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Client Testimonials

"Clients thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and would love to do another trip in the future ! "

Lynne

"All flights great, transfers perfect, great drivers with lots of knowledge. Rissington…loved it, food wonderful! Nottens was brill, fantastic game viewing and trackers/drivers. Loved the setting, food great too! Motswari we loved! Super game viewing, great trackers/drivers. We loved the Giraffe’s Nest, we got a super sunset, the stars were fantastic and a stunning sunrise. All in all a fantastic trip enjoyed fully by us both, thanks for all your help. "

Gill

"Just to let you know we have arrived back safely from our trip to South Africa. It was truly the holiday of a lifetime. Sandals - Superb. Fugitives Drift - Superb. Lions Valley Lodge - Just WOW! I nearly cried when we saw our beautiful rooms. The Car rentals and flights all went smoothly (apart from delayed flight in Cape town to Dubai and they didn't wait with our connection to Manchester and had 7 hours to wait for next flight. - A little blot but obviously out of our control). I am writing this just to thank you so much for your patience in organising our trip. It really was amazing. We are extremely grateful to you. "

Linda

"Just to let you know that we had a wonderful holiday. Lovely hotels, excellent service, great rooms. Kambaku lodge was a superb experience and we shall have enduring memories of our proximity to so many animals, Thank you; everything worked perfectly."

Mr K

"We had a lovely time. We are not used to such luxury! All the accommodation you booked for us was excellent and we were well looked after. We struggled a bit with Shamwari, as they wanted to feed us too well and we felt embarrassed to refuse. They even baked a birthday cake for me, which was a lovely touch, if a little too much for the waistline! We managed to visit Robben island and to climb Table mountain. The three spare nights we spent at Boulders beach and Stellenbosch, in accommodation we booked ourselves. The car hire worked fine even without a credit card and all flights were on time. The only criticism I had was the bicycle at Leisure Isle Lodge, was a back peddling brake type, which I found rather difficult to ride. I have already passed that on to them. I would have cycled further if I had felt more confident. "

Ann

"One word - fantastic! Julie and I would like to thank you for a great holiday. The hotels were first class, flights went without a hitch and the safari at Lion Sands was simply out of this world. Thank you again for organising a trip of a lifetime. "

Nick & Julie

"Just to reiterate what I said when we spoke on the phone that what a unforgettable holiday we had at Victoria Falls and then South Africa. If you could pass on our comments on our holiday to all those who made it possible. The Ilala Lodge hotel was first class and a short walk to the falls which were spectacular. Our room at the hotel was excellent along with the service and the hotel Resturant. We booked a boat trip using the hotel boat and guide along the Zambezi below the Falls, where we saw hippopotami in the river along with elephants bathing on riverbank along with other wildlife. The guide was very informative and told and explained lots. We were a bit apprehensive about our connecting flights and our luggage but all went smoothly. From Heathrow to Zimbabwe and Port Elizabeth to Kruger and our return to Heathrow. We booked our own accommodation in Cape Town and Plettenberg Bay, we did not want to stay in large hotels all the time, but we found some really good guest houses which we would thoroughly recommend. Cape Town, Robben Island, Table Mountain and near surrendering areas were fantastic, the red bus tours were ideal to get around Cape Town. Plettenberg Bay has a great beach and restaurants, we stayed there for 5 days and explored surrounding towns or just chilled. One of the nicest surprises of the holiday was our one night stay at the Rissington Inn at Hazyview on our way to Kruger, this hotel was so nice, peaceful, fantastic restaurant complete with a hammock on the véranda of our villa, we would love to go back to this hotel and stay longer and explore the area. The most unforgettable part of our trip though was our stay at Thorny Bush Game Reserve. The lodge and accommodation were brilliant. Each lodge is not overlooked from the next lodge and they surround the river / watering hole where the animals sometimes gather, there was an outside shower, inside shower and bathroom with glass wall overlooking the river, you can sit in the bath and look out if so desired. The game drives were unbelievable, we saw the big five plus lots of other animals. The guide and tracker in our vehicle were exceptional, their knowledge and understanding of the animals was astounding. We even stopped for tea and biscuits on the game drive, but in a clearing. Many thanks to yourself, Spears and African Pride for organising and giving us an unforgettable holiday. "

Frank & Jenny

"We rate the holiday 9.5 out of 10. Overall the quality of every hotel was the high standard we expected. Only one aspect failed to meet the required level. This will be covered in detail in the appropriate section. Pre Holiday Information supplied by African Pride was good perhaps a small independent guide could be a beneficial addition but as SA is so large and diverse a "small" guide might be impossible to find!!! Cape town and Ground Agent Ilios Ilios proved to be a reliable transport provider. They were at the airport on arrival. Their welcome was very positive with a smiling face and supportive hand with the luggage. Journey to the Hotel was quick and informative. The night before each of the 3 days we were on tours run by Ilios we received a letter in our hotel room reminding us of the trip and at which time Ilios would collect us. They were always prompt, never late with the guides very helpful and informative. The small coaches used were a bit cramped but ok for a sightseeing day trip. Where one sat was very much down to pot luck depending on how many passengers had already been collected. We were never first to be collected so had to make do with what was left which on a couple of occasions was not very much!! Tour:- Cape Hope Good informative tour with variety of locations …. 8 out of 10 Tour Winelands Excellent trip. Very informative and knowledgeable guide. Excellent locations visited …. 11 out of 10 (nothing to do with the wonderful wine at Marianne Vineyard!!) Tour Table Mountain and City Regrettably table Mountain was covered in thick cloud so plan B of the tour had to be adopted. This meant streeaatching the rest of the day between the city sights. Out guide did his best so we did learn a lot about the history of the city. maybe a 7 out of 10 as it was the weather that changed the plan of the day but maybe Ilios could consider slightly more content for plan b . Table Bay Hotel We recognise that we chose the hotel so this is for info only. The Hotel front desk and front of house staff are excellent but unfortunately let down by maintenance and housekeeping ( plus a couple of the habits of service staff in the main breakfast restaurant) The swimming pool was dirty and so cloudy one couldn't see the bottom. Various items, such as soap rack, door stop, sink plug, in the bedroom we broken and left unrepaired. The bedroom was never cleaned completely. All items reported to the hotel. None were of such importance to lodge complaints on a daily basis ( this only serves to spoil one's holiday). In the breakfast restaurant ( which had wonderful views over the V&A to Table Mountain) the serving staff would carry a cloth to clean the tables in preparation for the next client. However they also cleaned plates, cups and cutlery with the same cloth. We cleaned our own with our serviette!! The hotel's location was excellent being on the V&A …. never a dull moment with lots of shopping. One recommendation is Willoughby's Seafood Restaurant …. a must to visit especially for seafood, sushi and sashimi lovers Classic Garden Tour We would describe this as the soft centre of the holiday. Whilst the scenery and most to the locations visited were excellent certain aspects construed to make this part only 5 out of 10. Lets cover the downsides first. Coach …. far too small There were 14 passengers and 2 Ilios staff crammed in to a 18 seater mini bus. The same used for day trips out of Cape Town which had 10 in at most. This was the smallest vehicle we have ever been on for such a tour. No storage space for hand baggage as the overhead shelves were exceptionally small. The result was hand luggage had to kept on the floor in the limited space available. With the long journeys of up to 500 kms in a single day everyone was stiff and aching at the end of the day. The trip was 3 nights and 4 days which on the routes taken was far too much and should have been covered in 4 nights and 5 days.... everything seemed to be rushed with certain aspects missed out. However a much better coach would be needed if the tour was extended and of course an appropriate price adjustment. However please consider this might be the only time we do the Garden Route so one extra day and a bit more cost would not be unreasonable. Driver. He was excellent. Everyone felt very safe with him at all times. Guide Most probably the worse guide we have ever had on a multi day excursion such as this. Regrettably this was also the view of many of our fellow passengers. She had very limited inter-personal skills which meant she failed to establish any repour with her passengers. She would publicly tease or mock individuals something she seemed to enjoy doing but she could not take it if the tables were turned. Infact she became quite angry and aggressive. At lunch times we were taken to the most inappropriate restaurants, none of which reflected or demonstrated the high quality of South African catering. It was also an insult to the passengers to see our guide leave the restaurant with another bottle of wine wrapped in a brown paper bag. Was this an incentive to go to the restaurant? You decide. On Day 2, rather than having time in Knysna to wander the promenade and go to a restaurant of our own choosing ( as was the itinerary), we were taken to a children's adventure park in some woods in the middle of now where. We were then given a limited time to order and eat something before moving on to the river boat trip. River Boat Trip Dreadful …. really I mean dreadful. An old flat bottomed vessel which had seen better days a long time ago and had not enjoyed an engine service for a long time going by the fumes and gases being let off. We were sat on old dinning chars which were not fixed to the floor. There was no safety briefing or life jackets.... were life jackets even on board?? The river trip was boring with limited features to see. A complete waste of time … again a view shared by many. Overnight Accommodation Hog Hollow Excellent …. just as one imagines a lodge to be. Excellent service and quality. Good quality staff. Good food although I would recommend more "no cost" options for the main course at dinner. Would definitely recommend and return Llangana Lodge A lovely small establishment. very friendly and good quality. Only downside was the lack of dinner provided. This meant we were taken to another restaurant chosen by of guide. This was poor by South African standards. I would prefer not to eat rather than return to this restaurant. Tsitsikamma National Park Nice to visit but we overstayed our welcome having far too much time there which meant we then chased time travelling down the N2 to Port Elizabeth Cango Caves Excellent, interesting excursion … well worth the time. A good Guide. Ostrich Farm Visit A bit rushed as we were late arriving but well worth the time. Informative and amusing. A good guide who demonstrated how it should be done. Birds of Eden A very good excursion but again slightly tainted by the guide. She made a fuss of her arrival and when Mrs Gill expressed interest in a souvenir the guide announced that the establishment would give a good discount implying that was because of the relationship she had with the place. After the end of tour my wife went to make the purchase but no discount was forth coming. Maybe a better reflection of the actual relationship between the company and the guide. No 5 Boutique Wonderful gem of a hotel to unwind at the end of the trip. Gratuities At every point we had "gratuities" rammed down our throats by the guide… How much to pay as a minimum and how much would be the norm. This became very tedious and at times insulting, thus becoming counter productive and consequently ignored. Kariega Game Reserve and Settler's Drift Words are too limiting to describe how much we enjoyed the accommodation, wild life drives, atmosphere and catering at Settler's Drift. Definitely 15 or maybe 20 out 10. To comment negatively on any aspect would be crass nit-picking at its very worse. Time flew by. Unique experiences on the drives were experienced almost hourly. Just quite a magical place to have the privilege to enjoy. We would return to any of the hotels and lodges on the trip but Settler's Drift is right up with the very best we have stayed at around the world in over 40 years of travelling both long and short haul. Once again Ilios were on time for each of the transfers. The cars used for this part of the trip were modern 4x4's which were very comfortable and clean. "

Mr Gill

"All the arrangements worked out perfectly, all the hotels were absolutely fab. All the transfers were very good and everything just worked perfectly. Thank you for all your work in planning the holiday, it certainly was the trip of a lifetime. The only problem is that we will have to go back at some point! Sanbona was a real experience. We were very lucky to see so many animals. The food and staff there were fab and very friendly. Mont Rochelle was truly wonderful. As soon as we arrived, Peter at reception made bookings for us for wine tastings and lunch the next day - all his choice and he really went beyond what we would have expected. He even arranged for the hotel driver to ferry us around. Customer service at its very best. "

James & Sara

"I must say we had a fabulous time! Rovos Rail was an absolute highlight, we couldn’t fault it. Four Rosmead, Cape Town is a fab boutique hotel with great staff. At Leeu House, Franschhoek we had a day doing wine tasting followed by lunch on their terrace.... just stunning. The location on the high street was great and a mini bus service where ever we wanted to go was a pleasant surprise. We would recommend this hotel to anyone! Chitwa Chitwa. Did we see the big 5?... a big yes! We had a leopard with a kill 10 metres outside our room (then noisily stolen by hyena at 2am). We saw a leopard kill a wart hog, plus wild dogs with an antelope kill. Staff and accommodation amazing! A fab trip which we both thoroughly enjoyed and would do again... "

Chris & Mandy

"All hotels were great, with excellent service from Leopard Tours. Pongwe in Zanzibar - the location on a private beach was perfect and the hotel staff excellent. "

Mr & Mrs D

"Well, still in a state of total joy actually – what a trip! We loved Cloud 9! - For those who like the quirky, fun and friendly. The Millers Thumb - The best restaurant in Cape Town in our view! Outstanding for food, atmosphere and thoughtfulness of staff. Booking is recommended though. Ilios delivered utterly brilliant transport. – Helpful, informed and always on time. The guides were splendid – really well informed, helpful and efficient. Winchester Mansions is awfully beautiful – we really loved it, with super helpful staff. We were most impressed that when we asked for a taxi into town, they have their own private car that took us off down to District 6 Museum. Pom Pom had a great family atmosphere, it really felt like a very, very special place to be. We’ve never been anywhere as remote as Pom Pom before. We saw just about everything except rhinos, and had hippos a plenty (I love hippos!) It was the closest I’ve ever been to a leopard. As my husband is partially sighted and I’m disabled, once they grasped the problem, they were wonderful. They used the cool box to help me get in the vehicle and I managed to clamber into the light aircraft with a bit of effort, so all was well. Sadly, for my husband, there was not a lot they could do about the atmospheric lack of light at night! I am a veggie, and Pom Pom went to great pains to prepare suitable food for me. The food was really good too. "

Dick & Teresa, London

"We got back here this morning on the overnight plane. Just to say it was all absolutely fantastic, and everything ran like clockwork. We can't thank you enough for all you have done with the arrangements. Royal Chundu River Lodge was superb and we're so glad we went to Muchenje as that was marvellous as well, and the Cape Grace was the best hotel we have ever stayed in. All in all wonderful."

Mrs K, Norwich

"We just wanted to thank you for organizing our recent African homecoming trip. It was fabulous with the driver / guides making all the difference. They were excellent, particularly Mike in Malawi and Fraser in Zambia. It was all so mind expanding and I would recommend that trip to everyone. There is a reason why they call Malawi 'The Warm Heart of Africa'"

Mr E, London

"We had the trip of a lifetime; the places you booked us into were of the very highest standard in terms of accommodation, food and service. You are to be commended for using African Pride; everyone we met on our travels who had gone to South Africa with them had nothing but praise."

Ms L, Basingstoke

"We just wanted to say such a heartfelt thank you for the most incredible time that we had at Ulusaba. Before leaving the UK I had a dream in my head of how mine and Jody's wedding would be. The time that we spent at Ulusaba with you far exceeded any of my hopes and dreams."

Mr & Mrs W, East Sussex

"We should like to express our thanks for arranging such a memorable holiday to South Africa for us. We shall not hesitate to use African Pride in the future as we have been very impressed with the service you offer. We are already thinking about a return trip to South Africa next year!"

Mrs D, Warwickshire

"Bushmans Kloof was stunning and we’re glad we had 3 nights there - one of the highlights of the holiday, so thanks for recommending it. Accommodation and staff were superb, food excellent and the afternoon tea was as good as Mount Nelson. A wonderful holiday, many thanks to you for putting it all together. We would certainly use and African Pride again."

Mr & Mrs K, East Sussex

"The Oceana Hotel at Port Alfred was an excellent choice as a finale to our holiday - a long walk along a beautiful and deserted beach was a fitting end to a ‘once in a lifetime’ holiday. The trip was a total success and that is to a great extent down to your expertise, friendly advice and excellent organisation - and a touch of patience, too! Please accept our thanks to you, and all the staff at African Pride. We shall have no hesitation in recommending African Pride to our friends and any other potential travellers."

Mr & Mrs M, Hull

"Thank you for helping make our trip something we will remember for the rest of our lives."

Miss J, London

"Had an absolutely amazing trip and loved every minute of it. It’s great to be able to deal with such a friendly and helpful tour operator that you know you can 100% trust."