AFRICAN SAFARI TESTIMONIALS

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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.

Hi Pam,
 
Hope is all well. I went to Hawaii this past week and even though i had a good time, i was thinking about Camp's Bay THE WHOLE TIME. Now that i've been, NOTHING COMPARES!! Maui just seemed "so white & fluffy", so overpriced and almost dull. I cannot wait to go back to Camps.  I use it as my anchor for finding my "goddess self." it was just so vibrant and alive and magical. I feel like I can do whatever I want when i put myself when i put myself in that mindset.  Anyways I wanted to FINALLY pass along the referral:
  
I recently used Pam at Eyes on Africa to set up a 3 week trip to go to South Africa.  I've had never been there before, and was traveling by myself, so I heavily relied on Pam to put together a trip that was both cost effective and full of adventure. She did both perfectly! I can honestly say that it was one of the best experiences of my life! I saw everything and did all of the things that I wanted, traveled like a queen, and felt great about the price. She was able to get a much cheaper airline & hotel prices than I could find. Her recommendations for the restaurants & shopping & activities that I should go to where spot on. Also, the safari was divine. Absolutely amazing... it's hard to put into words the experience. It's just one of those things that you have to do. I spent about 2 weeks in Cape Town splitting my time at the waterfront, the wineries, and Camp's Bay. I cannot wait to go back. I had such a good time that my parents are going this year and using Pam to plan the entire trip! I highly recommend her! CHEERS!

I'm already planning when my next trip is going to be. Hope you're well. XO.

H. Prosser on safari in South Africa

Table Mountain view

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.

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!

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...

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.

Atop Table Mountain, Cape Town

Cape Point

Brunch in the Cape

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.

The Bernal family on safari in Botswana

The Bernals ready for a mekoro safari

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 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!!

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

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.

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???

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

Sossusvlei, Namibia

Christine Gibson, who served as our personal guide for three plus days in the Cape Town area, not only was able to answer any question we might have, but she seemed to share our enthusiasm for the things we were seeing (and which she had undoubtedly seen an uncountable number of times before we showed up). She also gave us a good sense of the nature of the people of South Africa. Over the course of our trip we found ourselves more and more attracted to the warm, capable and friendly South Africans with whom we came into contact. We managed to get to the Cape of Good Hope in perfect weather (which I understand is very good luck in winter) and Christine cheerfully climbed up and down the trails with us.

The Hermanus whales put on quite a show for us. About 40 of them put on a late afternoon performance (breaching, blowing and so on) while we sat on a cliff overlooking the bay. We found some restaurants there run by families who provide wonderful homemade food and made us feel very welcome. We did our best to encourage them to consider opening a branch in Scottsdale.

In Botswana you arranged for us to visit DumaTau, Tubu Tree and Mombo. You got the order in which we visited the lodges exactly right. The nine days we spent in those lodges will always have a very special place in our memory.

African Wild Dog, Botswana

White Rhino at Mombo camp

We saw every animal we hoped to see and a fair number we were not familiar with before arriving. Ban was our guide at DumaTau, Moyo at Tubu, and Tsile at Mombo. In nine days of nonstop questions about animals, plants, weather patterns and other assorted topics, we didn't stump the guide once. Every drive was its own unique adventure.

But our adventure was so much more than just seeing the animals. We appreciate so much that our guides allowed us to observe the animals' behavior over the course of a morning, afternoon or evening and help us understand how they interact. There were so many separate instances of this that understates things to pick only a few. At DumaTau, we spent the morning watching a pack of wild dogs (very rare animals) interact around their den and protect their pups. At Mombo we tracked another pack of wild dogs through their afternoon hunt, culminating in the take down of an impala just before sunset and the reduction of the impala to just a skeleton within ten to 15 minutes. At Tubu, Moyo drove the Land Rover through formidable terrain to bring us to where a mother leopard and her cub were sharing a zebra kill and later that night Moyo followed a female lion as she progressed through her hunt, becoming aware of the zebra kill and eventually displacing the leopards to take it over.

Tsile at Mombo tracked a mother leopard teaching her cub to hunt; we followed them for about an hour. The ability of the guides to find and track animals is just astonishing. At the first two lodges people who knew Mombo said we would be very fortunate if Tsile turned out to be our guide. He has lots of fans. He more than lived up to his publicity: he was the best of the best. If you had a hand in hooking us up with Tsile, we are even more in your debt.

The three camps were amazing. We were in a state of constant wonderment how they could make us so comfortable in a wilderness so many miles from roads, phones, electricity, etc. At DumaTau, elephants wandered right by our gazebo. At Mombo, a leopard settled in right under our tent floor. The food was great. The enthusiasm and friendliness of the young managers was very welcome and infectious. We appreciate so much the way the rooms are constructed to provide a wonderful sense of privacy and intimacy. We quickly felt like we were living in a sort of private Eden. We became hooked on the outdoor showers where you observe countless animals and the water sparkles in the low humidity warm sunlight.

We loved the many animal sounds that filled the night particularly the up close and personal sounds from the hippos. We also really enjoyed the other guests at these lodges. People from all over the world who also realized their time in Botswana was special and in most cases had the same sense of enthusiasm as we did. From the reports we got from our fellow travelers, Sabi Sands and Singita are also wonderful experiences and in retrospect we wish we had taken your advice and left them in our itinerary.

N. Kinderman, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa

R. & N. Kinderman with Tsile at Mombo camp

Lion cub at Mombo Camp

Leopard at Mombo

The Poorman family at Mombo Camp

The Poorman family at Jack's Camp

Thanks Vanessa for all your help planning the best vacation we've ever had!

In summary: great camps, good variety (Cape Town, Botswana, Vic Falls), great food, nice people and knowledgeable guides.

Wilderness Safaris was great! Having a host made everything seamless!

In the clouds atop Table Mountain, Cape Town

Game drive at Chitabe Camp, Botswana

We have to say that this ranks as our best trip yet to Africa.

Nicky, your help in putting it all together made it all the more enjoyable.  P. and I even made some new friends on this trip in Botswana.

Thanks again and please have anyone thinking of going on their first Safari to call us!

At Stanley's Camp, Botswana

Hi Nicky

Just to let you know we arrived back in the UK at the weekend and what a wonderful time we had in Zambia.  Everything was fantastic except for the heat (upper 30's - 40 deg C), tsetse flies and mosquitos, but hey that's life in Africa eh!!

Nsefu and Chichele in the South Luangwa National Park were great.  What wonderful people and fantastic service.  We had some good game viewing and were made so very welcome.  We had a brilliant time there.

Tongabezi on the Zambezi River was outstanding.  Again the service was tops and we got to do a helicopter and micro-light flight over Victoria Falls, a trip to Livingstone Island where we swam in a large rock pool right next to the main falls which was out of this world, and an hour long elephant back safari then interacted with the elephants. We also did numerous other things like sunset and sunrise river trips, a trip to the Falls, a picnic lunch on an Island and a game drive in the local game reserve (Mosi oa Tunya).

We have some absolutely fantastic memories. Thank you so much for putting together the trip for us.  Everything went smoothly e.g. the transfers and connecting flights and I'm sure if we do anymore trips there I'll be in touch again.

Once again Nicky, thanks for helping to make some things we would never have dreamed of come true.

At the Victoria Falls, Zambia

Hi Vanessa,

The trip was fantastic....   everything went pretty much exactly as planned, with no major hitches, and certainly lived up to our expectations...

The mix of Chitabe / Little Vumbura / and the Mana Pools canoe trail proved to be an excellent combo of environments, wildlife and overall experience.  Of the three, I'd have to say the canoe trail was the most exciting, but each had its' high points.  

First of all, let me say we were most impressed with the professionalism and quality of everyone and everything that had to do with Wilderness Safaris...  From the moment we arrived at JNB to the last bush plane pick up at Chikwenya,  every aspect of the trip was handled with a precision and good spirit that was truly amazing.   The only real hitch in the whole trip was was an Air Botswana foul up on the baggage JNB-Maun, and your people at Maun followed up beautifully, and had the bags in our hands the next afternoon.

Guides at all 3 venues were outstanding, and our our overall feeling at the end of the experience was that we'd received an education more so than an experience. The photographic opportunities were limitless, and I will send you a small sampling of some of our best shots once I whittle down the myriad of digital images.  When you spend the kind of bucks this trip cost, you expect a lot... and  to come out at the other end of the trip wishing you could just go back and experience some more of the same is a tribute to the quality of the trip planning and destination features.  We feel truly privileged to have experienced Africa in such a natural setting, and maybe a disquieting sense that future generations might not have the same opportunities.  We applaud the environmentally sensitive perspectives of Wilderness Safaris and Eyes on Africa, and hold out the hope that, despite the odds, unique ecosystems like the Okavango Delta and the Zambezi can be maintained.

Thank you, Vanessa, for your considerable patience in working with us to put together this once in a lifetime trip, and we will certainly highly recommend your agency to anyone contemplating a trip to southern Africa.  It was a trip we will re-live for years to come......

The Shulls with Newman at Chitabe

Sundowners at Chitabe

The Shulls on the Mana Canoe Trail

Dear Nicky -
I would like to get the Mombo book!  As to our trip, we had a absolutely phenomenal time! For our first safari trip, we could not have asked for more. The Okavango Delta in flood was unbelievable. We saw more animals than I thought possible. We actually saw an elephant right outside our first camp as we arrived from the air strip. He later wandered by the deck of our tent. K. took LOTS of pictures. He will send some to you after he has had a chance to do some editing.

The Namibia portion of the trip went very smoothly. We made our connections with no problems and the Sefofane pilot met us at the Windhoek airport as planned. Namibia was spectacular. We particularly enjoyed Little Kulala and the Sossusvlei dunes and the scenic flight up the Namib Naukluft coast. Damaraland was very scenic and we saw the desert adapted elephants several times. Ongava Lodge was beautiful. We were placed in one of the newer rooms (room 12, room 11 is the other newer room) which was much larger than the older rooms. The newer rooms also have outdoor showers. Room 11 has a better view of the waterhole. I would suggest you tell your guests to request for these rooms if possible. We saw a black rhino at the waterhole and also white rhinos on game drives.

The waterholes at Etosha park was great for seeing large concentration of game although I think seeing the same game in the Okavango was more memorable. Our last game drive at Ongava was particularly memorable. We had alighted from the truck for our last sundowner of the trip and K. was busy taking pictures of fresh lion prints in the sand when the guide realized that we were being observed by a pride of lions not 100 ft from us! We beat a rather hasty retreat back into the truck and then the photos among us proceeded to get some great close up shots of the lions. I think by the time we left Ongava our encounter with the lions was going to become boma legend. Thanks very much for making the Namibia portion of our trip possible. We had almost given up on going to Namibia before we called you. We kept getting told it was not doable.

Dear Nicky -
We are back... thank you for your help in setting up the trip, which was wonderful.  Everyone aged 7 to 79 had a great time.  Arranging private activities for our family was a great idea, and definitely worth whatever it cost, though in general we had full stamina.  The weather was a bit warmer that usual, which was nice. Jao was truly decadent, and DumaTau allowed us to have a bit more sense of the dangers of the bush. Wildlife viewing was excellent, though we did not see cheetah, wild dogs, or a kill.  We did get a lot of lion cubs and a couple of hours with a leopard though, along with what I assume is the usual elephant, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, warthog, impala, lechwe, etc.  We were very impressed with the people, particularly the Botswana.

It turns out my department is forging ties with a hospital in Gabarone, so perhaps I will have another chance to visit Botswana.  In the meantime, we are watching “The Gods Must Be Crazy” again with the kids ...

The Detre's in the Jao Camp wine cellar

The Detre girls with guide Victor at Jao Camp

Nicky - I cannot begin to thank you enough for the wonderful itinerary you planned for our trip to Africa. Everything was perfect. It's hard to say which camp we liked the best--they were all great. But if I had to choose I would say Savuti. People were wonderful in each of the camps and the wildlife incredible. Each camp offered slightly different terrain and different animals. The accommodations at the Grace were a perfect beginning and end.

The new Vumbura was impressive. The staff and guide were wonderful, but the accommodations were a bit over the top for our tastes. This is NOT a complaint as it really was quite luxurious. But for the real taste of Africa, my husband and I preferred the tented camps of Chitabe and Savuti.

Victoria Fall was very nice and yet disappointing that no one was there. There hotel was practically empty and we were two of four on the boat on the river cruise. Wonderful for us, but sad that so few were experiencing this.

We were thinking this would be a one time trip and now we can hardly wait to go back. You did a masterful job in setting this all up and I sincerely thank you. I would strongly recommend you to anyone interested in such an adventure.

At Chitabe Camp, Botswana

Hello Nicky,
The camps were tops.  Well run.  Staff went way beyond the call of duty.  Food was oh so good and plentiful.  I had to pace myself so that I didn't overeat.  Both trip groups were small and we all seemed to get along.  I didn't have to worry about my Dad.  I had a tent to myself.  And the guides again were an unexpected pleasure.  I really liked that I was able to spend so much time with Festus and Linus - unlike in Botswana where our guides changed with the camp.  They were both so organized, they never left me behind once. Both were willing to share what they knew about everything, even when we may not have been politically correct in the asking.  And patience - it was never ending.  Even though I know they treated everyone kindly, I still felt that both of them took extra care of me because I was travelling alone.  

I still greatly admire a guide I met in Kenya and Festus will be right beside David when I need to take some mental time away from Nebraska. Sightings of animals were fewer than Kenya, except in Etosha.  I knew this in advance because of the time of year.  So each sighting was that more pleasurable.  And not having to contend with crowds of people was another plus.  I got to sit in the front seat of the Ranger and in the co-pilot's seat of several planes.  I made the sand roar and waded in quicksand.  This was the best!

Dear Nicky,
Every day was special with no disappointments. All arrangements went without a hitch. Thank you!

The two overnights at the hides in Chitabe will not be forgotten. We were surprised to be greeted by the entire staff and they sang and stayed for a while and talked. It was great!

You are obviously better informed than anyone else we could deal with and after this last trip you proved to have great judgment in helping plan our trip (also great patience!)

Vanessa and Nicky,
Many thanks for all of your assistance with our recent trip to Botswana. The Wilderness Safari camps truly provide the experience of a lifetime.

As you know, we spent two nights at DumaTau and three at Tubu Tree which provided an interesting range of topography.  The weather was perfect and the species both diverse and abundant at both camps. The best of all, however, were our guides, Nandi and Moyo.  Both of them were much better qualified than any biology instructor that I have known.  Their combination of field experience, technical knowledge, teaching skills, sense of humor and their personal commitment to wildlife conservation were the keys to our total enjoyment.

The photos are of the two of us with Nandi at Duma Tau and the leopard who literally posed for the camera at DumaTau.  My caption for the leopard is "If you can't get this one in Nat. Geo., you should stop taking pictures."

Again, thank both of you so much for arranging the Botswana portion of our trip.  We would love to do it again, and again, and again.

On safari in Botswana

Leopard at DumaTau Camp

Dear Nicky,
Having traveled throughout the globe, I can say that Botswana is the most unspoiled ecosystem left on the planet.

My suggestion to those considering an African safari: Listen to the suggested trip ideas from the experts at Eyes on Africa rather than from your friend who visited africa six years ago.
Nicky paid close attention to every detail of our trip and we felt that every request was attended to.  She told us that "Every day of every safari is a unique event for each guest," yet she tries to include experiences allowing everyone to feel that they saw "almost everything."  Her extensive knowledge of the safari experience was fantastic for trip planning ideas.

Nicky, Thank you. I would like to be president of your fan club!

V. Szanto and family, California
On safari in Botswana - December 2004

Hello Nicky & James, Our trip went flawlessly.  It was an incredible experience and far surpassed our expectations. It would be hard to say which lodge or camp was favorite. My opinion: Singita Boulders for most plush & deluxe facility, Royal Malewane for best food, Mombo for most animals, Jao for best birds and water experiences and Kings Pool for the best ambiance in our living quarters.  We totally enjoyed all.

The guides were all excellent as well as the staff at all lodges and camps. As you well know, then there were the animals. The first half hour of our first game drive we witnessed a kill by a Cheetah and her three cubs. The last half hour of our last game drive we witnessed a kill by a pack of wild dogs. The big five and everything else occurred repeatedly throughout the game drives between.

I bought a Panasonic GS-200 3CCD Camcorder for the trip and it was a major asset. I was amazed by the quality of the results, especially from inexperienced users.  B. thinks she's ready to tackle Hollywood with her new found movie making talent. All in all we had no negative experiences. All camps and Vic Falls were wonderful. We really appreciate your efforts in putting the trip together for us.

After they get sick of hearing us talk about this trip, I'm sure all of our friends will be in contact with you for their future trips to Africa. We certainly hope to make more trips back down in the future. Thank you again for all of your help.

Nicky, Please excuse us for not getting to you sooner. We have been busy telling stories and missing Africa and North Island and mostly figuring out how we will get back as quickly as possible. The trip was fantastic and every last detail was perfect. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

From landing in Joburg and our nights at the Grace and all the camps in between, and our perfect experience on North Island, everything was a dream. We ran into some friends of yours. Suzy from Sefofane had taken over the rest of Matusadona for her 40th birthday party. They were quite a crew to have around for a couple of nights, in fact they took this picture of M. and I at dinner one night. And then Bruce on North Island spoke highly of you as well.

I could keep thanking you over and over, but just take it as such that our trip was the most amazing thing that M. and I have ever done with our time and we credit much of that to you. Thanks, J.

Having gone though three tour operators, not always with pleasant results, we feel that with Eyes on Africa we have finally found the experts we have been looking for. Nicky and James, thanks to your advice, meticulous planning and attention to every detail, our last trip was truly memorable.

Nicky, you really addressed all our concerns and answered all our questions promptly. It was reassuring to know that you and James had inspected and stayed in all the camps you recommended. Most importantly, you took the time to talk with us and gain an understanding of which camps would best suit us. James, your advice on cameras, lenses and the types of film to take on our safari certainly helped insure that we returned with the great photographs of all we saw.

We're ready to plan or next safari immediately and we are looking forward to another great trip!

I am feeling rather depressed now... having to come back to the real world and work!  I miss Africa already. You can go ahead and arrange for the next safari for September or October!  The question is which year.

The trip was absolutely wonderful. I had a wonderful time... an experience that I will not forget. It's difficult to relate to people as one has to experience it. The walk to the hide was the best. It was a bit dangerous as the grass was very tall (some parts were taller than us) due to the rains. OT, the guide did exceptionally well in getting us to the hide just before the sun set.  Sleeping at the hide and watching the southern sky full of stars was the best.

Kwetsani was too wet due to the rains and Savuti was good. We did not get to watch the elephants at the hide in Savuti as they were not migrating back yet. They were expected to be there in 2 to 3 weeks due to the rains again.

The whole trip was very well and professionally organized from the moment I touched down. Grace Hotel was superb and so was Victoria Falls Hotel. Even the diamonds at Panda was excellent. Just bought a little.

Will certainly go back again. The question is when. Oh, before I forget, thank you very much for the pleasant surprise... the book on Wild Dogs. It was very thoughtful of you. We did see a pack of 16 wild dogs "feeding" on an impala at Savuti.

I can't tell you what a great job you have done including the folks at Wilderness Safari. The guides and staff at the various camps were exceptionally wonderful as well.

Nicky-

I just wanted to send you a quick note to let you know that we are back safe and sound following an absolutely incredible and perfectly planned trip. Thank you so much for the wonderful planning, great advice, and beautiful coffee table book. We were met every step of the way by professional and very courteous people who all took even better care of us because it was our honeymoon. We can't wait to go back!

If you ever need a reference, please don't hesitate to ask.

Hi Nicky,
Our trip was absolutely fantastic. We had such a wonderful time. Singita was out of this world. It was just heaven, from the room and the lodge to the staff to the food etc. Our guide, Leonard was most congenial and informative. We saw the "Big Five", even a mama leopard and her cub. Of course we saw hippos, even a white rhino, kudus, zebras, an African wild cat and of course a million impala. We met some very interesting people too. We cannot say enough about Singita.

We took some unbelievable videos and digital pictures. It is a trip we will never forget. Thank you so much for putting it all together for us. Please do not hesitate to use us as referrals.
Thanks for your part.

Thank you for answering every little question and concern I had, and for your patience, in planning our Botswana safari.  Everything went very smoothly and all arrangements were perfect.  I will recommend you wholeheartedly whenever possible.  (I hope I get the opportunity to work with you again!  I have Namibia in mind….)  Our trip was awesome – the special moments we experienced will remain with us forever.  When I look at the photos what stands out to me are our big smiles – we were so happy there.  No one thought about home.  Thank you once again for everything.

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