Reviews

Sort By: Date Most Helpful 11-20 of 244 Reviews
Paul M   –  
United States US
Visited: May 2015 Reviewed: May 27, 2015

20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Everything We'd Hoped For
5/5

We are so glad that we booked with Wild Planet Safari. First, my communications with Ryan and Thale over email were so quick and easy, that we got everything lined up in no time. Then the excursion itself was just perfect. Ryan was EXTREMELY friendly and knowledgeable - I know because I asked him a thousand questions! He was also great at showing us around Kruger - knowing the spots to see the most animal, readings traffic patterns to find more, and trying very hard to fill our every desire. And our general interactions with Ryan were great, as we talked about South African sports, culture, social issues. Ryan was a great guide not only for Kruger, but South Africa in general. I truly hope we can book another safari with Wild Planet, be it in Kruger, or wherever they schedule tours!

Jan-Petter   –  
Norway NO
Visited: July 2014 Reviewed: Sep 17, 2014

Email Jan-Petter  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Excelent safariexperience and well planned roundtrip with Wild Planet Safari.
5/5

We were two families, four adults, four youths, travelling with Wild Planet Safari 14 days in Eastern South Africa. First time in SA, first time on safari, so we were curious in what to expect.
We had a fantastic tour with Thale and Ryan, a tour showing us much of the variety in this huge country.
When we look back, the most fascinating part was at the start, in Kruger, where we camped at Skukuza. We went for both early morning drives, starting at daybreak, and afternoon trips.
We saw all possible animals to see out there, including big five, like lions with fresh catch (buffalo).
It was good to have Ryan there, spotting animals from long distance, hiding in the vegetation. If Ryan didn’t spot animals, well, then there where none there.
After Kruger we went to Royal Hlane in Swaziland. This park was less impressive than Kruger, but as the camp was situated near a waterhole, we had good view of animals like rhinos, elephants and impala.
Besides knowing everything about wildlife and nature, Ryan has very good knowledge for history, culture and sociallife of the areas visited, information shared with us, broadening our minds and giving another dimension to this wonderful experience.
Let me also mention the delicious food prepared by Thale and Ryan – most nights prepared on open fire outside. Very good meat served with different vegetables, meat and vegetables many of them new to us.
One thing to remember for those of you traveling this time of year, July/August; Bring warm clothes. Fortunately Wild Planet Safari did supply us with blankets while traveling the open safarivehicle early mornings.
We also visited St Lucia for hippos and crocs, the Durban area for some relaxation, and had a good stay in Drakensberg with two good hikes.
The best part of the trip, very well organized by the guys at Wild Planet Safari, was Kruger – spend some days there !

Bessa Carlos   –  
Luxembourg LU
Visited: July 2024 Reviewed: Aug 6, 2024

Email Bessa Carlos  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

You will not just do a Safari, you will live the best Safari experience ever!
5/5

What an incredible experience with Wild Planet Safari!

First of all, Thale is a very professional, she adapted the Safari trip to our needs and to our flights!
Once we arrived in Skukuza, our guide, Rafael was waiting for us to start our Safari.
Rafael was very professional. His goal was not only for us to see the animals but to experience the Safari journey! He was always available for us, gave to us all the explanation about everything and always showed to us how to respect the animals! He was also in charge to cook for us (breakfast, lunch and diner). He is an amazing cooker, you will not regret!
Rafael always wanted to be the first in the gate so we could enjoy as much as possible outside! He was always with his eyes open, to be the first to find the animal! With his skills, we were able to be the firsts to find for example a leopard with an impala on a tree!
He tried always to have the best position for us to enjoy the nature and the animals.

With his help and with positive mindset we had our best experience. Be ready to find all the Big 5 (we saw lots of lions male & female, 3 Rhinos, 3 Leopard, etc) but also to enjoy other animals that make the Safari in Kruger an amazing experience!

Thanks a lot to Wild Planet Safari for all the help!
Special thanks to Thale, which helped us to organise the Safari and to our wonderful guide which helped us to have the best experience of our lives! You will not regret this experience with Wild Planet Safari!

Teresa Schmit   –  
United States US
Visited: February 2024 Reviewed: Mar 12, 2024

Email Teresa Schmit  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

An amazing experience!
5/5

Thale was great staying in touch and coordinating all aspects of our tour. We thought we knew what to expect but the entire trip exceeded our expectations.
The transfers from/to Johannesburg worked great and gave us an opportunity to see a bit more of South Africa.
Upon arriving at Hazy View Eric quickly greeted us and we were off to explore. Quickly realizing we were not on a drive through zoo experience of just pointing out different animals. Eric would stop and allow us to observe the animal’s behavior. The buffalo herd moving across the riverbed, giraffes continually coming from the trees, hyena crunching bones while chasing off the young, lions waking as sun was rising, elephant bathing at the end of the day, rhinoceros quietly grazing, leopard relaxing in the tree, warthogs scurrying through the grass, moments forever etched in our memory. Seeing the Big 5 twice in a day was so much more than we could have ever asked for but seeing so many different species was extraordinary!
Eric is a remarkable guide, so knowledgeable about the wildlife, Park and culture but also a fantastic chef. The meals were plentiful and delicious, a great way to relax and recall all the magical moments of the day.
Staying in the rest camps was a huge bonus! It was extremely comfortable and clean all while staying in the surroundings during the entire safari.
After the excitement of the safari, the final day we enjoyed the panoramic route through Blyde River Canyon. The beautiful scenery was a relaxing way to wind down and see more of the beautiful country of South Africa.
We were a bit concerned about going in February, reading that it would be more difficult to see the animals as the grass is longer and the animals did not necessarily need to go to the watering holes. This was not an issue at all. The wildlife was plentiful, the weather was gorgeous, and the views were amazing.

Casen   –  
United States US
Visited: September 2022 Reviewed: Nov 14, 2022

Email Casen  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Extremely knowledgeable, professional, and friendly!
5/5

Our time with Wild Planet Safari was AMAZING! It was honestly, the trip of a lifetime. Our guide, Chris, was so awesome! He took care of all of our needs, showed us amazing wildlife, and gave us countless facts and tidbits about everything in the park. There was no question I had, that he didnt know the answer in detail. Breathtaking view, stunning close up encounters with incredible animals.. I would go back out with Wild Planet Safari RIGHT NOW if I could! It was worth every penny!

Luke   –  
United States US
Visited: April 2019 Reviewed: May 23, 2019

Email Luke  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Comprehensive tour, amazing sightings, and wonderful people!
5/5

The service was great: we got to cook great food and told interesting stories, and also were able to get up by 5am and get out there to see the sunrise sightings! I thought we would be a little closer to the animals, however, most of them were pretty far away, even on the bush-walk. Also, more bathroom breaks needed! Overall it was so fantastic to go on this Safari.

Bob in Denver, Colorado   –  
United States US
Visited: November 2018 Reviewed: Dec 11, 2018

Email Bob in Denver, Colorado  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

You Are In Expert Hands!
5/5

We recently finished the 11 Day Kruger North to South Private trip and had a great time. Ryan and Lungisani are absolutely expert guides and a real pleasure to spend time with. We enjoyed watching them compete with each other to see who could spot the most Big Five animals, and we were the beneficiaries! We were able to observe up close all of the animals we wished, with the only exception being a cheetah, which are very rare. Ryan is a birding expert and spotted an incredible number of birds for us to photograph. I cannot emphasize the value of their knowledge of animals, plants and birds. Later, during our African vacation we heard ridiculous statements from so-called guides who were spouting falsehoods. We confirmed Ryan's information via Google. You will have a great time with these fine guides!

Michaela   –  
Czech Republic CZ
Visited: February 2018 Reviewed: Mar 26, 2018

Email Michaela  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

amazing experience
5/5

We went on our safari with Chris and Lungi as a family and all of us enjoyed it thoroughly. Both guys were amazing and very helpful.
Chris knew all of the animals including birds and could answer any questions about them. On top of that, he could always spot animals, even if they were far, hidden or so. He was really excellent guide and we are very happy we had him.
The only thing we would recommend for improvement is not to include the night game drive provided by Satara camp into the safari, as it was extremely unprofessional.

Dave Cherry   –  
New Zealand NZ
Visited: October 2017 Reviewed: Dec 19, 2017

Email Dave Cherry  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Best way to see Kruger
5/5

When we decided to visit Kruger we were looking for a company that would spend the entire time in the park . On previous visit to South Africa I had booked a mini Kruger safari only to find we were booked into a private game reserve on the edge of the greater Kruger area and only spent one day in the park itself. Right from our first enquiry Wild Planet were so helpful, e-mails were answered straight away so we were able to do detailed planning from our home in New Zealand. We were able to incorporate a drive along the Panorama Route, Blyde River Canyon and a visit to an endangered species centre as well. We told Wild Planet what we wanted to do and they did all the planning for us.

The actual safari was way beyond our expectations, our driver/guide Chris worked tirelessly to make sure we saw as much as possible, ably assisted by Benjamin our cook/guide providing delicious meals under the stars listening to the sounds of the African bush. We covered huge distances and saw as much of the park as time permitted. We were rewarded by sightings of the big five plus numerous other species all of which thrilled us.

Africa is a place that gets under your skin, we will be back, and certainly will use Wild Safari again ! Thanks guys.

Ian   –  
Canada CA
Visited: November 2017 Reviewed: Nov 30, 2017

Email Ian  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Very Professional and really personable, Wild Safari exceeded expectations at every level.
5/5

We really felt well taken care of from initial email to final fond farewell. There was no detail too small and no request too large, that weren't dealt with cheerfully and easily.
We had zero issues arise on tour, in large part due to careful planning and attention to detail from the staff.
I feel confident that had any issues arose from circumstances beyond their control, these would have been dealt with swifly and effectively.
Experience and knowledge shine through every interaction. We couldn't be happier with our choice and happily recommend Wild Safari to friends and family.

Average User Rating
5.0/5
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