Safari Specialists
Safari Specialists
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About
Safari Specialists creates tailor made safaris into Botswana's National Parks and private reserves. Activities include game drives, boat cruises on the Okavango Delta, guided walks, San bushmen cultural experiences, traditional mokoro excursions, quad biking on the pans, habituated meerkats and much more. Additionally we arrange safaris into Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa and Mozambique
Maun, Botswana
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
85 reviews
Excellent
84
Very good
0
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Brent203
Vancouver, Canada54 contributions
Nov 2019 • Couples
Anouk at Safari Specialists were excellent to deal with, responsive and helpful in creating our 8 day itinerary starting with 2 days in Victoria Falls, then 3 days at Chobe Bakwena, and then 3 days at Sango camp in the delta. They arranged all of it including flights and transfers. Everything worked flawlessly and we really enjoyed the trip and especially the experiences, safaris and accommodation in chobe and at Sango. I highly recommend safari specialists and traveling to Botswana.
Written February 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
USCtraveller
The Woodlands, TX328 contributions
May 2021
I typically like to plan all our trips. However, using Safari Specialists was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Lisa, our agent, was phenomenal!!! We started planning our trip a year in advance, when we thought Covid would be short-lived. Using Skype, email and text messages Lisa helped us find camps in South Africa and Botswana that would meet our schedule, requirements, and budget. Finding camps that would meet our desired schedule was not an easy process, yet Lisa always kept working diligently to find a solution while also meticulously working on the rest of our trip details (ground/flight transfers). I was always impressed with her hard work, patience, and willingness to help.
Fast forward one year and Covid was still an issue. Lisa again worked closely with us to stay on top of local government requirements, Covid testing options and the operating status of the camps. Additionally, she was very patient while we worked through whether we could get vaccinated in time to take the trip. She successfully negotiated with the camps to delay our final payment to give us additional time to become fully vaccinated. She repeatedly checked on the status on the Botswana/Zimbabwe land border closure (due to Covid) to see if we could salvage the Victoria Falls portion of our trip. Unfortunately, the border never did open, so Lisa helped us cancel this portion of our trip. Lisa was with us every step of the way helping us navigate through all the uncertainty. Eventually we were vaccinated and decided to take the trip. The risk was worth the reward. We were some of the first travelers to be welcomed back to South African and Botswana. All the establishments were so happy to have us, so we had a trip of a lifetime.
We met Lisa, in Maun, during a stopover to get Covid tested. She helped us store our bags and assisted us with our Covid test results. When we were planning this vacation, we were hoping to find a highly professional agent, familiar with the local camps, to help us navigate the safari process. However, we found someone willing to not only assist us with the camp selections but with every detail of our trip, including navigating through all the uncertainty caused by Covid. My words cannot express how thankful we are that we used Safari Specialists and Lisa to help us plan this trip. We had so much interaction with Lisa over the past year that we now consider her to be a good friend. If you are looking for an expert to help you plan a safari to Africa, in particular Botswana, then hire Safari Specialists! You will not be disappointed!
Fast forward one year and Covid was still an issue. Lisa again worked closely with us to stay on top of local government requirements, Covid testing options and the operating status of the camps. Additionally, she was very patient while we worked through whether we could get vaccinated in time to take the trip. She successfully negotiated with the camps to delay our final payment to give us additional time to become fully vaccinated. She repeatedly checked on the status on the Botswana/Zimbabwe land border closure (due to Covid) to see if we could salvage the Victoria Falls portion of our trip. Unfortunately, the border never did open, so Lisa helped us cancel this portion of our trip. Lisa was with us every step of the way helping us navigate through all the uncertainty. Eventually we were vaccinated and decided to take the trip. The risk was worth the reward. We were some of the first travelers to be welcomed back to South African and Botswana. All the establishments were so happy to have us, so we had a trip of a lifetime.
We met Lisa, in Maun, during a stopover to get Covid tested. She helped us store our bags and assisted us with our Covid test results. When we were planning this vacation, we were hoping to find a highly professional agent, familiar with the local camps, to help us navigate the safari process. However, we found someone willing to not only assist us with the camp selections but with every detail of our trip, including navigating through all the uncertainty caused by Covid. My words cannot express how thankful we are that we used Safari Specialists and Lisa to help us plan this trip. We had so much interaction with Lisa over the past year that we now consider her to be a good friend. If you are looking for an expert to help you plan a safari to Africa, in particular Botswana, then hire Safari Specialists! You will not be disappointed!
Written June 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kelly W
1 contribution
Jun 2021
Our safari was the best experience! I highly recommend booking with safari specialists. They partnered with Bushway safaris for our trip. The communication is top notch and Kagiso worked with us to find an itinerary that would fit our budget. It was pretty tricky to plan with COIVD but Kagiso did a great job keeping us posted on changes and it was well worth it! We went to the Okavango Delta and traveled up to Chobe and ending with one night in Victoria Falls. I looked at a lot of agencies before settling on this one and they are the best! Would highly recommend. We saw so many animals! Our guide said "you're seeing things that you shouldn't on your first safari. "He meant we were very lucky! We saw wild dogs with their puppies, several lion prides, elephants swimming across the Chobe River and...the highlight for me was a leopard on our last day! Not to mention so many beautiful birds and common animals like antelope, baboons, hippos and on and on. Definitely book with Safari Specialists! They will not disappoint.
Written March 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wyuna123
London, UK14 contributions
Mar 2022 • Solo
If you want to leave the troubles of the world behind, go to Botswana. If you want to organise it with ease go to Safari Specialists. Friends and family were somewhat shocked I was going to Botswana but I tried to explain to them that it was easy with Safari Specialists as they had taken any worry out of it!! Nadine and TT organised my Botswana trip with only a few weeks notice. They were very thorough and replied to my emails very promptly. It was just great that TT was there to meet me in Maun in both directions. On the way out he had the all important negative pcr test in his hand for me. Nadine arranged with my last camp to have the pcr test done at the camp airstrip. This was an expensive option but worry free and it allowed me to stay at camp in what was only a seven night trip to bots all up rather than waste a night in maun and get it done there. I would definitely recommend this company - you can’t beat local knowledge and it made me much more confident compared to adding another layer by using a foreign travel agent. A charming touch at the end, TT presented me with a photobook handmade in Maun from recycled paper. I will definitely use it to treasure the memories of my trip to stunning Botswana.
Written March 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
travelfairy6
florida112 contributions
Jun 2021
I had not heard much about Safari Specialists precovid when I was planning our trip to Botswana/Zimbabwe but I wanted to use a local travel agent. WOW! I'm so glad I did. Nadine at SS was incredible. Between lockdowns, testing requirements, rebooking a second time (I got covid a month before our rescheduled 2020 trip) and everything in between, she was there helping me every step of the way for over a year.I nearly drove her crazy with all the changes but she rolled with it and worked it all out for me. I would highly recommend using Safari Specialists for any travel in Africa!
Written June 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Angela B
New York City, NY8 contributions
Oct 2021
I booked a safari for my partner and I in October 2019, planning to visit Botswana in May 2020 - then the COVID pandemic hit and the trip had to be postponed. Kagiso was our agent and couldn't have been more helpful or patient, noting we had to move the trip twice as travel restrictions were extended. She freely offered expert advise on everything from different experiences depending on the season to appropriate packing. Also, your agent meets you at Maun airport to give you a quick debrief in person and make sure you easily get to charter flight. Overall, will be booking with them again for our next Botswana excursion!
Written October 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hansjörg
2 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
Our safari organized by 'Safari Specialists' was a fantastic and unforgettable experience. From the first contact we felt we were in the best of hands. Nadine was very responsive and answered the many questions we had before the trip quickly and clearly. There were no surprises during the trip, we felt well prepared for everything. All transfers also went smoothly. As Swiss people, we are used to punctuality and we found that Botswana has a similarly high standard in this respect, if not higher. The fact that we could make so many extraordinary animal sightings during the 10-day camping safari was the icing on the cake of this incredible journey through southern Africa.
Written November 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cameron K
Chicago, IL66 contributions
Dec 2024 • Family
Safari Specialists are true professionals and did a fantastic job organizing our trip. Our consultant, Bronwyn, immediately understood what we were looking for and provided multiple great itineraries to choose from. As we had never been to Botswana before, it was really reassuring to rely on her expertise and recommendations. She was flexible and very responsive. I really liked being able to work with consultants who live in the country and have spent time at these locations and visiting the camps. While were were on the trip, we never had to worry about a thing. We joked that we were moved around like pieces of luggage, in the best way possible - we knew it was all taken care of, we were confident that all details were handled, and everything went like clockwork. Every pickup and dropoff was present and on-time, and the whole experience was seamless and tremendously well-organized. Really cannot recommend Safari Specialists enough!
Written January 8, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KIM
Botswana41 contributions
Sep 2020
A big thank you to Bronwyn at Safari Specialists for booking an amazing trip for our family to Little Machaba Camp in Khwai. We stayed 3 wonderful nights! The camp was great for families with children. Everything was perfectly planned by Bronwyn and we truly enjoyed every minute! Bronwyn helped with all the details and handled the booking for us. All arranged over email. It was great to travel within our own country during these difficult times for tourism with the borders closed. Support local booking agents and establishments in Botswana you won't be disappointed. Thank you Safari Specialists!! :) I highly recommend using the Safari Specialists in Maun!
Written September 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thais V
5 contributions
Jan 2022
We are so happy of our honeymoon trip that we finally made in December 2021- January 2022. Lisa has been so flexible, kind and helpful all the way. She is an expert of the area and knows all the nice place to visit. We had to change the trip 3 times due to covid (even once just a day before the actual trip) and Lisa has always been perfect in modifying the whole trip for us and postponing it. She has advised us on great safaris, lodges and activities in Botswana and Zimbabwe. She is always available for information even during the trip. Before the trip, she takes a lot of time to discuss your needs in details and find the best options for you. Go for it, you won't regret it!
Written January 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I need the email of Erica in Safari Especialist in Maun.I write emails but they are returned to me by the machine.
Written August 29, 2019
Necesito el email de contacto de Erica de Safari Especialist in Maun.He enviado varios emails que me son devueltos
Written August 29, 2019
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