time to do a list of activities on a fixed budget.

Having said that - on to your questions:

* The service that I received from Michelle at Island-Safari.com during the booking process was outstanding. She is very knowledgeable, friendly and if I may say so, very very patient. By the time I arrived in South Africa, it felt like Michelle was part of our family - bless her heart.
During my tour in Zimbabwe, all went well. Michelle had made sure all bookings was in place and everything was well planned and organized.

* The transfers that we had, was very very timely. On the day we arrived in Victoria falls, we had a tight schedule planned but due to a plane delay, we were unable to follow thru. Our transfer however, was on time and ready to roll when we quickly got off the plane with our carry on luggage in hand.

* Your stay at The Sprayview Hotel was interesting...  This is a two star establishment... nothing more! On the day we checked in, we moved from room to room in search for one where the AC (not just the fan), was actually working. We knew however not to expect 5 star treatment since we paid a two star rate. These guys also do not like to serve breakfast before 7am. With the activities that we had lined up, this was a challenge we faced every morning - but we managed. Overall I think the
Sprayview was good value for the money that we paid. We chose to put our money into doing more activities rather.

We had a blast with all the activities that Michelle booked and the folks at Shearwater was truly outstanding.

It may take a few years but we will definitely be back and Island-safari will be our first stop.

Many thanks for your part in helping us plan and enjoy a memorable vacation.

Regards
Johann Botha

December 2006

I was very pleased with every aspect of the service I recieved both from the booking staff and from the camp. 
We actually flew ourselves in our own helicopter to the camp from Johannesburg, so I was very happy that Patricia (the booking person I was in contact with) was able to get us permission to land there, as well as obtain the necessary coordinates in a prompt fashion.
Our stay at Oddballs was also great, the staff and service were excellent, and overall we were both very pleased with our trip to the Okavango. The only downside to the whole trip was finding out (the hard way) that the monkeys liked to play on the helicopter. A lot. So we had to spend some time, and recruit a couple of the staff to help with, chasing off the monkeys periodically. But all the staff were willing to help out with this as well, so consider it another tick in their favour.
If there is anything more specific you would like to know about, please feel free to ask.
Cheers,
Cameron

November 2006

Please allow me to qualify upfront, that I usually self-book my trips.
This trip was an exception.  The prompt, very courteous correspondence, very informative exchange and flexibility demonstrated
by Mandy convinced me to go through Island-Safari for this excursion.
I have been using the internet for years and this is the first time that I have ever had anyone immediately answer each and every email of mine with reflective and responsive replies.  Mandy is reason enough for me to come back to Island-Safari for my bookings.

Transfers:  All went well.  Met with a sign with my name at each exit point, so that I would not miss the connection.  Each person was
friendly and certainly helped make the transitions stress free and fast.

Mapula Lodge:  Exceeded all of our expectations.  Moses and Maurice (Nyatsang??) are natural and very capable representatives of Botswana and the Okavango Delta. The accommodations, beds, showers, verandas,
and overall fixtures were warm, welcoming and blended beautifully with the delta.  The common areas (dining, lounge, and bar) were always clean and orderly - yet, again, captured the serenity of the delta without being intrusive or out of place.  The setting in the trees was perfect.  Meals and pinotage were always well prepared and plentiful.
The bush drives and the Land rover perfectly rounded out the experience.  Great value.

Lokuthula Lodge:  the facilities and grounds are well-kept, very clean.  The furniture and fixtures reflect the comfort of upscale self-catering in Victoria Falls.  With the Boma and VFSL restaurant on premise and availability of the VFSL shuttle into town and internet,
all of our wants were met.

Waterfront Village Apartments:  Perfect setting for walks to the V&A mall, Red Barn, restaurants and historical sites.  The facilities were
modern, spotless, and discretely maintained at all times.  Having garage parking below, worked well.  If ever I am asked where to stay
in Cape Town, the Village will immediately be my recommendation.

Ballon Rouge:  Again, perfect place to respite in the wine country. Your recommendation qualifies as quaint, well-appointed, well-situated for walking the main streets of Franschhoek and its lovely restaurants and shops.  The breakfast was as homemade and complete as you would want.

It is clear to me Island-Safari is expert at knowing the areas served for accommodations and travel.  From the private aircraft charter to overland runs to in-town and out-in-the-bush facilities, your team knows the terrain.  Mandy seemed to know exactly what I wanted, and she delivered on all of our hopes for a wonderful two week stay in Botswana and South Africa, at remarkably reasonable rates (I do not think I could have matched the value provided at any point, even if I could have gone directly to each service provider).

Thank you for creating this memorable south African experience.  Given the opportunity, Island-Safari gets all of our unqualified
recommendations!
Best Regards,
Bruce Brockhagen

Novemebr 2006

Very responsive to my questions and my demands. Mandy did a great job and felt very well looked after. Even when my flight changed on a short notice Mandy responded on the weekend. So this was excellent!
Everything worked out very well with the transfers. I didnt have to worry about anything. Timing was properly chosen (during the resting time, between the activities).
Victoria Falls Hotel Nice Hotel, nice people, well looked after. The food was so, so (terrasse dinner).
Chobe Chilwero Lodge Excellent. Great variety and nice to have the boats as well. Huge accommodation!
Lebala Camp Excellent. I loved the hippos and the G&T with Lions. Very good guides/trackers.
Macatoo Camp Very good experience though really only for experienced riders I gonna do it again. I just loved it.
Jack's Camp Excellent, very different again in vegetation, bushmen, lot of nothing, meerkats. Excellent guiding.
Deception Valley Lodge Again different superb finish with nice people, good guiding, good food and nice pool. Very personal.
In short its been an excellent trip very well organized. Although its very pricy its worth the money. Thank you for the excellent assistance.

Claudia Zimmermann

November 2006

We received excellent attention from Michelle during the booking stage, cannot praise her enough.   Her response to all my questions was immediate.   I will be sending her an e-mail telling her about our trip.
 
The transfers were perfect.   Due to the dreadfully long delays at J'bourg airport (where we had a bag ransacked and a video camera stolen) we missed our connecting flight to Livingstone and instead went to Vic Falls.   I telephoned Michelle so that the transfer folk expecting to collect us at Livingstone were aware of what had happened.   I told Michelle that we would get a taxi from Vic Falls airport to Ilala, but Michelle said "no" and she would, and did, arrange for us to be picked up at Vic Falls.
 
We thoroughly enjoyed the Ilala Lodge and its facilities as well as Elephant Valley where we were allocated the very best tent, one of only two which looked over the waterhole.    I would recommend both of these places to anyone.   The meals at both places, especially at Elephant Valley, were excellent.   We had a thoroughly good time and were sorry to leave.
 
Thanks to Island-safari and Michelle for putting the trip together.
Best wishes
Joy Griffiths-Elsden

November 2006

The service from the Island-Safari.com staff who organised everything was good and very accommodating to me changing my mind a few times.
 
The people doing the transfers were friendly, good drivers, helpful at the border posts and able to give us some information on where we were going etc. The pilots were efficient and we arrived safely - as I am not a very confident flier this was a great relief to me!
 
Our stay at Chobe lodge was great.  I feel that it is a far cry from the original lodge that Ethne Holmes-a -Court set up.  The staff etc were polite and pleasant, the tour guides good.  As Australians coming from a background of NOT tipping we found the tipping system and monies paid at border posts very trying.  It seems that we pay good money for the tour so the guides should be paid out of that fee.  However I do believe the adage of 'when in Rome do as the Romans do' so we did tip much to my husbands disgust!
 
Pom Pom camp was a lovely contrast to Chobe and I am very pleased that we did both areas in our quick tour.  The camp managers gave the staff plenty of opportunity to interact with the guests, such as announcing the meals they had prepared for us, telling stories round the camp fire etc. Again the tour guides were very well informed and appeared to enjoy what they were doing.
 
Botswana is a fantastic place to be - it seems a very dynamic go ahead sort of country, with the inhabitants appearing cheerful and well.  Zimbabwe for the day was rather sad as both my husband and I had been to the Falls as young children and although the Falls were unchanged Vic Falls town is now rather run down.
 
Again as an Australian I wonder about the environment with so many lodges and boats on the Chobe river.  I hope that the conservationists are monitoring the effects on the animals and the land.  The same applies to Pom Pom.  Maybe there is room for an environmentally aware lodge that has composting toilets and a design that is environmentally economical? 
 
Thank you for your assistance and I have recommended your organisation as booking agents to a couple of friends who are thinking about a similar holiday.
Regards
Christine

November 2006

I'm happy to provide a few comments. Everything was excellent! 
Kirsten was very, very helpful during the booking process
The transfers went smoothly
All of the accommodation, despite each being different, was very good - I would probably recommend Muchenje most of all for atmosphere, service, views, food etc
Marlin Lodge was also excellent - although one point to bear in mind during booking is asking whether the room has a shared balcony - this didn't affect us (fortunately - and we were very pleased with our room) but another couple we met had this problem and it kind of ruined their romantic evenings watching sunset together. I heard they spent some time complaining to their agents. So may be worth checking this in future. I think only 2 or 4 rooms are affected by this.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for helping us have a spectacular honeymoon.
Jon

November 2006

Leslie was very knowledgeable and Leslie in particular understood our requirements and matched them well to the three camps that we went to. We even saw the Cheetahs that he thought might be at Zib. After a shaky transfer when Leslie left Elize took over and sorted everything out and was extremely helpful and took care of all the details in a very professional way. Elize was very understanding and responded quickly to all of our questions and put us at ease..

All the transfers went smoothly.

Stanley Safari Lodge

This lodge was very very nice. quiet and with excellent staff. The suite was lovely and we enjoyed the peace and quiet of the lodge and in particular the trip to Livingstone Island - a real highlight of Zambia for all of us.

Muchenje Safari Lodge

Excellent camp, with wonderful staff and very well organized. The guide, Zambo, was exceptioonal and we saw lots of animals of all species. I would recommend this camp to anyone in the Chobe area - just great.

Zibalianja Camp

This camp was the best of the three - it was so intimate and personal - we got to know the other couple and our hosts. The game sightings were very good. However the guide was new- only been there 9 days and was not very good as a guide either. Despite this he was able to use his radio and find us the game, cheetahs and wild dogs were the highlight. This camp is exceptional and thoroughly recommended to anyone who wants a very private experience. Also the food was fantastic.

Xakanaxa Camp

This camp was very different - seemed very busy and crowded. There were some very loud German guests who had to be forcefully quieted - thank goodness. The guide was good although the game viewing was not as good as the other two camps - I think we got really spoiled with our earlier successes.

All in all we had a wonderful time and will definitely recommend Island Safari to our friends. We are hoping to visit Namibia and will have you at the top of our list.
Elize - a special thanks to you and please let Leslie know that we had a great time.
Thanks, Jagdish, Ann, Joyce and Kirit

 

November 2006

I have already sent an e-mail to Victoria, saying how pleased Kate and I were with the holiday and with the service that you gave 
All the camps were superb. We particularly enjoyed Delta and Lebala, which we found to be far in excess of of our expectations. Sandibe was also great, but I personally felt that it was a little like a `dude ranch`, the quality being so high that one felt remote from the country
Delta and Lebala were very stylish and all gave excellent, friendly service. We were particularly impressed in each case by the quality of the food, the skill and knowledge of the guides, the ingenuity of the showers, and, after 2 weeks camping in Namibia, the size and comfort of the beds and the luxury of a private bathroom!
The game drives were excellent, and the concept of having g & t in the bush as it went dark was amazing
The staff, particularly Katy and Alvin, at Lebala were brilliant. My wife is a coeliac, and they really went out of their way to cater for her needs
Regards
David and Kate

November 2006

I’m back from my wonderful holiday in Botswana. Everything has worked out very well and I’d like to thank you for your excellent service. I lack of words – it’s just been a marvelous experience! I saw lot of game, came around many funny and thrilling situations, met many marvelous people, laughed a lot and did not have to worry about anything at all, as I was well taken care of.
As I found out, there are many more things to see and do in Southern Africa, I’ll certainly be back one day, hopefully soon…
Thanks again so much
Claudia

November 2006

The service we received from Island-Safari.com staff, namely Carien & Wellington, during the booking process, was exemplary. Not only did they help with the booking and all the arrangements, but with the finer details as well. Even after the tour was booked I requested changes to be made to the booking, again these were handled timorously and without any glitches.  All I can say is thank you to you both and to all at Island-Safari for all the help and effort put into a trip of a lifetime.
Our transfers were handled with ease and professionalism. Arriving in a strange place not knowing what next, the staff were extremely helpful and accommodating.
Our stay at Le Canonnier Hotel. WOW!!!!!!!! It was fantastic. We loved every minute. The food, the accommodation, the friendly staff - all out of this world.
All I can say is thank you all so very much – it was magic.
Andrew Avis

November 206

My partner and I had the most fabulaous time.
The transfers were excellent. The staff were perfect
Tabo our guide was fantastic He really made our trip worthwhile. He was so knowledgable and informative.
Alwen and Katie the camp managers at Lebala camp were really great. The food - well my only complaint is that there was too much and i seem to be several pounds heavier!!
They all work so hard.
Thanks
Jenny loudon

November 2006

Hi!  Some brief comments:
1) Patricia was fantastic handling all our reservation details.  It is not so easy to transfer money from USA, but she was very helpful and patient with us!  She answered my e-mails very promptly - I could always look forward to hearing from her when I got up the next morning.  Special thanks to her.
2) All transfers and flights went smoothly.  No complaints.
3) Oddballs is amazing!  I couldn't believe that the guides took us through the veld where there was ample evidence of potentially dangerous game without a firearm!  Still it was more disappointment than relief when we didn't actually see any cats, buffalo, rhinos or elephants on our treks.  One elephant frequented our camp a few times.  Our guide explained the governmental concern that if the game guides had firearms there would be a temptation for poaching in their off hours.
        My husband, Sieg,  injured his right eye on the first night of our stay at Oddballs.  He bent over for some toilet paper in the dark and his right eye came down on the  end of the mokoro paper holder.  He is blind in the left eye, so needless to say this was an extremely traumatic event!  Eve was very solicitous and gave him a hut to rest in during the day (rather than our very hot little tent). She radioed and requested the medication he wanted (he is a physician) - anesthetic eye drops and antibiotic eye ointment.  The next day, when the plane came in, they brought ANAL anesthetic ointment only!!!  The following day we managed to find a pilot who would take him in to the doctor and someone to accompany him because he still could not see!!  Unfortunately the doctor had no knowledge of eye treatment, but did prescribe chloromycetin eye ointment for him which helped some.  Needless to say, he saw nothing of Oddballs or the Okavango for most of our stay except for the day of arrival when we went out in the mokoro and hiked.  The last day he did go with us to the village but didn't see much.  Thankfully, by the time we returned to St. Paul, MN he felt his vision was about 95% of what it had been before the accident and 2 days later his ophthalmologist confirmed that he could not see any damage. We are thankful to God! The mokoro TP holders in the toilets are a hazard you may want to do something about.
        We had waited 35 years for this trip (we were missionaries in South Africa for 21 years, but could not afford the high price of petrol to travel to Botswana);  I don't suppose we will ever get back again.
        The food was  excellent, the service good, the atmosphere relaxed and friendly.  Eve and Jack certainly did their best to  make it as pleasant as possible.  Special thanks to them, too.
Sincerely yours,
Ann and Sieg Rabie.

November 2006

Hi Elize, just got back home last night. Ann and I want to thank you for confirming and re-checking all the arrangements. Everything was wonderful, including the Stanley Safari Club, which was a delightful haven of peace and quiet and the suite worked out just fine (with a clean plunge pool!). Of the camps we especially liked Zib at Linyanti - it was very intimate, the hosts were very gracious and we saw many animals including cheetah and wild dogs! We also liked the other two camps, especially Muchenje, where we saw the most animals and the guide was superb.
Just to say that all the hand-offs and arrangements went smoothly and we will definitely go with Island Safari for our next rip to Southern Africa.
All the very best, Jagdish and Ann (as well as Kirit and Joyce)

November 2006

Kate and I are just back from Botswana/Namibia. We had a great holiday, and I am writing to thank you for the great recommendations you made, the way you made everything very easy and your prompt input
All the locations were great, and the guides/hosts were excellent
We shall be back to you sometime to organise a South Africa/Zimbabwe trip
If you ever need a great B and B in Windhoek I can recommend Hilltop House, close to the town centre, well elevated (it would be have to be, to be called Hilltop House, wouldn`t it?) and Alan and Angela are so friendly and helpful. We ate in one night and had superb food on the balcony. Very boutique, large trendy rooms, small pool, taxi driver with cool taste in jazz. They can be contacted at hilltop@ifrica.com.na
Regards, and thanks
David Dewhurst

November 2006

I was very satisfied with the service I got from Island-Safari.  Patricia was very helpful throughout and the package she put together was wonderful.  She spent considerable time with us through all our decision-making and was always delightful!
 
All the transfers were very simple and went smoothly.  My only comment would be that it seemed unnecessary for someone to meet me in Jo-Burg simply to give me the tickets for Maun and take me to the gate.  Lovely, but unnecessary.
 
Pom Pom was more than delightful--very personal and warm. The food was very good and the activities all great.  It was the highlight of my trip and I would certainly recommend it to others. I wish I had stayed there longer.
 
After Pom Pom, Chobe Safari Lodge suffered a bit in comparison--it felt a bit touristy and assembly-line as far as lodging and meals.  Much more like a touristy hotel.  But it had all the amenities and a great location so that may simply be a matter of taste.  And the boat trips/wildlife were absolutely wonderful so no complaints there. Two nights was plenty there.
 
Ilala was a very lovely place and the staff was very courteous.  But it was very stuffy and the prices were very high compared to everyplace else I went.  I selected it myself so that is certainly no fault of Patricia's and again, I am sure for some people, it would be ideal. 
 
All in all a great trip and many thanks!
Marta Hokenstad

November 2006

I apologize for taking so long to respond to your e-mail.  We were very pleased with our dealings with Island-Safari, from beginning to end.
The service we received planning and booking the trip was fine.
While we were in Victoria Falls we couldn't have asked for better service.  We were there for a short time and had lots of activities planned.  On more than one occasion we would see Temptation running from your office to the Kingdom Hotel to make sure everything was going O.K. for us.  We also appreciated Gift driving us around.
The Kingdom Hotel was beautiful and would liked to have spent more time.
We have recommended your service to others and we won't hesitate to call on you again.
Thanks again.
Eugene L. Cole

 

November 2006

Sorry I haven't had time to reply sooner, just catching up with work now! In reply to your e/mail the following comments
The service from Island Safari.com was excellent from the first contact with Elize. Everything was as booked  including all pick ups at airports etc.
Impalila Island was far nicer than expected and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay, such  warm and  friendly service, and were pleased not to have booked the orig hotel at the falls.
Ditto with Monsentsela other than problem with 2x4 car which we had to leave in car park in Maun as it would not make the sandy track to Montentela!
An easy drive on the Kalahari highway to Bush breaks where we enjoyed our stay (not too keen on the stuffed giraffes)
Intu Afrika was a bit of a disappointment and after being in Okavango for a week the "game drives" weren't really worth doing but we were assured that the place is being refurbished and more animals brought in. We actually moved on from there after only one night and the manager kindly organised for us to stay at Le mirage for an extra night with no extra charge.
Le mirage was one of the highlights of our trip. What a wonderful hotel. Excellent service, accommodation and food. Glad we could not get into Sossusvlei lodge!!The staff are perfect and seem so happy to help on all levels The singing after supper was fabulous as the staff appear to genuinely enjoy performing.
  Bit of a nightmare trying to get to see the dunes as unless you stay camping inside the nat.park the gates don't open until after sunrise so you have to be at the gates early in the queue to get to see the dunes before the sun comes right up as it is a further 60K once inside. not your problem though, just a comment! Also staff at Nat park office the most unfriendly we met in Namibia  considering they are at the fore of probably the second most visited place after Etosha a bit more training in customer service required!
Wonderful drive from Le mirage to Klein Aus vista which was bit of a come down after Le Mirage. Friendly enough service rooms basic but food quite acceptable.
  Disappointment at rooms at Canon village.As we were originally booked into Canon Lodge and at the last minute transferred to the village we were a bit apprehensive and on arrival to be told the village was built to take coach parties and to find the table set up in a long line for supper we were not at all pleased. The rooms were a bit dreary but the pool was very nice and the trip to fish river canon made it all worthwhile. PS stopped at The Road house for a drink and this seems a lovely place to stay near Fish River. Super friendly staff.
Annies cottage had a warm feel to it with friendly staff and cosy room. Springbok not inspiring though and were glad to move on after breakfast.
Melksboomdrift was just our cup of tea, super room(school house) beautiful views over vineyard and friendly hostess and staff.
The Farmhouse albeit now in a rather built up area was fine with lovely room and gardens, good food and the trip around the West coast nat. park lagoon was fabulous, beautiful white beaches and lots of wildlife.
Some of my comments may seem to be a bit petty and they probably are!
Just a note re the car hire from Budget.
after being quoted 3000 pula for one way drop off fee we had 4000 pula taken on credit card but have still not received back 1000 pula from budget even though the girl gave me a printout (the car was brought back with no scratches and fuel tank full)
b/ Most of the drive was on tracks our total mileage was 4000klms and some of the journey would have been a problem with a 2x4 in a different season. The only problems we had were at Maun where a 2x4 would definitely not make it to Tree Lodge and also the track to Intu Afrika is very sandy and we got stuck at the lodge. Next day we drove like crazy to make it back to the road without getting stuck in sand! It may be worth mentioning to future hirers, luckily our car was virtually new so tyres etc were not a problem.
 
Overall we loved our stay in Botswana and Namibia and will definitely be returning at some time. We were  fully satisfied with the service we received from Island Safaris.com and from most of our stays. Thank you
 
Sheila and David Gardhouse.

November 2006

We had a wonderful time away.
Island Safari...  Patricia Ko, was brilliant in all her assistance in booking our holiday, thank you!
Transfer from Lion Sands to J'burg was great but we were very sad to leave!
Mondior Concorde was a good choice for our short stop over's around Lion Sands...  great service and rooms were fine.
Shuttle and location convenient.
Lion Sands...  excellent!  We were exceptionally lucky with our safari each day & we all agree our ranger Cameron & tracker Samson were the best & made our experience one to remember for a long time!  The animals themselves of course were a major part of
this!!
Their knowledge & enthusiasm was brilliant and great fun... very adventurous!
The staff at Lion Sands...  all exceptional, friendly, helpful...  lovely people.
The food fantastic... way too much!
Thank you again for all your assistance!
Please don't hesitate to call if  you require anything further.
Kind Regards
Anita

November 2006

A quick note to say that our time spent in Botswana was FANTASTIC.
Full marks out of 10 for staff at your office, Delta Air and Oddballs - will be recommending you to everyone!!!
Thank you!
Helen

October 2006

Well - what can I say?!! Everything was absolutely perfect from start to finish, from the way you first handled my query, and the advice you offered regarding locations and places to stay right through to the very end, and even contacting me on my return to make sure all was ok.  

When we arrived in J'bourg, we were met by one of your reps - (sorry I cant remember her name)  but she was very helpful and aided us with our check in for our flight out to Botswana, and explained the rest of the trip to us.  

Pom Pom was amazing, such a wonderful camp.  The managers Stephanie and Nigel are fabulous and extremely welcoming, they joined us for diner every night and were always available for a chat.  It really did feel like we were guests in someone's house!!  All of the rest of the staff were also fantastic. The food was great, always very fresh and plenty of choice.   The safari was out of this world.  Our guide City was great.  We got to see everything we hoped for, and were very lucky as we trailed the leopard for a while, and he hadn't been seen for 3 weeks previously!    It was a real shame to leave, but it was made easier with the knowledge we still had Mozambique in store. We stopped off in J'bourg for 1 night, at the Metcourt Laurel - what a transition from being in the middle of nowhere, then straight into the bright lights and casino!!  Again, a great choice of place to stay for a 1 night stop over - certainly no lack of entertainment!!   The off to Marlin Lodge - well, again, absolutely stunning.  We were greeted from the boat by Kelly, and shown to our amazing room.  Wow!!  What more could we ask for?? We were on a paradise island with turquoise waters and white sand.  What a perfect place for a honeymoon.  Total privacy, completely left to our own devices and everything was to hand if we needed it.  Every meal was fantastic - David the chef surpassed himself every time.  We had diner on the beach twice and private dining, which was fab.  All the staff were amazing and couldn't do enough for us, from Peter the owner to all of the Management team and to all the bar staff, waiters, maids, etc etc.  It was so good to have the activities included as well, meaning we didn't have to worry about money at all while we were there.  Snorkelling was great, as was the dhow cruise and the bush bath (very amusing!!) as was the  drive around the island etc.  We took a boat over to Paradise island on our last day.  We had our own picnic set up for us on the beach with enough food to feed an army.  It was the perfect way to end our Honeymoon.   If I had to pick a fault, the only thing I would say, is that I feel water should be complimentary.  Apart from that small matter, I couldn't fault it!!   Thank you so much Elize for all of your help and hard work, we really did have a honeymoon of a life time.   Please don't hesitate to contact me if you would like any more info.   Thanks again Elize of everything.   All the best,  

Leonie Nix MREC

October 2006

we had a great time at Oddball and specially on the Mokoro trail. All service , that was offered by your organisation was excellent, starting with the support in the reservation by Claudia, the organisation of the flight by Delta and the staff at Oddball and our guide Mdi (?) on the trail. I will recommend your company to our friends, if they plan to visit Okavango.
Thanks a lot and kind regards,
Dr. Kerstin Schäfer-Eckart

October 2006

Our tour was fantastic.
We are fully satisfied in all the catagories which you mention below.
The contacts with Kirstin and the person we met at Johannesburg's airport were very good.
We had no trouble during the transfers.
The three lodges were very nice, each one with its own specificities.
Your choice was very good.
It corresponds exactly to what we expected.
I will recommand your agency without hesitation.
Thank you for this nice travel. We will come back later !
Best regards,
Christine Gueneau

October 2006
Yes back in sunny England, oh joy it's just so wonderful to be back.  As it happens work did not expect me back until next Monday at the earliest and I had been considering staying on for another 5 days or so but guilt got the better of me, so I could have still been there now, bugger!
I had a fantastic time in Zambia, everything went very smoothly from the moment I landed in Lusaka thanks in no small part to all your hard work.  Visa waiver worked (even got to go in the VIP queue!) and the transfer to Mfuwe was very easy (if a little bumpy due to weather conditions).  All the camps were wonderful, very comfortable with great food, great guides, great company and a terrific sense of fun.  I would particularly like to mention my stay at Nkwali, which is more like an all day party than a safari camp, fantastic atmosphere and great people both staff and guests.   I was a little apprehensive at the thought of staying Robin's House but need not have been, the hostess, Nikki, who looks after the guests at the house was fantastic to me and was like a best friend, helps that she is more used to dealing with families than young men travelling by themselves but nevertheless she was wonderful. The house itself is brilliant and I was horribly spoilt in my time there, so much so that I found it difficult to leave to go to the next camp.
Both Norman Carr safaris and RPS are to be commended for the brilliant way they do things, my only complaints are that I am going to have difficulty adjusting back to having to do things for myself, I can no longer count on being fed 5 times a day and I foolishly should have spent longer in country!
One serious point I think worth making is that the operators in the South Luangwa are extremely flexible and helpful, had I wished to change any part of my itinerary whilst "in country" they would do their utmost to accommodate my requests.
I would highly recommend your services to anyone considering a trip to sub-Saharan Africa, and in fact as you know I have already given your details to my parents and my brother who may well be contacting you regarding summer '07.
In short a great trip very well organised by you.
Many thanks for everything, no doubt I will be using you in the future.

Matthew Galloway

 

October 2006

In one word: amazing! Our holidays were magnificent.
The booking process was excellent (exceeded my expectations to be honest!), friendly, prompt and very efficient.
The transfers were made on time (to the minute!) except in one occasion when the Delta Air flight was delayed but they were kind enough to call us at the airport and let us know when they would be arriving. Only one note: because transfers by air were usually around 13 o'clock we had lots of turbulence... but, that's nobodies fault.
Every lodge/camp/hotel gave us great service. They were all very helpful, competent and friendly. We couldn't ask for more.
If we knew, when booking, what we now know, we would have preferred to "move" one of the days from Pom Pom Camp to Deception Valley Lodge. Not that we didn't like Pom Pom but rather that we loved Deception Valley and we felt we would have liked to stay at least one more day.
So, in summary, we had an unforgettable honeymoon. We only wished we had more time to stay longer. Thank you so much!
You can expect our contact when we decide to return to Africa!
Kind regards,
Luis Silva

October 2006

Well we have arrived home in the UK 13-10-06, hence the delay with the reply.

The whole experiance of your country has been amazing, a wonderful holiday.
As for your part, the service and attention we received from Michelle was outstanding the help and advice made it a memorable part of our time in Africa, she made a great effort especially with our vouchers as she did not know we had 7 days in joburg before your leg of our holiday began, e-mailing them at 5-00am the morning of our departure from home,many thanks. All went very much to plan with transfers etc. no hitches at all. As for our stay at Zambesi sun, no complaints, but wish we had choosen the royal livingstone, maybe tell customers how much the standard of accommadation differs, we think it would have been worth the extra cost, having said that nothing wrong with Zambezi sun at all. Meals and staff very good.
Muchenje Lodge what can we say an experiance that will stay with us both for a very long time, the setting, the accomadation, the food, hospitality and most of all the rangers and the game we viewed was mind blowing. A place we will be returning too. Please thank everyone of your team who made it such a memorable visit to your continent.
Ian & Dian Ferguson

October 2006

Again thank you very very much for your support! Your itinerary worked perfect, everything was well arranged: the shuttle service in Jo´burg was exactly on time, the Thatchfoord Lodge a nice place to be in Jo´burg with very obliging Nikki and John and the Pom Pom Camp include the flights in/out a dream in an unspoiled breathtaking landscape. The staff, especially Stephanie, City and Kenny creates a delightful familiar atmosphere, the accommodation (we had the best tent in the camp!) highly comfortable and the game drives/walks/mokoro trails absolute impressive. We were in luck and had a pride of lions all the days around the camp, on the mokoro tails we could watch hippos, crocodiles etc.

All in all Pom Pom camp was better than my first stay in the delta in Camp Moremi last year. After our return to Maun we had a self drive trip to the Makgadigkadi Pan. It was absolutely impressive. First I was a little bit disappointed because the pan was still flooded and we could not approach the “Lost City” on Kubu Island. But then we saw flamingos, pelicans and other birds we had never seen before – marvellous! Perhaps you can link in future your safari trips in the Delta with trips to this spot. Back to Maun we went to Simonstown at the False Bay, watched the whales from the balcony of our apartment and had a swim together with the penguins at Boulders Beach. We will recommend island-safari.com to our friends and colleagues and be sure to come back to Botswana (perhaps to Chobe NP and the Vic Falls).

Attached you will find a picture of the Lengert family shoot at the spot where the fish eagle gets dinner in the evening and a picture of Ben after the mokoro fishing trip. All the best Axel, Ben and Stef Berger Lengert

October 2006

Yes, back home a lot of work waiting for us, what a surprise....but it's part of life!
Our stay in Oddballs, even if short, is still fresh in our memory and eyes, as well as the whole time spent in Namibia and Botswana. All our senses are still thrilled by the sounds, landscapes and everyday and simple moments. We would have liked to stay more in Oddballs but...perhaps next time?
We would like to say a special thanks to Cale, our guide, with whom we spent three days in the bush, and we hope you will be able to tell him and give him a couple of photo we hereby attach
Have a very nice day.
All the best to you all!
Luigi and Valérie

October 2006

Dear Mandy
We have returned this morning from our trip to the Okavango Delta, Vic Falls and Cape Town.
I wanted to thank you cordially for the excellent service you have provided us and the most professional arrangement of our excursion, the lodges, the flights, the works.
In Savuti Elephant Camp and in Delta Camp they even greeted us with wine and champagne as they were advised (by you of course) of our celebrating our 40th anniversary this month.
If you would like to have a short impression report on each lodge, I shall be glad to provide you with one.
With best personal regards,
Michael  Komissar

 

October 2006

I am glad to be able to bring a sunshine and lift your spirits in a frustrating day; we all have such days and perhaps the best cure is an excursion to the Okavango.
 
As to the requested feedback, let me do it in a nutshell:
 
Stanley Lodge Zambia
The correct pace to watch the Vic Falls is undoubtedly the Zim side and not the Zam side.
We visited Livingstone Royal Hotel (in Zam) and Vic Falls Hotel (in Zim), both hotels are very impressive, but we have much preferred the Stanley Lodge which was very nice, in a beautiful surrounding; management (Clara) very friendly; room was big, beautiful and comfortable; food could be improved.
 
Transfers
All ground handlings and arrangements were very efficient and polite, from arrival in Johannesburg until departure from Maun.
All air transfers were made by Delta Air and were perfect; the bush pilots are very professional, polite, and with good sense of humour.
Only once we did not have a direct flight and flew from Xakanaxa to Wumbura via Savute Elephant Camp (to collect 2 passengers) doubling the flight time.
 
Savute Elephant Camp
The camp is perfect; accommodation (tents on decks) is excellent, well designed,air-conditioned and have out-door shower; service is superb and elegant yet very friendly. Game drives were good although it was very hot.
Most of all, the managers - Wayne and Sandy, whom we found wonderful, warm, friendly and interesting people. We hope they will accept our invitation to visit and stay at our home in Israel.
 
Xakanaxa Camp  
This camp is what you call "classic". Accommodation (tent) is standard like usual bush camp; no fan in the tents which at noon time is a problem. Public spaces (bar, dining room, boma, etc.) are very comfortable (equipped with fan and water spray). The atmosphere in this camp is very friendly, the managers - Bob and Flo Flaxman were very pleasant and helpful and they have sent to you their regards. The food in Xakanaxa was the best we had during our entire tour.  
Xakanaxa has by far the richest variety of game we have seen in all camps, both predators, antelope and birds.
 
Vumbura Camp  
This camp is extremely luxurius and spectacular; its design is very modern and unconventional, yet very very comfortable; accommodation - wooden hugh rooms each with a sitting corner, out-door shower, wide terrace and plunge pool, the rooms are very detached and are connected by a wooden catwalk.  I guess it's a question of taste whether a safari camp should look so elegant and modern.
Service and food were very good, but the game was not so great (not camp's fault).
 
Delta Camp
This camp is the absolute opposite of Vumbura. Very simple and basic accommodation, no electricity, no driven (Jeep) safaris, but only Mokoro and walking safaris. It should be offered only to tourists who really do not care about the accommodation and comfort and would like to live some bush experience first hand.
The service in this camp was very friendly.
Hope the above is of value to you.
Best
Michael
 

October 2006
Southern Africa was spectacular! Mark and I enjoyed every moment and all the places we visited.

Many thanks to you for all of the preparation. From my first contact to you in 2005 when we first began the planning process, right up until our trip and on our return you've been so responsive, helpful, professional and friendly. You really went the extra mile for us, making sure our trip was tailored exactly to what we wanted, giving us a variety of different experiences, in breathtaking locations in amazing accommodations. All our arrangements: flights, accommodation, transfers, currency, even what luggage we took with us and what medical supplies - everything ran like clockwork thanks to your preparations and your expert advice.
I won't hesitate to recommend you (and Island Safari) by name to anyone planning a trip to Africa!

We were completely blown away by the lodges and camps, in particular: -

Ivory Lodge was perfection for accommodation, it is  exactly as their web site promises, but even more spectacular when you are  standing there. Twice as big as the flat we live in, and twice as well  furnished too! Very contemporary interior design, and very posh - we loved it!  Absolutely gorgeous accommodations in a gorgeous location, and we loved that  they are a small lodge giving such personalised service. Elaine's  team provided excellent service, with attention to every detail. The cuisine  was of the highest standard - well done Chef Jeremy - I wish I could get  his blesbok carpaccio here in Sydney. On game drives we were spoiled  with hot water bottles and blankets on those chilly mornings, and very  civilised drinks and canapés at sundowners. ...as for the game  viewing, our ranger, Harvey, and tracker, Patrick, were among  the best anywhere we have been, we saw an amazing variety of wildlife just in  the first 2 days, elephant, rhino, a heard of buffalo, leopard, hippo,  giraffe, vervet monkeys, tree agamas, bushbok, kudu, waterbuck, of course  impala.... amazing bird life, and the list goes on. I have no idea how  they organised the "room service elephant" that visited us so very closely -  but that was fantastic too!

Camp Jabulani was unbeatable for personalised  service! All the staff under manager Jaco, made us feel very welcome. Our  ranger, Danie, was fantastic! He was entirely at our disposal for the whole of  our stay, and he tailored activities to exactly what we wanted to do. That  poor man did some very long days with us, but didn't bat an eye-lid when we  wanted to get up at 4:30am for a morning drive, (we think seeing the  porcupine was worth the early start though, and hope he did too). Danie  was very knowledgeable and friendly. Chef Rudolf has to get a special mention  too. Every meal served to us was a work of art! Rudolf always had a smile on  his face, and knew exactly what we should drink with his dinners. Rudolf went  the extra mile and typed up some great recommendations for places to dine in  Cape Town, Franschoek, and Victoria Falls. We took him up on almost all of his  recommendations and couldn't fault them. He is also the only Chef I know who  can call a crocodile! I hope Gustav appreciates the way Rudolf spoils  him. The accommodations were wonderful too, very colonial, old-worldy  and beautiful in design! ..as for wildlife, well you can't get much closer  than right on top of the elephants. I felt privileged to ride atop  of huge Sebakwe (star of the Amarula Cream ads) and little Jabulani, (the  camp mascot) himself.

Pom Pom was a great experience. Much less polished,  rather rustic accommodations and cuisine, but Mark and I had the BEST time  fishing with Seretse! I had never fished before, but no sooner had Seretse  explained to me how a fishing rod worked, and had the line gone in the water,  then I had a bite! What fun! Catching bream for us and pike for the fish eagle  was amazing. Seretse tied the pike to some reed, called the fish eagle,  threw the fish into the water to float close to the boat, and the fish eagle  swooped down to claim our gift - an amazing sight! So exciting we had to do  that for both fish eagles we saw that afternoon. Then as time got away  from us fishing, we motored home at twilight, having to dodge hippos on the  way - what a great experience! The other highlight at Pom Pom was that I got  to see some snakes there! As you know, even thought it wasn't the perfect time  of year for it, I was hoping to see serpents somewhere in Africa. At Pom Pom I  saw a python swimming right next to our game vehicle as we returned to  camp one night, and the next day a pair of beautiful little  Western Greens, a little rear-fanged colubrid, slender with big eyes and a  beautiful emerald green in colour. There I was sitting in camp relaxing  under the trees, when suddenly I saw a pair of little eyes looking at me.  These two little cuties were so well camouflaged that if I hadn't seen the  eyes I would have had no idea I was sitting next to these 2 darlings.  Fantastic! I must send you a picture.

There were so many other highlights - the view from Table mountain in Cape Town, the gorgeous scenery and baboons driving around the cape, the Arabian horse-back ride through the vineyards in Franschoek, the ostrich farm, Bob and Flo's camp, Xakanaxa, where Bob had to chase game off the run-way so our charter flight could land, and the Hippos grazing at night near the dinner table, and the water monitor during the day next to the lounge, all the painted reed frogs basking in the morning sun above the water lilies and all the sunsets in the Okavango, the Victoria Falls, the haggling in the market where I swapped a spare pair of trousers for a rhino sculpture, the warthogs in the park, the elephants swimming in the Zambezi next to our sunset cruise boat...

It was an amazing trip!
Thankyou for making it happen for us Patricia!
Very best regards,
Nicole Valmont

 

October 2006

Thank you for your email of 29 September, and we are happy to provide feedback on our tour and experiences with Island-Safari.
Structured as per your bullets below.  Please accept our comments in the spirit of trying to provide helpful and balanced feedback, good and bad.

One aside - we met an English couple at Oddballs, and again on our final flight back from Dubai to Gatwick where we compared some notes on the tour.
Turned out they had also made a late booking with Island-Safari, and also seemed to be happy with their experience.  So perhaps your brand is growing
in UK!
Best regards,
Veronika and Conal Gallagher.

October 2006

We had a wonderful time at Planet Baobab.  The accommodation was clean, the food excellent and the staff went out of their way to be helpful.  The place seemed to be very well managed by George and I would particularly like to recommend our guide Ndubona who took us out to the salt pan for a truly memorable night.
Kind regards
Sorrel Allott

October 2006

We were very impressed with the efficiency and courtesy of your staff during the booking process, particularly with providing information about our tour.
 
The transfers went very smoothly from Maun to Pom Pom (and return).  Pom Pom was everything that we expected, and more (like an elephant in the camp all one day!) and was a wonderful experience.  The management, staff and guides were all very friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable.  Our fellow guests were interesting and pleasant – an added bonus. 
 
Many thanks
Marilyn and Pat Talty

October 2006

The wedding went very well, thank you and everyone seems to have enjoyed the weekend as a whole, all the children (grandchildren) got on well together and
had a great time playing in the pool while some of their mothers went riding.

Thank you for efforts on the holiday front, Chobe was great. The game viewing was mainly of elephants and buffalo but we did see lion as well, was very sorry to hear that they lost the large pride they had some while ago. The food was very good and they mixed la carte with buffet as guest were as rare as the lion on occasion. Still waitting to see my Leapord maybe next time. Not sure I would want to do the road transfer again, it's a bit hit and miss if you have a scheduled flight time to meet.

The weather was a bit disappointing in KNZ but can recommend the 'Albatross' in Southbroom not to be confused with The Albatross in Margate, very small 16 suites all with double bathrooms,lounge and sea facing balconies, very close to the beach and fantastic sea views from the restaurant and pool area. The best bit is the staff who run the place, very very good indeed. Southbroom golf course is also very good, not long but very enjoyable to play and only a couple of minutes drive, again the people who run it are very helpful and friendly.

Kind Regards
Graham & Ursula.

September 2006

I have pleasure in submitting to you the feedback of our travel experience with your company:

- The service I received from your staff (Michelle) was excellent. She was trying very hard to meet our requirements particularly regarding timing and availability. The itinerary,  camp and hotel proposed turned out to be an excellent choice.

- The flights and transfers we had were perfectly organised and on time.

- Our stay at Pom Pom Camp was simply "out of this world" and definitely exceeded our expectations. The warm and cordial welcome of all the staff at Pom Pom is unmatched, right from the landing of the plane all the way through to our departure.  But the people not only were exceptionallly friendly, our personal guide (Vasco) also took great pride in showing us the utmost number of animals, and he really went out  of his way to make our stay an unforgettable experience. Accomodation in the luxury tents is excellent, and the food is delicious. And what more could you expect than waking up with Hippos and Elephants around your tent? And the staff were always present to avoid any dangerous encounters with the animals. Simply super, super, super!

- The Zambezi Sun is a perfect resort in the 3-star category. Rooms are a bit small, but functional. The staff is very friendly and food is excellent. The choice of activities and tours is enormous, from Helicopter flights, Microlight flights all the way to an unforgettable tour to Livingstone Island with a spectacular view over the edge of the falls. Alltogether the experience is highly recommendable.

Thank you very much for organising everything so perfectly. I will recommend Island-Safari.com to my friends.
Kindest regards,
Hansjorg Blauer
Costa Rica

September 2006

First of all, we had a great time at oddball´s and will recommend it to everybody planning to go to Botswana!
The service during our booking process was also very good, we received many friendly and very helpful mails from Patricia.
And the transfers where allright, too. On our flight back it was really "bumpy" due to the wind, but this is nothing you can control
So we are very satisfied with all, the booking and the tour itself.
Thank you very much.
Regards,
Kerstin Röder

September 2006

Dear Mandy, 
I just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our holiday.  This simple sentence doesn’t even begin to describe the depth of the emotions we felt while we were in Mother-Africa; we are still moved to tears here in California whenever we get too reflective about our experiences there.  Every day was a joy whether we were in Cape Town, Zimbabwe or on our riding safari.  And you did your part to make it all so flawless.  We considered it to be a complicated itinerary, but every piece of the jigsaw which you put together for us was perfect.  There wasn’t a single day, hour or minute which was not wonderful.  It truly was a trip of a lifetime and I wish I was leaving tomorrow to start it all over again.
Thea and I have our photos and our memories.  We dream of coming back one day, we don’t know if we ever will be able to afford it, but it something to dream of doing again.  We loved South Africa, what a beautiful country, we loved the people we met in Botswana and we were enchanted by the whole experience.
Thank you for all of your help.  If you ever come to our part of the world, please let us know we’d love to show you our home.
Best wishes from Margaret and Thea

September 2006

The service offered by Verona was simply perfect. Not only perfect and professional, she was on top very friendly and heartly. It was a pleasure mailing with her!
The transfer was perfect as well. In time, our names clearly indicated, proper car, safe driver, friendly driver and very informative - so we immediately booked him for the next day for a tour through Livingstone.
Zambezi Sun:
The hotel is very good and the stay was very comfortable. It is perfectly situated and offers all services you need. Very good breakfast, excellent management attention. However, we  had a problem at checking-in, as expected they provided one double room only instead of two single rooms. Due to the same last names of us, this happens very often to us and that's why I asked Verona to clearly specify it on the voucher. And still... they failed. We have not been really satisfied with the handling of our reclamation and it took some time until we finally got the rooms as desired. But: The manager realized the problem immediately and his attention was perfect, too. As those things happen regularly, it was not a drama, we finally got what we wanted, even if I would have loved to get immediately in my room after a night in the airplane...
We have been very satisfied with our stay in Zambia and we will recommend both, the hotel and your services whereever we can. Thank you for this perfect support and service!
May I furthermore say again thank you for the discount offered to us and that we appreciated this a lot as well. Thank you!
Best regards,
Nora Goldammer

September 2006

What a perfect trip!  We loved all of it and are still amazed that the trip went so seamlessly!
Experience with Island-Safari

The best!  This is why I booked with Island-Safari in the first place.  When I initially approached Island-Safari and a couple of other travel agencies –both online andd local, the most efficient response with the best-presented itinerary was the one that Mandy sent.  As I refined our requests and asked questions, she always responded immediately and was helpful with the information she provided.  I will admit to having a little trepidation about wiring money to an on-line agency.  Although I tried to research the agency and the affiliations, I was unable to find a lot of information.  However, I went with 'gut feeling' and it proved to be correct.  I even appreciated Mandy's recommendation that the original hotel I had booked in Johannesburg might not be in the location that I really wanted to stay (and I changed it and we loved where we stayed – Intercontinental Sandton.)  Mandy is extremely organized and I am the kind of person that really appreciates that! 
Transfers
All transfers were great.  We still cannot believe that everyone was there to transfer us when they were supposed to be there!
Johannesburg to and from Airport – Great! ; Liz is a wonderful person and we enjoyed meeting her and she shared info about Johannesburg with us.
Transfer from Livingstone to Royal Livingstone-Wilderness – Fine and prompt.
Transfer from Royal Livingstone to Chobe Game Lodge- Fine – especially crossing over into another country by boat!!
Delta Air from Kasane to Pom Pom- Prompt and a nice flight, even though two of us were worried about such a long flight in a small plane!
Delta Air from Pom Pom to Maun – FFine.
Air Botswana – Nice airline.
Charter from Djuma to Kruger Airport – Fine.
Nationwide – Fine.
Royal Livingstone Hotel
A beautiful hotel with very well maintained grounds and stunning views of the Zambezi River.  The food was excellent.  A five star hotel and we all loved it including the monkeys wanting to get into the rooms and the other animals roaming the hotel grounds.  The close proximity to Victoria Falls makes it a great location and the local craft market was fun also.  Would recommend booking activities ahead of time rather than waiting to arrive at the hotel.  We were able to book both the sunset cruise and an elephant-back safari (had to go to Zimbabwe though which was an interesting transfer experience) 2-3 weeks prior to arrival, but they were both full when we were there – even the sunset cruise.  Although this hotel is much pricier than the Zambezi Sun, I would pay the difference again as we really enjoyed the atmosphere there and the nice pool area and deck overlooking the Zambezi River.

Chobe Game Lodge
A nice lodge with nice view.  We were served lunch when we arrived and then taken to an orientation meeting for all the new guests.  Our family was handed a schedule, which detailed out all of our activities and times.  These included two game drives per day, plus a river boat cruise between a morning game drive and lunch.  The food was great and dinner was served one night in the boma area with entertainment and the other night in the restaurant.  Both nights were buffet style and the staff was especially accommodating in serving our fifteen year old who is at an age when he loves to eat when he likes the food!  The game viewing was fabulous and the guide, Michael, was awesome.  Loved having sundowners with glass glasses!  Internet access available for a small charge which was convenient to have.
Pom Pom Camp
What a pleasant surprise!  We were worried about the 'rustic' aspects of Pom Pom Camp, but we absolutely loved it!  Upon arrival we were greeted with singing and lemonade.  The manager very thoughtfully realized that with our transfers and timing of our arrival that we probably had not had a chance to eat lunch.  She had the staff prepare a lunch just for us of lasagna, salads, and bread and it was delicious as all of the food was.  The entire camp was very relaxing and the boma area always had a nice fire going upon returning from evening game drives.  The manager made sure that we had a mokoro ride, two game drives, and a boat ride out during our stay.  This was a nice mix, rather than only going on game drives.  The family tent was the perfect accommodation for our three boys.  We were surprised to have hot water in the tent and the battery-operated lights were great! We would definitely recommend this camp, although we will say the game viewing here is not as abundant as it is in other areas.  However, we were awakened one night by four large hippos splashing in the water right outside our tent which was very exciting!  In some ways, we enjoyed this camp the most, just because of the remote location and warm hospitality!
D'Oreale Grande Hotel
Very nice hotel.  Probably would classify it as a 4 star, rather than a 5 star hotel, but that is just our opinion  The first 'non-smoking' room for our boys had definitely been smoked in and they were able to move them to a new room.  Enjoyed seeing the entertainment complex and we had a wonderful meal at Tribes.  The breakfast served was great and included a huge variety of foods.  Very convenient to the airport and a perfect place to stay for a quick stopover in Johannesburg.
Djuma Bush Lodge   
Great choice and definitely a camp I had never heard of before it was recommended by Island-Safari.  The three chalets were nice and my husband and I were given the honeymoon chalet with an outdoor shower and huge bathroom area.  The staff was nice, although the actual manager was away during our stay there.  The food was very good and the grounds were beautiful.  We had GREAT game rides – thanks to Piet (who was on his last game drive and moving too Singita) and Andrew.  We saw all of the big 5 and also arrived right after four lions killed a kudu which was an amazing sight.  The Rubbing Post spa was nice – wonderful massages and extremely reasonably priced as compareed to what we are accustomed to paying.  We all liked the tour of the local villages of Dixie and Utha and were especially impressed at the spirit of the people who lived there even as they live without electricity and plumbing in their homes.  Only recommendation for Djuma is that I would probably prefer that drinks be included, rather than charged separately.  The staff that worked there were all some of the nicest people we have ever encountered with a genuine interest in pleasing the guests.  Would definitely return to this camp!
Overall Impression
We had the BEST vacation!!!  All five of us had a GREAT time!  I think it was the PERFECT trip with a perfect combination of places to visit and sites to see.  I would not change a thing.  We love looking at our pictures and feel like the memories will last forever.  Everyone always says that their trip to Africa was 'the trip of a lifetime'.  We agree, with the following exception- I think we will be returning!  Many thanks to Mandy for her assistance in planning this trip – the suggestions, the patience as we refined where we wanted to go and where we wanted to stay, the immediate responses.  I did speak with others on the trip who had utilized an on-line travel agency and their experience had not been nearly as positive.  My family kept telling me what a great trip it was during the trip.  I kept telling them to wait and see what happened because it was not over yet.  After several years of working in the travel industry in the U.S. I was ready for something to happen, whether it was a misconnection due to a flight delay or an overbooked situation.  I do realize that 'glitches' can happen during a trip, but we were fortunately not subject to any.  If I can ever be of any assistance to Island-Safari in any capacity in the U.S., please do not hesitate to contact me.  Again, we thank you for assisting us with such a great vacation!  It was definitely the best vacation with excellent planning and wonderful people and great places to stay. 
Thank You,
Catherine Rose and family

September 2006

I was recommended by a friend, Jan Basch, to book through Island Safai, because he had received such a good service from you. This was well deserved as Michelle gave us excellent service too. The entire stay in Borswana was fabulous and we thought very reasonably priced.
 
Drotsky’s Cabins is a birders paradise. Our accommodation was super, the ambiance, view and hospitality was great. The food was good. They served us freshly caught bream, which was a treat (after much venison and beef in Namibia). The day trip on the Okavango was fabulous. The guide, Zebra, was incredibly knowledgeable and very informative. He took us to see Xaro’s tented camp (which is stunning), there he searched for my Pel’s Fishing Owl – a very special bird to see. So I was happy.
 
Mena A Kwena – well what can I say other than that this was definitely the highlight of our trip (including the 17 days in Namibia)! It is the most stunning place you can imagine. We saw a herd of about 1000 zebra, which was awesome – and much other game. The food was superb, the ambiance unbelievable. Truly a unique experience. I was worried that my overseas guests would not cope with the “bucket showers”, but they loved it. For them too, it was a unique camp. The camp is built on Kalahari Desert sand and very tastefully decorated. Not having electricity added to the super atmosphere, the food was cooked on open fires and the delicious breads in a sand pit! EXCELLENT! I can highly recommend it.
 
Kwa Nokeng is a border stopover. The accommodation and setting is very nice. The food was acceptable (not great) and it was all we wanted. We actually expected far less, and only 4 hours to drive the following morning.
 
I cannot wait to go again.
 
I am the program coordinator and planner for the Wits Bird Club in Johannesburg. I am responsible for weekend outings and longer trips. It is our club’s 60th birthday next year and so O would love to put together a great trip. Perhaps Michelle can help me again.
 
In appreciation for a wonderful holiday, kind regards and thanks specially to Michelle
Yours truly,
Gislea Ortner

September 2006

We enjoyed our trip to the swamps and the service and facillities were excellent. Thank you.
Susan

Septemebr 2006

everything went to plan. I was most pleased with my dealings with Pat . The transfers were great i.e. on time, clean vehicles pleasant drivers etc.
Stay at Vic Falls Hotel -Great and much appreciated after a camping safari. Metcourt hotel great location for a quick and easy overnight stay in Jo Berg on route to Vic falls early the following day.
 
Kind regards,
Amanda

September 2006

Hi Patricia, sorry about the delayed reply- it's all been a bit hectic since we got home; back to work, school and also we are moving house in 2 weeks!
 
We had an absolutely fantastic time in Africa. Botswana was everything we had hoped and more. Everything went incredibly smoothly and we can honestly say there were no hitches, not even minor ones. Each of our camps was wonderful, but also different so that the experience was varied between one place and the next.  Our 1st night at Xakanaxa we were woken at 3 am by lions outside our tent - extremely noisy but very exciting. We did particularly enjoy Delta camp which of course turned out to be the refurbished OddBalls which we went to 10 yrs ago and the new OddBalls is elsewhere. We saw loads of game of course; the wildlife in Chobe is certainly worth the visit, especially so many elephant.. Leopard was elusive everywhere- something to tempt us back for another trip to africa sometime! The boys enjoyed the wildlife and the camps enormously and still haven't stopped looking in animal books and drawing them. Tangala House was extraordinary with exceptional surroundings and staff.
 
By the time we reached Benguerra Lodge in Mozambique we were really ready for the rest and relaxation on the beach so were glad we'd left it until the end. ( Though the Lawrences were jealous) We had a lovely time there relaxing, snorkelling and even did a dive for the first time in 10 yrs.
 
So all your hard work certainly paid off from our point of view and we can only thank you for your patience and intuitiveness which meant that you organized exactly the trip we were after.  I'm sure we'll be back to Africa and will make you our first point of enquiry. Many thanks,
 
Sue Rutland  ""
 
 
In summary the service we had from Patricia was second to none- I have not dealt with a more obliging, helpful, patient tour operator before.
All of our transfers went very smoothly with no hitches.
My comments above to Patricia summarise my thoughts regarding Xakanaxa, Delta Camp, Tangala House and Benguerra.  Delta Camp in particular had a very personalized excellent service with friendly , eager to help guides and camp manageress- the atmosphere there was wonderful. Tangala House was stunning with superb service. We all agreed we would not have changed anything about the trip if organizing it again.
We also very much enjoyed our stay at The Elephant Sanctuary on our last night of the trip. Again service was friendly  and superb with beautiful food and personal service.  My children really enjoyed the contact with the elephants there and all of us learnt a lot.
 
Many Thanks for a fabulous trip- we will be returning to Africa I feel sure.
 
Sue Rutland

September 2006

Hi Alison
You have such a great job - you have managed to give two people the trip of a life time - Thanks for your wonderful assistance and for meetings us in JHB. Thanks too for your thoughtful gift - well used each day. No words typed in this mail would ever do justice to the time that we had. I would have no hesitation in tell you to send all you clients to Xakanaxa - it was absolutely mind blowing and from the people we met their , far better than all other Okavango resorts.
Kind Regards
GARY KNIGHT

September 2006

On Monday I returned home, following the photo-safari that I booked with your company.
All I can say is WOW!!  What a fantastic trip!!!
I would like to email a personal thanks to Bernie (Camp Moremi), Craig (Savute Safari Lodge Mgr.), and Wolter (Chobe Game Lodge).  I have Bernie's email ID but am wondering if you could pass Craig and Wolter's ID to me.  I believe Wolter is the Environmental Mgr. at Chobe Game Lodge.
Again, I plan to email a hearty "Thank You!" to everyone, and will copy you as well.
Thanks again for a wonderful safari!  Please let me know if I can ever provide a reference or referral for you, as I will be very happy to do so!
Best Regards,  
Ty C. Smedes www.smedesphoto.com    Ty Smedes Nature Photography  4732 72nd Street Urbandale Iowa 50322-1148

September 2006

Alison, we came back home after truly wonderful time. We all loved Benguerra  - being so closed to the beach and feel almost like we were the only ones there. The places in Botswana were all fantastic. Each a little different then the other. I think it was great that we had at least one tented camp experience. If we  were to go there again this is the kind of accommodation we liked most. Of course we have seen most animals in Chobe and Mujenche Lodge was a great place to stay. The atmosphere there was very special and they have really good guides. After that going to Livingston felt to cosmopolitan, but the hotels location is the best there and we made good use of it going to the Falls every day. After going to Zimbabwe side for elephant safari I was glad we did not have to stay there. Thanks for arranging everything so well. We already started talking about getting back to Africa next year. I shall get back to you about it, but I think it could be Namibia. Thanks again – Gosia and the rest of very happy Pilch Family
 

September 2006

The service received from Island Safari during the booking was extremely efficient and friendly with no problems what so ever, Kirstin kept me informed at every moment with regular e-mails.  Upon final payment the itinerary was forwarded that was full of information with nothing left out.  The gentleman who met us at Johannesburg airport (who was running late due to a fallen tree across the freeway and of no fault of his own) contacted us at our hotel to inform us he would be a little behind time. When he turned up he was most apologetic and professional and ensured that we got to the correct check in desk for the flight to Maun. 

The transfers from airport to camps was as efficient as ever with no problems encountered, this part is a highlight of the holiday and it did not disappoint. 

Pom Pom camp was great, clean, tidy and most comfortable.  Nigel and Stephanie are perfect hosts and made our stay welcoming and relaxing.
The food was fantastic!  All staff members were friendly and Swetsi (not sure of the correct spelling sorry), our tracker, was brilliant. 

Memo A Kwena is a fantastic place, a real wow factor to it.  This camp is different to any other we have been to and we all loved it.  Very relaxing, good company, great food and lots to see from a deck chair!

As for Rob Barber who guided us for the whole holiday, he is exceptional!  His knowledge is vast on every aspect and he makes even the mundane of great interest.  He is the perfect host and nothing is too much trouble for him, I would recommend Rob to "everybody" who visits Botswana he made our holiday unforgettable. 

Many thanks and we will be back in Botswana sooner rather than later!!
Regards
Gill Williams

August 2006

I would be happy to comment on your service and have to begin by telling you that the first thing that we did, upon our return to Jo'burg, was to call Mandy and personally thank her for an extraordinary vacation and fantastic arrangements from beginning to end.  The following is a very brief outline to answer your specific questions.
We could not be more pleased with the support and help provided from October 2005 when we first contacted Island-Safari through our final adjustments in July 2006 just before we left the States.  Mandy went beyond our expectations in every case with answers to all of our many questions and competent suggestions as to how we might improve our vacation.
We were amazed at the coordination and timing of the transfers from the first Jo'burg to Livingstone and on every step until we made our flight from Maun back to Jo'burg.  Our land transfer from Stanley's Safari Lodge in Livingstone to Muchenjie Safari Lodge include three land segments and a boat ride across the Zambezi where each ride was waiting for us and courteously transferred us as  effortlessly as a baton in a relay race.  The only delay we experienced was when a mechanical problem grounded our flight from Nxabega to Maun, which lasted all of 20 minutes when a second aircraft arrived to pick us up and deliver us to Maun with plenty of time to spare.
Stanley's Safari Lodge provided us with a beautiful chalet with fireplace and plunge pool and an overall wonderful experience with excellent coordination of the planned activities and the optional itineraries we chose.  The chalet had a beautiful view all the way to the Zambezi and the mist rising from the falls.  All of the activities were unhurried, pleasant and very enjoyable, with the elephant back safari being one of the highlights of our trip.
Muchenjie was not the most luxurious of the lodges, but the staff was extraordinary in meeting our requests and the animal viewing was the best of the trip.  Our boat trip down the Chobe was an adventure with thousands of animals almost within touch.  Sundowners, one of our favorites activities, along the Chobe were memorable for both the sunset and the animals moving around us.
The tent accommodations at Lebala were huge with almost every luxury one would expect in a more urban environment but with Hippos at your porch rail.  The view across the river and bordering plain was magnificent.  The food was beautifully prepared and served and the staff could not be more gracious, knowledgeable or accommodating.  No request could go unheeded.  Sundowners here were also exceptional for both beauty and service.
Xakanaxa was a more modest but very comfortable tent camp with unbelievable food and wine.  Activities there seemed somewhat disorganized, which we attributed to relief management just coming on-board, but very attentive and enjoyable.  The tent overlooked the waterway and hippos came out to lie on the bank by the tents.  Oil lamps and candles in the tents made every night a beautiful and if appropriate, romantic experience.
Nxabega was another luxury sized tent overlooking water with very attentive management and staff.  Game viewing was not as fruitful as other locations, but a night drive produced a beautiful pride of lions and the makoro trip was one of the most relaxing activities of the entire trip concluded of course by sundowners on the water.
One common theme throughout our trip was a "can do" attitude at each and every location.  No request was ever refused or question answered with a bureaucratic reply.  "No" just didn't seem to be in their vocabulary unless it concerned a safety issue. 
Each camp/lodge met or exceeded Lois' vegetarian requirement with delicious meals which were, in most cases, prepared especially for her and shared with other non-vegetarians in the camps.
Virtually all of the guides and trackers were extremely knowledgeable and gracious to a fault.  Even the rare exceptions provided good service and informative game drives.
I would certainly recommend your company to anyone planning a trip to Africa and would feel confident they'd come back to thank me.  I hope that I've answered your request and didn't run on too long.
 
Thanks for everything,

Thom & Lois Shelton
 

August 2006

We are safely back to switzerland. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for having organized such beautiful holidays.  We were very impressed with your organisation: planes on schedules, always someone to welcome us, your prompt response to our request etc..

You make it difficult to find any weaknesses or to give advices on any improvements.
We were very impressed by the hospitability and the kindness of the africans.
M. Andy Rice of Eco Tour was just outstanding. Not only we visited the spots needed to be visited but he showed us also some not tourist spots. Additionally he
has always some very good comments to make and we were
very at ease with him. Please do transmit him our warmest regards.
I have try to call you unsuccesfully because I wanted to tell you this personnally and not trough and e mail.
I shall not hesitate to give your name to anybody requesting some information on safari trips in Africa and shall use your services next time we shall go on your side of the world which we hope is soon.
The western world has quite a lot to learn about the quality of the service.
With our  warmest regards,
Take good care,
Christophe

August 2006

We were more than satisfied with your services.  Prior to our safari, Michelle answered all of our questions patiently and in a timely manner.  She covered all the details so there were no glitches along the way.  The transfers from Gaborne to Maun to Pom-Pom were smooth.  It was a bit frightful on our small charter flight, but a memorable experience.  We LOVED our stay at the Pom Pom Camp.  The guides were fantastic.  They were knowledgable, friendly, and fun!!!  The food was delicious and the accommodations luxourious.  Please keep my name as a reference when future customers ask for feedback.  We have already promoted the camp to several friends.  Thank you for a memory of a lifetime.
Patti

August 2006

Thanks for the email - it's nice to know that you ask for customers' comments.
 
Actually I have nothing but the highest praise for the whole operation - from my first contact with Leslie at Island Safari to waving goodbye to Jack & Eve at Oddballs. 
 
The booking operation was made very easy and Leslie answered every query promptly, helpfully and patiently as going somewhere like Oddballs, you have many very basic questions  - all confirmations came when through when they were supposed to.
 
When we arrived for our plane on the morning of 26/7, we were known about at the Delta offices - always encouraging - and were told exactly when our plane would be going - and it did!  Again everyone most helpful and they offered to keep the bags we were leaving in the offices as the vehicle was not completely secure - kind of them.
 
And then Oddballs.  On arrival we were greeted by Jack who was just what you want when you fly into the wilderness.  He got us into our tent and took us around and was altogether great.  The first night we spent in a tent on the ground as the place was full of a party from South Africa, but when there was space we asked, and were moved to just about the best spot in the camp - again minimum of fuss and just making the effort to be helpful.  The food was good too.
 
And all through our stay, thanks to Jack & Eve, we just felt like we were at home - well, better in fact!
 
The camp was kept beautifully, linen white, tents clean & swept - goodness knows how they do it.  Our mokoro guide was also knowledgeable & enthusiastic for us to see whatever we could.
 
So you can see, you have two very satisfied customers!
 
Thanks for everything
Jennifer Inglis

August 2006

Island-Safari were very helpful during the booking process, especially considering they only had about 2 days notice. They were also helpful in meeting me at Joburg airport and making sure I made my connection to Maun - my flight was very late arriving so this was quite a feat!
 
Macatoo Camp is an exceptional place and I had a very exciting time there! The staff were warm, friendly and very helpful. It was like being part of an extended family. I would love to go back.
Gill Western

August 2006

Our trip was spectacular because of the hard work of Michelle Muller. From the very first email she was a
joy to work with.

I had a few key activities and locations that I wanted to experience and the concept of "Flexible Africa" was one of the things that sold me on Island Safari.

The Ilala Lodge was nice. We met Johnathan who owes the facility and he oriented us to Victoria Falls. The facilities were clean, the staff very nice and the
food very good.

The accommodations at the Chobe Safari Lodge were very nice. There was a diverse selection of activities and they were enjoyable and well organized. I appreciated
having the activities scheduled for the first day or two and then being able to choose on the third day.
Trying to arrive and schedule activities on the same day would have been hectic. My only complaint about the Chobe Safari Lodge is the food. The buffet lunches
were the same every day. The buffet dinners were the same every night. Sure there was one or two minor dishes different but for the most part it was a repeat
of the day before.

My family had never been on a small plane so the flight from Kasane to Pom Pom was an experience that they never want to repeat again. Two of them got sick
and couldn't wait to get out of the plane. This was not any body's fault.

Pom Pom was wonderful. Nigel, Stephanie and the staff (particularly our guide City) made the stay the highlight of our trip. I was a little worried at
first, but the tents were wonderful. They had almost every comfort of home and added to the experience "in the bush". At night you could hear lions, hippo,
frogs, etc.

We did all of the activities except for the nature walk with Nigel and truly loved every one. The staff was very knowledgeable and fun to be with, particularly for my rambunctious kids. I really like the fact that we had the same guide for our entire stay.

I enjoyed sitting with the same people each night for dinner and talking about their activities during the day and getting to know the staff.

Pom Pom Camp did not have a lot of game but the game you saw was a result of tracking by the guides and truly a "safari" experience.

The food at Pom Pom camp was some of the best I have ever tasted. The lamb and the beef were second to none. I enjoyed being able to grab a drink when I was
thirsty and the timing and quality of the meals.

I would recommend that people visit Pom Pom at the end of their trip for a couple of reasons. First, it was very relaxing and the people were very friendly. Second, if you have seen most of the game in Chobe, you are not so worried about it and can enjoy the experience. Third, the accomodations and activities give you the true "bush" experience.

EVERYTHING (accomidations, transportation, etc.) was scheduled and ready for us.

I am very comfortable buying things on the internet and doing business over the internet. Sending $12000 overseas to someone that you have talked to a couple of times on the phone and conversed with via email was a little scary, but everything worked out well.

Tipping in Pom Pom camp was explained but I don't recall a discussion of other guidelines. That is not to say that it was not covered, I just don't recall.

I have only praises for Michelle and our trip and have started recommending to people that they use her and Island Safari.

Sincerely
Todd Christensen

August 2006

We're sadly back at work after the fantastic 2 weeks you organised.  Thank you very much for helping to make our honeymoon so special.
 
Almost all transfers, connections & immigration (16 I think!) went really smoothly, far smoother than I expected.  This took so much of the stress of a complicated schedule off us, thanks.
 
Ntwala lodge - perfect start to the honeymoon, 2 days was just right here as we weren't fishing. Great food. Loads of game and good to see it from a boat rather than a car.
 
Pom Pom - my favourite for sheer relaxation and being away from it all.  There wasn't a lot of game around but we were more after the scenery and feeling of being in the bush so didn't bother us.  The tents, night sounds, really friendly and knowledgeable staff & Stephanie & Nigel's hospitality were superb.  Food was the best of the 3.
 
Benguerra Lodge - setting was wonderful, honeymoon hut was great, the staff, especially the waiters, were superb.  If I had to have a couple of niggles it would be that we felt a bit 'too well' looked after in terms of being approached with suggestions of what to do, evening meals were a bit disappointing, maybe a warning about how windy it is in August - we could only go out on the boat 2 days out of 5 because of the wind.  These are minor niggles and in no way affected the best holiday I have ever had.
 
I was pretty nervous at first using you as we hadn't met, I hadn't been to SA before, etc... but after the trip you organised we'll be back one day and we'll have no hesitation coming to you first as well as recommending you to friends & family.
 
Kind regards
Charles

 

August 2006

I just want to pass on a heart felt THANK YOU to both of you!  The trip was amazing.  Every transfer, lodging, car rental went perfectly flawless.  Leslie, you did a perfect job of hand picking places for us that were perfectly suited to what we were looking for.  And Melissa, thank you for taking over and making sure everything went smoothly (even once we were in South Africa), and putting us in "On the cliffs" in Hermanus.

Djuma was absolutely perfect!  The way that we were a small lodge in the bush and felt a part of nature.  And also how they contribute to the reserve as well as the villages.  Dunkley House was amazing and we were treated exceptionally (we were the only people there).  Andy Rice is an amazing guide, and would recommend him to everyone.  Then On the Cliff Guest house was really a "6 Star" B&B.  It was SO beautiful. 

Then the real adventure started with the rain.  Hlangana lodge & Knysna River Club were nice but the rain dampened the mood at both places.  At least we got to see a real South African flood which not many people get to see.

Thanks so much again, please continue to use all of those places for people and you will never have disappointed customers!!!  We couldn't have asked for a better vacation!!!  OK, maybe a few sunny days at the end.  We would love to come back some day.

Aaron Nagy

August 2006

Wow !!!
What a great time on safari. EVERYTHING was absolutely PERFECT. The accommodations were spectacular, the transportation went off without a problem (although my
family dislikes the small plane from Chobe to Pom Pom and Pom Pom to Maun), the amount of time in each location was perfect.......

Thank you very very much for everything that you did to make this trip an absolute dream for my family.

At first, I was a little worried about my kids at Pom Pom but that was their favorite part of the trip.
Being so close to nature (there was an elephant outside the girls tent one afternoon eating),
Stephanie and Nigel were great hosts, we loved our guides while there.

I understand that you and your husband had a lot to do with the design and running of Pom Pom. Great job.

Once again, thank you for everthing. I will send more business your way and definitely have you book another safari for me again.

I have a few pictures of our trip if you go to www.mykidspage.com and click the link at the bottom.

Keep in touch
Todd Christensen

August 2006
We had a fantastic time on our honey moon.  This was due in no small part to the efforts of your company.  All the camps were excellent.  The accommodation was great as was the food and activities.  We would not hesitate to book with you again and I am busy selling Botswana to anyone who stands still long enough to listen to me rave!!!  In fact I have already passed on your website details to our company auditors.  If you are looking for consultants in New Zealand, please don’t hesitate to contact us……
Kind Regards,
Evelyn & Glenn Arnold

 

August 2006

It has been almost 4 weeks since I returned from my southern african vacation. Sorry for being late writing to you but after a long vacation I got immersed in work and strangled.
The trip was really fantastic, authentic and memorable.Everything was well arranged and the personelle were hospitable..
My wife and I are thankful to you for all the effort you did to make this trip a success.
Dr Mohamed Khalil

August 2006

We are very satisfied with the tour organized by Island-Safari. For the booking, Michelle was absolutely perfect. No problem at all at Joburg Airport where we met easily with your representative. She was very nice and helpful.
Transfers with Delta Air were always on time.
Kwara Camp is definitly the best remember of our 3 weeks trip to Southern Africa. Nice place, very nice people, nice food.... a paradise for photographers.
Elephant Valley Lodge is also a nice place (surprisingly with only 2 out of the 20 tents occupied). The only disadvantage of this lodge is that it is a bit far from Chobe National Park. Otherwise, the view from the camp is superb and the staff is also very nice.
Once more thanks for this superb organization.
Best regards
Alain Besnard

 

July 2006

Sorry it has taken a while to answer but haven't long returned from visiting other parts of Zambia.
We were most impressed by all the arrangements made for us by Island Safaris.
The transfers were great, on time and the drivers were most helpful; in particular, on our early return when we realised we had forgotten the breakfasts the Lodge had prepared and we had to return a little way to collect them.
We had a lovely room at Chobe Safari Lodge, overlooking the river (where I saw a civet cat walking along the fence at about 5am one morning and an absolute host of mongoose playing on the lawn in front of our room one day).  Although Chobe S Lodge is a large Lodge we found the food and service very good.  There is no comparison to the amount of wildlife we saw on the game drives and river drives - about as good as it gets. Cant list all we saw but 3 sightings of lion, loads of elephant, buffalo, impala, rare sights of sable, and so many birds, fish eagles, wildfowl and of course, crocodile and hippo. Monica went on the village tour to Namibia which she thoroughly enjoyed. On one of the game drives there were a couple (mother and daughter from Australia?) who had also booked their tours through Michelle and we were comparing and praising the service we had received.
We were definitely impressed with the service we received throughout and want to thank Michelle particularly for the care she took in handling our booking.  Hopefully you will be hearing from us again if we have the opportunity to visit your areas in the future.....
Regards
Maddy and Monica

 

July 2006

Just had to write to thank you so much for organising our safari holiday, it really was the holiday of a lifetime. It actually exceeded all our expectations which is saying something!
Everything went so smoothly and it was all so well planned. We really feel that we had the perfect holiday -  going to four different places in ten days made it seem all the more exciting and varied. We loved everything; the people, the game, the guides, the accommodation, the food, the different environments, the travelling - the whole holiday was amazing and we'll never forget it.
Thank you so much for everything.
Best wishes
Nicola & family

 

July 2006

The service I receive at all stages of the tour was excellent. All the
bookings and transfers went very smoothly.
The Chobe Safari Lodge and staff were terrific (the room had a bath to
die for which I really needed at that point of my holiday).
The guys at Oddballs were lovely - it was like being amongst family and
friends.
The Metcourt Laurel was nice - it was very handy to the Casino (I
managed to win 100 Rand).
Thanks to all the guys at Island-safari for organising it for me.
Debbie Duncan

 

July 2006

now we are back in Germany since about five weeks - unfortunately.

Here our feedback:

Last year we stayed at Delta & Dessert also in Maun Lodge, Camp Moremi and Savute Safari Lodge and we were very happy there. This was the reason to book this three Lodges again and we enjoyed our stay this year in this Lodges too. And we think we will come back to Botswana in two years. Some friends and clients of us are interested for a Safari in Botswana. So we think we will contact Island-Safaris during the next time.
One of the new Lodges was Modumo Lodge. The new name of Modumo now is Mapula Lodge. This is a very special Lodge and we enjoyed our stay there very much. Modumo-/Mapula-Lodge is situated on a Lagoon and from the rooms you can see a very nice landscape. It is very quiet here and it is a nice place to relax. The Staff and Guide Moses an his team were super! The Lodges are very nice and have special furnitures. This was a very good tip from your company especially from Leslie. Thank you.
The next stop was Xugana Island Lodge. There we stayed for four days. It is also a nice place to relax. The Managers and our Guide accepted this with special games and so we had also a very nice stay on that Island in the Okavango Delta with a special wildlife.
After Xugana we went to Chobe Game Lodge. This Lodge is like a small hotel and so here it is not possible to have a Guide only for a small group because here are staying more guests. It is not a critism for the Guides. It is the situation.
All the transfers organized between Island-Safari, Delta Air and between Delta Air and the Lodges and there Staffs and Guides was perfect.
So we say thank you to your company and Dessert & Delta.
Best regards,
Inge Probst and Gerd Fischer

 

July 2006

We would like to thank you for your excellent organisation of a fantastic and
memorable holiday.
We thoroughly enjoyed visiting the Victoria Falls (the Zambezi Sun was a
great hotel) and Chobe, with the definite highlight being Pom Pom camp in the
Okavango.  The managers of the camp, Stephanie and Nigel, were very welcoming
and made us feel right at home, and run an excellent camp (delicious food and
excellent service), and our guides City, Pilot and Gully were outstanding and
taught us many things about the bush - not to mention the varied and
sometimes rather hairy (scary) game we saw!  We will certainly be
recommending this holiday and Island Safaris to everyone!
Our dream is to be in touch with you soon to plan for the next trip.
Thanks again,
Cathy and Simon.

July 2006

Scott and I wanted to get in touch with you to express our gratitude for organizing such a terrific trip to Africa for us!
Everything went smoothly and we couldn't have asked for better service.
It was truly a trip of a lifetime and we wouldn't hesitate to recommend your services to any and all of our friends.
All the camps were great, we particularly enjoyed our time at Pom Pom and could've even stayed in Livingstone an extra day!
Thanks again!
Gabrielle & Scott

July 2006

We came back from our trip on Sunday.
We want to thank you for the organization of the tour.
Everything was perfect and very professional.
Botswana is a very beautiful country. Camping in the bush in the Delta with the lions roaring during the night was exciting.
And the Victoria falls: simply gorgeous!!!!
We have a website (www.iviaggidelcapo.it) where we describe the trips we make.
We will certainly publish all your contacts and details. The organization was perfect  and you were very kind with us: you perfectly understood what we wanted and you could fulfill our desires.
Meno a Kwena is really a wonderful place, and the people are really fantastic.
Thank you again and hope to come soon to Africa again.
Luisa and Adriano

July 2006

We were incredibly impressed by every aspect of our holiday with Island-Safari.com. Patricia’s help with organizing the trip was terrific, always promptly replying to even the most futile questions and giving us excellent advice. At Johannesburg airport Rob very efficiently assisted us with our check-in for Botswana and gave us a wery warm welcome to Africa. All our transfers went very smoothly and we were always assisted in a very efficient and friendly way. Xakanaxa Camp was well above our wildest dreams, the setting was stunning, the food fantastic, the managers great hosts, the atmosphere friendly and relaxed, and everyone made us feel very special. It was the holiday of a lifetime and Island-safari.com made it truly into a dream holiday. We’ll highly recomment your organization and hope that one day we will be so lucky as to use it again!
Micaela

July 2006

As Gabby says, thank you SO much for helping make this dream a reality for us - everything was just so fantastic!  I wanted to take some time to provide some feedback that may be of use to yourself or other future clients.
 
First and foremost, the pre-arrangements that were done by Island Safari were exceptionally well executed.  Given all the little things that needed to happen for this trip to be pulled off with no glitches, full commendation is due to yourself and your partners (Delta Air & Wild Horizons).  We never had to wait for anyone or wonder where to go or what to do.  Rob was waiting, prominently, for me at JNB, as were Delta Air in Maun, and Wild Horizons in Kasane and at the boat ride and border crossing into Zambia.  There were no problems with visas at the borders, and the Royal Livingstone received us promptly and without any issue.  We were even fortunate to end up with the same Delta Air pilot (Ryan) for 3 of our 4 hops, which was quite nice, if purely coincidence!
 
For the camps, some brief comments:
Pom Pom was the favourite of both Gab & myself.  Arguably the first impression sets the standard, but even in retrospect, there were just little things that suited us a bit more.  First and foremost was the comparative tranquility and privacy.  In the space where Kwara and Lebala would have 3 tents, Pom Pom has 2 - you can neither see nor hear another tent, or the lodge or staff areas, from your own tent, and as we found at the other camps, this was very nice.  The main camp lodge was by far the smallest (maybe half what Lebala has), but again, that accentuated the intimacy of the camp and made it feel more comfortable for Gab & I.  While Lebala had unquestionably the nicest tent (much larger, more amenities), our tent at Pom Pom was very comfortable and with, by far, the best view.  I sat in bed on the first night and watched sunset over the marsh, while the hippos grazed and laughed at their jokes.  Just fantastic!
 
Nigel & Stephanie (and also Cecil who was there to relieve them as they left for holiday) were courteous and relaxed hosts.  Our guides were wonderful, and seemed more attentive and aware of when the vehicle should stop and start.  The drives themselves were also more relaxing than the other camps.  This was largely due to the nature of the trails... at Kwara and Lebala, there is a LOT of soft sand, and that makes for much rougher going.  At those camps, you had to pay more attention to staying seated and looking ahead to see what was coming.  At Pom Pom, you didn't have that pre-occupation, and it allowed you to enjoy your surroundings and focus on identifying the birds and looking for game.  Pom Pom was tops for birds, which we became quite excited about - probably not something we would have thought about ourselves prior to leaving for Botswana, but it was quite fun to go through the checklist of birds and try to spot and identify all that you could!
 
Without doubt, Lebala has the best game viewing.  We saw the widest variety of species at Lebala, and most were found with relative ease.  Another nice thing is that, where at Pom Pom you might see 1 or 2 giraffe or elephant, at Lebala you would see large herds of 10, 15 or more - and that is always impressive!  The lodge and tents at Lebala are very impressive as well.
 
Kwara was unique in also being able to offer the boat tour in addition to game drives and mokoro, and that was quite something!  Game viewing was very good, including a number of species not seen at the other camps (i.e Sable Antelope, Lechwe, and others).  At Kwara, it seemed that you could easily notice the "goings on" of the camp - the kitchen, the maintenance areas, etc. - and while not a problem, it was something that was not apparent at the other camps.
 
The food was excellent everywhere.  I would say that Lebala had a slight edge, while Gabby preferred Pom Pom.
 
As with any trip, the people you meet can make all the difference.  We met wonderful people, staff & clients, at all 3 camps.
 
The one thing we would like, although we understand why it is difficult, is the ability to get out and walk.  Your mobility is very restricted, for obvious reasons, and while we did have a very short guided walk at Kwara as part of a mokoro outing, we did find ourselves going a bit stir-crazy at times with the lack of exercise.  We also appreciate the "tactility" of walking and the connection it provides to the land - seeing your footprints beside those of an elephant, and running hands through the grass or touching some of the plant leaves really helps to make the experience more real by using all your senses.  There's also the additional freedom to photograph at will.
 
My apologies for the long note; I hope it is useful for you!  If you have any questions, or would like to pass our name to prospective clients for referrals, please don't hesitate.  We are eager to sing the praises of Botswana, and Island Safari.  We certainly know who to contact for future travels.
 
Cheers,
Scott & Gabrielle.

June 2006

A quick mail to thank you again for your help on organizing this trip. The clients came back enthusiasts and full of wonderful memories. I have yet to see the pictures and learn more, but so far the feedback is great. Hope we will have the opportunity to work together again, until then take care
Paul STASSE

June 2006

Our holiday was spectacular.  Quilalea was the perfect spot for a honeymoon – so pristine, remote and relaxed.  It was the ultimate barefoot luxury, we felt so pampered but nothing was overly fancy or trying too hard.  The staff was great – our villa was out of this world and there were so many fun activities to enjoy.  The food was fantastic, unbelievable seafood.
Our booking process was easy and the agents were extremely helpful with information.  Our transfers were very easy as we had a lot of assistance.
Many, many Thanks,
Wendy

May 2006

We were very impressed by the sevice Island Safari gave us, we were pleasantly surprised to find your representative at Cape Town Airport with our onward Air Botswana tickets because we were led to believe we would have to collect these at the Air Botswana desk.
All the transfers worked very well.
We really enjoyed PomPom Camp and will go again and recommend it to our friends.  The game is not in abundance but is of very high quality and the tracking of it is more fun than finding loads on your doorstep.  There were magnificent regular sightings of a Pels Fishing Owl and chic, leopards, lions and elephant, including sundowners in the bush with a herd of elephant. Bird life was remarkable.
Nigel, Stephanie and their crew looked after us very well indeed and we liked their method of a long early morning drive followed by brunch and a long evening drive with sundowners in the bush followed by a night drive. The opportunity to go fishing with Nigel and feed fish to the Fish Eagles, for superb photography, was most enjoyable.
They also prepared a birthday cake for Margie and supplied champagne on her birthday, which was greatly appreciated.
Thanks and kindest regards
Rob Bertram

May 2006

Patricia, 
I can not begin to tell you how wonderful my trip to Botswana was.  Everything including the camps, the food, the people, and most of all the amount of game I saw was awesome.  I can not think of one thing that would have made an improvement on this trip. 
Everything concerning the scheduling went like clock work.  Even Air Botswana went according to plan.
Thank you so much for all your efforts in putting this trip together.  The only thing I regret is that we did not run into one another during the time I was in Botswana so that I might thank you in person for this wonderful adventure.
Thank you again,
Andrew Corley

May 2006

My package through Island-Safari was excellent! The service from Michelle was detailed, very prompt and she was very good at helping me sort out what I wanted and how best to put it together- I was very impressed.
All transfers were seamless- not a single hiccup. Just one small note, when I arrived in Bots from the Kazungula ferry my name was not on list to be picked up, it was not an issue in any way though, because the driver had no hesitation in taking us to Chobe Safari Lodge.
The Zambezi Sun is a lovely property and its accessibility to the falls is great, especially if you only have a short time to visit as it was for my visit. All staff were pleasant, especially those in the restaurant/bar. Dining options were limited for dinner (although this did not surprise me as I read reviews about this). The night we had dinner only the buffet was available by the pool, and at US$33 per person I felt that it was over priced considering the quality and selection. The dining room was closed and ordering a la carte was not available.
Chobe Safari Lodge was amazing- game viewing is truly the highlight. Again from check in until departure the staff were all very helpful, front office, housekeeping and F&B staff. The safari rooms are beautful, I could hear hippos before dinner one night. The food was fine, again I had done some additional reserach about the property and I knew what to expect. The buffets offered many choices, the area around the food was always very clean (I found there to be a lot of bugs at Chobe- not just at the hotel, but everywhere, and not mosquitoes just all kinds of flying bugs!) The quality of the food was quite good- not a prime selling feature of this property but definitely offered enough options to keep most people happy (I have a couple of food allergies and I found the staff to be accomodating, I also am picky and work in the Beverage Alcohol industry so I have pretty high standards). The highlight of the Chobe Safari Lodge is definitely game viewing, especially by water. CSL  did not disappoint in any way, my activities were all outstanding and would recommend this property to others without hesitation. It offers excellent value at considerable savings to the private lodges nearby that may offer better food but the game experiences at Chobe Safari Lodge are second to none.
I must admit that I had some reservations about using a SA based internet company, that was not registered with the Canadian Travel Agents Insurance Industry but by paying with a credit card it alleviated my concerns (the credit surcharge is a little steep). Having said that, I would book with your company again and would recommend it to others. I hope to return to Southern Africa with my husband in 18-24 mos.
Again, I was entirely happy with my Island Safari experience and thank you for ensuring that I had a fabulous experience in Zambia and Botswana.
Mary Cancilla

 

May 2006

Let me apologize for not emailing you sooner, but the 3000+ emails and phone calls waiting at my job, combined with the jetlag have me a little crazed.  The trip was amazing!  I'm headed away for the long weekend and will be feverishly working on my travel blog to send my friends.  I will send you the link when I'm complete with some comprehensive feedback.  Thank you so much for everything...this is a trip I will remember the rest of my life!
Lesley

May 2006

I'm sure Jeff will want to reply to you too. This is my first chance at the emails!! Catching up with all the hoo-ha takes so long.
However, I wanted to say we are extolling your virtues to everyone. We were so impressed with all the organization. Everything ran like clockwork, so there were no panic situations.
All transfers went so smoothly. We were expecting visa problems, but you had organized all those. Fabulous. There was always someone to pick us up.
Chundakwa was just what we wanted. Peace, beautiful setting, yet interesting communication with Glynn, who couldn't have been nicer. Absolutely at our beck and call, and filled every minute with a variety of activities. Victoria Falls, fantastic at this time of the year, helicopter ride - over the falls and then cross country down into ravine and along just above the Zambesi, walk over the bridge into Zimbabwe, game park to see the rhinos - wow!! Didn't see Doug, but that didn't matter. All the staff extremely courteous and friendly.
Our transfer over the Zambesi to Botswana again went smoothly. Thank goodness you had arranged that we go by boat, and not car. There were at least 100 semitrailers either side waiting for the ferry, so we could have been there for hours. The staff stayed with us until we boarded.
Chobe Safari Lodge was a surprise. We didn't realise what luxury we were to have. Lovely. Rooms perfect. Sunset River Cruise, game drives, private boat, all revealed sightings of interesting animals. We even were attacked by a hippo on the sunset cruise. Thank goodness not in the small boat!!
Pom-Pom also was just the right atmosphere. Nigel did dampen our enthusiasm at the start telling us there would be no walks, ( he reminds me of Basil Faulty!) but the animals we did see were extra special because we had to look for so long, hence giving the feeling of more natural environment. Seeing the leopard on the last morning was extra bonus. However, I do feel that the advertising for this place is a little misplaced. Not your fault, but since the walking was what we were looking forward to most this trip, it was a bit disappointing. I did get the impression that Nigel just didn't want to do it because honestly, the animals were so few and far between, we could have walked for an hour without seeing anything, and been perfectly safe. But he is the boss. However, do please find us a walking one next time!!
It was lovely to meet up here with Patricia Ko, from Rutherglen. What a delightful person, and an asset to your company.
So, many thanks for arranging our very enjoyable holiday.
Elizabeth Muller

May 2006
At last there is a moment to tell you about our fantastic holiday.  We loved every minute of it, including our very luxurious business class seats on SAA.  These are things one could rather easily get used to !
The flights were all fine, and Mario got us excellent seats.
The connecting flight to Vic Falls was on time but as you probably know, you queue up for ages to get visa and immigration formalities out of the way.   The Victoria Falls Hotel is a magnificent place and immaculately tended in every aspect, inside and out.  It is almost like a museum with the wonderful furniture and pictures of Empire!  It was ideal for us as,  after the long journey, a rest and a swim we could walk to the Falls. And they were FANTASTIC!  In full flow after the winter rains they were absolutely spectactular, living up to their name of 'the smoke that thunders'.  I had recently read a biography of our kinsman David Livingstone which made the visit more interesting.  But the grandeur of the hotel and willingness of the staff cannot hide the fact that it seems to be in decline.  Apart from a visiting group from Zambia just over for dinner, the hotel seemed very empty and obviously is suffering dreadfully from the country's political regime.  I would say that apart from the visiting group who ate on the terrace, there were only around 30 other diners in the evening in the buffet restaurant including us.  We suspect that considerable economies have been made in the kitchen since the food was definitely well below the standard of the rest of the hotel.  Maybe other guests had found an alternative for dining!  But as an experience and as a place from which to view the Falls it was perfect.
The next day at 8.30 am we were just beginning to move lazily towards breakfast when we got a call that the driver was waiting to take us to Kasane (not at 11 as we expected).  We had to grab something from the breakfast table and pack up in 20 minutes  as obviously the flight time had been moved.  In the end it was not really a problem and we enjoyed the drive to the airport through the park.  The little charter planes that we got to and from the camps were fantastic - a bit scary on the first trip but we got used to them and came to really enjoy them. 
All the camps were really superb in their own way, and exceptionally friendly.  Craig and Janine at Savute were great hosts and having been tipped off about our anniversary (!) left a bottle of champagne in our room which was really sweet!  This message seemed to have been passed down the line subsequently, along with my food allergies, so very much appreciated!  We loved the accommodation in Savute and also being so close to the waterhole where elephants came to drink.  There weren't quite so many as usual I think, as the rains had been long and heavy, so there was plenty all over the area.  We saw our first lions really close up and had a great driver/tracker in Eddie.  The atmosphere in camp was great, very much due to Craig and Janine's informality and willingness to chat about life in Savute.
 
Kwara was the best camp in some ways, with such dedicated trackers and guides, as you had said.  Also Mel the manager was fantastic, and had time to chat as well as dealing with the problem of a truck full of provisions that had broken down half way from Maun!  We loved being near so much wildlife and hearing the sounds of the bush at night, with hippos grunting and the occasional elephant trumpet.  Mel and partner Grant will be starting up Little Kwara soon, and that sounds as if it will have better accommodation and all the benefits of the main camp in terms of wildlife.  We really enjoyed the mokoro trip and the sunset boat trip,  though some Canadians had had a scary experience with hippos.  We trusted our guide Thabo completely, and he was very reassuring!  We had some great encounters with lions there too, as well as the other larger animals, giraffes, zebras, elephants etc though no leopards.  It was generally thought that the game there was not as prolific as usual during the time we were there.  The night drives were a real experience, though we didn't actually see anything we hadn't done in the day time, but being out under the stars was exciting in itself. 
Again at Kwara, the fellow guests and all the staff were exceptionally friendly, and separate dishes were cooked for me without peppers!.  The food, as in Savute, was excellent and the relaxed attitude over the 'help yourself'  bar contributed to the good atmosphere.  We felt Kwara was definitely the most 'serious' of the three camps as far as the guests were concerned, who knew what they wanted to see and had prepared themselves beforehand.  In general we found that nearly everyone else was following the circuit of a particular group of camps like D&D, Kwando or Sanctuary, whereas of course we did 3 separate ones.  We felt our choice was the right one, not made specifically to be different but because of what we wanted to see and to vary environments.  But it proved good also because we met different people in each one, whereas those on a circuit tended to follow each other around.  Also we heard lots about many other camps.  Lagoon and Labala seemed very popular! 
We were very lucky to go to Chiefs camp last, as we saw an intensity of game there that was incredible - after that, the other two would have seemed disappointing.  On our first afternoon game drive there we came across a mother leopard with two 3-4 week old cubs who didn' t mind us watching her playing with and suckling the cubs in the sunlight for over half an hour.  We could have watched all afternoon!  Just after that we came on a pride of lions with two males, three females and two young cubs (2-3 months).  It was unbelievable, we were trembling with the emotion of  such sightings all inside an hour!   Over the next couple of days we saw another huge pride of lions over near Mombo camp as well as other pairs of lions here and there, another leopard, herds of elephants, zebras and giraffes, though not a rhino !  One day near sunset we watched 3 lionesses and a lion encircling a herd of impalas ready for a kill, but the dopey lion went and spoiled it all by breaking cover too soon, afterwards receiving a cuff on his face for doing so!
So yes, Chiefs island confirmed itself as 'predator capital' of Botswana for us, and it was really worth paying the extra just for the game viewing!  The camp was superb and we did I confess enjoy the luxury of having a proper division between bedroom and loo/bathroom!  It was more formal in terms of dining, and we were just as happy with the buffet style of the other 2 camps, but the food really was a cut above, including the different types of home made bread.  Sometimes we had to pinch ourselves that we were in the middle of the Bush! 
The other guests here were mostly middle-aged to elderly Americans, and not as 'serious' about game viewing as in the other two camps.  All seemd to be on the Sanctuary circuit, but not always aware of why or where they were going.  We were in fact extremely lucky in that among our jeep-mates were two delightful New York lawyers with whom we had lots in common and whom we hope to meet again, but I think this was a real stroke of luck.  Again the staff at Chief's were very friendly and our guide/tracker really professional.  One small point here: all the rooms at Chief's are being refurbished (allegedly to keep upsides with Mombo) and this work is ongoing, due to finish in June.  We were told on arrival there would be quiet during the siesta hours, and on the first day in fact it was very noisy.  After we complained the work stopped, and did not resume during the siesta during our stay.  But the management are obviously under pressure to get the work completed quickly, so if you have people going there in the next couple of months it might be worth asking for reassurances that this period between 12.00 and 3.30 is kept silent, as with long and energetic game drives I think one does need to rest then. 
It seemed a needless exercise to refurbish as the rooms were lovely as they were, but the competition obviously dictates!
Our hop to J'burg went fine, and the hotel had strewn a large heart made of red rose petals on the bed with a welcoming card for our anniversary!!!
The Benguerra trip was just ideal and exactly what we had hoped for - an idyllic spot, totally peaceful and beautiful with complete relaxation!   Staff did everything to make us feel welcome and accommodate our wish to do as little as possible!  In fact we did go on a snorkling/diving trip and I had a dive with their excellent instructor Ben, before we went on to climb a sand dune on Bazaruto and look at the shells on Pansy island.
We loved all the seafood in the Lodge, and the general standard of food was excellent.  It was more difficult to speak to the local staff as their English is much more limited than of course is the case in Botswana, so getting to know them was more difficult.  The rasor clams unfortunately stop one swimming when the tide is right down, but at least there is the small pool for a plunge to keep cool.  By the way, we also got non proprietary brands of drinks there included so we could chose from a limited range beers, wines etc, which was more than adequate!
The room was very attractive but, (as we offered as a suggestion in their questionnaire) we do prefer something more than a flimsy curtain between bed and loo area if possible. Perhaps it's just that we are old fashioned!.    We had no problems with mosquitoes at night at all, as the nets are very efficient and they also spray I think, although one had to lather up if going on a walk along the beach at sunset when the mozzies get busy!  We didn't mind having raffia blinds instead of doors and windows, but we live in the country and are used to spiders and bugs generally.  I had to eject a few juicy earthworms from the bathroom occasionally and didn't mind at all but if anyone is really afraid of bugs it might not be the best place to be.
As you may know the airstrip on Benguerra has been closed for a few months due to being flooded so we got a boat to and from Vilanculos.  The journey back was smooth and comfortable and the sea calm, but the sea was rough and it was windy for the outgoing trip, and we were in a very small boat being strongly buffeted against the waves.  We were fine and not remotely seasick but some might have been.  Also it's useful to have a hat and sunscreen for that journey of 35 minutes during the hottest part of the day. 
I saying these things not at all as a complaint, as I hope you realize, but because it may help you to advise your future clients. 
 
Everywhere we went we sung your praises to the skies, Mandy, and will continue to do so with our friends here.  Your advice on each aspect of our trip was absolutely spot on and, as we could tell, founded on personal experience and knowledge of the areas we visited.  Sometimes people were surprised that we had entrusted our money to an Internet company, but all we could tell them was that we had struck up an immediate bond of trust with you and that your responses to our questions had been so immediate and practical that it seemed natural to go with Island-safari. 
All I can say at this point is that we hope with all our hearts that we will go back to Botswana, as we loved the people and the country. We would also love to visit your country, South Africa, as we have heard more about it from your kinsmen that we met on the trip.  But all that is in the longer term future!  For now thank you again for all your hard work, and please quote us or ask us to be referees if you ever want a testimonial.
With fond wishes from Nigel and myself
Alison

April 2006

I can say that the we received excellent service from Island Safari – good responses and detail to questions raised.
 
With regard to transfers – it was nice being met – however we actually know J’berg airport really well – been there about 8-9 times already with various business and personal trips – perhaps this could be optional depending on the visitor – the person meeting us was lovely so we had good chat about things.
 
Rileys – good hotel – reasonable standard – all other guests had been booked their via their agencies in other countries so worked well for us to start out trip with CC Africa.
 
CC Africa Tour – where do we start – exceeded all expectations – superb service, well looked after and great guide with excellent knowledge. Saw nearly all African mammals – amazing – felt more like living in a wildlife program than just a holiday safari. We have given them feedback on the trip – which was well run and comprehensive trip of Botswana. All guests still feel that it would be nice to add one more lodge stay – the last 8 days of camping could be split. Still enjoyable though. Most people are active – perhaps some extra active options would be nice – eg more walking or similar.
 
Deception Valley – very good – my colleague and I feel that in some parts its starting to look tired but still a very good standard and excellent service – couldn’t fault that.
 
Matesti River Lodge – an excellent way to finish our trip and wished we stayed at least one extra day to enjoy this place. The service was exemplary – no detail missed. Accomodation was excellent and enjoyable.
 
Everyone was very impressed with CC Africa trip – the way it was run, the people, the accommodation, the itinerary I would most certainly consider having another trip with them and will be recommending them to friends.
 
I have already mentioned to friends about booking trips to Africa via Island Safari – considering my next trip – possibly next year!
 
Many thanks for you help
Gill

April 2006

The service I received from Patricia was first rate - from the moment that I fired off my first email until I decided on where and when I stayed she replied to my queries promptly and gave me excellent advice. 

My situation was probably a little different to most.  My primary reason for traveling to Africa was for work.  I spent a week in Cape Town and then Jo'burg and could only spare a weekend away as I had to be on the Monday flight back to Sydney.  I was a little concerned about traveling to Botswana on my own and booking on the internet. My fears were put to rest when I first arrived in Jo'burg on Thursday enroute to Cape Town and was met by your representatives who handed me the Air Botswana tickets as Patricia had arranged. 

I left Jo'burg the following Thursday and was met at Maun and transferred to Camp Moremi.  I am actually a pilot myself so I absolutely loved flying from Maun in a Caravan and back in a 206 - they are very good bush pilots - trust me I know.   I was most impressed by the staff at Camp Moremi.  At all times I was made to feel very welcome.  The guide, Lucky, and the camp management made sure I was always taken care of.  In fact, I felt a little special. 

I have been to Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Namibia over the years so I felt I knew what to expect of Africa.  I absolutely adored the Okavango and Camp Moremi and know that when next in Africa I will head back to Botswana.

So thank you again - my work colleagues and family are very jealous - when I am next in Southern Africa I will definitely extend my visit to take in other parts of Botswana. Regards

Liz Bamber

May 2006
Everything was SUPERB.  We're definitely coming back and recommending you (and Dinarobin) to our friends (just don't take it as an excuse to spam my e-mail box)
Regards,
-Nestor-

May 2006

Sorry to take so long replying, but it has been busy since arriving home - and the holiday now seems such a distant memory.

Organisation We were impressed with Michelle's planning. Every connection or timing she said would happen did  happen! The itinerary was comprehensive and accurately described all the transfers, accommodation and activities. We were met exactly as informed at Johannesburg airport by Pauline and were delighted she was able to bring forward our connecting flight to Livingstone without any difficulty - something we probably wouldn't have achieved, and so welcome to save hanging around longer than we had to in airport. Connecting transport there as promised at airport. Transfers to Elephant Valley also absolutely on time. The  little "ferry" across the Zambezi was an added bonus! We were also grateful for Michelle arranging alternative flight when Air Botswana cancelled Friday service from Kisane to Maun. What they'd not told you was they'd also cancelled the connecting 15.00 flight from Maun to Gaborone as well! In fact no problem getting on the 17.00 flight, which took off (almost) on time - to the surprise of various other passengers who clearly used the service regularly!!! The Charter Flight was certainly an experience! The small Cessna was clearly ageing, but gave a close view of the ground. We had to land in a remote airstrip to collect 2 other passengers as well, again an experience landing on a dirt strip in the middle of nowhere - one which Vera isn't keen to repeat too soon!

Stanley Lodge Can only be described as outstanding. We have never seen, let alone stayed
in, such an amazing place. The room allocated (number 10) didn't actually have a plunge pool, but did have the most amazing views and a lovely open air bath. Enjoyed watching sunset from the bath! Fantastic tranquil setting, with such attentive and friendly staff. Best service we have experienced anywhere.
Only regret was we had too short a stay. Very quiet when there (they'd been busy over Easter) with just 2 other huts occupied, giving an incredibly relaxed atmosphere and highest level of service. The guides who took us to Victoria Falls & the traditional village were also friendly and knowledgeable. The final night meal hosted by manager Pascal was entertaining and excellent - would love to have been able to say another couple of nights to really relax and take in such a beautiful setting and lodge; two nights really wasn't enough, except to make us want to return. Our thanks and congratulations to Pascal and his equally helpful guest relations manager who ensured a brilliant first experience of Africa at it's best.

Elephant Valley Lodge We were the only guests there for both nights so had been allocated what must be the best location - tent 20, at the front edge of the camp overlooking
the water hole. (If we had been allocated one of the older tents around the pool area we'd have been disappointed, as they couldn't offer the same feeling of being in the bush that we were able to briefly experience.) There areactually 20 tents in use, of which we had one of the newer ones. Shaun, the manager, is clearly upgrading the camp facilities, getting perimeter electric fence installed and in process of having a new thatched bar/dining area built at the
time we were there. However, as the only guests we got outstanding & very personal service. We essentially got our own private guide for 2 days, something we couldn't otherwise have afforded, and he ensured we got maximum exposure to all that was available - winter closing time 90 min earlier than summer for the Chobe Reserve. We were impressed by his knowledge and thoroughly enjoyed our time in Chobe because of his enthusiasm and efficiency. The final morning we opted to drive along the valley from the camp to the Kasane airport as there wasn't really time to go back into the park. Again we were amazed how helpful Shaun was. We just though that we would have to forgo the planned early morning game drive, but Shaun clearly wanted to fit the activity around our schedule in any way we wanted - again a level of service we've not experienced before. The valley drive was again excellent, different to the park visits, with wild dogs & vultures circling a recent kill - an exceptional end to an exceptional experience.

Gaborone The hotel we stayed in (Grand Palm) was excellent & can be recommended to any of your other clients. However going back to a conventional hotel after to
the individual approach of the 2 lodges we had just visited was quite a contrast! Difficult to find much out about the city - very little tourist information & unable to get even a proper guide map until just before we left. Certainly not the level of customer care and attentiveness we'd experience in the two
lodges you had selected for us, but never can compare in a bigger venue. The
wedding we attended was colourful and an enjoyable experience. Our flight out of Gaborone went on time and gave plenty of time to shop in Johannesburg airport and enjoy a last meal in Africa - which we are glad we did as Lufthansa's in-flight meals on the way home were among the worst we've experienced for in flight catering.

Overall We booked with your company because Island Safari was the only company to reply with a proper price and itinerary after an initial enquiry in January to
various web based agents. We asked for something special and got just that.
Michelle's pre-departure info was excellent and accurate. All the arrangements/rearrangements went exactly as itinerary. Email correspondence does lose the benefit of direct person to person contact, so we're sorry not to have met the person who made all the arrangements. We have praised Island Safari to our friends and would certainly hope to visit Africa again.

Please than Michelle and the staff at the two Lodges she selected forensuring a thoroughly amazing and unforgettable experience for our first taste of Africa.

John & Vera

 

April 2006

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Pom Pom Camp and Deception Valley.  The service from Island Safari staff could not be faulted.  Everything was answered expeditiously and our transfers all went smoothly. The two camps gave us a superb time - very friendly and personal - and a great deal to see every day.  Standards were uniformly high - and comfortable.  Three nights at Pom Pom and two nights at Deception Valley was just about right for what we wanted.  I am a keen birdwatcher,  and all the guides went out of their way to show me birds of interest - among all the other sights. I can highly recommend this particular combination of camps as a package for anyone wanting a little more that just the 'Okavango experience'. Kind regards,

Ian S. Fraser

April 2006

We went in the middle of March. Pom Pom Camp was not our only destination in Africa. We also traveled to Victoria Falls and to the Chobe National Park. They were all wonderful, each in their own unique way. My wife and I loved Pom Pom Camp for a number of reasons. First was the excitement of sleeping in tents out in the middle of nowhere (yet the tents are unbelievably comfortable). I also got a kick out of the open showers. The first night in camp, my wife stayed up all night because she sensed she was going to see a hippo come up from the river, between our tent and the next. It never happened, but it sure sounded like it might. They were grunting and growling all night.

We loved the setting of the lodge. We loved the food, the way it was prepared and the way it was served. The open bar was very handy, and the fact that they did our laundry was unbelievable. We found the pool to be a wonderful way to cool off during the heat of the day.

Our guides were wonderful and made us feel like we were their special guests on each tour. Whatever we wanted to do or see, they made sure that it got done. Three things amazed me: The sound of silence during the heat of the day, the brilliant stars at night during our night drives, and actually seeing the complete Milky Way for the first time in my life. Sunsets were gorgeous. Night drive cocktails and hors d'oeuvres were alot of fun.

Please keep in mind that my wife and I were on safari for 6 days, and I had business for 6 days in Johannesburg. I needed some down-time and time to relax and be pampered. Pom Pom Camp was all of that...and more. Nigel and Stephanie (your hosts) are willing to cater to your every need. And they enjoy the fact that they live without the Internet and without cable TV. It took me a day or so to get used to those comforts of home not being available in the camp. I just wish I had left my "city lifestyle" at home earlier and enjoyed a world where CATV and the Internet don't exist. If you go, give up all of your home lifestyles, and just go with the flow of what Botswana and the Okavango Delta have to offer.

My wife and I travel internationally quite a bit. There are not too many places that we go back to often (except for Paris). Pom Pom Camp would be one of those places in the future. Also, I have never used Island-Safari before. I found them on the Internet as well. They were wonderful. They delivered what they said they would, they delivered it on time. All of their representatives were wonderful and very accommodating. They treated us extremely well. I will use them again and again in the future.

Enjoy it. Pom Pom Camp is different and wonderful, even though it is in the middle of nowhere. You won't believe what they have to offer until you've gotten there to enjoy it.

If you go...when you get back, please drop me a note to let me know if I have described it fairly (or if I'm out of my mind). Send me some pictures as well.

Travel safely!

Regards,

Dale Sugerman - an email he sent to a prospective client who wanted a reference on us and Pom Pom Camp

April 2006

I am writing to thank you very much for organising our travel itinerary in Botswana last week.  We had a fabulous time both at Pom Pom Camp and at Deception Valley.  The staff could not have been more pleasant, efficient and professional,  and the hospitality was warm and indulgent!  The guides had excellent local knowledge,  and were able to meet all my requirements as a keen birdwatcher.
I am grateful to you for recommending both of these destinations.  Botswana is a really interesting country and I am sure that we will be back one day.
With kind regards,
Ian