Faced with the need to put a few finishing touches on a trip I had been planning to South Africa in January and February, I reluctantly turned to a travel agent based in JNB. It made the difference between a very good trip and a great one. The person I turned to was easy to communicate with via email and voip. As a former ranger, he was knowledgable in details far beyond my expectations. He asked questions of us in a sincere effort to try to understand what we wanted from our trip. At every point in our trip, his presence was there to assist as needed, even at the locations where he had no input in the planning. He met me at the airport in JNB, knowing I was making a transfer to CPT. I received all travel documents, a detailed map, a book on birds and wildlife, and the offer of a local cell phone. We did a self drive from a camp in Southern Kruger to one in Northern Kruger. We were provided with detailed driving instructions, points of interest along the way, alternate routes, and suggestions on what wildlife to watch for and where. After reaching the camp in Northern Kruger that he thought would be a good fit for us, it became immediately apparent it was a perfect choice. We loved every minute of our time there, so much so, that we are hoping to return in November.
While I am certain that a US based travel agent could be very knowledgable about travel in South Africa, we got so much more than a travel agent. We found someone who is a skilled professional.
We were in Cape Town, Hermanus, Franschoek, Elephant Plains, and Parfuri in case anyone has specific questions, please feel free to pm.
Enjoy your trip!