Safari Holiday Recommendations

Valo

Valo

Valo

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I'm looking for advice and recommendations from anyone who has been on a safari trip to Africa. My Mum has a big birthday this year in November and I'm beginning to make enquiries into her present.

One idea I've had is booking her a once in a lifetime trip to see African wildlife upclose sometime next year. I'd like to space the trip over two weeks and between her staying at a resort (Hotel, pool etc) then say 2-4 days on Safari and the rest back at the resort.

If anyone has experiences or recommendations I'd really appreciate it.
 
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Budget ?

Won't be cheap, but Londolozi in the Kruger is epic: https://www.londolozi.com/en/

Wife and I went a long time ago (pre children) and it was awesome. Only downside is you likely have to get through Jo'burg airport which is a third world cesspit of corruption.

Booked via Kuoni, internet holidays weren't the norm back then.
 
I went to Kenya with Airtours and booked one week in a lodge in the safari park and one week on the coast. It was everything you see on TV and more. I also booked a hot air balloon trip over part of the park at dawn which was amazing.
 
peterwalkley said:
Budget ?

Won't be cheap, but Londolozi in the Kruger is epic: https://www.londolozi.com/en/

Wife and I went a long time ago (pre children) and it was awesome. Only downside is you likely have to get through Jo'burg airport which is a third world cesspit of corruption.

Booked via Kuoni, internet holidays weren't the norm back then.
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The Kruger park is but a husk of what it once was sadly.



@Valo step in to my office, this is where I conduct my business.

Personally I'd recommend Sabi Sands national park. It's one of the best in the world, it's privately owned and maintained to a very high standard. Regardless of which lodge you stay in, it'll be excellent. It's the park of choice for South Africans (we do know a thing or two about game reserves ;))

The greater area it's situated in is called Sabie, and is home to some of the country's most beautiful waterfalls. They are all relatively close together so you could make a day of it and see the lot. Last time we went it was R20 (£1) per car, per waterfall to see them. Here's a link.

For when mum wants a day of relaxing, go on the Graskop Big Swing if you have the plums, it's ridiculous (and an hour away from any hospital by helicopter so try not to splatter yourself on anything).

Graskop itself is also a great area and close to Sabie, you can do all sorts of activities there, like white water rafting, mountain biking, panning for gold (great for the kids), quad biking (done this every time we go, it's not like here, there's no H&S, you just ride a massive quad with a tour guide and see stuff you'd otherwise not see by car or foot, can't recommend it highly enough), hot air ballooning, archery, I can go on and on but this site covers it all fairly well.

God's Window is one of the most beautiful places in the world as well if you ask me, and I've been places man. I've been places.

Where else can you see views like this and jump off a rock like an excited girl?

SdyuiJP.jpg






Any questions just fire away, Mpumalanga (the province) is one of my favourite places in the world, if I don't know the answer to your question, I know someone who will :)
 
Diddums said:
Personally I'd recommend Sabi Sands national park. It's one of the best in the world, it's privately owned and maintained to a very high standard. Regardless of which lodge you stay in, it'll be excellent. It's the park of choice for South Africans (we do know a thing or two about game reserves ;))
Click to expand...

DOH ! We're actually talking about the same region. I had a geography failure - Londolozi is in the Sabi Sands when I check their website. We did a two reserve holiday, the other was in the Kruger (Bongani Mountain Lodge).

I will bow out now with a weasel comment of both being South of Watford and a good few years ago :p
 
I went to Kenya around 2005/6 stayed at the coastal resort just outside Mombasa. We went on a 2 night Safari trip to the Tsavo National Park I believe, further East is the Serengeti National Park. Was a great experience, saw everything pretty much apart from Lions on that occasion.
I know they had some troubles not long after with elections and also the terrorist attacks, so not sure if tourism to Kenya has been effected, I'm sure it's fine now.
 
Went to Tsavo east and west in Kenya in 2014 and another park that's close by that I've forgotten the name of. Really loved it, was a Thompson arranged holiday but it went really smoothly and was amazing fun! Basically got sick of elephants haha! Week on safari and week in a resort near Diani beach. Sadly didn't see lions or Rhinos but did see Leopards and all the 'usual' animals. The birds are something else as well, definitely worth looking at!
 
Is the masai Mara still safe, we went about 30 years ago, loads of lions cheetahs giraffes elephants etc. Hard work though, the roads to get there were pretty rough and long.

We then stayed for week at a hotel on the coast near Mombasa, amazing place.
 
Diddums said:
The Kruger park is but a husk of what it once was sadly.



@Valo step in to my office, this is where I conduct my business.

Personally I'd recommend Sabi Sands national park. It's one of the best in the world, it's privately owned and maintained to a very high standard. Regardless of which lodge you stay in, it'll be excellent. It's the park of choice for South Africans (we do know a thing or two about game reserves ;))

The greater area it's situated in is called Sabie, and is home to some of the country's most beautiful waterfalls. They are all relatively close together so you could make a day of it and see the lot. Last time we went it was R20 (£1) per car, per waterfall to see them. Here's a link.

For when mum wants a day of relaxing, go on the Graskop Big Swing if you have the plums, it's ridiculous (and an hour away from any hospital by helicopter so try not to splatter yourself on anything).

Graskop itself is also a great area and close to Sabie, you can do all sorts of activities there, like white water rafting, mountain biking, panning for gold (great for the kids), quad biking (done this every time we go, it's not like here, there's no H&S, you just ride a massive quad with a tour guide and see stuff you'd otherwise not see by car or foot, can't recommend it highly enough), hot air ballooning, archery, I can go on and on but this site covers it all fairly well.

God's Window is one of the most beautiful places in the world as well if you ask me, and I've been places man. I've been places.

Where else can you see views like this and jump off a rock like an excited girl?

SdyuiJP.jpg






Any questions just fire away, Mpumalanga (the province) is one of my favourite places in the world, if I don't know the answer to your question, I know someone who will :)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the great information and the offer of help. Sabi Sands looks fantastic! Unfortunately I wouldn't be going with her.

iamdjdz said:
Went to Tsavo east and west in Kenya in 2014 and another park that's close by that I've forgotten the name of. Really loved it, was a Thompson arranged holiday but it went really smoothly and was amazing fun! Basically got sick of elephants haha! Week on safari and week in a resort near Diani beach. Sadly didn't see lions or Rhinos but did see Leopards and all the 'usual' animals. The birds are something else as well, definitely worth looking at!
Click to expand...


droyden said:
We stayed at the Virgin safari for honeymoon, very good accommodation. Two safaris a day, would highly recommend.
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This is what I'm trying to figure out wither I'd be best to get a quote/book something through a travel agent rather than trying to book something myself. I had already looked at Virgin but will give Thompson a look as well.

Could I ask roughly what your respective packages cost you?

Thanks everyone for your help so far, please keep your advice and experiences coming.
 
200sols said:
It’s destined to become Zimbabwe mk2. Land expropriation, the place is unstable it’s not somewhere I would consider for a holiday.
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It's true to an extent, but not half as bad as the press make out to be (yet). I'd still happily go on holiday.
 
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