South Africa Customer Reviews
We are very proud of the feedback that we get from our trips and are pleased to share reviews from past travellers. These are kept as up to date as possible. Please have a read through to get a real sense of the kind of experience that you might have on a family trip to South Africa.
Grunwald Family (with child aged 4)
Travelled Easter 2024
Dear Debbie. We had a really wonderful trip to South Africa (hence the bump back to earth when we returned home). The trip went extremely smoothly with no problems at all. The game reserve was outstanding and perfect for our needs. The staff at the accommodation and the rangers were hugely knowledgeable and attentive and very playful and patient with our four-year-old who had the time of his life. The food was also outstanding. The accommodation on the rest of our trip was also very very good and we loved the route that you had suggested. We have recommended Stubborn Mule to many people since we got back. Thank you for such a wonderful trip!
James Family (with child aged 8)
Travelled Easter 2024
Liddy and Jess. Thanks for the warm welcome home. We had a great time – South Africa definitely exceeded my expectations and I feel like some of the places we explored were hidden gems rather than the beaten path. The game-changer when we got to Jo’burg was the assistance from the moment we got off the plane to where we had to be for our connecting flight. Without this (and the ability to fast-track queues) we would have been stressing about making the connection. The hotel at Hazyview was a good place to ease into the holiday – we had a relatively easygoing time here – we went to Graskop Gorge (A loved the Zipwire) and also to Pilgrims Rest (had a good snack at Pilgrim’s Pantry).
We drove to Mjejane through Kruger National Park – this should be your default recommendation for everyone – and saw tons of stuff that I just hadn’t expected to on a self-drive. At the lodge, game drives were twice a day, 5.30 am and 4 pm. We saw the Big 5 here – amazing to see a leopard. We did reflect that it felt a bit like doing safari in cheat mode, compared to Kruger.
When we weren’t out on safari, relaxing and looking out over the river was wonderful – one day an elephant crossed the river, which was great. The one shame of this hotel was the food. It was very run-of-the-mill and repetitive – even for the short time we spent there.
We used the days in Eswatini to chill out really – A. and I did a horse ride and I. played golf. We also did one of the walking routes. The food here was great – wonderful selection and great quality. Service throughout was great.
I think all of us would say our favourite stop along the trip, without a doubt, was the lodge at Lake St Lucia. I would probably go as far as to say this is one of the best places I have ever stayed. The staff were phenomenal – everything so easy and so seamless.
For the first night there we were the only people staying – which was just magical. On the second and third nights, there were just two other people. The food here is out of this world – it was akin to having a personal chef. Roy would come out and meet us every morning and walk us through the menu and then make small adaptations to make it more child friendly for A – without her realising, she was pretty much eating the same as us, just in a more accessible way. The Beef Wellington we had here was one of my favourite ever meals.
Food aside, the best activity here was the Beach Safari, where you essentially take a 2-hour game drive to the beach, spend a couple of hours lounging about or in the sea, and then another 2-hour game drive home. We saw some special birdlife here, in particular.
Thank you, to you and Jess, for all your help with the flight and securing us the day room at Jo’burg. Whilst it was a bit of a dead day – I think we welcomed it – got there in time for a decent breakfast, grabbed showers, chilled out, had some room service all with the peace of mind that we were where we needed to be.
Evans Family (with children aged 9, 12 & 14)
Travelled Easter 2024
Dear Claire. We both wanted to thank you so much for organising our recent trip to South Africa. It was a wonderful couple of weeks and the care and attention you put into the trip was really fantastic. All of us felt it was one of the best holidays we had ever been on and it was so relaxing for me not to have to look up what to do or where to go. The trips you chose for us couldn’t have been better for our family, we absolutely loved the caving adventure tour and the kayaking. Everything was brilliant but the safari really was the icing on the cake. The safari lodge is a really, really wonderful place and Amber our guide deserves a special mention for being so patient with our 9-year-old who likes to ask a million questions. We saw 4 out of the big 5, watched a lion chew on a wildebeest carcass, a baby giraffe feeding from his mum and watched baby elephants play with each other. It was so so magical!
As my children are growing up I feel that holidays are a time to reconnect and spend some proper time together out of the usual routine of daily life. I’m aware that we probably don’t have that many holidays left as a family of 5. You can see from the photos that we all hugely enjoyed this trip and have some wonderful memories so thank you for this.
Many thanks to you and your team, your level of detail and organisation was really impressive.
Now we are left with a difficult decision- where next?!?!
Guirdham Families (with teenagers aged 15 & 17)
Travelled Christmas 2023
This was an amazing holiday, although not entirely relaxing! We saw loads of animals, some really close up, and enjoyed the variety of places we visited. Kruger was amazing, perfect with impatient teenagers. On our 30 kilometre trip to our lodge, we saw impala, hippo, warthog, elephant, zebra, giraffe and rhino! The lodge was fantastic, I’m so glad we upgraded. The staff were so genuinely friendly, helpful and relaxed. It probably helped that they were very quiet but we had such personal service. It’s not the most glamorous of lodges but we loved it. We followed a pride of lionesses on a couple of occasions and saw a leopard with a freshly killed impala in a tree – which meant we could go back and visit repeatedly.
The tracker and guide’s knowledge was amazing, and we felt safe enough to get extremely close. Being able to follow the animals off the road was brilliant, without loads of other vehicles in the private area.
Eswatini was very different from South Africa and it was an interesting comparison. The scenery is stunning. The hotel was unusual but we enjoyed it.
We arrived at our lodge in time for dinner. My 17-year-old son took one mouthful of food and said ‘If the food is all like this then I’ll be in heaven !’. It was really good. It was much busier and larger than our Kruger Lodge (we were there over Christmas), but the location was amazing, the other guests interesting and the staff made a huge effort to celebrate Christmas with us, with lots of fabulous singing and dancing.
The entire staff sang and presented me with a birthday cake, much to my family’s amusement. The rooms and lodge were beautiful. Despite driving on the roads we saw plenty of wildlife, including lions hunting a kudu, and a herd of elephants surrounding us, making their way to the river on our last morning.
We enjoyed the atmosphere of St Lucia, being able to walk about during the day and going to the beach. We visited the Cheetah Sanctuary north of St Lucia and got very close to these beautiful creatures.
Umhlanga Rocks was also a success, with enough sunshine to relax by the pool and a town vibe with fantastic restaurants. The guest house owners were really helpful and we had fabulous rooms overlooking the pool and sea with a huge wrap-around balcony. My son was delighted to visit the stadium in Durban, which my husband was reassured was safe.
Food and drink were cheap and delicious, and so we were able to have some wonderful meals out.
The car dealt well with the difficult driving conditions, felt very safe and comfortable, and dropping it off at Durban airport was very efficient.
Downsides
The weather was unusually wet (in Eswatini) and we had some epic thunderstorms …The wifi was only available in the lodge but the storm took this out completely (great for us, but the teenagers weren’t delighted!).
The conditions of the roads off the motorways were poor, with massive potholes throughout Eswatini and the dirt road back in South Africa, which meant speeds were significantly limited. Even once past these, off the motorways in KwaZulu, there were massive speed bumps every few km which meant the journey to the Manyoni Reserve was very slow.
The coast north of Durban was wild with huge open beaches, which meant we could play beach football and cricket, but it was too rough to swim despite some lifeguard presence. The Kruger lodge did have a gym, and we used the pool there and at the Manyoni Reserve.
In summary, it was an amazing experience. My elder son took loads of wonderful photos and we loved the wildlife experiences. Getting within a metre of a leopard (it was walking next to the truck I was in) is something I will never forget. Despite our anxieties, we didn’t have any bad experiences and the people we met were friendly, interesting, and helpful.
Thomas/Phillips Families (with grandparents and children aged 12 & 14)
Travelled Easter 2023
Hi Liddy. This was a wonderful holiday that provided all that we hoped for and more. We really think the boys gained a huge amount from it as well as enjoying themselves enormously. Accommodation and animal sighting opportunities were top notch and the logistics couldn’t be faulted. Enormous thanks are due to you and your staff for arranging this for us and for all your attention and help through the two years of false starts. We will, you may be sure, not hesitate in recommending your services to anyone and hopefully use your services again.
Jones Family (with child aged 11)
Travelled Easter 2023
Hi Caroline. Thanks for the follow-up – all is well – back to full-on work but still glowing after our SA adventure. Thanks for the itinerary and trip and pulling together at short notice it was great. Highlights being: Food and wine around Cape Town, Camps Bay, and the Winelands were amazing (the restaurant/bar guides really helped thanks, and allowed us to prepare/book ahead along with some personal recommendations we received). The V&A apartment was spacious and perfectly located and the Camps Bay hotel was charming and again well positioned.
We were a little bit underwhelmed with Le Franschoek mainly due to the fact that the pool was shaded in the afternoon…The area is so stunning and we were so busy with touring the wine estates that the lodging didn’t matter too much but we would definitely stay somewhere a bit more comfortable/boutique with a sunny pool area next time.
The location was good however and we did take advantage of the stunning views down the valley at Haute Cabriere and La Petite Ferme. Delaire Graff for lunch on the terrace will be a special memory for us.
The road trip through the Karoo was memorable and long. The overnight at the De Zeekoe Farm was charming and very fleeting. We all loved the magical meerkat experience – well worth the long trip and we appreciated the knowledge and humour of our Afrikaaner guides on that morning.
The VW TCross was excellent all trip and a well-selected touring vehicle which was good because it was another long trip to the Garden Route – but a very scenic one. We loved Wilderness and stopped off for lunch at a coastal fish restaurant – another trip highlight.
The Tsitsikamma hotel was again very charming and welcoming with nice common facilities and warm welcomes. Our family room on night 1 was very (too) basic and by then we were seeking some comfort so we upgraded on the second night to a superior double apartment which worked really well (Kerry was very very accommodating).
The activities were fabulous, woodland trails, a guided e-scooters ride through the forest, and a spectacular family zip-wire experience. The hotel is well placed to explore the park and the suspension bridge which we did and once again that worked well for the spectacular coastal scenery as well as the conveniently placed restaurants for lazy lunches. We liked the relaxed vibe at the hotel as well as the Americana at the Diner and the friendly pizza restaurant. Nice people, as we experienced throughout the entire trip.
And then there is Pumba Game Reserve, what a magical place! We were very fortunate that on arrival most of the animals had come out to play at the water lodge waterhole as if to greet us. Our jaws dropped and our souls soared as we watched these majestic beasts at bath time. The welcome was warm and relaxed and the accommodation was excellent – authentic and in keeping with a luxury lodge experience.
But the best experience I’ve ever had on a holiday took place on four Land Rover game drives. Our rangers Cameron and Matthew were patient, knowledgeable, funny and enthusiastic – we really liked them and felt we were in great hands. The animals were the stars and I really can’t see how we could have improved our time at Pumba, other than extend it. I actually still miss it a week later.
Thanks again for a lovely holiday elevated by the cuisine and scenery of Capetown and Winelands and the timeless magic and beauty of the wildlife and hospitality and knowledge of the staff at Pumba Game Reserve.
We would definitely consider using SM again! Argentina and Chile here we come 🙂
Davidson Family (with children aged 8 & 11)
Travelled October 2022
Hi Liddy. The trip was fantastic and thoroughly enjoyable. All of the directions provided for the drives were good and driving times were sensible. The choice of accommodation was good. I don’t think we would change anything on the itinerary other than perhaps highlighting the option of a drive in Kruger a bit more due to the different scenery. It would have been good to have more time at Hluhluwe (although this would have sensibly needed an extra day).
Hocking Family (with children aged 9 & 11)
Travelled Easter 2022 – KwaZulu Natal
Hi Liddy. We’re home safe and sound after an amazing holiday. We all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and felt the itinerary worked really well. We loved all the accommodations, especially Thonga Beach & Makakatana, they were really special and the staff were amazing… All in all we had an amazing holiday. Our eldest kept a list of all the animals we saw – over 70! We saw 4 out of the big 5. The game reserve was perfect for seeing all the animals but iSimangaliso wetland area felt more natural, it’s a stunning area. Thank you once again for creating our perfect holiday.
Malik Family (with children aged 7 & 9)
Travelled Easter 2022
Hi Liddy. As you know we’d previously booked Costa Rica through you and had the most amazing time. On our way, we had said there was no way that we could top that holiday… but we did! It was absolutely amazing!! The safari lodge was just unbelievable. The kids had the best time and they did so much with the ranger and the manager of the hotel! I cannot believe how accommodating they were with EVERYTHING! The itinerary was perfect…. We did it all – climbed Table Mountain, Boulder Beach, Cape Point, Robben Island… with some amazing meals and food markets. Thanks so much for ALL your advice. Yet again another perfectly arranged holiday by Stubborn Mule.
David Family (with children aged 8 & 10)
Travelled Christmas 2019 / New Year 2020
Dear Helene – Thank you so much for organising such a wonderful trip for us to South Africa. It was so well organised and your choice of hotels was brilliant, in particular the game reserve which was one of the best places I’ve ever been to. I’ll be in contact again once my finances have recovered to arrange more amazing trips (Argentina, for example!).
Jackson Sykes Family (with grandparents and children aged 12 & 16)
Travelled Summer 2019
Hi Helene – Thank you so much for all your help in arranging such a special holiday for us, our two teenagers and my parents… In nutshell we ALL had the most amazing holiday! I don’t know quite where to start hence the rather lengthy review. We had so many incredible experiences. It was truly a magical holiday with so many memories and first time experiences that we will always remember.
I have tried to break our review down a little so here goes:-
South Africa in general – getting around
What a vast, diverse and beautiful country. Distances are huge. Roads however are great (apart from Swaziland). Google maps is essential.
Tip: Physically stop the vehicle at stop signs (not a rolling stop) also watch out for speed traps in the local villages although how anyone could speed when there are so many speed bumps I will never know! Off road is slightly more daunting but doable! You just have to go steady and you get there eventually it made for exciting but bumpy drives if rather dusty. Driving at night/dusk is not ideal. There are no ‘cats eyes’ in South Africa and no street lights outside of the cities. Cows and donkeys are free to stray onto roads, as well as people who also walk on the side of motorways which makes for quite a scary driving experience. If at all possible try to drive during daylight hours.
Weather
Beautiful sunny days but the evenings and early mornings were really quite chilly. Swimming pools were for the braver ones amongst us the water was cold as was the sea! Beautiful dark skies for star-gazing.
Accommodation
ALL of the accommodation was wonderful. Hosts were welcoming and couldn’t have been more helpful whether this was in the National Park, self-catering or Bed and Breakfast.
Safety
We didn’t have any incidents on holiday although we were careful not to ‘stand out’ or leave things on show in the vehicle. We never felt unsafe however we did not venture into the big cities. Although some towns do have areas of extreme poverty we did not feel threatened.
Food
Fabulous! Portions are typically large and there is something for everyone. Breakfasts were again wonderful.
The wildlife and activities
What can I say. It was like being part of the ‘Lion King’ film – simply magical. We saw over 50 species of animals and birds. The most magical of experiences, from experiencing a walking safari and seeing black rhino first hand, to swimming with sharks just outside Durban – this was a truly amazing but unbelievable experience. Travelling over the canopy of trees and gorges in the Drakensberg Mountains by zip line is also a must, also horse riding in the mountains. All of the activities we participated in were professionally run, safe and environmentally ‘on it’. We had one arranged Guided Tour at Perrys Bridge Hollow. Our guide Paul was fantastic and his knowledge was truly quite incredible. We visited Blyde River Canyon (breath taking) and the Three Roundavells and also Bourkes’ Potholes.
Kruger National Park and St Lucia and the wetlands – amazing wildlife. Seeing hump back whales breeching out at sea was incredible. Hearing lions ‘growling’ to one another in the night while you are in bed is something never to be forgotten. If you love wildlife then South Africa is truly the best place to experience it.
Drakensbergs was also amazing. Superb mountain ranges. Finding porcupine spines was a highlight as well as coming across giraffes as we were walking in the mountains – you can’t quite believe what you are seeing!
Downsides
We travelled a lot between accommodation and there were some very long drives (4 to 5 hours at a time) but it was worth it. Having two teenagers engrossed in their phones on these drives was for once very handy, however I think it was tough for the older generations that were travelling with us!
We found bureaucracy in the airports very challenging. Leave yourself plenty of time between internal flights.
Thank you
All in all a truly wonderful holiday and thank you so much Stubborn Mule for making it happen. You were ‘on the nail’ with everything we hoped for and it was a joy!
I have tried to break our review down a little so here goes:-
South Africa in general – getting around
What a vast, diverse and beautiful country. Distances are huge. Roads however are great (apart from Swaziland). Google maps is essential.
Tip: Physically stop the vehicle at stop signs (not a rolling stop) also watch out for speed traps in the local villages although how anyone could speed when there are so many speed bumps I will never know! Off road is slightly more daunting but doable! You just have to go steady and you get there eventually it made for exciting but bumpy drives if rather dusty. Driving at night/dusk is not ideal. There are no ‘cats eyes’ in South Africa and no street lights outside of the cities. Cows and donkeys are free to stray onto roads, as well as people who also walk on the side of motorways which makes for quite a scary driving experience. If at all possible try to drive during daylight hours.
Weather
Beautiful sunny days but the evenings and early mornings were really quite chilly. Swimming pools were for the braver ones amongst us the water was cold as was the sea! Beautiful dark skies for star-gazing.
Accommodation
ALL of the accommodation was wonderful. Hosts were welcoming and couldn’t have been more helpful whether this was in the National Park, self-catering or Bed and Breakfast.
Safety
We didn’t have any incidents on holiday although we were careful not to ‘stand out’ or leave things on show in the vehicle. We never felt unsafe however we did not venture into the big cities. Although some towns do have areas of extreme poverty we did not feel threatened.
Food
Fabulous! Portions are typically large and there is something for everyone. Breakfasts were again wonderful.
The wildlife and activities
What can I say. It was like being part of the ‘Lion King’ film – simply magical. We saw over 50 species of animals and birds. The most magical of experiences, from experiencing a walking safari and seeing black rhino first hand, to swimming with sharks just outside Durban – this was a truly amazing but unbelievable experience. Travelling over the canopy of trees and gorges in the Drakensberg Mountains by zip line is also a must, also horse riding in the mountains. All of the activities we participated in were professionally run, safe and environmentally ‘on it’. We had one arranged Guided Tour at Perrys Bridge Hollow. Our guide Paul was fantastic and his knowledge was truly quite incredible. We visited Blyde River Canyon (breath taking) and the Three Roundavells and also Bourkes’ Potholes.
Kruger National Park and St Lucia and the wetlands – amazing wildlife. Seeing hump back whales breeching out at sea was incredible. Hearing lions ‘growling’ to one another in the night while you are in bed is something never to be forgotten. If you love wildlife then South Africa is truly the best place to experience it.
Drakensbergs was also amazing. Superb mountain ranges. Finding porcupine spines was a highlight as well as coming across giraffes as we were walking in the mountains – you can’t quite believe what you are seeing!
Downsides
We travelled a lot between accommodation and there were some very long drives (4 to 5 hours at a time) but it was worth it. Having two teenagers engrossed in their phones on these drives was for once very handy, however I think it was tough for the older generations that were travelling with us!
We found bureaucracy in the airports very challenging. Leave yourself plenty of time between internal flights.
Thank you
All in all a truly wonderful holiday and thank you so much Stubborn Mule for making it happen. You were ‘on the nail’ with everything we hoped for and it was a joy!
Hall Family (with children aged 1 & 4)
Travelled May 2019
Hi Claire – We had a great time… Thanks for everything, I have already recommended you to lots of people! Feedback on the accommodation: amazing flat in Cape Town , loads of space and great location… We spent a lot of time at the harbour which had great restaurants and lots of painted rhinos for A to spot! We spent a day going to Cape Point and to see the penguins…
Old Mac Daddy’s – this was fun and the playground great for A. We found it hard to find something on site to do during the day so we decided to drive around Hermanus and the coastline, which was beautiful.
Oudtshoorn – this was like stepping back in time, very nice though but I can imagine it might not be everyone’s taste. There was a set menu for dinner, which was in a very formal dining room, luckily the boys were on their best behaviour but I can imagine it might not be appropriate for some families. We went to the bird world on our drive to Storms River, which the boys loved.
Storms River – we found an amazing diner on the way in Barrydale called Diesel and Crème, which did the best milkshakes so would recommend that as a stopping point…
Kareiga Game Reserve – this was amazing, accommodation was great and we managed to do 6 game drives with the kids. They also had a good children’s room onsite.
Happy to talk through any other feedback if it would be helpful.
Thanks again.
Wiles/Rutherford Family (with children aged 6 & 9)
Travelled Easter 2019
Dear Lee – We had an absolutely wonderful time in South Africa and Swaziland! It really was the family holiday of a lifetime. You come from a very beautiful country Lee. We loved it! I have a few comments about the trip which might help future travellers.
Chimp Eden – we all really enjoyed this tour. It was very educational and the guide was enthusiastic and very knowledgeable about the chimps.
Lukimbi Lodge – Wow, wow, wow! This place was amazing – we thought there must have been a mistake with the booking as it was so lovely and luxurious… This is an amazing place. All of the staff were fantastic, so friendly and helpful. We really were made to feel like VIPs, it was very special. It was great for families too – our kids loved the children’s programme where they went off on their own with one of the rangers. They did cool things like shooting air rifles and making plaster casts of leopard footprints in the bush. I would definitely recommend it for families.
Swaziland – what a gem. We really loved the mountainous scenery and the more rural nature of the country. We went on the Malolotja canopy tour (zipline through a gorge), which we all really loved. My daughter is 6 and she managed it no problem. She is quite tough though, so perhaps a more nervous 6 year old might not want to do it. Our 9 year old was fine. We also went to the Swazi cultural village and had a tour round the village and then watched some Swazi dancing. I even took part in the dancing Lee – it was fun.
There is a lovely waterfall there too that you can walk to. We also visited Swazi candles and ended up buying some candles as they are really lovely- you just can’t resist a purchase! The Foresters Arms was quite a traditional lodge but nice, and the food was good. It’s a very peaceful place to stay.
Ghost Mountain Inn – another amazing place! We had to pinch ourselves again when we arrived, as it was so nice! They have a jetty on a lake that you can walk down to, as well as lovely swimming pools. The safari manager there, Jean, was incredibly helpful and very good with the kids. They have a kids programme – you can book various activities. Our two went on a bush walk with a ranger called Patrick and they had a fab time. They peeled and ate sugar cane! I would definitely recommend a stay here, it is lovely. We did a self-drive around Mkuze game reserve, which was nice. Sitting in the hides by the waterholes was good and a different way of seeing the game. I would say that we didn’t see as much here as in the Kruger, but it was still good. ON our way to St Lucia, we drove through Hluhluwe Game Reserve. That was worth a visit – lovely scenery. We stopped for lunch at the Hilltop Camp there, which had amazing views from the terrace.
St Lucia – lovely place! We really enjoyed seeing hippos wandering around at night. We did two tours here – a hippos and crocodile boat tour and a bush and snorkelling half day trip to iSimalngaliso Reserve… On the latter trip, we went to Cape Vidal and swam in the Indian Ocean – lovely and warm, and wow, what a beautiful beach! The guesthouse was a wonderful place to stay. We were the only people staying there, so it was very tranquil for us. It’s in a great location and a very peaceful place to stay. Lovely breakfast. Would highly recommend.
Unhlanga. This was a very nice hotel, but the standard room we had was really small for 4 people… It was fine and we aren’t complaining, but I would say perhaps to book a superior room with a little more space if you are going to book for a family of 4 again. Otherwise the hotel was perfect. The breakfast was lovely ad they had a gym and outdoor heated pool, which we used. It is in a great location too, near the Gateway Mall where we went for dinner both nights. We ate Mozambican prawns – yum!
UShaka – great recommendation! We had a really fun day out here. We also enjoyed walking along the Durban sea front. It’s a lovely city with a great beach.
Thank you again for arranging an awesome trip for us. We are delighted with the service we have had from Stubborn Mule and have already recommended you to lots of our friends!
Beth Family (with children aged 10 & 12)
Travelled October 2018
Hi Claire… Everything was great!! Things went so smoothly! I would be happy to hop on a phone call to discuss any specifics that would be helpful. Thank you so much for all your efforts to make it all go so smoothly and to visit such amazing places… an awesome trip.
The only two things that varied from the itinerary (and they were so minor!) were:
1) the drive from Thornybush to Nelspruit was not a game drive, it was a lovely drive through much of the farming/agricultural area which was better than another game drive, in my view! We saw and learned about banana farming, macadamia nuts, timber, etc. We had a very good and interesting driver who made that informative.
And 2) one road to the Cathedral Peak Hotel was labelled differently than the signs in the town. The directions said turn left on R180 and the sign in town called the road R600. We only went about 3 minutes out of our way, figured it out and looked back around on our merry way.
Hope to talk soon while details are still very fresh in my mind!
Bach Family (with children aged 10 and 13)
Travelled Summer 2018
Dear Lee – We are trying hard to adjust to normal life after our amazing trip but we left our hearts in Africa so it is hard! Thank you very much for your help in putting our itinerary together. The South Africa part of our trip worked incredibly well and we were delighted with all of it. Your SA agents did a good job in selecting our accommodation and the quality and variety was very good. We met other holidaymakers who were not so lucky with their travel arrangements/agents so we counted ourselves very lucky. Your pre-travel info was very helpful.
Vaughan Family (with children aged 3, 7 and 10)
Travelled Februry Half term 2018
Back yesterday after a long but easy flight. Already back in the office but wanted thank say a big thank you for all you did for us. Our trip was just amazing. We did everything and had a fabulous time and can’t wait to start planning the next one!
Anderson Family (with children aged 9 & 10)
Travelled Christmas 2017
We had an absolutely wonderful time on our trip to South Africa. We found the country to be very warm, welcoming and absolutely breathtaking. We enjoyed all of the accommodations and the length of driving on our transfer days wasn’t overwhelming. The highlights for the kids would be biking through the vineyards at Vrede en Lust, zip-lining in Tsitsikamma National Park and the Safari and activities at Ivory Tree Game Lodge…. Again, thanks for all your help in organizing such a memorable trip!
Maruf/Backhouse Family (with children aged 12,12 and 15)
Travelled Summer 2017
Hi Kelly – I don’t know if you saw my Facebook pics but we all loved SA. We had a fab time despite the delay at the beginning of the trip which was a bit disappointing but I’m glad we contacted Simon and Liddy to sort out an airport hotel. That made a big difference. Overall we had an exciting and hassle free trip and I’ll outline some comments on each place
SABI – Porcupine Ridge. Our stay with John and Jan was fab. The house was beautiful and we walked up the mountain behind it to get a great view of the waterfall on their suggestion. They were great hosts, lots of suggestions for dinner, trips etc very friendly and full of stories. Breakfasts were hearty. We were made to feel right at home. We booked some zip wiring at Hazy View which was very scary but amazing — I was terrified but the 2 guides with our group – about 10 people were brilliant. We managed to make up for the missed day and went to see a few local waterfalls plus the Sabi canyon/Three Rondavels and had a great meal at an African kitchen ( basic but very atmospheric – sat on logs to eat off tin plates etc ) on the way back from the 3 Rondavels. This was Jan’s suggestion.
KRUGER – Fantastic 3 days in Kruger. Tented adventures were brilliant. Tents were comfy and not too basic and the guides were just fab. So knowledgeable, enthusiastic. The 5.15 am wake up call was a bit difficult but so worth it to see the sunrises. I have left a good review on Trip Adviser for them
SWAZILAND – the journey was long. The border crossing both in and out added an hour to the driving, plus we had to stop a few times to stretch legs as it was pretty cramped in the car. I think your estimates were a bit optimistic. Also It would also have been good to know that the distance to the house from the tarred road was about 20 km. We did worry that we were in the wrong place.
But once we got to Wide Horizons the drive there was worth it. So utterly beautiful. John who was standing in for Rose was wonderful. We hit it off with him. Very kind and entertaining. The dogs were also gorgeous. Truly a retreat, a total get away from it all. We only left once to visit a local restaurant for lunch on the second day.
The evening we got there there was a fire on the hillside behind the house – apparently lit by some locals to grow stuff they wanted to hide from the authorities. Apparently this is common. The fire was a bit worrying as it did spread but John and Sibonile (who helped manage the land) kept an eye on it through the night. The next day John, Nyle and I went to try to inspect it- a bumpy ride in a pick up truck. Later that day John and Sibonile did a controlled burn to stop any future fires reaching the house. All this was totally fascinating. A real slice of life. The kids loved every minute of their stay at Wide Horizons.
Sodwana Bay — very spacious lodge and good food in the restaurant. We had some confusion about whether we had dinner bed and breakfast but Simon sorted that fairly promptly by phone. Very beautiful beach with lovely dunes – on a very warm sunny day.
Hluhluwe River Lodge — absolutely beautiful place. So glad we stayed there. Unfortunately the weather had turned and we witnessed some very windy storms for the 2 days there. It was still good to get a range of life and weather – luckily we were prepared. We did go to the game park as well and saw lots of Rhinos – which a special feature there and got to St Lucia to see hippos and had sushi. No river cruise as it was too wet and windy.
All in all the trip was exhilarating and we loved it. Thank you for organising it. Hana took some lovely pictures. I will try to email a few to you.
Davies Family (with two children aged 7 and 10)
Travelled Easter 2016
Dear Liddy, thank you so much for everything you and your company did to make our family trip to South Africa such a wonderful success. This was our first time in Africa so S and I really appreciated the time you took (all the phone calls as well as emails!!) to go through every last detail, to answer all our questions, make sure the trip was perfect for the kids etc. The holiday really couldn’t have gone better.
Everyone we met was so welcoming and friendly – this was without exception – the guides in Kruger were so knowledgeable and really took the time with the kids to make the whole safari experience exciting and fun. We saw the big 5 but the kids also loved seeing hyena, baboons, hippos, everything really. And what can I say about Cape Town…… There is so much to do here we had to rush at the end to fit it all in. You were right we didn’t have to have a car and found the taxis good value… actually in general everything felt very reasonable priced and both S and I agreed that we had some of the best wine we’d ever tasted!
Your organisation skills were superb and there was always someone there to help us to get from one place to the next. We’ve all got the safari bug and will be coming back to talk to you about Namibia next for sure. Really thank you so much.
Thompson Family (with two children aged 11 and 14)
Travelled Easter 2016
What an incredible trip. We loved it all and were so pleased that you persuaded us to try self-drive. It was very easy to get around with the GPS system and we didn’t feel nervous at all. The B and Bs that you selected for us were spot on and made the children very welcome.
A particular favourite was the Morningside in Cape Town which we were very sorry to leave. The variety was brilliant and we loved how you had something in there for the adults and also for the kids. The highlight for the children was probably all the activities around Tsitsikamma but my favourite bit was the Winelands. I can now bore for Britain about the various different South African wines! Thank you for everything.
Call us and we will be happy to provide you with a free-of-charge no obligation itinerary and quotation designed for you.
01728 752751
South Africa in pictures