African Safari Travel Agents & Reviews

Our trip, planned by Zicasso’s tour company, was so much more than expected. Our agent provided a detailed itinerary and communicated what we could expect when we reached each new destination. We had trouble getting to our initial destination because of flight delays caused by remnants of Hurricane Debby. Our agent was accessible and worked hard to get our situation resolved.

Once we arrived, we were blown away by the outstanding camps she arranged for us. Our itinerary was amazing and we had a fabulous time at each of the three destinations she booked for us.

Getting home was also filled with airline problems. Again, our agent was there to assist with genuine concern and helped us get safely home. We would've been lost without her. Our agent and her company were a happy find when I went looking for an African safari travel agent.

From the initial introduction and throughout our trip to the Serengeti, then on to Zanzibar, Zicasso’s travel agent was incredible. She was attentive to our needs during the booking process, making important suggestions and recommendations to ensure we would get what we wanted and needed for this holiday of a lifetime. Her knowledge, passion, and experience of the area were evident.

However, more importantly, she kept in touch throughout our trip, checking in with us and our superb guide daily. Nothing was too much trouble and we felt completely supported throughout. Other guests who used our travel company were similarly complementary, so this experience is common to all who use this fantastic company.

I would not hesitate to recommend our travel agent and her team to anyone considering a safari in Tanzania.

Zicasso’s tour company did an outstanding job planning our three-week vacation and safari through South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. Our agent patiently worked with us through a number of iterations.

The selected lodges and hotels were immaculate. The service at each lodge was second to none. The activity schedules were planned accurately. Our guides, rangers, pilots, and many others involved in our activities were knowledgeable, extremely friendly, and had a high degree of experience. We always felt safe and well taken care of.

While our planned schedule was tight, we never felt pressured or stressed by the local tour guides. Our agent’s planning allowed us to maximize our experience. For instance, making sure we get to Inyati in time for the afternoon game drive on the day of arrival. She was always on top, checking in multiple times and making sure we got the best service possible.

We can strongly recommend our travel company, specifically our agent, and thank them for making this trip unforgettable.

Our trip to Southern Africa (Botswana and Zimbabwe) was nothing short of amazing! Our travel consultant created a great itinerary and took care of every detail associated with small-craft flights, greetings at airports, etc. The coordination was seamless!

We highly recommend staying at the camps within the reserves as this provides a different experience to the national parks. We felt like we were the only ones there. We were deeply touched by the love and warmth of the resort staff, who go out of their way to welcome you and assist with any needs you may have. Our guide was brilliant, his knowledge, experience, and patience incredible!

This was our second trip through Zicasso and we highly recommend the company for its interest in helping to make our trip a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Working with Zicasso’s travel team was an amazing and incredible experience. From the beginning, when our conversations about our vacation started, our agent was patient and carefully heard what we wanted to accomplish, what level of accommodations we wanted, and what experience we wanted. He presented well thought out itineraries, listened to our suggestions, and edited accordingly. He was extremely cognizant of our budget and ensured he delivered the most value for the money spent. It was a perfectly tailored trip for our family.

I just got back from a wonderful two-week trip to Southern Africa and want to thank Zicasso for putting me in touch with the travel agency and Shannon, who did a wonderful job of constructing my dream trip. Everything was top-notch and well-executed, and Shannon was friendly, responsive (I'm very picky and made many revisions), and a great communicator. 

When there was a wrinkle (which fortunately was very rare), she was right on top of it (in one case a lodge had booked us into their other property and tried to move us there, but Shannon showed them proof that we had booked over a year in advance and insisted we stay in the original property. They honored that).

Here is my review of specific aspects of the trip:

Cape Town. I can't say enough about the hotel, which was one of the best we'd ever stayed in. The property itself (it's a very modern and beautiful boutique hotel steps from the beach) and the customer service were wonderful. We stayed for four nights and I can't imagine a better place to stay in Cape Town. We spent one night in the wharf area before coming to the hotel and I'm so glad we opted to stay near the beach instead. Having a beautiful ocean view and being able to walk to the beach to watch the sunset every night was incredible. 

Also, the staff were over-the-top amazing; they were so flexible and accommodating (if you wanted breakfast early or after the regular serving period, they would happily oblige; if you walked in with take-out, they would plate it for you and bring it to your room. They would also pick up take-out and deliver it to you). 

There were also many special touches - free wine, free, stocked mini-bar, free hot cocoa, and popcorn that they would deliver to your room any time - we felt very cared for. One of the managers led us on a guided hike up Lion's Head mountain, which was super-fun (he not only brought tea and snacks, but is an excellent photographer and took beautiful photos of us that he shared). I highly recommend the activity to anyone who is reasonably fit (the views at the top are outstanding). We also did a peninsula tour and an all-day food and culture walking tour the next, and highly recommend our guide - she was delightful and fun.

The lodge. Wow, I had read all the five-star reviews of this lodge on a private reserve near Kruger before we left and wondered how it could ever meet such high expectations, but it exceeded them. This was more like 10-star than 5-star. The staff (much like the staff at our hotel in Cape Town) were so friendly, professional and responsive. They would do anything to make you happy. And like them, all of the warmth and special treatment felt genuine rather than fake or forced. 

The food was amazing (and plentiful - all meals, alcohol and high tea were included), but what set this lodge apart was the amazing rangers (we were lucky to have the head ranger and his tracker). I learned so much from them about animal behavior as they were incredibly knowledgeable (and extremely respectful) of the animals. As a result, we saw all of the big five multiple times (my favorites were seeing three leopards and seven lions, including both male lions sleeping after a kill and female lions slowly hunting Cape buffalo in the early evening). We met people at this lodge who had stayed at multiple other five-star lodges and all said this one was the best, which I can believe.

Victoria Falls. The lodge was the number one rated lodge in Victoria Falls and though it was very nice, it did honestly pale by comparison to our lodge near Kruger (the outdoor bathtub and pool were both dirty and not usable. I'm not sure how one would remedy this, other than to re-order the trip so one ends in Sabi Sands). 

The staff were nice and the food was wonderful, and like our other lodge, activities were included (the guided trip to Victoria Falls was very informative as was the private "sundowner" river cruise we had on our arrival night. We saw male elephants engaging in "horseplay" in the water, a trip highlight. However, the game drive (no tracker and a much smaller park) paled in comparison to those we did in Sabi Sands). 

The optional (extra charge) elephant interaction at their sanctuary was really amazing and we highly recommend it to anyone staying in Victoria Falls. The falls were about a third dry because we went after the winter dry season. Shannon had warned us about this in advance, so they were a little underwhelming, but I'm still glad we went because we wanted to see them and weren't sure if we'd get back to this part of the continent on another trip. If you want to visit the falls, be sure to look at photos of how they look during certain months so your expectations are met. 

Chobe River Cruise (Namibia).  I'm so glad we did this cruise because it was a great way to end our trip on a really high note. We originally wanted to book the Zambezi Queen (which is bigger, more modern, and more luxurious), but only the Chobe Princess was available for our dates and we ended up getting the smallest (four rooms) of the three CPs. I thought it might be underwhelming, but I was wrong. We had a great time on our small ship with six members of a German family. 

The staff were wonderful (amazing food from Chef Edgar!) and "game drives" on the river turned out to be a game-changer. Although we saw many animals during our land-based safaris, we did see different behavior from the water (elephant herds crossing the river; baboons at play for 30 minutes at a time, whereas on land, the baboons would run away; huge groups of giraffe in an open field). 

Unlike on land, where you would sometimes drive 30 minutes or an hour in search of a sighting, we saw animals the entire time we were on small boat excursions from the larger boat. Essentially, we'd spend 30 minutes watching elephants and then move to crocodiles, baboons, and giraffes, etc.). Of my top recommendations for people going to Africa, it's to do this river cruise in addition to land-based safaris.

Thanks again to Shannon (and Zicasso) for making our dream trip come true. Although we've been to many wonderful places (including Patagonia, Bora Bora, Australia/New Zealand, etc), my wife and I agree that this was the best trip we've ever taken. And we will be back!

Our couple's trip to Kenya, Tanzania, and Zanzibar was truly amazing and a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We went to Nairobi, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, Maasai Mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Zanzibar over two weeks.

Zicasso’s travel agency made it an easy and seamless experience. They communicated well, took care of us before we landed, and provided guidance on everything we needed, including what to pack.

After we landed, they met us at the airport, provided all transfers, and had their experienced drivers transport us around the country and take us on game drives. We loved our time with our guides in Kenya and Tanzania.

We were also able to visit a Maasai village and learn about their culture. It was wonderful to talk over campfires and learn about their experiences.

The service at every camp and hotel was exceptional, and whenever we had a question or issue, our agent was quickly available to triage.

We would, without hesitation, highly recommend a trip like this! Do it!

Our agent gave us the most magical trip and was able to keep it within our budget.

 A wonderful and memorable trip to Tanzania and Zanzibar. The trip was well organized and custom made to our specifications. We were looking for a local safari outfitter as we wanted to help the local small businesses and we found our perfect fit in this travel company. Our tour guide/driver was the best. He has an uncanny ability to find wildlife, and at the same time can brew the best Tanzanian coffee in his land cruiser. Our whole trip from start to finish was well organized without any issues. Would highly recommend this travel company if you are considering a local safari outfitter in Tanzania.