Guestbook

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

In November 2022 I did an overland tour from Victoria Falls via Swakopmund to Windhoek. I can warmly recommend it to anyone who can do without a little comfort.

I was warmly welcomed right at the airport in Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Our guide Chris and the interpreter Evans, who joined us in Zambia, made the tour an unforgettable experience. The two of them always had everything organised under control, were always good for a pleasant surprise, such as strawberries in the Namib Desert, and had infected the travel group with their “Hakuna matata” by the second day. Beyond that, alongside the scenic beauty of Namibia, they shared a lot of interesting knowledge about its human and animal inhabitants. If you keep your eyes and ears open, you can experience new wonders here every day: herds of elephants at the waterholes of the Etosha Pan, ancient rock engravings in the Tsisab Gorge, enchanting and colourful sunrises at Spitzkoppe, seal colonies at Cape Cross, Black Forest gateau at Café Anton in Swakopmund, breathtaking views from the highest sand dunes in the world and much more.

A trip to the former German South West Africa, one of the most varied and contrast-rich countries in Africa, is definitely worthwhile and will be remembered forever.

I would like to thank the entire Elefant-Tours team most sincerely for the success of the trip. Thanks to the good care, planning and organisation ahead of my trip, it went exactly as I had expected.

I can recommend Elefant-Tours as a competent partner to anyone who wants to travel southern and eastern Africa for the first time or again.

Best wishes from Saarland

Markus Leser

Best of Kenya Safari & Beach Stay near Mombasa – early November 2022
Our thanks go to Mr Schuff for the perfect organisation of our Kenya holiday. From the flights to the transfers, the safari and the camps, lodges and hotels, everything was planned to perfection.

The camps chosen for the safari were dreamily located. The staff were friendly and very attentive. The catering was excellent as well.

Our guide and driver Emmanuel (known as Manu) was in a class of his own. He always had a smile on his face, and is friendly and very attentive. As a guide he stands out for his extensive detailed knowledge of flora and fauna and of the different ways of life of the Kenyan tribes. He is also very well connected with the other guides on the safari routes.

So after just over 24 hours of safari we had already seen all five of the Big 5 at least once. We were even able to witness live, right in front of our car on the very first evening in the Masai Mara, the successful hunt of a buffalo by a pride of 18 young lions. The giraffes, antelopes, gazelles, cheetahs, small cats and birds did not escape our notice either.

Emmanuel gently prepared us for the drastic consequences of the short rainy season that had still not arrived by the time of our visit to Amboseli National Park, and yet it was shocking to see the carcasses of the animals that had died from lack of food. In return, Kilimanjaro showed itself to us in all its beauty at sunrise.

Summary:
We had a fantastic holiday and can recommend this itinerary!

2 weeks from Kenya’s Masai Mara across the border to Tanzania’s Serengeti.

Unforgettable experiences in outstanding nature!! Superbly organised, with very beautiful accommodation (tented camps and lodges).

The guides from Kenya-Experience and Tanzania-Experience who accompanied us were great.

To finish, Zanzibar for relaxing, a dream!!

After postponing our Africa trip twice because of Covid, it worked out this year: 16 days in Namibia from Windhoek to Victoria Falls (27 August – 12 September 2022) as a mini-group tour, and it was worth it. The trip was wonderful.

Our guide Moppi Tietz from Namibia-Experience looked after us superbly and through him we learned a great deal about the uniquely beautiful country of Namibia. The accommodation was very well chosen, with good food, and at one place that only offered breakfast, our guide prepared an excellent dinner on the grill for us.

Many thanks to the team at Elefant-Tours and Namibia-Experience.

Christine and Michael Gaus

Tailor-made trip for 4 people, 4 to 24 October 2022
We were treated to an extraordinary trip. 1 week of safari in Kenya and another week in Tanzania became an unforgettable experience. Everything was superbly organised, the accommodation excellent. The nature with its inhabitants and unique experiences cannot be topped.

Lions urinating while lying down, ostriches mating, a lioness fighting with a leopard and, last of all, the lion roaring at night in front of the insect screen of our tented camp made the experience unforgettable.

From 24 September to 18 October 2022 we travelled through Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe as self-drivers. We remember the trip very fondly, as everything went perfectly.

Car rental, directions, lodges, camps and transfers were all excellent.

The route suited us well. On the safaris we always had very friendly and helpful companions.

Thank you for the great organisation

A wonderful experience. In such a short time you are offered an incredible bouquet of scenic diversity, a catwalk of wildlife and the most direct encounter with the atmosphere of Tanzania. One thing first: I am not a camping person. I can’t even remember when I last slept in a tent.

At the same time, the tented safari is, for me, the best way, because it is the most direct, to experience nature, animals and atmosphere up close in Tanzania’s various national parks. After an exciting day of “game driving”, as the drive through the wildlife is called, always searching for the “Big Five”, the feeling of freedom does not end at the door of the hotel room. The light, the sounds, the scent, the whole mood remain close at hand, over a dinner that the cook who travels with you conjures up with simple means. The night spent in the immediate vicinity of zebras and antelopes was unforgettable – completely safe.

The seven-day safari is a flood of images, the impressions come thick and fast, there is something new to discover at every moment, as you climb up to the lookout of the jeep when the driver has once again spotted a pride of lions or a leopard mother with her cubs out of nowhere. And is that a python coiled up in the tree over there? It would have gone unnoticed by me; untrained eyes don’t see it, but the experienced driver does.

Savouring the endless expanse of the Serengeti savannah, wellness for the eyes. Mist pouring over the Ngorongoro Crater. The campsites were impeccable, with everything you need. A very special feeling of freedom in a well-organised, protected atmosphere.

You can read a detailed account of the tented safari in Tanzania here on Anne Krüger’s travel blog.

We booked our Namibia self-drive tour with Elefant-Tours. Even the first contact was very friendly and personal. After a short time Mr Wiebe had understood exactly what is important to us on a trip. The corresponding route suggestion including accommodation convinced us straight away.

Between booking and travel we were able to clarify all our questions fully and make minor adjustments without any problems. In addition, Mr Wiebe arranged a self-drive briefing on site for us, which gave us a good start and a good feeling.

The accommodation was beautiful throughout and each place was a highlight in its own right. We are thoroughly delighted and can recommend Mr Wiebe and Elefant-Tours without reservation.

Thank you so much for an unforgettable honeymoon!

Dear Mr Schuff,

our trip has sadly come to an end, we have landed safely and I would like to thank you and your team on behalf of the whole group. Everything worked out perfectly and we had a wonderful time and great experiences.

The visit to the Helpers of Mary was a lovely and moving start. Thank you again for making this visit possible for us.

Elefant-Tours once again gave its all. We really saw everything, and not through binoculars but up close in dreamlike landscapes – very touching.

Our guide and driver, Rashid, was a wonderful soul with eagle eyes. We felt safe and comfortable with him.

All the accommodation, whether lodge or tent, was good, and the service team always super friendly and attentive, but we especially want to highlight Kirimu Camp. Beautiful, tasteful and generously furnished tents with many practical details and an unobstructed view into the Serengeti. The team was absolutely top, cheerful and warm, and the food was top, a highlight.

Overall, the provision of vegetarian and vegan food also worked well; even the surprise lunch boxes were stocked accordingly.

The visit to the coffee plantation near Endoro Lodge was also special for us, as the contact with this nice couple felt like visiting friends, and making our own coffee was a great idea.

The three days in Zanzibar at Mwezi Resort were also a gift, right by the sea, on the beach, with a cheerful crew, a farewell evening with buffet and show programme, no wishes were left unfulfilled.

There was a great atmosphere in our group every day, because everything was simply so harmonious.

Our conclusion: if it’s Africa again – then only with Elefant-Tours.

Warm regards

Inge Dännart and group:

Renate, Annette, Josee, Ursula and Ulrike

What should I write?
The whole thing was a dream 🙂

It started with the consultation – after 5 minutes Mr Schuff knew exactly what we wanted and put together a trip for us that fitted our needs precisely.

The support before departure was spot on. 5 days before departure we received another email pointing out that a small component of the trip was no longer what it used to be – an alternative was offered and we even had an amount credited immediately.

And then the trip – unique. Our guide David responded fully to our needs and we did day trips of up to 10/11 hours. That suited us absolutely fine, as it let us enjoy and photograph this trip in all its splendour.

If it’s Tanzania again, then only with Elefant-Tours and its excellent team on the ground.

Thank you

Dear Elefant-Tours team,
thank you very much for your support in planning our self-drive tour.

Our time in Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe was simply dreamlike. The wildlife sightings, the friendly people, the nature and the sunsets. We were also very impressed by the food.

Every one of the accommodations was a highlight in itself. The briefing from Sven in Windhoek was also worth its weight in gold.

See you again soon!

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

Dear Mr Schuff, we are sitting at the airport in Zanzibar waiting for our flight back to Germany.

We had an eventful and wonderful time in Tanzania and on Zanzibar. Everything worked out perfectly and we are now returning in the best of health with lots of new impressions and experiences! Our guide in particular did a superb job.

Thanks to his knowledge, experience and patience, great wildlife viewing was possible. Our hotel on Zanzibar was also dreamy and more than exceeded our expectations! We have rarely been welcomed so warmly.

Many thanks and warm regards from (still) Zanzibar!

In June we went on the 8-day safari “Best of Kenya”.

Because of the “high” price of a trip to Africa, we researched a lot beforehand and had the best feeling with Stephan Schuff.

Everything worked brilliantly from the start!
We were picked up on time at the airport and taken to the first hotel. Once there, our safari started the next day, after a short briefing from Alex.

Our German-speaking guide Manu really made the trip an unforgettable one.

We were blown away on the very first day. We are safari newcomers and would never have thought we would see so many animals on the first day.

Manu knew exactly where to drive to show us the animals. On the first day we were immediately lucky enough to see a leopard and to watch a beautiful sunset accompanied by two lions.

The accommodation chosen was also really great. In the middle of nature, accompanied by the most varied animal calls, it was simply wonderful!

Our guide Manu shaped the safari really wonderfully with his expert knowledge and a big dose of humour!

Thank you for an unforgettable Kenya trip!

Dear Elefant-Tours team, hello Mr Schuff,

now that we have come back from our Africa trip last week, we would like to give you some brief feedback.

Everything worked wonderfully: we were already awaited at Kilimanjaro Airport and the transfer to Meru View Lodge went perfectly. We liked the lodge exceptionally well!!! We were also able to leave a suitcase there in the meantime.

The tour through the various national parks was beautiful.

We would like to give special praise to our driver Daniel, who made unforgettable wildlife viewing possible for us.

He was also always a very considerate driver, and we felt very safe throughout the whole tour!!!

He was always there to help with advice and action, was always friendly and obliging, and always found solutions to our extra requests!!!

We also do not want to leave our cook Peter unmentioned. He spoiled us culinarily too.

We would also like to mention that, despite occasional rain, the tents were always clean inside when we arrived at the campsite in the evening.

You have provided us with a really great team on the ground!!!!

We will gladly recommend you further among our friends and acquaintances!! This also applies to our friends, the Beyerle family.

Best wishes from Munich

Margitta and Günther Herb

The trip was a dream. The country is pure adventure and the scenery is incredibly varied. Ms Brode took care of everything with great competence and dedication. And all of that in a very short time before the departure date. Thank you very much once again for that.

It was 5,050 km and the tour was breathtakingly beautiful. Deserts, Fish River Canyon, the sea, mountains, endless expanses and Etosha NP. Highlights also included Waterberg and Fingerclip. We have never stayed anywhere so beautiful. Whether in guesthouses, lodges or camps, we actually didn’t want to check out of any of them. 😉 We had to switch to Fest Inn Fels Lodge in the Tiras Mountains. That was more than just a replacement. The evening with Roland, who is the owner, was lovely. I would be delighted if this lodge, which is truly dreamily located and beautiful, were added to the programme as a standard stop.

As a car rental company we can recommend Warthog. Our car, the Toyota Hilux 4×4, was simply top. Some of the staff speak German and also looked after us very well during the trip. You can rely on them around the clock. We will definitely go on another voyage of discovery with Elefant-Tours.

A big compliment to Mr Schuff for the organisation and the perfect individual advice for our family set-up with 2 boys (12 & 10 years old), and to our guide Silayo, who showed us the world of Africa with very personal care and in good German!

Overall, the trip was worth every euro! Of course, in some cases you would wish that some of the investment could reach the land and its people more, and go towards future-oriented improvements.

On the safari we had a mix of lodges and tented camps. On the next safari we would go even more for the camp option. Simply Africa and pure nature, and an unbeatable soundscape at night.

We have stayed in many hotels, but the Mwezi Boutique Hotel is right up there at the top! A very well-kept property, a great location on Zanzibar, very good food, a personal and sustainable design and furnishing, and so on and so on… But above all it is the personal (almost family-like) care from the very first minute that makes it so dreamy!

P.S. Very cool bars and restaurants on the beach to recommend!

We are back from our trip to Namibia.

With the additional great briefing from Sven, it was a wonderful trip that we will never forget. Sven gave us valuable tips and was reachable for us at any time during the trip.
The lodges chosen were very beautiful.

We felt very comfortable everywhere. You hit our taste exactly.
Everything worked out perfectly.

The only change next time would be that we would book a bigger car. The roads to the remote lodges were in places very bad and we almost got stuck twice.
In any case, we thank you for the great organisation.

We will certainly book our next Africa trip with you again.

After a more or less Covid-induced chaos beforehand, we were finally able to plan the perfect trip for us together with Mr Schuff. Another special thank-you to him for his expertise and patience.

We were very interested in northern Kenya because of its special wildlife in Samburu National Reserve and because of the white and black rhinos in Solio Game Reserve and Ol Pejeta Conservancy. To finish the tour there was to be a detour to Aberdare NP.

On 1 March we finally set off with Lufthansa to Nairobi, where we met our German-speaking guide Mano and the tour could begin. Thanks to him the trip became an unforgettable experience. We have often travelled in southern Africa, but this trip was something very special.

In March all the animals have their young, so we were able to enjoy unique wildlife viewing undisturbed and in peace. In Solio Game Reserve there were large herds of white rhinos with impressive horns. We also saw the beautiful Rothschild’s giraffes in large numbers, all against the backdrop of Mt Kenya.

Our experiences in Samburu and Buffalo Springs National Reserve were magnificent. Thanks to the knowledge and nose of our guide Mano, we were able to make wildlife sightings that far exceeded our expectations. Impressive was a family of cheetahs, whose antics we could watch, completely undisturbed from 5 metres away, as they ate a freshly killed gazelle. We saw the rare Grevy’s zebras, Somali ostriches, reticulated giraffes, vulturine guineafowl and the gerenuks, which occur only in northern Kenya.

The finale in the scenically stunning Aberdare NP is highly recommended. From the viewing platform at Arc Lodge you can watch a waterhole where there is almost always action.
Unfortunately the trip was over far too quickly and after 2 weeks we had to say goodbye to this beautiful country and a charming and funny guide.

Thank you Mano, we will be back.
Thanks also to the team at Elefant-Tours.

First of all, a huge thank-you to Mr Schuff, who, despite many small adversities before the trip, always kept a cool head and always found a solution! Just under 2 weeks in Uganda turned out to be a great time with fantastic experiences! Thank you so much for the sensational choice of route, accommodation and guide! Mr Schuff knew immediately what I had in mind for this trip and what was important to me. We have now been back for 1 week, but my thoughts are still in Uganda.

The accommodation was such that every day you thought the next lodge could not be topped. The staff were warm, the food a delight and the experiences indescribable!

Highlights such as the boat trips at Murchison Falls, in the Kazinga Channel of Queen Elizabeth Park, the chimpanzee trekking or the long hike to the mountain gorillas will stay in my memory forever!

One of the people who contributed to it turning out so wonderfully was our guide Robert. Top league! Not only absolutely on top of every daily routine, as a great driver or as a guide for mammals. As a birder, too, he was one of the few in my life who knew sooo much. A true delight!

You could also laugh a lot with him! He was always patient, reliable and sharp-witted! Top through and through! He handled the 4x4 cruiser perfectly, no matter how steep the slope, how muddy the track or whether fog took away our view. He found the leopard and always had an open ear for many small wishes.
This was my 2nd time in Uganda. The first time was already awesome, but this time, apart from one planning mistake on my part, it was an absolute dream holiday! And certainly not the last in Uganda. That much is certain!!!

Thank you for everything!!!

We, a group of 4 men, came back yesterday from our private safari in Kenya. It was a wonderful trip with great new experiences and superb wildlife sightings. The itinerary was planned by Mr Schuff and me according to my wishes. In the past I have repeatedly been on safaris in Africa, including independently with African providers. But now, in Covid times, I wanted the security of a German provider.

From the start I had a very good feeling about Elefant-Tours. No follow-up question was too much for Mr Schuff. Thanks to his expertise he could answer my questions skilfully at any time. Many questions about Covid too, such as trip cancellation etc., were answered in detail and in an extremely customer-friendly way. Once again, many thanks Mr Schuff.

The trip on the ground ran without any organisational problems. The lodges and tented camps were all beautifully located and in good condition. The safari vehicle, a Land Cruiser, was impeccable. With our guide Manu we hit the jackpot. Manu is a very intelligent, polite guide who speaks good German. He made the safari an absolute highlight. Thanks to his commitment we had fantastic wildlife sightings. He made us feel safe at all times. Through his wit and charm he very quickly became part of our safari group. He brought the country, the people and the wildlife wonderfully close to us. Manu, you were great, we will never forget you! Maisha Marefu Manu