Guestbook

The trip with Elefant Tours and Africa Experience, respectively, was even lovelier than we had expected. Everything was very well organised, and in Steve we had a guide with an incredible amount of knowledge and experience.

He always took us to special restaurants, was thoroughly familiar with the area and the animals, and knew not only every single animal and bird but also its calls. We all took him to our hearts. The hotels ranged from simple accommodation to top-class luxury resorts. It was precisely this mix – from tented accommodation in remote resorts with bush walks at Zululand Lodge, or the remote Thabile Lodge with its excellent food near the Swartberg mountains, to luxury resorts in Eswatini, Summerfield Exclusive Resort and Culitvar Guest Lodge in Stellenbosch – that made the trip so varied.

But most impressive were the wildlife sightings in Hluhluwe, Kruger National Park and other parks. Among others, we saw lots of rhinos, elephants, kudus, buffalo, impalas and lions. The other cats unfortunately stayed hidden :).
Even when our guide had to leave because of a family emergency, a “replacement guide”, Manu, arrived that evening. He took over our group. We liked him very much too. It was great that the organisation worked here as well. We simply cannot describe all the impressions we had. Truly recommended!

We have been back from our South Africa trip for almost two weeks. We travelled the Garden Route from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth as a self-drive tour. It was an impressive three weeks. Ms Walter planned the trip perfectly from the enquiry to its realisation, taking our wishes into account and implementing them.

Although it was only the start of spring, we had plenty of sunshine, plenty of fresh air and, depending on the location, really warm days. On this trip we saw dreamy coastal roads, stormy views of Cape of Good Hope, colourful houses in the Bo-Kaap district, whales in Hermanus from the shore and on the whale-watching tour, African penguins at Betty's Bay and Boulders Beach, sensational views at Swartberg Pass, wonderful Cederberg mountains at sunset, flamingos and carpets of flowers in Langebaan, impressive surf and swaying suspension bridges in Tsitsikamma, meerkats in Oudtshoorn, the Milky Way, the impressive starry sky, the Southern Cross, and and and….

The accommodation was great throughout, we were welcomed warmly and looked after with care. This varied and diverse trip, with all its beautiful days and experiences in this incredible nature, will stay in our memories for a long time.

Our 2nd trip with Elefant-Tours was a tailor-made short trip to Cape Town / Hermanus and Stellenbosch with a private shuttle service, as we did not want to drive ourselves. As on the last occasion, everything was perfect.

The accommodation was lovely, in a perfect location. We saw a lot, even though the weather was not always perfect.

But we had great whale sightings in Hermanus! And that was really the actual reason for our trip 🙂 Now we are looking forward to our 3rd trip with Elefant-Tours, in March next year.

In August 2026 we travelled around South Africa for 3 weeks on the small-group tour Fascination South Africa. It was our first time in Africa and we did not want to drive the long distances ourselves, so we chose the group tour.

The group turned out to be very small, though: just us and one other person in the upper part, and on the Garden Route only the two of us – it was nice that the tour was still carried out in full!

Everything worked wonderfully and our guide Mike Brown looked after us superbly with his knowledge and considerate manner. We were able to enjoy an impressive and varied time . The focus was clearly on nature and wildlife – and South Africa truly has a lot to offer there.

We would have liked a few more impressions of how people live. The accommodation was very nice to exceptional and in one or two places we would gladly have stayed longer – but that is how it is with round trips…

We travelled in the South African winter and actually had a spell of cold and rain – dressed in layers we were well equipped and were glad of the electric blanket in the beds of the lodges. We did not quite manage the Big Five, as the leopard did not show itself – otherwise everything we had hoped for was there and much more!

Whales were important to us and here too we were not disappointed – there were extended sightings of southern right whales in Hermanus, both from land and from a boat, and we even saw a humpback whale further out.

The trip was absolutely worth it and we can recommend it wholeheartedly! We were very well advised by Elefant-Tours and very well looked after on the ground by the partner Africa Experience. We will certainly travel to Africa again and would gladly use this provider again.

Once again we were completely thrilled with everything. All the accommodation suggested by Ms Walter was very hospitable and everything was perfectly organised.

This is our 8th trip organised by Elefant-Tours and Elefant-Tours will remain our first choice for further Africa trips too.

Dear Larissa, it was lovely that we met in person in Cape Town, and many heartfelt thanks for the great organisation of this trip, the tips, the implementation of our “special requests” and going through the itinerary individually several times.

We would like to thank the “Elefant-Tours” team warmly, and in particular Mr Menke, for planning our South Africa Garden Route trip.

Mr Menke accommodated all our wishes and planned a dreamily beautiful trip for us. He did so with a lot of effort, patience and personal attention to the details.

Unfortunately we have to postpone the trip due to illness and hope to be able to take it at a later date.

A big thank you to Ms Walter, who advised us excellently and provided us with travel documents and important background information. From 17 Feb 2026 to 4 Mar 2026 we travelled by rental car via Cape Town, Hermanus, Wilderness, Storms River, Addo, the Little Karoo and Stellenbosch.

The highlight apart from Cape Town was the safari in Schotia Game Reserve with interesting wildlife viewing and the dinner by the campfire afterwards.

We had super lovely experiences and impressions on this tour, which we will not forget.

In our search for a travel agency offering a guided round trip in a smaller group for north-eastern South Africa, we came across Elefant-Tours in mid-2025 ….. !!! And we are thrilled !!! … right from the first contact with Ms Seitz.

She took our wishes seriously and then made us a great tailor-made trip proposal.

On the first day in Johannesburg, for example, we did a self-organised day tour of the city with African Eagle Day Tours (a tip from Ms Seitz), and the next day the guided round trip began, run by Africa-Experience South Africa, from Pretoria via the Drakensberg, St Lucia, Eswatini with various parks and on to Kruger National Park.

The round trip went ahead despite the few participants (4 participants and one tour guide), which is certainly not a given. The accommodation was great throughout.

Our tour guide Gabriela Biljohn, a South African with excellent German and an incredible amount of knowledge about SA, e.g. how people live in SA, what is special about each region we travelled through, a great deal about the different animals, etc.

Furthermore she is a superb driver (whether in the big Sprinter or the jeep, we always felt safe) and above all she is a wonderful and likeable person.

Ms Seitz and Gabriela gave us valuable tips for our onward journey from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town, which we did with friends in our own car.

Many thanks once again to Ms Seitz for the good organisation and tips and many thanks to Gabriela for the wonderful time we were able to spend with her.

We can only recommend Elefant-Tours and Africa-Experience if you want to take a great Africa trip in a small group. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and 👍👍👍👍👍

The five of us spent just under three weeks in South Africa in August/September 2025 as self-drivers in a Hyundai Staria. From Johannesburg we went to the Drakensberg, where we were spoiled by a breathtaking mountain panorama and, in the lodge, by great meals – including for our vegetarians.

Here we could relax in peace as well as go on hikes of various lengths, e.g. to Vulture's Rock (where we did not go). Guided horse-riding tours and smaller activities such as axe throwing were also offered.

From the Drakensberg we continued to the Indian Ocean at Durban, known for its high proportion of residents of Indian descent. On the beach we had takeaway food that was spicy – something Europeans need to get used to – but good.

From St Lucia we took part in an interesting and entertaining boat trip to see hippos, crocodiles and birds, visited iSimangaliso Wetland Park – where we saw our first “typically” African land-dwelling large animals – and the dreamily beautiful beach at Cape Vidal. At the market in St Lucia we bought our first souvenirs and gifts.

After a several-day detour to Kosi Bay we made a stop at iLala Weavers (restaurant and souvenir shop – a tip from the Kosi Bay camp manager) and were then greeted at dusk on arrival in Hluhluwe Park by zebras and a herd of buffalo. The next day we explored the park on our own.

We continued through eSwatini, where after a night near Manzini we visited Mantenga Cultural Village. In the evening we arrived in Komatipoort, from where the next day we “drove” the southern part of Kruger National Park.

With Balule Nature Reserve we reached another highlight of our trip. Three days were filled with morning and evening game drives, led by well-trained guides, and a guided day trip to northern Kruger Park. In between there was enough time, with good food, to recover and let our souls unwind – which was just as well, as here we had the hottest days of our tour, with up to 38°C.

After our group tour through Namibia, this time we opted for a self-drive tour (again planned by Elefant Tours).

The accommodation – whether guesthouse, hotel or lodge – was always excellent. Service was a priority everywhere, and the meals on offer left nothing to be desired.

From the fascinating wildlife, Panorama Route and Garden Route to big-city flair, we were able to enjoy everything, and we will remain impressed for a long time to come.

Many heartfelt thanks to Jan Menke and the Elefant-Tours team for the excellent work on our South Africa trip!

In November 2025 we spent 3 days at Isambane Bush Camp. It was an unforgettable experience that we can only recommend.

Everything was well organised: pick-up from Hoedspruit airport and transfer to the camp, a lovely tented room with its own bathhouse (there are only 5 rooms in the camp in total), safaris twice a day at 5:00 in the morning and 4:00 in the afternoon, delicious food outdoors on the terrace three times a day, friendly staff and animals, animals, animals (even at breakfast on the terrace).

The impression of being in the middle of nature was heightened by an elephant once marching right through the camp and our having to stay in our rooms until it had gone.

Dear Ms Seitz,

thank you very much for organising our great self-drive trip through the north of South Africa.
From 1 to 17 September we travelled by rental car via Johannesburg – Drakensberg – Umdloti – St Lucia – Kosi Bay – Eswatini – Kruger Park – Timbavati and the Panorama Route.

We had super lovely experiences and impressions on this tour, which we will never forget.

Thank you once again,

The Mühl family

We have travelled on the African continent several times, and this trip was our fourth holiday with Elefant-Tours. Thanks to the tailor-made itinerary based on our wishes and ideas, as well as the great personal advice and care, it was once again a wonderful holiday.

Heartfelt thanks to Ms Walter for that! Once again we are taking home wonderful impressions. It is not for nothing that they say: “A world in one country”.

This time we explored the north and east of South Africa.

Once again we had very nice hosts and lovely accommodation, and thanks to the detailed documents and tips we were able to enjoy our trip to the full. It was certainly not our last holiday in Africa!

Dear Elefant-Tours team

Thank you very much for the detailed, friendly advice and booking that actively responded to our wishes.

The itinerary “Namibia Highlights” lived up to its promise, all arrangements went smoothly and the accommodation chosen was truly excellent, yet each place different.

The staff there were always competent and friendly and the quality of the food consistently excellent. A truly great holiday experience! THANK YOU

Dear Mr Forster!

We have landed safely back home! Thanks to your planning, the trip was wonderful and really everything worked out brilliantly.

All the accommodation was really great; the friendliness, particularly at the Peech Hotel and at Milima Safari Lodge, was outstanding.

Milima Lodge, in a tent by the waterhole, was sensational; we saw the Big 5 too!

In Cape Town we also found our way around well by car and did all the sights you listed in 3 days!

1. Day: Cape of Good Hope with Muizenberg, St James, Simon's Town, penguins at Boulders Beach, great food at Monkey Valley Resort in Noordhoek, Chapman's Peak Drive
2. Day: Robben Island, Table Mountain cable car, Signal Hill, Waterfront
3. Day: City Bowl with Bo-Kaap, Company's Garden, Green Market…, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, wine estates Glen Constantia (great food) and Groot Constantia, Camps Bay

We were also very lucky with the weather!

Heartfelt thanks again for your advice!

Best wishes

Martina + Hans-Dieter Torinek

We visited South Africa on a self-drive trip that was perfectly planned by Ms Walter. All our wishes were taken into account by her in the individual planning.

We set off from Johannesburg to Balule Private Game Reserve, where we had incredibly impressive days in the park with countless elephants, buffalo, giraffes, rhinos and countless other animals.

The accommodation was excellent, located in the middle of the park, and the guide also stood out for his high level of expertise. From the park we flew from Hoedspruit to Port Elizabeth, where we picked up our next rental car. Our self-drive trip took us along the Garden Route to our destination, Cape Town.

All the accommodation suggested by Ms Walter was very hospitable and everything was perfectly organised.

It was our first self-drive trip in South Africa and we can only recommend it. Do not be afraid of driving on the left; you find your way around quickly. We enjoyed the flexibility we had as self-drivers, especially compared with organised group tours that you encounter at so many sights.

It is the second trip organised by the travel agency Elefant-Tours, and Elefant-Tours will remain our first choice for further Africa trips too.

In January 2025 we travelled through South Africa, along the Garden Route from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth.

Together with our friends and another (very pleasant) couple, we made up a small group led by Roy.

We were delighted with Roy every single day – a great tour guide with a real knowledge of his country!
He got us excited about the flora and fauna and took us on all kinds of activities!

Thanks to his passion for his country, its people and its landscape, we learned a great deal about South Africa over the 14 days.

The programme was great – varied and thoroughly appealing!
The accommodation was lovely, and just as top-notch as the wine estates, the restaurants, the cafes etc….

The days in South Africa will always stay in our memory as absolutely dreamlike!

Heartfelt thanks to all the staff at Elefant-Tours for the perfect planning and running of the trip!

Ingrid and Sepp

Our self-drive tour through the south of South Africa was ideally planned. This allowed us in 15 days not only to get to know the most important highlights but also to enjoy relaxing moments.

The accommodation surprised us again and again, whether because of the lovely location, the great hospitality or the comfort. The exemplary digital route planners proved very helpful.

We were warmly welcomed by our tour guide, who really knew the country and its people as a local. Thanks to him we learned a lot about South Africa, the country, its history and how this and that developed. It was much more than just the safari; an insight into South African culture.

But of course the safari tours, with all the wild animals we were able to see and photograph, were especially the highlight of this trip. We saw elephants, giraffes, zebras, rhinos and many other animals in the wild. We particularly enjoyed the overnight stay in the Drakensberg too – with the wonderful lodge and the magnificent view there.

Overall a well-put-together tour, with interesting sights and many highlights. The team for trip planning and the tour guide were outstanding!

D. Petra Maria Asprion

A wonderful South Africa trip with Elefant-Tours. At the beginning of November I took the small-group tour along the Garden Route. I really enjoyed the trip.

There are great landscapes, delicious food and friendly people. The trip was very well organised and our tour guide Herbert Rehder took us safely and competently, always in a friendly manner, from one point to the next, conveying many lovely impressions to us along the way.

The shared finale, the little barbecue he organised for us, was great too. Heartfelt thanks for everything!

I had booked a group tour with 9 other travellers to Cape Town and along the Garden Route! Apart from the hotel in Cape Town, the "Grand Daddy Boutique Hotel", which was really awful, we had a wonderful trip that I will certainly not forget.

Lots of lovely impressions, interesting experiences, a different attraction every day, very nice small lodges, everything was just right! We also have our tour guide and driver Herbert to thank for that, who showed us a lot that we would not have seen as solo travellers! Thank you very much for that!

At the end of October 2024 we went on a safari trip. Flights from Johannesburg to Hoedspruit and, at the end, from there to Cape Town were included. Booking was very pleasant because Elefant-Tours followed our wishes.

We were picked up at Hoedspruit airport by a driver and taken to Baluleni Lodge (and at the end taken back to the airport by another). The lodge is not fenced, so the animals can roam freely there. We liked that, and could watch the antelopes, monkeys and giraffes while eating on the terrace.

The German couple who run it, Heike and Andreas, were very nice and warm, and the food was excellent. In addition to the morning and evening safari tours in a special open vehicle, we had asked for a boat trip on the Olifant River and a day trip to neighbouring Kruger National Park – both worked out well and were worth it.

We were hugely lucky and saw all of the "Big Five": lions (a pride with a cub), lots of elephants (a herd with young), lots of giraffes, several leopards (one right in front of us on the road), rhinos, also hippos and (at the river) crocodiles, wildebeest, a large herd of buffalo (crossing the road in front of us), zebras, kudus and impalas, and many colourful birds. In the evening there was a good dinner around the campfire.

It was perfect all round. We were especially impressed by the passion of the guides, who love their job and the animals with all their hearts and did everything to show them to us.

First of all, many, many thanks to Mr Bernhard Forster!

The trip was an absolute hit and we were constantly amazed, and that doesn't even include the impressions of nature, people and animals!

So, always happy to do it again!

Many thanks to Elefant-Tours and Africa Experience for an unforgettable trip!

I have just returned from the two-week small-group tour "South Africa's South Intensive" and could not be happier! Everything simply fitted! The accommodation was all beautiful with fantastic locations, so saying goodbye was hard every time.

The itinerary offered incredible variety and lots of experiences – big city, sea, semi-desert, wildlife viewing – but it was still relaxed and you never felt rushed. It was great that we spent two nights almost everywhere. Ten stars go to our guide, Uli Glatz, who made the trip something very special! Uli is such a warm-hearted person, to whom it was always important that we were all doing well. He fulfilled many wishes on the side and always had small surprises up his sleeve. He also passed on a great deal of knowledge about the country and its people and made sure we felt completely carefree.

The group was made up of different age groups and we all got on wonderfully.

Many thanks also to Henning Meyer for the warm advice before the trip! I am sure it was not my last trip with Elefant-Tours…

From the advice and booking by Mr Forster to the last day of our trip, everything worked wonderfully. We were very lucky to be only three with our guide!

A cheerful group with a great guide, all getting on superbly. Thank you Sidney for shaping this exciting, eventful and unforgettable trip for us.

Thanks to your motivation and knowledge, no question was left unanswered.

The design of the trip with the spots visited was very well chosen.

It was great fun – we are fascinated by South Africa!

THANK YOU

Because of the political situation, my trip to Israel was cancelled at short notice. Mr Henning Meyer made it possible for me to take part, practically "last minute", in a 5-day Kruger safari. I booked on Tuesday and my flight left on Friday of the same week. Mr Meyer organised everything required for the trip within a few days, found suitable flights for me and booked a vegan meal on the plane.

He also booked the insurance required for the trip and wanted by me, according to my needs, in the short time available, and gave me tips on how to move around Johannesburg safely yet relatively freely, which made it possible for me to see many sights. Unfortunately KLM lost my luggage on the outbound flight. The item could not be located for a long time and was only delivered to Johannesburg 6 days later. Even in this precarious situation Mr Meyer went above and beyond.

During the safari the thermometer unfortunately showed only 12 degrees and rain. As I had no luggage at all during the entire safari due to the airline's error, Mr Meyer even arranged a hairdryer for me, which was waiting for me at the lodge. When everything goes well, you don't notice whether you have a good travel expert. With a last-minute booking, lost luggage etc., I noticed what it means to have a dedicated travel expert at your side whom you can rely on. That gives a safer feeling during the holiday. I will definitely book my trip with Henning Meyer again.

We were thrilled all round. Everything worked 100%, lots of hippos, rhinos, elephants, giraffes, zebras, kudus, nyalas, vultures, birds, penguins, whales … perhaps three lions and a leopard seen. Perhaps two mosquitoes, always excellent meals!

Spring was a great time to travel, and the heavy rain that fell before our trip surely contributed to the glorious landscapes too. All the accommodation was great! As is well known, only in Kruger perhaps a few compromises.

Our guide ROY deserves an A+. Outstanding understanding of group dynamics, always ready to take care of everything, excellent barbecues, responded superbly to the unforeseen, motivated us to get up early so that we could then enjoy the attractions in peace before the others.

The trip is definitely something for the adventurous. There is so much to discover. Every ride in the truck is a little adventure.

In places you also drive very long distances. But you shouldn't let that put you off, because on the drives there are so many different landscapes to see.

It was also incredibly lovely to experience the animals in the national parks.

A fantastic holiday, with glorious landscapes, great experiences, a little adventure on the lonely roads, only friendly, cheerful people, never a feeling of insecurity, food
as we were used to from our earlier trips. Everything simply excellent. Many, many thanks for the great working-out of the trip and the really impeccably prepared documents; the Travel Key app with the trip that can be used offline also deserves a mention and praise.

If we travel to Africa again, which is as good as certain, we will definitely get in touch with Elefant-Tours and you, dear Bernhard. Great that the meeting at Table Mountain still worked out, we were really pleased.

In South Africa we travelled as self-drivers on the route Pretoria – Clarens – Durban – Hluhluwe – Durban – Addo Elephant Park – Knysna – Oudtshoorn – Stellenbosch – Cape Town.

Our third Africa trip with Elefant-Tours. Good recommendations for the route from Britta Franke, who was always available.

Lovely high-quality lodges and accommodation.

Indescribable, e.g. a bush forest in Hluhluwe

From Johannesburg to Victoria Falls
We had an excellent 14 days, mostly in Botswana. Thanks to the Khama Rhino Sanctuary, the Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve, the Makgadikgadi Pans and Chobe National Park, seeing the Big Five was no problem at all. It was beautiful. We highly recommend this trip. Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, as the icing on the cake of the trip, make this holiday completely unforgettable.

Thank you to Elefant-Tours for the organisation, to Sunway Safaris for running the tour, and to Patrick, our guide!!!

Dear Ms Franke, even if it comes late, it comes from the heart: thank you so much for putting together this wonderful trip.

We enjoyed every single day to the full and know that you played a big part in that. Everything worked out perfectly and we were able to travel without a care and use our time purely for enjoying and marvelling.

THANK YOU!!!

Anna Hartmann & Martin Menzel-Bösing

Tour operator Elefant-Tours

We searched the internet for a provider of trips to South Africa. We found the tour operator Elefant-Tours and were immediately impressed by the professional website. We booked the trip before Covid. In January 2020, Ms Brode put the trip together for us, including a flight from Zurich. We had to postpone the trip twice because of Covid, and our deposit was still recognised without any problem 2 years later, as was the flight booked at the time, which was by no means a given for us.

The 20-day round trip through South Africa in a small group

The guided trip was very well organised, and we saw many different areas, starting from Johannesburg, Pretoria, Drakensberg, St Lucia, Pongola, eSwatini, Kruger National Park, Hazyview, Wilderness, Garden Route, Little Karoo, Hermanus, Stellenbosch, Cape Peninsula. Including a domestic flight from Johannesburg to George.

The small group of 9 people was a good size. The trip was quite tiring because some of the distances are very long, but we already knew that in advance.

Accommodation and food

The lodges where we stayed were very beautiful, clean and in part almost luxurious by African standards. The lodges for two were original and prettily furnished, some even with an open fireplace (Greenfire Lodge was an experience, including the arrival by jeep). The food was very good everywhere. We also had our guide Roy to thank for that, as he always knew where to eat well.

Guide Roy

Our guide Roy was the icing on the cake of this very well-led trip. He drove the bus safely and always knew where he had to go, took us to the most remote places, to wildlife areas and to the beauties of the country. He told us everything about the land and its people, and you could tell that he loves his job heart and soul. He bought groceries and organised two barbecue evenings for us, which is not a given for a guide. In the evening we almost always went by bus to a restaurant for dinner, and he evidently knew them all very well, because we always ate superbly.

Kind regards

Bruno and Sylvia from Switzerland

We had a very lovely trip to South Africa with hiking in the Drakensberg and great game drives.

We had been looking forward to our eight-week trip through southern Africa for a long time, and sadly it was over again very quickly. Eight weeks with many, many highlights and hardly any points of criticism despite Covid.

Our self-drive round trip started in Windhoek with a great briefing from Sven Schmidt and took us through southern Namibia, through the Kalahari, to the very impressive Fish River Canyon. The view from Fish River Lodge there is indescribable. We continued across the Namib Desert and Sossusvlei to Swakopmund on the Atlantic, and with that from a sunny 40° to a sunny 16°. In the desert you also learn how dependent the inhabitants and farms are on water, which perhaps makes you handle the water we take for granted at home a little more consciously again.

Of course, Etosha National Park with its African wildlife diversity must not be missed in Namibia. But you also see the animals outside the parks. Again and again you come across oryx antelopes, springboks, giraffes, baboons and so on. The breathtaking landscape is mostly characterised by desert and mountains, so you have to keep stopping for a snapshot. On the way you are generally on gravel roads, often completely alone, which means a sensible car with good tyres is a must.

After Etosha we headed to the north-east of the country towards the Caprivi. Here the landscape is completely different: it gets ever wetter and therefore greener. Here you are generally on good tarred roads, but you also have to watch out for potholes. The nights spent directly on the Okavango and Zambezi rivers are an experience. The wildlife also expands to include hippos and crocodiles. On our three-day detour to Botswana we stayed in a luxury tent and, on guided tours, got almost within touching distance of elephants, crocodiles and hippos.

The end of the first part of our trip was Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, which, because of the current situation, we were able to marvel at almost on our own. Although the Zambezi carries comparatively little water at the end of October, the falls were still very impressive.

We then flew on to Johannesburg in South Africa. After Blyde River Canyon we spent four days in the southern Kruger National Park. The state-run accommodation in the park is not quite as comfortable and luxurious as we were used to from the other accommodation. But it is always clean, and after all you are there for the animals and the scenery. As in Etosha, in Kruger you can go on a game drive yourself or take part in guided tours.

Scenically, South Africa is completely different from Namibia. It is much greener everywhere, but apart from baboons you see animals almost only in the national parks. South Africa is also much more densely populated than Namibia, and you are generally on tarred roads.

We would not make the detour to Swaziland again. The roads have extreme potholes, which at times makes driving life-threatening. A shame really, because the country is scenically beautiful. However, there is hardly any opportunity to stop properly.

After a few days on the warm Indian Ocean we continued to the Drakensberg for hiking with incredible views. There are hikes for all levels of difficulty. From Johannesburg we then flew to Port Elizabeth to tackle the famous Garden Route.

In Tsitsikamma National Park you hike in places directly beside the roaring Indian Ocean. In the Little Karoo you drive over great mountain passes. At our lodge we were able to enjoy a delicious ostrich steak from the surrounding ostrich farms.

Back on the coast we drove along the ocean towards Cape Town. At the end of November we were unfortunately a little too late for the whales, but we will definitely make up for that. Cape Town and the Stellenbosch wine region are worth a trip on their own: we “climbed” Table Mountain by cable car under a cloudless sky, and another day trip took us to the Cape.

In Stellenbosch we did a full-day wine tasting with a total of 23 wines – brilliant. Culinarily, Cape Town and Stellenbosch leave nothing to be desired: if you want, you can get star-level cuisine for little money.

…What was your biggest highlight of the trip?
There isn’t really a single biggest highlight. There were so many great experiences, views, conversations and places to stay. But what impressed us again and again was experiencing giraffes in the wild in Namibia, or meeting crocodiles or elephants two metres away, as on a guided tour in Botswana. Victoria Falls, Table Mountain, …

…What personal tip do you have for future travellers?
In Namibia we had three flat tyres with our Duster, once in the middle of a national park. Changing the tyre was quite exciting. Next time we would take a car with better tyres.

…What did you particularly like about Elefant-Tours, and what did you not like?
Ms Harter responded to our wishes at all times, and we were very satisfied with the route planning over this long period. The extra effort caused by the Covid situation was no problem either. When we had questions along the way, we got a quick reply. Always happy to come back.

…Which accommodation was top, which more of a flop?
Phew, hard to say. We had 33 places to stay, almost without exception comfortable to luxurious with great food. In Namibia we particularly liked the hospitality at Namtib Desert Lodge in the Namib. Very luxurious was Mubala Lodge directly on the Zambezi. In South Africa we were thrilled by Fairlight Beach House on the east coast and by Crayfish Lodge on the south coast. Both places have breathtaking views directly over the sea, especially Crayfish Lodge, with Sandra’s hospitality leaving nothing to be desired.

As a flop we would name Brandberg White Lady Lodge (known from “Hummeldumm”). This place has long since had its best days but doesn’t notice. We had chosen that lodge ourselves, though, not Elefant-Tours. An absolute disappointment was Aero Guest Lodge in Johannesburg. There, aspiration and reality are worlds apart.

…Travelling in Covid times: how did you experience your trip?
For us, Covid had the advantage that we had many hotspots such as Fish River Canyon, Big Daddy at Sossusvlei, Victoria Falls etc. almost to ourselves. The operators and staff at the accommodation were always delighted that someone could finally come again and looked after us superbly from start to finish. In total we needed four PCR tests, by far the most expensive being the one in Germany. But it went completely smoothly every time, and the result was sent by email each time. We did not regret making this trip in Covid times for a single day and would do it again at any time.

After very smooth, consistently empathetic and patient trip planning, we have now travelled a year later than originally planned because of the Covid pandemic. This simply meant the anticipation lasted a little longer, and at no point did we think of cancelling.

Rebooking and even extending our dream trip by one person was a matter of course and immediately possible for our travel planner, Ms Heitzmann. We were away from 8 to 28 November and all four of us had an unforgettable time with great people, landscapes, accommodation as well as fantastic food and drink.

Everything was perfectly planned, the respective accommodations were within easy driving distance and tailored to our taste. All our wishes for the respective places and areas were fulfilled and even improved with tips.

Of course we also had concerns about flying to South Africa in these pandemic times. We can only say it was a fantastic idea and we never felt unsafe. The test required for entry gives you a good, safe feeling on the plane and for the start of the trip. At the airport, at the respective accommodation, in the national parks and even in some of the shops, temperatures are taken, and we have honestly never had to disinfect our hands as often as in South Africa. The majority of the people we spoke to at the accommodation were even vaccinated. All of that, as well as the fact that the number of guests is currently regrettably very low, lets you enjoy the trip very safely, and in our assessment it is actually better organised there and people act much more carefully and prudently.

On the last day we then received the alarming news of the new Omicron variant, and that in Germany there were reports of flights from South Africa being suspended. After contact with Ms Heitzmann, who called us straight away and reassured us, we took our return flight completely smoothly, without disruption or incident. The only important thing is that a current PCR test accepted by the airline is presented on departure. It could be done both in Port Elizabeth (4–6 hours) and very quickly (2 hours) within the airport grounds at check-in in Johannesburg. We cannot confirm any of the other reports that were circulating here in Germany. It is a little sad that there is such incredible panic in Germany, which of course also reaches and unsettles the guests in South Africa. We are now in home isolation for 2 weeks, but we accept that gladly and all 4 of us say it was still worth it for this trip.

We can only give an absolute recommendation to every traveller who is toying with the idea of setting off even in the current times. It is a great country with wonderful people who really do everything they can to keep their guests, and themselves, healthy.

There was actually no real highlight of this trip in that sense, as every place we stayed, every stop and every experience was incomparable. It was already our 2nd time in South Africa and of course you make comparisons. Our stay and the safaris at Ukhozi Lodge were very special and unbelievably beautiful. We were able to see sooo many different animals very close up and had a fantastic guide. Our whale-watching tour in Gansbaai, as well as the special accommodation Oyster Bay Lodge with horse riding on the beach, were also unforgettable for us. In the national parks the nature and the closeness to the animals are unique.

We actually liked everything about Elefant-Tours, we are happy all round and are already planning a repeat in 2–3 years.

With very warm regards and a big thank-you, we look forward to the next contact and to planning another dream trip.

Elefant-Tours has without doubt organised a wonderful, eventful holiday for us in South Africa (Garden Route). It was enormous fun getting to know the country and its people and the flora and fauna on the self-drive tour.

The rental car (Toyota Avanza) was ideal for the four of us. With four medium-sized suitcases, though, the boot is really fully used. A boot cover would be nice, so that not everyone can see what you have “loaded”.

L’Avenir Wine Estate / Stellenbosch

A very beautiful lodge surrounded by vines. Great rooms and a good, generous breakfast.

Thabile Lodge / Oudtshoorn

The approach over a few kilometres of “gravel track” is no problem. The welcome was very warm! The cottages are spacious and functionally furnished. Service, breakfast and dinner were really great. We were thoroughly spoiled.

Oyterbay Lodge / Oyster Bay

The last 24 km to Oysterbay Lodge are really a bit of an adventure. This gravel track has so many potholes, some of them really big, that you cannot drive around them. In addition there was a small valley bottom filled with water, which we drove through at the risk of getting stuck. It all worked out!

The lodge is beautifully located and invites you to take walks to the sea. Great cottages, good breakfast and dinner, and the nature with countless birds and vervet monkeys make up for the pothole track.

Kariega Settlers Drift / Kariega Game Reserve

Certainly a highlight of our trip. The location of the lodge, with a magnificent view down into the valley where countless antelopes, giraffes, wildebeest, … graze, is simply beautiful. Service, food and the luxury tented cottages were really great. We particularly enjoyed the safari drives with our guide Michael, of course.

Elephants Footprint Lodge / Colchester

A lovely lodge with spacious rooms, good breakfast and dinner and very good service! After a few kilometres of driving you reach Addo Elephant National Park. This park can be explored on a self-drive safari in your own car. We saw a great many elephants and other animals too. It was really fun. The roads/gravel tracks in the national park are very easy to drive.

Tsitsikhaya Lodge / Storms River

Lovely spacious cottages and a good breakfast let us start the day full of energy. Here you should definitely go on a hike in Tsitsikamma National Park (jungle, huge ancient trees, suspension bridges and all of it right by the sea).

Dolphin Dunes Guesthouse / Wilderness

Lovely, functionally furnished rooms with a balcony and sea view. We could watch dolphins from the balcony. The beach invites long walks and there are a few great restaurants in the village.

Sea Star Cliff Lodge / De Kelders

A very modern house with generous rooms, a good breakfast and good service. What a feeling to stand on the balcony and watch the whales frolicking in the sea. Indescribable! If you want to get even closer to the whales, I recommend “Dyer Island Cruises”, which set sail by boat from Kleinbaai for whale, shark, penguin and sea lion watching. A great experience for those with sea legs.

Antrim Villa / Cape Town

A nice villa in a good location (below Signal Hill) with lovely rooms, a good breakfast and great service. Cape Town is of course a great city with many attractions. You could of course enjoy yourself here for even longer. An excursion to the African penguin colony at Boulders Beach, to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope must of course not be missed. We were lucky to be able to go up Table Mountain by cable car, as the day before and also the day after the cable car was not running because of strong wind. On the last evening we also enjoyed the sunset on Signal Hill.

Covid has left enormous marks/damage here too. With the exception of Antrim Villa, all our lodges/guesthouses were only very sparsely occupied; i.e. the tourists are still missing. We often sat alone at breakfast or dinner. A shame!

Restaurants are generally very well attended (by locals); i.e. a certain normality has returned here. The mask requirement is followed with discipline everywhere, a digital or paper check-in (Covid contact tracing) takes place and we occasionally had to show our vaccination certificates.

We are very enthusiastic about South Africa and can well imagine that this will not be our last trip to this great country.

My husband and I have booked trips to Africa through Elefant-Tours several times in the past and we have always been very satisfied. Over Easter I was now with my adult grandson in the malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa, right in the north of the country almost on the border with Botswana. The days at two lodges were so indescribably beautiful that we would have loved to stay much, much longer. The days were perfectly structured: fascinating game drives early in the morning and in the afternoon, with relaxing by the pools of the two lodges in between. We saw the Big Five – with the exception of the leopard – all of them every day, and right up close.

A lion family had four cubs, who were practising climbing trees, and we watched fascinated. We met a pair of cheetahs every day and could hardly believe our luck. Our second lodge was Impodimo Game Safari Lodge. As the only non-Africans, we were given chalet no. 1 with a direct view of the waterhole in front of our terrace. Whole elephant families came with their young every day to drink, and we had, so to speak, a “game drive” from our own terrace.

The weather was always high summer, the food sumptuous, and the guides and lodge staff warmly attached to us. At the first lodge, Buffalo Ridge Lodge, we were initially the only guests and were welcomed extremely warmly. Covid in Germany was very far away for a few days. The incidence in South Africa during the days we were there was below 10. The country has hardly any Covid deaths and has the pandemic under much better control than Germany. The airports in Frankfurt and Johannesburg were deserted, the planes less than half full. In Johannesburg, before the return flight, we sat in the outdoor dining area and watched the goings-on in the streets; all the shops were open.

We are truly glad to have finally enjoyed a holiday in beautiful South Africa, after our departure had been postponed four times because of Covid. Special thanks here to Ms Verena Brode. She prepared this trip perfectly and accompanied us with advice and action throughout our entire stay in South Africa.

From 30.12.19 to 18.1.20 I was on the overland tour from Victoria Falls to Cape Town. Afterwards I spent 3 days in Cape Town and then another week on Zanzibar.

Overall I can say that this tour impressed me incredibly and I will draw on the experiences for a long time. It was already my second overland tour and I had been looking forward to this tour through the south-western part of Africa for a long time.

With 14 other participants and 2 tour guides we set off on 31.12.19. After a few days of getting to know each other we got on very well as a group and had an incredible amount of fun together. Our tour guides Alington and Laurine were very friendly and dedicated, and after a short time we already felt as if we had known each other forever.

Eating the meals prepared by Laurine together, then sitting together over a cold drink and chatting, laughing and marvelling together, feeling safe and secure at all times – all of that and much more made up this tour.

It led us from Victoria Falls to Chobe National Park, then to the Okavango Delta, from there to Namibia (Etosha National Park, Swakopmund, south to the big dunes and Fish River Canyon, Orange River) and then via the Cederberg to Cape Town.
What we were able to see and experience was simply magnificent.

The stay in Cape Town afterwards was lovely, but the week of relaxing on Zanzibar was dreamy. All in all a holiday I will never forget and that makes me want more of Africa!

What do you get when a customer can feel real enjoyment of the job, paired with expertise, reliability and friendliness? A truly perfect dream holiday!

Many thanks, dear Ms Sommer, you made it possible for our 4-week self-drive tour
through South Africa to become an absolute dream! It was the ideal development of a route (the travel documents for it were really great, the Elefant-Tours map was by far the best map in our South Africa map collection) with carefully selected, really beautiful lodges and sightseeing highlights along the way.

After a few days in Cape Town and a stopover in Johannesburg, our trip took us across the country, and from our stops at Marakele National Park, Tzaneen, Blyde River Canyon (Panorama Route), Kruger National Park, Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve, Malkerns (Swaziland), St Lucia with iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Hluhluwe National Park and iMfolozi National Park, and finally Giants Castle National Park and Royal Natal National Park in the Drakensberg, we brought home countless unforgettable impressions.

As animal lovers we got our money’s worth here in full; the wildlife sightings were at times breathtaking! The beauty and diversity of the Cape Peninsula is comparable to nothing else in the world, and the drive through the country along the Drakensberg is a visual spectacle!
We will certainly never forget this trip for the rest of our lives, and should we be drawn to Africa again, then certainly only with Elefant-Tours!

It was already our second self-drive tour with Elefant-Tours. In 2017 we did Intensive East, and now the Garden Route as far as Addo Elephant Park and back to Cape Town. The classic tour was extended to 20 days for us and we got further great places to stay. We can only recommend everyone to take their time on round trips and not just “drive through” quickly. Packing the east and the south into one holiday is far too stressful – you simply have to plan several holidays to enjoy South Africa in peace. There are enough dreamlike areas with great hiking opportunities to fill the days. With Elefant Tours you get the trip tailored the way you want it for yourself. Even the accommodation in the national parks was still possible despite late booking. Of course the staff on the ground in Cape Town are also an advantage, as they really do know the country and its people and can give good tips. A self-drive trip is also possible for people who do not speak perfect English, as everything is perfectly organised. We can recommend Elefant Tours to anyone – value for money is top, and individual wishes are accommodated.

We have just come back from our 14-day Intensive South Africa South tour. It was a great adventure trip that took in Cape Town – wine estates – beaches and wildlife.
We were 6 Westphalians and 4 Bavarians who got on brilliantly. Our German-speaking tour leader Uli was on duty 24 hours a day to organise things perfectly or improvise. I also found it remarkable that the founder of Elefant, Holger Wiebe, personally treated us to a porridge (we call it a barbecue) after a hike, in order to get feedback from us too.

Admittedly, the programme was tightly scheduled. I would have liked more time for Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. These two places are truly exceptional.

It was a great trip that was very well planned and carried out by Elefant Tours. South Africa – we will come back!

The planning for my trip (as a solo traveller), already in Germany, was perfect thanks to Ms Berger. The flights, everything perfect. The trip in South Africa, the Garden Route, was unique and beautiful. The accommodation, also for me as a solo traveller (double room for single occupancy), was outstanding. The guide was simply fantastic. I have already booked another trip through Elefant-Tours. Many thanks for everything, Ms Berger. Keep it up !!!!

We had booked a self-drive safari in South Africa with you.
The trip was beautiful and unforgettable. We came back with many pictures and impressions. We were amazed by the great accommodation. Thanks to the map and the maps.me app we also found everything easily.
We were advised very well by Mr Vonderstraß, who patiently tailored the tour to our partly individual wishes.
I can only recommend this travel agency to everyone.

After many years of deliberation and postponements for health reasons, finally experienced at the age of 73! 13 days in April by rental car on the Garden Route from Cape Town via Swellendam, Plettenberg Bay, Port Elizabeth to Amakhala Woodbury Tented Camp, back via Addo and Addo Elephant Park, through the Little Karoo to Oudtshoorn and via Stellenbosch for another 5 days in Cape Town.

It was brilliant and our thanks go to the Elefant-Tours staff who helped us work out this tour and be able to do it. What we were allowed to experience: outbound and return flights via Windhoek with Air Namibia, meeting many nice people, excellent lodges, good guesthouses, outstanding food and outstanding wines, hikes e.g. in Tsitsikamma NP, Mossel Bay, the beautiful Blue Horizon Bay, our large tent at Woodbury Tented Camp with an unforeseen greeting by the kudu female Nelly in the tent, morning and evening safari drives in search of the Big Five, a morning tour to the meerkats and a drive over the Swartberg Pass near Oudtshoorn, an unforgettable visit to Harry in Barrydale, a city tour in Stellenbosch with Christiana, in Cape Town a paraglider flight from Signal Hill, a helicopter flight around Table Mountain and a ride up Table Mountain by cable car (takes a lot of time queuing!) in the finest weather, day trips to the Cape of Good Hope and to Hermanus, a visit to the penguins along the way, and last but not least “swollen feet” from all the walking in Cape Town.

All of that with a great deal of sunshine and hardly any rain. And our conclusion: Africa, we will be back as soon as possible!

In early April we did a lodge safari in South Africa with a beach stay in the Seychelles.

Many thanks for the very good advice and organisation of the tour. Everything went smoothly.

We are still blown away and impressed by the beautiful country, the magnificent wildlife, the friendly people and the island paradise of the Seychelles. Great praise to Idube Safari Lodge in Sabi Sands. After only 3 safaris we tracked down the Big 5. Magnificent wildlife experiences!!!

We fell in love with the island of La Digue. Patatran Village, with its magnificent view, is very authentic and can only be recommended. We can’t stop raving and thank you once again most warmly for the great care. Africa: we will be back, and guaranteed with Elefant Tours again.

Petra & Petra from Iserlohn

We spent 2 weeks over Christmas and New Year with our 3 daughters on a self-drive trip in South Africa.
The holiday was an absolute dream. The route that was worked out was perfect, as was the accommodation booked. We particularly liked that each one was a small family-run guesthouse. Everything was very personal and you immediately got into friendly contact with the owners. We were thrilled with the selection.
We did have to rush a little from stop to stop, but unfortunately we only had 2 weeks. Stretched to 3 weeks, the whole thing would have been the ultimate.
We can absolutely recommend Elefant-Tours.