About
Our Client Testimonials
Ker & Downey® Africa > About > Client Testimonials
September 2023
Thank you again so much for all your help in creating a trip of a lifetime
Lauren and the Ker & Downey® Africa team were absolutely incredible in helping us create the trip of a lifetime. Lauren planned a perfect trip that was personalized, well planned and organized.
I was extremely impressed with her prompt communication and dedication to making this trip truly a special adventure. From the months leading up to our trip, to the days before our departure and to the final day of our itinerary, she was kind, committed and available.
I would strongly recommend Lauren and the Ker & Downey® Africa team to plan your next travel adventure!
L Rousseau, USA
July 2023
Impeccable Organization
Sarah and her team made the trip a once-in-a-lifetime event for our family. Even though we were a big group with varied interests and requirements, everybody felt that they got exactly what they were dreaming of.
Sara and Bron did an incredible job of translating our confusing requests and questions into very clear recommendations that were exactly on point to what we really wanted. The organization of the trip was impeccable, everything was planned perfectly. I thoroughly recommend them.
Paulo Family, USA
July 2023
An ideal first-time safari in Africa
We couldn’t be more pleased with our trip, aside from the wild weather, which now adds to the story!
From the start you listened to what we wanted, and adapted, and came up with the ideal itinerary for our first time in Africa. Thank you for being available throughout the trip to adjust, and check into things as needed.
I absolutely loved each place we stayed. Each with their own strengths and highlights, and the intimate size of each camp was perfect. Also, our guides at each place were outstanding, we felt we lucked out.
Machaba- The staff was amazing. Warm, friendly and accomodating. For us, the BEST food, and for me personally they went all out on my gluten/dairy free menu. We weren’t here for very long, but it truly was the right starting point for our journey. We also loved sitting down to meals with our fellow travelers and some staff members, it added to the experience.
Duba Explorers- even getting there was fun… loved the heli ride! As soon as we got there, the guide threw us in a boat, to get to a spot where a jeep was waiting, because a cheetah had been spotted. What an incredible start, and we were thrilled they went to the trouble so we could experience this. This was the absolute most beautiful setting! The river, the wide open savannahs… it was stunning! Also by far the most ‘animal active’ camp, there was always activity you could see; from your deck, your shower etc:)
Our guide here was amazing, but the rest of the staff, while service was great, wasn’t as friendly. We felt we didn’t get the info of all that we could do and ask for, until we found out from other travelers, and they seemed to really be interested in one family in particular. So this camp was both my favorite in the scenery and animal encounters, and my least favorite in terms of staff and food. (again with the exception of our guide)
Victoria Falls – great break, as we were ready for a hotel with heat and a bathtub! Just the right amount of time here. Elephant Sanctuary was fun as well.
Cape Town- Loved our hotel in the garden district. It was just right for us. The apartment style, with everything for food and drink within walking distance. We had another fabulous guide here, and we enjoyed the cape tour completely! Also, one day of exploring on our own was great. If we had, had better weather I would have liked one more night here!
Sabi Sands- The exact right place to end on! Liked seeing the contrast between Botswana camps and South African ones. Staff and food was incredible, and the chef really worked hard to have choices on the menu that I could eat. Again, our guide and tracker were beyond incredible. Providing rewarding drives even when the animals were not coming out because of the rain! When we first got here, I thought 4 nights was going to be too long, but it actually gave a completely different feel, as you got a deeper level of familiarity with the guides and staff, so I was so glad that we had that time. The community tour was awesome, and the connection of it being our trackers village, made it that much richer.
Thank you for all of this… it was a trip of a lifetime!
Mr & Mrs Muniza, USA
Thank you for all of this… it was a trip of a lifetime!
December 2022
Ker & Downey® Africa did a fantastic job setting up our trip and then managing the trip – could not be happier
Each of our lodges and tent camps were outstanding – exceeded our expectations.
Our two Ker & Downey® Africa guides were fantastic-knowledgeable, caring and fun.
Being there in the rainy season was not a problem at all. Not nearly as crowded as June/July – I recommend going in December.
Our trip manager, Sarah, was always available and seamlessly accommodated all our changes.
I will definitely use Ker & Downey® Africa again.
Fiona, Thailand
September 2023
On a scale of one to ten, I give it an eleven!
We’re home now, safe and sound, but I can’t stop reliving the wonderful experiences we had during the past two weeks.
This trip had everything we could possibly have hoped for and much, much more: animals galore including all of “the big five”, multiple river crossings, deluxe accommodations, and a genuine feeling of warmth and caring from all the people with whom we came in contact.
The personal service we received from all of our escorts and guides was exceptional. From the time Geoffrey picked us up at the Arusha airport until Charles dropped us off there for the trip home, we felt very well taken care of. Our first guide, Ritchie, was fantastic! He not only knew everything about the animals we were seeing, he quickly learned the types of things that most interested us, and he went out of his way to find and explain things of great interest to us. We were particularly impressed when he interpreted an impala warning call to identify the presence of a lioness nearby, then tracked her down before anyone else had found her. It was an unforgettable experience.
When we moved on to the Serengeti, the entire group at Kaskaz made us feel as if we were part of their family. Omari and the staff at the camp were wonderful. Our guide, Kareem, also took excellent care of us. He too possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of animals, plants, geology and topography, and he seemed to have a sixth sense about animal behavior. He found both a leopard and a rhino for us, and he successfully anticipated three separate river crossings, each time putting us in the best possible vantage point to view the crossing.
Overall, the trip was a total success. On a scale of one to ten, I give it an eleven! The people, the animals, the scenery, and the experiences of the past two weeks were amongst the best we’ve ever had. My sincerest thanks to both of you and to all the team at Ker & Downey Africa for making our dream a reality.
R & S Bloom & Family, USA
July 2023
Perfect mix of adventure, relaxation, family time and indulgence.
Thank you so much for planning a perfect vacation for our family!! I am happy to give feedback below:
All 4 of us said this was a trip of a lifetime. It was the perfect mix of adventure, relaxation, family time and indulgence. The accommodations were incredible, all exceeded our expectations, and all perfect configurations for our family. The kids had their own room, we had our own room and we had shared space. The mount Nelson had a hallway adjoining our rooms, VIc Falls River Lodge and Grootbos had shared space. Simbabili we had totally seperate rooms and we would prefer to have some shared space but they were right next door so it was fine and the rooms were lovely!
The service and hospitality at all the resorts were unmatched!! All the people we met, our guides, etc were so welcoming and helpful. They clearly cared about their guests experience! We felt spoiled the entire time.
The food was amazing everywhere we stayed. In fact, we began skipping meals half way through the trip as we were so stuffed!
The game viewing was incredible! We saw all the big 5 in pretty large numbers. The game viewing was different at Vic Falls than Sabi Sands but both incredible and complimentary and we were so glad we got to do both. Our guides and trackers were amazing, so experienced and clearly passionate about what they do!! Mike (Simbambili) had a lifetime of experience and stories! And we loved Faithy at VFRL, so humble and informative and eager to help!
We were completely wowed by our villa at Vic Falls River Lodge. It was the most special place we have ever stayed and we have traveled a lot. The villa was gorgeous with no detail overlooked and the setting was spectacular. Maybe one of our favorite memories is sitting out on the deck together after dark watching an elephant right off the river. We spotted crocs, hippos, impalas and tons of monkeys from our room.
The accommodations at all the other locations also exceeded our expectations but the villa was just beyond our wildest imaginations!!
Wayne was the perfect guide to start off our trip! He gave us a great overview of Cape Town, the coastline and tidbits of info along our drives. We very much enjoyed our time with him!!
Lauren, you were amazing to work with! You listened to what we were looking for in our family trip, and executed perfectly. You were SO responsive and got back to me with a plan overnight and made adjustments so quickly! You organized everything so well and made the trip seamless! You were always responsive even during the trip! I felt confident we were in good hands!! I have always planned our trips myself and this felt like such a gift to me to have you plan this trip. It would have taken me countless hours and would never have compared to what you planned.
This trip was such a great family trip with older children. I’m so glad you suggested a private safari where we were able to spend such quality time together! Priceless memories!!
So as you can tell, we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We have no real complaints at all. We probably would skip the shark cage diving as it was clear they hadn’t seen great whites in a while, and the visibility was so low it was hard to see… but obviously we can’t know conditions ahead of time.
Also, Grootbos was a lovely, beautiful resort, our until was amazing, staff so friendly but unless shark cage diving, might not make a special trip for it. We got the best massages we have ever had though and the fat biking was one of our favorite activities
Terry family, USA
August 2023
Every detail was handled for us, making us feel very special
We could not be happier with the fantastic adventure you planned for us. There are not enough superlatives in the English language to adequately describe our satisfaction with the trip.
Setting aside the fabulous itinerary, properties and memories from the safaris, the planning blew us away. As we’ve told everyone, we did not have to lift a finger or stress about ANYTHING! Every detail was handled for us, making us feel very special. Every transfer and flight was coordinated without a single misstep.
Our THANKS to Ker & Downey® Africa for the seamless planning and for introducing us to the spectacular sights of South Africa. The luxury hotel accommodations and lodges were beyond our expectations and deserving of 5+ Stars. We could not have felt more pampered. Rovos Rail was an experience we will never forget. It was as if we had traveled back in time to an era of elegance and grace. We still marvel at the outstanding quality of the meals prepared in a kitchen on a train.
Of course, the highlight of the trip was the safaris. In short, it was a trip of a lifetime, and we cannot Thank You and Your Team enough for the planning and execution! We could NOT have put this adventure together ourselves. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU!
Mr & Mrs Sattich, USA
February 2023
Seamless trip with great guides
This trip was fantastic in every way. Yazid, our guide, was great. We would have happily traveled more days with him, and when we return to Morocco, we will definitely want to travel with him. He understood what we wanted, suggested interesting things to do, knew how to share information (he’s a very good teacher). It felt as if we were traveling with a friend. Our driver (Hassan, if I’m spelling his name correctly) got us everywhere we needed to go in the best way possible. We spent less time with him than with Yazid, but he was very, very good as well. We can’t complain about anything……except that we wanted more time in each location!
Thank you for organising such a great tour, with excellent accommodations, and incredible things to see and do (everything on our list, and then more things). It was seamless for us, and a wonderful, wonderful trip.
Mr VanOverbeke, UK
February 2023
So grateful for all the memories!
We had such an amazing time in South Africa. Thank you for organizing an amazing trip. We could not have come close to organizing a trip the way you did. We are so grateful for all the memories we made! We saw so many things and learned a lot from your beautiful country. From the time we were picked up in Johannesburg, things were very smooth. We enjoyed the people, hospitality and definitely the good of South Africa immensely!
We enjoyed all of the places and would not be able to pick a favorite as they all offered something different!
Phinda and Ngala were so much fun and the food was so good! The guides and staff at both places were top notch. Seeing all of the animals was something we only dreamed off and staff always went above and beyond. Everyone was great, especially our Ranger, Chell in Phinda and tracker Mo in Ngala. The driver, Stuart, who picked us up in Ngala for transport to the airport was kind and informative.
Oliver’s had incredible food. We really enjoyed the Panorama Tour-it felt like a plus as we did not know we were going to be stopping and seeing such incredible places like the potholes, Gods View and the Gorge. My only suggestion would be, with a younger child, it might have been nice to stay in Grasskop vs White River.
Cape Town was a highlight and the hotel was one of our favorites. We really enjoyed Wayne as our Guide! He was so kind, fun and easy to be around. He was definitely a highlight of our trip and we enjoyed meeting him- he really is an incredible guide. I hope you guys continue to work with him!
Casey and I really appreciate all the work that went into organizing this incredible trip and experience. It really went smoothly. The transfers went great, everything was planned and thought out and was not at all stressful for me which I truly appreciate! We have memories to last a lifetime! We have so much gratitude for you and your team!
J Thompson, USA
I will definitely use Ker & Downey® Africa again.
September 2022
East Africa Epic Excellence
This review may be as long as the wait for our pandemic postponed trip to East Africa, but I want to acknowledge everyone that made it so special. Ker Downey Africa team lead by Sarah Morris and Peter Pittendirgh took every request, wish and desire and designed and delivered the most wonderful luxury adventure, exceeding our every expectations.
Our driver greeted us upon arrival at the Kilimanjaro Airport and escorted us to Elewana’s Arusha Coffee Plantation Lodge for a good night’s rest after the long flights from the US. The next morning, we met Charmy, our Ker Downey Africa driver and guide, who was with us for two days. He took care of our every need from shopping to guiding our game drives through Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater. The two nights at Gibbs Farm were made special by the comfortable furnishings and nightly fires in the fireplace of our cozy cottage. The well prepared meals were fresh farm to table. A private dinner was prepared for us in celebration of our 45th wedding anniversary.
The flights to the Serengeti were flawless. Octavian, our Asilia Sayari Camp guide, met us upon arrival. He took us immediately on a personalized game drive before checking us in at the camp. Sayari Camp is a luxury tented safari lodging. Eric and the rest of the staff were friendly and attentive. We witnessed two wildebeest crossings of the Mara River, a true highlight.
Travel from the Serengeti in Tanzania to the Masai Mara in Kenya is a little complicated. A small plane flight to motor coach. A drive to two immigration offices, followed by a motor coach ride to another small plane flight to Elewana’s Sand River Camp.
Sand River Camp is on the banks of the peaceful and tranquil Sand River. Outstanding game drives with our Masai guide, Alex. World class cuisine prepared by the kitchen staff for ever meal. Hot Air Balloon Safari delivered a awesome balloon ride over the Masai Mara. True highlight.
After leaving the Masai Mara, we overnighted at the Hemingway Nairobi, an outstanding property and Ker Downey Africa arranged a visit to the Sheldrick Wildlife Elephant Orphanage. If you are in Nairobi, this is a must see. An incredible conservation effort to rescue and care for the elephants orphaned by human wildlife conflict and drought.
We flew to Rwanda and were met by Eric, our driver and guide for our last three days of our trip. After a night’s stay in Kigali Serena Hotel, Eric drove us to Volcanoes National Park and The Singita Kwitonda Lodge. Kwitonda Lodge is probably the finest accommodations we have ever stayed. Rob and his staff provide a level of service second to none. Jonas, our personal attendant, took care of us 24 hours a day. The Gorilla trek was beyond words. We spent an hour plus with the “Igisha” family of over thirty gorillas, including five silverbacks.
The next day we trekked the Golden Monkeys. Again, a lifetime experience. The only regret was we only stay two nights at Singita Kwitonda Lodge.
William G, USA
September 2022
Brilliant agents!
I got Ker & Downey Africa to arrange a 6 day safari for my wife and I in 2020 as part of a trip to South Africa. COVID killed that trip, but K&D Africa were fantastic in recovering or reserving all deposits for safari lodges and flights. We have just completed the rescheduled trip (Sep 2022), and everything went perfectly smoothly, and the lodges they recommended and booked were brilliant, both in terms of hospitality and game viewing. Apparently there were some hassles on a transfer, where industrial/protest action closed some park gates, but all this was handled to be virtually invisible to us. And I should add that in the course of booking other accommodation in South Africa, I came across direct booking access to the lodges we were in and got curious and did some sums – and allowing for the cost of road transfers, I found that the premium I paid for all this management was really quite marginal. In my situation, with the COVID cancellation and reschedule, it was a godsend to have an agent to handle the hassles for me. So I’d say use an agent to make things easy, and use this agent because they were brilliant.
Phil, USA
September 2022
We are happy to refer you all! We had a fantastic experience! Words are inadequate to describe Tanzania. We had an amazing time. We feel so fortunate to end up having private game drives throughout the trip. Everyone was so knowledgeable and genuine. John/Schuma of Kaz Mara was a fantastic guide.
Our trip was full of delightful surprises. We look forward to seeing more of the continent soon-ish…in the next five years. Keep working with the good people you are working with and doing what you do! .
I am super interested in the behind the scenes coordination among all the people it takes to ensure a great experience. There are so many small companies that depend on each other. It is fascinating how collaborative you all must be to provide such a consistent, amazing experience!
Be in touch again soon! Thank you for the moving experience!!
Stephanie & Ed, USA
August 2022
Africa changed our lives
We booked our Travel through Ker & Downey Africa and they handled everything perfectly. We had never been on a Safari and we left our itinerary up to Ker & Downey. Sarah was our primary contact and she booked us at 3 different safari lodges to give us a sample of 3 different game reserves. Then we spent 4 days in Cape Town which was also magnificent. Rather than write all the details of the trip I will just leave you with two major thoughts that will hopefully address any concerns you might have about traveling to South Africa.
1. Don’t hesitate to use Ker & Downey Africa. Their service was absolutely perfect and we had no delays. They had someone meet us at the end of each flight and we had the best tour guide that one could have for Cape Town. We had a party of 5 people and everything went like clock work!
2. If you have ever considered a Safari but for what ever reason have not taken the step, DO IT!!! It truly changed our perceptions of South Africa and wildlife. The people were incredible and we had the opportunity to get up close to some amazing animals. Every scene had a story for example; watching a leopard guard it’s kill while also guarding it’s cub as a hyena circled the tree. Lions on a hunt for Impala. They were so close we could touch them. Elephants drinking out of our pool at one lodge. They were so close you could have touched them.
On and On!! Just GO and let Ker Downey Africa take care of the details. As they say, You Only Live Once so do a trip of a lifetime. We are already working on our next trip to beautiful Africa!!
Tom B, USA
August 2022
Excellent company
Heather, USA
July 2022
High School Graduation Trip
Our 19 & 19 year old granddaughters chose a trip to Africa as their destination. They graduated June 2022 and we started planning the trip with Sarah a year before our departure. I have been to Africa many times before and really wanted to see the migration of the wildebeests in Tanzania to Kenya. So the trip was designed around that request. The girls wanted to see Giraffes and Hernias. We were successful and saw our requests. My husband is a photographer and he was able to shot wonderful pictures on our 11 day trip.
We were taken care of from the moment we landed to the time we had to say good bye to Africa.
We experienced 5 different camps and each one offered a different look at Africa.
Sarah and Peter were always available before our trip and had everything mapped out for us.
The transfers from camp to camp went very smoothly and we were always with a guide to help us with our luggage and get us to where we were going next.
The camps were able to take care of our dietary needs as one of our granddaughters is a vegetarian .
All in all our trip was a memory our granddaughters will always carry with them
As a side note I have used Ker & Downey 4 times now.
Teri, USA
July 2022
The entire team is professional and excellent in their work. Very thoughtful. Highly recommend!
Everyone in our family enjoyed this wonderfully planned trip very much. The Victoria Falls were magnificent; the safari was magical; the Cape Town was mesmerizing; the Babylonstoren Farm was masterfully built and maintained. We loved the cozy cottage and the food there was incredible. It is truly once in a life time trip. Many thanks to Ker & Downey® Africa team and especially Lauren and Gavin. Highly recommend and will talk again for our next Africa trip.
Yifeng USA
June 2022
We were blown away
We absolutely loved working with Ker & Downey® Africa who helped us book our travel in Cape Town and our safari in Botswana. They worked with us on our budget and put together the perfect itinerary for what we were looking for. The safari portion was the big highlight! They curated the most unbelievable lodges with amazing wildlife sightings. We were blown away by the staff, food, lodging, and professionalism. We 100% recommend Ker & Downey® Africa for your travel needs! They will not disappoint.
Daniel, USA
May 2022
Incredible Safari Experience!
We absolutely loved working with Ker & Downey who helped us book our travel in Cape Town and our safari in Botswana. They worked with us on our budget and put together the perfect itinerary for what we were looking for. The safari portion was the big highlight! They curated the most unbelievable lodges with amazing wildlife sightings. We were blown away by the staff, food, lodging, and professionalism. We 100% recommend Ker & Downey for your travel needs! They will not disappoint.
Stephanie, USA
February 2022
We absolutely LOVED our trip to South Africa
We absolutely LOVED our trip to South Africa, and have already recommended Ker & Downey Africa to two friends who’ve asked how we had such a wonderful experience. Our same group of 7 wants to return to Africa in 2024–perhaps somewhere we haven’t been (should be easy, we’ve only experienced Egypt, Kenya and South Africa) and will be reaching out to you first for suggestions and then planning! Thank you so much to your whole team for everything. We wouldn’t have changed a thing about our trip!
Britt, USA
November 2021
Outstanding
I can’t imagine planning a future trip to Africa without the help of Ker & Downey Africa! They did such a wonderful job arranging my 8-night itinerary in South Africa that included stays at three unique properties (they handpicked for me) and two internal flights. Knowing experts had planned my trip I was able to enjoy it without worrying about what could go wrong. Based on my experience I’m under the impression that they only work with the best properties and tour guides. As a travel journalist I’ve stayed at hundreds of hotels and lodges and have met hundreds of tour guides so I should know. I also appreciated the attention to detail that went into creating my itinerary as well as the constant communication. I even reached out to them one Saturday morning before 8 am and I got a reply within minutes! They also made themselves available to assist me with anything after my itinerary was over and I was enjoying an extra week in Cape Town. It would be an honor to travel with Ker & Downey again. If you have the opportunity to, definitely don’t hesitate
Katie, USA
October 2021
Wow! Wow! Wow!
Our trip to Zambia and South Africa was incredible! The team at Ker & Downey was amazing! They took care of every single detail. They were very easy to work with, answering all the questions we had, and jumping on zoom calls when we needed to. They checked in with us during our vacation to make sure everything was going well. I can’t recommend them enough – we felt totally pampered while we were in Africa. In particular, a big thank you to Sarah Morris, who put our amazing adventure together (not once, but 4 different times due to COVID), and Peter Pittendrigh, who had to do last minute hotel negotiations/tour changes, arranged for all of our required COVID tests, and made sure we were met at the airports. The team arranged for an early birthday at each of our destinations, which made the trip even more special. And Sarah took time to meet us in-person in Cape Town. The team at Ker & Downey made this a trip of a lifetime for us!
Robin S, USA
October 2021
Very attentive to our wishes and needs and very personable
Communication with Sarah Morris at Ker & Downey was extremely comfortable and helpful from the first time she contacted me. She arranged an itinerary for us according to our needs which fit perfectly and she adjusted for our feedback on the first suggested itinerary very well. The whole trip was a wonderful experience and very memorable in large part thanks to the good organisation and perfect choices for accommodation, transport and pace of trip. The whole team was attentive to us before and during the trip and made us feel very well taken care of. I could not recommend anyone better to organise a trip to Namibia.
Amira, Switzerland
October 2021
It really was our best trip ever!
We had the most wonderful time on our trip! It really was our best trip ever! You all took such good care of us while we were there. It was so nice to not have to worry about anything, e.g. where to get covid tests, would they be back on time, would we have trouble checking in for our flights in Johannesburg, can we see everything we want to see, etc. We had great experiences with all of the people we met, and that took care of us at Sussi & Chuma, Lukimbi, the wine country and Cape Town. Everyone was so warm and welcoming. We saw all the things, and more, that we wanted to see while we were in Africa.
Robin, USA
October 2021
Every aspect of the trip worked out well
For that matter the entire trip went well!!! Rwanda was indeed amazing & we are already talking about a future return trip 😊 And Singita Kwitonda….WOW!!!!
Every aspect of the trip worked out well…transport, lodges, guides, connections – everything! We felt comfortable the whole way through. In particular, our guide in Rwanda – Sibo – was fantastic. He was informative, kind, friendly and accommodating.
Scott, USA
September 2021
Unbelievable service and amazing hospitality
In short, if you are looking for safari planning, look no further! Ker and Downey Africa will not only deliver, they will exceed your expectations and take care of every single detail. We have just returned from a 14 day trip to South Africa which included Cape town as well as 6 day safari in the Greater Kruger area. Our travel agent Emma Perrin who planned our very first safari to Tanzania planned this trip for my 50th birthday with my husband almost 3 years ago, but due to Covid we had to push our trip to now. Her attention to detail and understanding of what we need is like no other. She knew exactly what we were looking for. In every single location, she got us the best deals she could find and our accommodations as well as safari trips were beyond our expectations. We stayed in multiple locations, and throughout the trip, Emma, Sarah and Peter stayed in touch with us via WhatsApp. Our son lost his passport 6 days into the trip, and Emma also helped us get him a new passport without really changing any of our plans, which was truly a miracle. Every single person we met on the trip left an impression on us and we know that we are now completely hooked on traveling with Ker and Downey Africa. It is just going to be a matter of time before we start planning our next trip with them 🙂
Brian, USA
Looking for more?
We consider ourselves very lucky to help plan our clients’ unique Africa travel experiences and love to hear feedback. Read more of Ker & Downey® Africa’s 5-star reviews.
