Safari Drive レビュー 144

We had a great experience overall. The planning and booking process was easy, and the staff knowledgable. On the ground logistics were mostly seamless, though we did have one hiccup crossing the border from Botswana into Zambia. Generally that border is a crazy mess and an error in our documents made it more stressful. We made it through and I relayed the shortcomings to the staff, and I would imagine that this will be resolved for future crossings.

Vehicle, gear and directions were all top notch, we really have no complaints except that we can't go back again next year!

Second great experience with Safari Drive!

We had an amazing three weeks in Namibia which was organised for us. We camped 50% of our time on top of our car and slept in lodges. The car was excellent, big, stable and very well equipped with all the necessities. The itinerary was very well thought out with not too many miles a day and suggestions what to see and do. We were very happy with that, it gave us enough time to explore the nature and animals 'en route' and we could enjoy the campsite or lodge upon arrival. Some beautiful lodges we would not have been able to find without Safari Drive. Professional, dedicated and very engaged team.

Safari Drive is the company for a self-drive safari. We went around Namibia for 2 weeks and every step was top quality: the planning and well thought itinerary suggestions, the handy pre-travel videos, the to-the-point briefing on arrival, the james-bond-equipped car... and of course the experience of being out there on your own!

Well organised. Excellent cars. It is clear that Safaridrive know their way around Namibia!!

An excellent holiday with some fantastic scenery. De Hoops was a challenging drive in and out. Future holiday makers need to be advised of this. Naries and Fish River Lodge were great as were all the other campsites. Cederberg was outstanding.

Adding this review late but went in 2017 Summer for 4 week family (children aged 13 and 11 at the time) mainly in Namibia with SD and it was amazing. SD are a small company but very knowledgeable and committed to making you have a customisable and safe trip of a lifetime and a couple of years, on I'm struggling to organise family holiday that exceed this. Local support in Windhoek from Jenks was brilliant and you get a satphone for emergencies. They take pride in the setup and equipping of the vehicles and consider safety e.g. only one roof tent to make the vehicle more stable when other people tend to have two tents which can make the vehicle top heavy. A good way to bring down the cost is to spend some time camping rather than lodges all the time and the campsites can be incredible e.g Spitzkoppe. The really do think of everything you could need for a trip of a lifetime.

I recently booked a trip through Safari Drive for my family and I. I would like to thank the team immensely, for tailoring the perfect itinerary to suit our needs. The whole process from beginning to end was seamless, and exceeded all of our expectations. This truly was a special holiday. Looking forward to booking with yourselves again in the near future.

Te Safari Drive team couldn't have been more helpful, right from the early stages of planning our trip through until our return. Their team on the ground in Namibia, vehicles and support is fantastic and couldn't be faulted - their vehicles are certainly some of the best to be found and we were the envy of many other self-drivers!

I had the most incredible experience with Safari Drive on a two week self-drive trip through Zimbabwe (with a few days in Zambia too). The vehicle was kitted out wonderfully with everything you could need in any scenario and impeccably reliable throughout. The lodges selected for the trip were amazing and pitched at exactly what I was looking for in terms of overall experience, Joe (Sales) really did an excellent job tailoring the perfect safari trip for us and I would recommend Safari Drive unreservedly.

think the highlights were the camping nights and Ndovu, loved the communal meal approach here. That said there were many great bits, looking back I think we’d probably look to cover less ground, cutting out the leg to Swakpound and heading straight north from Windhoek, but it is difficult as Desert Breeze was great even if we did rattle around the large house for two day! Mind you the bedroom was exactly what my wife would like in our house. We appreciated the upgrade for our anniversary.
The campsites were all in excellent condition with basic facilities but only one of them had a long drop toilet and even this one a Spitzcoppe was clean. That campsite had communal showers but in the heat average 40 degree a day they were a relief. Food prep areas at the campsites good, need bottled water but that goes without saying for drinking and food prep.

The vehicle was a Toyota land cruiser with a roof tent with all camping kit provided, you do not need a thing. (i took washing up rubber gloves which were handy.

The vehicle was very comfortable to travel over rough terrain and very reliable we stuck to the recommended speed by the company and we never had a puncture, or problem with loss of control of the vehicle it handled very well with sometimes up to 6 hours driving a day.

The lodges were also of a good standard too and the staff were very attentive and very friendly.
The sunset cruise at Mashi was excellent timing, a whole herd of elephants were in and around the river munching on the reeds and grasses, our guide ‘Shaddy’ did an excellent job and we got some fantastic photos and videos.

The final stop over at Waterberry was a welcome decompression, accommodation, food, and trips were excellent.

This is the second time with safari drive, This time we went to Botswana. the trip was simply excellent. Great staff, great vehicles and great organisation. Simply fantastic game viewing, Difficult to know how it could have been made better.

SafariDrive helped us plan the most amazing overland Africa trip - we couldn’t have done it without them. Every detail was thought through and their people go one stage further for you every time. Just an all round brilliant experience!

Our self-drive tour in Namibia was simply perfect!
Safari Drive were there for us, be it working on the itinerary, accomodatioin tips or trying to work out if there is an ATM at the airport; whatever the question, they found the answer. An extremely warm welcome in Windhoek - Thanks again Jens and Anneli! The lodges suggested were really beautiful all offering really good game drives, accomodation and food.
Any hicups along the way were seen too immediately - we felt safe and sound all along. I'll be back!

Introduction:

If you want to explore Namibia, Botswana, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Malawi or Argentina (I’m only writing my experiences about the African countries) look no further: Safari Drive is by far the most competent self-drive safari promoter. Not only is it their first priority to plan with you the trip in detail according to your preferences but they also provide local support in case something goes wrong or just to welcome you into the (new) country.

The vehicles:

Their vehicles are fully equipped and have useful extras according to your planned route. Also a very useful plus (that not all car rentals provide) is the Carnet, for when you cross borders with your rented vehicle. We were happy to drive Landrover Defenders in mint condition during our trips, as they are the “best 4 x 4 x far” for Africa. Lately however Safari Drive started to switch to Toyota Landcruisers due to the production stop of the Defender. We were able to test one of those very spacious trucks as well but would pick the Defender anytime.

Your route:

If you are not sure what route to choose the Safari Drive team is always happy to help with the itinerary. In addition, they know most of the lodges and campsites in the country and they can provide you with better rates. Once the route is planned, they send you a complete documentation of the itinerary including the approximate driving time and expected road conditions.

The start:

As soon as you are in the place of arrival they pick you up at the airport and bring you to their base. There you will learn about the vehicle, they show you all the equipment (stored all in their own dust-proof bags) and how it works and if you are new to 4x4 driving, they do a driving lesson in the bush with you.

Safari Drive were excellent from start to finish in giving us a fabulous selfdrive experience in Namibia, Botswana and Tanzania. They offer a very personal service, helping plan the perfect itinerary, and make sure that there is very good support while on the trip. Our Landcruiser was well equipped and comfortable. I would definitely recommend Safari Drive.

Safari Drive service has been excellent at many levels! From trip planning with numerous emails exchanged, road book and travel documents preparation, driving and itinerary brief to support on the ground, everything has been very smooth and easy. 4*4 (Toyota Cruiser) was of utmost quality just as the equipment provided. We felt very safe and could focus on enjoying our time in Namibia. Special thanks to Ben(s) and Jens!

Safari Drive provided a highly professional service throughout the itinerary planning, booking and their support in the field. Travelling through African countries always provides surprises. Dealing with highly experienced people and combine this with the best vehicles and equipment in the self drive market meant we could enjoy the unexpected and experience a true adventure. If you choose Safari Drive you will be in safe hands.

Since 2008, we have completed seven self-drives with Safari Drive. That in itself should speak volumes regarding our opinion of Safari Drive and the service/vehicles they provide. Our eighth trip, in summer 2019, is already booked.

My husband and I travel alone, so having Safari Drive backing us during the self-drives is very important to us. We know that, should difficulties arise, Safari Drive is just a text message or satellite phone call away. That being said, their vehicles are so reliable that over the years and after thousands of kilometres on incredibly rough roads and through very isolated areas, we have only had to call on them twice. In both cases, Safari Drive responded immediately to our calls for assistance, ensuring that we were safe and the vehicle secure. In one case, given that we were in the middle of nowhere in the Serengeti, the fact that, in just over an hour, Safari Drive had two mechanics under the 4x4, was nothing short of miraculous.

In addition to the security and peace of mind that Safari Drive provides, we appreciate their advice regarding itineraries. We like to research and plan our own trips, and then submit our itineraries to SD for their input. Especially early on, when we did not appreciate how long it can take to cover short distances in Africa, their experience and advice were invaluable. Many of their campsite, tented camp, and B&B recommendations have become favourites.

Having Safari Drive make our bookings and arrange all land transfers is not only convenient but ensures that our trips run remarkably smoothly. It never ceases to amaze us that, given that we are at times traveling through very remote regions of Africa, we are not faced with more challenges during our self-drives. There are seldom any and, when there is an issue, Safari Drive sorts it out quickly. As we travel, it is comforting to know that the team on the ground, who are unfailingly knowledgeable, helpful and friendly, and the experienced team in the UK, are working to ensure that everything runs according to plan.

The vehicles are great - always well maintained and well equipped. We love the roof-top tents – easily accessible (even for two seniors) and comfortable.

If you are considering a self-drive with Safari Drive, then do it. Soon! Our only regret is that we didn’t begin these journeys years earlier.
Safari njema!

Safari Drive is a unique company - their excellent bespoke service offers the security of a trip planned and booked in the UK with their knowledgeable experts, backed up by local support in the countries when travelling, yet allowing the independence of travel that would otherwise be out of the reach of most UK travellers. I would recommend them to anyone with a sense of adventure!