South Africa Escorted Tours and Guided Trips

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!!!!!

This is an amazing trip and actually was better than my expectations. Crossing four countries but focusing on Namibia. If you love varied landscapes and animals this is the trip for you.

If you want to immerse youself in Africa this camping trip is an excellent way to discover this amazing continent. There's plenty of opportunities to discover its wildlife, scenery and culture. It's quite full on and does involve some long drives but these are small sacrifices compared with the benefits that such a tour offers.

Our travel agent, Shelli France of Air Bear Travel in Cheboygan, Michigan, recommended the Collette Southern Africa experience. At first it was a maybe but after reading the Collette brochure and saw the reasonable price, we decided to start our adventure. Got to admit most of the accommodations were beyond 5 star. The hospitality in Zimbabwe and Botswana were outstanding. Two locations The Wallow's and The Ivory Coast resort were exceptional. Victoria Falls was amazing the pictures and videos don't do justice to being there and feeling the roar of the Falls. The highlight of the trip were definitely the animals. Our numerous guides were excellent in locating the "big five" plus all the wild animals most of the world associate with Africa, giraffe, zebra, impala, warthog, baboons. Of course my highlight were the elephants, rhinos, hippos, crocodiles, several different groups of lions and my wife's favorite the leopard. Getting to Cape Town was a nice way to slowly bring the trip back to a more relaxed pace. The Mandela experience was very moving. Couldn't believe all we did in just two weeks. I would highly recommend asking to get Gregory Jaftha as your tour manager. An incredible individual who made small changes so we could see everything we wanted.

Had a wonderful time on the tour, Willam was a superb tour guide, friendly, informative and helpful with a great sense of humour. Chris our coach driver was very good and helped us see some fantastic animals on our way to Timbavati Lodge. Our safari guide Vincent, was also great, if we asked us something he didn't know the answer to he immediately either looked it us in his book of birds or on his mobile. All in all a wonderful experience, Thank you!

Our Cape Safari and Falls trip with Contiki was an unforgettable 12 days, and a big part of that came down to our tour guide. They were incredibly knowledgeable, sharing insights that really helped us understand each place we visited, while also making sure we felt safe and confident during every activity. Starting in Cape Town was the perfect introduction. The slower pace at the beginning gave us time to settle in and properly learn about South Africa, rather than feeling rushed. It set the tone nicely for the rest of the trip. Heading to Kruger National Park was a real highlight. Seeing such a wide range of animals in their natural environment was incredible, especially witnessing interactions between them. It felt like something out of a documentary, but happening right in front of us. Moving on to Victoria Falls was equally memorable. The falls themselves were stunning, and the optional bridge activities added a real sense of adventure. What worked well was the flexibility, if you didn’t want to take part, there was still plenty to do, from watching others to browsing local street vendors. Finally, traveling into Botswana was a standout moment of the trip. Camping in the park with no fences was both surreal and exciting. Being so close to wildlife, while still feeling safe, made it a unique and memorable experience, and definitely a personal highlight. Overall, it was a well-balanced trip with a great mix of learning, adventure, and downtime. It’s one I’d highly recommend to anyone looking to experience this part of the world in a meaningful and exciting way.