Comments April - July 2008

July 2008
I would like to say that the service from your staff was absolutely first class. The help I received in the late booking was fantastic. The whole tour went brilliantly with the transfers and my time at Khwai River Lodge superb. I would certainly recommend and use your company again and stay at the river Lodge when I return to Africa, hopefully very soon. This was my first time to Africa and the friendliness of the people was the best I have ever had.
 
Regards
Joe Marston

July 2008

We have a great time and were very sorry to leave.
 
Transfers were punctual and efficient. Only comment would be to advise clients to take travel sickness tablets as I got quite ill on the plane.
 
Oddballs Camp was a stunning setting and we loved the thought that had gone into the design. Everything really was placed to appreciate the setting. THe staff were really friendly and relaxed.
 
We were particularly impressed with the food in the camp. We thought it was of a really high standard.
 
The booking process was really hassle free and they were really accommodating and flexible. Planning the tour around us and exactly what we wanted.
 
Many thanks for giving us such an unforgettable experience. We hope that we can go back soon.
 
Many thanks,
Christina Budd

July 2008
Thank you for your e-mail. We enjoyed very much our tour!

The service we received from Island-safari.com staff during the booking process was excellent and very helpful, especially Mandy! It was the second time we booked a tour with you and we certainly will do it again and recommend you to our friends!

Lugenda and Medjumbe (this one recommended by Mandy) are really fantastic and we'll be back! Matemo is also very good, but the quality of the service is not outstanding if you compare it with Lugenda and Medjumbe. All the transfers were ok too.

Thanks a lot for your cooperation, it was a wonderful tour!

Best regards,
Pedro Palhinha

July 2008
The service from Island-Safari was very good. I dealt with Michelle who was knowledgeable and quick to reply. She did a great job on creating a good itinerary and updating it when changes had to be made.
 
The Chobe Safari Lodge was a positive surprise. I stayed there about 3 yrs. ago and they had done a wonderful job of upgrading the facilities. The safariroom was perfect for a family witrh kids. The only thing is they exaggerate a bit when they say that the safari-rooms have a riverview... With the large buffet everyone found something they appreciated to eat for dinner, and the lunch & breakfast was perfect.
 
Planet Baobab was nice and a good setting with all the baobabs around. However the activitities were not that good. The walk with the guide was a short half-hour stroll and not very interesting. The guide was competent but there just wasn't much of interest. Likewise the trip to the village "Gweta" wasn't that interesting, at least not for somone living in Africa and who has driven through many villages on the road to get there. The night on the pans was a interesting experience and the highlight over the stay at Planet Baobab. The kids also liked the stop with the meerkats.  All in all it was a OK venue, but does not deserve 3 nights and more interesting activities should be offered... The dinner at Planet Baobab also could have been better - the best meal was in fact the brai on the pans...
 
Meno A Kwena was fantastic - a lovely place and great staff. The owner - David was an interesting character and we enjoyed the interaction and the stories he could tell... The standard of the meals, especially dinner was a lot better than Planet B and when it's a set menu the difference is very noticable.
 
The flight and stay at Oddballs also worked out well. Everyone enjoyed the mokoro trips and the friendlly atmosphere at camp. The guides knew their trade well, both in handling the mokoro and on explaning about the delta, fauna and flora... Again the staff did everything possible to make our stay pleasant.
All in all a great vacation, but after living in Zambia for 3 yrs and travelling quite a bit in Africa the last 15 yrs. I have to say that Botswana in general doesn't give very good value for money. The delta of course is exceptional and I guess there isn't anything like it anywhere else, the rest - well I have no regrets, but probably better value for money other places.
 
Concerning Island-Safari I wouldn't hesitate to recommend your company. Our next vacation will probably be to somewhere with a beach (Moz - islands or Mauritius etc), so I might just ask for a quote...
 
Best regards
Geir Michalsen

July 2008
Oddballs and the Mokoro Camping was excellent.  A very pleasant and knowledgeable guide taught us a lot.  We did not see masses of animals but lots of birds.  It was a thrill to be on the animals home ground.

Delta Air flight to Kasane was delayed, then they organised a charter from Moremi Air, with us as the only passengers.  Felt very important!!

Muchenje was also excellent.  Very efficient, friendly.  Chobe seems the best  place to see the animals.  Again very experienced guides.

Stanley Safari club was opulent.  We probably should have gone for the Royal Livingstone.  On the other hand the open cottage was a thrill.  We enjoyed the  open-air bath while spending the kids' inheritance.

Two quibbles which I mentioned to the mamager (who was great). Some of the staff were too attentive, always near, and overly obseqious in one
case.  And at that price, there should be free transfers down to the falls at  least once or twice per day.  The rafting was great.

At the Drakensberg, The Nest was superb.  Well situated, friendly and great value for money.

On the way back to Durban I stayed at the Rawdon Hotel on the Mindland Meander. Can recommend highly.  Learned a lot from a lady from Zimbabwe.

And will recommend Island Safari to all.

All the best,
Andrew Elek

July 2008
Just a few lines to let you know we arrived back in Muscat last Thursday 24th. after a great holiday. We enjoyed the good food and wine in SA, experience nature at it¹s best in Franchoek and Vic Falls and to see God¹s beautiful creatures in Kruger and the Okavango Delta. The hotels we stayed in were uniquely different and the services warm and friendly. Our only disappointment was not having seen the Leopard. Perhaps we¹ll visit again and be lucky next time around. Surprisingly, we lost nothing much, inspite of so many unpackings and packings, except a jacket and my Scottish cap!
More importantly, none of us fell ill or were eaten by the lions or cheetah or crushed by the elephants and hippos which we met at close quarters!
 
It was nice also to meet up with you, Cara, in Cape Town. Sorry you couldn't be with us, Patricia. But a big thank you for organising a great holiday for us. Everything worked like clock work! We'll send you our impressions  in a few days once I've cleared the paper work on my desk. All I want to say for now, everything went off perfectly. We had a lovely vacation. Our only disappointment was Sun City. But you, in any case, never recommended it in the first instance.
 
Siandra brought back a 'few' (that's an understatement) souvenirs from our holiday. I guess it¹s going to be an African theme in our home till our next holiday! How we managed to pack all these things is still a mystery to me!
 
Thanks once again for making all the arrangements. It was a great experience. Will catch up with you in afew days. God bless and love from
The Borges family.

July 2008
We had a lovely trip overall. Botswana is terribly beautiful and we had spectacular wildlife viewing including wild dogs with puppies and a Leopard with cubs! Our guides and managers went out of their way to make the trip special for us. I'd say Mapula was the highlight of the trip particularly for guides and game viewing, and Deception Valley was also very nice for the effort everyone made and the attention they gave our son. Delta Camp has a pair of relatively under experienced managers and it wasn't our favorite. In a redo I'd stay an extra night at Mapula and skip it but it had come so highly recommended that I wanted to experience it. Stanley's Safari Lodge was just beautiful and a lovely experience. Muchenje was very good as well -- good guides, well managed. Meno-A-Kwena was fun but it was not near the Makgadikgadi Pans which was what we were going for. It was near the M.P. National Park but the pans themselves were still several hours away. The guide made an effort to get us to the closest pan Nxai Pan which was good to see but not quite what we'd planned. That aside it was a nice place to be. 
We are anxious to return to the area -- next time perhaps Namibia or Mozambique. 
Thank you,
Tanya Stivers

July 2008
We had a very nice time during our stay with Island-Safari.
The service was really good, I only had contact via email with Cara Lloyd, she is really kind and helpful.
She took care of everything for us. Whenever I had questions or anything she responded very fast,
and gave me the right information.  The rest of the staff from the transfers and at Marc's Tree Lodge
were all very nice.
The transfers were all ok, very long, but that is inevitable. There was only one thing, we didn't know at
what time we were going to be picked up at our hotel. But that wasn't the fault of Island Safari, but the fault
of the reception at Metcourt Laurel Hotel. Because you called the reception with the message, but they didn't
deliver the message to us. So we stood up at half past 6, but we were only picked up at 9...
The rest of our stay in the hotel was fine.
Our stay at Marc's was really nice. The tree houses were very nice, the meals were very good, and the staff
really kind. I really loved the open landcruiser drives. And we were lucky to see lions eating a buffalo, and seeing
a leopard. So yeah, I had a really nice time!
It's a shame that from the 4 days safari, you only spend 2 in the Kruger Park, and the other 2 mostly
driving from and back to the hotel. But with a long drive like that, maybe that is inevitable as well.
Thank you for the beautiful experience!
 
Yours sincerely,
Rens Hanewinckel

July 2008
EVERYTHING was EXCELLENT !!!!!
I was very satisfied with the Island-Safari-Service (booking).
The transfer and the flights were always great.
Our stays at the two lodges were unforgetable. We´d go and stay there every time again.
Kindest regards and nice greetings to Michelle (she arranged everything for us; she was great !!!)
Sigrid & Martin Neudorfer & Thomas Rohr.

July 2008
Thanks so much for all the work you did for us for our trip in Africia..
Every thing was great and you were very patient with us.....We want to thank you big time for our delightful dinner in Frankenhoek Country House.. That was very nice of you....It was a wonderful place to stay..even though it did rain the total time we were there....Chobe was nice and we enjoyed the Muchenje lodge...the managers were great.... It also rained most of the time we were in Capetown.. Couldn,t see Table rock or go to Robbin Island..Weather was too bad....Our tour with Grand Circle was very good...
Thanks again...
Patti...The Dittburners and Griggs

July 2008
Just a quick note to say how much I enjoyed this last excursion.
Everything went just fine. All transfers were on time and friendly. >All flights were as they should be. Both lodges were great and I would return again (if there weren't so darned many other things to do in Africa).
The day trip to Soweto and the Apartheid Museum was well worth doing. Thanks very much for suggesting it.
Finally, it was great to meet you and I look forward to your assistance in the future.
the happy camper,
Jim Taylor

I thoroughly agree with Jim. The trip could not have gone better. Everything went smoothly. All the lodging's were top notch. The people were very accommodating and friendly.
All flights and transfers occurred without any delays or problems.
There were no problems in Zimbabwe. There were police present in Victoria Falls to make sure tourists did not have any bad experiences. Thanks for planning a great trip.
Cape Town was terrific. The Commodore Hotel was very nice and well located. Thank you for the recommendation. I was also fortunate to have three perfect, clear and sunny days. I was able to take all the tours of interest and did get to the top of Table Mountain for the breath taking views.
I'm also glad that we did get to me you in person.
Thanks again,
Evan Barmache

July 2008
Please pass this message to Louise which was my consultant for all this trip.

The organisation can be quoted 10/10. We don’t have any problem to report, everything was delivered according to the specifications, even the transfers by road and the charter in the Okavango were on time!

The service you received from Island-Safari.com staff during the booking process and during your tour. 10/10

The transfers you had. 10/10

Your stay at Victoria Falls Hotel (The food was very expensive for what we received),9/10

Your stay at Kanana Camp 10/10 (however I would say that Delta Camp where I been before in 2005 which is more wild and authentic)

Thank you so much for your contribution to our excellent holidays, we will certainly use again your service when we will go again in southern Africa.
Sincerely yours,
Benoît della Faille

July 2008
Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback on our Island Safari organized trip. Can I just say, it went from “great” to “incredible”.

I was facilitating the trip for 14 people living in four US states. You made the planning easy for us all. It felt orderly and each step was doable. We received enough information to know how to approach the trip.

The transfers from the Johannesburg airport to the Metcourt went as planned. The Metcourt was fine in that it was close to the airport and was an easy place to meet after everyone was getting in from long flights. Of all the places we stayed, it was our least favorite with the casino atmosphere, but was comfortable, clean and easy to get in and out of.

Zambia was great. Our transfer (I think his name was Gideon) was waiting for us as we came out of the airport. The Zambezi Sun was wonderful – so close to Victoria Falls! We were all able to fill our days with help from the Activity Center (a couple of us ended up at a local school with a woman from an NGO that was staying at the hotel). The rooms were lovely and MOST of us obeyed the signs about not leaving your door open so the monkeys don’t come in….

The transfer to leave Zambia and go to Chobe was right on time. Once again Gideon did a great job getting us through customs (that was REALLY helpful) and to our boats waiting at the Chobe river. The drivers to the Chobe Lodge were waiting for us and we had an easy and very pleasant transfer. The Chobe Lodge was even better than the Zambezi Sun (and we loved the Zambezi Sun). We were thrilled with the location, the rooms and the treatment we received. When it came time to take our first boat tour, we thought we were going to be on the big boat with a lot of people. We were amazed that we had our own boat – and felt very special. I can’t tell you how wonderful that trip was. We saw an amazing amount of wildlife at our own pace! Of course the other trips went just as well including the driving safari and, my favorite, the walking tour of a village in Nambia. We were reluctant to leave Chobe, but once again went to an even better spot at Oddballs.

Oddballs will remain my personal favorite and I think the rest of the group would say the same. We felt welcomed and were immediately immersed in the rhythm and sights and sounds of the Delta. Our guides met us at the plane and stayed with us until we left. We became one group enjoying each others company, learning about each other and being led on some amazing adventures. We had a great experience, seeing leopard, lions, elephants in our camp ground, hippos and crocs in the water, giraffes walking across the island from us….

So, as you can tell, we had a great trip. In hindsight, the order of where we went was perfect. We went from seeing one hippo in Zambia (at sunset while we were having drinks!!) that we were excited over, to seeing hundreds of animals in Chobe that we were so excited over, to tracking lions in Oddballs that we were ecstatic over!

Thank you for all of your help. It will remain the most memorable trip for all of us.
Mary Lee Fay

July 2008
This was the most wonderful vacation imaginable. The service was impeccable. EVERYONE we encountered was courteous and HAPPY!!!!!!!!! All transfers went without a hitch. We waited for no one other than the Zambian airline. I was so pleased you called the lodge to tell us the flight would be delayed. We were escorted point to point from the moment we landed in "Joburg". Mapula was fabulous. I loved the tin bathtub and outdoor shower. Our guide, Matt, and our tracker, Mike, were knowledgeable beyond belief.  The first night we followed a male leopard for over an hour. We watched him stalk a porcupine and he eventually gave up. The food was fabluous and more than plentiful. We were eating six times a day!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Clark and I went out in the mokuro (SP?) twice. Charlie was nervous throughout the entire first ride, so he passed on the second. Matt made it very clear to us first thing, our safety was of prime concern, so I didn't have suffer any anxiety or have any frightening moments. The last leg was at the Midekwe (SP?) reserve and we got to see our lions and rhino there. Again, you couldn't have planned a more perfect trip for us. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Best regards,
Elaine Pavia

July 2008
All was excellent.  The staff at Mapula truly distinguished themselves
Mark Loch

July 2008
I just wanted to write quickly to give my utmost praise for your employee Ryan who works in the Kasane office.  He helped me throughout a very difficult visa process at the Zambian border and I would have been lost without him.  Ryan is a true asset to Delta Air and because of his conduct I will recommend Delta Air to anyone I know traveling in Botswana.  Again my sincerest gratitude to Ryan and the Delta Air team for the help I recieved today.  I am not sure to whom I should address this correspondence but please make sure this praise makes its way to Ryan's boss.
Many Thanks,
Andrew Dorin

July 2008
Hi Michelle,Sorry dor the delayed response. Yes, Pom Pom sang happy birthday and baked a cake. It was the best birthday ever!We are in Vietnam now, and because Africa was so special and amazing, we are a little down because we miss it so much. Nothing can compare to it. Thank you for all your recomendations. We don't get back to reality until late august; we will be movong Atlanta as I start a new job doing supply chain management for Delta airlines. The good news is that stacie and I get free flight benefits to anywhere delta flies (joburg and soon to be cape town too). The snag is that it is stand by space available. So, next May or so, if we give you a few days notice (when we know we have flights), can something be put together that quickly? I sent Melissa the feedback email. If you would like me to write something praising you guys for the web site just let me know (it may have to wait until I get back though). We are off to india next for some torture (I think most people call it "yoga"). I would prefer to track leopards with a sundowner in my hand personally. Take care for now. Looking forward to our next safari. Thanks for making this such a great honeymoon.
Best regards,
Jerry and Stacie Rose

July 2008
We are extremely satisfied all around. First, Michelle was great. She was never short of ideas (such as having some one meet us in joburg airport between our flights to take our excess luggage for us). Pom Pom was amazing; we had high expectations considering the cost, but it was even better than anticipated.
The level of service of the camp was 5 star; the food was 5 star (best steak I have ever had was at Pom Pom) and the chefs had no shortage of creativity or talent. Best of all were the guides. Our guide, Ofentse has a true skill for tracking animals. We saw leopards on 2 nights (we saw it stalking impala). I can't rave about the camp enough. Muchenje was great too. Our guide, Bob, knows absolutely everything about the wild life. The lodge was beautiful too (they gave us a nice bottle of champaigne and a big room too). Transfers were all smooth. Zambezi sun had a great location (which worked well for us as we had only 1 night at the falls). It was your run of the mill giant hotel with the added bonus of zebras. We did go over to the royal livingstone for drinks on the river front which was nice.All I all, it was the most amazing experience we could not have imagined anything better. I think the only irritation was the Zambia visa cost for US citizens. But this is unavoidable and apparently always changing.
Thanks you so much; and please do pass on my many thanks to Michelle.
Best,
Jerry Rose

July 2008
Firstly the service I received from Louise was absolutely great-efficient, helpful and very informative.I was not certain exactly where i wanted to take my family and she really gave us some great ideas. Its so reassuring when you dealing with people via the internet, that they connect with you in some way and Louise made it personal which i loved.
 
Secondly, Otters Den was a  really wonderful unique experience-We were hosted by such warm people, Marie-Tinka and her son Phillippe. Although the visit was short, it was a memorable experience. My family loved every moment.
 
THANKYOU !!!- and i most definitely will choose Island-Safari for all future touring and travel arrangements.
My fondest regards and many thanks to Louise-she made the difference.
 
Regards
Sunita and Dean Pillay

July 2008
I was satisfied with the help I got with booking my holiday and Cara was very patient in getting us to the booking point.
I was extremely impressed by Natasha (I think it was, a girl with short spikey dark brown hair), who met us at Jo’burg, got us through to the earlier 10am flight to Maun, and gave us loads of information whilst getting us through the baggage desk, in a really short time frame. 1 of our three bags didn’t arrive at Maun for 4 days but that was just unfortunate – we saw all 3 bags tagged.
 
Transfers were good, and the safari was great. We were lucky to have Brent Letaka as our guide and had an absolutely wonderful time, in fact I enjoyed the camping with the Letaka team better than the Elephant Valley Lodge part. Brent is a great host and extremely knowledgable.
 
Our 1 night stay at Chundukwa was OK but with no 4th wall, and fairly open shower area, with the cold weather we had, is more suited to a visit in hotter weather. Also whilst being very peaceful and having a great view, we found that the food was less good than the other places we stayed. However, we were only there for 1 night so this may be a little unfair.
Thanks very much
Jeanie Money

July 2008
Mandy was a pleasure to work with.

Lemuria resort--excellent cross the board.
Trevor Brand-Sarif

July 2008
The service you received from Island-Safari.com staff during the booking process and during your tour.
Service i received was great – Sakeena was prompt and extremely efficient in dealing with my queries.
The transfers you had.
Transfers were fine.
Your stay at Stanley Safari Lodge
Fantastic – excellent lodge, wonderful service, great staff – would definitely recommend it to anyone and would have no hesitation in going back.
Bhavya Rajani

July 2008
We would like to thank you for a most wonderful experience we had last month.  It was our 25th wedding anniversary and my husband surprised me by taking us to the Zambezi Sun for 4 glorious days.   From the minute we walked in, we were gob-smacked.  From the decor, the friendly staff, the rooms, everything.   The next morning we headed off for breakfast - and what a breakfast we had.  Which brings me to my email.  Would it at all be possible to ask your kind kitchen staff if I may have the recipe for the very tasty, always fresh, jam pastries?.  (the one with the cuts on the top of the pastries)  Each and every morning, after breakfast I would 'woof' down two jam pastries (even though I was stuffed).  I would then take two jam pastries to enjoy at night with my last cup of tea in our room.  
Thank you once again for the most wonderful experience.  
Many thanks  
Clive and Liz Porter

July 2008
From all excursions, transfers and accomoation service, it was a professional yet comfortable service. ALL STAFF were brilliant, friendly and helpful, and I would certainly book through this company again in the future.

Thank you,
Steven Hadjiyianni

July 2008
We had a wonderful honeymoon! .
The service you received from Island-Safari.com staff during the booking process and during your tour:
+ FANTASTIC!. Mandy gave us a great service by mail. She gave us the best tips and answered our questions right a way. Process during the tour was great!
The transfers you had.
+ Every transfer was very well arranged. We never had to wait for someone. Great organisation!
Your stay at Songwe Village.
+ Very nice people. Beautiful bathrooms. We felt very welcome. Very nice to go into the real african village.
Your stay at Linyanti Bush Camp.
+ Beautiful tents, great location, great food. Nice people, great guide. Pleasant gaming +
Your stay at Mapula Lodge:
+ Beautiful lodge, nice lady who runs the place, nice mokorro, great guides and trackers. Pleasant gaming
So, we were very pleased with Island Safari!! We enjoyed this very intimite places, without many tourists, but The only thing you don't choose on a safari is the people you travel with. We were pretty luck until our last 2 days.
kind regards
Gregory D'Hulst

July 2008
I had a wonderfull staying in the Serondella Game Lodge. The service and food was great as was the transfers. Could you also give my thank to Cara who arranged this trip for me.
With kind regards / Met vriendelijke groeten / Sayg lar mla,
Murat Kele

July 2008
I had a wonderful vacation and am happy to share feedback with you. I am a very satisfied customer and would be pleased to recommend your services to anyone! I really enjoyed my adventure! Thank you, Mandy!!!
The service you received from Island-Safari.com staff during the booking process and during your tour.
Mandy was wonderful throughout the booking process! Does she sleep at the office, working 24/7? She is very knowledgeable and helpful. Natashia, who picked me up at Johannesburg airport, was courteous, prompt, and knowledgeable and set the tone for a well-planned and executed trip.
The transfers you had.
Land transfers all worked out well. I was surprised about the Delta Air transfer times. I didn't realize that I would not be going directly from camp to camp, but was at the whim of Delta Air's complicated scheduled. Muchenje was misinformed of the correct flight time from Kasane, so I had an extra two hours in Kasane before the flight. Then, instead of a 40 minute flight from Kasane to Xakanaxa, we flew to Maun and then to Xakanaxa. I missed lunch and the afternoon game drive that day. From Xakanaxa to Mapula - My itinerary indicated a 20 minute trip. In fact I flew 55 minutes from Xakanaxa to Linyanti, then 50 from Linyanti to Mapula. From Mapula to Deception Valley - Instead of the 60 minute flight indicated in my itinerary, I flew from Mapula 50 minutes to Savute, then 50 minutes to Maun, then 35 minutes to Deception Valley. Perhaps something can be written in itineraries so that clients don't expect direct flight service.
Your stay at The Safari Club SA
Convenient to airport, very pleasant accommodation. Your stay at Stanley Safari Lodge Absolutely a gorgeous property! Loved the chalet without walls and the view of the Falls. Very nice staff. My only disappointment was that they did not have any communal dining table and I had to sit by myself for each meal.
Your stay at Muchenje Safari Lodge
Everything was wonderful! Saw lots of game and my first bushbabies! Staff and guides were great. Ponchos for cold gamedrives were greatly appreciated.
Your stay at Xakanaxa Camp
Absolutely wonderful! Good food and lots of it. Variety of activities. Game viewing in Moremi was superb. Water was a fantastic guide. Convivial group of guests. Flo told me that she had worked with Mandy!
Your stay at Mapula Lodge
Unbelievable! Despite a vehicle breakdown, flat tire, getting stuck in the mud, broken bridge and a black mamba, this was my favorite camp. Staff was wonderful - I especially enjoyed DuDu and Josiah. Much more of a remote African experience than the other camps. Very nice chalet with outside shower and secluded view. John's tracking skills were amazing - the best I saw during my trip. Nice variety of game and night drives were very good. There was always sufficient food, but the buffet display always looked as if they would run out. Dining with staff was wonderful and much more relaxed than at other locations.
Your stay at Deception Valley Lodge
Accommodation and lodge were very attractive. Saw more game and birds at the water hole at the lodge than on the drives, but was thrilled to see leopard and a lioness with her five cubs! Not impressed with Jason as a guide. He was not very communicative to guests while on game drives.
Gail Edwardson

July 2008
The service from Island-Safari was excellent. Louise did an excellent job. The transfers were good, will use them again. The stay at Flatdogs Camp was also excellent. Thanks for a wonderful trip.
Elmarie van Dyk

July 2008
The tour was excellent, Patricia was supremely efficient. . I have some minor comments on the venues. Still on the road, so more feedback later. Best wishes.
Andrew Elek

July 2008
We've been back from our trip for a couple of weeks now and I'm finally finding time to write you.  We had a great time and want to thank you again for your very efficient handling of the arrangements.  Lodges were great, transfer pickups prompt and flawless.  The Okavango was magical.  Bravo!
 
The only screw-ups were mine: I made plans to visit Victoria Falls through Zambia before the very high visa fees for US citizens went into effect (Zimbabwe would probably have been a better choice in retrospect) and I booked the flight from Livingstone back to Joburg on Nationwide Airlines which promptly went bankrupt a month or so later!  The credit card company reimbursed me for the lost tickets but the replacements on SAA were a lot more expensive since they were not booked ahead.  Still, a terrific trip!
 
We've passed your contact information on to friends who are talking about a South Africa trip next year.
 
Best,
Peter and Laurie Schwe

July 2008
We're home now and we're in one piece! Zimbabwe was as safe as Botswana I think, at least it felt like this.

Let us thank you Ali for arranging this trip for us and for all your efforts when communicating and explaining different things about the journey. You did a great job and we both truly appreciate your involvement.
Every aspect of that trip was perfect. Too bad it was only one week for us and we realize it's short, but now we have a reason to come back. Especially that we saw so many beautiful things in Bot and Zim that we would never have thought of before. It's not about either animals, landscapes or people; it's just the whole expereince that really left us breathless and making us long for that right now.

If there is any questionnaire or a feedback form that we could fill in we would be more than happy to do that. Just let us know about it.
And yeah, we will definitely be recommending Island-Safari and your excellent services to anyone.

with gazillion of thanks
and wishing you a great day (still!)
cheers

Grzegorz Bukowski
Magda Bukowska

July 2008
We had quite simply the best holiday and experience that we have ever had !
This was due to a combination of factors, which began perfectly by the first class service offered to us by Cara. Attentive, responsive and thoroughly professional understate our experience. Many,many thanks, an unforgettable time.

The service you received from Island-Safari.com staff during the booking process and during your tour: As stated above, the professionalism from start to finish was exemplary. The lodges and experiences were not oversold or overstated but excelled the reasonable expectations that we had before travelling.

The transfers you had:This was one of the most impressive aspects of our break. We felt that we experienced all varieties of transport, thoroughly enjoying the variety and experiences gained by the jeep, ferry, jeep travel to Muchenje and the light plane transfer from Kasane to Livingstone. The transfers themselves were a superb experience, timely, efficient and very much part of our great experience. We put ourselves completely in your hands, relying on being
safe, especially given the troubles in nearby Zimbabwe but had no need to be. Everything ran superbly smoothly.

Your stay at Islands of Siankaba: Siankaba is an amazing setting, an unforgettable view as you turn the corner around the island and see the breadth of the Zambezi for the first time ! The rooms were exceptional. Old world wood decorated, superb furnishings, with open views out of your bed into the Zambezi, unforgettable !
The service and staff were excellent, very friendly and great company. One of the staff, Victor, showed us around his village, introducing us to one of his wives and his darling children. A humbling experience, as they were so very happy, having so little. We have promised to help the village by donating clothes as and when my son grows out of them. The food was first rate, respect to the Chef and staff, for the quality and variety of the menu.

Victoria Falls:    -    Wow ! A true wonder of the world. The helicopter views over the top of the falls were exceptional but the experience of getting soaked to the skin while walking in front of the falls showed the awesome power if nature !

Elephant ride:    -    Spending time so close to these amazing animals was an unforgettable experience.

Your stay at Muchenje Safari Lodge:We were met by BG, who was to become our personal guide for the next three days, a great character with the most memorable laugh and humorous approach to his job. On arrival, the drive to the lodge does seem quite ordinary until you step out of the jeep and see the wonderful view across the Chobe river and plains ! We went on various fantastic safari's with BG as a guide. His effort in explaining/showing us all around, as though it was his first time too, was awesome!
The most memorable being the boat trip safari, seeing many game, in their natural habitat. On taking a corner of the river, seeing crocs to our left, hippos to our right and a herd of approximately 50 elephants wondering to the edge of the river would have been well worth painting. My quote of the break occurred when we approached a mud hole, frequented by 4 baby hippos being taunted by a teenage elephant. Our guides piloted the boat into the reeds, about 30 yards from the sparring elephant and hippos. We watched as the male elephant threw soil and spat water at the hippos before charging them totake over the mud hole. My quote being 'I thought that my 42" plasma and Sky HD were great till I saw this !'
JJ, the manager of the Lodge also deserves wholehearted praise. His company, commitment to our enjoyment and sheer professionalism towers above many of
my European colleagues and offers lessons on how best to offer great service !
The lodge is an amazing place with great open spaces, exceptional views but for us, the staff made the difference. We felt at home and will miss the staff that we met there.

Thank you for all of your efforts. It is so refreshing to receive everything that was promised and more ! many travel agents over-promise and over-sell. Your descriptions were accurate and understated.

We wish your staff and your company great success, totally deserved. If you venture out to other countries, please feel free to contact us, we are always keen to place business with over-performing people !!
Mark Butler

July 2008
Very good! I was really impressed with the organization of the booking, even with my complicated budget and constraints and 1000 questions. Thanks a lot, no negative feedback to pass on.
Cheers!
Marisa Lipsey

July 2008
We are scrambling to get packed and leave to go home as our medical mission here in Ghana is now finished.  We leave in the morning.  I have planned to email Michelle to thank her for a great trip.  She was very helpful.   The short answer is: we had a great time and all portions went well...more to follow....stay tuned.
John Thueson

July 2008
Just wanted to say a quick thank you. The trip was amazing!
Pom Pom camp was a huge surprise; we had expected a rustic, no major frills camp. The food was 5 star (best steak I have ever had of my life was in the Okavango Delta). The guide, Ofentse, was amazing. He heard monkies spazzing out in the trees from far away; we then did a search pattern for fresh tracks and found leopard prints 20 minutes later; then found the leopard! We followed her for an hour, and watched her stalk a small bird (which escaped with a scratch).
Muchenje was great as well; the guide there, Bob, knows absolutely everything (whether insects, birds, animals, calls or yells). The lodge is beautiful.
An of course Victoria Falls speaks or itself.
We just left the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge which we loved as well. I have never seen a room so big. It was really nice and thank you for the champagne.
We are now at the airport and are flying off to Singapore. Thank you for all your help
Best,
Jerry Rose

July 2008
Thought I should share my comments, below, with you. Thanks for a perfect organisation, we enjoyed our whole stay a lot. Of all the lodges and camps, I think we enjoyed Mena a Kwena and Mapula most, as the most authentic and comfortable at the same time. Oddballs is slightly more robust but also very enjoyable.
 
If I were to come to Mapula again, some time in December and by myself, for say 4 weeks in a row, Mapula only, what all in price would you quote ex Jo'burg? I would come to relax, read, write, think, a bit of moccoro perhaps, perhaps a few nights out in a tent if that is possible but no daily game viewing, ie limited use of guides and cars.
 
Thank you for letting me know
Regards
Nick Busink
hope you don't get embarrassed by the praise !

June 2008 
1) We dealt with Mandy throughout the booking process, mostly through email but also on the phone now and again, and all that I can say is that I wish I had the same experience every time I travelled anywhere! Our emails were dealt with straight away all the time and it always felt like we were in the most capable hands. Actually to start with, becasue I had no idea or recomendations, I had emailed 3 or 4 companies about going to the Okavango for our honeymoon but the others were impersonal and pushy, trying to get more out of us seeing as they knew it was our honeymoon. Furthermore, the information that was provided by Mandy was always complete and timely. Please do pass on our most sincere thanks!
During the trip, again the service made everything run like clockwork. We were made to feel very welcome at Oddballs by the management team, catering staff and all the guides. TK was fantastic to have as a guide and the way that we were looked after, especially on our first night at Oddballs, was wonderful. In all, top-class 5-star service!
 
2) The transfers were again seamless and the Delta Air staff made this all happen in a smooth, friendly and relaxed manner. The pilots were good fun and the whole experience of flying over the delta was captivating....and this is all despite me getting violently ill on the return flight!
 
3) Our stay at Oddballs was perfect. It's a stunning setting, very relaxing atmosphere and we just wish we could have spent more time in the camp on hindsight. However, our 4-night mokoro safari was execatly the way we wanted to experience the delta. We saw, heard, smelt, avoided and stalked all kinds of things. To spend 4 days exploring one of the world's richest and most important ecosystmes in a traditional dug-out mokoro being guided and taught by the person who hand-crafted it is something very special indeed!
The trip to the village on the last morning was a really inspiring experience for us - because I work in the environment sector here in the UK, it was inspiring to see how the people in the village made good use of waste materials in such a sensitive environment. It was also pleasing to learn about the agreements around land and sustainable hunting in the area. I just hope that more people go there willing to learn rather than just to buy a bowl or mat and take photographs!
Again, just from my experience having visited many lodges over the years and having seen the sector from the client, guide and marketing points of view, I would say that the opportunity to travel in a traditional mokoro is very special and while I know there are sustainability issues around the raw materials, it is a unique experience worth marketing and holding on to where possible. On the flip-side to this, while the lookout deck at the camp is a wonderful place to relax and view the delta, can I suggest that you invest in some new chairs or the tools to fix the current ones?
 
 
Finally, I took many pictures during our time there and I'm sure you have a whole library of images at your disposal but if Island Safari do wish to use any for marketing purposes then do please shout. I've attached a few low-res versions as examples and took a lot more both of wildlife and of walks/mekoro/camps/flights etc so please shout if there's anything that you think may be useful for you.
 
Anyway, thank you again so much to everyone at Island Safari. Be sure we would recommend you to anyone wishing to travel. Please forward our thanks to everyone that we dealt with.
 
Kind regards,
Neil and Chloe Aldridge

June 2008

We are VERY pleased, yes overwhelmed, with everything. The arrangements were just super, no problems or delays with anything, simply a wonder of organisation. And the lodges were fanatstic, especially Pom Pom. The guides were brilliant, and - above all - the wildlife was simply mindblowing. We will never forget the elephant scenes in Chobe and the hyenas around Pom Pom...
 
We had a little problem with the flights Lusaka - L'stone - Lusaka, but the people at the airpot sorted it out. They put us on another plane from Lusaka to L'stone and they managed to let us fly from L'stone to Lusaka with the 6.30 flight, even though we were booked in on the 9.45 flight (which we assumed must have been due to an error in the booking).
 
We will recommend Island Safari and this trip to our friends, and we are already making plans for the next trip to Southern Africa!
 
Best regards,
Anders, Anna-Karin and Bengt

June 2008
We had a great time - truly memorable and collected a lot of passport stamps.  The boat was excellent, with only one other couple on board. Saw
lots of game, including a leopard on the bank and literally hundreds of elephant and hippo.  Great crew and thoroughly recommended.

V Falls also very impressive, but somewhat depressing surroundings in Zimbabwe - 5.8 billion Zim to one US dollar.  Lodge was very good.  All
arrangements worked fine.

Thanks also for your hard work in supporting the SC4 meeting - sorry therwere not more present.
Once again, many thanks.
Howard du Preez

June 2008
I have been intending to write since returning home on the 17th. Thank you for prompting me. Firstly let me say that everything went very well and that we had a wonderful time. I should first congratulate Mandy on the up-front work she did - she chose a variety of venues that always kept us interested. The itinerary was well written and constantly referred to.

All transfers were efficient and timely - transfer agents were polite and accommodating. We enjoyed both Okavango stays - we were the only ones at Mapula for the time we were there, and the staff continued to offer special service. I think we enjoyed Roggeland more than Ballon Rouge, but the location of the latter gave us something to do while there (again I think we were the only guests). Roggeland is quite special. We really weren't at the Radisson long enough to fully enjoy it, but that was due more to our limited time at the Cape than anything else - we had the time we wanted in the winelands.

Thanks also to John Van Eyck of EcoTours for an informed and painstaking effort in the winelands. He added an extra dimension to the tour and I would recommend him highly.

Jack was always prompt for the Cape transfers.

You will get an unequivocal recommendation from us to any of our friends.

Sincerely,
Neil Thomas 

June 2008
There are not enough superlatives to describe your wonderful Elize and the excellent trip she put together for us.  She answered our every e-mail immediately (wondered if she ever slept sometimes).  She patiently answered every question we fired off to her and was a great ambassador for your company and country.
Everything went off without a hitch...we were met when we were supposed to be met and drivers got us to our destinations smoothly and problem free.
Our first point of contact was Natasha and she got us to the Metcourt Laurel safe and sound after a very long flight.
The Metcourt Laurel was more than satisfactory for the two nights we spent in Johannesburg.  We were very satisfied with the accommodations and the morning breakfast was wonderful!
Our flights to and from Victoria Falls were fine with the exception of the insecticide sprays.  Our drivers were courteous, friendly and went above and beyond their duties.  More about Bezert from Wild Horizons later.
Muchenje Lodge was everything we were told about and more.  The owners, Bea and Shawn were visiting and were the perfect hosts.  The staff were wonderful and accommodations excellent!
Both Sue and I want to commend Bezert (don't know his last name) from Wild Horizons for going over and above the duties of a transfer driver.  He was one of the people that made our trip so memorable.  We will never forget his kindnesses and thoughtfulness.  Please convey our messages about Bezert to the people from Wild Horizons.  He was the driver that picked us up at the Victoria Falls airport and transfered us to the border and he also transfered us on the return trip.
Kirkman's Kamp was another jewel in South Africa and again the service, accommodation, staff were exceptional.  Must commend our ranger Murray Tindall and his tracker Eckson.  They found the big five for us several times.  Our personal attendant, Agnes catered to our every need.  She was a delight!
We would definitely recommend Island Safari as an African travel agent to anyone and when we return we will use your services again.  I can assure you of that.
Thanks again to Elize and Island Safari for making our trip a trip of a lifetime!

Sincerely,
Louise Leger

June 2008
Just want to thank you for  all that you did to insure we had the trip of a life time and we sure did. We are still pinching ourselves and can't believe what we experienced was simply amazing to say the least. We were fortunate enough to be at Muchenje when the owners were there. What fantastic people they are Bea and Shawn. The staff was wonderful , the food was great and the viewing of animals, well what can we say. It was very personal like we knew everyone there already. So much excitement. the ride on the river was breathtaking. On to Kirkmans was another fantastic place we saw the big five over and over the food was terrific the service exceptional . We enjoyed the resident warthog named Charlie and will worry about him until we get back there.  A hyena flew through the grounds while we were eating twice. What a thrill apparently a few days earlier twice he stole a platter of cheese from the boma I would of loved to of seen that happen. the people were fantastic. Everything was perfect. The transportation went perfect no problems what so ever. I would like to mention a certain person tho, his name is Bezert he was our driver from Wild Horizons who fortunately picked us up and dropped us back to Victoria falls airport. What a very special human being we want Wild Horizons to know about this man. As you know we had not planned to visit the Falls but when he picked up us at the Zimbabwe boarder he suggest we did. As we did not have much time left he went way out of his way to make sure we saw the Falls he knew right where to take us in the half hour we had to spare. And we even got stopped by a road block for a few minutes he got us safely to the falls and the to the airport. We are for ever indebted to him because we would of missed the spectacular falls.. Please look forward to us contacting you again next year for another great adventure this time for three weeks or more. Once we pay off this trip you will hear from me. Thank you so much once again for all that you have done, we will definitely recommend you to others.
If there is any where I can send an email to to commend all those who were special to us that would be great  
Best Regards  
Sue Manns

June 2008
Let me start by saying that Mandy did a really excellent job at advising us throughout the planning and booking process.  Through numerous iterations of the itinerary and questions from us, she was extremely helpful, courteous, and her recommendations and advice turned out to be spot-on.  We would recommend her and Island-Safari without reservation.
 
We were very pleased with the accomodations, some of which we suggested and some of which Mandy suggested.  More specifically,
- the Safari Club was an excellent choice for a simple overnight near JNB in between flights
- the Waterfront Village apartment in Cape Town was also an excellent choice, considering the prime location, the homey feeling, and the fact that I assume it was cheaper than a similarly located and furnished hotel.  The only negative here was that when we arrived late at night, it took 15-20 minutes to wake up the manager, get keys and security photos taken for ID passes, etc - there were lots of forms.  But that did not really mar the experience, it was a great choice.
- the stay at Victoria Falls hotel was perfectly fine, but if we had this to do over again we might stay elsewhere (I would have liked to be made aware that there were alternatives in the town).  Somewhere cheaper would have been fine for us, and in particular, the prices for meals were quite exorbitant.
- Muchenje Safari lodge was an excellent choice; terrific place to view elephants and baboons, and as Mandy mentioned, it was really nice to be in an isolated corner of the park.  This is a very strong advantage.
- Mapula Lodge was our favourite - the staff there was extraordinarily kind, and the isolation meant that there were really no other land rovers around.
- Camp Okuti was our least preferred place - it was perfectly fine, but there were a couple of reasons why it wasn't as stellar as the others.  I have provided this feedback to the camp directly but think you should know as well given your role with other clients.  Firstly, we were woken every day 45 minutes before the wake-up time due to the clanging of staff preparing breakfast - when the "official" wake-up time is 6am, being woken even earlier is not acceptable.  Secondly, the management did not make us feel special or unique the way the other two lodges did - for example, it was made obvious that what we were eating on a Tuesday was exactly the same as what they ate every other Tuesday (even if this is true at all lodges, there is no reason to make it so evident).  We also did not like the management's condescending attitude to the staff.  In addition, there were far too many other jeeps / landrovers in the area - we much preferred the more isolated locations.  And finally, our guide was an unacceptably poor communicator.  He was able to spot and identify animals as well as any other, but unlike every other guide, he was unable or unwilling to speak very much more than naming the animals.
 
The transfers overall went extremely smoothly, in terms of all the pre-arranged pick-ups and drop-offs.  There was one occasion where plans changed at the last minute, when SAA canceled our flight from JNB to Victoria Falls (we had booked this flight ourselves at Mandy's suggestion).  After some time organizing our bags / etc at the airport (we had to go back through South African immigration, claim our bags, and then get on another flight), we managed to get onto a Zambian airways flight to Livingstone instead.  We were very grateful that Island Safari organized our pickup at Livingstone airport and transport to the Victoria Falls Hotel, though that was not the original plan.  It is worth noting, though, that the fellow on the phone when we called your number was not as helpful as he might have been - he kept asking why the flight was canceled (which is not something we knew, nor was it relevant), told us we didn't have to go through immigration and claim our bags (which was not the case), and so on.  Still, he did somehow arrange for us to be picked up at Livingstone airport, which was the most important and much-appreciated thing.
 
I should also mention that our day with Eco Tours in Cape Town, which you did not specifically ask about below, was absolutely extraordinary.  We would encourage you wholeheartedly and without reservation to continue to use that organization; John was a most excellent guide and host.
 
I do hope this is helpful to you as you help plan other tours.  I have copied Mandy on this message as well, with our sincere gratitude for coordinating such a terrifically memorable trip.  I have also copied my wife - I think I speak for both of us with everything written above, but Roberta, please feel free to add any additional thoughts if you like.
 
Alan Iny
p.s. - coincidentally, we had the opportunity to meet Nigel, who was staying at Mapula lodge during part of our visit, and we shared some of our thoughts about the different lodges and the excellent service we had received from Mandy and your team as well.

June 2008
We were very satisfied with Mapula Lodge and would recommend it to others.  The staff there were great, it was very special experience and a beautiful setting.  I was pleased with the transfers.  (Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, it has been VERY busy)
Brian Donnellan

June 2008
Claudia was excellent.
The transfers were there and on time.
The Safari Club SA was very nice.
The stay at Planet Baobab was very nice and the guide was excellent.
CC Africa was excellent – the guide was excellent - two pieces of information – there is no laundry service at the mobile tent sites and the only way to charge camera batteries is from the truck battery. I was lucky the guide had an inverter. If I had known this I would have brought my own to be on the safe side.
Our stay at Victoria Falls hotel was very nice – the Hotel food was below average.
 
All in all, the trip was excellent and my compliments to Claudia for the excellent advice and service she gave us.
Bob Hall

June 2008
Everything on our So Africa itinerary went just as planned and we had a wonderful time.  Our driver, Danny from Thornybush Lodge to Plains Camp, arrived a little before 11 am.  He saved us from any anxiety by arriving early.  He was very pleasant.  Our driver, Stuart, drove us from Plains Camp to Arathusa Lodge and again to Hoedspruit Airport.  He was also very punctual and informative as we asked him many questions.  I told them both we would give them the best of remarks for their service.  Their automobiles were small, but comfortable, and they provided us with good company, cold bottled water and air conditioning.
 
We enjoyed the casualness of Plains Camp and all amenities were available.   The meals were nicely prepared and served.  They were on the simple side, which we preferred.  The sleep-out was fun and our guides were friendly and knowledgeable.  Their guest count was low so we got to know the staff and the other few guests well. 
 
Arathusa was lovely.  Our individual bungalow with king size bed and large bathroom was nicely furnished.  The evening meal setting was outstanding.  Each guest had their own small table set with a white table cloth, china, and pretty wine goblets.  Their food was a bit gourmet for us, but beautifully presented.  We met many nice people on our game drives.
 
At Arathusa, we were surprised at 3 am by a huge bull elephant pulling down a tree branch right outside our bungalow.  Pretty soon, many cameras began flashing as others heard the noise.  He saw us standing on our porch looking at him, but he posed no threat.  Of course, we had the sliding glass door open so we could run inside if necessary.
 
The game viewing was probably better at Arathusa (outside Kruger) because we could go off road in the safari vehicles.  Also, there was no top to hinder the view.  We saw several leopards as well as all the "big five".  Now we have to sort through 100s of photos to select the best.  We added many more photos and adventures by continuing our South Africa trip to Egypt and China.
 
All in all, it was truly a great experience.  The only negative was the long drive between the lodges, but both were very enjoyable once we got there..
 
Cara, you were so very helpful and patient in helping me set up this safari tour.  I'm sorry we didn't get to meet you in person in Cape Town.  By the way, the apartment we rented for 2 nights at the Village-Life was spacious, clean, modern and in a great location.  We loved exploring the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront location.
 
I will be glad to recommend your agency.   Many, many thanks for making our trip so smooth and memorable.  Cara Lloyd deserves an award for outstanding service!
 
Warm Regards,
Merrily and John Boardman

June 2008
The booking was handled efficiently, feedback was quick
The transfer was without any problems and was done in the shortest time possible, the bus was clean and the aircon was working
The stay at the lodge was great, very friendly staff, the recent refurbishment greatly improved the place (I was there 4 years earlier), service was 5 star, the game guide was enthusiastic and knowledgeable, game was plentiful (more elephants than impalas!!), the food was out of this world (we have not had that tasty food for a long time here in Jozi). We surely will be back.

Kind regards,
Hannes Henckel

June 2008
I had a wonderful African Safari vacation in Capetown, Zambia and Botswana.
 
Elize helped my husband and I put this itinerary together last year, when we thought we were going to be going in October 2007.  Unfortunately, that didn't work out for us, so we postponed our trip until last month.  We involved our local US travel agent to be sure that we didn't miss any important components of our vacation.  Karen helped put all of the loose ends together for us, and Elize was very cooperative.
 
Everything went smooth, and we were met by everyone who was supposed to meet us in a very timely manner, and all transportation between camps was handled without any negative incidents.  We did have to return to Kasane Airport 20 minutes into our flight between Elephant Valley Lodge and Pom Pom Camp due to mechanical problems with the plane.  It took about two hours to get a new plane to take us to Pom Pom, but we were comfortable during that time.  Our arrival at Pom Pom was not much later than scheduled, as we went directly to Pom Pom without the other stops we were originally supposed to make.
 
As you know, we canceled Brie's reservation at Metcourt Laurel Hotel in Johannesburg, as she didn't have to fly out the day before David and I did.  Her frequent flyer seat cleared for our flight at the last minute.  We were happy we could all fly to Joburg together!
 
We enjoyed our two night stay at Chundukwa River Lodge, and we were the only three people staying there those two nights.  The new owners (Peter and Orla) are very hospitable, and made us feel welcome.  Our accommodations were clean and comfortable.  The food and service were excellent (the best of all of the places we stayed), and our guide (Phillip) was very knowledgeable.  We particularly enjoyed our visit to Victoria Falls, our visit to Mukay Village [the home of our waiter (Levy) at the lodge] and the museum in Livingstone.
 
We also enjoyed our two night stay at Elephant Valley Lodge.  The staff was friendly and efficient, and made us feel very welcome.  The food was good and the service was excellent.  Our accommodations were clean and comfortable.  Our game drives and cruise on the Chobe River were wonderful, and we saw lots of animals and birds.  Our guide was very knowledgeable, and made sure that we saw as much wildlife as possible.
 
We also enjoyed our three night stay at Pom Pom Camp (even though it was supposed to be four nights).  The staff was friendly and efficient, and made us feel very welcome.  The food was good and the service was excellent.  Our accommodations were clean and comfortable.  Our game drives, walking safari and mokoro boat ride were also wonderful, and again we saw lots of animals and birds.  Our guides (Partner, Dix and Dalton) were very knowledgeable, and made sure we saw as much wildlife as possible.
 
We also enjoyed our one night stay at Kwando's Lebala Camp in the Linyati Swamps (this was our substitution for our fourth night at Pom Pom Camp).  It was by far the most luxurious of all of the camps.  Although it was lovely, and we enjoyed it, we prefer a more low key experience.  The accommodations were quite lovely and the food was good.  Our guide (Hector) and tracker (Bowman) were very knowledgeable, and we saw lots of game on the way to and from the airstrip and on our one game drive we had while there.  The fact that the airstrip closest to the camp was closed due to flooding required a two hour drive from the alternate airstrip to the camp, however, we didn't mind because we saw so much game on the drive to the camp.  We were happy for the opportunity to see an area that we didn't have on our original itinerary.  The Pom Pom Reservation Agent made sure that everything went smooth for us, and we appreciate that they handled their mistake quite professionally.
 
We also enjoyed our two nights at San Camp.  This was a substitution for Makgadikgadi Camp, due to the closure of that camp for remodeling.  We were told that San Camp was an upgrade, and if that's truly the case, we're glad we didn't stay at Makgadikgadi Camp.  San Camp was the most basic of all the camps we stayed in.  It had a long drop toilet that flushed, but no other running water.  The tents were clean and comfortable, and we enjoyed "roughing it" for two nights.  The food was good.  We spent the night out on the Pans our second night there, and that was a thrill!  Our guide (Super) was absolutely fabulous, and extremely knowledgeable about everything in that area.  We enjoyed our game drives, spending time with the meerkats, our walk with the bushmen and of course, spending the night out on the Pans in the middle of nowhere!
 
We will definitely recommend island-safari.com to our friends when planning their African Safari adventure!
 
Thank you, Elize, for making it a wonderful experience for us.
 
Sandie Hurst

June 2008
Firstly we should thank Patricia for appropriately organising the type of accommodation and activities that we wanted. We really enjoyed the trip. Service and information that was given to us was accurate and appropriate.
Transfers:  Organisation by Delta was good. Met us at Maun airport on arrival. Transfer to Odddballs was also good. The light plane trip from Oddballs to Kasane was rough and the flight was extended by sometime because we had to detour to another camp to collect other passengers. Barbara was sick! very unpleasant. Not your fault though. We were thinking that it would have been better if we returned to MAun (20 mins) and taken a larger aircraft to Kasane. Transfer from Oddballs to Zambia was also OK, however we were taken from Elephant Valley Lodge to Kasane airport  via town, then returned to town to the river where a boat was waiting. All OK. When we got to Zambia, our driver (Odyssey Tours) arranged our visas for us. He tried to convince us to buy a multiple entry visa for $100 (US), however we purchased a single entry for $50. We found out later that a multiple entry should have only been $80, so we think he tried to rip us off!! Perhaps a warning for future advice would be to make sure that visas should be applied for and paid for in person, not via the operator.
ODDBALLS CAMP: 3 nights was perfect! Absolutely fantastic. Service excellent. Accommodation great in dome tents on wooden platforms. Mattresses were a little thin, so I think this may not suit everyone. Food.. unbelievably good. All comments in the guest book praised the food. Guides were excellent and very cautious (and needed to be) when taking us out on walks or in the Mokoro. Elephants visit the camp regularly at night. This was very confronting for us, but exciting, as one stood next to our tent for 30 mins and devoured the shrubbery. We were not warned about this, nor were we given any instructions on what we should do/act/behave. There should be a basic safety lecture and notes given to us on arrival. There were also Hippos in the river just 20 meters away. However all was fine and we loved it. Would/will love to go again.
Lighting was mainly oil lamps, but a 9 volt supply via solar power available in the tents. This was a real getaway and so relaxing... no contact with the outside world!

ELEPHANT VALLEY LODGE: 3 nights also good. Accommodation in luxury tents with ensuite. Very comfortable and staff helpful. Food very good, but not as good as Oddballs (nothing could be better than OBs). EVL looks over a waterhole frequented by several species, including up to 100 elephants that come to drink every day. Floodlight during the night for dramatic effect. Tours were excellent and guide was very knowledgeable. Morning tour of the river in a boat. Evening tour by truck on land. Plenty of animals to see.  Did 3 boat tours and 3 land tours, each day we saw something different. Unfortunately the animals were very used to human intervention and so we were able to get within a few meters of them. To me, it was almost like being in a zoo. Oddballs was completely different as we had to be very careful to stay a safe distance, (sometimes 100 meters) away from some animals.  Stay very enjoyable, would recommend to anyone. Full electricity available.

Thanks once again,
Cheers,
Peter and Barbara Pamphilon.

June 2008
The service we received during booking, considering how much we changed our requirements, was excellent. Thanks to Michelle and your team.
The transfer arrangements worked smoothly and our needs were well catered for.
The Nata stay was very good. On our return, we tried to stay at Planet Baobab and our reception was surly. Thus we left. Nata lodge was full and we ended up in Francistown at Dumela Lodge. Superficially this place was excellent, but the finishing touches were non existent, geezers, light fittings, etc did not work.
The stay at Oddballs was excellent, initially we were disappointed that the tents were not larger, but we adapted. The food, service, style, layout, location was great. The environment was beautiful, the trees magnificent, the night time and day time visits by elephants memorable. We will go again but probably vary our timing, though for a first visit it was the correct choice. The camp was largely empty, I am not sure if the atmosphere would be so good if it was full or even half full. Joyce was the pivot around which the camp operated smoothly. She is a gem; the cooks should be complimented on their creations.
One grip.
The walks are too limited; always the same islands and the guides are obviously very frightened of lion, elephant and hippo. The hippo obviously present a challenge when the main river is crossed, thus the caution exhibited there is understandable. Elephant behaviour can be read far better by a skilled guide and all the guides in our opinion were far too respectful giving any elephant a very wide berth. Lions were actively avoided. No attempts were made to track lion. On three nights, lion roared just across the river, a delightful experience. But no attempt was made to visit that island and track the lions.
The reason could simply be lack of access but this I doubt. Fear was the cause. This is justified in that no protection is provided to the guides. If the experience of seeing lion on foot is to be part of the deal, which I believe it should be, this needs to be managed.
Guides should have binoculars and suitable foot ware as basics. Wellington boots are not suitable for walking, a real restriction for one of our guides. Clearly the guides are not paid enough to equip themselves and thus these items should be provided.
In summary, thanks for a great trip, well organized and to be recommended.
Robin Jones

June 2008
Thank you for the opportunity.  Unfortunately it's hardly worth the time--all of Island Safari's recommendations and arrangements were perfect!  The only downside (which I already told Mandy about) was the location of the room at Savute Lodge.  Otherwise, all was great; Sindebezi was an ideal last stop, quiet and isolated.  Now, if you could do something about the 48 hour trip to and from southern Africa....never mind, it would just get too crowded.
 
Thanks to Island Safari, and especially Mandy for all of your help.
Ingrid & Craig Cordes
P.S.  If you really need an itemized account of each camp let us know, but it would be repetitious: great, great, great.

June 2008
I'm glad to recieve your inquiry about our trip because I'm planned to  write and let you know that our trip went wonderfully.  Most  especially, we were impressed with your response to handling our  internal air travel when Pelican Air stopped their direct flights to Bazaruto literally while we were enroute to SA.  We were met at the  airport with details for our new connections, and all went very smoothly.


The service you received from Island-Safari.com staff during the booking process and during your tour: 
Mandy and Nigel were very  responsive and helpful.  When my email rejected some of Mandy's  mail, they worked together to ensure I got all of the necessary  communication.  As noted above, their quick response to airline  changes kept our trip on track.
The transfers you had: 
All transfers were smooth!  We were on  14 different planes, and it all went without a single glitch!
Your stay at The Safari Club SA: 
The Safari Club is a  delightful place to spend the necessary overnights in J'Burg.  Very comfortable and convenient.
Your stay at Oddballs Camp: 
We absolutely loved our bush 
camping experience.  Our guide, Culture, was wonderful.  We didn't  quite realize what a complete wilderness experience this would be  (thought our guide would have a gun!).  But this was one of the most  memorable experiences of our lifetime.
Your stay at Mapula Lodge:  Again, delightful.  Personal care and attention.  Went out of their way to accomodate a dietary restriction.  Beautifulcomfortable accomodations.  And a delightful last night surprise private dinner on our deck.
Your stay at Bazaruto Lodge: Comfortable, relaxing, excellent seafood.  We knews in advance that the beach where the lodge is  located is not a swimming beach.  We enjoyed the walk to the excellent, nearby beach.  This could be a problem for some people who are unaware.
In short, we will give high recommendations for Island-Safari to all.

Thanks for helping us with a special, memorable vacation. 
Pat Livingstone

June 2008
It has truly been an amazing experience throughout. Mandy was very supportive and responsive during the booking process, the 'meet and greet' at Jo'bourg airport with your representative to collect the tickets took place without any problem, all transfers were perfectly organised and Oddballs Camp was haven on earth with very friendly staff and guides.
 
A trip, i would certainly recommend to friends and family!!
 
Kind Regards,
Marian von Mitschke-Collande

June 2008
I am glad you emailed me for feedback as I had intended to give you some anyway, as the service provided was very good.  Louise was always on hand for email advise, and I know we had several email conversations and she was always very helpful.
 
The transfers (to and from MQP/Lion Sands) were very good, punctual and very informative friendly drivers. One minor downside would be that Lion Sands almost charges me for the transfers again, even though it was pre-paid. It was just a small error so not really a problem as they rectifiec promptly.
 
 
Cape Cadogan was a superb hotel, excellent staff, and great experience. Lion Sands was the hilight of the trip for us, because of the quality of the service and in particular the way handled our very specific dietary needs. 
 
One major downside to the trip was the fact that nationwide air went bust a few weeks before we arrived yet we didnt know about it until we came to cape town. So there was a last minute panic to get to Lion Sands. Louise was very helpful in this and eventually we managed to get a flight booking but at great costs, which did dampen the holiday a little. 
 
(We had originally booked the nationwide flight ourselves, not thro island safari, so it is understandable that the responsibility of getting an alternate flight was not yours, but it would have been nice to have been notified of nationwides demise since island safari were aware of our flight details and carrier name since the transfers had been done through yourselves.)
 
Louise was a great person to deal with and was very helpful before our trip and during
 
Hope this helps...please let me know if you need any more info.
Sarjoo Patel

June 2008
Here’s my feedback from my safari 30May-2Jun 2008.
 
Service
I was helped by Cara Lloyd who has been extremely helpful during my booking process.
Initially I asked for an alternative to the fancy and more expensive safaris and whether I could join a ranger on their daily tours.
She gave me my options and actually suggested the Transfrontiers Walking Safari since that would be more to what I was looking for.
Cara was very helpful, quick in responding and giving me all information required.
She even gave me tips for my one day layover in Johannesburg.
 
Transfers
John was our driver from Johannesburg to Hoedspruit.
He picked me up at the time advised and we had a safe journey.
 
The only remark I’d make is that the lunch stops were a bit poorly.
We stopped in 2 gas stations, on our way out for breakfast and our way back for lunch.
The areas we stopped in offered nicer places to sit down for 15-20min and that would’ve been more appreciated.
Another suggestion would be to provide a nice prepared lunch (from the Hoedspruit east gate where we had lunch upon arrival) for our way back and sit down somewhere and consume a drink. I’m sure people are happy to pay an extra 30-40 rand for that.
 
Safari
The safari was great. We had a terrific lunch upon arrival at the East Gate in Hoedspruit.
We had very experienced, enthusiastic and interesting guides on our trip. (Jolande Schoen, Marius Swart)
They made us feel safe and didn’t under nor overdo the programme and the fact that the camp works with small groups was a super plus.
The camp was very nicely organized, accommodation was very clean and the food fantastic. Well done to all three ladies in the camp!
 
My only remark would be that I would like to see the camp fenced in a way (wiring). Not just for our safety during our time there, but also the people who work all day long in the camp and are unarmed and unprotected against the animals. No matter the amount of study, these are still wild animals and their behaviour can never be 100% predicted. It would make us feel safer in the evening and during the nights (especially when you sleep alone in a tent).
 
All together a wonderful experience, lots of game in the park and very well organized!
 
Kind regards,
Valerie Fierens

June 2008
Hi Alison
I am glad you received and liked the small gift from the Philippines.

By the way, I will be more than happy to participate in the feedback request!

It was a really really beautiful trip for us. Yes, i think the dust has settled and a bullet is lodged, we have promised to keep coming back to this great continent.

It was a wonderful trip you arranged for us, every camp was special, different and it all formed a total and holistic experience. The pick ups were reliable, never late (except for the xakanaxa to mapula flight, but it was because air botswana was delayed and pilot had to wait for the passenger to arrive)

The lodges were all as expected, not short of disappointment, although Mapula was a bit  too dark and lacked lighting at night, and the doors to each cottage didnt have door locks (anyone can come in to your room) The people were all so kind, but all our laundry was mixed up, white shirts, white fleeces, socks all became blue.:-(

The best food as agreed with the entire family, was in xakanaxa!

The most luxurious lodge was Chilwero.

The best mokoro ride was in mapula.

Xakanaxa had the most beautiful Mopane tree woodlands and birds!

In general our animal game viewing was good, but other travellers from other camps had very interesting sightings. We never saw cheetahs, wild dogs, hyenas, but maybe it was all luck :-)

Our favorite guide was in Xakanaxa called Water, and at San camp.( abby at san is a biologist with a phd!)

Mapula, Xakanaxa, chilwero took efforts and all prepared special asian meals for us. Mapula even made a birthday cake for out son. San camp activities and feeling was very personalised. they filled our short time with so much good company, good information, and surprises!

For sure, I will recommend my friends to write you when they plan their trip.

Re the botswana visa, having done it at capetown's Botswana consulate office, I can only say that we waited 10 minutes and we got the visa. (although they will say 3, 5 or 10 days on the phone!) As long as you have the complete requirements on hand. In case this info can be useful to you next time.

Thanks again Alsison and we are looking forward to our next trip to Africa!

Best regards
Marlene Ong

 

June 2008
we are back, unfortunately!
 
It was a wonderful holiday, just great, and I want to say thank you for the perfect organisation.
 
We really enjoyed all the lodges and the people we met there. Every lodge was completely different from the other, but staff and management were always very friendly, like a little family.
 
We will definitively go back to the Southern part of Africa – next time perhaps to Chief’s. We met quite some people that also wanted to go to Chief’s but then had to go to Baines as Chief’s was fully booked. And we now know the reason: the Saudi prince has booked Chief’s for a kind of family come together for ten days (and brought along 20 assistants/hair dressers, personal trainers etc – just crazy!). However, Baines was one of the best during our trip, so you found the perfect alternative.
 
Once again, thank you very much, Alison, for everything. We won’t forget this trip.
 
Best regards and have a nice evening,
Katrin Cihlar

June 2008
About the service from Island-Safari during the booking and the tour :
Claudia has been very competent and very kind to help us to do a pleasant tour. When we arrive to Johannesburg we met somebody for help us to get the domestic airport.
About from our stay in Camp Jabulani:
Every body were very well. It's a marvelllous lodge. It's was better than a dream. We hope back soon.

All the best.
Mireille and Christian Arcadipane

June 2008
The service you received from Island-Safari.com staff during the booking process and during your tour.We researched over two dozen companies and contacted six for more detailed information. Island-Safari was the only one willing to work within our limited budget. Mandy listened to what we wanted to see and do in Africa and customized a package to meet our needs. We always received a quick reply to our e-mails and don't see how the service could have been better. We especially appreciated Mandy's thoughtful and timely suggestions in response to our many questions. We met several travelers on our trip who had lost money and/or connections due to the failure of Nationwide Air, and were grateful we had decided on I-S. You were really on the ball. Mandy had rebooked us on another airline before we knew there was a problem. We did not need to contact I-S during our tour because everything went smoothly and we were very pleased with the arrangements. Excellent service!

The transfers you had.The only glitch we had on the entire trip was the transfer that was supposed to pick us up at the Botswana border and take us to Elephant Valley Lodge. A guide from another lodge looked out for us, called EVL twice, and even helped us with our customs documents. Since it took our driver considerably longer to finally arrive than the trip to EVL, and it looked from her vehicle that she was a sub-contractor, we concluded she had been running some private errands in town. She was friendly, but completely unapologetic about standing us up for over an hour. Needless to say, we gave the guide who helped us her tip. All the other transfers were easy and problem free. Each lodge told us what time we would be departing and where to wait.

Your stay at The Safari Club SAThe Safari Club is a work of art! Our room was spacious, quiet and comfortable. They had the best breakfast spread we've seen anywhere, and accommodated us in every way. The optional dinners they offer are also very good and reasonably priced. The Safari Club (with your help, we understand) arranged a tour to the museums at Sterkfontein on our last day in South Africa. We didn't ask the hotel about the tour until our arrival there the prior evening, after normal office hours. We were very pleasantly surprised when an hour later everything was arranged for us to meet Andre Ballet the next morning and take the tour. Thanks.

Your stay at Chundukwa River Lodge Quiet, charming and highly recommended! After two days there, we felt that we had already had a fantastic trip. Great food, very professional and friendly owners and staff. The owners were attentive and wanted their guests to enjoy their stay. Their new guide Philip was very knowledgeable, diligent, and personable. We also enjoyed our stop at the Livingstone Museum on our way back from Vic Falls.
Your stay at Elephant Valley Lodge Our tent and service were both excellent, and the food was very good, although not as good as Chundukwa's. Our guide Patrick was very, very good. Both the game drives and the boat trip were fantastic. After Chobe, all our other wildlife sightings were bonuses.
My only suggestion, which I made to the manager, who said he will bring it up with his corporate management, was that they raise their prices and not charge for water served with meals! They did not provide a pitcher of water or glasses in our tent (I learned their supply is drinkable but alkaline). Perhaps this is cultural, as I understand that on the Continent, they charge for water. In American and British restaurants, they just keep it coming. It would have been less jarring if they had charged for coffee and tea, or laundry -- water seems a necessity in a warm climate. Again, perhaps this is cultural, but none of the other lodges did it. It appeared to this American, and I expect would to others, to be what we refer to as "nickel and diming" by an otherwise high end establishment. I suspect this silly policy was formulated by some accountant at corporate headquarters. I expect to pay for beer, not water.

Your stay at Oddballs Camp We had great fun at Oddballs, and are very glad we decided to spend two nights camping. Our guide Kitso was savvy and friendly. If we had not had confidence in his bushcraft and good judgement, we would not have followed him unarmed into the bush. Actually getting out for two long walks a day made the trip for us, and the afternoon siesta allowed us to recover from our jet lag. He even netted some fresh tilapia for dinner. He was very careful and looked out for us. He got up in the middle of the night to feed the fire, and on the way back to the base camp, had to gently persuade a stubborn elephant to move out of the way of our mokoro. The food at the lodge was excellent, and the staff there were all very friendly.

Your stay at Meno A Kwena Tented Camp We had excellent guides (which we now understand is what this safari business is all about) everywhere, but we have to say that our guide, Dabe Sebitola, at M-A-K, was in a class by himself. He could talk to the animals, expertly track, make fire with two sticks, knew all the book stuff, and was great company! He answered our innumerable questions about the Kalahari, animal behavior, bushcraft, his San people, and he showed us a great time. He also had a wonderful sense of humor. We cannot recommend him too highly.

The staff at M-A-K was friendly and took good care of us. They fed  us very well. We are very glad we decided on the overnight to Makgadikgadi Pan (Mandy's suggestion). M-A-K and Gweta Lodge try to keep the arrangements a surprise, and they succeeded completely! We were the first two guests of the season, and felt like the King and Queen of England.

It is no surprise to us that Island-Safari is such a success. We honestly cannot think of anything you could have done better. We had a fantastic trip.  We told everyone we met on our tour about you. When I told my best friend about it and recommended he and his wife go, he said, "You have done all the homework. We'll just take the same trip next spring." The best part of the homework we did was locating Island-Safari. Thanks for a great trip! It was a genuine pleasure doing business with Island-Safari.
Jeff Dennis and Barbara Nakano

June 2008
We had a great time in Africa. Thanks for organizing everything for us. I have to say Desert Homestead had the best food (compared to Mapula and Muchenje) while Mapula's staff is the friendliest and the lodge also has great character. Muchenje's food is not as good compared to the other two lodges but their all-day safari is a bonus (but tiring as well!). The view from Muchenje is also unbeatable.

Thanks again!
Renee
I have already provided my feedback on the three lodges to Alison De Buryn. My other feedback is:
services from Island Safari staff: Ali was extremely helpful adn well organized and thoughtful. she gave us honest and great recommendations!
 
transfers: all airport and road transfers worked out very smoothly. The pilot who flew us from Windhoek to Desert Homestead was also a lot of fun and had dinner with us at the lodge.
stay at Victoria Falls: very nice hotel and extremely convenient.
Renee Cheung

June 2008
I was very, very satisfied with everything we rec eived. Beginning with the choice of the lodge, that really was exactly what we wanted, all the service off bookings, and our time there , the guide, the managers of the lodge, the food, everything was wonderful! We received the best attention for everybody!

I can give mark 100!

Thankyou
Any Wrona

June 2008
I just return home and I planed to send you appreciation letter.
First I thank you for sending your representative to meet us at Johannesburg airport, I knew that some one will meet us but I did not realize how helpful it will be and you must thank her for all the help she gave us.
The service we received from you was excellent and we enjoyed it very much.
The Stone cutters Lodge is beautiful place and we received wonderful service.
But the best of all was Hongonyi Private Game Lodge. We received the best service, the place is very nice, we were very lucky to meet the owners they are grate people. We loved to be there and enjoyed every minute.
 
So, thanks for every thing and especially you Louise for all the assistance.
 
Sincerely yours
Nurit and Daniel Jacobi

June 2008
As previously promised I am very happy to give you a feed-back on our tour through Botswana, Zambia and South Africa as arranged by your company. As Mandy was the one who arranged everything - and did it extremely professionally - I have taken the liberty to copy her on my email.
 
As mentioned in my previous email, everything went fantastic, as scheduled and as promised so really, there is not one single thing we were not completely satisfied with. The entire arrangement certainly met, and to a large extend exceeded our expectations, and to be frank, having spent my (our) entire life travelling, expectations were high.
 
I have inserted some point-by-point comments to your bullet points in the email below for a bit more detailed feed-back. Hope that will serve the purpose. Should you ever need any references or recommendations, please do not hesitate to let us know. We would only be too happy to recommend your organisation to others, based on the experience we have had.
 
Warmest regards
Susy and Mogens Henningsen
Singapore
The service you received from Island-Safari.com staff during the booking process and during your tour.          
One of the reasons for the tour being so successful was the service we received from Mandy from the very beginning and throughout the entire process of finding the right selection of camps and itinerary. The whole selection process was both very friendly and efficient. And Mandy's recommendations showed up to be excellent. During the tour we were very surprised - and impressed, as previously mentioned - that alternative bookings had been arranged        completely without our knowledge when the Nationwide Airlines went bankrupt, so we had no worries at all but was just handed the alternative solution when we arrived at Muchenje. Great job.
The transfers you had.          
All the transfers went very well. Andre from The Tourist's Friend was there for both transfers from Johannesburg and was very pleasant to meet. The more complicated transfer from Muchenje in Botswana to Songwe Village in Zambia,           with 5 different "operators" went surprisingly smooth, including the immigration formalities in Zambia.  The individual transfers by plane, 3 times, were also perfect. I mean, you can't blame the pilots for my wife getting a bit "uneasy" during the flights. Even the long flight from Kwara to Kasane was very good, and we would do it again. 
Your stay at The Safari Club SA
The one-night stay was fine. Everything OK. Good recommendation.
Your stay at Pom Pom Camp          
Pom Pom was great. May be because it was our first experience and camp ? Bu no, I think not only for that. It was well run ( by a newly arrived couple ). Good management, a graet staff, good food and service - and good game drive. We had made only one mistake : We should have stayed there one more night ! Definitely a place you would like to come back to
Your stay at Little Kwara Camp          
Also a good camp. The rooms very comfortable - but then again the tents in Pom Pom was more "real": Safari !   The game drives were real good as well - and we had the one extra day we missed in Pom Pom. The management   a little bit more "local", but very friendly, no problem there and the food not quite a good as Pom Pom. But all in, very      enjoyable. Next time we would consider to try either, or both ?, the Lagoon camp or Lebala in the north.       A great thing with both Pom Pom and Kwara is that you can drive off track - and the drives were real great - as well as in the night, compared to the drives inside the national parks, like in Muchenje.
Your stay at Muchenje Safari Lodge          
That was a great recommendation, Mandy. Thanks for that. Very well run by a lovely couple and good staff. Good food and drinks but, most of all, real good game, in particular because you have the combination of the jeep drives and the boat trips. And the elephants !!! Out of this world. Together with the Hippos, the lions ( 4 female ) and the  leopard. Yes, we had it all including the buffalos and so many girafs that we stopped counting. That was two           wonderful days. Only other comment : the rooms are a bit small but then again, you are not supposed to spend too much time in the rooms, are you ? and the camp facilities and spaces are great but too little time to enjoy them.
Your stay at Songwe Village          
Songwe Village is interesting ( and it was our own choice ). Obviously it does not have the same luxury and the facilities as most of the other upmarket resorts along the Zambesi, but I believe we got another "cultural" insight in the life in Africa, which we both appreciated. The camp is run by a lady who is really engaged in the local life and culture and managed to convey that in a very good manner. The rooms are really interesting - and fine - and those      bathrooms with a view to the Gorge !!! they are really spectacular. It was a good experience. The 1/2 hour helicopter trip which takes you both through the Gorges and over the Victoria Falls is a must, and so is the walk along the falls. Here the 2 nights were just fine, filled with endless experiences.
Your stay at River Meadow Manor Guesthouse.          
It was fine. A good recommendation for a one-night rest after all the exitment. A nice room and good food.
Your journey on Rovos Rail          
We really enjoyed that. We were probably a little apprehensive to whether it would be too long a time to be onboard such a rather limited space - and what to do? Well, the time actually went flying, and they took very good care of us during the entire journey. The food, wine and service was excellent throughout, and we arrived well rested to the          
Cape Town where we subsequently spent two weeks with good friends in Hermanus.

June 2008
Claudia, who took care of our arrangements, was incredible: very professional, patient and efficient. I actually compared with many other agencies (believe me, I spent 2 month arranging for our trip) and we got the best package with you! so it was perfect!

Audi camp stay was very short but we liked it a lot. we only arrived late at night and left the next day but they took very . Pom pom was incredible! personalised attention, amazing food, very good game and the staff were super nice. Chobe was different: many more people at the hotel (of course, after Pom Pom!) but we liked the rooms A LOT and the staff were very helpful arranging the activities. We enjoy also the flights with delta air but we
though that the planes were VERY OLD so were a little bit unconfortable...

Thank you very very much for all your assistance and pls send our best greetings to Claudia. We had a great time! It was fantastic!(see attached
pic).

Best regards,
Eva Capa

June 2008
All of the trip was excellent.
 
The e-mails received from Island-Safari.com staff were very informative and professional.  The transfers all went smoothly and reliably so that we did not have to worry.  Chobe Safari Lodge was luxury with lots of food, the guides were very knowledgeable and we saw lots of animals.  We were made very welcome at Pom Pom Camp and our guide, Seretse was entertaining and good with our teenage daughters.  The staff also managed to get back my husband's mobile phone that he had inadvertently dropped on the light aircraft.
 
Never having been to Africa before, it was an experience we shall always remember.
 
kind regards
Judith Williams

June 2008
We enjoyed our stay at Victoria Falls Hotel enormously.    The transfer was painless.   All in all, we were entirely satisfied.
 
Regards 
Karen Beagent

June 2008
I first want to say that Mandy at Island-Safari was absolutely incredible in making sure our trip went off without a hitch!  We are still stunned at the precision and great service we received at every turn.  Natasha, our driver from A Travelers Friend was terrific!  When she took us back to the airport in Joburg, she not only drove us there, but she went with us through check-in and made sure we got through security okay. 
 
With all of the different pickups from airports, hotels, bush planes, camps, etc, everything and everybody was always on time and extremely helpful.  We have traveled to many locations around the world and I really have to say, from the original booking to returning home, we have never had such great service.  And we have traveled with some of the biggest, most respected travel companies in the world!
 
Below I have included some thoughts on each of the locations….
 
Thank you very much for helping make our African Safari a trip of a lifetime.  You definitely have our business on all future adventures to Africa!
 
Rick Walker

May 2008
I wanted to thank you for how quickly and professionally you managed my trip.
Choice of accommodation was very appropriate, bookings and transportation with zero problems.

I am very happy of my choice of Island Safari versus other tour operators,
and I will be your guest very soon (you also do Tanzania?), as will be several friends of mine who have asked for suggestion with whom to book for South Africa.

Congratulations and best regards
Marco Hannappel

May 2008
Thanks for the note... we had an incredible time in the delta.. odballs was fantastic, our moroko trip outstanding, and Patricia and then Michelle were wonderful... we will for sure be back... thanks for your help.
Stephen Schuitevoerder

May 2008
My husband and were extremely pleased with the service that we received from Island-Safari.com staff during the booking process and while on tour. We worked with Elize via email to plan our trip and she very helpful and very patient with us.
We were very pleased with all the arrangements. It all went off without a hitch.
To be specific and to answer all your questions:
Table Bay Hotel was very lovely,great location, great service. We enjoyed the breakfasts!
Royal Malawane Luxury Safari Lodge was outstanding! The service, the rooms, the food, the game viewing were the best! I actually was in tears when we had to  leave!
D'Oreale Grand Hotel was fine. It is a very nice hotel and we enjoyed its close proximity to the mall and casino (which I was pleasantly surprised about). However, the shuttle from the airport to the hotel (just finding the shuttle) was a bit annoying. We would have preferred to be transferred by private car. We did make that arrangement for the return to the airport the next the day. It was not expensive and was well worth avoiding the trek from the shuttle drop off point.  There is a lot of construction at the Joberg airport.
Tongabezi Lodge was great. We did the half day elephant safari and had a great time. The facility was like being in summer camp. The staff was terrific. The trip to Vic Falls was fabulous. We visited a local village and got a sense of daily life. That was quite an eye opening experience.
Chobe Chilwero was great. We would have liked to have more time there. Two days passed very quickly.
The food and service and game viewing were all wonderful!
Chief's Camp was our last stop! We had a blast on the light aircraft the took us in and out. We had to leave one of our bags in Kasane because we were over our limit on weight/size. The bag was waiting for us in Maun, just as the pilot said it would be. I guess they were serious about those limits! In any event the place was fabulous. The staff and facilities were all top notch.
 
We had a fabulous trip!
 
Hope that this is helpful.
 
Sincerely yours,
Arlene Sanders

May 2008
Just a short word to say that we enjoyed very much our recent trip in South Africa. We discovered a wonderful country and its friendly people. Our guide Allen had prepared a well balanced programme that allowed us to see the Santa Lucia weltlands, the Umfolozi Hluhluwe Game Reserve and the Dragenberg Mountains. We are particularly grateful to Allen who did every thing to satisfy our desires and respond to our needs. He was punctual, respectful, reliable and very knowledgeable about the environment in South Africa. A real professional and wild life enthusiast.

We will recommend Island-Safari and Allen to our friends who like to travel.
Regards.
Jean-Louis Laberge

May 2008
Finally only got back to Singapore this Saturday morning after an additional 2 weeks around Cape Town (Hermanus).
Have spend most of the week-end downloading and sorting out a few thousand photos of elephants and other beautiful animals and is off to Hong Kong tomorrow for a short business trip, so please give me a few days and I will get back to you with a more detailed feed-back from the trip.
 
But in Summary  :  Everything went like clockwork and was spectacular and the entire arrangement from your side was first class. In particular I was impressed with your service and re-booking of our flight out of Livingstone following the bankruptcy of the airline we were booked on. Brilliant - and thanks Mandy ! I am sure we have to talk about that, right ?
 
Best regards
Mogens Henningsen

May 2008
In general everything was excellent . We didn’t have any problem anywhere.   Your services were very very excellent.  All your team are great professionals, about all Mandy.  Everything was perfectly booked. We were very happy during all our trip.    Transfers were excellent.
Our stay al Somalisa Camp was excellent too, and the staff were very friendly and loving people.
Our stay at Victoria Falls Hotel was also excellent.
Our stay at Muchenje Safai Lodge was excellent too.
Our stay in Lagoon Camp was perfect.  Our guide was an excellent professional. (He was called Peht).  He did his best for us to see we wanted to.  In Lagoon was where we saw the group of about 15 wild dogs fighting between them.  They gave us an unforgettable performance.
Our stay at Mapula Lodge was also quite good although in our opinion, it could have been better. We think they could improve  a little more about disinfecting the rooms. I mean, there were many insects inside the room and I think they should do something for solving that problem. 
Our stay at Xakanaxa  Camp was excellent too.
And our stay at Deception Valley Lodge was completely satisfied. The staff and specially our guide Adrian was a great professional and person.  He made us be very happy there.
Well Melissa. Our trip was perfect every way.  We will never forget this marvelous 19 days with Island-Safari.
Thanks so much and from now on,  here in Spain, you have very close friends forever.
Kisses to everybody there, from us in Spain.
Yours sincerely.
Cristina & Carlos Delgado.

May 2008
Just to say everything about our trip worked splendidly.    Transfers were efficient and on time and all the lodges were comfortable and well run.   In fact, couldn't have been better.
Marion I'Anson

May 2008
Tara and I had a wonderful vacation; thank to all of you for your assistance!

Elize was wonderful, and agreed to modify and amend the itinerary several times based on our requests, and every time was able to provide us with an option exactly as we were hoping.  (Our plans changed a few times, so we had to ask her to amend the quote in response to those changes to our schedule.)  She was very efficient, and would always reply within 24 hours which was extremely important to us as we were booking somewhat at the last minute.

Mapula Lodge was wonderful, the staff extremely attentive to our needs and very courteous!  We absolutely loved it!

Chobe Safari Lodge was just as excellent; we only have positive feedback to leave!  The included activities were all excellent, and easy to book on the day of arrival.

The flight transfers (both on Air Botswana as well as Delta Air) were efficient, on time and without problems.

All in all it was a wonderful vacation.  I will be recommending your services to all my friends and relatives who are going to Africa on vacation!

Sincerely,
Charles Dumont

May 2008
Dear Mandy,
How are you?.  We are already at home with our normal life again.  We have finished our trip but we are very happy because everything in our trip was perfect .  You and everybody in your team are great professionals.  We didn’t have any problem anywhere.  Everyplace we were was perfectly booked.  All camps were very good.  The most we liked was “Deception Valley” and Lagoon Camp” in Kwando because our guides were fantastic, but the rest were very good too.   The less we liked was “Mapula logde”.  In our humble opinion it should be cleaner. I mean, there were a lot of insects in the room  and I think they should solve this problem cleaning the room more often.  I know the camp is in Okawango Delta and there are more insects than in other places, but justly for it, they should do something for solving it.    Also the food was a little scarce.  They used to take off the food even before everybody had finished dinner . (maybe they had some problems with stocks of food, I don’t know).  But, it doesn’t matter.  I tell you this just for you to know but nothing else.   We were very happy everywhere.
 
One of the planes which had to come to pick us up, was delayed and we had to wait for it for a couple of hours,  but then, the pilot gave us a gift  for having waited for him..  He flew to the next camp very low, so we were able to see all animals in the bush perfectly and very near. It was fantastic. We enjoyed that flying a lot. 

In sort, all trip was fantastic.  We saw  many interesting things.  At last we didn’t see Rhinos in Somalisa Camp in Zimbabwe but on the other hand we saw a lot of Elephants drinking water all together very close to us in a small pool they had in the camp. .   We took fantastic photos.
We also saw a complete family of lions in Xakanaxa Camp.  ( 2 beautiful males, 4 females  and a lot of cubs  of different ages all together).  It was wonderful.
Also we saw something spectacular. Two families of wild dogs fighting  between them  (about fifteen dogs).  It was absolutely fantastic.  Our guide was also fascinated. He told us he had never seen something like that before.   

Well Mandy, this letter could be very long but we don’t want you to waste your time with us.  Just to say thanks so much and if we decided coming back there, we would put in touch with you again.   And also we will recommend  your company to everybody who ask us about.
Say thanks to everybody there because all of you are fantastic professionals  (specially you).
Kisses from Spain.
 
Best wishes
Cristina & Carlos Delgado

May 2008
We had a beautiful honeymoon in south africa! Everything worked perfect!
The service from Island-Safari, especially from Louise, was excellent!
 
Stonecutters Lodge: service, hospitallity and food was excellent!
 
Honeyguide Mantobeni Camp: service, hospitallity and food was excellent!
 
Timamoon Lodge: service, hospitallity and food was excellent!
 
Peebles Country House: Service, hospitality perfect. Food was unfortunately not satisfaing.
 
Many thanks again for the great organisation and warm regards to south africa!
Melanie Luescher

May 2008
Great trip - thanks.  Oddballs was fantastic and the Island Safari people I interacted were helpful and friendly.  The Metcourt is really wierd - I would have preferred something less glitzy and less expensive (it made sense for me to use the same hotel on the way back).  Are there good B&Bs in Jo'burg where it would be possible to get a bit more of a local experience?
Susan Kerr

May 2008
The service you received from Island-Safari.com staff during the booking process and during your tour. More than satisfactory
The transfers you had. Very smoothly
Your stay at Delta Camp first class
Your stay at Xakanaxa Camp better than the first
Your stay at Chobe Safari Lodge little disappointing in that they mixed up the bookings, otherwise good
Beverley Spies

May 2008
No problem, as I was very happy with the service from Island Safaris !

         Service from Carla was excellent: professional, prompt and good advice. Big thanks, I will have no hesitation to recommend Island Safaris to friends and family !
          I was a little worries about the 4 day Tremisana Lodge Safari as it looked rather cheap for what they promised (at least for someone used to UK prices...) But they were really good, transfers were prompt and save, nice drivers and good vehicles. The lodge accommodation & food is simple but good: clean rooms, friendly staff. The wild life tours exceeded my expectations: I was lucky that there were few guests, but this did not mean they skimped on the tours. Local game tours in Balule plains reserve were excellent, guides did a really good job to cater for any specific interest like birds. I had expected that for the Kruger tour we would be dropped off to join a massive group, but they had their own Landrover in the park and our own Tremisane guide drove us around all day. So for people who are do not have too high demands on accommodation & food I can really recommend Tremisana.
          Riley’s was comfortable, room clean and spacious, bathroom dated but functioning, staff friendly.  No complaints, perfectly good place to stay in Maun for a day or few days. They had “lost” the Island payment conformation but thanks to fast action from Carla that was resolved before check-out.
         Not booked via you but if you ever have people interested in horseback riding in the Okavango Delta: Okavango Horse Safaris are absolutely perfect, I had a great time with them and would not mind going back asap !!!!!!!
 
So again my thanks for the help organizing this trip, and I will remember Island for any future travel to Southern Africa.
 
Best regards
Ruud van der Velden

May 2008
To answer your questions in a nutshell - we had a marvelllous trip and we could not have been happier with the Island-safari service.
 
Elize Cavill-Taylor did a thorough and comprehensive job for us for which we are very grateful
 
Our stay at Meno A Kwena was memorablea and the camp was a very pleasant surprise. Of our party of twelve, nine had never been to Botswana before and six had never been to Africa.. So arriving at a luxurious rustic camp reminiscent of the old safari days was magical - even for those of us who have experienced Botswana quite a bit. The service and attention to detail by Patrick and his team was great. Even the wildlife came to the party with elephant at the waterhole each evening and lion spoor outside the Hollanders tent in the morning. We enjoyed the camp immensely and would surely consider going there again in future.
 
Elephant Valley was again superb but in a different kind af way. Fabulous setting again with the active waterhole. We did get lost trying to find it (and one vehicle got stuck in the sand in the attempt ) but when Sean had arranged our rescue and explained that the lack of sign posting was to keep the camp exclusive, I realised I had not brought along the GPS reading for the camp which was the method they recommend their guests use to hone in on the location. This adventure was taken in good spirits and in fact thoroughly enjoyed by all. How can you go to Africa and not spend some time stuck in the bush with elephants around any corner ? Staying there for four nights was ideal as we had time to relax and enjoy the camp surroundings as well as spend a day at Victoria Falls and of course do the trips into Chobe Park and on the Chobe river at least twice each. The wildlife was very obliging with many exciting sitings and of course oodles of photographs were taken by all.

On to Nata Lodge. The road from Nata Village from about 40 kms out up to Pandamatenga is in very poor shape - huge potholes for about 120kms. From Pandamatenga into Kasane the road was good again. The result that this 300km stretch took a good four and a half hours to cover. So of course after leaving EVL we had to negotiate this same stretch and it was quite tiresome. There was also very little if any sign of any repairs being made. Makes us not keen to take that route again until we have heard that is had been attended to.
Nata Lodge was as welcoming as always. We have stayed there several times and find them pleasantly acceptable. Food OK, service OK, rooms OK ( I do prefer the luxury A-frames to the cottages but I should have mentioned that when we made bookings ), the bush babies did their tricks for us and all round we enjoyed our stay there as well. They did try to tell us that only 7 of us and not 12 were booked in for dinner but I found that so incredulous - after all we were 12 booked into the accommodation - they did not argue the point further and we had a great evening.
 
 
All in all trip whole trip was very successful and my guests asked several times who I arranged this all through and how did I manage to find Island-Safaris in the first place. I filled them all in and I am sure your good name will be bandied around a bit in Holland as a result. They are all longing to come back again. We are thinking along those lines too - of perhaps doing a ' west of the delta ' trip in September this year. I am working on it.
 
Many thanks
April Bac

May 2008
All excellent, could not have been better.
 
Special thanks must go to Carien, she was incredibly helpful and make everything happen.
 
Regards,
Simon Gale

May 2008
I was not able to go to Ivory Tree Lodge due to a family emergency; however, my husband and our two boys thoroughly enjoyed their stay.  From what I can gather from my family, the lodge was comfortable and the food very good.  The ranger, Nick was knowledgeable, friendly, efficient and entertaining.
 
Cara, whom I had been dealing with at Island-Safari was pleasure to work with.  She had been patient and provided us excellent information.
 
We will be moving to Johannesburg in August and I am sure I will be contacting Cara again.
 
Kind Regards,
Alice Larin

May 2008
our stay in the Okavango Delta was marvellous and we saw much more animals than expected in addition from very, very close. In that period of the year the cats have a lot of cubs and the 2 rangers that went on game drives with us at Xakanaxa are really amazing! They tracked leopards with 2 cubs and leopards hunting and a complete lion family with 5 cubs that were finally playing directly next to our jeep and later we found ourselves between buffaloes and a lion hunting them, means I could have touched the lion while he was hunting, he was more than close - so I must say it could not have been better.
Xakanaxa camp itself is great, we loved that everything is luxurious as in former times with candles and petrol lamps, with great food and wines for brunch and diners, with hippos and monkeys between the tents - means you really feel like being part of the wildlife nature and the team (managers and personnel) are so nice and natural and helpful and interesting. Always willing to talk about their country, their lives, their experiences and sharing all their know-how and experiences with the guests. I would love to recommend that place to many, many others, but hesitate to make too much noise about it to make sure it stays as it is. Not growing and having "mass" tourism in the near future. It would not be the same any more...

With regard to the flights and the service at the airport in Maun on arrival and departure with our luggage and so on was fine as well. Everybody was friendly and helpful and whatever we did or asked for was realised as booked.

We are more than happy with everything you provided and thank you very much for the recommendation the booking and your assistance!!

Kind regards from Germany (at least it is summer here now)
Verena Mutius

May 2008
We are the ones who are happy to have choose Island-Safari to organize our tour. Thank you very much! Everything was extremly well organized and we didn't need to worry anytime. It was perfect and we were able to just relax and enjoy our days there.
 
Considering the items you request for feedback:
1. The assistance we had from you, during the booking process was: Great. We felt safe in "your hands", during all the process.
2. The transfers worked very well, always on time, with good assistance and kindness from the people involved.
3. The Safari-Club - we loved it. A very nice place to prepare us for the safari adventure. People was very nice too.
4. The Arathusa Safari Lodge - such a relaxing place! Such a dream! The concept: casual but with an elegant touch, the kindness of all the stuff, the professionalism, all the animals around (what a fantastic situation)... a remarkable experience.
 
Cara, THANKS for everything. You helped us to make a dream come true. If, one day, we return to South Africa for hollidays, we surely will ask your assistance again.
 
Best Wishes
Maria & Christian Pantaleao

May 2008
Just got back here from a two week trip.  Island-safari service was excellent.  Prompt response and follow-ups.  Everything in place when we got to Maun for our flight to Oddballs.  Delta air was very accomodating and the pilot gave a very safe scenic flight.  Oddball's staff and guides were out standing.  They went out of their way to make sure our stay and mokoro trips were of top service and quality.  Will recommend Island when I get a chance.
Thank you again,
David Hummel

May 2008
I have to honestly say that I could not have been more impressed with Michelle at island-safari.com  She was great!  When we heard about the
nationwide shutdown and gave her a call she already had us on other flights.  Then the weather was bad trying to get out of Shinde to Victoria falls and before we even got to Victoria Falls all of the tour times we missed were rescheduled.  Then we sprung a last minute addition to the itenerary and she took care of it immediatly.  I would highly recomend your company to anyone.

Shinde camp was also brilliant.  The levels of personal service they gave was unmatched.

All of our transfers were on time, everyone was professional, and in victoria falls we even missed one of our transfers because the bunji jump was running late and they sent another to pick us up right away.

The Zambezi sun was overall good.  The food choices for lunch/dinner were a little more limited than i would have hoped.  The staff was
always smiling and the location was perfect so i would still recomend it.

Hope that helps.  Please let me know if there is anything else that i can help with.

Best Regards,
Jonathan Clites

May 2008
We had - in every sense - a wonderful time down there. Service, facilities and National Park were fantastic.
 
One tip for your marketing activities: prior to our trip we were unsure whether we really want to travel through Botswana given the way higher price level than in Namibia for good accommodation. Now that we know the value of all the activities that were included in your offer, we know that the pure prive level of accommodation is not really different from what we have seen in other Southern African countries. I.e. that the price of USD 410.- per night, which equals approx. EUR 270.- at the moment (which sounds extremely expensive), is way lower if you deduct what a game drive or a private boat excursion normally costs. Our calculation ended up in something around EUR 120.- per night excl. activities. Bottom-line: marketing Botswana price level would be easier if you emphasize the valoue of the activities included in the package.
 
Looking forward to neyt time travelling with you.
 
Kind regards,
Alex Kirsch

May 2008
I was very happy with Island Safari's service from Alison. She replied promptly and  helpfully to my requests and we ended up with an itinerary that suited us very well.
I think the cost was fair, too. Everything went smoothly once we were on the safari  and I even got a message from Alison in Namibia noting the upgrade to San Camp.
 
Transfers — Everything worked well except we weren't sure when we were to be picked  up from the Zambezi Sun and went for a walk before breakfast which made us a bit  late once the driver arrived. No other problems with flights or cars.
 
Zambezi Sun Resort Hotel — Fine. Great walks in area.

Ichobezi Safariboat — Fantastic. I recommend putting them on your list. The Ichingo  Lodge which runs the boats is of a very high standard with great food, wine, etc.,  although it's the game watching from the houseboat's smaller boats which was so  spectacular. The animals seem to ignore you when you're on the water, with the  exception of the hippos and crocs! Great staff.

Ichingo River Lodge — Lovely tents with giant adobe bathrooms adjoining them and  private decks overlooking the river. Beautiful food. The owner, Ralph Oxenham, is a  character.

Oddballs Camp — Just our style. Nice, but not over the top. Our guide, Julius, has  worked for Delta Camp in the past and we were most impressed with his knowledge,  skills and kindness.
 
San Camp — Fabulous food and wine. Otherwise, over-rated in my books, especially if  we had been paying $800 per person per night -- the book price. I'm not sold on the  owner's idea about bringing in British PhDs to be guides. Harkened back to colonial  times, in my opinion. But everyone was very nice and it was fun for us to experience on an upgrade. 

Hope that helps.
Yours,
Erin Ellis  

May 2008
Hi.  I would be happy to provide some feedback.  Elize did a magnificent job for us…from the beginning when we contacted her and throughout the time when we were making our decisions, Elize was the consummate professional in responding efficiently and effectively to our requests.  All of our transfers were managed precisely as described on our itinerary. 
Our stay at Elephant Valley Lodge and Delta Camp more than met our expectations.  The managers at both lodges took great care in managing our stay.  We want to provide a very special thanks to Lena at Delta Camp – what a truly remarkable human being. 
The Safari Club provided just exactly what we needed – a clean and comfortable place to stay before flying onto other parts of Africa.  We will be happy to recommend Island-safari to anyone else who might be planning a trip to Africa. 
Jan Embree-Bever

May 2008
at first our congratulations for your good work and better organisation  of all the details of our travel.
 
yesterday we arrives home and our sensation is clearly a travel without incidents, and we had been in mervelous places always connecting with kind people.
 
Until our next travel you have a friends here in Barcelona
 
best wishes
Pilar and Alvaro Palao

May 2008
We wanted to take a few moments to offer you some additional feedback on the fantastic 10-day Namibian Explorer Safari vacation that we had with you in April.

Firstly, the organisation that was done by Louise from Island-Safaris was just out of this world. We worked with Louise over a period of several weeks to find a vacation that suited our aspirations and timing expectations. We just don’t know how she endured us - with our numerous vacillations and amendments. Her attention to detail and Customer satisfaction was just something else.

Our biggest quandary was our fear that it would be difficult for the safari to meet Louise’s standards. Well, we are happy to state that this was indeed the case. The safari met fully, and even exceeded the setting that Louise has portrayed.

Ndaheya let our safari in a way that your management should be very proud. He is an exceptional person, with qualities we have seldom seen in an ‘employee’. He is a true asset to your organisation and we hope that he may receive some recognition for this. His personality, his knowledge of the nature, his management style, his cooking skills, his driving skills, his attention to detail, and most importantly, his attention to Customer needs were all quite impeccable.

We are a rather well-travelled family, but this Namibian experience does come out as one of the nicest vacations of all times !!!

In the interest of a balanced feedback, we would like to make a comment to two points:

        The Soussusvlei experience: We hope that it is fair to say that Soussusvlei is certainly the safari highlight. We were all looking forward to seeing the sunrise over the dunes. Given the new overnight location, it is just impossible to get to the dunes for sunrise. This is also complicated by the fact that the gates only open at sunrise. Whilst the experience was still breathtaking, we would highly recommend that accommodation be found inside the dunes, so that this experience may be realised.
        The Swakopmund optional activities: This is a wonderful and timely break after a number of days on the road. We are cognisant that you are dealing with partners and suppliers to offer these optional activities. In our experience with the Balloon and Skydiving optional activities, we would recommend that you update your price lists to avoid confusion, and only offer brokerage to activities where you have solid agreements in place.

In closing, we would again like to thank both Louise and Ndaheya for their highly commendable and unique services.

Best regards
Tyrone & Joëlle MORRIS

May 2008
We have only just returned to Australia after the balance of our trip.
 
We were going to give you our feedback in any case, so thanks for your email.
 
In all cases we were very satisfied by Island Safari’s service through Alison (very prompt and courteous), and also the transfers and flights (all on time and trouble free), and also the standard of accomodation and service at both Sindabezi and Mapula. All in all a very good experience and top marks to all concerned.
 
Many thanks,
Steve Eckfeld

May 2008
Hi Patricia,
 
Many thanks for your Birthday wishes. Sorry it has taken me so long to respond but soon after returning from holiday, I had ( arranged) to have an operation on my foot - nothing serious but a nuisance, nonetheless.
 
We had a wonderful trip to Africa, due , to a large extent, to your excellent recommendations and perfect arrangements. We will send our feedback to Island-safari.com in due course, but everything was just perfect - the Lodges, the flights, the transfers, the weather and we must thank you again for your help.

Raymond and Sylvia Levitus

May 2008
Just a wonderful holiday - heaven on earth!!
Transfer from airport to hotel - did not turn up - however, all organised by the hotel with one phone call from the airport.
20º Sud Hotel absolutely exquisite just could not be bettered.  The owners and staff made everything happen discreetley and exceptionally efficiently.  Vegetarian food a dream with the chef preparing special meals each evening.
I can say more than just a wonderful experience.
Jeanne Robertson

May 2008
It s been a great pleasure to give you a feedback on the service. Verona, the staff who help me to organise the hotel all the way in a very professional and informative way. Being very responsiblity and efficient to answer all my questions and offering extra help. Like providing a shuttle from Ocean Villa to Le Mauricia Hotel. I m very impressed by the excellent serivce that provided by Verona.

The stay in Le Mauricia was fantastic. Nice beach, beautiful pool and friendly staff. We had a wonderful stay in Mauritius. Thank you for giving us a brilliant suggestion. Staying in Le Mauricia make our trip even remarkable.
 
I will definately choose Island Safari.com to organise my stay in Mauritius again!
 
Thank you once again for all your excellent job! Well done!
 
Best regards,
Fanny Chow

May 2008
I’ve spoken to Holly and, in short, our response is 10 out of 10 across the board. We wouldn’t have changed a thing.
 
More specifically:
 
Alison (Island Safaris) was excellent. She always replied to our emails in a timely fashion. She let us know in advance when she was going to be away from the office. She was friendly, polite and honest, and she helped us to arrange the holiday of a lifetime.
The Victoria Falls Hotel was the perfect start to the honeymoon. Fantastic service, lovely food and the view from the hotel gave us a great taster of one of the wonders of the world, which is only a short walk away.
When we left Muchenje Safari Lodge I said to Holly ‘If we had to go home today, I would already have had the best holiday ever.’ The people were so friendly and, for a first safari experience, we were thoroughly spoiled.
Delta Camp was perhaps the most demanding of our stays – with the Mokoro trips, the walking safaris (we were very glad not to get to close to the animals!) and the tree house – but it has also been the experience we have talked about the most since we came home. We were very sorry when we had to leave. Again, the staff and guides were brilliant and it was truly an unforgettable experience.
Before we arrived at Xakanaxa I felt sorry for the staff and guides, thinking they would struggle to find something new and exciting for us so late into our holiday, but I should have known better. Xakanxa was another unforgettable safari experience that greatly added to the fun we’d had at Muchenje. Again, the staff, our guide, the accommodation and the food were excellent – just as we had come to expect!
Which leaves Deception Valley – and you have no idea how difficult it was for us to leave the Kalahari and return to England. Jason, Nadia, Xau and Qoma made us so welcome and managed, once again, to find new experiences, game and bird life for us to enjoy. It is probably Deception Valley, of all of the wonderful places we have been, to which I should most like to return.
 
Things we’d do differently next time:
Firstly, I should say that we would be happy to return to all of the lodges/camps/hotels we visited this time. I would recommend all of them, and Island Safaris, to anyone looking for a fantastic safari experience.
It would, however, be nice to visit each of these places at a different time of year to see them at their very best.
And finally, we should like to stay for a little longer next time – every time we had to leave a lodge/camp we felt we were leaving new friends behind.
Thank you for a truly wonderful honeymoon.
 
Chris & Holly Stanley.

May 2008
The staff during the booking was proffesional and very good.
Liked the personal and individual touch - very detailed tour descriptions, kind replays to all questions and special requests!
Thank's to Louise!
 
Also we received feedback from our clients and they also are very satisfied with all the services they received: transfer, the guide and both hotels.
At the Cavern Hotel was very good dinner.
Also the Balmoral Hotel was good.
 
So thank You for Your services and we will contact with You when we have new requests for tours to South Africa.
 
With best regards,
Krista Vecane
Tour operator
Baltics Online

May 2008
Thank you so much for helping us with this portion of our Botswana Safari. Your Island Safari staff were extremely helpful and efficient in processing our booking and in dealing with all our queries.
Camp Okuti is lovely. The camp has been very well built and the enormous bedrooms are wonderful. The staff are very welcoming and accommodating. The food is great and there is so much of it! The guides are very knowledgeable and adapt themselves very well to the specific interests of their guests instead of just chasing after the Big 5. The game vehicles are very comfortable, the bucket seats are a pleasure.
We really felt that the camp was child friendly in that our children were made to feel welcome instead of just tolerated.
I will certainly recommend both Island Safari and Camp Okuti.
Many thanks
Gill McPherson

May 2008
I have already given very positive feedback to Patricia, who proposed our program and who was extremely nice and efficient in all her work!

You'll find some additional commentary in your text below, and I remain of course at your disposal if you need further feedback or clarifications.

Thank you and all your staff for an unforgettable vacation!

Kind regards

Anton

* The service you received from Island-Safari.com staff during the booking process and during your tour.   Simply excellent!! Best travel agency I've used so far (OK, I haven't used many as I usually organise my trips by myself ...)!

* The transfers you had. Well organised, always punctual. Only criticism: it took six days to find my younger son's luggage, which was lost between Jo'burg and Maun ...

* Your stay at Oddballs Camp Great place, very nice guides, good food; we particularly liked the mokoro transfers and the walking, even if this keeps animals at a distance.

* Your stay at Kwara Camp Outstanding: friendly and helpful management, very comfortable accommodation; incredible wildlife and extremely knowledgable guides; arguably the best stop on our tour!

* Your stay at Muchenje Safari Lodge Beautiful location and very comfortable place, good food; unfortunately management appears a bit grim (army style ...) and not very hospitable; great wildlife, in particular during a fantastic river trip.

* Your stay at Zambezi Sun Resort Hotel Incredible location next to the falls, very comfortable; downside: considerable extra expenses since meals and drinks are not included. Most impressive waterfalls I've seen, especially from the helicopter!
Anton Tschopp

May 2008
Well what can we say.  Words cannot describe our experience.  Everything was just perfect, we wouldn’t have changed a thing.
 
To begin with:
 
Patricia, you could not have provided a better service, you were prompt, efficient, friendly and everything ran precisely to our schedule.
Our transfers were the best in the world.  We have traveled on numerous overseas holidays with both our family and the Sachrs (10-11 in total) and to move that many people isn’t easy and we have never had 1 transfer that has gone as smoothly as what you arranged for us.  Alan especially (in J’Burg) went beyond his call of duty and ensured that we were definitely on the flight before finally bidding us farewell.  If only we could receive this service elsewhere.  Please forward our regards to him and his colleagues.
The Elephant Sanctuary was a wonderful experience for all, especially the kids, the staff were always friendly and informative.  We even organized with the transfer company a trip to Sun City on their suggestion – that was a great ½ day out spent at the water park,,the kids and the parents enjoyed this relaxation time.
Planet Baobab – again the transfer and guides were always so friendly and the information they provided was always on hand.  Our highlight of the whole trip was the Quad Bikes and overnight at the Salt Pans, the most amazing experience and this just topped off an unbelievable Afrrican adventure.
Delta Camp – What can I say Lena was the most beautiful, amazing gentle man that we have meet on our trip.  He enlightened us all with his tales and made us feel safe and secure in his hands.  Again his team of guides were wonderful to us all.
Mapula Lodge – we were very grateful for those 4 x 4 trucks after trekking in the bush on foot in Delta for the last few days.  As always the service was incredible and the amount of wildlife that we saw here was immense.  Friendly and happy staff assisted in making us feel at home.
Muchenjie Lodge – the view spectacular, the hosts warm and caring and again plenty of animals to spot.
Songwe Village – another wonderful experience, we felt at home here and Dorothy was a beautiful woman who showed us her village life. We played this great African game (which we need to purchase somewhere) – if you can provide us with the correct name.  It has 32 holes and you play with pebbles, apparently you can play many different games on this.  The kids loved it and the adults couldn’t get enough of it. 
 
All in all the trip was a once in a life time experience.  The kids consumed so much information and even the adults learnt a few new things.  The food was amazing, couldn’t fault it and there was plenty too!  The assistance you provided to create the ideal adventure for our families was just perfect.
 
We could not thank you enough.
 
We would love to be able to book other holidays with you.  Do you specialize in Africa alone or are we able to use you to book any overseas holiday?
 
Kind regards
Linda and Daile Banning

April 2008
We should like to thank you and Island Safaris for organising our honeymoon. We wanted something breathtaking and unforgettable to follow our special day and that is exactly what you arranged for us. We’ve stayed in hotels, lodges, tents and tree houses; we’ve been on driving, boating and walking safaris; we’ve seen numerous birds and animals; we’ve been welcomed with champagne and ‘congratulations’ everywhere and it has all been truly wonderful. Please extend our thanks to the owners of the lodges and their staff, all of whom provided us with comfort and hospitality and helped us to relax and enjoy our break.
 
We were a little apprehensive about moving to a new location every other day – so much reliance on transfers seemed to be a recipe for disaster – but everything ran smoothly and we quickly appreciated just how well organised the holiday was. There was so much variety in location and accommodation that by the time we came home it felt like we had been away for a month, not ten nights. And at no point were we eaten by lions or bitten by snakes, which was a welcome bonus!
 
Based on our experience, both of us would like to return to Africa at some point in the future, and maybe even to some of the lodges we have already seen. And we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Island Safaris to anyone planning such a holiday.
 
So, once again, thank you very much.
 
Kind regards
Chris & Holly Stanley
P.S. The wedding was perfect.

April 2008
I have been meaning to write a thank you note since we got back a week ago however, work has got in the way!

Patricia was our first point of contact and I cannot fault her on anything! The communication received throughout the booking was fantastic and she made some very good suggestions re travel. All my queries were answered to and simply put, it was a hassle free experience, thank you! We even received an email from her when in Zambia, to confirm flights that had been arranged, top draw!

We were met at the airport by the transfer staff who were very friendly and patient with us! We needed to go to the chemist to get some goods and they showed us where to go, needed to exchange money and again, were patient waiting for us etc. The drive was easy, only 10min from the airport and the accommodation just perfect for the nights stay. Simba arranged a transfer for us out to dinner that night and the following morning we were taken back to the airport for our trip to Botswana.

Mapula Lodge was outstanding! Doctor and his team welcomed us with open arms and we felt like part of the family from the second we arrived. The flight was exciting and the welcome warm. Singing and dancing welcomed us, fantastic. The rooms are fantastic, at one with nature, just breathtaking views over the Delta and the wildlife superb. Josiah was our guide and Mike our trekker - what great great guys. They knew everything and taught us so so much. The food!! Unbelievable!!!! We loved the way the timings worked with everything and how it fitted it with the activities. This was really a fantastic set up/concept and the highlight of our stay for sure! We spent four wonderful nights here.

Stanley Safari Lodge: Again, the accommodation was outstanding. We were put in the honeymoon lodge and it was an open plan overlooking the Falls - unbelievable. Our host was very helpful and spent time with us going through some activities available. The setting is superb and the advantage of having your meal wherever you wanted was something different and which we enjoyed. To be honest, the quality of the food was not all that great, never the less, the friendly staff and great surroundings more than made up for it. We were there for two nights and enjoyed a Zambezi sunset cruise, visited the Vic Falls in the morning and took a helicopter flight through the gauges and over the falls, an experience of a lifetime. Again, the transfers were spot on and arrangements cannot be faulted.

Benguerra was paradise. Our own Casita right on the ocean was simply fantastic and a great way to end our trip. Again, the timings of meals etc was superb allowing you to arrange your day as you pleased and do whatever activities you wanted. We loved the social feel about the place yet still having your private space and time to do your own thing. The snorkelling was unbelievable. Andre was great and taught us so much about the marine life, which he clearly has a passion for. Lee-ann was such a great host and took care of all our needs. The transfers worked well. Going through Villanculos was interesting....  the locals were not as friendly as what we had experienced in Botswana and Zambia, however, that didn't distract us from a great holiday.

All-in-all, this was a trip of a lifetime for Aneisha and I. I will strongly recommend Island Safari to any of my friends who are planning a trip such as ours. Everything was simply superb and well worth the cost! Everything was taken care of and one of the best things was the communication on what we needed to take in terms of visa money etc. The itinerary was outstanding and a great tool to carry with us throughout the trip.

Thanks Patricia, for all your help and organization - much appreciated. Hope to one day afford a trip like this again, simply the best holiday of our lives.
Craig and Aneisha Haldane

April 2008
Sorry for this late answer but I want to tell you that our safari was excellent. All our journey was perfect. I thank a lot Claudia for his help : it was a pleasure to work with her.
All the transfers were perfect because we haven't lost any time.
The stays in the different lodge were fine : especialy in Deception Valley Lodge with Jason and his staff.
My family and I have enjoyed the safari : especially my daughter, she was like a queen in the journey ( single room for her !! ).
Thank you for all.
Warmest regards to Claudia.
Hervé MEQUIGNON

April 2008
Just to let you know that we had a great time on our safari. All the arrangements went like clockwork, and we really appreciated the efficiency of the whole operation. Our transfer to San Camp was super (and from what we gleaned) was a very fortunate move for us. We enjoyed the quad biking there, and we also did microlight over Vic Falls when we were there.
 
Again, many thanks for the superb and friendly service, with best wishes,
Chris and Audrey Robertson

April 2008
I cannot rave enough about Patricia and the help that I received from her while putting the trip together at the last
minute.  I could not have done it without her.  I had contacted numerous companies, and Island-Safari came
through with the best choices, but most importantly, she responded quickly and consistently to all questions, and
asked a lot of questions to ensure that all of our needs were in place.
The transfers you arranged worked out beautifully.  They were on time, helpful and exceedingly friendly.  They got
us there without a hitch. Both the land and air transport worked well.
Deception Valley was charming as were Jason and Nadia.  Jason was particularly sensitive to his job and his relationship with his San associates.  I think he has a big heart and excellent knowledge. It was a pleasure.  Nadia
held down the fort, made us feel very much at home and oversaw excellent food.  Deception Valley had a very nice mix of gentility and rustic, luxury and down home.  It was a comfortable place to be and most enjoyable
Mapula Lodge was my favorite for many reason.  Doctor was a joy and it was obvious that he treats his staff well-
they seemed like family.  Having the staff participate (greeting us at our arrival, singing and dancing for a
birthday) and being very visible during our stay was a treat.  They went out of their way to look after everyone.
As for the guides, they were the best,  Josiah, Mike, Dicks - loved them. And they found the Wild Dogs and leopard
for me.  I would go back.
Delta Camp was enjoyable.  The staff, Amy and Jessie, were new to the lodge and a little out of their element.  Amy was friendly however Jessie was standoffish and appeared not to like being there.  He was absent most  of the time.  The food was very good. Matsaudi  was just a wonderful person and superb guide. I also enjoyed Tim who is studying with him.  The two together made Delta a memorable experience and would recommend staying there just to have them as guides.  I trusted Matsaudi explicitly while on walking safaris and in the Mukoro,  and valued his sense of our safety and his vast knowledge of both the flora and fauna.  He and Tim
made the experience well worth while.  They are very nice people.
Muchenje Lodge, perhaps because it was closer to Kasane and more assessable, lacked the charm and uniqueness that the other lodges provided. The managers, Kathy and Rod, seemed to be working hard to get it
up and running properly. One of problems were the god-awful concrete and stone paths which I understand are going to be paved over.  I was using a cane and they were exceedingly unpleasant.  The food was very good. Again, the guides stole the show.  They were great fun, found Wild Dogs and Leopards (as well as Elephants) -
loved them all. 
In retrospect, the guides were the key to having a memorable time and because I went primarily to see the animals and experience a little bit of Africa, that is as it should be. 
Thank you for your putting the trip together and for this followup.  It ensures that the people who went out of their
way to make our visit spectacular can be recognized for their hard work.

With kind regards,
Linda Martin

April 2008
The service you received from Island-Safari.com staff during the booking process and during your tour. Ali was a superb travel advocate and became a great friend responding quickly to our every question and concern.
The transfers you had. They were all on time, good wildlife guides and terrific conversationalists. Your stay at Olive Grove Guesthouse It was exactly what we needed
Your stay at Serra Cafema Camp It was a fabulous experience in spite of Kate's medical emergency. The staff, especially Victoria, was exceptional in their concerns for Kate and their response to getting her back to Windhoek for medical care. Serra Cafema is an extraordinary place that we would love to return to someday.
Your stay at Sossusvlei Mountain Lodge Kate was unable to travel there but Scott had an experience of a life time...a life changing experience. Everything about the time there was extraordinary! The staff, food, special birthday surprise for friend Janet, vastness of the landscape, our guide Peter, the other guests, the astronomer Di and her introduction to the southern sky, the dunes, the dunes, the dunes, and the facilities were all beyond expectations.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Kate Johnson

April 2008
We returned to the UK yesterday after a brilliant holiday.

All the transfers were on time and we really enjoyed the Cessna transfers between the camps which gave great views of the Okavango and a few animals from a great height.

The camps were excellent and all different. Probably Shakawe needs some attention but we understand it is changing hands. We did see Pels there but at Pom Pom we had one roosting in a tree outside our tent for 2 days ! We loved Pom Pom, really lovely setting and the best of the 3 lodges we stayed at.

Lagoon was also really nice  and was the best for actual sightings. We shared Sundowners with some Wild Dogs ( which we had also done at Pom Pom with a Leopard ! ). We saw a Cheetah with her 2 week old cub by a kill she had recently made,and a herd of about 50 - 60 Elephants crossing the river from Botswana to Namibia ( from the boat ).

The most amazing spectacle though, was a Wild Dog kill about 10 metres from our vehicle, not exactly for the feint hearted ! Night spotting also produced lots of Mammals and Owls.

The food throughout was excellent and we now need to lose some weight.

Thank you for all the organisation, we have lots of memories of a lovely holiday,

Best wishes,
Marcus and Marion L'Anson

April 2008
Easy to give you my feedback - it was a wonderful holiday in every way...
 
Cara was great in all the booking arrangements - a fantastic service!
About the only thing I' wish I'd discussed was which flights to book - i didn't realise that by booking Cape Town return to London  I was potentially adding a few hours to my journey - better would have been to go from Nelspruit to Jo'Burg instead of back to Cape Town - but flights weren't part of what you do, so that's more of an observation for a next trip....
The transfers were great, with a guy called Stuart, who was both knowledgeable and extremely nice.
Camps Bay is beautiful and the folk at Camps Bay Village were very friendly and helpful. Our apartment was in a great position and decorated to a good standard.  Had to pay for parking on top of a relatively high daily rate, but was safe and right outside our apartment.
Idube was just brilliant - everything about it - the people, the experience, and top quality food.
 
THANKS -  if you do Thailand, we'll be planning with you again next year, otherwise, we'll be back the year after next - i need my parents to see this!
Best,
Deb Lincoln

April 2008
I am pleased to tell you that we thoroughly enjoyed our trip. I will answer your questions below.

We received excellent service from Michelle. She gave us prompt attention and her advice was right on target. She covered all the bases and nothing fell through the cracks.

All of our transfers were accomplished without incident. The only time we had to wait at all was on our initial landing in Johannesburg. The Delta Airlines flight had several numbers associated with it and our driver was a bit confused.

The Safari Club was a nice hotel. It was clean and comfortable. The breakfast was excellent. For travelers in transit, it is perfect.

The Delta Camp was extraordinary. It was an adventure from the beginning to the end. Our guide, "Culture", was attentive and knowledgeable. He showed us a great variety of wildlife in a natural setting. In comparing notes with other guests, our experience was far richer. My only comment is that he should practice his English enunciation.

The accommodations and food were also excellent. The hosts, Jeff and Amy, were gracious and attentive. The chef was extraordinary. We are vegetarian (fish also) and he provided wonderful special meals for us, which we greatly appreciated. We also met the owner, Peter, who is a unique character.

The Chobe Safari Lodge is pleasant and comfortable but not very friendly. The agents in the activities bureau were not at all helpful, and, in fact, a bit rude.
Our plane was about 1 1/2 hours late, which caused us to miss the opportunity for an evening safari tour. They were less than helpful in choosing an alternate activity. The food at the buffet was unremarkable. It reminded me of American fast food.

I believe that if I had only two hours to see Africa, I would take the evening boat safari up the Zambezi River. It was amazing. Other activities gave us the opportunity to get more intimate with wildlife, and given the time were a better experience, but they required more effort. The boat ride was simple, pleasant, comfortable and amazing.

We enjoyed the Songwe Village much more than we would have enjoyed the fancy hotels right at the edge of Victoria Falls. In the end, we saw enough of the falls, but Songwe gave us the opportunity to learn more about the culture. And, it is a beautiful setting. The manager of the camp, Dorothy, was a warm, friendly and hospitable woman.

My only comments are that a modest investment in a road grader would have made getting in and out of Songwe Village much easier. One of the guides at Songwe Village Resort even mentioned that he had driven road graders for a living before. I know how much it costs to run one and it would be well worth the expenditure.

The other comment is that the village tour was a bit contrived and that the sale of artifacts was phony. The artifacts were clearly mass produced elsewhere. But, each of the young men insisted that he had made the items himself. No two people, without the aid of a machine, could make artifacts that were so identical. Moreover, the very same artifacts appeared in many other shops at the Falls and in Livingston. We later found the same artifacts in Cape Town marked Made in Tanzania or Kenya. I found this a bit disingenuous.

Overall, our trip was excellent, and I would not hesitate to recommend your services to my friends.

Regards,
Tom Manteuffel

April 2008
thanks to all your colleagues, for organizing our wonderful holiday.
We were completely satisfied with all your arrangements.We and also some of our fellow travelers we only a bit surprised by the size of the tents 
during the safari tour as we saw a different - bigger type on your website  or maybe it was a website from CC Africa. We already gave the information 
to CC Africa to change this.

With best regards
Dr. Udo Frees

April 2008
Dear Mr. Garner:
 
I am writing to tell you what an extraordinary asset you have in the person of Alison De Bruyn.  A friend and I first worked with Alison on a trip to South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia in 2003 and because of her exceptional helpfulness and warm personality, we chose her to book a recent trip to Namibia (April 7 - 14).  In the process of communicating with her, Alison has become more than a travel agent: she is a trusted friend.  She was, early on, our advocate in the matter of competing prices and she has unfailingly recommended outstanding accommodations and experiences.  Her contacts on the ground throughout southern Africa proved really important when I had to be hospitalized in Windhoek.  I did not feel alone and abandoned, because Alison and her local colleague stayed in constant contact with me, booking a perfect hotel for my recuperation and arranging on-going transportation.
 
My husband was along on this most recent trip and he had the pleasure of meeting Ali for the first time.  He hasn't stopped talking about her competence and sparkle.  We trust that her outstanding performance on behalf of her clients is known and amply rewarded.  She is a treasure!
 
Sincerely,
Kate Johnson and Scott Berry
Minneapolis, Minnesota  USA

April 2008
we had already filled in evaluation forms at Shinde. But I don't hesitate to repeat my feedback: Excellent in all three categories below!
The service you received from Island-Safari.com staff during the booking process and during your tour.
The transfers you had.
Your stay at Shinde Camp

Best regards,
Lorenz Bollinger

April 2008
I would thoroughly recommend your company. My contact Elize was excellent throughout.
 
Specifically...
1. the service received..... prompt and efficient, we had a problem with a cancelled flight Maun(Botswana - Windhoek) with Air Namibia. Problem rectified efficiently with minimum hassle + change of flight later to avoid any future problem.
 
2. Deception valley.. first class place... transfers + accommodation + game drives good, staff helpful and pleasant.
 
3. Xakanaka camp.... good too, 2 nights is enough, we stayed 3, apart from early game drives and mokoro trip, very good, not very much more to do,. Good service and comfortable accommodation.
 
4. Hilltop House.... a good base for Windhoek, Allan is a good host, best not to order room service, preparation time very variable....
 
5. Metcourt Laurel...... useful place with good facilties, make sure to specify non smoking room if you don't smoke, (Thanks Elize for organising this)
 
6. Matemo Island resort. First class resort, very comfortable, excellent food..... only draw back is if windy snorkelling/diving problematic and not a great deal to do in other water sport activities....
(useful to point out perhaps to clients that there are 2x a week direct flights from J'burg - Pemba rather than the tortuous J'burg, Maputo, 2 hour wait and then Maputo- Pemba.)
 
7. the transfers, all smooth except Maun- Windhoek which was a disaster till Elize and the company sorted it and all ended well.
 
Overall great trip!
 
best wishes.
Hilary Naqvi

April 2008
I was extremely satisfied with the communications I had with Cara at Island Safari. She always answered all of my questions in a timely manner, and acted as liaison with Transfrontiers.

The pick-up and return (from Transfrontiers) from JoBurg airport area to Kruger was prompt and the driver was very knowledgeable and personable.

Ian Kruger and his staff at Transfrontiers were absolutley wonderful. I felt total trust in Ian's leadership, knowledge and decisions, which are extremely important on a walking safari. The food was great, as were the accommodations. I would recommend Island Safari or Transfrontiers  to anyone interested in this type of Safari.

There was one glitch in the communication between Transfrontiers' two offices, which is being addressed by Ian, and hopefully will be resolved. This was the result of the current transition to his ownership of the company.

Yours truly,
Daisy Kates

April 2008
The service you received from Island-Safari.com staff during the booking process and during your tour.   The service and feedback was always efficient and speedy, my answers being well taken care of.

The transfers you had. These all worked efficiently - us being met in Maun (there and back) as well as at Kasane.  The lodge vehicles were waiting at each point and efficiently transported us to the lodges.  The sequence of the two lodges was correct for us - the first being more removed and the viewing experience more personal being able to go off road.  The area around Mapula was more unspoilt and the animals less used to tourists.  Chobe counterbalanced this with more animals (especially elephants).  Both lodges were about 50% full which made for a smaller intimate group which we enjoyed.  I was impressed when receiving the booking and experienced this during the holidays that we were able to enjoy the game and wildlife and our holiday on both the departure and return days.  Often these are only that (getting there).  We were able to partake in activities both the afternoon of our arrival and again on the morning of our departure (again - giving us the maximum time and opportunity to enjoy the wilderness.

Your stay at Mapula Lodge The food was good - I would describe it as similar to a Sunday lunch at home or a restaurant.  We were not looking for any 5 star hotel and it met exactly our food needs.  The bar was always available and staff ready so serve us.  The game drives and staff involved really worked hard and spent long hours driving us around - you felt they were optomising our time out in the bush (which is what we had come for).  During our first day we had tourists who had younger kids and these were a bit noisy around the pool and dining area (as kids should be).  We did feel a bit that we had come to get away from noise and drink in the peace and quiet.  They left the next day so not to much of a problem.  The rooms were very clean and well attended each day.  Having the front and part of the side with only mesquito netting made one feel close to nature being able to have a 180 degree view of the river and seeing the stars at night when in bed (I did wonder just how cold these would become in winter)?  The rustic design of the bath and washbasins (zinc) appealed to us as did the outside shower.  The mokoro ride and bush walk were interesting and welcome additions to the variety of experiences we had.  I think 3 days is just the correct length of time. The trackers and driver were exceptionally good.

Your stay at Muchenje Safari Lodge The staff at the lodge truly took personal care of us and were always around to assist or answer questions.  Meals were of a slightly higher standard without getting to pretentious (not our need).  This is a bit more sophisticated a lodge and the staff and backup very much up to it.  The room was much smaller than Mapula but adequate.  We again did a lot of travel on the landrovers (which we wanted) and the staff always willing to spend the hours.  The excursion on the river was most interesting and brought another aspect of game viewing that we had not done before.  The location of the lodge with its spectacular views and areas to sit and relay were a plus that we unfortunatly had little time to savour to its full extent.  Two days was again we felt just enough without the drives becoming repititive.
Overall it was a most enjoyable and memorable experience that we will long remember and that I can and will highly recommend to friends and family.
Pieter and Cathy van Niekerk
 

April 2008
I am more than happy to give you feed back..   Michelle was fantastic ...  quick to respond to my emails from the very beginning and the arrangements were perfectly orchestrated.  The trip was planned to my requests and there were absolutely no glitches.    Thank you Michelle.
Every transfer went on time and the most delightful people were there to meet and greet.  My first landing was at Xakanaxa and even the lions were on the landing strip to meet me.  Pilots flying the planes were pleasant and efficient and all landing went smooth as silk.  
Safari Club was very nice ..  beautiful, clean...  staff was friendly and the breakfast was lovely.   It was not easy to feed myself the rest of the day, as ordering in a salad took 2 hours to arrive....  not to many close places to be driven to. Having access to the computer to contact my family and let them know that I arrived safely was great. I was also assisted with finding drivers/guides that help me around an other wise intimidating city.  Going to the Apartheid museum was also an experience that I recommend. I would recommend it to anyone and would stay there again without hesitation.
Xakanaxa was excellent.....  no bugs, hippo's to sing me to sleep, food was wonderful, guide was Nygande and he was wonderful....  did a great job of making me feel wonderful and welcome.  The facility was truly lovely and Flo and Bob made me feel like family. The hippo's and the time on the water were great experiences as well. I couldn't have had a better first camp.   Incredible "fellow travelers" to spend the time with as well.  I am not really an avid birder but I had a huge number of them to see and really appreciated the huge variety. I saw more than 20 the first day alone
Deception Valley was another whole new feeling ...  just as beautiful in another way.   Huge rooms, big claw foot tub and an outdoor shower as well, good game drives and the Bushman walk was informative and the bushmen/trackers did an excellent job for us.   I felt like I was  watching a little bit of history.  Adriaan and Wanda were gracious and full of fun stories to share.  The food was a wonderfully presented and a treat as it was centered around the wild game and fixed to perfection.  We saw more game than I expected since it was still very green and lush and game was harder to see.  A young leopard and a very curious and hungry porcupine were my highlights although there were many more sighted.
Pom Pom was awesome too.   Stephanie and her friends, Kerith and Warren couldn't have taken better care of us.   I had some issues with running out to memory stix on my camera and she very nicely put the ones on my camera on a CD for me so that I could take more pictures.   Not a simple matter as she even had to locate a cable.... they truly went out of their way for all of us there.  My tent was located with the water on two sides and it was such a special feeling.  Accommodations were extremely well done, very clean and everything was made convenient. 
Munchenje was my last camp and  most like a hotel.   Built on a hill above the Chobe River, the view was amazing.  Rob and Cathy are to be commended for the way it is run.   Rooms were beautiful,  food was delicious and plentiful, but the feeling that I had arrived at home was very special.  Game drives were of course incredible.  Know as the land of the Elephants, there were buffalo, giraffe, hippo, impalla, baboons, lions, birds in large numbers and I even got to see a dung beetle and watch it roll, dig and disappear. definitely felt like I was living a National Geographic show.
Zambize Sun, although the location was great, the Falls spectacular, was the least comfortable for me.  Some of the hotel staff walking by me on the way to shop etc would approach me for  money with comments like "you could me me dollars to so that I would have money to remember you by".  After being in the camps with and feeling so safe and family like I guess I just didn't like the feeling of the bigger place.  Not any good options to the $35 buffet if you just wanted something light either.  I did take the sunset cruise and did a microlight over the Falls and it was spectacular.
I did travel by myself and that may be why the appeal of the small camps and staying away from the larger places suited me better.
This trip was a dream of a lifetime for me and Michelle helped me to accomplish it.  I was not disappointed in any way and I attribute it to her skill in setting things up and also her ability to listen to my hopes and what I would like.  Can't thank her enough.
Doty Klein

April 2008
We were very please to book with your company, we had a very good service, lots of informations. Sakeena was very helpfull.
Thanks a lot for the way she arrange our journey everything was perfect only the food in Victoria falls Hotel was not good at all and it was not possible to eat properly, but we knew why. Hotel is very good . The transfer was very well organized. We stayed 3 nights and I think that 2 would be enough.
 
For a next journey we w'll contact you again.
Thanks to Sakeena and hello to Louise.
 
Best regards.
Danielle Liska

April 2008
Carien from your offices was extremely efficient and helpful in arranging our trip to Mauritius.  The transfers were on time and no problems were experienced.  The hotel Le Victoria was superb and I would recommend the hotel to others.
 
Please extend my thanks to Carien for all her assistance.
 
Regards
Careen McKinon

April 2008
The service you received from Island-Safari.com staff during the booking process and during your tour.
Booking process was effortless. Payment in UK a great help. Altogether good.
We ended up do everything ourselves locally in Capetown with a hire car and simply copied one of those free guides of arranged tours which we used to choose what to do and where to go. This gave us total flexability, was very cost effective and especially when combined with good B&B in capetown (would recommend both places we stayed (Cape Nelson and Olafs in Seapoint). Would recommend to other visitors the same approach to Capetown as with B&B, car hire, sat nav, a basic plan (can change depending on weather etc at no cost or hassle) and so much to do, it really worked for us. 

Transfers you had
Great. Both ways the guy (sorry forget name) was on time / there. Very helpful, polite and friendly. Great load off our minds to pre-arrange transfer this way.

Your stay at Michelangelo Towers
Hotel was fab. Not sure if we were meant to be in the 'suite' we got or not, but 2 bed suite, lounge etc. Whilst expensive it was easy to see why. location great. Service fantastic and didi not really mind paying the small extras for the 2 kids breakfasts.
Jim Judson

April 2008
The service you received from Island-Safari.com staff during the booking process and during your tour.
Elize was fantastic with management of all booking details and assistance with details.
The transfers you had.
Friendly assistance from your company to do the transfers for the clients
Your stay at Delta Camp
The clients really enjoyed the stay – the Delta is always ‘magic’.
Jackie Abbott

April 2008
The service we received from Island -Safari.com and Elize in particular, was excellent.
During our transfers, we found the people always courteous and keen to make conversation about our destination and/or our holiday in general.
The staff at the Bay hotel and at Ngala Lodge was also excellent and extremely professional.

I trust this will answer your query. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions.

Very best regards,
Fabien Lomondais

April 2008
The service you received from Island-Safari.com staff during the booking process and during your tour. Excellent

The transfers you had. No problems

Your stay at The Safari Club SA Very comfortable, refreshing and convenient

Your stay at Mapula Lodge Wonderful!  Fantastic food, prepared, introduced and served in an entertaining way.  Incredibly successful game drives every day, and an interesting mokoro outing.  We even got an after-dinner show!  My only regret is that I did not bring a better lens for my camera. I'd like to suggest that you offer advice to your guests on that topic, since most of the people on these trips are taking lots of pictures!
Peter Bryant

April 2008
The service you received from Island-Safari.com staff during the booking process and during your tour.
Excellent (Mandy). She actually recommended Matemo resorts - great choice. Quick email replies  (not very common these days!) and great service.

The transfers you had.
No problems - professional and punctual.

 Your stay at Matemo Island Resort
"Out of this world!" Highly recommended, will go back any time.
Regards Quentin Campbell

April 2008
We had an excellent time on our holiday - everything was superbly organised by Verona and all at Island Safari. The Ilot Malais itself was excellent - a stunning location, fantastic staff and a beautiful villa, our son (aged 2 and a half) called it his 'special house' and that pretty much summed up what we all thought of it!!
 
Thanks and regards
Andrew Stevenson

April 2008
The staff, specifically Elize, was extremely helpful, informative, and patient in handling and organizing our trip.  Information and responses to requests were always timely and handled professionally.  Your firm has it’s finger on the pulse of where to go and what to see, and is excellent at understanding what your customer wants.
The transfers were great, especially the flights.  Our pilot, Erbert, made sure our flights were comfortable and secure, and as an added bonus, he was an informative guide and a problem solver (he got our lost luggage to us).
At all the camps we experienced attentive, personal service coupled with well prepared and thoughtful menus.  The trips were well organized and the guides informative and engaging.  We would suggest that the camps provide some type of walking excursions.  It’s very hard on the legs to sit all day in a jeep, and being able to park and walk, or drive one way and walk the other way, would have added to the enjoyment.
Our only negative comment was the too short stay at Canon Lodge and unnecessary overnight stay at the Nest Hotel.  Canon was beautiful, but too rushed.  The Nest Hotel, while in a scenic location, did not compare with the other accommodations, and suffered accordingly.   Our suggestion to you is to have the Canon Lodge stay be two (2) nights, which will allow visitors time to enjoy what the lodge and the area have to offer, while dropping the Nest Hotel entirely.  The Ludertiz area is worth a day trip (Kolmanskop, Diaz Point, desert adapted horses in Aus), but the Nest Hotel and overnight in Luderitz was too out of context with small scale, luxury camps that made up the rest of the excursion.    In our specific case, our disappointment with Ludertiz was compounded by the fact that it was Easter weekend, and the town was completely shutdown.  We joked that the real ghost town that weekend was not Kolmanskop, but Luderitz!
 
Twice we’ve used your firm, and on both occasions the adventures you’ve organized have exceeded our expectations.  Count on us being in touch for our next African adventure!
 
Best regards
Michael A. "Mac" Cotter

April 2008
We had a wonderful stay.
We enjoyed the Lagoon camp very much; the setting is beautiful, the tents are comfortable and the food was excellent. A place to go back. Guides and tracker were very friendly.
Regarding the service of Michelle we were very happy. She assited us with competence and patience.
No problems with the transfers. (except with air Botswana when a bag was lost).
Certainly a very good experience!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bertin De Gryse

April 2008
The transfers you had. Perfect
Your stay at The Safari Club SA OK
Your stay at Sindabezi Island Lodge Food: excellent; accommodation: excellent; service: OK; activities: very good
Your stay at Muchenje Safari Lodge Food: good; accommodation: OK (excellent view); service: good; activities: very good
Your stay at Xakanaxa Camp Food: excellent; accommodation: excellent; service: very good; activities: good
Your stay at Mapula Lodge Food: OK; accommodation: good; service: not good; activities: not good
Luis de Souza

April 2008
The service we received from Island Safari was superb.  We got in touch with Island Safari when we found out our flight to Maun from Windhoek
was being delayed/cancelled and the person at Island Safari was very helpful.

We had no problem with transfers.  Delta Air was very efficient and their pilots were very good.  No problems with our luggage at all.  The Kwando Safari camps were absolutely wonderful and we will be coming back sometime in the future to stay at them again.  The guides we had at Lebala Camp, Spencer and Julius deserve special mention since they really made our safari experience memorable.  The food served, and the service provided by Kwando Safaris was top-notch.

The Zambezi Sun Resort Hotel was a little too flashy by our standards but the location cannot be beat.  We prefer quieter, less touristy hotels but there doesn't seem to be a lot of choice if you want to stay close to the falls.  It was also the first time since we arrived in Southern Africa that we felt like we were treated like "cash cows" rather than valued customers or guests.

The Swakopmund Hotel was great and the food excellent.  The Le Mirage Desert Lodge was first class, but the sign-posting to get to Le Mirage from Windhoek
is less than ideal.

Hilltop House was very comfortable and homey.  All in all, we enjoyed ourselves immensely in Southern Africa and would love to come back someday.  I would highly recommend Island Safari to any of ourt friends and don't be suprised if you hear from some other Canadians about Safaris in Namibia and Botswana.  I hope this is the kind of feedback you were looking for.  We just want to thank you again from the bottom of our hearts for the wonderful trip you helped us plan.
Cathy, Carson and Aislinn Tang

April 2008
Trip went without a hitch except at the airport at Lusaka where they (Zambian Airlines and their fault) changed their booking system and we had to go thru the whole deal again, but other than that excellent organization.
 
The trip from Livingstone to Stanley’s, smooth,  obliging staff and good pilots.
 
Stanleys: We received personal attention and were really looked after by all of the staff, especially the guide TeTe and the management.
 
A great trip and very enjoyable.
Regards
Geoff Walker

April 2008
Everything was great - Island safari's were extremely helpful and answered all my queries in a timely manor and all info provided was correct. In fact Island safaris saved me some money on the visa front by letting me know we can buy the visa at the border rather than buy it in London where it was far more expensive.
 
I organised the transfers myself, but they were great. Pelican air was on time and there was little waiting time inbetween flights.
 
Benguerra lodge is paradise and the staff are wonderful! We had an amazing 8 days and were fortunate enough to be upgraded to the Casitas for the last 2 nights too!
 
All activities were great fun and well guided. Picnics were lovely to get away from the lodge and other guests for some quiet secluded time. Fishing was the highlight - superb guide and some big fish landed.
 
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed our stay and the service we received at Benguerra and I would recommend it to everybody.
 
Thanks for all your help in making it such a successful holiday.
Kind regards,
Tom van Vlaanderen

April 2008
We had a great time. Everything was well organised as usual and there were no hiccups. Mapula Lodge was beautiful. They catered to Sam's needs without any fuss or problems.
All in all another very successful trip
Regards
Sue Whiteford

April 2008
Our safari holiday was a fantastic African experience. Totally different from anything we had done before and very memorable. One of the very best holidays we have ever had. It all went so smoothly.
The service you received from Island-Safari.com staff during the booking process and during your tour.
Patricia who organised our holiday was excellent. All problems and our numerous questions were dealt with efficiently and cheerfully. She was most informative and helpful.
The transfers you had.
3 of our bags were lost by KLM and we were two and a half hours in getting out the airport but the transfer chap waited for us and was very pleasant.
Your stay at The Safari Club SA
Nice clean comfortable big rooms. Enjoyed the welcome tray.
Your stay at Planet Baobab
Transfer chap was very friendly and informative. The trip took three and a half hours in an open stepped jeep (instead of two in a closed vehicle)and it was very windy. We had to resort to lying down or covering our faces as it was not comfortable. However we saw our first elephant on the way and loads of birds. The return trip was the same but the driver was very attentive He came into the airport and helped  us to get our missing bags which had been sent to Maun Airport and waited until we were escorted to our onward flight.
Planet Baobab was great. The huts are charming the sunsets wonderful. It was nice to cool down in the pool. We enjoyed the introduction to traditional Botswana life. It was most interesting. The Botswana people were so friendly and welcoming. Our guide was excellent. The manager phoned up on our behalf about our bags and was able to tell us that they were at the airport.
Your stay at Xakanaxa Camp
Flight transfer to Xakanaxa was fabulous and the camp and the game drives were amazing. Again the staff were so welcoming and helpful, giving us personal attention. It is such a beautiful setting and camp. The tents were very comfortable and romantic – especially nice for the honeymoon couple. We loved it. The food was delicious. Our guide was really good, very knowledgeable and genuinely seemed to want us to see as much as possible. The game drives were exciting and we saw everything we could have hoped for. Too many highlights to mention. The boat trips were great too and a nice contrast. A truly wonderful experience.
Your stay at Elephant Valley Lodge
Again the flight transfer was an enjoyable part of the holiday. Again the accommodation and welcome were great. Lovely surroundings. Enjoyed eating outside.  Our guide was young but very good and again seemed to really want to show us as much as he could. 
Your stay at Victoria Falls Hotel
The transfer went very smoothly. Zimbabwe is a country with huge challenges but the hotel was very grand and comfortable  -like stepping back in time.  Once more staff were helpful. We enjoyed relaxing on our final day and the final boat trip was  nice. Our final transfer like all the others was on time.
We all felt that we  had been very well looked after and that it had all been very well organised.
A big thank you to Island –Safari for organising such a great trip.
Howard Wood

April 2008
Mandy was great during the booking process, and all went well from that side
 
We ended up staying at Pemba Beach Resort on Friday 21st as LAM airlines flight was delayed by 6 hours - we loved it and will go there again. The manager from Pemba who met us at the airport was very organised and efficient
 
Matemo was a dream come true and we wish we could have stayed longer - beautiful island, great food and service. We hope to return in the not too distant future
 
Coming back to Joburg, LAM was delayed by 2 hours, which meant I missed my flight back to CT
 
The holiday was wonderful, the only aspect which we would definitely not repeat again is travel with LAM airlines - we would rather travel with SAA or any other airline
 
Thank you again for all your assistance
 
Warm regards
Sheila Otieno

April 2008
I must say that your office was a pleasure to deal with, and Carien was great.
 
Kind regards 
ALASTAIR MACKIE

April 2008
We returned from our Matemo visit yesterday, and I wish to say THANK YOU for such a great recommendation! We throughly enjoyed the scenery, hospitality and tranquility that Matemo offered. Everything was just as was advertised on their website, so there were no unpleasant surprises (which often happens when you book something via the intenet!). We really had a great time, and the facilties and food were excellent.

You are most welcome to use us as reference should you want to refer others to Matemo in future.

Kind regards,
Quentin and Erika Campbell

April 2008
since my sisters and my brother in laws englisch ist not that good, they asked me to contact you on their behalve .
 
They have been very happy and were TOTALLY  satisified at  ALL  camps.  Each one of the camps have been an unforgetable experience with animal viewing beyond their wildest dreams !
Each and every person at the camps, from Camp Manager to Guides to personell have been friendly, honest and made theit stay very special.
 
So thank you and all concerned very much from my sister and her husband, as well as from me, because this booking had been a first for me - but will definately not be the last  !!!
 
with kindest regards
Uta Vering

April 2008
Thanks for your concern.
The whole trip was fantastically well organized, by Patricia.
Even tho` she is in Australia, I am in Canada, the safari was in Botswana, and I paid a bank in Mauritius, the whole thing came together really well.
Transportation was fun between camps, and is part of the whole adventure.
The camps were both superb, one rustic, and the other more upscale, but the food was perfect, as were the hosts, and the rangers.
I could not complain about one single point, other than there was not a lot of game to be seen, due to long grass.
I will take a group next year again, maybe 8 people, but will go to Little Kwarra and boat down to Xakanaxa, rather than flying. Please do not misunderstand this, I think it will be better for us to do it this way round, now that I know the layout.
I would like to work with Patricia again.
Thanks for a wonderful holiday!
Cheers,
Doug Eglington.

April 2008
The whole trip was absolutely fantastic all the places we stayed were superb.

The itinerary Mandy came up with was just right and the level of service organising and answering my many questions (as well as  helping sort flights) was fast efficient and friendly.

The highlight was Savuti Under Canvas which is an experience we will never forget. Joe was a great guide and all the staff were superb. The camp and hospitality were all 6 star!

Muchenje lodge was great with a very friendly atmosphere in a beautiful setting.

Thorntree and Vic Falls Hotel were also excellent choices.

The only problem was that we spent most of our holiday without our luggage.  It got lost on the flight to Livingstone on the satuday. Although it got to the airport on Sunday Wild Horizons failed to deliver it until the Thursday night despite being told where we were going to be staying and promising that they would deliver immediately. With hindsight we should have contacted you and I am sure Mandy would have sorted it!

All in all a fantastic trip and I will certainly recommend Island Safari to firends looking to go on Safari

All the best
Gavin Haqynes

April 2008
Well, the service from Island-Safaris could not have been of a higher standard.
 
From the first email received from Michelle months before our departure, to when we landed back in South Africa your organisation did itself proud.
 
I have to say , Michelle was an absolute delight to deal with and was so prompt with her replies, so I was never left wondering if all was in order or not.
 
Your agents at Oliver Tambo were first class and were not at all perturbed when we were delayed in the dreaded joburg-traffic-fiasco. Saw us through swiftly and could not have been more professional.
 
The 2 camps 'Little Kwara" and "Xakanaxa" were absolutely charming, each in its own way.
 
The "All Botswanan" staff at Little Kwara were exceptionally welcoming and friendly, and the rangers and trackers really knowledgeable and accommodating. Even tho it was still fairly wet and difficult to find game they went the extra mile every time to make each outing really exciting and informative.
 
If I had to find a weakness with this camp it would only be to say that the food was fairly ordinary, with very little choice or variety. Obviously, if we had asked for vegetarian or special meals I am sure they would have made a plan.
 
The brunch that was served at 11ish , after a lengthy game drive was just a normal English-Style breakfast , which was quite enough for us, but most camps of this nature would normally offer breakfast plus something more lunch-styled at this time, given that they only offer tea/coffee and rusks at 6am.
 
That said , it could not detract from the fabulous hospitality that the Local staff offered at all times.
 
Xakanaxa is, a more established camp, naturally, with the managers Flo and Bob having been there for 16years and they run the place like clock-work. Beautiful Accommodation and excellent bush cuisine of a very high standard. At a guess i would assume that the rates are much higher at Xakanaxa than at Little Kwara as all in all it struck us as quite a bit more up-market than Kwara. However , the charm of little Kwara and the double-storey boat rides made up the difference.
 
Thanks all in all for a wonderful holiday and if I can find Michelles email address I shall forward this to her as well.
 
Regards 
Julie and Des Fenning

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