Kate & Darren Humphrys with Henry, Olive and Hume
Compass Odyssey
- Located In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2006)
- Member Of:
- Southern Africa Tourism Services Association
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $13,009 to $43,363 per person per day (MXN, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
Email Graeme & Jane Hall | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highly Recommended
Thank You Crusty (Darren) for a truly memorable experience. Smooth sailing from the minute we first contacted you, and (despite me perpetually changing the dates) you managed to produce an itinerary that provided excellent accomodation and activities throughout our trip to Cape Town, Kruger & Chobe NP and Victoria Falls. Maybe one day wasted in transit from Kruger to Chobe but this was necessitated by our change of dates - the fewer border crossings you have to make - the better!! Especially liked the attention to detail with our own driver/boatman in Chobe and the superb services of James and Corlia at Senalala. Saw more of Cape Town region with your guides than would have been possible on our own. We have rarely used organised tours before but this experience has shown me what I have been missing!! Many thanks again for a wonderful holiday!!
Email Maxine Tate | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
FABULOUS TRIP PLANNED EXPERTLY BY A FABULOUS TOUR COMPANY---COMPASS ODYSSEY IS THE BEST!!!!
I have been on many tours around the world and have never experienced working with any like tour company like Compass Odyssey..Darren is so efficient about every detail...from the correspondence in emails that were answered immediately and all the questions answered quickly and I had a bunch!!! It took a while to tweak the trip where it was exactly what I wanted and Darren did such a wonderful job...in the end it was definitely a trip of a lifetime!!! The lodges where Darren booked us was top-notch and only the best!!! Our rooms were beautiful as were the whole camps which had views of animals or water or both!!! The food was fabulous and the presentation wonderful at all the lodges ..the staff was very friendly and accommodating. The safaris were fabulous ....We saw so many animals and it was so much fun trying to spot them...we were so close to the animals you could almost touch them!!!! What a wonderful experience we had and we love Afica...I hope to go back one day and would use no tour company except the wonderful COMPASS ODYSSEY!! Thanks so much Darren and Kate!!!
Email Barry & Lisa | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Communication and attention to detail were excellent!
This was our first trip to Africa and our first safari. We had so many questions as we planned our itinerary and details of our trip. Darren was very helpful and provided us with excellent, detailed information on various options. He worked closely with us to plan a wonderful trip that included everything we wanted with excellent accommodations, professional and knowledgeable guides and no stress on our end.
We hope to be able to return to Africa and will happily let Compass Odyssey plan our next adventure.
Email Jared Poole & Stephanie Poole | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
TRIP OF A LIFETIME
This was an amazing trip. Compass does an amazing and such a thorough job. We were able to cover so much ground in such a short amount of time and all of the experiences were top notch. Although our trip encountered no hiccups I certainly got the feeling that Darren would be available at any time and able to resolve any issues. Highly recommend booking a trip with these guys.
CA
Email Eliana and Laura (mother and daughter duo) | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Compass Odyssey is a very professional, knowledgeable, reliable and honest tour operator.
This was the second time Laura and I used the services of Compass Odyssey ("CO") for our safari vacation (pre and post COVID); and, once again, Darren and Kate did not disappoint!
Traveling during a pandemic was not an easy decision to make. I asked never-ending questions and expressed all my concerns, and Darren always patiently, professionally and objectively provided ALL the answers I needed to make an informed decision.
CO put together a SAFE, fabulous and exciting itinerary for us. The camps, luxury safari tents, jeeps, game drives, boat safaris, sleep-out-decks, bush walks (one with a Bushman guide!) etc. were all high-end, comfortable and super entertaining. Each camp (3 in all) was diverse and had something different to offer.The quality of the food and the service were beyond reproach. The staff was hospitable, happy, personable and always ready to please! The guides were extremely knowledgeable and pleasant, and we felt safe at all times. COVID protocols were followed judiciously.
We saw every animal imaginable, only because the guides always went to great lengths to find them. I have trouble finding my own car in a parking lot. I do not understand how these guys spot the smallest camouflaged creature hidden in the bush so far away!
The wildlife, the scenery, the landscapes and the sunsets were breathtakingly beautiful, and our sunset drinks always a treat.
Darren and Kate followed us from a distance, to make sure all was going well, and remained available to assist us 24/7 if need be.
In fact, one of our return flights was cancelled; and, although CO did not organize our international flights, Darren immediately took over and offered to take care of this logistical nightmare, so we could continue to enjoy our safari, worry-free.
CO guided us through the sometimes complex arrival and departure procedures and all the COVID requirements (testing; filling out forms; etc.), and everything went off without a hitch.
We were also greeted at every single port of entry, as promised, by lovely people who were on time, happy to see us and who immediately took us under their wings.
I could go on and on about this wonderful and memorable experience and the 5-star quality of CO's services, but I need to get back to work.
I do want to add, however, how kind and pleasant Kate and Darren are. If you want to be pampered and taken care of, always with the utmost professionalism, integrity and respect, choose Compass Odyssey for your next unforgettable journey to paradise!!!
Email Meredith | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing service and recommendations!
Darren and Kate from Compass Odyssey were extremely helpful and thorough in helping me create the perfect itinerary for a short safari. They found a lodge that exceeded all my requests and expectations! In addition, they communicated with me every step of the way. It was a flawless trip thanks to having Darren and Kate make the arrangements. I will definitely use them again and thank them for the trip of a lifetime!!
Email Colleen and Phil Mewett | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Compass Odyssey is an excellent Company to work with and plan a safari - highly recommended.
After reading all the 5 star reviews about Compass Odyssey, I decided to write them an email saying that they are the company I would like to deal with regarding an African Safari for my wife and I. Choosing this company was the best thing I could have done!! We have just returned from the trip of a lifetime to Africa thanks to the expert travel planning skills of Darren and Kate. We spent 12 days in South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana.
My first email to Compass Odyssey was back in June 2021 during the height of Covid and travel was almost impossible. I indicated that we would like to visit Kruger/Zambezi River/Victoria Falls/Chobe NP/Okavango Delta in September/October 2022 for between 10-14 days, hopefully Covid restrictions would be over by then. From this limited information Darren and Kate put together a wonderful trip for us which we will always remember.
Our safari started and ended in Johannesburg, with 3 days in Kruger National Park, 3 days in Victoria Falls, 3 days in Chobe National Park and 3 days in the Okavango Delta, before flying back to Johannesburg. The whole trip went like clockwork and every place we stayed was perfect for us. (We also spent 2 days on either side of our safari in Johannesburg to ensure some relaxation time on either end of our safari, and ensure that missed or late flights from the US were not a problem).
Our email communications with Darren and Kate during the 15 months leading up to our trip was absolutely first class – all my emails were answered promptly, usually within 24 hours, and I never felt any pressure at all to commit to anything during those long 15 months. The attention to detail in our pre-trip agenda was fantastic, from what travel documents were required, current Covid requirements and restrictions in the different countries, flight details, pickup times, meeting places, transfer names and times, Victoria Falls activities, etc, etc.
As for the safari itself...there were so many highlights. We saw the Big Five while we were at Kruger but the three that top my list were:
1. Being about 30 feet from watching 8 lions feasting on a recent cape buffalo kill...apparently there were 18 lions gorging themselves at this kill and some were just hiding and relaxing in the grass after having their fill This was at Chobe NP.
2. Again, being up close and personal watching 3 lionesses nursing 10 baby lions about 2 months old. Once they'd had their fill they just rolled over on their backs and chilled, taking no notice of their viewing audience. This was at Okavango Delta.
3. Following a leopard walking through some grass and climbing a dead tree where it continued to pose for us as we closed in and took pictures of this magnificent animal. This was also at Okavango Delta.
Add to these seeing wild dogs, hyenas and jackals at Kruger, rhinos with babies on the Rhino Walk, the magnificence of Victoria Falls, being up close and personal with crocodiles, elephants and hippos, unbelievable sunsets like you see in National Geographic, and so many other highlights. I have almost 2,500 photos from this trip.
All of the people we met on our trip were great, extremely friendly, and could not do enough for us.
I cannot emphasize how much we enjoyed this trip that Darren and Kate planned for us – it was wonderful and I highly recommend Compass Odyssey for anyone thinking about booking a safari.
Email Lauren | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Couldn’t possibly have been any more wonderful!
I was originally supposed to take a safari with my husband as our wedding gift from our family and friends, but he tragically passed away in 2018. In 2019, I read so many great reviews about Compass Odyssey and decided to go on a safari even though my husband was no longer with me. From the very beginning, Darren was absolutely incredible to work with!
My original safari was booked for 2020, and then had to be postponed multiple times. Darren was so helpful throughout the entire process, ensuring that I was well informed and that all my questions were answered. Once the final dates were selected after things settled down from COVID, he sent me every single detail I could’ve possibly needed, preparing me for a meaningful trip that I will remember for a lifetime.
Every single element of the trip was perfect, from the transportation to the bookings to each and every safari activity. I felt so well cared for, and Darren had even shared some of my story with my guides and accommodations so that they knew about me before I even got there. The places that I stayed were beyond anything I had ever experienced before. Such luxurious spots, kind hosts, and AMAZING food! And the animal sightings were incredible.
Don’t hesitate to work with Compass Odyssey if you are considering going on safari. They provide everything you could possibly need and you will treasure the memories forever!
Email Eve and David | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
I doubt a better tour organizer exists!
From our first contact a year ago to now post trip, Darren has been absolutely the best tour organizer we have ever worked with (and we travel A LOT!) He is incredibly detail oriented and highly knowledgeable about the areas where we traveled (South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana). There was not one step of the way that we were not treated like honored guests and everything we might have wanted was already in place at every stop we made. We had not even finished our trip before I was looking where he could send us next. All of our accommodations were lovely and all of our guides were absolutely top notch. (I must make a special mention of our guide Garth in Cape Town. He was so wonderful that we were sad we were not taking him along with us on the rest of our trip. He is incredibly kind, warm, friendly, and has an amazing wealth of knowledge of the area.) It is very apparent that Darren is well respected and liked as everywhere we traveled the hosts at the lodges/guest houses and the guides talked about how wonderful he is and how they wanted to treat his guests as extra special. And indeed we felt extra special the whole way. Can't wait to plan our next trip with him!
Super reliable, honest, thorough and knowledgeable.
This was our third safari with Compass Odyssey (CO). Our Namibian adventure did not disappoint. We visited several locations in different parts of the country. The activities and excursions were extremely varied and enjoyable; the itinerary executed as promised, safely, seamlessly and without a hitch. You can most definitely count on Darren and Kate of CO to put together a fabulous vacation for you, as we do. They work with the highest level of integrity, professionalism and care, which is why we trust them as much as we do! We will always cherish our memories of Namibia: the people we met; the animals we saw; the desert we walked in; the mountains and starry skies we gazed at; the dunes we climbed; the hot air balloon we flew in; the accommodations we temporarily called home; etc etc etc. On a scale of 1 to 10, our trip was a 15! Thank you, Compass Odyssey! As Laura wrote in her last Instagram post before we left, “Namibia: a wonder and a gift to Earth!”