2015 Testimonials
I just wanted to say thank you for helping us put together an amazing adventure to Botswana. We loved it all and had a great time. Combined with Madikwe (which I had booked before I found you) it was perfect. I have passed on your contact info to a number of friends of mine in the states who followed our trip on FB.
Happy New Year.
LE, Dec 2015
Hi Mandy, Compliments of the season! This mail is belated as my iPad misbehaved during my recent trip and is still being knocked in to shape. We had a WONDERFUL fifteen days in AFRICA!!! Needless to say it was your experienced and professional hand at work, once again. Thank you.
VC, Dec 2015
I am adding my great appreciation and praise for how you set up an incredible trip for us, and, I suppose, for everyone who wants your company as the go-to safari outfit. I do not know how the trip could have been better. I will gladly repeat this and be happily quoted. Why ???? The way you set each camp in its order was first-rate. I didn't quite think a treehouse was going to be on the trip, but there it was, and I can still get up and down the steps, and I didn't fall between them. The most rustic lodging for sure, and the manager - a Botswanan of many years’ experience - was terrific…
Our first guide seemed to be part of the earth, how informed and kind and knowledgeable in the way that he kept giving us details and allowed us to become part of his earth, and that, of course, everything at Delta camp was done Walking (a short mokoro ride or two included). Kadizora was a big leap - a bigger set-up -an expansive group of people and incredibly varied. The food was superb, practically unbelievable in the variety. And as you must know, if one is a Drinker at these places, the booze never runs out. Luckily, I am not that Drinker. And thankfully, there was a bathtub in the rooms - best to sit there in the middle of the afternoon and not get burned by the heat. Ghoha Hills was fantastic. And the management there had a particular Class that was as top notch as you can get. And my favorite guide was there !!!! Food was very good, accommodations incredible, again...the wildlife as great as Kadizora and more lions, this time we saw a pride at a watering hole !!!!!
Elephants all over the place, as they are in Botswana...what a place to see the Great animal and the best sunset of all was here on the third night - almost has the ring of something biblical - it is Africa, as you know better than me!!!!! Muchenje was a great last stop. The managers there were the liveliest couple in the ten nights - what a great couple, great game drives, the spectacular Chobe River and air-conditioning and a fan in the same room. No wonder the baboons were hanging around so much. I haven't mentioned the animals much because they were always so close, and when they needed us, they stuck around more, ready to pose if they were in the mood.
I wish I was a birder, and all their names would drop off my tongue, and how many different trees can there be - the baobab and leadwood and and .........I will tell everyone I know about Venture-to-Africa. Good work, Val, for reading about you. It was the trip of a lifetime, and it may need a second !!!!!! Thanks so much, Mandy. Happy holidays!
P.S. The planes - all of them - were great in their own way. If only American carriers can understand that even on a short rides from Joburg to Maun and from Kasane to Joburg, you can actually have decent food given to the customer up up in the air !!!!!
FY, Nov 15
Thank you so much for arranging my trip to Botswana. It was an absolutely fabulous trip, in spite of the heat. I was really the only guest at Delta Camp and Deception Valley and had a wonderful time birding with my guides. They were extremely knowledgeable and very nice. The mobile safari was also great for birding as 4 Brits were avid birders. Thanks again for all your time and effort on my behalf.
KM, Nov 2015
First of all thank you for this trip. Car ok. Lodge Isibindi 7.5 / 10. Zulu territory very interesting with two great guides that you can recommend, a white Zulu man drive us in impossible places and introduced us to Zulu families that we would [otherwise] never have met, and a passionate French South African also told us of the history of this territory. Hermanus guest house not typical 9/10 for the location and quality accommodation. Whale watching ++++
Cape town, exciting city with that footprint even though apartheid has so marked, even a little claustrophobic for me, but we loved being in the heart of your history, in the heart of the fighting in this same country. Good Hope/ Cape Point day trip was also exciting in large part thanks to guide you sent us, very nice. Flora and fauna - how beautiful: majestic, grand, mythic...
8/10 at Cape hotel except the noise because our room was above the restaurant, there is no double glazing. Kruger: always some great moments at these superb lodges 8/10, few animals and I think because I understand talking with the manager that it is impossible to find that we had in Botswana because there a lot of poaching in the Kruger and the South African President is not as concerned about wildlife as the President of Botswana; where there is more protections ... so a little disappointment but no big deal. In total I can only recommend this tour from beginning to end. Thanks you're the best. Best regards.
CP, Nov 15
Just a quick note, Mandy, to thank you for putting together a fantastic trip for us. We had an awesome time in Zambia and Malawi with the RP folks treating us to extraordinary service, cuisine and hospitality from start to finish. We were particularly impressed with African Rock, as L dreads leaving the Jo’burg Airport. Their service, rooms and food were as good as it gets and made our stopover and extended vacation. We planned to call you before we left, but a mix-up with getting some clothes pressed turned into a fiasco, but worked out as these things do and we had no problem with departure However, in the confusion, we forgot to make our “thank you” call as we planned.
Although we made our 100th game drive on this trip (see attached) surprisingly, we still don’t think we’ve had enough of Africa and look forward to another trip in the next year or two. We hope that you’ll be there to help us when we make the decision. Thanks again for a wonderful trip,
TS, Sep 15
We are all back after a super safari - thank you for setting it all up. We had a total of 14 flights, and all the logistics, connections and transfers went perfectly. This must be the result of your experience and good planning.
Specific comments: All the camps were good, often splendid. If I had to rank them in order, it would be: 1) Shumba, 2) Chiawa 3) Puku Ridge and Tena Tena equal, 5) KaingU. Some of our group were a bit disappointed about the scarcity of game at KaingU, but the river was great, and I thought it was a good start to a five-camp tour. My comment would be that if KaingU is included, it should always be first in the sequence of camps, and if a tour included less than 5 camps, it should be left off. The cuisine was uniformly very good, much better than I expected for remote camps.
The guides and staff were generally impressive, and "really nice people". The were all notably good about using our first names, which I know takes a bit of work. I think your schedule of arrival day plus three nights plus two full days for each camp works extremely well. The only camp where I felt I might have liked an extra day was Chiawa.
The endless tipping is a bit of a pain, but you did clearly warn us about it, and I guess that we just have to accept the established system. Victoria Falls was an excellent add-on tour for us. The Vic Falls Hotel is obviously much better than the alternatives in town. The famed Sunset Cruise was a bit of an anti-climax; the on-board food was terrible. I think we had been spoiled by the Chiawa river cruises, which were much better. In conclusion, a great itinerary, a memorable trip, very expensive but well worth it.
DD, Sep 2015
Just to say that clients remained really very very satisfied of your organisation, these ladies arrived yesterday morning and they called me immediately to thank me, what a satisfaction!!!!!!!! Many thanks to you it’s always a pleasure working together.
GTT, Sep 2015
We had a marvellous safari with Letaka. Our guide Lucas was really exceptional, and the staff as well was really professional in all aspects. The food was amazingly varied, elaborate and so tasty!. We loved the 2 days houseboat cruise on the Chobe river. Here again the professionally of the staff was perfect. The luxurious quiet Elephant Camp at the end of a rather tiring trip was very appreciated. I was conquered by Sylvester the cheetah ambassador, and by the elephants of the camp. Everywhere the people were very authentically kindly and seemed to love their job. We are truly fully satisfied. Thank you for the refund: here again we deal with professionalism. We shall certainly recommend Venture-to-Africa, and Letaka, to our friends and relatives
MC, RC, Aug 2015
My daughter and I just finished our stay at the Presidential Chichele Lodge in South Luangwa. It was truly amazing and everything exceeded our expectations. The lodge and staff were superb and the game drives were awesome. Thank you so much for your help in arranging this trip for me, it most defiantly will be unforgettable.
Once again, thanks again for your help and we'll certainly keep your contact info for future use and also recommend you to others.
WW, June 2015
Hi Mandy, I wanted to thank for a fantastic itinerary. The trip was spectacular. I made it back home in one piece and shared my journey with my colleagues and friends. Some of my colleagues are interested in visiting Africa soon and would love your assistance in creating an itinerary. I must say, the idea to see both Vic Falls and one camp (Little Kwara was the best for small groups or couples) afford me the ability to experience the best of both worlds.
DM, Mar 15
I just wanted to thank you and to say how much we enjoyed our recent travels to Chobe and the Victoria Falls. It was all amazing and the travelling arrangements went without any hitches. Thank you so much for your part in all this. Regards,
S&R D. Mar 2015