Hideaways Mankwe Tented Retreat

Going to south and central Africa was a bucket list item for me and booking a big and expensive trip always feels a bit risky and you hope you have made the right choice.

Booking with Discover Africa was fantastic from beginning to end! Our trip coordinator, Susan Veldman, was very responsive whenever we had questions or concerns and she checked in with us throughout the trip to make sure things were going smoothly. I especially appreciated the video call with her prior to leaving.

It was really great to be able to ask any remaining questions and she provided us with all the information we would need once we were there. The whole trip was seamless, from our transfers to the flights to the camps.

I was particularly impressed with Desert and Delta Safaris, the company who ran the camps in Botswana. The accommodations, food and staff were incredible! I would highly recommend booking with Discover Africa and I would book with them again if I decided to return.

Fantastic support in planning a once in a lifetime trip with amazing recommendations of places to stay whilst maximising the budget set. Thank you Chrizaan for your attention to detail in making this such a special trip. The partnership between Imvelo and the local community in Hwange was so special to witness, with the added benefit of walking with the rhinos!

This was my 6th trip to South Africa and Botswana and, as always, Matthys van Aswegen made it a happy, safe, and exciting experience! My roommate, Glenna, and I thoroughly enjoyed the trip to South Africa’s Boulders Beach to visit the African Penguin Reserve and all the beautiful scenery in that area. Another Discover Africa staff member, Kayla Robson, joined Glenna and me for dinner one evening and it was such a delight getting acquainted with another Discover Africa person whose talents enrich the travel experience.

When we arrived in Botswana we were so pleased to have the two guides I have always requested and, even though I’ve been at Camps Moremi and Savute before, they provided us with safaris that added to my previous experiences, learning new things about animal behavior and, the bonus, twice seeing a cheetah – a cat I hadn’t yet seen in Botswana!

And I’m already planning my next trip to these two fabulous countries!

Cayleigh put together an 18 day tour of Victoria Falls, Botswana and Namibia that was the best trip we have ever taken! The service was so personal and professional, we were taken care of every single step of the way. When a flight was cancelled for some of our party, Cayleigh was immediately in touch even though she was on vacation. Any time we had a question, Cayleigh was quick to respond. When our flights were changed and we were scheduled to arrive in the evening, she made sure that a dinner was waiting for us at the hotel. The accomodations were amazing, the staff at each lodge were awesome. All of our meals were exceptional, and included most of our beer and wine. Truly, it was an experience we will never forget.

I had 2 months lead time to plan a Botswana safari so I googled tour companies. After emailing a few, I chose Discover Africa. Susan Veldman responded quickly and was able to figure out an 8 night safari, with stays in 3 different camps. Each one was amazing. The kindness of each and every staff member at all 3 was heartwarming. The bush flights between camps were so easy once we did our initial one. I was stressed about the suitcase and weight restrictions, but it was really a non-issue.

They don’t measure or weigh anything. I had purchased 30” roller duffles but then saw it was 24”, so changed to an over the shoulder bag. The 30” would have been fine. Each camp also provides mosquito repellent so no need to take. The food was absolutely delicious and so much: breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, cocktail hour, and dinner. The trip was surreal. After a week, we felt like we were gone a month!

Amanda's Botswana Safari Adventure

We booked a safari with Susan and as it was something I have been eagerly anticipating most of my life, we opened the budget strings a little. If we were going to do it once, we really wanted to get it right and make sure to make the most of it. We were still blown away. Although we have been home for a couple weeks, it still hasn’t really sunk it what an amazing experience it was. Susan set up an incredible itinerary, covering both Tanzania and Kenya during the wildebeest migration. Stayed a two five star camps, Taasa Lodge and the Soroi Luxury Migration Camp and both were better than we could have even hoped. The animal experiences were incredible, staff were unbelievably friendly, food unreal. Just a great family experience.

When there were little hiccups, and there are bound to be, Susan promptly responded and sorted it out. She was great. Would recommend her to anyone looking for a trip of a lifetime safari!