AFRICAN
SAFARI
TESTIMONIALS
Page 1
FEEDBACK FROM OUR CLIENTS:
Eyes on Africa are proud of
our work and success in planning our clients' African safari vacations,
exotic adventures and romantic honeymoons. The following are just
a few of the comments we've received from our clients regarding their
Eyes on Africa safari experiences.
We would also be pleased to put
you directly in touch with past clients as further referrals at
your request.
Dear Nicky,
I cannot belive that I have waited so long to write to thank you with deep and warm thanks for the most magnificent, beautiful, educational, amazing, fun, inspriring, exciting vacation of my life. [On day 3 of our adventure, I was at a loss for appropriate adjectives that were able to express my overwhelming emotions and senses...except "wow"!! What I had previously described as a 'once in a lifetime', quickly became our first of many experiences in South Africa!!]
Nicky, thank you for all your thought and efforts that you dedicated to our experience in your home country. We appreciated and learned from each location, each experience, each person.... I have never been a photographer--and was quite apprehensive-- especially after reading your husband's recommendations for cameras, lenses and binoculars--of taking pictures, yet looking back and viewing our 856 shots (!!), I am additionally appreciative of all James' ideas, sharings which actually urged me to bring the camera (purchased the day before we left) and take pictures of any/everything!!
I always keep a journal with me; I rarely keep up with my thoughts, travels, perceptions. In S.Africa, however, I could not keep up, yet kept writing and writing and weeping with glee and joy, sorrow (at my inaction, ignorance, and lack of action)...and placing more items, cards, notes in my journal. The animals were magnificent and majestic, the accommodations were superb and luxurious, the people--from our Andrew, our Cape Town guide to Robin in Jo'burg, to each Ranger and Tracker in between--were gracious, grateful and generous, and the views and country were mind-boggling, mind-expanding, mind-enriching!!
Nicky, my only regret is that I waited so long for my first trip to South Africa!
We have shared our joy, lessons, learning and delight with all friends and associates, knowing that our travels were specially grand, extra-specially prepared, scheduled by you, Nicky!! So, thank you for sharing South Africa with M. and me. We had the time of our life, and our adventures were beyond every expectation we had.
Warmest regards,
K. & M. Norris, South Carolina - November 2007
P.S. Nicky, I have a small 'regret' and major request: On the last day of our 2nd 'Camp', a server accidentally spilled coffee on my Eyes On Africa hat -- "See Africa, Fall In Love." The red thread bled such that I could not salvage my hat. Since I wore it each day--on each of 10 safaris --our hats are in many, many photos, and remains on M.'s head since we have returned home. I would treasure having another...! If I am not asking too much--and there is no rush, may I please have a replacement Eyes On Africa hat?
Good morning Vanessa,
What a fun surprise to receive the fabulous Mombo book! It will be perfect to have over the holidays to show family and friends...especially since it many be months before I can work on the 1200 pictures I took. I borrowed my son's "nice" camera with lenses and quickly turned into a photographer on the first game drive. In fact, we saw James and Nicky arrive with all their gear as we were leaving Mombo.
E. and I both are so impressed with the level of service you and Eyes on Africa were able to provide for our trip to Botswana and South Africa, especially at the last minute. You listened to our dream of Africa and made it happen. From start to finish we felt so well taken care of that all we had to do was relax and enjoy our journey. In Wilderness Safaris language, you are definitely 6 paws!!! Of course, we have already recommended you highly. Please pass along our very high praise to the management team at Wilderness
Safaris, too. Without exception, each employee was well trained, engaging, positive and eager to do anything to make our visit pure pleasure. Eyes on Africa and Wilderness Safaris make a terrific team.
The Westcliff was the perfect enclave for us to rest after a week in Dubai. The Jacaranda trees were in full bloom and made the most idyllic view of Johannesburg from the pool terrace. My tour with Robin Binkes was a highlight of my trip. His knowledge, passion and ability to tell the story of South Africa's history in such a compelling manner made my day with him a fascinating introduction to our journey in South Africa.
Darren, your Wilderness Safari representative, was delightful to meet and quickly followed through with every request we had during our stay.
Of course, we had "dreams" of what we hoped Africa would be. We wanted to fly in small planes looking out the entire time at the African landscape. We wanted small, comfortable tented camps. And most importantly, we wanted to see the animals. Botswana far surpassed our dreams of Africa! We arrived at our first camp, Mombo, and were warmly greeted by the staff singing. We walked along the board walk and through the entrance into the camp and came to an immediate stop...the view was amazing. You could see forever onto an open plain right in front of the camp deck. My first thought was that it was like Noah had opened the ark and let the animals out! We could hardly concentrate on the camp staff's welcome and introduction and watch the elephants, cape buffalo, giraffes, lechwe, impala, warthogs and baboons, too.
How can you explain to someone who has never been to Mombo how fabulous and luxurious a tent can be? Our guide, Alex, was an exceptionally knowledgeable young man and his passion for the bush made him the ideal guide for our first game drive experience. Not being a morning person, at all, I was concerned about the 5:30 am wake up and the morning game drive. Each drive was so spectacular, I couldn't imagine missing a single one...even at 5:30. Chef Simon does a beautiful job of creating a dining experience that is both lovely in presentation and delicious to taste. We could have gained many pounds at Mombo, but feared we'd out grow our safari clothes the first week. The entire staff were engaging and delightful to spend time with during our stay. I couldn't think of a better entree to Africa than Mombo.
Arriving at Little Vumbura was just as I had hoped. We had a short plane hop from Mombo and were picked up by our guide "K" and driven to the boat landing, where we transferred to a small boat for our ride to Little Vumbura. E. and I enjoy boating and have a vacation home on a creek in a coastal nature preserve in South Carolina, so we loved every time we hopped on the boat to begin our game drives. Arriving at the dock, again to a delightful staff singing, a fun spirited tone was set for a wonderful visit to Little V. The camp has just been totally rebuilt and decorated, as you know. We thought it was fabulous. We especially enjoyed the view from the cozy library and lounge area. The tents are just as luxurious as Mombo, only smaller. When our guide learned we had not seen a leopard at Mombo, he made sure we saw three at Little V. Although we are certainly not "bird watchers," we thoroughly enjoyed the variety of bird sightings. Dining at Little Vumbura was like being invited to a fabulous small dinner party. The meals were excellent and it was obvious the staff took great pride in their work. They even shared a delicious recipe for sweet potatoes and leeks with me. Our guide "K" was wise, witty, a wonderful story teller and determined that we come away loving Little Vumbura as much as he does. The community impact agreement with Wilderness Safaris is a wonderful model for social, environmental, political and economical success.
I did not think a trip to South Africa could be complete without a visit to MalaMala. But as you know, I was worried that Rattray's would not be an authentic experience. His and her bathrooms, air conditioning, no tents and a private plunge pool we could get anywhere. Sometimes, I can be wrong. E. loved it! After being with people for two and half weeks, he asked for lunch to be delivered to our "villa" with a bottle of wine and we lounged by the pool and napped in a COOL room until the afternoon game drive. The sequence of the camps was perfect, with our final destination being a "colonial" experience. Steve along with his tracker, "Philiman" guided us to the "Big Five" certificate. Two days there were perfect and I'm glad we went, but Botswana won our hearts.
We arrived in Cape Town with "The Doctors" and the rain. We were freezing after being in the 90's for three weeks. Our driver was right on time with umbrella in hand and drove us to Welgelegen. What a delightful B and B! Fiona and her staff were lovely and eager to help in any way. Our room was on the top floor with a lovely view of the courtyard. We immediately got out our New York warm clothes and went to dinner at Ginja. This is a fabulous restaurant that you must recommend to clients. Food presentation and service is outstanding. The food is delicious, wine is excellent and all at a fraction of what it costs in US.
The next day we walked to the Green Market and visited the waterfront. That evening we had another outstanding meal at Jardin. On the third day, the car was delivered and thankfully the sun came out. The winds were still too strong to open Table Mountain or for boats to visit Robben Island. So instead we drove to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, which was beautiful and a relaxing way to start the day.
From there we drove to Simon's Town and had lunch on the water. Touristy, but nice to be able to sit outside on the harbor. We had hoped to stop in Hout Bay but Chapman's Peak was closed.
After lunch we drove down to the Cape of Good Hope and walked up to the Cape Point light house. What a spectacular view! The "Doctors" never left Cape Town while we were there so we never did get to the top of Table Mountain, or even see it for that matter, but we were glad we included Cape Town in our trip.
We left the city on a warm, blue sky day and made our way through Stellenbosch to Franschhoek. It's a pretty drive and we stopped for lunch outside at Terroir, in a vineyard just outside Stellenbosch. Franschhoek and Le Quartier was the ideal ending to our trip. Our suite was beautiful, overlooking the pool and the mountains. Our dinner in The Tasting Room was amazing and E. says its the best he's ever had...which is a huge compliment, since he's eaten in many fabulous restaurants all over the world. We relaxed, sat by the pool, visited a few vineyards, walked in the village and ate and drank our way to the last minute of our journey.
It was a luxury to spend a month with my husband of 38 years and have each day be so perfect. I wish you could plan all of our trips! Again, many thanks and praise. Have a wonderful holiday.
Fondly,
L. & E. Harrison, South Carolina - November 2007
Hello Nicky,
We were leaving Joburg the day you arrived. It would have been great to
meet you there.
Our trip was excellent once again, probably as good as 2 years ago, but
each one is different.
Kaya Mawa was very good. The architecture and stonework are creative
and stunning. The site is beautiful. The camp seems well managed, on a
more casual schedule than a safari camp for good reason. We did scuba
by boat, and swimming directly off of our cottage. Exploring the island
by bicycle was very interesting too. R. and I would give Kaya Mawa a
very good recommendation. Nkwichi was very different, but also very good. Beautiful.
Qilalea was excellent. There is so so much to do there and the service
is tops.
All of the safari camps were very good. Mwamba and Kaingo were
excellent bush camps. The wildlife is great, the walking safaris were
interesting and sometimes exciting, the place is crawling with lions, it
was fantastic. Mvuu was quite different, with focus on water safaris.
There is less intensive wild game here, but the birds were amazing. We
went into a local village by bicycle for a different and interesting
experience.
Thanks again for helping us to plan our trip.
Next trip we are thinking about spending 1-2 weeks in close encounters
with gorillas. This means Uganda and Rwanda.
Also, the great migration might be good to see, if we can find a way to
do it with less of the human crowd. Time of year is the question- June
for the migration going north in Tanz/Serengeti, or Nov going south?
How do we combine these different trips?
Maybe end up for 4 days at an ocean resort again at the end.
Can you think about ideas for such a trip??
Best regards,
M. Sinreich and R. Leone, Ohio - October 2007

M. Sinreich & R. Leone at Kaya Mawa |
 |

Kaya Mawa in Malawi |
Dear Nicky,
The following is the e-mail I wrote family and friends from Cape Town. I cannot add much to the total awe we had about the animals, the people, and the entire Botswana experience. The people in the camps were lovely and the people we met during the trip were interesting and fun. We returned about one week ago. We have yet to go through our photos, but when we do, I certainly will e-mail you a few!
Our continuation of our trip to South Africa worked out well. We even met Bishop Tutu at the Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town by chance! What a thrill that was. We spent six nights in Cape Town, drove to the Winelands - our first attempt at driving on the left - and then onto the Garden Route.
Thank you for all your planning and quick responses during the year we had to plan our wonderful trip. When we arrived home we received your lovely gift. The photos are gorgeous. Did your husband contribute to the book? I have read some of the text also. It all brings back wonderful memories of our time in Mombo and Botswana. We were actually the only guests one of the nights in Little Mombo!
We will highly recommend your services.
Thank you again, Diane and Tom
D. & T. Gould, California - September 2007
Dear All,
We have just returned form our amazing time in Botswana. For as long as we have wanted to come to Africa, it is hard to imagine that this trip could exceed our expectations, but it did! We went to three safari camps- one in the far northeast, in a drier region near a spillway called Selinda, followed by a lovely camp in the Okavango Delta region called Little Vumbura,and finally Little Mombo in a national reserve called Moremi.
In the first two drives in Selinda, we saw leopards, lion, massive numbers of elephants ,zebra, hippos, buffalo, wildebeests, warthogs, impala, several types of antelope- too numerous to mention- wild dogs- which are very rare. The birds are so numerous and include, rollers, cranes, stork, ostrich, egrets, owls and eagles! Many people came up to us and told us how lucky we were to see that variety of animals in our brief time on safari.
The people were wonderful and kind. At Little Vumbura we lived on an island in the middle of the Delta.This camp had six tents and we were assigned the honeymoon cottage! This camp provided the opportunity to do both water and land "drive". We were visited by baboons one morning while we were gone and they seemed to like my calcium pills and travel books! No harm done, but the next day when T. saw the baboons, he said "There they go with green pills in their hands!"
We also were privileged to celebrate Botswana Independence Day with the wonderful people of this camp. They sang and danced for us and ended with the National Anthem.The night sky was amazing and you could even see the "clouds" of the Milky Way! At our last game, in the Reserve (Moremi), there were many more animals and they seemed a bit less skittish. Although we were generally amazed that yo could get within 20 ft. of the animals, here you could get within ten ft. - but stay in the vehicle! We saw two prides of lions, one 18 in number and one 22 in number. One evening we saw one of those prides feed on a buffalo. It was bloody and difficult for me to watch, but that is part of nature. T. was more impressed than I. When we came back the next morning to see the remains, there was just the seven vertebrae and skull left. We also observed leopard lounging on a tree limb and even saw two leopard mating- unusual.
Yesterday we flew from the bush to Maun, Botswana and then on to Joburg and then Cape Town. Today we went on an historical walking tour of Cape Town. We walked around on our own and then back here at out hotel, the African Villa. Tomorrow we are going to Robben Island. We have four more days in Cape Town and then it is on to the Winelands.

The Goulds at a Boma dinner in Botswana |
 |

Lions eating a buffalo at Mombo |
Dear Nicky,
I had intended to come straight home from Africa and write you a note. But
of course, I got home and tried to catch up with everything at home.
J. and I had a wonderful time on our trip. We were just amazed at how
smoothly everything went, considering the fact that most of the time we were in
the middle of nowhere. We loved the Grace Hotel in Johannesburg. We really
liked the staff at the Sussi & Chuma. I guess you know that Abercrombie and
Kent has bought it and is remodelling. I hope that they don't mess it up...we
really liked it the way it was. The manager was particularly interesting
and well educated. The staff sang and danced both nights at dinner which we
adored.
I think that our favorite camp was Little Vumbura. Everything about it was
special. I think that we liked the staff at Selinda the best. The manager,
Ishmael, was friendly and welcoming. We saw great animals at Chitabe and
enjoyed the celebration of Botswana independence day. It was quite an affair
there.
Cape Town was wonderful and we did wish that we had planned three nights there. Our guide for the one day that we were there was really good, and we
made it to all the sites that we wanted to see. We also loved the Welgelegen....it was like staying in someone's very nice home. The staff there was
particularly helpful.
Your beautiful book arrived this week. Thank you so very much. It brings
back such fond memories and the pictures are just a little bit better than
ours (1000 of them). The only one of the big five that we missed was of course
the rhino. I guess that we are just going to have to come back and see the
rhinos in South Africa.
Thank you so much for your expert planning. The traveling was exhausting
but we had no worries about the arrangements.
Sincerely,
C. & J. Caudill, Texas - September 2007
P.S. We met Diane and Tom (don't know last name) at Selinda and then ran
into them again at Little Vumbura. It was such fun to meet and then remeet
them. We shared the fact that you had planned both of our trips.
Hi Nicky,
Fantastic. That's all I can say. Everything went wonderfully and
smoothly and the places were all, without exception, fantastic! Thanks
so much.
I liked Royal Malewane better than
Singita Boulders -- just had a bit better feel. I'm glad we stayed at
both and I can see how the next guy might prefer the Singita experience
to RM, but for me, I liked Royal Malewane better. Just had a more
homey, less corporate, slightly cleaner feel. But again, this isn't a
complaint and I am really happy to have visited both. Five nights at one
would have made me a bit antsy.
The wedding was good. We had rain, and most of it was supposed to be
outdoors, but what can you do. And we had a great plan B in case of
rain -- so I was very pleased. Also, in the end it's the people that
make it special and fun -- and they all showed up in spite of the rain.
So yes, it went smoothly (enough)!
Regarding North Island -- It was heaven on earth. The
absolute perfect way to get away and unwind -- especially right after
such a big event. The setting, the villa, the help (Kamal was great)
were all perfect. We really, really enjoyed our time there.
Also, regarding Singita Boulders, just so I leave you with the right
impression -- it was super and if we'd never seen Royal Malewane, we'd
be so in love with Singita Boulders. The setting, the people, the game,
the food -- it was all first rate and no regrets whatsoever. It's just
that when you stay back to back -- it begs a comparison. So that's
where that came from.
Anyway. All went wonderfully and we are both very glad that we trusted
you with our most special trip -- because it couldn't have been better
or gone more smoothly. Thanks again for the help and if you ever need a
reference -- I'm a fan!
Hope all is well with you and look forward to the next time we talk, which will mean I'm closer to returning!
All our best,
B. & L. Kinetz, New York
- July 2007

Wedding ceremony in Europe |
 |

Honeymoon safari in South Africa |
Dear Nicky,
Our trip was absolutely amazing!! Thanks so much for all of your help
and advice in picking hotels/camps and getting everything booked. We had
a wonderful few days in Cape Town and the Wilderness camps were
absolutely unforgettable....we saw everything and loved every second.
It was the best trip we have taken in our lives and you helped make it
happen. Thanks again for everything and I am sure I will be sending
some additional business your way b/c many of our friends are looking to
take similar trips...
Thank you,
E. & S. Perlyn, Pennsylvania
- July 2007

Atop Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa |
 |

Cape Town, South Africa |

Leopard, Mombo Camp, Botswana |
 |

Cheetah brothers, Botswana |

Boat ride in the Okavango Delta, Botswana |
 |

With guide Alex at Mombo |

Elephants in Botswana |
Dear Vanessa,
Thank you, we had a wonderful African experience! Your knowledge, expertise, and most of all your personal touch in designing our itinerary was right on. You included all of our expressed points of interest, in addition, the transfers at the airports, hotels, etc., provided reassurance in an unfamiliar environment.
B. and I especially appreciated your guidance in packing, what to see, and the other important nuances for travel in Africa. We were captivated with the beauty of Cape Town. The guide escorted us on a full day tour of the peninsular. His commentary regarding the historical and current political and economic climate provided much insight.
MalaMala was outstanding. The accommodations were world class, and the safaris were beyond our expectations. Our memories from this adventure are indelibly a part of us. We feel fortunate to have found Eyes on Africa and such an exceptional travel consultant.
Thank you,
C. & B. Droker, Florida
- July 2007

Atop Table Mountain, Cape Town |
 |

Cape Point |
 |

Brunch in the Cape |
Dear Nicky,
The safari was fantastic!! It was beyond all expectations. Each camp was unique and showed a little bit of a different geographic aspect of Botswana. All the staff at the camps were helpful and accommodating. Our guide, Copper, was extremely knowledgeable and was uncanny at finding wildlife.
We saw all the standard wildlife - elephants, zebras, giraffes, hippos, all types of antelope, buffalo, wildebeest, warthogs, jackals, meercats, etc., plus the always elusive lions, cheetahs, wild dogs, wild cats and leopards,
as well as lots of birds including owls and eagles. We found the cheetahs
just minutes after a kill of a zebra. I think we saw everything possible (even
a python) except a rhino.
Selinda camp has the most animals, but all camps had something great to offer. Victoria Falls was a final treat and awesome. Two of our party bungie
jumped off the bridge at the Falls.
All travel arrangements went off without any problems other than the commercial airlines being their normal lateness. All in-country flights between
camps worked perfectly and on time. Due to one airstrip being under water, we got
the treat of going in and out of one camp by helicopter.
Nicky, thanks for all your help in setting up what so far has been the best trip of my life. I really appreciate it.
Thanks again,
J. Nicholson, Texas
- July 2007
Hi Vanessa,
I would like to thank you for the part you played in providing us with one of the most wonderful vacations we have ever had as a family. What ever hesitation we had originally regarding this trip was immediately alleviated once we arrived at the camps. Each and every camp that you suggested was perfect. I can’t say enough about all the people we met at the camps. Each person made us feel welcome and comfortable from the moment we arrived. Thank you for making this exciting adventure unforgettable.
We took to teenagers and they even commented that this was the best vacation we had ever taken. We would (and have) recommended this trip to everyone we meet. Thank from the bottom of our hearts. I would also like to thank you for the book that you sent us upon our return. It will remind us of all the wonderful memories that you help create.
D. Bernal and family, California
- June 2007

The Bernal family on safari in Botswana |
 |

The Bernals ready for a mekoro safari |
Dear Nicky,
Greetings! We had a marvelous time in Namibia, with everything
organized perfectly for us - your excellent arrangements made the
entire trip totally hassle-free! Everything worked very smoothly -
easy transfers, charters, etc. - we never had a moment of worry!
We found such variety in the three different camp locations in
Namibia - each with its unique and wonderful offerings. But wherever
we were, the Wilderness Safari guides were excellent.
We loved the accommodations and food at Little Kulala and really
enjoyed being able to hike on the dunes and walk through the Seisrim
Canyon area. Climbing Big Daddy was a real highlight for the boys!
Although we'd read about the Skeleton Coast . . . we hadn't quite
imagined how remote and vast it really is! Morne and Susan, the
managers of the camp, were particularly great, and we think, well
suited to running such an intimate camp - they were not only helpful
and informative, but very warm and welcoming, with a wonderful sense
of humor! We enjoyed the relaxing communal dinners there and the
opportunity to get to know the other interesting guests, hosts and
guides.
Our only frustration there is that the area is so large,
that to try to see the "highlights", required us being in the vehicle all
the time, with very long days and no time to really enjoy the
environs properly. It would have been great to have been able to
take half a day to hike and play on the dunes . . . or to hike around
the Rock Garden area, etc. The accommodations while not luxurious,
were very comfortable and perfect for the setting - the hot water
bottles for the cold nights took the prize!
Ongava . .. never have seen so many rhino! But . . . having had a
truly incredible game-viewing holiday in Botswana (Kings Pool, Duba
Plains and Mombo) a few year's back, we couldn't help but miss
Botswana. Ongava Lodge seemed large and a bit more impersonal to us,
although comfortable with very friendly and helpful staff. Etosha
had incredible amounts of plains animals, but was so packed with
tourists and "commercialized" relative to our other experiences, that
we were very happy to spend all but half a day within the Ongava Game
Reserve.
Rocktail Bay was relaxing . . . and we had a wonderful guide who,
upon hearing that we were interested in seeing red duikers, arranged
to take us out at 6 a.m. on a drive to see them while they were still
active in the early morning! Unfortunately, timing and conditions
didn't really work for beach snorkeling . . . and other folks who had
been snorkeling said it hadn't been all that great, perhaps in part
due to a recent storm that had passed through.
We are dreaming of returning to Botswana in the next few years . . .
would love to revisit some of the camps we were in, plus venture to
Jack's Camp in the Kalahari. Will be in touch then!
Thanks for all your help!
L. & J. Tse, New York
- June 2007

Red dunes of Sossusvlei, Namibia |
 |

Climbing the dunes, Sossusvlei, Namibia |

The Tse family, Dead Vlei, Namibia |
 |

Hot air balloon view of the dunes, Sossusvlei |

Zebras drinking at Etosha, Namibia |
 |

White Rhinos at Ongava, Namibia |

Tents at Skeleton Coast Camp, Namibia |
 |

Sand and vehicle - Skeleton Coast |

Eland, Kudu and Hartebeest, Etosha |
 |

Rocktail Bay coast - South Africa |
Dear Nicky
Thanks for the follow up email. Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner.
We really appreciate the Mombo Book. It is fantastic.
The trip was great. Planning was superior. People were so friendly and accommodating. Food was exceptional.
I Loved Africa!! I hope to be one of your regulars.
Please let James know that I have never taken a photo in my life. I read all of his information on the website. I purchased all of the recommended equipment. Everyone has been commenting on the quality of the photos. I really appreciate this tutorial on your website.
I am trying to send you referrals. It is still a large "leap of faith" for many in the States, however, I will continue to rave about the experience
and the people.
Thanks for the memories,
F. Hertrich, Delaware
- June 2007
Dear Vanessa,
Thank you so much for all you did to help us plan the 'perfect trip' to South Africa. It was our first time traveling to Africa and after our experience, it will not be our last. From our arrival in Johannesburg 'til our departure from Cape Town 2 weeks later, it was a spectacular vacation.
The safaris at both Chapungu and MalaMala were incredible - the animals so close, so beautiful...I felt like we were living 'National Geographic live'. Our rangers and trackers were very knowledgeable, so we learned so much about the animals, their lives, the environment and the issues that threaten their continued existence. I took countless photos and the memories will last a lifetime. The food was delicious; we tried kudu, crocodile, warthog, springbok and ostrich - all cooked to perfection and complimented by choice South African wines. The accommodations were superb - I felt pampered and spoiled while 'on-safari'.
Traveling south to Grootbos, we enjoyed the South African shoreline, and the 'caged shark dive' was awesome...those great white sharks are huge up close! The Grootbos lodge and our stay in Cape Town at Cape Cadogan were equally impressive - superb food and facilities...and everyone so friendly, welcoming and helpful. We learned a lot about the political and economic issues South Africa faces as it works to develop its tourism industry and recover from the Apartheid era.
I so appreciate all of the suggestions you made to make our trip so memorable...you truly listened to our trip dreams and goals and made it a reality. It is very rare to return from a trip and not have something that could have 'been done better' - but there is nothing from our trip that could have been improved. You have our highest praise and compliments!!
I have attached a few 'eyes of Africa'.....
C. & J. Majewski, New Hampshire
- June 2007

On safari at MalaMala, South Africa |
 |

Leopard cubs |
Dear Nicky,
The safari you put together for our honeymoon was absolutely fantastic! Victoria Falls was truly breathtaking, and both camps --
Chitabe and Little Vumbra -- were wonderful. We particularly appreciated the way in which you tailored the trip to our special desires as birders. Your recommendation that we take private vehicles was particularly helpful. As well as your suggestion that we buy an extra seat on the plane for our weighty photo equipment. And most importantly, your ability to get us superb guides at each camp, who not only knew the animals, but the birds as well, really made all the
difference in the world. We will always be hugely appreciative to Kay
at Little Vumbra and Neuman at Chitabe for the incredible job they did in finding us the birds and the cats! And they were truly extraordinary people to get to know.
The honeymoon suites as well as the special dinners didn't hurt either! Our only complaint came upon our return to London. We were quite disappointed to find that we had to handle our own luggage. We simply weren't prepared for arriving at
a location without the wonderful folks from Wilderness Safaris there to take care of everything for us!
Kindest regards,
V. & B. Gindoff, California
- May 2007

V. & B. Gindoff on safari in Botswana |
 |

Cheetah at Vumbura |
Hi Nicky,
You can add R. and I to your long list of clients who are wishing we were back in Africa! Thank you for planning a fabulous trip. In April we traveled to South Africa (Cape Town), Botswana (Chitabe Camp and Vumbura Plains Camp) and The River Club in Zambia with six other couples. Each destination surpassed all of our expectations, and each and every day was exciting, thrilling, awesomely beautiful and awe inspiring. Having said all of that, there are actually no words to adequately describe that trip. It was somewhere between a religious experience, a treasure hunt, a University course and being a 6 year old at Disney World!
When we left Chitabe they gave us a bookmark with a poem titled The Soul of the Delta by C. Emily Dibb. One verse reads:
When you long to see the elephants,
Or to hear the Coucals song
When the moonrise sets
your blood on fire,
You've been away too long.......
I think we have been away too long, and we can hardly wait to return.
Thank you, thank you,
C. & R. Bryant, Washington
- April 2007
Dear James,
I am writing this to you to let you know how much we appreciated everyone in your company for making our recent trip to Africa an experience of a life time. I know there are lots of people that made it possible, not only in Eyes on Africa but also Wilderness Safaris. Everyone at all the camps were wonderful in their service and gave us more than we expected. The timing of accommodations between the camps, the pilots and the guides allowed us to have the most time for watching game. I would also like to thank Nicky for answering questions while Vanessa was gone.
Two people really made the trip memorable. From the very beginning I felt totally confident in Vanessa's knowledge and her getting back with us about any questions we had and we had a lot. She made a number of great suggestions about how we could arrange our trip. We started out with a trip through Costco for 12 days and then tied in 4 days in Makalolo before we started on our Botswana adventure. This required us to have some of our baggage transferred form Livingston to Maun which worked without any hitches. We also had to tie in with the other trip to coordinate our return flight from Johannesburg. I really don't know how to thank Vanessa for everything she did for us. The final touch was receiving the "Africa's Big Five" book right after we got back. We are ready to go back again, but this time we want to take our grandsons and do a custom tour. I took about 8,000 photos there and when I get them sorted I will put them on line and will send Vanessa the web site.
The second person was Grant Atkinson. He was like a one man marvel at coordinating with the camps, driving and finding games. It was one hand driving, one shifting gears, one working the radio and the other pointing out game. We had some very exciting drives in pursuit of game and great photos. As an avid photographer he was always aware of trying to be in the right spot with the right light. His vast knowledge about game and their habits allowed us to see a vast amount and variety of game. I have already told him that when we come back we will request him as our guide. He always made sure everyone had an opportunity to see and photograph as much as was possible. He was always willing to help with any requests that anyone on the trip had that was out of the ordinary. I would like to get the email for his manager so I can send him a compliments letter to express our thanks for everything Grant did for us.
Your organization has made it possible to have an unbelievable experience in Africa. The 70 people that went on our Costco trip will get a message about my photos but also a pitch to use Eyes on Africa if they ever want to go back. Thanks again and we will be looking forward to working with you again.
Sincerely,
D. & D. Cone, Idaho
- April 2007

D. & D. Cone's Arican safari - April 2007 |

Wild Dogs, Botswana |
 |

Zebras, Makaolo Plains, Zimbabwe |

Elephants on the Chobe River, Zambia |
 |

Elephants, Linyanti Reserve, Botswana |

The lovely Okavango Delta, Botswana |
 |

Game trails through the Okavango |

Meerkats in Makgadikgadi |
 |

Safari guides |
 |

Bateleur Eagle |
Hi Nicky!
The honeymoon was FABULOUS!!!!
Our guide in Capetown was
tremendous (Lucia Earl) and our township tour with Thando was a real
highlight. We even visited a school in the New Rest township where we
delivered food and made a few young friends. We're sending them a care
package this week, in fact.
Mombo was incredible (even if summer afternoons
with no air con got a little rough). We simply LOVED the staff there
(Richard and Jeremy especially) and the game was incredible. Leopard Hills
in Kruger was
beautiful (and amazing food), though there was less game there than in Mombo
and our ranger couldn't compare to our
Mombo ranger (Frances). But the plunge pools and the delicious bbq's in the
doma made up for that and proved a perfect complement to our more
game-centric time in Mombo.
The only thing I would do differently is
Victoria Falls: Zimbabwe is a sad place right now, and if I had to do it
over, I most certainly
would have stayed on the Zambia side. But we had an incredible time-magical
even-and the entire trip was seamless. Wilderness Safaris took GREAT care of
us over there... Very easy to pop from place to place. We are talking about
going back on our five-year anniversary.maybe sooner???
Many many thanks,
B. Strul, New York
- March 2007

Lion in the road, Leopard Hills |
 |

At Leopard Hills |

Elephant right of way, Leopard Hills |

With guide Frances, Mombo Camp, Botswana |
 |

Leopard and Impala at Mombo camp |
Hi Nicky,
Just a note to say that I had an absolutely brilliant experience both at Xigera and Mombo camps. The people were a delight, the guides, Cedrick and Sam at Xigera, and Tsile (who sends regards) at Mombo, were outstanding.
I had the good fortune at Xigera to see many many species of birds, loved the mokoro ride, and unexpectedly saw 5 lions and a leopard!
Mombo of course was stunning--so beautiful and so many animals. Counted around 50 lions and 4 leopard and cub sightings. The weather could not have been better--some rain every day that kept the temp down. It was very green, very lush--just gorgeous.
I met a guide from Zimbabwe who seemed very good--he joined us on a drive one day--Benson Siyawareva, in case you have a need for a professional guide at Vic Falls
Needless to say, I want to go again!
Regards,
R. Breier, California
- January 2007
Top
More testimonials on Page 2
|