Exploring South Africa, Victoria Falls & Botswana

This trip was amazing! We did so many things and saw so many animals that I never thought we would see in the wild. All the safaris whether it was on land or river, were incredible. Different every time we went out. The lodging was all 5 star except the Tlou Lodge, but it was clean and they tried their best. Just not equipped for groups, but couldn't be helped because of the fire at the original place we were to stay. So this was a last minute substitute. The second half of our tour which was wine country, Cape Town and the Cape of Good Hope was a nice balance to the time in the outback. We loved Cape Town. Overall it was a great trip. Highly recommend. We were sad to come home.

There was not a single thing I didn’t enjoy! My favorite parts were the safaris, seeing the animals in their native environment was amazing.

Accommodations were excellent as was our tour guide and our drivers for the game drives. I love that Collette includes a meal with a local family as it gives you a real feeling for the country. During your free time the tour director gives you excellent ideas as to what you might want to do. I highly recommend Collette!

The tour itself was great. Our traveling companions, less so. Meals were hijacked by half the participants, insisting on a denominational prayer before meals and the tour manager did not stop this practice despite suggestions that the prayers be made silently or at least non-denominationally. Most memorable experiences were nature made: double rainbow over Victoria Falls, and sunsets over the Chobe River.

The land and water safaris were no doubt the best experience that I had. The food was average. The lodging was interesting and very different. I did not care for the big cities.

Going on the safaris and seeing the animals in their own habitat and how they react to vehicles going through the area they live in. Learning about the culture of the people living in Africa.

They were the Safaris and seeing the animals in their natural habitat, and learning the cultures.

Safari's in Botswana and Victoria Falls

Safari in Botswana and Victoria Falls

Everything was an adventure and experience!!

David Smith was awesome! I would have preferred less time in Capetown and more time in Botswana.

The tour was an outstanding experience.

Great trip, top 5 so far.

I just loved the different experiences. First I must say our tour guide Mr Dube was outstanding. He was very personable and made everyone feel inclusive, and he was very knowledgeable about all the places we went to… what tour guide would start clearing tables at one of the hotels that was not ready for us for our scheduled dinner..Dube jumped right in to help set up for us… I know he provided feedback to hotel manager.. all ended up great!!! The Safari game drives were my favorite all 7 of them in Chobe and Pilanisburg. Dube had a great relationship with the game drivers and was so knowledgeable himself. Again he made sure we were all comfortable. Also loved Victoria Falls, a spectacular place and so beautiful. Somerset West wine country was also awesome… too bad TSA confiscated my Simple Sugars I purchased but my fault for putting in my carry on, lesson learned. Again Dube knew all the staff and made our day special and made sure we enjoyed… Lunch at a second winery was also wonderful… CapeTown was so beautiful, just as friends who have gone said. Table Mountain Inclinator was spectacular, what a view… Boulder Cliff was also beautiful and entertaining, again Dube knew all about the penguins!!!! On our free day we went to the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden and glad we did as it was a beautiful place and we had a wonderful delicious lunch at Moyo and Fynkos Tea Room. The Farewell Dinner at Gold Restaurant was so much fun, playing the drums in unison with folks from all over the world and the authentic dinner we had was wonderful. I so enjoyed this trip and the memories will never leave. Re hotels each one was different in its own way and beautiful. Dube was also outstanding about getting us from country to country, though Customs, on buses , on planes, boats etc. my only complaint if I may was with British Air. They do not make it easy to get seats unless you want to pay extra and we already had upgraded to economy plus. The night before leaving I stayed up till midnight trying to select seats, only to have to place a call to find out site was down and we had no choice but to get seats at the airport and me and my husband could not sit together on any of the 4 flights…. Bummer. All in All we had a wonderful adventure, made new friends. Loved our group, we had a lot of laughs and fun. Looking forward to to our next adventure looking at Alaska cruise with Ford. We are attending a presentation by Fords at The Grand this coming week..

I loved the trip! My most memorable was when the male lion came out so close to us and just stared at us and really didn't care if we were there. I do want to say that it was a little tougher than I thought it would be as far as traveling and having to wake up so early 4 days in a row. I wish we had a little more time to relax. It was a lot of moving around and getting up so early. I understand that we needed to get out on safari early but maybe one day in between to rest. Also, the tipping drove me crazy! Maybe you could work that into the price because it was obnoxious to keep track of. The lodges and hotels were beautiful and very comfortable beds. Our tour manager was fabulous. He was very knowledgeable and always so calm. Very funny, too. The bus drivers were all very good and I always felt safe.

The tour guide was excellent and we were very lucky with our game drives. We saw everything (animals) I wanted to see. The safari drivers had eagle eyes and very knowledgeable.

Leon our tour guide was exceptional in every way. He was knowledgeable, well spoken and very organized. He set a positive tone and our group really gelled. The scheduled tours were awesome and we saw so many animals. The 2 meals we shared with local families were very enjoyable.

Loved all the safaris! Didn’t like the food at The Cresta Mowana and the fact that we had to pay for all drinks, even water. Loved staying at The Wallow and the food was good. Loved staying at the Ivory Tree Game Lodge and the food was good. Our tour manager, Dube, was hard to understand and oftentimes he would speak on the bus with his back to us which us old people had a hard time understanding. He would confuse us by listing too many future events instead of just focusing on the things in the near future that day. Once we started getting written itinerary on WhatsApp, it was better. Still liked Dube.

Thanks to out tour guide Ernest Julius. He was absolutely amazing. Kept us informed on important times and events with great explanations. He was extremely helpful with a lady that got sick and was hospitalized. I couldn’t ask for a better person to guide us on such a great journey. Also a big thank you to Lucky our buss driver for his informative talks on our travel time . He was so pleasant and helpful. And to our safari guide Tiamiou . He was so dedicated to finding the best places for us to view the animals. He worked extremely hard to make the best experience possible for us. . And lastly a big thanks to all the wait staff at all our lodging, restaurants, and the communities for their hospitality. Everyone we met was so helpful and friendly. I still can’t believe how nice they were to us. And to Collette for organizing a truly wonderful experience for us. To all the people that had any part in making our experience in South Africa a trip of a lifetime, thank you , thank you, thank you for the most wonderful experience in my life’s travels. 🫶🏻

If was our trip of a lifetime! Every day it got better. So glad we did Safaris and early mornings first leaving Capetown,wineries and a little downtime at the end. Perfect trip!!

It was a great tour and everything I expected except we did not have a good tour manager. She did not know how to handle the group in a professional manner. Half the time she didn’t even check to see if we were all on the bus until it pulled away. She also had no knowledge of the tour.

Thank goodness we had capable bus drivers that gave us all the information for the different areas. Our tour manager, Claudia, did not have knowledge, experience or expertise in any area concerning a tour management.

Tour was one of my favorites!! Safaris and accommodations were fabulous. I did feel like the stay in Cape Town and Somerset West was too long. I would have preferred cutting out Somerset West, and taking a day off of Cape Town. Home meal, and Drive down the coast and visit to Table Mountain was great however.

Everything was amazing! The best part of the trip was I did not have to plan anything. Our guide was the best and full of local knowledge. The food was fantastic and the safari's were breathtaking. I could not ask for anything better. It truly was the trip of a lifetime.

We had a fabulous trip, loved it all! The hotels, safari’s, and activities were all well executed and enjoyable. We especially appreciated cruising on the rivers!

Did not learn anything from tribal chief visit, feel waste of my time. The Victoria falls and the safari runs were my favorite.

This tour was an excellent experience. The tour was entertaining and educational at the same time. Our tour guide knew his stuff! He anticipated many of our requests. He seemed to be one step ahead of us the entire tour. The Safari guides were very professional. They found the Big Five for us as well as many additional animals. It was amazing how well they did finding the things we wanted to see. The Zambesi River cruise was breath taking.

So memorable experiences: from the magnificence of Victoria Falls to the stunning scenery in the game reserves and down the coast to Cape Point. And of course, not forgetting the many wildlife sightings. Our tour guide manager was excellent: knowledgeable, friendly, personable, well organized. This trip gives you an overview of three countries in the southern part of the African continent.

This was really a dream trip for me. All the safaris were amazing and different each time. Our tour guide was wonderful and made our experience very special. Victoria Falls was breathtaking. I would highly recommend this tour.

Rahima, our tour guide, was fantastic and everything was. seamless. Our drivers and Safari guides were also very good. The highlights were Victoria Falls, all of the Safari’s in Pilanisburg and Chobe, a helicopter ride was fun and drive through Cape of Good Hope beautiful. Enjoyed the dinners at the host families the outdoor picnic at Ivory tree Lodge, the Gold celebration in Cape Town. I was disappointed with Colette in the booking process. I received such a slow response I booked airfare myself ant a time when the fares were rising every few days. Also needed help with our flight from Cape Town. That was caceled till next day very little help from Colette. Prefer to not have the mandatory stop at the diamond store in Cape Town.

Everything was well organized. Andrew Penn was friendly and knowledgeable. We loved the game drives the most. Seeing the lioness swim across the river toward our truck and her 4 cubs reluctantly following her was the best. We also loved seeing the male leopard strolling up the road toward our truck on the last morning.

Seeing the animals, the people and the culture.

The main tour was great! The extension to Dubai was not great. The tour guide “Sam” was only “so-so”, always in a rush! For the main trip we loved everything, the wildlife, the safari rides, Cape Town, the accommodations, all great, EXCEPT the one night in Johannesburg, That hotel was terrible.

Rejoice & Twist at Chobi were phenomenal

Everything went off like clockwork. The game drives were great and we saw all of the Big 5 plus so many more animals. The accommodations were lovely with delicious meals. It was particularly nice to have variety (Victoria Falls, game drives on land and on water, winery stays, Cape Town stay with exploration of Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope, and the Penguins). Our guide was excellent--we couldn't have asked for better! He and the local drivers were on top of everything and very courteous and friendly.

Victoria Falls and the many land & water safaris FABULOUS tour guide who added so much to our trip. Not only was his knowledge of the many sites we saw (places, animals) excellent but he added so much in discussing the many different cultures and the long history of Africa

Just too many great adventures to comment.

Accommodations were superb! Hospitality everywhere we went was outstanding—we often remarked that everyone we met seemed so happy. Our tour manager, coach drivers, and safari guides were experts. We never felt unsafe, no matter where we were. Victoria Falls was spectacular, probably the high point of this tour was seeing our only leopard. That completed us seeing the Big 5! I would highly recommend this tour.

Every thing!!

Wonderful Trip. Well Organized. Fantastic Tour Manager!

All

The entire trip was fantastic and was curated to expose us to as much local flavor as possible. I particularly enjoyed the home hosted dinners where we were able to meet and dine with a local family in their own home.

Loved the variety of activities, especially the experienced Safari guides tour manager!

This was an active and very busy tour. I would not change any part of what we were able to do and see. The safari tours were exciting, we saw all 5 of the big 5 except a cheetah but our safari guide tried so hard to catch a glimpse of one, Watching the male lion walk quickly out of the tall grasses and cross right in front of our jeep was astounding! The home visits were informational giving us insight into different daily African lifestyles. Our tour guide was kind, efficient and very knowledgable.

I loved Dubai. Botswana was very eye opening. The Safari's were so much fun, even though they were cold in the mornings. The accommodations were beyond excellent and so much fun. Our tour guide, Rahima, was one of the best. I loved Dubai. In other words, this trip was unforgetable.

All of the tour within Africa was awesome. The issue we had was with booking with the Collette website. It didn't properly register my flight request (though that could have been human error in collecting the info) but importantly, after entering information and ultimately paying, there was no opportunity to download the data I entered or get a receipt showing I had paid. A substandard website that should be updated

We had an excellent tour guide, Louis Lock! He was warm, welcoming, fun and funny!! I couldn’t believe when we arrived at our hotel on our pre-night that he was there at 8:30pm to greet us!!! He was so knowledgeable and so passionate about all things South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe! One of my favorite experiences was watching a pride of lions, so closely, you could almost touch them and then we even got to see one of the lionesses hunt down a warthog!!!! We were so lucky to see the Big 5 and much, much more!!! Each evening, we would say that the tour and what we had experienced that day couldn’t get any better, but each day topped the previous day!!! It was an absolutely amazing trip!!!

The Wallow was my favorite!!! And our guide was amazing!

Loved the bush drives and learning about the animals.

I made so many memorial memories but the elephant experience will always have a special place in my heart. I loved having all the interaction with the elephants especially feeding them.

I was very impressed with Collette regarding pre-trip planning, the itinerary, the accommodations, the balance between activities and free time, and the safaris were amazing! No one thing sticks out, just an incredible vacation, overall!

Victoria falls, safaris (we saw 8 of the big 9), and Cape Town. The elephant camp was so lovely. It’s a place one could experience sunset/sunrise, animals and just relax in the beautiful location for a week!

Elephant Camp sunrise

This was our favorite trip so far provided by Collette. Every experience we had was excellent. I'm so glad we had the opportunity to go to this fabulous country.

meeting families in Zimbabwe ad in Capetown

Our Tour Guide was fantastic! Rahimah Adams. Great accommodations and safari lodges were terrific.

The tour manager Deidree made this trip for all of us on the tour an extremely fantastic experience with her knowledge, affability with all and organizational skills.

It was all GREAT from start to end ! Our tour managers were great, they both went out of their way to make sure we were good. Hats off to Jean and Shuaib!

This small group tour fulfilled a childhood dream. It ran smoothly and was very professional from start to finish. The tour directors and guides were very responsive to the interests and needs of our group. We were fortunate to see so many different species of animals. A very memorable experience was having a very personal encounter with the wild elephants of Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust. Thank you Collette for making a dream come true and reigniting a passion to care for and appreciate our beautiful planet!

Great experience that created unbelievable memories! The game drives were a highlight! While I enjoyed the visits to local homes I would appreciate another option if choosing not to attend.

Our safari guides were the best. He pointed out so many animals and was so knowledgeable about the country, environment, animals. It was a dream come true trip.

The tour was fantastic and the tour manager was incredible. One issue was the flight from Johanesburg to Zimbabwe. I believe the airlines was called FastJet. They left my wife's luggage and 8 other people's luggage in our group at the Johannesburg airport because they said they were over weight. Needless to say, this was a real inconvenience to my wife and others. The tour manager did everything she could do but the luggage did not arrive until the next evening. This was a terrible way to start our vacation. The airlines should be reprimanded.

There were too many to mention one. It was a trip of a lifetime. Our tour guide was amazing explaining the culture and history of each location. I would recommend this tour to anyone who is interested in visiting Africa,

Would have liked more time at Victoria Falls And Penguin colony.

All of it! Great blend and variety of tours. Tour manager was the BEST!