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How to go about planning my first African luxury safari?

How to go about planning my first African luxury safari?

Old Oct 24, 2017, 8:29 am
  #46  
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Originally Posted by DSI
You may get more traction if you ask in the in the Africa forum?
Thanks, but I have already done both of these circuits, as well as others (Zimbabwe, Botswana, Nairobi) and have my preferences. I really was asking about higher end accommodation currently available, not to compare the game.
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Old Oct 24, 2017, 8:42 pm
  #47  
 
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We have been on safari Kruger Park and area (late Oct. & early Nov. 2016), absolutely loved it, highly recommend. I never would have guessed I would love it so much.

Plan to go back to Africa January 2019. It's a long time from now but I like planning.
The best advice I can give is don't book a package, and give yourself time.

The package we bought, with the airfare all booked by the company, had in us planes going back and forth. We spent more time in planes and airports than we did on safari.

I am planning on somewhere around 4 weeks for the next time so we can rest up in between.
We will arrive n Cape Town by cruise ship, so we should be rested to start with.
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Old Oct 26, 2017, 3:52 am
  #48  
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Great info everyone.
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Old Oct 26, 2017, 6:47 am
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If you choose to visit Kruger (which is amazing) I suggest working with someone who has built personal relationships with lodges and vendors. We worked with BwanaDave ( Dave Patterson) whom I found on TA....there are others on the site as well....they know the in's and outs and often times can get you more for your budget.......and they arrange all the transitions between lodges and listen to your preferences.

We visited in 2015 and had 12 nights in Kruger - 4 nights in 3 different lodges and then 5 nights in Cape Town for way less than what a pre-packaged tour would cost.

On this trip my husband needed to see a doctor which the Operations Director of the Lodge arranged at a local clinic...we were near Skukuza. To my surprise....we also received personal calls from Dave and the vendor he works with later that same afternoon to make sure everything was taken care of and if we needed any additional help...this was completely unsolicited by us and truly a comfort to know we were being looked after.
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Old Oct 26, 2017, 9:41 am
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Originally Posted by nalismom
If you choose to visit Kruger (which is amazing) I suggest working with someone who has built personal relationships with lodges and vendors. We worked with BwanaDave ( Dave Patterson) whom I found on TA....there are others on the site as well....they know the in's and outs and often times can get you more for your budget.......and they arrange all the transitions between lodges and listen to your preferences.

We visited in 2015 and had 12 nights in Kruger - 4 nights in 3 different lodges and then 5 nights in Cape Town for way less than what a pre-packaged tour would cost.

On this trip my husband needed to see a doctor which the Operations Director of the Lodge arranged at a local clinic...we were near Skukuza. To my surprise....we also received personal calls from Dave and the vendor he works with later that same afternoon to make sure everything was taken care of and if we needed any additional help...this was completely unsolicited by us and truly a comfort to know we were being looked after.
Personally, I like this approach more to a packaged tour. Reasons for me: I like being involved in the planning (not all tours can cater to everyone's tastes in all aspects. So my involvement helps hopefully achieve this); packaged tours are like middle man to the middle man thing, thus more expensive. Rather be able to deal with the guide/person directly overseeing instead.
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Old Oct 26, 2017, 11:15 am
  #51  
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One of our most memorable and wonderful trips was our combined cruise and safari in 1995. The ship was was the small luxury ship, Sea Goddess (now Sea Dream). We flew LAX/LHR/NBO. Stayed 2 nights in Nairobi. The safari arrangements were made by Micato tours.
On our second night in Nairobi, the Micato family invited us (the cruise pax) to dine at their lovely home and we got an excellent introduction to the safari.
We flew to Masai Mara and I'll never forget a family of giraffes strolling by our small plane as we landed. That is when I knew we were really in Africa. I don't remember where we stayed, by the accommodations were quite nice, with large bedroom, dining room, recreation room, bar. IIRC the safari was 4 days. One highlight, among many, was the hot air balloon ride. When our balloon landed, we were greeted by a very luxurious breakfast prepared by those who worked at the hotel. Micato thought of everything to make our safari comfortable and to make us feel welcome. After the safari, we flew to Mombasa, where we boarded our ship (I believe we were only 40 pax) and sailed to Zanzibar, Madagascar, Comoros islands and on to the Seychelles, which had no hotels on the pristine islands so we dropped anchor at the most beautiful, unspoiled islands; Praline, La Digue and a couple of others (all of which are home to 5* hotels now). So glad we had the experience of being among the few tourists at that time. Highest praise for Micato tours. www.micato.com
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Old Oct 26, 2017, 12:03 pm
  #52  
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Micato looks like a very legit outfit but I am troubled that their website lists all the inclusions, but nowhere is there a listing of exclusions or terms/conditions. Also their headline prices exclude mandatory internal airfare and are only valid during the lowest or low season. Still, I would consider them.
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Old Oct 26, 2017, 10:08 pm
  #53  
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Richard, Rhino Africa might work for you. They will sell you a package but specialize in customized safaris, covering all details.

https://www.rhinoafrica.com/en
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Old Oct 26, 2017, 11:01 pm
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Originally Posted by KatW
Richard, Rhino Africa might work for you. They will sell you a package but specialize in customized safaris, covering all details.

https://www.rhinoafrica.com/en
Here's a second for Rhino Africa. Gareth De Jager helped our group book Moroukuru. Looking forward to it!
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Old Oct 27, 2017, 12:26 am
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Originally Posted by patchan8984
Here's a second for Rhino Africa.
And a 3rd. They booked our recent trip too and were far more responsive than anyone else we spoke to, including direct contact with the properties.
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Old Oct 27, 2017, 7:53 am
  #56  
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Originally Posted by MacMyDay
And a 3rd. They booked our recent trip too and were far more responsive than anyone else we spoke to, including direct contact with the properties.
And a fourth. I've used Rhino Africa for three trips. What I particularly appreciated was their willingness to work with me to only book the part of the trip that I wanted them to do so. That might sound odd, but the first agency aggressively booked the entire span of time that I would be in southern Africa. I had been very clear that I intended to book some flights and hotels myself but agency A did not listen. Rhino Africa did, and provided precisely the bookings that I wanted.
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Old Oct 30, 2017, 5:22 am
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Originally Posted by SanDiego1K
And a fourth. I've used Rhino Africa for three trips. What I particularly appreciated was their willingness to work with me to only book the part of the trip that I wanted them to do so. That might sound odd, but the first agency aggressively booked the entire span of time that I would be in southern Africa. I had been very clear that I intended to book some flights and hotels myself but agency A did not listen. Rhino Africa did, and provided precisely the bookings that I wanted.
Winner, winner...chicken dinner^.
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Old Nov 2, 2017, 4:59 am
  #58  
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Off to google Rhino Africa
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Old Nov 2, 2017, 8:26 am
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Ive been to Africa twice on safari. once to South Africa & to Tanzania.

We booked our entire trip via a tour company ATR and they did an amazing job. Both the game reserves we stayed at were pure luxury

for Kruger I recommend staying at the Dulini. & if you go to the northern Serengeti you cant go wrong staying at the Lemala Kuria Hills.

Getting to Africa from the states is quite a hike but theres something magical about Africa you want to keep going back. We are already planning our next safari in Botswana and cant wait
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Old Nov 2, 2017, 1:52 pm
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Originally Posted by SanDiego1K
And a fourth. I've used Rhino Africa for three trips. What I particularly appreciated was their willingness to work with me to only book the part of the trip that I wanted them to do so. That might sound odd, but the first agency aggressively booked the entire span of time that I would be in southern Africa. I had been very clear that I intended to book some flights and hotels myself but agency A did not listen. Rhino Africa did, and provided precisely the bookings that I wanted.
And a 5th.

I used them several years ago to book a trip to Kruger and Victoria Falls. They were more then willing to work with me to design the trip that I wanted. They were also extremely helpful when I arrived in JNB for my onward flight to VFA upon discovering SQ lost my luggage.
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