Detour Africa Reviews 

Amazing experience! The process was flawless from pick up at airport, check in at the lodge. Joseph our guide was incredible, very knowledgeable of the area and the animals. Nicole and the rest of the staff at the lodge were great. My sons and I had a great time! I would highly recommend it.

Wonderful tour company. We did a Kruger Safari and it was fantastic. Everything about the process went smoothly, from the communication, pick ups, and safari itself. Elena our tour coordinator did a fantastic job. She was always there answering questions and follow ups along the way! We will definitely use them again, if traveling to Africa!

James booked our 3 day Sossusvlei tour for us with great efficiency and communication. The trip was spectacular- the scenery, accommodation, food, tour guides and comaraderie. We were issued vouchers for each segment of the trip but never needed to show them. We needed to only give our names to be warmly greeted. Perfect organization!

The Kruger Park 5 day safari was a great package, pick up from our Guesthouse in Jo'burg was smooth, spend one day at a lodge in a more private reserve before moving to another lodge from where we did a few Kruger Park trips. Be aware though that Detour Africa is a third party organisation and our trip was actually run by Viva Safari. You just get the same package and it didn't matter for us, but just something to be aware of, I think more are run that way. We actually had a better deal this way than some on our tour who booked directly. Communication has been well throughout the trip and the whole experience was flawless, great and with very knowledgeable and funny guides. We had some great days.

I did a lot of research online to find a company that was affordable and also had good reviews. I was not disappointed! Detour Africa was a great company. Communication was always prompt with the travel agent. We were set up in nice accommodations. The food was so good and the staff at the lodge where we stayed were so friendly. We did the 5 day Safari tour with an evening game drive, 2 full days at Kruger, and then we paid for an extra game drive our last morning. I really like the diversity between the game drive and Kruger. The game drives are on a private reserve. Mostly bush and the cars can go off trail. So you end up seeing the animals quite close up. At Kruger, you have to stay on the roads so seeing animals is mostly by chance as they need to be close to the road. But we saw many different animals at Kruger. I would recommend doing both. This was really the trip of a lifetime. And it doesn't need to cost an arm and a leg. With Detour Africa it is very affordable and still great quality in all domains. I would definitely recommend Detour Africa for Safari tours.

An excellent day out. Everything well organised, knowledgeable guide. Great communication from company from start to finish. Would not hesitate to book with them again.

We booked the 5 day Best of Kruger package and the booking process was made very easy by Mandy.
The trip itself was exactly as described.
We really enjoyed our time both at Thornhill Lodge and on the activities.

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! :)

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!