Detour Africa Reviews 105

Thanks to Detour Africa and the coordinator Mandy for our phenomenal experiences with our Kruger NP booking!
Everything worked out perfectly with our booking. Mandy was really kind, helpful choosing the right Safari and Lodge and was always answering questions immediately. Really professional ! We really enjoyed our stay at Umkumbe River Lodge. Our stay was really outstanding. Everything was great - the lodge was well equipped, very good food, the staff was very friendly and helpful. Our guide Shannon was a motivated, friendly and, from my point of view, professional guide who helped us to have amazingly wildlife sightings from so close distances that we could literally touch the animals (what you of course shouldn’t do and we didn’t do ;) ) and was explaining detailed a lot of things converning everything we saw. She was really professional!
I can just recommend the Umkumbe River Lodge and I was very happy choosing Detour Africa and you helping us picking this gem of a Lodge.

Detour Africa were super helpful when we were planning our trip and provided all the necessary information in good time. What was over and above though was the extra effort they put in to organise things for us when flight delays meant we arrived in Namibia 24 hours later then planned and missed the start of our tour. We can't thank Mandy enough for the personal attention she took to help us out.

This was such a great trip! Well organised and lived up to expectations. Our guide and driver was very knowledgeable and helpful.. full of fun and interesting information. The trip allowed us to see lots in a short space of time with a range of activities. From visiting spectacular caves, zip lining to stunning game drives. The communication and organisation was top class and the staff were all friendly and helpful.

James was very helpful during the booking process and also checked in with us whilst we were travelling on our 20 day tour from Cape Town to Vic Falls. The tour itself was fantastic and our guide Taffy, and driver Alby were an absolute pleasure. Would highly recommend!

We did a 5-day Kruger National Park tour. We spent one day visiting various sights outside the park (God's Window, Bourke's Luck Potholes, Blyde River Canyon, the Three Rondavales, and Lisbon Falls) and the rest inside the Park. Everything was very impressive, and the guides were excellent. The Umbhaba Econ Lodge was excellent in terms of rooms and food, and it's in a wonderful setting. It's a great place to relax and enjoy yourself after the excursions. The transfers to and from Mpumalanga Airport were excellent. Overall, everything went very smoothly. The announced pick-up times and other times were always perfectly adhered to. We can highly recommend Detour. Even our inquiries and requests before booking were handled very well. We have booked with Detour several times over more than the past 10 years and have always been very satisfied.

An amazing trip to Namibia. The guide Ivan, and cook John were friendly, professional and knowledgeable. The itinerary included all the highlights of Namibia and the logistics of getting to each place was well planned. Thank you to James at Detour for finding me the perfect trip to work around my plans! :)

We also had a great experience during the consultation with Detour Africa regarding the tour, pricing, and overall planning. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The communication was friendly, professional, and very transparent. All our questions were answered quickly and clearly, and we felt that the tone was warm and genuinely helpful from the start. The pricing was fair and well explained, which made us feel confident and comfortable booking the tour.

Excellent service and highly recommended!

We had an absolutely amazing experience on the 6-day Garden Route tour with Earthstompers! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Our guide was super cool, knowledgeable, and made the whole trip fun from start to finish. We always felt very safe thanks to the excellent driving and the well-organized itinerary. The bus was comfortable and the journey itself was just as enjoyable as the destinations.

The accommodations were especially fantastic — each place had its own unique vibe and made the trip feel even more special. What we loved most is how the tour made it possible to see so much of such a huge and diverse country in a short amount of time without ever feeling rushed.

Highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting South Africa — it’s the perfect mix of adventure, comfort, and unforgettable experiences!

I cannot say enough amazing things about our 10-day guided trip through South Africa, Mozambique (planned), and Eswatini with Detour Africa, supported on the ground by Footprints in Africa. This trip completely exceeded every expectation I had and ended up being one of the best travel experiences of my life.

We originally chose Detour Africa because of their extremely competitive pricing and flexibility, and they proved very early on that we made the right decision. Over the course of about eight months of planning, our group size changed constantly. We started with eight travelers dropping in and out due to life and scheduling conflicts and ultimately ended up with only three of us traveling. Despite that, Detour Africa never made us feel like our trip was inconvenient or less important. They remained patient, accommodating, and committed to making sure our experience still happened exactly as planned.

Planning & Communication

Their organization and communication were outstanding. They consistently checked in with us throughout the planning process and were always responsive during their business hours. They provided detailed travel checklists, passport and visa guidance, and sent our itinerary early enough for us to plan outfits, excursions, and expectations. By the time we left, we felt 100% prepared for everything the trip involved.

Flexibility During Unexpected Challenges

One of the most impressive parts of this company was how they handled unexpected circumstances. Severe flooding made it impossible for us to travel into Mozambique, which was originally planned for beach time and scuba diving. Instead of letting that portion of the trip feel like a loss, they quickly pivoted and rerouted us to a beautiful beach town in South Africa that ended up being just as incredible. They even adjusted our itinerary to include another safari day trip, still ensured we had a beach experience, and personally cooked breakfast for us to make sure no part of the trip felt wasted. Their flexibility and kindness during that situation showed how much they genuinely care about their travelers.

Our Guide – Mark (Footprints in Africa)

Our guide, Mark, truly made the entire trip unforgettable. I firmly believe that without a great guide, a trip like this could fall apart, but Mark was beyond exceptional. He was incredibly knowledgeable about wildlife, culture, and the regions we traveled through. He was responsible, professional, and always prioritized our safety and comfort.

We spent roughly 72 hours total traveling between destinations, and he never hesitated to stop whenever we needed restroom breaks or stretching time. He cooked amazing meals for us, spent time socializing and making the trip fun, and was always available if we needed help with anything. Even with the stress of last-minute itinerary changes due to flooding, he never once showed frustration or negativity. His passion and dedication made the experience truly special.

Accommodations & Experiences

One of the biggest surprises was the accommodations. Although the trip was marketed as budget-friendly, none of the lodging felt “budget” in quality. Every location was beautiful, comfortable, clean, and well staffed. The places we stayed actually enhanced the overall experience and helped us feel safe and relaxed throughout the trip.

The wildlife and safari experiences were incredible. Having park entrances, cultural experiences, and transportation included made everything seamless and stress-free. We were able to focus entirely on enjoying the adventure instead of worrying about logistics.

Safety & Comfort

At every location we visited, we felt completely safe. The accommodations were secure, the staff were welcoming, and the animal enclosures and safari environments were handled professionally. Safety was clearly a priority throughout the entire journey.

Value

For approximately $1,500 per person, this trip was unbelievable value. It included three countries, private transportation, daily breakfast, safari park entrance fees, cultural excursions, beach experiences, and constant guided support. It was truly the most “bang for your buck” travel experience I have ever had.

Final Thoughts

If you are considering traveling to Africa, especially for a safari or multi-country adventure, I cannot recommend Detour Africa and Footprints in Africa enough. Their professionalism, flexibility, organization, and genuine care for their travelers set them apart. This trip created memories I will carry with me forever, and I would absolutely travel with them again.

From their incredible local insights to the seamless way they managed all logistical details, our guides were outstanding. They made us feel welcome from the very first moment and their attention to detail was flawless. More than great guides, they truly are 2 top gents.

Fantastic hosting, great historical knowledge, wonderful tour guides, flexible to out needs. Recently went on a Chairmans Club Trip to Cape Town with a packed Itinerary and from the pick up a the airport to the drop off we had Gareth & Mark, both super professional, all round lovely guys. Couldn't ask for more from them and considering we had a large group of sales personalities, they were on top form. 10/10.

Had a lovely time on my 3 day Sossusvlei Comfort Tour.
Food was good, staff were lovely and location was amazing. Quite a bit of down time which I wasn't expecting to sit so long by the pool but in good weather it wasn't a problem.
Only downside was the beds at the lodge were a bit solid but otherwise everything was perfect.

Excellent experience booking our safari with Detour Africa. From planning to travel, everything was handled seamlessly. Would definitely recommend!

I can highly recommend Detour Africa. The organization by Mandy was excellent and we felt very well looked after at all times. Even spontaneous requests were handled very quickly. Thanks to Detour, we had an unforgettable time on our safari tour in south africa.

We had such a nice experience booking our safari trip through Detour Africa. Mandy made sure we picked the right package for our needs and continued to check in with us through out our trip. Highly recommended!

Unforgettable experiences!
For the perfect organization of our Kruger Park Safari at Nambu Camp with Detour Africa, we are very grateful to James with his personal and professional way of planning, organizing, coordinating with us and communicating down to the details of the tansfer.
A big thank you too, to the entire Lodge team. The Camp staff, Rangers, Everyone!! has done their part to make our time at Nambu Camp to an unforgettable experiences.
How said one of the Nambu staff: "Come as a guest and leave us as a friend".
We would say: Successful done.

I can only highly recommend booking a trip with Detour Africa. They’re very fast in responding and very organized with any organisation pre-hand. I did the 6-day Garden Route Tour in SA and it was honestly such an amazing experience. True an meaningful memories were made. What made the tour so memorable and special was mainly our tour guide Rochelle. She made sure everyone felt included and welcomed during the whole tour. No matter what maybe an issue ar request was, she made sure it was taken care of. I went solo but never felt lonely. I’m very pleased and lolking forwad to book with them again. (Africa is such a beautiful continent!)

James, the Detour Africa advisor was very helpful in guiding us through the booking process for the garden route 6-day tour. He answered all our questions promptly and gave us good advise for our trip, which resulted in an unforgettable experience.

Already the admin part was perfect, very professional and personal handled by James. The tour description did not promise to much. A wonderful experience with a lot of highlights. Special thanks to our tourguides Salomon and Thabani who did a fantastic job. Perfectly organized, helpful and very active in the group. I can recommend the tour to everyone.

The Namibia tour was really amazing! The guides and the group were the best and I had a great time from beginning to end.

Hello,
A few days ago, we returned from just over two weeks of traveling in Botswana and Namibia. Elana from Detour Agency helped us organize our itinerary, and we can only speak highly of her. She responded promptly to all our questions and was extremely attentive to our wishes.
In Botswana, our itinerary included a 2-day trip to the Salt Pans and a 1-day Moremi Day Tour. Our guide and driver (unfortunately, I forgot his name, but the agency is Africazim Travel and Tours) spoke excellent English, was an outstanding driver, and had extensive knowledge of Moremi Park. In just one day, we were able to see 4 of the 5 “Big Five” animals.
In Namibia, we went on a 4-day Swakopmund and Sossusvlei safari with Chamelot Agency. Our guide, Kanedy, was responsible, knowledgeable, and fluent in English, with a deep understanding of Namibia’s history and natural landmarks.
Overall, it was an unforgettable trip. Thank you, Elana!