Choosing reputable Africa tour operators for your safari trip is one of the most time consuming and frustrating parts of the whole safari experience.
There are so many operators in the market that it becomes a nightmare finding the one that will be right for you.
So how do you decide on a company that will do justice to the safari you have dreamt about and provide a smooth, trouble free, and efficient service?
This is a once in a lifetime journey for you after all, so your decision needs to be right.
Contacting past safari travelers directly on Facebook about their experience and reading trip reports and reviews can help you choose...
Past experience from travelers who have already been on safari with a particular company is a telling indicator of what you can expect from them for your own safari in future.
The
research I found on your African Safari Journals site was what made
it possible for me to go and book this trip...
Barbara
Murray, USA
Read
her full trip report
African Safari Journals was one of the very best sources I found and that is the reason I am posting this account. I hope it will help someone else as much as I was helped...
Marden Phelps, USA
Read
his full trip report
Tanzania
Zambia
Africa Tour Operators Reviews
All the safari company reviews that appear on this page have been obtained by African Safari Journals through a telephone interview with the person that went on safari or been submitted by the safari participant themselves in writing using e-mail or the online forms on this site. The Facebook profiles are of the traveler that actually went on the trip with the relevant Africa tour operator so that you can contact them directly.
The Rates Category bands per person, per night spent on safari are as follows:
Deluxe:
US$650 and upwards
Mid
Range: Between US$300 and US$650
Budget:
Up to US$300
This icon 
signifies a company that is ranked in the top three within its rates category and country. Click on the icon where it appears to see the full African Safari Journals top three list.
Memberships in Associations and Societies unfortunately isn't a fool proof measure of the quality and credibility of a safari company but they do have to adhere to certain minimum standards to obtain membership so it's a step in the right direction. Accredited memberships for each company are shown.
Established in 1997 and run by Gabriele and Dave, this company has their head office in Nairobi to provide tailor made safaris throughout Kenya...
A husband and wife team, Brian and Karen Singer joined forces in 2004 to form the company. They deal with pre-travel planning and Michael manages the on-the-ground logistics...
Owned and managed by the Dutch born Magda Vrijs working together with her Tanzanian partners Edward Mollel and Shedrack Mofulu. More recently...
Connie Ebright is a US based travel agent that has specialized in African safaris for more than a decade. She is passionate about Africa and returns at least once a year...
Since 2003, African Safari Journals has been helping people plan and make decisions about their safaris all over Africa. The company is based in South Africa near the Kruger National Park...
Lawson's Birding, Wildlife and Custom Safaris is a family owned and operated business, specialising in birding and wildlife trips to the very best Southern African destinations...
Wild Wings is a small organisation which was founded by two brothers. They conduct set itineraries as well as arrange tailor made safaris. The brothers themselves are well travelled and select destinations, camps and lodges according to their experience...
Shenton Safaris - Zambia
Top 3 Zambia Safari Company List
Shenton safaris is a family business owned and managed by Derek and Juliet Shenton. The Shenton family have been intimately involved in conservation in Southern Africa for three generations.
Memberships:
They operate exclusively from two small camps, Kaingo (built in 1992) and Mwamba, situated away from the hustle and bustle within the South Luangwa National Park in Zambia.
Rates
Category: 
/ 
(make an enquiry) / Free Safari Photography eBook... 
EuroZulu Tours & Safaris
Situated in the town St Lucia this company specialises in safaris to the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve in Kwazulu-Natal South Africa but they also do turtle tours, a Cape Vidal Experience and salt water fly fishing trips.
Jeff Asher-Wood is the owner-guide who has been described as South Africa's answer to the late Steve Irwin and he also has a reputation as the "big cat man" because of his knack for spotting felines on safari. See the latest EuroZulu Safaris Reviews
Memberships:
Rates
Category:
(make an enquiry) / Free Safari Photography eBook...
Across
Tanzania Expeditions
Offers private safaris for individuals, couples or
small groups of related individuals.
This Africa tour operators destinations include Mt Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar, the Serengeti,
Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara. See the latest Across Tanzania Expeditions Reviews
Rates
Category:
Founded by brothers Garth, Brendan and Andrew Jenman this Africa tour operators company has been around since 1993, when it started off as a specialist camping operator.
Since then they have expanded and diversified the product range to include the whole gamut of possible safari types in a total of fourteen African countries. Based in South Africa. See the latest Jenman Safaris Reviews
Memberships:
Rates
Category:
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More Africa Tour Operators Reviews
Click below to see contributions from other safari travellers...
Guided Madagascar Road Trip
Seeing the endangered tree-dwelling indri in the wild was a highlight - but more significantly, hearing their haunting wail. To me, the indri song is the …
Kruger, Swaziland and St Lucia Safari
We did a self-drive trip and had no problem with self guiding, the details on the excel sheet were very appreciable and easy to follow. We booked it all …
August Safari to Kenya and Tanzania
We went on a 21-day trip to Kenya & Tanzania visiting various parks. The safari companies were recommended by friends. It was good and we saw all the animals …
Big and Small Cats on Safari
An exciting moment for me was a serval cat hunting right next to our truck (maybe 10 feet away). I am a huge fan of the small cats so it was a real treat. …
Observe Animals in Silence
It was wonderful observing different animals' behaviour for a long time in silence rather than spotting the actual animal. Also, we loved the beautiful …
Kobo Safaris Review
The guides were knowledgeable and respectful, they knew about animals of course, but also about the local customs and traditions which made our trip very …
Tailor Made Safari in Southern Africa
Our safari was a wonderful experience and we are planning our next trip to Africa already. We saw all the animals of Africa and a lot of birds. Safari …
Kalahari, Delta and Hwange
The Delta has by far the most wildlife. It was flooded and beautiful. My highlight was 4 black maned lions just resting - we watched for about an hour. …
Gondwana Tours & Safaris Review
In every camp the accommodation was excellent; all beverages were included; I had enough space in the car – even for my extensive photographic equipment. …
Cats and Dogs on Safari
On the third day we saw cheetahs just across the road but standing in the grass and watching us. One leaped a distance away and the guide told us they …
8-week Overland Safari
The definite highlight was the gorillas. Definitely the best thing we have ever done. The excitement when you see that first gorilla and the adrenaline …
Odyssey Safaris Review
Our guide, Eliud, has 19 years experience and was both extremely knowledgeable about the land and wildlife and a solicitous and excellent traveling companion. …
Private Safari Review: Tanzania
One of the things I liked most was eating dinner with our guide each night. It was a totally unexpected bonus to sit with him and chat about Tanzania …
Colobus Trust Volunteering Report
I loved my volunteering stint. The Colobus Trust works in different areas – animal welfare (rescuing injured & orphan animals) + feeding, creating enrichments …
Orphaned Giraffe: Volunteer Work
The highlight of my trip was to look after Duke the orphaned giraffe; he was only 2 weeks old when he came to the centre as he was dropped on a rock whilst …
Exceptional Kilimanjaro Guide
Joshua's insight, compassion, humility, knowledge and self belief, attention to detail and assertiveness is exemplary. Looking back on what we achieved, …
Chagga Tours Review
I used Chagga Tours, Moshi, Tanzania for my climb of Mt Kilimanjaro. They did fine – the guides, food, equipment, and porters were all good. I chose them …
Summit Expeditions & Nomadic Experience
Reaching the summit was something I never thought possible and I will always remember the incredible feeling of standing on the "top of Africa". The 4 …
Kiliwarriors Review
My decision to choose a good guide and porters team was taken in Arusha after I met other guides and porters teams. It was difficult for me to choose a …
Sunny Adventures Kilimanjaro Climb
We climbed Mt Kilimanjaro successfully. It was a trip of our life, in particular for my wife because it was her first time visit to Africa. We booked …
Kilimanjaro Report
I did summit thanks to the guys at Team Kilimanjaro!! They are the best!! Couldn't have asked for anything else!! I was travelling alone and was a bit …
Ringo Expeditions Review
I thoroughly recommend the climb, as long as you are fit enough to walk for about 6 hours a day, no other expertise required. It was very rewarding and …
Kilitreks & Safaris Review
I chose the Lemosho route – it's longer and allowed more time to acclimatize – starts in the Rain Forest. The highlight of my Mt Kilimanjaro climb was …
10-day South Africa Safari
Fabrice and his friends and family did a 10-day trip taking in the Blyde River Canyon, Kruger National Park, Swaziland and the St Lucia area in KZN where …
Matetsi Water Lodge Review
During a morning drive we saw a herd of buffalo tucked closely together so our amazing guide drove up closer and we spotted what we thought was a hyena …
Madagascar Cruise Review
Given the abrupt changes in our Madagascar itinerary totally out of their control (see below), Travel Dynamics did an outstanding job of adapting to the …
Worry Free Safari
We saw so many animals, that it would be impossible to list them all here! But my very favourite moment was spotting a leopard with a kill (a gazelle of …
Ziara Safaris Review
We found pairs of lions resting in the midday sun in tiny patches of shade, and another male lion hidden under a bush. You got so close them that you could …
Trip of a lifetime with Jenman Safaris
After being in several tours over the last 10 months I would have to say that Jenman Safaris is definitely one of the best.
In May 2010 my partner and …
Passionate Guide Makes All The Difference
One of the leopard sightings was particularly amazing because we were the ones to find it! Our guide told us that the monkeys were using alarm calls which …
Magnificent Kruger Safari
A male lion feeding on a zebra was a highlight and the first of the big five we spotted about 15 minutes into our safari the first afternoon when we arrived. …
Namibia Lodge Safari
Something I noticed whilst booking this holiday, was that the size of the camps is significantly larger than in many other parts of Africa. This meant …
Southern Africa Gap Safari
No more than 10 metres away the most enormous male hippo popped its head up in the same pool of water as us. There is nothing more beautiful and overwhelming …
Arathusa Safari Lodge Review
The service was generally very good. We liked the professional and caring attitude of the staff. As we were repeaters, we felt a little bit at home and …
Uganda Wildlife and People - Review
African Jungles Safaris exceeded our expectations and I cannot wait to book another safari with them in the near future!! My father was apprehensive at …
Uganda National Parks Holiday
As it was my second time to Uganda, I knew what to expect and everything worked out well for me. Apart from the wildlife, the best part was hiking at Rwenzori …
Marangu Hotel Trek Review
Mornings on the mountain were beautiful... the rising sun, a cup of coffee, the clouds below you... I rate my climb 7/10... only because I didn't reach …
Mt Kilimanjaro with Zara Tours
Uhuru peak, reaching the top and seeing the sun rise over Africa was just amazing. The trip was fantastic and we had nothing to complain about. We had …
Mt Kilimanjaro - Lemosho Route
The early morning of summit day you feel bad, your feet are taking you forward, it is very cold, the water has frozen in your bottle, it's dark and you …
Lemosho Route Climb
The benefit of climbing earlier was that there were absolutely no other people on the trail or on the summit. It definitely made the trip awesome. Not …
Zara Tours Review
My highlight has to be the same as everyone else, reaching the summit with my three friends. So much preparation and determination went into this once …
Self Drive Overland Safari
Our wildlife highlight was seeing a lion kill in Etosha. I attribute this to being on a self-drive trip and being able to wait around to be in the right …
Self Guided Safari Is The Way To Go
We saw a male lion first thing walking down the road towards us on the main road & ended our drive with a cheetah near Crocodile Bridge rest camp. In between …
Rongai Route Review
My Kilimanjaro highlights include sunrise over Mawenzie viewed from Kibo, Uhuru summit, views of Kenya and Mawenzie from all angles; the security we felt …
Team Kilimanjaro Review
The whole climb was amazing, and realizing that walking above the clouds we were up where a lot of planes fly. If I had to pick one highlight, it was the …
Mountain Gorilla
The main reason it is so unique is because you get so close to them and you get to stay with them for some time. You are not just driving by as it is with …
Sossusvlei Mountain Lodge
If you want to see the Big Five, this place is not for you. We saw a surprising amount of game for such an arid area, though, including leopard, giraffe, …
Overseas Adventure Travel
We saw all of the big five except for the rhino. We saw two packs of wild dogs, zebras, and giraffes. The spotting highlight was the lion and leopard. …
Go2Africa Safari
We met a group of college students in Entebbe that were just full of wonder and questions. They were so friendly, fun and gave us just a great feeling …
Self-guided Etosha
There were 5 cars at the start. The lions were sleeping. The cars left then the lions started playing. The light turned golden. It was super. We were the …
Tropical Birding Review Part 2
With the tips in the e-book, I was able to change my composure from the whole animal to a shot of only part of the animal i.e.: eye, tail, mane, ear, etc. …
Tropical Birding Review
Our guide, Josh Engle, was outstanding!! His attention to our enjoyment and complete safari experience was above and beyond anything I expected. Safari …
Guided Kenya Safari Feedback
Our safari was absolutely fantastic and we have some brilliant photos. However our safari driver/guide was a huge disappointment and it was annoying to …
African Jungles Safaris Review
The gorilla trek was the main reason for my tour and also the wildlife highlight! Other highlights were the visit to the pygmy village, my great guide …
ATC Overland Safari
It was great making friends from all over the world on our truck. I'd do it again in a heartbeat! Malawi was the highlight of my overland safari - a wonderful …
Volunteer Work in Kruger - Part 2
We watched two elephants tumbling over each other in a water hole. These majestic animals played for about half an hour as the sun set behind them, and …
Volunteer Work in Kruger
This female leopard crossed the road right behind us. She was trying to get to her kill, which was an impala stuffed up a tree, but a young male lion was …
Uganda Photo Safari
We saw a pride of lions lying down in the grassland. There were no other tourists around and the area was eerily still. A few kob and buffalo stood nearby …
Group Safari Uganda
I am an amateur birder and the different species were fabulous. I saw fish eagles, grey crowned crane, bee-eaters and so many more. The birds in Africa …
Independent and Guided Safari Combo
Our trip was absolutely fantastic!!!!! So many highlights it would take a book to tell you about.
Itinerary Collected rental car at Johannesburg airport …
Madagascar Tour
The warmth of the local people and their caring, giving and welcoming nature was a highlight on my tour to mainly the East side of Madagascar. Operator …
Zimbabwe and Botswana Safari
The small aircraft flights were great. The people of Botswana and Zimbabwe were very warm and provided us with some great food and a comfortable stay. …
Gomo Gomo Lodge Review
We followed a leopard that was stalking an impala. We found the leopard around late afternoon one day and kept following it until darkness. Safari Lodge …
South Africa Tour
We were a group of 18 people between 39 and 68 years old, and travelled South Africa by bus for 24 days including Johannesburg, the Panorama Route (God's …
SENE Review
Our group of 6 just returned from climbing Mt Kilimanjaro, and except for summiting in the worst weather of the 2 weeks (Tues, 10 Feb), it was a truly …
Enjoying Madagascar With Jenman
The highlight has to be at Andasibe, where we got to visit a place called Lemur island. Here we were able to see habituated lemurs (although they live …
Machame Route With Arunga Expedition
I managed to summit, thank God. My guide Stanley was very good and he took care of me very well prior to summit day, as he was aware that I usually get …
Kibo Camp Experience
We started our day very early at 6 am because of the heat and we went off for a game drive until 9 am, in which we go for the less crowded places. Then …
Kenya Walking Safari
We enjoyed the walking safari especially as this was very safe and fantastic to walk with zebra right beside you just a few meters away. We saw all the …
South Luangwa Wild Dogs
South Luangwa is home to the Thornicrofts giraffe and Cookson's wildebeest however the highlight of the trip for me was seeing a small pack of wild dogs. …
Huge Lion Pride
The wildlife highlight of our most recent trip was seeing the Mwamba lion pride near Kaingo. There were 17 lions and this was apparently only half the …
Sirimon Route Climb Report
We entered Mt Kenya via the Sirimon route and exited via the Chogoria route. I strongly recommend this as Sirimon is drier, offers great views of the peaks …
Robin Pope Photographic Tour
In terms of unusual sightings how about: Lions mating right next to our car, lions swimming across a river to get to the other side, a leopard with his …
Botswana Is Best
The 8 days camping in Botswana was terrific! We had never camped before and had the time of our lives. We really felt like we were in Africa! My advice …
Bushbaby Safaris Review
We spent two hours cruising the Chobe river, watching the birds and the animals. Nearly got dunked in the river when the pontoon boat tilted forward ( …
Climbing Mt Kenya
Reaching the peak of Mt. Kenya and the flowers, birds, monkeys and elephants were the highlights of our climb. The trek started at Nanyuki and both my …
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Safari
We saw two groups of lions: some females and a male with cubs ( next to a very smelly kill ), and a group of four male lions, right next to the car. We …