Kimkim Trip Reviews for South Africa

The guides we had in Johannesburg and Stellenbosch were all excellent. Itu was our guide for Soweto and the Apartheid Museum. He gave us a very clear picture through his eyes and experience that was both informative and emotionally moving. Mthandeni, who took us to Pretoria and the Cullinan Diamond Mine was also very thorough and had interesting things to share with us. Craig with Capey Tours was a fun guide for the wine country. He captured our idea of how we wanted to experience that. He was also very helpful (and flexible) in helping us arrange for wine shipping.

On the downside, I feel that there were some definite glitches with Moafrika, the agent in Johannesburg. Let me be specific: Itu was supposed to take us to Lebo’s for dinner after our Soweto tour. The address he was given was incorrect. We searched and finally found Lebo’s, but they had no booking for us. This was a dinner that was included in the price of the tour. We went back to the hotel and settled for UberEats. We were supposed to have a private driver for the trip to Pilanesberg, but were on a crowded bus with 20+ people. Lucy did arrange for a driver to pick us up after the game drive.
Finally, there was to be an airport transfer for the other couple joining us. They waited half an hour at the airport and finally called an Uber to get to the hotel.

I say all this not to be critical of Lucy at all. She was very responsive. I just feel that there needs to be better communication of expectations to Moafrika.

Hotel Review

Capital on Bath

Johannesburg

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Friendly, responsive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Transfer O.R Tambo Intl Airport to Hotel

Johannesburg

Connection between driver and client was not made. There was a 30 minute discrepancy in the time of arrival that I tried repeatedly to correct. This may be the reason the driver was not there.

Full Day Soweto & Apartheid Tour

Johannesburg

Quality of Experience

Food

Dinner was supposed to be provided and guide did not have the correct information

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Boutique Winelands Tour

South Africa

Meeting wine makers at each of the farms was a great experience.

Khayamandi Township Tour

Cape Town

We toured Lange. The local guide was very gracious and gave us a complete look at life in the township.

Dinner at Lebo's

South Africa

Did not happen.

Ultimate Pilanesberg Open Vehicle Day Tour

South Africa

There was supposed to be a private driver. We were on a bus with 20+ people.

We enlisted the help of Deb and the Kim Kim team to help us organize a whistle stop trip to S. Africa and Zimbabwe. We only had 10 days so needed help getting the most out of our limited time.
We were so impressed with the level of communication throughout the planning process and whilst on the trip itself. Some great dinner spots and additional activities were suggested which made a huge difference to our experience. It was also great to be given a variety of accommodation options which we could select to best suit our budget.
All transfers and activities ran like clockwork and took the worry out of traveling in a new country with kids. Every guide we came across was exceptionally knowledgeable and professional.
We would definitely use the Kim Kim service again and wholeheartedly recommend Deb and her team for anyone considering a trip to S. Africa. Thank you for the most amazing holiday - we didn’t want to come home!

Hotel Reviews

Parker Cottage

Cape Town

This was a holiday highlight for us. Tomas and his team and the accommodation was exceptional - a home away from home and a blissful sanctuary after a busy day sightseeing. Outstanding!

Authenticity & Character

A beautiful old heritage villa.

Location

A safe walking distance to restaurants in the area and close proximity to Table Mountain and the Waterfront.

Staff

Great advice and super friendly!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Southern Sun De Wagen

Stellenbosch

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to restaurants.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms/ beds needed to be bigger!

Phezulu Guest Lodge

Victoria Falls

Authenticity & Character

Location

Lovely quiet location but it was easy to organise taxis.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Capital On The Park

Sandton

Authenticity & Character

A big hotel with a great pool area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the shopping mall.

Location

Close to the shopping mall.

Staff

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

A great 2 bed apartment for our final night.

Cleanliness & Comfort

A great 2 bed apartment for our final night.

Cresta Mowana Safari Resort & Spa - Kasane

Chobe, Kasane

Authenticity & Character

The isolation of this place was quite special - we loved the open air dining areas and viewing deck and of course the thatched roof.

Location

It took 3 border crossings to reach this lodge but it actually added to the experience. Loved that it was only accessible by river.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super big beds!

Activity Reviews

Horseback Riding in the Winelands

South Africa

My kids loved this activity! It was an amazing setting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Table Mountain

South Africa

We loved this trip! We headed straight here after checking in at our accommodation. We took a later cable car up to catch the sunset. It was super quiet and the sunset/ views were beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cape Peninsula & Penguins

South Africa

We had a friendly and experienced guide. We loved the penguins, haggling with the street vendors and the views.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Robben Island

Cape Town

This is something I have wanted to do for a long time. We had an amazing guide on the bus around the island and a former inmate for the prison tour. Very interesting and humbling. It was quite a big group and sometimes hard to follow what was being said when we were off the bus.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner at GOLD Restaurant

Cape Town

The additional drumming workshop was well worth it. We all loved it! It was great to taste various dishes from around the continent and to watch the dancing/ entertainment. This was definitely a very touristy activity but something I would recommend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Authentic and rustic - some dishes were really tasty, some were more interesting.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gourmet Dinner on a Sunset Cruise

Victoria Falls

This was outstanding! It was stunning scenery on the Zambezi and we saw our first hippo! The 4 course meal was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Vic Falls

Victoria Falls

What’s not to like? The Falls are breathtaking!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dusty Road Township Dinner Experience **highly recommended by our team

Victoria Falls

Loved the little tour that you get upon entry. Great atmosphere and loved the community aspect of this place and the focus on sustainability.

Quality of Experience

Food

The authenticity. Some of the dishes took me back to my own time living in Africa.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We took our own taxi and paid more than we were told to pay.

Arrival at Chobe Savanna Lodge

Chobe National Park

We crossed 3 borders to get here. This sounds overwhelming but each crossing was slick and efficient and we were directed by the driver on where to go. It added to the whole experience. The river ride to the lodge was beautiful - we spotted lion, hippos and elephants. It was nice to be offered a cold drink on board.

Quality of Experience

Food

N/a

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Last morning at Chobe Savanna Lodge

Chobe River - Namibia Side

We actually saw very little wildlife on the morning safari. We ended up watching a troop of baboons for ages. The river ride and sunset was perfect though.

Quality of Experience

Food

N/a

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were met upon arrival at Cape Town airport by Jennifer who escorted us thru the the car rental site and out the door. What a lovely assistance, she provided. She also provided us with a couple bottle of wine for the nights relaxation. Lindi, our coordinator, did a wonderful job of putting together some really nice B&B's for your trip to SA. The Cape Riviera Guest House was centrally located to a lot of the attractions available in Cape Town. It was also within walking distance to many restaurants. The Guest House is a little dated but that added to the ambiance of the place. The grounds were nice to stroll in. Owen, the proprietor , was very pleasant and informative. The breakfast was a great way to start the day.

Our first day got off a little late due to our intended guide becoming deathly ill. Lindi scrambled to get us a replacement on short notice. Not having the itinerary, Micheal, our guide, started us with a trip to the top of Table Mtn. We rode the gondola to the top. What a gorgeous view of CapeTown from there. Michael walked us around the paths, introducing us to the plants, animals, and, the water gathering systems up there. After getting back to the vehicle, We got a history lesson from Michale about apartheid and the changes that came with it as we drove to the waterfront for lunch. We strolled around there for a bit and lost track of time. We drove by the Church of Good Hope but had insufficient time to wander thru the inside.

Day 2, Michael drove us along the Camps Bays, Chapman's Peak scenic hwy to Cape Point. What a great drive. We did a little hiking on the head lands before taking the obligatory photo of the Cape of Good Hope sign. From there, we wandered up the east side of the Cape Peninsula making our way to Groot Constancia winery for lunch and to taste a few of their wines. After lunch, a visit to Kirshtenbosch Botanical Gardens was made. Michael introduced us to the miriad of plants , trees, ferns, their medicinal uses, etc and the history of the gardens. Two days is not near enough to spend in CApeTown. THere's just too much to see and experience. We will spend some more time here when we return.

Day 3 and beyond, we were on our own. We drove thru the Winelands of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. Specifically, we stopped at KanonKop, Babylonstroen, Boschendal and Lanzerac wineires. We strolled around the grounds and tasted their wines. Very impressive farms, they all were, especially Babykonstroen. we ended our day at Herman's, late. We found our B&B...Whale Rock Lodge right after sunset. THis is a very nice establishment, nice grounds, well kept.

Day 4, Melanie, the proprietor, met us in the AM for Breakfast and gave us info on beach walks from the Lodge, We wandered along the rocky coastline for a morning stretch before getting back in our vehicle and driving onward. We made our way thru the scenic countryside and back roads to Cape Agulhas where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet. After stretching and picture taking, it was back in the car and off to the Garden Route and Knysna for a couple of days. Lindi's choice of the Blackwaters River Lodge was a nice stay. Jane and Bonita made our two night stay very pleasant. They do a very nice meal service and breakfast here. The veranda was a nice, quiet place to relax and sip some of the wines we sourced on our trip.

We did some mountain hiking in the morning, then down to Robberg Nature Reserve for some more hiking. The trails in the Reserve can be somewhat daunting for the uninformed, as we found out. the 5.5K trail around the peninsula included a lot of rock hopping and sands. we were bushed when we finished. We dined on oysters and seafood in Knysna at 34 street, on the water front. We ran out of time for the sunset cruise of the Knysna Estuary and headlands, but would recommend it for the future .

From Knysna, we continued our drive along the West Cape and into the East Cape on N2 thru Port Elizabeth, then headed north on N10 before turning westward on R400, inland to Kuzuko Lodge in the Central Karoo and Greater Addo Elephant Reserve. The first 10k of R400 is extremely rough. We found a better alternative on the way out, using R335, a much smoother, unpaved road, 15 K out of the way but quicker over all. The Kuzuko Lodge is a great stay in the middle of nowhere. The Reserve consists of 15000 Hectare of the Karoo. We did four game drives on the reserve, one each morning and each evening. We saw plenty of wildlife to keep us happy: Elephants, giraffes, lions, cheetah, a miriade of antelope from small to large, raptors, cranes, meerkats, mongoose, jackles and more. The staff at Kuzuko were very accommodating and pleasant. Their meals were very nice, too. Got to give a shoutout to our game driver, Quinton, very informative on the the animals and history of the Reserve. The spa staff at the Lodge did an incredible job of working all the kinks and knots out of our muscles after a jostling game drive. Highly recommend their services.

Lindi, of Salty/KimKim Tours did a great job of arranging our rental car, guide and stays for our trip. The BNB'S were 4 star and higher. The included meals were a nice addition. The Kuzuko Game Lodge and staff were really great too. AS I mentioned before, two days in Cape Town is not near enough time to see all that is available. The same can be said of all the stops along our route . We will need to return to South Africa again to capture more of its scenic wonders. Thanks Lindi for giving us a glimpse of this great county.

My wife and I just returned from an amazing self-drive tour to South Africa that was organized by Petru of Kimkim. It was a 11 day custom tour that included both Kazulu Natal and the Garden Route. We had some rough ideas of where we wanted to go and what we wanted to see, and Petru filled in the details and made the bookings. There is a lot to cover and of course not enough time to do it all, but since my first time in South Africa I was happy to see some highlights of each region. The accommodations were typically 3- and 4-star guest houses with bed and breakfast, very comfortable, fabulous food, and reasonably priced (to a visitor from the USA). Also, each was very unique and beautiful. We particularly liked the Drakensberg Cavern Resort, St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse, and Parkes Manor in Knysna. We loved the Drakensberg mountains and the coastline around Tsitsikamma, Knysna and the Garden Route. We enjoyed the Hippo Cruise and exploring the Isimangaliso Wetlands Park (self-drive game drive to Cape Vidal) at St. Lucia. Also, Addo Elephant Park (self-drive game drive). I took probably at least 1000 photos of birds and animals large and small in the wild, and spectacular scenery. Petru was very helpful in helping us with the planning, and giving suggestions of things to do while we were on the trip. Everything went smoothly and without a hitch.

The trip was a 10/10 experience. Deb really took the lead on planning everything for us because we came in with limited knowledge. We got to do everything and had the greatest of times. All the staff was extremely accommodating. Having all of the drivers planned out made the trip carefree and seamless.

Hotel Reviews

Chobe Game Lodge

Serondela

Extremely nice facility with amazing food, views, and people. Being able to get into Chobe earlier allowed us to see a family of lions without any other trucks blocking our view!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ilala Lodge

Victoria Falls

The lodge was a great location to walk to the falls. The service was extremely accommodating. Food was delicious. Our driver for the majority of the trip, Frank, was amazing! Extremely informative and kind.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cresta Mowana Safari Resort & Spa - Kasane

Chobe, Kasane

This is a very secluded and peaceful experience. The food was great and authentic. However there was a large fly problem while eating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Flight of the Angels over Vic Falls

Victoria Falls

The 15 minute duration trip was plenty. The guide explained everything we were seeing and sights were amazing. Really good safety briefing as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Cruise & Riverside Dinner

Victoria Falls

We had a private cruise with a full staff. The guide got us really close and allowed us to take as many pictures of the hippopotamus. The dinner course was unexpected and really amazing. Drinks and pretty views made this excursion very relaxing and wonderful. They provided rain ponchos which were very helpful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dusty Road Township Dinner Experience **highly recommended by our team

Victoria Falls

This was definitely a highlight of our trip. The food was delicious and the entire experience of learning about all the ingredients was very interesting. The entire ambiance of the place was amazing and could not be replicated elsewhere. We even purchased the owners cookbook. Staff was great!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mukuni Village Tour

Victoria Falls

This was a very unique experience. The guide was great and the villages were extremely kind. We wish we knew prior to bring some clothes to donate. Got to purchase some great souvenirs here straight from the people who make it. Also needing another visa to get back into Zimbabwe and to pay for everything in cash is important info.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrival at Chobe Savanna Lodge

Chobe National Park

You need to take a very small boat with all of your luggage to this location which was a surprise. The guide that took us Felix was very nice and informative!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Exclusive Black Rhino Conservation Experience

Victoria Falls

This luxury lodge was a great treat for the evening. Our safari guide, Michael, was extremely passionate about his job and made the tour very fun for us. He really put the effort in to make sure we saw as many animals as possible especially the black rhinos.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrive at your lodge in Chobe National Park and First Game Drive

Chobe National Park

Although it started pouring rain, it was still amazing since they provided really nice and heavy ponchos. These rides are extremely enjoyable just to see all the views. We also got to see a family of elephants which was really exceptional.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Game Drives in Chobe National Park

Botswana

Getting to be the first ones out into the park allowed us first access to seeing all the morning animals. We got to see a whole family of lions without having to compete with any other cars for the best photos ops. The lunch provided had a lot of food in it and was very filling. We really got to see almost every animal in the park and the guide, Ellie, did a great job spotting out exotic birds and plants.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day at Chobe Savanna Lodge

Chobe River - Namibia Side

This is a very peaceful resort with limited visitors. The staff is extremely accommodating and the food was great.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Last morning at Chobe Savanna Lodge

Chobe River - Namibia Side

We did a bird viewing cruise in the morning and got to see hippos out of the water as well as some elephants drinking water. Also a lot of baboons on the water.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

4-5 days in Cape Town(V&A hotel is a great location )is perfect, table mountain and Robben island were great experiences. 2 days Franschhoek was perfect and Avonrood accommodation excellent.Ryan was a brilliant guide for both above . Thabamati luxury tented lodge was just brilliant (food, safari’s,service all excellent) and 4 nights was just enough. To finish at Victoria falls and sunset cruise was a fantastic finish to our brilliant holiday.

Hotel Reviews

The Victoria & Alfred Hotel

Cape Town

Great location.Clean room. Service could be a bit better at breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location

Staff

Help at front of hotel for taxi’s etc

Cleanliness & Comfort

Avondrood Luxury Guest House

Franschhoek, Western Cape

Friendly, very comfortable accommodation in great location. Very high standard. Great breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Great character, lovely furnishings

Location

Staff

Very friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thabamati Luxury Tented Camp

Kruger National Park

Overall fantastic experience, luxury accommodation, excellent setting,service, safari’s, staff friendliness .The experience surpassed our expectations.

Authenticity & Character

Excellent quality of accommodation. Really friendly feel to the camp. The staff are all great

Location

Timbavati game reserve offers a lot of spotting from start to finish.

Staff

All helpful with everything

Cleanliness & Comfort

Extremely high standard in communal and private areas

Ilala Lodge

Victoria Falls

Great location, saw wild animals in the lovely garden areas. You can hear the sound of the falls which we liked

Authenticity & Character

Dining , pool and bar areas very well laid out

Location

Staff

Reception staff really helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Cape Peninsula Tour (including lunch)

South Africa

Great day tour. Great sights. Our lunch was average on this trip , I think because they rushed leading up to load shedding.

Quality of Experience

Seeing great sights and scenery

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ryan provides just the right amount of information and is relaxed and friendly

Transport

Table Mountain Hike and Cable Car

Cape Town

Great hike, great guide who was really friendly and knowledgeable

Quality of Experience

Good sense of achievement in completing the hike

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable, friendly

Transport

Afternoon Game Drive

South Africa

Brilliant

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Cape Town City and Scheduled Robben Island Tour

Cape Town

Robben island is a must do item. Really interesting. City tour informative and pleasant to see the different areas.

Quality of Experience

Informative and interesting

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Winelands Tour (including lunch)

South Africa

We really enjoyed the day especially the cheese and wine pairing and the final stop location, setting and scenery was spectacular(Stark Conde). We felt 2 wine tastings would have been better than 3 , also a slightly later start would be good to allow a bit more free time in Franschhoek

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Location choices arranged by Ryan

Transport

Days on Safari

South Africa

Brilliant

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Timbavati Private Game Reserve Safari Day

Timbavati Game Reserve

Brilliant

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boma Dinner

Victoria Falls

Slow start but got better and better. Food was nice also

Quality of Experience

Drumming, singing

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Didn’t always have transportation cool enough

Tour of the falls and sunset cruise

Victoria Falls

Excellent tour of the falls, great experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lize planned an unforgettable trip to South Africa for us! Our tour guides in both Cape Town (Bonnie) and Johannesburg (Natasha) were super friendly and knowledgeable. And of course, the safari experience was 10/10 incredible! Lize planned the perfect amount of time in each location, and she was super flexible as our needs and wants changed. I highly recommend South Africa as a destination and Lize as a travel specialist!

My husband and I booked a pretty last-minute trip to south Africa and we were not easy customers! Lize was so incredible patient and helpful, and communicated well, and quickly. This trip wouldn't have happened without her, and it really was glorious! Tangala Lodge was perfect for us, even though it wasn't originally where we were planning to stay. Amenities were basic and clean, yet service was absolutely 5 star! And not a trivial detail--the transfers our stay involved we're SO smooth they were easy to forget! My husband and I never had to wonder how we were going to get from point A to point B.

Trip was well organized. Maximized my 15 days with excellent guides. Plenty of info and travelling tips from them. They were professional and kind. Lindi continually kept me updated with next day events.
Thank you KimKim.

Hotel Review

Mohlabetsi Safari Lodge

Hoedspruit

Excellent service. Chase safari guide was extremely knowledgeable and kind. Ent out of way for us to see big 5. Meals were 5*. Amazing ! Staff beyond generous. Thank you

Authenticity & Character

Location

Tranquillity, meals, location, kind staff

Staff

Kind professional and serving .

Cleanliness & Comfort

Housekeeping 2 times a day. Very clean

Activity Reviews

Table Mountain Guided Hike

Cape Town

Must do if you’re in Capetown! Amazing view

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cape Town Wine, Cheese & Chocolate Tour

South Africa

Cape Town Walking Tour

Cape Town

Nice quaint town.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Activities at Makalali Game Reserve

Kruger National Park

Amazing

Quality of Experience

Very kind staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were very grateful to Deborah and her team to help us plan our trip to South Africa. The personal touch and great recommendations for driving routes, accommodations made the trip amazing. The Mosaic Lagoon Lodge was a perfect place to start the trip, (amazing atmosphere) and ending at Ivory Wilderness Lodge was a lovely bookend the whole experience.
We would highly recommend getting Deborah and her team to assist in your trip due to their local knowledge, insight, great communication and personal touches. Thanks very much.

If you thinking about having Elgin Africa plan your trip, stop debating and just do it! I can't say enough about how great the entire experience was. Deb, whose company is Elgin Africa, lives in South Africa and has personal relationships with a lot of the tour companies that we used. She cared deeply about me and my family having an amazing trip, and made sure every detail was perfect. I can only say that there would be no way that we would have had such an amazing, flawless trip without a passionate destination specialist curating every detail for us.

Starting with the planning process, Deb chatted with me on the phone and walked me though a customized itinerary she made for me. I was concerned about my budget, and she modified the trip several times to keep me at my budget, which I very much appreciated. I was in contact the Deb and her assistant before, during, and after the trip. She would even text me late at night and as ask if I enjoyed dinner.

As for the Trip itself Deb planned a 2 week adventure for my family of six. We went on two safaris in Botswana, visited Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, and spent time exploring Johannesburg. Every part of the trip was amazing. It's almost impossible to pick a favorite section, but if I had to give advice I was say do not miss out on visiting Chobe National Park!

All the accommodations Deb booked for us were beautiful 5 star boutique hotels. I couldn't believe she was able to fit such fantastic hotels into my budget. Also, the whole trip felt private. We had a private guide for both of our safaris, private transfers, and a private dinner cruise in Victoria Falls. What was most amazing about the trip is that we had so many passionate people making sure we enjoyed ourself. We didn't end up in one tourist trap and we were able to genuinely experience the local culture of every place we went.

I can't recommend Deb enough! Our trip was worth every penny, and every part more than exceeded our expectations. Thank you for planning the trip of a lifetime!

Lize correspondence and attention to detail was perfect. The itinerary worked out amazingly well.
Victoria Falls was beautiful and guide Ernie was patient and thorough. Zambezi sunset cruise was relaxing and hippos a plus. Boma dinner entertainment was fun and Mopani worm a little chewy.
Cape Town accommodations at Victoria & Alfred hotel were ideal on the Victoria wharf area. Many available restaurants a short distance away associated with shopping mall. Unable to visit Table Top mountain due to high winds and cloud cover.
First visit to South Africa and safari trips were amazing. We went to two different game preserves & lodges. Hostess Kelly at Elephant Plains lodge was very accommodating and safaris guide Dennis/tracker Dumi found so many animals Lions, elephants, rhinos, zebra, hyenas, leopards and wild dogs to mention a few. Staff always available and friendly.
Our final lodge Thabamati Luxury Tented Camp was unbelievable and a special experience. The hostesses Mich & Lorna were there to greet us on arrival from every safari with wet cloths and drinks. Intimate camp with only 8 guests and service & food was amazing. Guide Charel and tracker Caswell were so knowledgeable and helpful. You could tell they really loved their job. Simply an awesome experience. Thank you!!

I didn't initiate the booking and planning with kimkim. Overall, the trip has been pleasant as we managed to see big 4/5 and the accommodation has been okay in general.

As this is the first time in South Africa for the group, there have been a lot of times where we weren't sure what we can do especially on free days. While instructions are provided, it would be good if it is clearer or in details given everyone is not familiar with the place. Understandably that the group got larger as time goes and the original plan might not work too well with more people.

The major unpleasant moment was with the hop on hop off bus as the information provided was not consistent (with when we can use the ticket if we didn't go on to the bus/cableway on the booked day). No further communication was provided afterward and we had to check with the company ourselves. The wine tram was not a real hop on hop off experience and because of that some of us have to take Uber to leave earlier. While some of the information could have been found on website, it would have been nicer if it is provided on almost daily basis as it is quite inconvenience to have to refer to KimKim.com sometimes.

While we understand the incident in airport and weather is not under anyone's control, it seems like dietary requirements was not considered given there are a lot of us who don't eat beef. While we are thankful for the goodies bag, some of us can't have biltong. During the meet up session, while expressing our opinions on the trip, we don't think we were taken too seriously.

Cresta hotel need some improvement in housekeeping service. Bathroom mat was taken away everyday without replenish.

Special shout out and thanks to our private tour guides and drivers as they have done an amazing job showing us the beautiful South Africa and go above and beyond helping out one of the members who unfortunately injured her leg at the end of the trip.

I think that the best review for any travel company is related to how they support travellers during unexpected disruptions. We were stuck in the Kruger area, missing a flight because roads were flooded. We still hoped to make it for a few days up to Victoria Falls. The KimKim team worked with us through WhatsAp messages to reroute our travel so we could still enjoy the falls and the Zambezi. Thank you for making this such an easy and wonderful trip!

Deb provided one of the most amazing and well planned itineraries we have ever experienced. She took care of everything down to the minor details. She truly made Southern Africa a trip of a lifetime. We will be back again traveling with Deb!

If I could give Lucy 10 stars for how well she communicated from start to finish and even after the trip was over I would and that communication really made all the difference. If your expecting perfect stay at home, minor hiccups is all part of the experience and Lucy, Kimkim and the team stayed committed. Some of there venders were excellent, Capey Tours and there guide Henrik was the best for a small group like ours, always on time gave great advice to be early for most tours to avoid the long lines during peak season and really added the family like personal touch. Vomba tour made an avoidable error on the Kruger national park side of the trip but was quick to recover and make up they did with an excellent Panoramic drive with a guide that was super warm and was at our side every step of that journey. Lebo's Soweto backpackers gave our group a really good tour of the Soweto township and the tour guide Lollypop was extremally knowledgeable not just about Soweto but about the history of South Africa and even current world events and kept everyone entuned and engaged as we drove around Johannesburg. Some of the other Johannesburg vender needs to be reviewed and brought up to level of Capey Tours

Hotel Reviews

Lavender Farm Guest House

Franschhoek

This place is simply amazing, the rooms are large and excellent, if your looking for peace and quite after a day spent doing wine tasting and a nice dinner in Franschhoek this is the place. the host is super cool and friendly would definitely stay here again and would highly recommend

Authenticity & Character

This place just says peace

Location

Less than 10mins from main attractions

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean large room space, home away from home

Mjejane River Lodge

Hectorspruit

Authenticity & Character

Very nice spot being on the bank of the river, like the fact that there is no TV in the rooms

Location

South entrance to the park was blocked off, so we were limited to the lodge

Staff

Super Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were pretty comfy and had everything in it

Radisson Red Rosebank

Johannesburg

Location Location Location, This hotel is very well located, 5mins walk from the Rosebank Mall 8-10mins drive from Mandela Square

Authenticity & Character

Location

Felt safe

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and modern, rooms on the smaller side of the scale but functional, the bathroom is to die for

Cresta Grande Cape Town

Cape Town

My reason for a three star rating has to do more with the time of my visit as there was some sort of political meeting and high level of security around making the hotel extremally busy, but the staff is very warm and welcoming

Authenticity & Character

Location

nice location, easy walk to restaurants and activities

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cape Town City Tour & Table Mountain

Cape Town

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Robben Island Tour

Cape Town

This place is so rich with history

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Restaurant Suggestions

Cape Town

Quality of Experience

Food and Drinks are really affordable

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cape Peninsula Tour

Cape Town

Welcome to the United States of South Africa The views and coastal drive is so beautiful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience South African Cuisine and Culture

Cape Town

This can be optional was nice and the host was super, I think I was just expecting more

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cape Winelands Half Day Tour (45 minute drive from Cape Town)

South Africa

This is a must do

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Big 5 Sunset Game Drive

Hoedspruit

Was able to see 4 of the notable big 5 only missed the Leppard. was also expecting to actually drive in Kruger but the south entrance over the bridge was blocked

Quality of Experience

Very good experience to be honest, but was expecting more

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mjejane River Lodge Activities

Kruger National Park

The food in Mjejane River Lodge was some of the best our group had throughout South Africa

Quality of Experience

Good food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staff is the best

Transport

Soweto Guided Tour & Storytelling Dinner

South Africa

Lollypop is the man, He made this part of the trip really worth it, very knowledgeable guide, Soweto has a very dark history, really different side of SA. The Apartheid Museum is a must visit to really understand the history of the struggles. Lunch at Lebo's was more of the taste of SA cuisine

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide and Driver was really great and accommodating

Transport

The vehicle needs to be updated or replaced, only bad thing about this experience

Depart Africa

South Africa

The original pick up time was 5:15pm, to avoid the rush we ask that the pick up be changed to 4pm this was clearly communicated by our Kimkim team and the information shared with out group from the day before our departure, the arrived 40 mins late so everyone was just standing around in the hotel lobby

Quality of Experience

40mins Late for our pick up

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vehicle and Transport was good just late

Total trip was perfect except for the last night in Soweto when the event was canceled without being aware. Guudes were great, activities interesting and unique and hotels beautiful.

Lucy was an incredible travel planner. We worked with her for over a year planning our honeymoon to South Africa. She was very supportive, responsive, and flexible with us throughout the entire process.

Our in-country guide Craig Taljaardt from Capey Tours took our trip to a whole new level with his expert knowledge of the country and his over the top kindness to us. We spent a lot of time with Craig and his wife, Michelle, and they both were a pleasure.

The highlights of our trip included a safari experience at the Kuzuko Lodge, Table Mountain in Cape Town, great white shark diving in Mossel Bay, kayaking in the Tsitsikamma National Park, and staying at La Terra de Luc in Franschhoek.

We would recommend kimkim and Capey Tours to anyone!

We had an amazing time on our trip to South Africa! With only a brief description from us about what we were looking for Deb was able to plan just the type of accommodations and experiences we were looking for.

Rochelle was fantastic and showed us around Cape Town and the surrounding areas at the start of our trip. Stellenbosch was beautiful and our wine tastings and e-bike ride in Stellenbosch were some of our favorite memories from the trip. The highlight of our trip was definitely our stay at Ivory Wilderness in Kruger National Park, where Warren and the whole staff were extremely warm, helpful, and knowledgeable. On our last day in South Africa we went on a full day bike tour through Soweto with Linda, who not only explained but showed us the history of the townships and the resilient people who live there.

It was a once in a lifetime trip and one I'm sure we'll remember for the rest of our lives.

Hotel Reviews

Tree House Boutique Hotel

Cape Town

We loved our stay at Tree House Boutique Hotel in Cape Town. The room was large, clean, and modern, the pool area was beautiful, and the staff were so friendly and accommodating. The breakfasts (which were included) were perfect - fresh fruit, yogurt, pastries, and meats and cheeses at the ready, plus several made-to-order options from the menu. We've already recommended this hotel to people we know who are planning a trip to South Africa.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The hotel is at the top of a quiet street, but there are several restaurants and bars on the main road at the bottom of the hill that were only a few minutes walk away. It's only a few minutes drive to many of the places around the city we wanted to go so getting around was very easy.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ivory Wilderness River Rock Lodge

Hoedspruit

We loved our stay at Ivory Wilderness. The grounds were beautiful and overlooked a river where we saw plenty of wildlife, the staff was incredible, and the guides were so knowledgeable, friendly, and accommodating we couldn't have asked for more. The pool looked like it needed some service, but fortunately it wasn't too hot while we were there so we spent our downtime lounging on the deck chairs and in the hammock. Our rondavel was clean and comfortable and was perfect for our stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We loved that this location was farther into the park than many others, since it meant that we didn't see too many other jeeps while we were out on our game drives, but the drive out from Hoedspruit Airport was a bit long (1.5 hours) and bumpy.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Lunch at Crofter's Kitchen

Cape Town

This was definitely one of the most memorable experiences of our entire trip. Nicky was incredibly warm and gracious and really made us feel like we were at home in her house. The meal was unforgettable - each dish was unique and full of flavor, and you could tell how much thought and creativity went into each ingredient. Halfway through the meal Nicky took us on a tour of her garden and let us taste the ingredients straight from the source, explaining the culinary and medicinal properties of many of the plants she cultivates, which made her knowledge and passion come to life. This is a must do for anyone who loves unique dining experiences.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

First we were so skeptical cause we didnt know kimkim.com. Now that we are back, we have been recommending to everyone ! We had an amazing time. Everything was so well planned. We could have never done such a great job ourselves. we have decided to use kimkim.com to any upcoming trip. Lucy and her team were so kind to accommodate any request we had. They had planned everything perfectly. Great communication.