Romantic South Africa Tours for Couples

I spoke to this Africa safari travel company just about 2 months in advance of our planned trip and was very surprised about how easy it was to arrange the trip we had hoped for.  Our contact was knowledgeable and within a few days of our request, knowing our budget, she had prepared a complete itinerary to include sightseeing and wine-tasting in Cape Town and Franschhoek and 3 days safari in Sabi Sands, next to Kruger as well as 3 days in Chobe, Botswana, concluding with a day at Victoria Falls.  The best part about the entire trip was the ease with which we were able to accomplish everything.  We arranged for our international plane and told our agent the dates and she arranged for everything else.  The cost per person excluding all air and gratuities to guides was <$6000 each and we had really 4-5 star accommodations and most meals included.  The transfers were flawless as we were met at each transfer site by a greeter with our name on a board and we never worried about missing a connection. The information packet we received before the trip prepared us well and we could not have been more pleased with the results!!

Our agent was friendly, knowledgable, responsive and worked hard to put together a great trip that did not blow our budget. The trip was incredible. We started with 3 nights in Victoria Falls Zimbabwe at a lodge that provided 5 star service and accomodations. The game drives there were a bit more tame than our later safari activity at Sabi Sands but we saw lots of elephants, Zebra, Giraffe and even a lion. Every transfer was arranged and if anything could have been upgraded perhaps it was in this area though the transfers were private and vehicles adequate. 

Our next stop was Sabi Sands reserve where we stayed at Savanah lodge. They were terrific in every way. The guides and trackers were top notch. We saw all of the big five as well as wild dogs and other animals. Great food and room as well as personal touches made this place special and overall a great value and choice among the many options. 

We flew to Capetown where we started at an elegant old world hotel on the waterfront, great choice. Trips to the cape point and wine country were very nice. If we were to change our itinerary at all it would have been to stay one less night in Capetown and stay one night in wine country on our way to the next stop which was at Grootbos a world class high end resort on the whale coast. Terrific high end cuisine, wonderful private suites and incredible views were the highlights and a great way to finish our trip. 

Thanks to our agent for making our vacation the best one yet!!

About the trip, first thing I have to say is thank you very much for everything you did for Elle and I we had an amazing time.  The package you put together for us was so great there was not one day on the trip we were not amazed.   The trip to South Africa was everything we hoped be and much much more. South Africa, is my new favorite place in the world, Cape Town was wonderful including cape point, bolder beach, table mountain etc....  the drivers ilios tours were excellent and on time everytime.  Stellenbocsh was excellent and the wine tour was great and we carried several bottles from Stellenbosch throughout the rest of the trip and on the plane home. The resort was fantastic and great place to relax although we were out every day and night.  The spa service was great and we used every day Kapama private reserve was excellent and the rangers and staff could not have been better.  The photos we took are amazing, we saw all big five and more.  This place was so good in pairing up people the group we were with was great and had a great time and made new friends.   Thank you for the Champaign and the African song they sang for our anniversary could not have been better.  Victory Falls, Ilala Lodge was a great place, staff was excellent and seeing the falls was a dream come true.  The river cruise was amazing, and helicopter was the icing on the cake.   We also did elephant sanctuary tour and lion sanctuary tour as well that were booked through the Ilala Lodge. I guess by now you you figure out we had such a great time and cannot thank you enough for the great job you and our safari travel agency did for Elle and I.  You truly made a dream come true for both Elle and I.  Elle is already looking to go back again? There are a few people in my office waiting for me to get back tomorrow and give them the details on the trip and they maybe reaching out to you as well.   Thank you Alan & Elle

We had a very enjoyable trip to Victoria Falls, back to the Republic of South Africa (via Botswana) for a typical safari experience in the Northwest Province at Madikwe Game Reserve, and then a week in the Cape.  Our travel agency suggested the Victoria Falls stop and Elephant Camp in particular.  Elephant Camp was very nice (and we were in the intimate four "tent" family camp that opened just in March) with excellent service and good food.  However, our agent oversold the opportunity to interact with the somewhat tamed elephants on the Wild Horizons/Elephant Camp Reserve.  We had literally no more than five minutes with the elephants, feeding them, so far less than we expected.  We enjoyed the visit to Victoria Falls National Park, as well as a canoe safari on the Zambezi above the falls.  We also very much enjoyed our time at Madikwe Safari Lodge, a very nice facility with an excellent guide, good food, but not always top-rate service.  However, I wish the agent had suggested the opportunity to fly in and out of Madikwe because it has an air strip, and this would have saved us a great deal of travel time doing mostly road transfers to and from Madikwe.  Our travel company was responsive to our requests for particular accommodations in Franschhoek and Cape Town, though they were different than the accommodations suggested by Born Free.  In both cases, we enjoyed our choices very much, as much because of location as because of the facilities themselves.   In Zimbabwe and Madikwe, service was not always up to par at all facilities, and meals were not always as excellent as we expected, but our travel company is not responsible for this.  

When our son left his Kindle on one of the transfers, Born Free helped track it down and get it sent by courier to catch up with us at Cape Town.  This was very helpful, but instead of charging us the cost of the courier and telling us what that cost was, they passed onto us the round figure of ZAR 500. I would have preferred transparency on that.  One of the other transfer operators officiously collected form the safari lodge things of ours (plaster imprints of animal tracks) we had asked them for--she did this while we were having breakfast our last morning.  But then the transfer operator forgot to give the things to us when she dropped us off at Oliver Tambo Airport--even though they were on the front seat of the van next to her!  Again, we were able to get these items sent by courier to catch up with us on Cape Town, but I didn't think we should bear the cost of that.   

I was planning a South African Safari for my family of 4, and the information and options I researched were overwhelming and complex for someone that has no prior knowledge or experience with Safari's.  I came across the Zicasso website and they matched me up with this safari travelcompany.  My agent provided insight into the planning and options that I would have never identified myself.  I had many questions both before and after booking this trip and communicated with this agent by email (from the US) due to the time difference.    She responded immediately and thoroughly ever time. We just returned and the trip was Amazing and could not have gone better. 

  Upon hearing our goals, my agent suggested two private game reserves (3 nights each) in two different locations so we could get two different experiences. We stayed at Kapama Southern Camp in the Kapama Game reserve near Hoedspruit, and Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge in Sabi Sands.  It was a two hour drive between the two lodges.  We originally had reservations at Lion Sands which is next to Sabi Sands, but about three months ago, the Lion Sands burned down.  Fortunately, our agent notified us just hours after the fire letting us know what happened and informing us that she was able to book the Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge - which turned out to be amazing.  I've read that some folks had to receive refunds because they could not get reservations on such short notice in the area.  We were really glad our agent was looking out for us and greatly appreciated all of her efforts and recommendations!  We definitely got two different experiences that you can read below - each amazing in its own way and the recommendation to split the trip with two camps was perfect!

At Kapama, the brush was very dense with trees and bush so off roading was not possible.  We frequently saw animals everywhere as we drove and there were differences in the quantity and frequency of some species at each location.  There were interesting and fun excursions (Hoedspruit Endangered Species Center and Elephant Encounter) here that we could not get elsewhere.  We could only do a hot air balloon flight at Hoedspruit but were disappointed that the winds were too strong while we were there so never did this.   Kapama Southern Camp has a fence around it and ony the entrance is always open. Each morning we would come out and see wart hogs, Nyala, Kudo, Impala,  and other animals near our room.

At Sabi Sands, the bush was not as dense with trees so we could go off road to track down big five which was amazing.  It is a large area so we could drive for 20 minute or more withouot seeing any animals.   Sabi Sands Camp is completely open (no surrounding fence) and there was a leopard sighting at camp for three consecutive days. This added an element of danger and excitement. Once at 0400, we were awoken by the monkeys in the trees indicating that the leopard was probably close by.