Category: Traveller reviews

2020’s Happy Travellers!

Posted on by Lexi Hall

It’s been longer than we’d like since we’ve been able to travel anywhere and we’re all looking forward to hitting the long, open road or catching a flight to our next bush, seaside or mountain retreat. A big thank you to all those who’ve travelled with us this year… and to those who are yet to, we cannot wait to welcome you to our shores.

As we anticipate the future of travel, let us take a moment to reflect and look back at some of our top 2020 travel reviews:

Thank you, Lauren Fryer!
Thank you, Lauren Fryer, for assisting us with a last-minute first South African safari to Madikwe Safari Lodge. Your professionalism and expertise were second to none. Some highlights of the trip included flying into Madikwe with Federal Airlines where we spotted elephants from the air, meeting our highly knowledgeable and passionate Game Ranger Wesson and of course the animals in their natural environment. Thank you to everyone involved for making it better than we could ever have dreamed of. – Sian Mikkelsen

Outstanding from start to finish
Outstanding from start to finish. Terri, Lauren and team put together an itinerary that more than met any expectations we had. Our first family experience in Africa was really life-changing and we can’t wait to return! Hard to compare the 3 locations as each was so rich in different experiences. The staff were amazing throughout.

Zambia African Safari - The perfect family destination

Zambia African Safari Travel

 

What an incredible experience we had with Iconic Africa
What an incredible experience we had with Iconic Africa and our Representative Bev. From the incredible attention to detail in planning our trip to prompt communication, Iconic Africa is a first-class agency that I would highly recommend. – Paul J. Boes

Mchenja Zambia South Luangwa - Between game drives unwind in your bathtub, watching the river flowing past through the floor to ceiling windows

Iconic Africa helped make my first trip to Africa truly ICONIC!!!
Before visiting Africa I’d travelled for nearly 30 years across 28 different countries.

The African continent had always been on my list but the thought of planning a trip like this across multiple countries was daunting.

Having travelled so much for business over the years I pride myself in DIY travel but I wouldn’t have had a clue on where to start for 3 weeks and 4 countries in Africa. Iconic Africa came highly recommended by a former colleague and they didn’t disappoint.

I have to especially thank Lauren Fryer for her attentiveness, responsiveness and passionate follow-up to assure there were no surprises.

This was one of the best vacations/pleasure trips I’ve ever had. Top 2 rivalled only by my honeymoon in the Maldives and I’ve already booked a second trip with Iconic Africa! – James Hollis

iconic-africa-east-africa-migration-african-luxury-safaris

Iconic Africa – Amazing!
Iconic Africa was amazing. Lauren and John planned our honeymoon itinerary perfectly and everything ran smoothly without a single hiccup. We travelled through Vic Falls, Cape Town, Franschhoek and Sabi Sands – and had the trip of a lifetime. The car/plane transfers were all on schedule and professional; the accommodation in each city was stunning and well located, and the recommendations for activities/restaurants were even better. I can highly recommend their service and would not hesitate using them again. – Mitch

 

Highly recommend Iconic Africa
Iconic Africa helped us arrange our Honeymoon in Kenya and Tanzania and the experience was absolutely incredible! Not only did we absolutely love the camps we visited – &Beyond’s Mnemba Island and Masai Mara Bateleur camp – but Iconic Africa did an excellent job arranging our complete agenda, including flights and transfers, which were all seamless and managed by very professional and pleasant employees. We can’t express how much we loved our trip and were impressed with Iconic Africa’s arrangements and communications with us. Thank you, John and Bev! – Sophie Susman

Balloon Safari Iconic Africa Tanzania Desert 2

Booking a trip in Africa seemed intimidating, Iconic Africa made it easy.
Booking a trip in Africa seemed daunting to us. Bev at Iconic Africa made the process incredibly smooth. She provided excellent recommendations for accommodations and was incredibly responsive to our needs when we were on the trip. Would use Iconic Africa again when we travel to the continent next time. – Justin Gaudenzi

Amazing Rwanda at Singita Kwitonda
If hiking to see the gorilla in their natural habitat is on your bucket list, by all means, stay at Singita Kwitonda, a brand new camp at the base of the dormant volcanic mountains in Rwanda. First-class luxurious cabins, with magnificent views, and all the extras synonymous with a Singita property. The staff are incredible and the food and wine top of the line! On top of all that, the drive to the gorilla welcome centre is just minutes away! Truly a memorable experience not to be missed! – Geri Potter

Bisate Lodge Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Rooms

Contact us here so that we can help you plan your next luxury African safari now.

Traveller Review – Becky Rasor

Posted on by Lexi Hall

Iconic Africa Traveller, Becky Rasor recently returned from her first time visiting Africa! 

Her mum Danae Prousis took Becky, her sister Katherine and brother Greg on their first safari. This wonderful family quickly created lasting memories in the bush, met new people, and built relationships in such a short time at each location. They had an adventurous trip, visiting Arusha National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater, Southern Serengeti, the Masai Mara, Nairobi and Aberdare.  Becky has been kind enough to chat to us about her time in Africa – here’s what she had to say: 

Q: Was this your first time to Africa? 

A: Yes!

Q: What was your first impression? 

A: The most stunning landscapes and kindest people.

Q: What surprised you the most about it? 

A: I didn’t expect to develop close relationships in such a short time with the different people I met along our journey. They are so proud of their country and make you feel like family. It’s a level of service and care that is difficult to replicate elsewhere.

Q: What is your favourite memory/experience at Giraffe Manor? 

A: Feeding the giraffes! One of the most special experiences. I also loved that the dinners were group dinners with other guests at the manor.

Q: Where in Africa do you want to safari next and why? 

A: Rwanda to see the gorillas.

Q: What did you spend most of your time doing while on safari? On game drives, cultural experiences or relaxation and self-care? 

A: Most of our time was spent on game drives admiring the beautiful landscapes and animals.

Q: Describe your trip to Africa in just 5 words? 

A: The trip of a lifetime.

Q: When do you think you will next visit Africa? 

A: Hopefully in the next five years 

Q: If there’s anything you could tell people who have never visited Africa what would it be? 

A: Visiting Africa helped to bring me back to reality and put things into perspective. You have a moment where it’s just you and nature and nothing else matters. I think everyone deserves that opportunity to reconnect with themselves and the world.

A Whirlwind Adventure

Posted on by Lexi Hall

Deborah and Jim Mills have just settled back in New Zealand after an unforgettable trip to Africa. They went on a whirlwind adventure from North Eastern Tanzania to the award-winning Londolozi. They certainly had a magical trip and plan to return in 2021. Deb and Jim have very kindly shared some of their experiences from their trip and a few tips for those visiting soon:

“Iconic Africa did it again! A trip to Africa that felt like something out of a National Geographic production. Absolutely awesome.” – Bev Mills 

“We fell in love with the bush 12 years ago in the Sabi Sands on an excursion offered after a conference. Our first sighting was a giraffe ambling across the road, later came the elephants, leopards and lions. We only stayed four nights, but immediately began to plan our return. While sitting in the Federal Air terminal, I picked up a book, “I Speak of Africa” by Shan Varty and Molly Buchanon, and I was hooked. It was clear that Londolozi had to be part of our next trip, and it has continued to be the anchor to our travels on each of our visits. It was at Londolozi that we met John Holley, now of Iconic Africa, who introduced us to the fabulous bush, as well as South African hospitality. Subsequently, the Iconic Africa team has planned many more adventures for us, always choosing the perfect lodges and locations.

Our trip this year in late July, early August, to Tanzania and South Africa was spectacular. We stayed at the Arusha Coffee Lodge, the Mara River Camp and Faru Faru in Tanzania, and Tswalu and Londolozi in South Africa.

There were so many highlights. The trip to Arusha National Park provided the opportunity to photograph the colobus monkeys, and to see an albino baboon. Our guide, Antony Kivuko, positioned us perfectly so that we could spend an extended period photographing the monkeys, with no one else around.

It was our second visit to the Mara River Tented Camp, and it felt like coming home. The people there are special. Herman Charles, our butler/waiter, was a pure delight, teaching us phrases in Swahili and treating us like members of the family. Benson Mboya, our ranger, got us into the perfect position for each of the crossings. The crossings were an amazing experience. We could not believe the number of wildebeest in the Serengeti, and we saw at least half of the three million. We felt like we were in a National Geographic moment. Another highlight was seeing a herd of sixteen elephants crossing the Mara River. After watching the frenzied crossing of the wildebeest, the elephants were majestic and graceful, a sight that we will never forget. For anyone who wants to see the migration and a river crossing, The Mara River Camp is the perfect location.

Faru Faru provides a great opportunity to see the Serengeti Plains. We would definitely like to stay there longer next time. There were two special sightings at Faru Faru, the tree-climbing lions and the zebra migration at the water hole. It is also a great spot to view cheetahs.

Tswalu is very different, with the red sand desert and rocky mountains. It is a great place to see pangolin, aardvark, bat-eared foxes and meerkats. They let you get out of the range rover and follow the pangolin and aardvark on foot. For the meerkats, you arrive early in the morning, just as they are beginning to come out of the dens and acclimate to the cold. You are also able to get out of the vehicle to observe and photograph them. Winter is a great time to go because the nocturnal animals are out earlier and are easier to find. Tswalu also has a number of wild dogs, as well as cheetah, lions and rhino.

Our final stop was Londolozi, which never disappoints. There were leopards everywhere, as usual. The leaves were not out on many trees, making it excellent for photographing leopards. Seeing the three Birmingham male lions, along with the Ntsevu lionesses and cubs walk by the land rover was breathtaking. On our last day, we had the opportunity to view a cheetah, much to the delight of all. Londolozi is still is the best for consistent wildlife viewing that we have experienced, in terms of both variety and density. However, it is not only the wildlife that makes Londolozi special. The people, the culture and the environment all contribute to the magic of the place. Our guide, Alex Jordan, is an excellent photographer and he gave us new tips and also helped us edit photos in the studio. Our tracker, Lucky, was excellent, always able to read the tracks and the signs to find the elusive leopard. Pioneer is our favourite camp, and Trevor and Tais made us feel right at home.

And lastly…

Bev Van Schoor of Iconic Africa has repeatedly developed itineraries that have exceeded our dreams, as well as our expectations. We are so thankful for Bev’s patience and attention to detail that makes this experience absolutely worry-free. Thank you, Bev. We are looking forward to our next adventure.”

A big thank you to Deb and Jim – we look forward to having you back on African soil in 2021…

A BIG thank you to our travellers

Posted on by Lexi Hall

The end of the year is on us again and it’s time to reflect on all the wonderful moments the year has brought us. We have had the privilege of making many traveller’s safari dreams come true and we can’t wait to take you on more adventures! 

We’d like to take this opportunity to send a very special thank you to all our clients who have taken the time to review us on Trustpilot. We appreciate your continuous support and are thrilled that we have could be a part of your unforgettable African memories. 

We’ve had a look through our 2019 reviews and here are some of our favourites:

***

Pete Shelton – Absolutely the best!

Iconic was absolutely fantastic and exceeded our expectations with everything we did. All the drivers and guides were always helpful, kind, knowledgeable and always on time. There were no issues with any of the accommodation reservations, plane tickets or transfers. The itinerary was phenomenal and we would not change a thing. We will absolutely use Iconic the next time we venture to Africa (which we all are hoping will be sooner than later!).

 

Philip Jackman – Courteous, timely and very knowledgeable service!

Iconic Africa provided a truly unique travel experience and I would highly recommend their services to anyone travelling in and around South Africa. All of the lodging accommodations were first-rate in terms of service, food and location (urban and on safari). The guided tour recommendations were also well organized and easy to choose, and there was no pressure to choose a high-priced option over the more economical options. The tour companies are all well run, and every driver was on time and well trained about the tourist sites. Every step of the way, Iconic Africa was only a phone call or a WhatsApp message away for answering questions.

 

Christine Tessler – Our trip to Africa was outstanding

Our trip to Africa was outstanding! A highlight of the trip was how informative and knowledgeable the guides were, they made our trip so much more than we had hoped for. Every andBeyond place we stayed made us feel welcomed and cared for, we couldn’t have asked for anything more. Every detail was taken care of by Iconic Africa, they made our vacation one we will never forget. Thank you for everything!

Bev van Schoor was so helpful when we had questions and she listened to what we wanted and gave us so much more! I highly recommend her and Iconic Africa!

 

Phillip Vecchio – Treated like your memories matter

Iconic Africa treats you as if one of their own. Rather than sell tours or experiences, they read who you are, care about that mix, understand your reasons for travel and then give you a lifetime of indelible memories

 

Bob Pearlman – Iconic Africa is a top-notch…

Iconic Africa is a top-notch organization and extremely knowledgeable about travelling in southern Africa, especially as it has to do with safaris. They handled everything from start to finish (in Africa – we were responsible for arranging our flights to Johannesburg and back), including all transfers and flights within Africa, practically without a hitch (nobody’s perfect). Accommodations were mostly top of the line, and we had an excellent all-around experience.

 

Geri Potter – The Iconic Africa team were a dream to…

The Iconic Africa team were a dream to work with. They were able to, not only tick every box on our bucket list, but also provide us with a first-class experience from beginning to end. From the volcanic Ngorongoro crater in Tanzania to Victoria Falls, Zambia, a tented safari at Singita Mara to a gorgeous cabin at Singita Kwitonda and a hotel suite at The Cape Grace at the foot of Table Mountain, gorilla in Rwanda to elephant, lion, leopard and everything in between in Tanzania and, our favorite, the leopards of Londolozi! Iconic Africa can do it all! Thank you, John, Lauren and Terri!!

We can’t wait to have you back on African soil again soon. Until then…