Spectacular South Africa

04/10/2024

Review on 04/10/2024

Trip Rating:

The falls

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Collette Support

04/09/2024

Review on 04/09/2024

Thank you for your review! We look forward to traveling with you again soon.

Collette Support

04/09/2024

Review on 04/09/2024

Trip Rating:

Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and was a great organizer for 43 people. I felt there was too much bus time -two days were nine hours on a bus, and another day was seven hours on a bus I feel an another intercountry flight could be added, and also another Safari day. That is my personal opinion. One of the hotels was away from the town, and we needed to find our own meal and entertainment one night, and it was a ways from our accommodations. Also, that particular hotel lost power for our entire stay, so having dinner there, the one night was not an option. Accommodations when we need to find our own meals should always have more options. Africa was “spectacular”. I will remember this trip as a highlight forever. I also have used Colette in the past and enjoy the company. I just think that being such a long flight some travel items of the trip could be made more pleasant… For future trips, I personally will find out more details before I book ..such as traveling between cities, etc. -that is for me to find out from tour company . I will definitely use Colette in my future travels.

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Collette Support

04/09/2024

Review on 04/09/2024

Trip Rating:

It was a very good vacation, I cannot think of one thing , food was good, activities were good,

Thank you for your review! We look forward to traveling with you again soon.

Collette Support

04/09/2024

Review on 04/09/2024

Trip Rating:

We love the 2 days safari. This was the best part of the tour and the best we ever have, after 27 countries we have visit so far.

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Collette Support

11/06/2023

Trip Rating:

The was an unbelievable experience. The tour was full of adventure, wonderful people, cultural activities, and of course magnificent encounters with the animals.

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Collette Support

11/06/2023

Trip Rating:

The trip and animal excursions were fantastic. I would eliminate the first part in Jo'burg and just keep the Apartheid museum. The first tour manager was good (Peter) and the second, (Leza) was fantastic.

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Collette Support

08/15/2023

Trip Rating:

Everything I expected... plus more.

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Collette Support

08/11/2023

Trip Rating:

Great experience seeing the animals on safari and seeing all the different aspects of the countryside. Our Guide, Chris was wonderfully attentive and informative.

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Collette Support

07/27/2023

Trip Rating:

Everything was great except for the farewell dinner. It would have been good if the seating had not been so crowded.

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Collette Support

07/27/2023

Trip Rating:

Serious issue in Johannesburg airport with ticket problems that began in Capetown (where guide was only able to confirm I had tickets)and no one to help at all in Jburg. There needs to be a facilitator available from the time you land until the final plane departs. Airport personnel are both unhelpful and rude and totally uncaring as to whether you get to your gate on time or not. I made it but had to run well over a mile through that airport to get to the gate. I'm 75 years old and it's a good thing I'm in good physical help. Others on our flight would not have had any recourse and would have absolutely missed the flight. The tour itself met and often exceeded my expectations. Food and accommodations were excellent.

Thank you for your review! We look forward to traveling with you again soon.

Collette Support

05/27/2023

Trip Rating:

Great tour, our guide, Ian, was excellent, hotels and food very good

We are pleased to hear you had a great time on our Spectacular South Africa tour! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us, we hope to see you again soon!

Collette Support

05/27/2023

Trip Rating:

A visit to Kruger is something that has brought me face to face with the majesty and wonder of creation. What an amazing world! A herd of elephants crossing the road… a pride of lions resting after the hunt. Monkeys full of devilment and fun. Nature doing its extraordinary thing…. Kruger is a window into that world. The entire tour was ‘spectacular,’ and first class. Well managed with top accommodations and very good food, Collette made travel about as easy as possible. Incredibly economical for all the experiences and locations included as well as services provided.

Thank you for your review! We look forward to traveling with you again soon.

Collette Support

04/13/2023

Trip Rating:

Wildlife viewing, cultural interactions, historic sites, and natural wonders made this tour an awesome "once-in-a-lifetime experience."

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Collette Support

04/13/2023

Trip Rating:

Wildlife viewing, cultural interactions, historic sites, and natural wonders made this tour an awesome "once-in-a-lifetime experience."

Thank you for your review! We look forward to traveling with you again soon.

Collette Support

03/03/2023

Trip Rating:

The tour manager (Chris McWilliams) is excellent! He is always making sure that we are all taken care of including the "free time".

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Collette Support

03/03/2023

Review on 03/03/2023

Trip Rating:

The tour manager (Chris McWilliams) is excellent! He is always making sure that we are all taken care of including the "free time".

03/03/2023

Trip Rating:

The accommodations were excellent; our tour manager went above and beyond to make sure we had a memorable experience; our drivers on every leg of the journey were so wonderful; and my fellow travelers were so fun and we all had a great adventure.

Thank you for your review! We look forward to traveling with you again soon.

Collette Support

03/03/2023

Trip Rating:

The accommodations were excellent; our tour manager went above and beyond to make sure we had a memorable experience; our drivers on every leg of the journey were so wonderful; and my fellow travelers were so fun and we all had a great adventure.

Thank you for your review! We look forward to traveling with you again soon.

Collette Support

03/03/2023

Trip Rating:

I saw the elephants, that was my goal. I was e en given the opportunity to touch and feed them also. Fantastic experience

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Collette Support

03/03/2023

Trip Rating:

I saw the elephants, that was my goal. I was e en given the opportunity to touch and feed them also. Fantastic experience

Thank you for your review! We look forward to traveling with you again soon.

Collette Support

03/03/2023

Trip Rating:

Everything was better than what I expected Tour Sirector Christopher Mc Williams was very much concerned with getting everything done right

Thank you for your review! We look forward to traveling with you again soon.

Collette Support

03/03/2023

Trip Rating:

Everything was better than what I expected Tour Sirector Christopher Mc Williams was very much concerned with getting everything done right

Thank you for your review! We look forward to traveling with you again soon.

Collette Support

05/23/2022

Trip Rating:

The most wonderful experience of the safaris which we had for two days a Kruger Reserve as well as the Safari at Chobe. We also greatly enjoyed the home visit with the families.

05/23/2022

Review on 05/23/2022

Trip Rating:

The most wonderful experience of the safaris which we had for two days a Kruger Reserve as well as the Safari at Chobe. We also greatly enjoyed the home visit with the families.

05/23/2022

Trip Rating:

The most wonderful experience of the safaris which we had for two days a Kruger Reserve as well as the Safari at Chobe. We also greatly enjoyed the home visit with the families.

05/21/2022

Trip Rating:

It was such a great trip and really enjoyed

05/21/2022

Review on 05/21/2022

Trip Rating:

It was such a great trip and really enjoyed

05/21/2022

Trip Rating:

It was such a great trip and really enjoyed

02/19/2020

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The trip was informative,comprehensive and lots of fun. I met interesting People from different parts of the world.
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The trip was informative, and fun. I learned a lot about the culture, language and history. The safari experience was outstanding and our guide made the entire trip one to remember.

11/29/2019

The jam packed fast moving South African Tour!

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The tour was South Africa splendor. So Collette catered exactly that. We had a group of 33 comprising of 15 Americans and 18 Canadians. Hats off to Ian Pletzer, the tour group manager/guide, who was able to cater to the needs of 33 personalities and to have kept to the script. Kudos to Ian to have kept his cool. Kruger National Park could have been a two day safari, with a hotel closer to the Park. The food was good though. You may reduce the stay at Knysner by a day and increase the day at Kruger. The visit to the Collette Foundation to the under privileged children was an eye opener; but was it necessary. Collette should allocate more funds from their profits to this project. Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, which was an extension, had so much to offer, including the lion walk, feeding the elephants and of course the experiencing the falls itself. The Victoria Hotel had its old colonial charm and the history of exploitation by the British!!! The meal with the locals should be scrapped, which is a sad experience, even though the locals were happy to host us. Finally, Collette did an excellent job of organizing the tour, including the pre-tour communication and booklet which detailed the trip very well.
Trip Rating:

A well organized tour of So Africa, with a knowledgeable tour Manager/Guide Ian Pletzer. My wife liked the experience of the Table Top mountain; but I liked the Kruger National Park safari, which could have been a two day safari. We both liked Victoria Falls and walking with the lions, an extended tour of Zimbabwe.

11/28/2019

We saw agriculture that I had no idea was there- large fields with combines

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Yes there was a lot to see
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Soweto and apartheid museum

11/21/2019

Trip Rating:

Poor quality of two vans that we were in for 8-10 hours a day. Too many lunches and dinners on our own. Many of us travel solo, and that is an added awkward time. Plus it is cheap on your end. Also cheap on your side that one beer or wine per meal wasn’t included. Guide Rahima was nice, but lacked enthusiasm and background cultural conversational topics that we want from a South African. Want to know what daily topics are. The add on tour of Victoria Falls was superb in every aspect. This is my 3rd trip with Collete. You are in a competitive business and need to up your game. Others on the tour who had used you before felt the same way.
Trip Rating:

The full day along and one the Chobe River.

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Spectacular South Africa tour. We're sorry to hear you were disappointed with your experience on tour. A member of the Guest Relations Team will be reaching out to discuss your feedback.

Collette Support

11/21/2019

I was an educational experience of African culture and history

Trip Rating:

I was very pleased with the pre and post tour transfers. I was not happy with any of the flight arrangements. I would like choices. I would have enjoyed staying in the Kruger game preserve. It would have reduced travel time and extended the “game drive” experience.
Trip Rating:

The game drive in Kruger Preserve. Going to Cape of Good Hope was another fantastic experience.

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Spectacular South Africa tour. We're sorry to hear you were not happy with the flight arrangements. Your feedback will be reviewed by our Air team so that the overall touring experience for our guests can be improved.

Collette Support

11/17/2019

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Everything was handled quickly and accurately the first time.
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The school visit in Knysna, Kruger National Park, the elephant walk, and the time spent in Cape Town were my favorites.

11/17/2019

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Everything was done well and I would definitely recommend them.
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Kruger National Park, the Knysna school visit, and the elephant walk were my favorites.

11/07/2019

Put first on Bucket List

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The best ever.
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The South African people were to be admired. There manners and desires to learn should be an example for our country. Going to the school rooms should not be missed. Chobe National Park was incredible. Being able to get close to the snimals by a superb driver was essential.

10/23/2019

This trip was one of my best. South Africa was a great learning experience.

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I will, and did recommend Collette travel to friends. Overall, this was an amazing trip.
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Everything went as expected.

10/17/2019

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Collette provides excellent service , the guides were knowledgeable and very accommodating. The itinerary was well thought out
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The tour provided a great variety. The safaris were memorable. Our stay at the Victoria Falls hotel was a wonderful way to end our vacation

09/29/2019

Trip Rating:

Our guide, Johnathan Mullen, gets an A+. Itinerary is an A. Bus and drivers an A. Food included was an A. Air flights an A. Hotels an A except the Casa do Sol which has poor internet connections, otherwise ok.
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Great local guide in Kruger Park.

09/05/2019

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Tout was very organized, tour leader extremely knowledgeable about areas visited and historical facts of region. Motor coach drivers were very helpful and courteous. Pace of tour was just right. Plenty of included meals to get a taste of local cuisine.
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Dinner with local host and visiting penguins on beach were great. Visits to Apartheid museum was an eye opener to the the deplorable treatment the native South Africans had to endure and the uprising for change.

05/23/2019

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When we called we got feedback right away.
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One of our best trips. A tripod a lifetime.

05/05/2019

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l assure us that everything was taken care of and that we did not have towoery about anything, no confusion and things were done so professional.
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I was so impressed of the country and it was more than i expected. Thank you for the memories..

04/29/2019

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Documents came on time and were accurate, trip was well timed, informative and really well organized
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enjoyed every moment and each different experianece

04/28/2019

Would recommend for more "medium" type clients.

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The hotel's could have been a solid 4 star. First property the hallways were painted totally black and the room was dark also. Had cold water during the stay also. 2nd hotel was a fair drive from National Park but was nice except for the 2nd night when they had toilet/water issues and then they moved us to a room that was filled with lots of black mould in the bathroom. Also expected the tour guide to give more information while touring.
Trip Rating:

Highlight by fair was Kruger National park experience.

Thank you very much for your feedback. We would very much like to have any more details you can provide. We will contact you by email.

Collette Support

03/15/2019

Trip Rating:

Dissemination of information via booklet and handouts was very helpful to keep track of hotels, tours etc. and used as a souvenir collection The tours in Dubai and South Africa were excellent. Had a great time!!
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The tour was excellent. The most memorable experience was the farewell dinner at the Gold Opulent African Cuisine Restaurant and the children at the Bonga Ni Pre- School. Also, the Safari was great. Jonathan the tour manager was excellent. Jonathan is very passionate about his job and very personable. He gave us excellent information on the geo-political aspect of South Africa. The drivers of the buses were excellent...I felt very safe with them. Please use the new buses with phone chargers...helpful so we can charge our phones and not miss out on beautiful pictures. The optional Theisen Island experience was a rip-off. What was advertised by Collette was not what we experienced. US$65 for burgers that we waited forever for and did not make. We could have gotten a nice dinner at one of the local restaurants for less than US$20. A few people ended up ordering their own food which came faster than the burgers. * I was torn between rating the tour as excellent and good because of the Theisen Island experience. But one bad experience should not dampen the other excellent parts of the tour. Please include Robbens Island in tour package. Thank you!

03/14/2019

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Some tours were not that interesting. They felt incomplete. Winery less interesting. Theesen Islands Experience was was waste. $65 to sit and drink 3 tasteless beers and a hamburger.
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I stated already . Some of the tours were not up to standard.

Thank you for traveling with Collette to South Africa. Your feedback will be reviewed by the Product Design Team in order to improve the overall touring experience for our guests.

Collette Support

03/07/2019

Wonderful trip

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An amazing trip to South Africa, Victoria Falls Amadeus Chobe ioanl Park in Botswana! A great taste of all the countries in one trip!
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Kruger safari drive we saw the Big 5 in the morning! Chile and ALL THE ELEPHANTS!

02/14/2019

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This was our first holiday with Collette. From the outset we were very impressed, everything on this holiday was fantastic, the hotels were brilliant and our tour guides were second to none
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Every part of this holiday was fantastic. My two favourite experiences were the Kruger National Park. Where we were lucky enough to see the leopard . Also the trip to the top of table mountain.

02/14/2019

They contributed much to a wonderful trip.

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Jay and Jennifer are a great team, Informative and organized. Booklets with all info related to the trip were priceless.
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Overall tour was good. Animal reserve was awesome, would have liked 2 days. A full day of Mendella history was a bit much. Interesting but not a full day. Table Top Mtn was a good experience as well.

02/14/2019

The best trip ever.

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Jay and Jennifer were very organized and informative. Loved the booklet we were given with all the information we would need on this trip. Telephone numbers for family in case of emergency was priceless.
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Reserve was great. Wish it was 2 days instead of one. Table Top Mountain was also interesting. Tour guide Jason was the best. Feel he added so much to having a great experience.

02/01/2019

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Once we got to Johannesburg and met with Jason (our tour guide) everything was exceptional. Jason did a wonderful job and we were very pleased with everything he did. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
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Kruger National Park was exceptional. Dining with a local family was also wonderful.

01/23/2019

The most amazing trip ever!

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Our tour guide was awesome,she was very knowledgeable and personable with all of us.I have not stopped talking about my trip since returning from this wonderful vacation
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Kruger park game ride was amazing

01/18/2019

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Your package was great. Accommodations, tours and tour guide were all Fantastic. This was my second trip with Collette, I would use them again.
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Table mountain was my favorite. I would have liked to see more of the townships

01/07/2019

You have excellent people working for you, for which I Thank You

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Your agents want so out of their way to support me after I took a horrific fall @ our hotel in Johannesburg. Andrea, Gary & Linda took me under their wings throughout the rest of my journey.
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Tour was over the top,the whole of Africa was awesome,enjoyed Kruger National Park Number one on my list,Table mountain, Ostrich farms. Over all great job.

01/04/2019

Be sure you know what you are not getting on your tour

Trip Rating:

I felt that the information from the tour guide was misleading and didn't paint a truism of the people in South Africa. The information about the country was well presented and interesting but some of the places wasn't spared. I felt that I didn't get to experience some keys tour stops. I also believed that the your guide tried to but fear into us about location and people at the hotels. I felt the time was wasted on certain stops that prevented us for seeing all of the places that Collette put in the brochure and no mentioned of being conversated for the changes.
Trip Rating:

There were many and I am glad that I went to the South Africa.

Thank you for traveling with Collette to South Africa. A member of the Guest Relations Team will be reaching out to discuss your feedback

Collette Support

01/04/2019

Sub par

Trip Rating:

Some hotels sub par. One totally unexceptable. The tour guide was knowledgeable but hard to understand. We made our own flight arrangements but the ones made by Collette were torturous. Basically I don’t know why I would even rare you 3/5
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For the price, very underwhelmed

01/04/2019

Great Country, Great Tour

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The tour was action packed and fit as many events and locations as possible into the available time. Our guide was knowledgeable and provided a great deal of interesting information.
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Kruger was the highlight, the beautiful scenery was a close second

10/19/2018

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The tour manager in So. Africa was wonderful and very knowledgeable. She made us aware of many of the African ways that are so different from Western cultures. There was a big disconnect between the brochure provided by Collette and what we did and the customs. In the book in several place gratuity was included yet we asked to give again anyway. This is not good for future trips. It should be made clear that extra tipping and side tours are to be expected and to have adequate local currency available before leaving home. Even though we prepaid for transportation from Johannesburg to our Sandton, there was no one to pick us up. We tried to call but there was no answer and even the information desk at airport tried to help us. This was not a good start to an already long flight.
Trip Rating:

Kruger National Park and the visit to a preschool were two of my most memorable experiences.

Thank you for traveling with Collette to South Africa. A member of the Guest Relations Team will reach out to discuss your feedback.

Collette Support

10/15/2018

Trip Rating:

Poor organization and arrangments were not as advertised.
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Very misleading of accomodations. Some were so filthy dirty and not as expected! We complained but obvisouly no one cares.

Thank you for contacting us again in regards to your trip to South Africa. We are processing refunds based on your written concerns.

Collette Support

10/01/2018

An experience of a lifetime!

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I would definitely go on another Collette Tour. The Spectacular South Africa Tour was beyond my expectations! The tour included many & varied experiences. I was given a pamphlet of very useful information before our tour started. It was invaluable. Our tour included knowledgeable and interesting guides.
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The tour was fantastic! It provided numerous & varied experiences. The highlight was the animal safari in Kruger National Park. It was incredible to see the wild animals up close in their natural habitat. This was truly a trip of a lifetime!

09/18/2018

Great Trip! On the go everyday with so much to do and see.

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The South Africa experience along with the extension to Dubai was fantastic! The tour guide in South Africa was very knowledgeable and the areas visited were amazing.
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Dubai, Cape Town, Knysna, Soweto, Kruger Park. The safari was amazing and going to Table Mountain was great. Robben Island was an self booked tour but should be on the itinerary.

04/08/2018

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Excellent service, trip went like clockwork from home pick up to drop off.
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Very full itinerary but saw so much. Starting in Johannesburg with Soweto, Nelson Mandela house and Apartheid museum, moving on to Kruger where wildlife was amazing. Garden route, Stellenbosch, Cape Town..... this really was Spectacular South Africa. Optional add-on trip to Victoria Falls well worth it.

12/01/2017

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Better pre-trip communication, final documents not sent until last minutes.
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The trip was incredible but I feel there are a few areas that could benefit from changes: 1. Our tour manager for the South Africa portion needs to work on his communication style. There was lots of confusion on times to be places, causing us to be late and rushed sometimes. 2. We spent too much time on the bus that probably could have been avoided. For example, the driving component of the tour of Soweto could have been significantly reduced. Felt like we were driving in circles just to kill time. While I imagine it would have increased our cost, instead of driving from Kruger to Johannesburg to catch flight to Cape Town, we should have flown from Kruger area airport. Not sure why we stayed in Knysna, it's a pretty town, but if we had stayed in George instead, we could have done a day trip to Knysna and then not have had as much driving on other days. 3. Lunches on the road were an issue - on long bus days, lunch was at rest stops, where real food was not usually available, only junk food was. This needs improvement. 4. Hotel in Kynsna needs to be changed to something nicer. Highlights of the trip - there are so many but my favorites were the penguins on the Cape of Good Hope, Stellenbosch, and safari at Kruger

11/03/2017

Trip Rating:

I would have rated higher except for the location and quality of the accommodations at the Winkler Inn. Definitely lower standard of room and an hour away from Kruger. An hour after a long drive to get there, an hour to and from the park, and an hour added to the day of departure. At Speir Hotel, brochure advised we would get a wine pairing with dinner. We got one glass of wine. The wine tasting was supposed to include savories. Nothing was provided, in spite of Ian Pletzner's attempts. Ian's role on the whole trip kept the rating at 4 stars.
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The itinerary was comprehensive and included outstanding locations in South Africa. Cape Town was spectacular, including the Cape of Good Hope and Table Mountain. Tour Director was excellent with commentary and local knowledge. Was able to manage the group and weather very efficiently.

09/10/2017

they just need to revamp from Kruger Park....for the flt to George.....

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This is my 4th trip with Collette.....they always do well.....the guides are always good. They show us as much as they can, and the hotels are usually very nice, and good locations.
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it was a very good trip ....just long enough...

09/08/2017

Amazing tour, great hotels, meals and sightseeing and tour manager!

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Great tour ! Great tour manager , accommodations and meals! Loads of included elements and all top notch !
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Kruger National Park was stunning ! We saw the Big Five before lunchtime !!

08/20/2017

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Details in program did not match the actual experience. Exaggerations of travel itinerary.
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Enjoyed the beauty of the countries but not satisfied with tour execution.

Hello, thank you for sharing this feedback with us about the tour. We have passed this along to members of our team for review. Your insight as it helps us to improve our tours for future guests. We look forward to traveling with you again soon.

Collette Support

03/07/2017

Overall my experience in SA has been nice rather than what I expected. My r

Trip Rating:

Overall my experience in SA has been nice rather than what I expected. My regret I have not the chance to see Christian Barnard museum. We went to the hospital but the museum is closed already. Since most of us are Seniors and or in the medical field I suggest this should be one offered as part of the itinerary or optional tour. This is history where the 1st human heart transplant was done
Trip Rating:

Going up the Table Mountain Also the Penguins

Hello, Myrna!
Thanks for sharing your feedback about being able to visit the Christian Barnard museum. We have sent it along to members of our product team to review as they work to constantly improve the tours for future guests.
Thanks for bringing this to our attention. We appreciate your business and look forward to traveling with you again soon.

Collette Support

03/07/2017

Quality with a good variety to appreciate the many aspects of S.A.

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An excellent tour with a very knowledge tour manager. Hotels also fine, especially Southern Sun in Johannesburg. Perhaps should have been one night in George to avoid going all the way back to Knysna.
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Has to be Kruger. So many more animals that hoped or expected. Cape Town, the Cape, Camps Bay; just wonderful.

03/07/2017

Enjoyed holiday very much

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Enjoy the whole trip especially the animals, we saw so much. Guides were first class too. lol
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Animals in National Park. Lions were great to see and giraffes.

02/19/2017

We have taken many collette tours. I'm sorry to say this was the most disa...

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We have taken many collette tours. I'm sorry to say this was the most disappointing one. The guide was not up to the standards that we have had in the past and there was entirely too much time spent on the bus traveling from one spot to another. I saw the same things from the bus day after day. The tour needs to be redesigned so that the lodging is closer to where the sites are. The safari was also poor.
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When we left and went to Victoria Falls. The tour was great and the tour manager was excellent.

02/17/2017

Brilliant holiday

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We had a great holiday. All arrangements went smoothly, Collette tour manager did a good job-all guides and drivers were very helpful and good.
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Game drive in Kruger-having a rhino walk right by the jeep.

11/22/2016

A must see tour.

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beautiful country. Good group. Good guide.
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Krueger National Park was the best.

10/25/2016

Overall, the trip was enjoyable once we arrived from our 27 hour flight .

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My travel package took forever to reach me, I got it at the last moment even though I had made a special request to receive it as soon as possible. We made our final payment in July but did not receive our package until about a week before we left. Our package gave some recommendations as what to see if we were early. I felt that this had been checked out by your company as a safe thing to do. There was no organized schedule for things, we were basically on our own with a cab driver. As South Africa is deemed unsafe and corrupt, we book with a travel company to eliminate this. As it turned out, I was robbed not on the streets but by the hotel staff. I thought on occasion our tour guide could have been more flexible to the local activities such as a festival.

10/21/2016

A holiday of a lifetime

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The itinerary was good, the hotels were good and the guide was good. South Africa is an amazing country, due to its scenery, the wild life, the culture and much more. A fantastic holiday!
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The same reasons apply. A helicopter ride over Victoria Falls

10/14/2016

All in all I enjoyed the trip. The safari was the highlight.

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The bus travel was rather long. On our return to USA we fly from Victoria Falls to Johannesburg, Then to Dubai,then to Chicago, and then to Dayton.Wondered why we could've flew from Victoria Falls to Dubai and then to Chicago. Seems like an extra 8 hrs flying time.
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The safari in Africa. The sand dunes in Dubai, and the meal at a home in Zimbabwe

10/14/2016

When I got back to MN I went to the wrong ramp to be picked up for shuttle ...

Trip Rating:

When I got back to MN I went to the wrong ramp to be picked up for shuttle service per Collette instructions. When I called the service they said they had previously told Collette the correct ramp. I wasted forty five minutes waiting. All after a long flight home from South Africa. Waiting was definitely something I did not want to do.
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Loved the Victoria Falls excursion. Featherbed Nature Reserve was also fantastic.

08/09/2016

You appear to overcharge airfare.

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We booked air travel through Collette. My brother booked on his own. We both flew business class. My brother paid $2000.00, yes TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS, less than I did.

08/05/2016

Collette is a excellent tour company and I would do business with them again.

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The service was excellent and I would recommend Collette to friends and family. I would go on another Collette Tour also. I had a question about the laundry services at the various hotels; called Collette and they gave me detailed info about this. I was impressed about the staff person's knowledge.
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Overall it was a excellent tour. The hotels were first rate and the staff at the hotels were extremely friendly. Food was good. Our tour manager was excellent and had extremely knowledgable about the country. We had other tour guides too and they were equally as knowledgable. However, two things I did not like was the breakfast and lunch the hotel provided for us at Kruger National Park. It consisted of bologna and cheese sandwiches on white bread. Sandwiches were dry little or on mayo or mustard. And, I think we left for the safari way too early in the morning. It was around 5 AM pitch black outside. No daylight so you could not see or take photos of the animals.

08/05/2016

Trip Rating:

The tour guide was good and the route was great. Pity a couple of the people were so rude to him and made unnecessary comments which made the majority of us uncomfortable. I will recommend Collette to friends.

07/27/2016

Good service overall

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The service that Collette provides is thorough with good information about tickets and tours but I am aware that some tour details have not been updated. A particular bug-bear is tipping recommendations that do not take into account exchange rates or cost of living - I am pleased to see that this is now mostly included in the tour price.
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The tour was enjoyable and interesting with some spectacular elements but not overall a spectacular experience. Apart from Table Mountain (for which we had too little time), CapeTown is interesting but not exciting and it therefore does not give a high on which to end the tour. Whereas Johannesburg (although the city is the pits itself) as a location to explore Black African history and Kruger Park for wildlife really was a high. I would suggest that the tour would be better run in reverse. On a detail, a few of the town to town coach trips are long with short stops that could be better managed. We also booked the Victoria Falls extension which really is spectacular and should be a must to visit while in southern Africa. But to do this involved a flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg and then another to Victoria Falls. If the tour was in reverse the Cape Town to Johannesburg flight would be unnecesary and hence the extension would be cheaper. The South Africa Tour Manager did the job but was not inspiring whereas the Victoria Falls one was an exemplar of good customer service. So, in summary, the extension to the tour was the spectacular highlight with the main tour being interesting. We have given detailed feedback to Collette and suggest a review or refresh of the tour.

05/27/2016

Trip of a lifetime.

Trip Rating:

When our dates were changed the company threw in some transfers that made travel connections workable. Would recommend Collette to others traveling to South Africa, Egypt. Great hotel choices that were relatively close to shopping and sight seeing activities or just enjoying what the hotels had to offer. Maybe more activities during long bus ride days. ie. tapes or shows on animal life in Africa.
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Hotels that were a vacation of their own. Maybe more follow through on ie Mandela points of interest. Loved the time spent at Kruger National Park. Maybe more cultural supper opportunities.

04/21/2016

Trip of a Lifetime

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Tour managers were very helpful. Interacted with everyone. Arranged an unplanned shark dive upon request of one of the guests. Offered helpful info on activities for downtime. Made for a very enjoyable trip.
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Up close and personal--with the people, with the animals, with nature!

02/17/2016

Less than I expected

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The itinerary was okay but the tour guide, Ron Hartman was definitely not as good as the numerous other ones we have had. Sue inVictoria Falls was absolutely outstanding, organized and professional. Ron seemed tired or not interested.
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The post extension to Victoria Falls was fabulous and I would highly recommend it.

Hi Nelda, we're really sorry to hear this! This is absolutely not the way that Collette operates and we're disappointed to hear that the tour manager didn't live up to the standards that are set forth by the company. Please know that we're working to mitigate this situation so that future guests will not encounter the same experience. Thank you again for taking the time to reach out to us in this matter.

Collette Support

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