Africa Tours for Experienced Travelers

The Tour was great, and as with all good things, there can be improvements. While a pickup service to the airport and back was offered, it presented far too much stress, given that there was only one pickup per state and it had to be within a 50-mile radius of the originating airport. Too much time was spent meeting and organizing how to meet these requirements. I thoroughly enjoyed the safaris, but 8/9 was exorbitant, and one of South Africa's major attractions, Robben Island, was not included as a tour site. We captured amazing photos of the wild kingdoms, so this is not negative, except everyone is keenly aware of the decades-long history of Robbens Island! Kudos on the inclusion of the family visits, as I was able to learn more about the communities, the general political terrain, and it provided opportunities to deliver messages from our states to their homelands. The culinary choices were awesome, and the last evening's offerings of local foods were most informative. Special shout-out to the entertainers and especially the drummers. What a way to begin our dinner experience! Your choice of a Tour Manager was impeccable. He was knowledgeable and shared not just his knowledge but his passion for his country. Clearly, he was not doing this for a paycheck, but rather to extend friendship to other countries, showing that we are indeed "one!" He left no one behind; he was keenly aware of his group and their capabilities, as well as any physical abilities. Uriel is a KEEPER!!! The various drivers were the best; they shared amazing facts about the animals and highlighted key details of their natural habitats. Your selection of individuals who were hired to make our trip an epic journey did just that! Would I recommend Collette Travel/Tours to others? Absolutely!!!!!

Loved the whole experience although it was a challenge to me. Was v grateful for the patience of the 2nd guide with me, the slow one always last. Impressed by the standard of meals in spite of v basic facilities. Also impressed that the flimsy looking tents at base camp actually kept us warm and withstood a significant storm. They were v good. I would have liked an even slower pace to allow time not just to recover breath, but to appreciate the views and take photos more frequently. I was sorry for the others’ disappointment that the summit could not be attempted due to dangerous wind conditions, but I was satisfied to have made it to base camp. We were grateful to Explore for flexibility that was required to accommodate us in Aremnd due to a necessary early descent (because of the poor weather). That last place was the nicest. Omar was an excellent guide. Both he and Jamal had a great sense of humour, they did their job well, usually there was v good communication at every stage, and they were totally accountable with the tips. The first night in Hotel Kennedy was not v promising, as the toilet was broken, initially there were no towels or soaps and the room just a bit dowdy, so we were pleasantly surprised that the rest of the expedition met all expectations and upon our return, the room we had was significantly nicer. We were glad we had booked 2 extra nights.

This trip was mainly about bird watching and there were many boat trips. Highlights included seeing the roosting tree on the optional boat trip (I recommend you go on that), a carriage ride around St Louis, the giant boabab tree, the markets. The guide Assan was amazing. Any discomfort is indicated in the trip notes - public toilets not to Western standards, some hotels with no aircon nor hot water but this shouldn't impact on the overall trip.

The itinerary was balanced excellently, there are some very early days but it is worth it to be out early before the crowds and wind down as the heat starts to set in. The traveling within Egypt was coordinated perfectly and was seamless. The cruise ship was very clean and up to date, the rooms were clean and nice. The ship crew were great!! There was a variety of food selections on the ship, with everything being tasty, and even laundry services! The WiFi on the cruise is iffy, so if you need connectivity an esim is useful. The best part of the trip was our truly great travel director who is also an Egyptologist!! He was able to give us facts that we wouldn’t have known otherwise. He was also helpful in every aspect of the trip- making sure everyone was taken care of. He was so excellent that at one point someone from one of the other groups came up to us and said they wish they were with our tour. Surprisingly, dress code was really up to you, and suggested modest only for the day we visited the mosque. I highly recommend an extra day before and after, it is good for the jet lag and the museum trip on the morning of the first day was great, and Alexandria the day after was also great! The one thing was the first hotel we stayed at was great, the rooms were clean and the restaurants were great with great service. The rooms in the last hotel were kind of old, and not that clean. Overall, This was really an amazing trip!! Couple tips, markets and some local restaurants were mainly cash, but the travel directors will direct you to safe atms if you need. Depending on the time of year be prepared for a lot of sun and heat, and good shoes. Also, the hustle culture and haggling is real. Again, a truly amazing experience with trafalgar!!

Our tour leader, Hassan, was excellent. He anticipated our needs. He also responded to occasion unrealistic requests by clients calmly and with diplomacy. He is a charming, funny, knowledgeable, professional tour leader.

The tour manager, Mohamed, was exceptional. Very informative, engaging, and entertaining. I particularly enjoyed the camping in the Sahara, even with the dust storm! The accommodations were much better than I expected, where a "Moroccan 5 star" was as good as any "5 star" in the US. I also liked having a bus for transport that gave us room to spread out and sit where we liked. Also, the food was excellent, varied, and delicious (though I did get a little tired of tagine by the end). Well done overall.