After 30 years, we have a wealth of experience and a reputation for quality and reliability. We have also helped give many, many people some amazing memories. Read what some of our customers have to say about us;
24 Day Cape Town to Johannesburg, 6 Oct 2018, Myriam Dierick
“My wife and I have just returned from your 5 Day Kruger Safari holiday and we had the most amazing time from beginning to end. Everything ran perfectly in terms of check in and flights at both ends and Abel our Drifters transfer taxi driver was punctual, informative and humorous.
We loved the lodges with each one having its own merits. Our favourite was without doubt the Bush Lodge but I have to call out Elmarie for being such a brilliant host at Joburg.
We absolutely loved the big truck we travelled in. It had very comfy reclining seats and a huge freezer for keeping drinks ice cold and USB sockets for charging devices. It had big side panels that opened up in to food stores, tables and chairs for lunch on the move.
Our time in the Bush Lodge was beyond anything we could ever have expected. Being our first safari we thought that the lodge would be fenced off from the animals in the park. The fact that it wasn’t added to the whole experience particularly when two lionesses wandered in to the camp on night one resulting in a quick and safe evacuation from the pool area for those who were still up. My wife and I had just returned to our tented room when we heard the land rover come down the track. Our guide Sipho came to our door and told us to come quick and get in the truck. With all on board we were able to follow the lions down the tracks until they wandered in to the bush. It was incredible and quite moving. The next evening we returned from a safari tour to find a herd of buffalo in the camp. At 3am we were woken by loud munching noises and the side of the tent rippling as we realised that the buffalo had decided to graze between our tent and next doors. I really don’t know how to describe it – scary, exhilarating or whatever but it was a something that made the whole wild and dangerous animal thing so very real. I would not have changed those moments for anything and it highlighted just how in the middle of it the Bush Lodge is. The views from from the tents and lounge area were sensational and we spent many hours watching animals make their cautious approaches to the water hole.
The panoramic tour was spectacular with so many stunning features for photo opportunities. Hazyview is a lovely lodge so different to the Bush Lodge.
Kruger was awesome and seeing huge families of elephants and giraffe was incredible – you just do not get that at a zoo! We could have sat by the hippo pool with the crocs for hours, it was fascinating.
There were 11 of us on the tour, three English, five Germans, one Irish lady, one from Netherlands and one from Belgium. Ages ranged from 20 to my senior self at 62 but we all bonded very quickly and had wonderful time together. There were so many laughs and we all mucked in with the catering and also looking out for animals.”
5 Day Kruger, Oct 2018, Les & Angie Hume
“Thanks again for the wonderful Southern Circle tour!! we really enjoyed it. Thanks Greg, you’re a TOP GUIDE!”
24 Day Southern Circle, 7 Oct 2018, Glenn and Tamara
“We would just like to say thank you so much for a fantastic time we have had on our trip. Everything was great, On arrival at lodge we were greeted by El, so friendly, loved her! Then Sipho “captain” of our ship was an amazing, guide, driver, cook and friend. Tented Bush lodge was so nice, fantastic setting. Hazyview Lodge another fab setting. Then the Safari, awesome. Thank you once again. We hope to return for another Safari in the future.
On return to Greenfire J/Lodge we booked a tour to Soweto & Apartheid Museum via El, this was a fab & well worth excursion with another awesome guide in Duncan.”
5 Day Kruger, Feb 2018, Howard and Margie, UK
“First of all thank you to everyone for making this trip as wonderful as it was. Thank you to Drifters for have a very lovely programme, a nice vehicle and for the fact they picked Tony for this tour – he was an awesome driver, cook, landscape lover, animal lover, historian and all the other things I forgot.
When I booked the trip I didn’t really expect to come to the journey of my life (until now). The whole experience was the most amazing and awesome adventure I ever did so far. Tony showed us his Africa with more than just passion. I these 24 days we visited South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe which is amazing. But the whole group made it just better. I am really crossing fingers we will find a way to reunite after some years and still think about this trip being one of the best we have ever had. Thank you everyone.”
24 Day Cape Town to Johannesburg, March 2018 , Christian, Germany
“I would like to give a big thanks to your team! We have been to Botswana wildlife camping tour during Christmas time and it was the lifetime experience for us! We never had a chance to be so close to the wildlife!
Our guide, Paul, was a great guy! Always optimistic with the smile on his face but still very professional. He provided excellent services in terms of driving, cooking, sharing his experiences with wildlife and all other stuff. We had a lot of funny moments with him! It was also a great pleasure for us to meet the other guys who took care of the camping stuff during wildlife camping in National Parks.”
16 Day Botswana, Jan 2018, Lukas and Klara, Czech
People where so friendly and scenery was breath-taking. We even saw the Big Five (we spotted two leopards!!) on our trip among African Wild dogs and Pangolin which I have heard is really rare so we were extremely lucky. Our favourite part was definitely on the Zambezi river where we canoed with hippos and camped on islands with wild elephants, it felt like a dream!
We completely fell in love with Africa after this trip and we miss it every day! The desire to go back will probably never go away so we will have to keep coming back to Africa and explore more of this wonderful continent! When we do so we will definitely book with you guys. We have already and will continue to recommend your company to our friends and families.”
24 Day Southern Circle, October 2017, Sirry, Sweden
“I really enjoyed the tour! I would definitely do the adventure again and I will recommend it! Thank you so much.”
17 Day Namibia, Sep 2017, Ursi, Switzerland
“This was a trip of a lifetime made so enjoyable and memorable by our fantastic guide and a great group of people! Would not hesitate to use Drifters again and will hopefully be able to experience Africa again.”
12 Day Kenya Tanzania, July 2017, Elmear, Irish
“Great Tour! Great Crowd! I will come back to Africa as soon as possible! ”
12 Day Kenya Tanzania, May 2017, Maaike, Dutch
“Much better than expected! I will book it again, it was fantastic! Thanks to Drifters and the awesome guide”
17 Day Namibia, April 2017, Martin, Belgium
“This tour was way better than my expectations. It was a real adventure and I have traveled a lot before this trip, but I must say that this trip was my favorite of them all. Africa gave me a very special feeling. I will visit Africa again for sure in the future and I will recommend Drifters to my friends and family back in Sweden”
24 Day Southern Circle, 12 March 2017, Linda, Sweden
“Thank you Tony for being a great guide! Especially for catering for vegetarians, meat eaters and vegans at the same time.”
17 Day Namibia, March 2017, Lena-Marie, German
“I love Africa! Can’t wait to come back next time with Drifters!”
17 Day Namibia, March 2017, Sarah, British
“Dan is a great guide! Always happy making the best of each situation with his sense of humour and great knowledge. He really spiced up the tour! ”
12 Day Kenya Tanzania Tour, Jan 2017, Sonja, Dutch
24 Day Cape Town to Johannesburg via Vic Falls, March 2016, Beatriz, Chilean
“I would honestly recommend this tour with Drifters to everybody. It was better than I expected. Our guide was excellent in every way. Thank you!”
Kruger Park, 6 March 2016, Pia, Austria
“Fantastic tour guide with a brain like a library on animals, nature and history and a lot of love for the local people. We leave him as a friend.”
Botswana, 27 February 2016, Johannes, Germany
“Our guide Bernard is absolutely the best. His level of professionalism is impeccable yet his friendliness and accessibility was perfect. Masterful balance of skills and personality. I felt safe and cared for each step along the way.”
South Africa, February 2016, Dara Williams, USA
“Our guide Ed gave me the most exciting 24 days and I will always remember this trip as the best experience in my life so far. He also cooked like a chef!”
24 Day Cape Town to Johannesburg via Vic Falls, February 2016, Elin Bolin
“The whole tour has been amazing! I have learned so much about the animals and the culture in Africa. I will remember this tour for the rest of my life. I loved it! I have always been dreaming about going to Africa and now my dream came true.”
24 Day Cape Town to Johannesburg via Vic Falls, February 2016, Emmy Lind, Sweden
“Our guide had an amazing sense of humour! Loved his stories!! They taught me so much about African culture.”
Mozambique, February 2016, Wendy McDonald, Canada
“The combination between nature and the rest was perfect. Cool group and a very good guide. Perfect holidays.”
South Africa tour, January 2016, Evelyn, Germany
“An amazing trip and a excellent and social way to travel and see beautiful Africa. I am really recommending Drifters to anyone who wants to travel in all of Africa.”
24 Day Cape Town to Johannesburg via Vic Falls, 9 January 2016, Tiril, Norway
“Great guide, very knowledgeable, exceptional attitude throughout the tour. Would highly recommend for another tour!”
Uganda, January 2016, Pamela, USA
“Loved every second of the tour! Ed is a great tour guide, driver, chef and friend. Always smiling and enjoying the tour as much as we do. Keep up the great work.”
Kruger Park, 3 January 2016, Eva van Holten
“I enjoyed the adventure very much and thanks to our guide Arnold I now know so much more about Southern Africa. Thank you very much for the memorable tour.”
Botswana, January 2016, Veronique, Netherlands
South Africa, September 2015, Sarah Rindisbacher, Switzerland”
“This was the first guided tour I have ever done and it actually convinced me 100% to travel with Drifters again! This is due to the excellent guide and equipment we had on tour.
Botswana, 15 August 2015, Daniela Bogenschuetz, Germany”
“Doc is a great guide, attentive, extremely knowledgeable, and funny and on top of that a wonderful cook. I would definitely go on a tour with Drifters again.
Botswana, 8 August 2015, Marie Wottgen, Germany”
“This is the second tour I have done with Drifters and I hope to do another. I will recommend Drifters to anyone looking for adventure and a true feel of Africa.
Uganda, July 2015, Jenifer Miner, Canada”
“I enjoyed the tour very, very, very much! The nature and wildlife is amazing. I don’t think I ever saw so many different shades of green! Jo was and excellent guide and showed us a phenomenal country. It was my first trip to Africa but certainly not my last. The beautiful nature, the touching meetings with the local people and off course the sun and “polé polé” attitude, it all touched me.
Uganda, July 2015, Nele Verbehe, Belgium”
“This was an amazing experience! I am impressed by how well everything worked and that the guides were so well educated in the ways of the nature. I will return!
Kruger Park, 12 July, Felix Helgesson, Sweden”
“These 24 days were exceptionally well organised. I can not find anything that could be better – I enjoyed the whole trip. The guide was great and turned this trip into an unforgettable experience.
Cape Town to Johannesburg via Vic Falls, June 2015, Ilja Depoortere, Belgium”
“Thank you for the best trip ever! I have learned and seen so many fun and interesting things!
Cape Town to Johannesburg via Vic Falls, 6 June 2015, Anna Andersson, Sweden”
“We would like to thank our guide for his excellent cooking, his sense of humor, for sharing his stories with us and for driving carefully.
Botswana, June 2015, Margreet Schenkels, Netherlands”
“Tour program very well build-up: went crescendo. Nice variations of accommodation and allowing you to sleep in a normal bed. Expectations have been exceded and is something to not forget. Bernard was an excellent guide with a good mix of professionalism, humor and entertainment.
Botswana, June 2015, Bart Bogaert, Belgium”
“Thank you very much for those 16 special days! It was a wonderful experience.
Botswana, 2 May 2015, Thomas Maeder, Switzerland”
“It was great and above expectation. Just a stunning trip – thank you!
Kruger Park, 22 March 2015, Maria Fijnvandraat, Netherlands”
“Wyatt is an excellent guide, very knowledgeable with fauna and flora. The meals he cooked for us were delicious. He made an effort to see we enjoyed some of SA specialities (Baboti and Braai). I will recommend this tour to friends and family.
South Africa, March 2015, Carrie Ward, Canada”
“I will recommend Drifters to anyone looking for adventure and a true feel of Africa, and Jo as the perfect guide to take you on that adventure.
Uganda, 20 February 2015, Jennifer Miner, Canada”
“First experience for me in Africa and it was wonderful. The guide used a lot of patience with me as I do not speak English very well.
Kenya Tanzania, 7 February 2015, Salvador Sacha, Italy”
“His cooking was excellent and the information he gave us about the countries, history, tribes, cultures, wildlife and nature was outstanding. Thank you for that Takalani.
Mozambique, January 2015, Melanie, Switzerland”
“Albert was an excellent guide. The desert walk and the game drives were amazing due to his knowledge and insight. The Desert Camp, Okavango Delta, and Hwange were highlights on the trip
Cape Town to Johannesburg via Vic Falls, January 2015, Eric Ramm, Norway”
“I am really happy and grateful for the way Wilma our guide took care of us and for the food she prepared. I requested gluten free food and always had good food.
Kruger Park Tour, 11 January 2015, Salene De Souza, Brazil”
“I really loved the adventure with Drifters and would visit again – soon!
Cape Town to Johannesburg via Vic Falls, 3 January 2015, Olivia Heaven, New Zealnd”
“Really liked the trip and learned alot about Africa and the animals. Bjorn was the best guide we could wish for on this trip. I would really like travelling with Drifters again.
Cape Town to Johannesburg via Vic Falls, 31 January 2015, Fredrik Holmen, Norway”
Kenya Tanzania, 27 December 2014, Christiane Schwamborn, Germany”
“I appreciate it very much that our guide gave us very interesting insight of his and the African culture. He was always very kind and helpful. His cooking was excellent and the information he gave about the countries, history, tribes, cultures, wild life and nature was outstanding!
Mozambique, 25 December 2014, Michael Wettstein, Swiss”
“Having completed a number of overland trips in Southern Africa Drifters certainly has impressed me with the quality of the equipment used (camp beds instead of mats), the top notch food prepared by the guide and the overall professional nature of the guide.
Namibia, 11 November 2014, Philip Murphy, Australian”
“I really enjoyed the tour. We saw so much great views and wild life. I learned a lot about myself and about the Africa life.
Cape Town to Johannesburg via Vic Falls, 8 November 2014, Angelique Hoeks, Netherlands”
“I can’t say enough good about this trip! It was an excellent experience and our guide was superb! Thank you.
Kruger Park, 26 October 2014, Sandra Semenyna, Canada”
“Our guide did a great job. His interaction with the group was great, the food delicious and the effort he put in to make the group feel comfortable, impressive! Because of him it became not just a good sfari but an awesome trip!
Kruger Park, 19 October 2014, Monika Aring, Swiss”
“This tour was a dream come true. And because of our guide it was really fantastic. I will recommend it to everyone. I am very happy with all the things we did and have seen. I will be back for Mozambique and Tanzania!
Cape Town to Johannesburg via Vic Falls, 4 October 2014, Holly Oonk, Netherlands”
“Doctor is a great guide in any way. He is very professional but part of the group at the same time. He seems to know everything and we have learned a lot from him. He always prepared my vegetables separately and I really appreciate all the effort. We had a lot of fun. Thank you!
Botswana, 27 September 2014, Sophie Lebon, Belgium”
“It was an amazing tour. Our guide was very friendly, talkative and very competent. My expectations were more than expected.
South Africa, 19 September 2014, Ursina Schlager, Switzerland”
“I would like to thank our guide Candice, she was fantastic and we couldn’t ask for a better person to spend those 24 days with. She has a great sense of humour and were always happy. I would really like to go on a trip with her again. I would recommend Drifters to everyone I know because the standard of this trip was very good. Thank you.
Cape Town to Johannesburg via Vic Falls, 13 September 2014, Cathrine, Norwegian”
“Jo was amazing on this tour, knowledgeable, passionate about his job and serious about us getting the very best we could out of the tour. He was always kind, massively patient and super encouraging (especially when it came to pushing / encouraging / helping us to achieve goals.) In a nutshell, Jo was fabulous, would definitely recommend this tour to many people.
South Africa, 5 September 2014, Lauren Jameson, Australian”
“This has been an awesome experience. I am SO glad to have come. I had such a wide variety of experiences of all kinds and not only involving the wonderful animals. Arnold has gone out of his way to answer any and all of our questions and many questions he answered before they were even asked. He obviously has a vast array of knowledge which he shares at every possibility and he has the knack of getting along with people from every walk of life. I am certainly going to miss his cooking and especially his “secret herbs and spices.” Thank you Drifters for a great holiday.
Kruger Park, August 2014, Averil Marce, Australian”
“This tour exceeded all my expectations and our guide just made it a memory for a lifetime!!
South Africa, August 2014, Emile Okkenhaug, Norwegian”
“Takalani was a very good guide. From the beginning he brought a good atmosphere in the group. Always happy and with good humour, he told us about the beauty of Botswana’s nature, warned us of its dangers and answered our questions. It was if he knew almost everything, recognising every animal, telling the history of Botswana and explaining the things that we noticed and didn’t understand.
Botswana, August 2014, Jasmien Vandeputte, Belgium”
“Thank you for a great adventure. Our guide Candice was very knowledgeable, always happy and ready for adventure. Her good humour and smile was much appreciated.
South Africa, August 2014, Krystal-Lee Klimack, Canadian”
“Thank you for this great experience. The group and the guide were awesome and I felt at home all the time! We enjoyed having Arnold as our guide. He was not just a guide but part of the family. He took the time to answer all our questions and knew many things. Thank you for those 5 awesome days.
Kruger Park, 3 August 2014, Stephanie and Julian, Switzerland”
“After reading lots about the African culture previously, it was a dream fulfilled to do your tour and learn, see and experience so much more. Thank you Drifters.
Kruger Park, August 2014, Sandra”
“Our guide, with his very young age, is very knowledgeable and showed enormous respect for the nature. His dedication, professionalism and energy is contagious.
East Africa, 26 July 2014, Ashiq, Austrian”
“Arne our guide led us on an unforgettable adventure. His enthusiasm and knowledge brought us closer than we ever imagined to Africa, the people and the animals. He was always on top of every situation and I felt safe in every way. As a result we enjoyed every day of the trip and I can only recommend this trip to everyone.
East Africa, July 2014, Pamela Hansen, Canadian”
“Thank you for the great adventure Candice! You were so knowledgeable, always happy and ready for adventures. Your good humour and smile were much appreciated!
South Africa, 1 July 2014, Krystal-Lee, Canada”
“The safari was very good beacuse our guide was very professional, friendly and provided everything we needed.
Kenya / Tanzania, 22 March 2014, Gerda, Germany”
“All in all – it was just perfect – the best guide, excellent food, great weather, much adventure, close to the action, a great vehicle, a great group with 11 peopleTHANK YOU FOR A UNFOGETTABLE TIME … we will come back to South Africa – it has captivates us :))
18 Day South Africa Tour – March 2014, Steffi and Robin, Germany”
“Hello dear Drifters-Team,
in March 2014, me and my man ( both 26 years old, from Germany ) were on a road trip woth you through South Africa.
At this point we want to say THANK YOU … We had a wonderful time in South Africa, we had the best Guide Krusty- he was so great,
always spent time with the group, he was a perfect cook, he prepared always delicious food, had great ideas, was always honest and friendly,
Long Story short — He was great.
Each accommodation of you is the most special places.
Whether in the mountains in the ” Drakensberg Lodge ” or right on the ocean in the ” Dolphon Coast Lodge ” – each accommodation was fantastic
and had it s own charme. The organization of the trip through you was very good. We have seen and experienced so many great things,
God´s Window, The Drakensberge, the Karoo, the penguins, the wonderful ocean in South Africa, the great and awesome animals, Cape Town,
there are too many things to enumerate all …. The truck was awesome 🙂 we loved them …..
The guest house manager were all very friendly courteous – there were never problems. The transfer from the airport with you and the transferback to the airport
worked great ( although we would of course prefer to have remained 🙂 )
“The food was fantastic! The guide made over the top Gluten free food for me! I am impressed. Thank you very much.
Cape Town to Johannesburg via Vic Falls, 8 March 2014,Marte, Norwegian”
“I travelled to South Africa for the first time earlier this month and took a tour with Drifters on the referral of a friend who has previously travelled with your company.
It was the best decision I ever made! I’m a real city girl and my idea of roughing it has been at best a 3* hotel so this was as adventurous as I was willing to get. I was fortunate to have a nice small group of 6 and we all got along very well but what I’m really writing to tell you about is what an amazing guide Jo Cooper was!
His driving first of all was great, the way he manoeuvred that big truck with such confidence was very reassuring.
He was always calm and cool, not that we were in any very difficult situations but he always maintained a very peaceful attitude.
His cooking and meal presentation was far beyond any expectation I every had and he put such care into every meal he prepared.
I was very impressed with how seriously he and the lodges took in my gluten free food restrictions.
We had some difficulty with the truck one day and he stayed calm and knew just what to do and took care of it.
He never once in the 18 days had one negative moment or complained about being tired or anything and as you know they have a lot on their plate with a group every day.
He was very punctual and I appreciate it that because I myself am very punctual so if I’m told to be ready at 8am I appreciate when everyone is.
He was very knowledgable at the game reserves.
I really was that impressed with him that I wanted to let you know personally.
I also must commend you on your lodges, the way you respect the integrity of the land around your lodges is beautiful.
Voosi was an incredible guide as well the first 2 days of the tour. I liked all the lodges but have to also commend the Karoo for their outstanding service.
Thank you for an incredible experience, who knows I may one day be ready to come back and do a camping tour! LOL
Wishing you, your family and all the staff at Drifters a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!
18 Day South Africa Tour, Helen Xenidis, Canada”
“This was an amazing tour. We had great fun everyday and have done so many amazing things! Thank you!
Southern Circle, 16 Feb 2014, Julia Sundt, Norwegian”
“I enjoyed the trip very much. The guide knew a lot about nature and the animals. We had a lot of funn to and the meals fantastic!
Uganda Tour, 26 Jan 2014, Chris, Belgium”
“Our guide was humerous and very hard working. I had a lot of fun and i am really impressed by his energy and dedication. I had a completely enjoyable time!
Cape Town to Johannesburg via Vic Falls, Jan 2014, Jessica, Australian”
“The food was above all expectations. Our guide made so many different and tasty meals. He also adapted the meals very well for the vegetarian on tour.
Cape Town to Johannesburg via Vic Falls, Jan 2014, Norway”
“I really appreciate the professionallity of our guide Takalani. For the whole tour I felt safe and he always had an open ear for us. It was a great pleasure to travel with a guide with such great experience, lovely sense of humour and bale to cook delicious food in the middle of nowhere.
Cape Town to Johannesburg via Vic Falls, 18 Jan 2014, Bea, Switzerland”
I just wanted to let you know what an awesome young man he is and how reliable, capable and fun he was to be with.
Also our stay on the Wild Coast with Sharon and John was truly amazing. I have never felt so welcome in a place and the food and their hospitality was honestly better than 5 star.
We would definitely recommend Riekus and Drifters to any of our friends here in America who would like to do a trip to Africa.”
Lynne Brazg – Special South Africa – 28 Jan 2013
”I would just like to take an opportunity to expand on our comments of our Tour Leader Jan 29 – Feb 15. While our scores were indicative of our thoughts of his overall performance, we thought we would like you to know a little more about Takalani’s performance.
We have been taking overland tours for 17 years and would place Takalani in the top one or two of the leaders we have had. We were impressed with his historical and cultural knowledge as well as his near encyclopaedic knowledge of plants, animals and birds. His willingness to help and his wonderful personality made our trip thoroughly enjoyable. Thank you Takalani for a very memorable experience!”
Tom, Lind, Lori – South Africa – 29 Jan 2013
“Our Guide was really good in his job. Very experienced and good in communication.”
Erlend Spruit – Cape Vic – Feb 2013
“Shawn was a really qualified guide. He had a great knowledge of everything we asked him and he joined us in every activity – hiking, riding, singing karaoke. He was also a great cook. I think the whole group was very happy!”
Laura Rees – South Africa – 22 Feb 2013
“It was really great. The guides were amazing! In the future I book with Drifters again.”
Sandra, Antonella – Kruger Park – 17 March 2013
“I have taken 3 trips with Drifters to date. Uganda with Trompie, East Africa with Richard and now a Botswana with Doctor. All the tours and guides are fantastic! My wife and I love the roughing it experience and couples with great guides I have no hesitation to book another Drifters tour. The ideal for us is an experience where all persons come together and this is best achieved through success over adversity. We recommend continuing to run challenging tours so clients can share in the experience.”
Brian Bennet – Botswana – 23 March 2013
“It was an absolutely fantastic tour adventure experience! Our guides Nature in the Delta and City who spied any Lizard, Lion and even the Leopard in the tree and most of all Doctor as an complete all-rounder were just amazing. I have to admit getting served French toast in the Parks at 6 in the morning in the middle of the bush was more than a treat. Thank you for an absolutely amazing experience, one we’ll never forget!”
Yvonne Labrada – Botswana – March 2013
”Great food, great trip, great guide! Will definitely be in touch at some point for another Drifters tour”.
Ole – Cape Vic – 16 March 2013
“I was on the Overland Explorer Tour from 22.3.2013 till 08.04.2013 with your Guide Jo Cooper. Jo is a very good guide. He drives the truck very good, and his cooking is just fantastic an he knows a lot about South Africa, Game and lot more and he was always nice an friendly. Our Groupe was also very nice and we have seen such a lot of different game, landscape and lot more. So I had time of my life an I am sure I will come back an do with Drifters the 24 Day Tour from Cape Town to Jo’burg.
Thank you sooo much for this perfect holiday an for the super organization an the great guide.”
Brigitte – South Africa – 22 March 2013
“Compliments to the Drifters organisation. We just returned home from the 18 day’s Overland Explorer trip and it was great! We had the best guide and the best group. Drakensberg, the Drifters Bush Lodge and the Karoo where at the top but the rest was also very nice. Hope to go back one day.”
Marco de Pan – South Africa – April 2013
“I’d like to take the time to tell you what an amazing trip we had this summer (winter for you)
My girlfriend and I thoroughly enjoyed our ‘Southern Circle’ over-landing experience and were particularly lucky that we shared the truck with just one other couple. The activities in Vic Falls were awesome, the game drives were fantastic- particularly Chobe and Luangwa- and canoeing the Zambezi was truly wild. Inhambane is stunning and I wish we had even more time there. Hazy View Lodge is the perfect way to end the trip. Loved every second of it.
I’d also like to give a special mention to Bert who absolutely made our trip so much incredible than it otherwise would have been. His knowledge is astounding and is rivaled only by his charm…and perhaps his cooking! We all agreed that Bert’s combination of mild manners and patience makes him perfectly suited to his role as an over-landing guide. We got the impression that nothing was too much trouble; he even went out of his way to source some fresh prawns and ingredients so that I could cook my signature dish for us all in Mozambique. Bert set the tone for the trip brilliantly and never gave too much away so that every day was somewhat of a surprise and filled with anticipation. As well as a passionate wilderness expert it’s safe to say that Bert is a natural born salesman who instinctively ‘under promises and over delivers’ on every occasion. If we ever return to Africa for more over-landing (and it’s a safe bet that we will) then I would love to be so lucky to have Bert as our guide and friend once more! Superb.
To all at Drifters- thank you so much.”
Mat Howell & Samantha Coleman – Southern Corcle – June 2013
“In July, we went on the Southern Circle trip with Drifters. It was the first time we went on a trip with such organisation, as it also was our first trip through Africa and our first long holiday. We booked it almost one year in advance so we were really looking forward to it.
As time passed by and we heard several stories about how wonderful Africa was, our expectations rose higher and higher. As students we paid quite a lot for this holiday as we only paid like €500 for one week all-in on our previous holidays. But we both graduated
in June so it had to be an “once in a lifetime” and unforgettable holiday… Something we couldn’t do in the next 20 years because we won’t have such long holiday time in that period. That all in mind, we started the Southern Circle trip…
When we arrived we were very curious about our guide. We heard a few stories from other people (via facebook) that told us that Africa was so nice and “over the top” but that their guide didn’t use all the potential of the African continent. We were a little bit anxious about that because we won’t be able to do over the trip in the next 20 years, so we wanted to feel Africa for its’ full potential already by now…
And that is exactly the reason why I send this email and I take the time to contact the headquarters of Drifters. Our guide was Louis “Kudu” Lock and from the moment we met him at the Drifters lodge in Jo’burg, the anxiety described above, disappeared. From that moment, we knew that he might fulfill our very high expectations and that we could dream on about the things that awaited us.
As the trip eventually started and went on and on, the dreams and the feeling we had at that moment became reality. The trip was even much better as we ever could expect. This thanks to the materials of Drifters, the wonderful Africa but, I think, most of all thanks to the care from Louis.
I really admire him how he manages everything, day after day… He was always taking care of us, very comprehensive and taking every single member (!) of the group into account. There was one vegetarian in our group and every single day he took the time to cook something for her and to provide some special things for her. Every single day, we enjoyed very nice and fresh meals you sometimes don’t even get in restaurants. Every single day, Louis woke us with the kindness you can’t expect at that hour and prepared a breakfast that you won’t even get in a hotel. Every single day, everything was so clean and hygienic. Every single day, his driving skills were tremendous (damn, how can someone drive like that for more than 12 hours a day). Every single day, he told us stories and gave us interesting information on the animals we saw. Every single day he was, like he sometimes said himself, our mother, father, cook and driver but I can add so much more like our advisor, guardian angel, ranger… He was our “David Attenborough”.
And when I met him at first, I envied him a little bit for having such a nice job: some driving, some cooking, looking for some animals, always travelling… But while we were on our trip I realized how tough and difficult the job of a guide is. And then also realizing how much “extra” Louis does, comparing to other guides who sometimes only give dry bread with some coffee in the morning (we had eggs and everyday fresh fruits!!!). That is why I admire Louis and his work. He puts a lot of effort into it, making it an unforgettable experience for us that showed Africa in its full possibilities..
That is why I want to thank him and I want to say to Drifters we want to do a next trip with him in Africa, and we definitely won’t wait the 20 years I mentioned above! Louis is a guide you definitely must cherish.”
Tom Verleysen & Hanne Schockaert– Southern Circle – July 2013
“Dear drifters team
I just want to thank you!! I was at the namibian camping safari tour from the 6th to the 17th of august and I had an amazing time. There is a lot of experiences I will hopefully never forget:) Also thanks to Charles (our tour guide) we had a great trip. He is an amazing guide, he knows the answer to almost everything, he is an excellent cooker and driver! We could really see that he is talking out of all his experiences and that he really likes to do what he does. But I m sure you already now that:) I think all of us enjoyed it a lot.
Thanks for everything! Great tour, great people, amaaazing country!!”
Daniela – Namibia – 6 Aug 2013
“We have returned from a wonderful SA Tour with your outstanding guide Fraser. We would like to acknowledge all of the Drifters staff that we have had dealings with on our trip and hope you can pass on our appreciation to them all. Too often people are very quick to email with complaints but we are emailing our gratitude and wish for all the staff to know they are doing a wonderful job and it’s because of them that we wish to return to Drifters.
We would like to begin with acknowledging Lourette.
Lourette kindly assisted us with our booking. We emailed her requesting her assistance to book another tour with Fraser and she so graciously assisted us with informing us when he was going to be conducting another SA Tour. Her assistance in helping us book the tour with Fraser made it that much more enjoyable. Lourette always promptly responded to our email enquiries. Booking with her was such a breeze, very quick and very efficient. A huge thank you to Lourette.
Gary at Johannesburg Lodge. It was so lovely getting out of the transport vehicle to a warm welcome from Gary. We felt like long lost friends when were greeted. He has a lovely friendly manner with all of the guests. It was a great start to our holiday. Thank you Gary. Looking forward to seeing him soon.
Andy’s Camp – we had the pleasure of meeting Shane. We shared some laughs with Shane and enjoyed our walk with him and Fraser. We were lucky to see a scorpion on our walk and the excitement Shane displayed at finding the scorpion made it that much more exciting. We learnt a lot on our guided walk.
Zululand Lodge – Karren once again provided us with a delicious breakfast, thank you for the chocolate cereal. Thank you Karren for your quiet warm manner, our accommodation was lovely.
Dolphin Coast – we warmly welcomed by Sophie and Debbie. It was so lovely to stay at the new lodge. The ladies once again provided us all with a lovely stay. The great company and beautiful view made our night at the lodge memorable. We look forward to returning to Dolphin Coast.
Drakensburg Lodge – Carol was lucky to meet Allen and Claire at Johannesburg, so our arrival at Drakensburg again was a warm welcome. Allen remembered Carol enjoyed drinking Fanta. The Drifters staff are amazing, as he had only met her once but remembered her and her favourite drink. Drakensburg is a beautiful location and the lodge had a lovely warm, friendly, relaxing atmosphere. Best French Toast I have ever had. Thank you Allen and Claire for a beautiful stay. Hope to return and complete the full hike of the mountain.
Karoo Lodge – after a very long drive we arrived at Karoo to another warm welcome from Jacques and Nadine. We enjoyed a lovely camp fire and singing. Thank you.
Knysna Lodge – this lodge is a absolutely beautiful. Margaret has created a beautiful atmosphere. She was very helpful with her advice and warm chats. Thank you Margaret for the pancakes.
Cape Town Lodge – thank you Nicole for the relaxing atmosphere. A lovely way to end a fantastic tour.
You may have thought I had forgotten Hazyview but we haven’t. A very special mention for Hazyview as we absolutely love this lodge. The location is idyllic. The warm friendly welcome from Ilse and Hennie was beautiful. This lodge we feel is where the tour group starts to get to know one another and Ilse’s manner assists with this. The gathering around the bar and sharing stories helps with the bonding of the group.Ilse has such a lovely manner about her that words cannot describe how much of a beautiful person she is. We would love to spend another night at Hazyview. A huge thank you to Ilse for our warm welcome and special dinner setting. We are lucky to have met a beautiful woman who clearly enjoys her job.
And lastly, a HUGE thank you to our wonderful, awesome, outstanding, caring, knowledgeable guide , Fraser. Fraser makes the trip. He has a wonderful sense of humour that we enjoy. Laughter on holidays makes it and Fraser provided us with a lot of laughs. Aside from his good sense of humour, he has so much knowledge. It really is true when people say you learn something new every day, as we did, every day Fraser provided us with something new. He truly and genuinely loves his job. To be with someone every day who enjoys their work is a wonderful feeling. He enjoys working for Drifters and is a wonderful advocate for the company as we witnessed on tour. Many people would admire the truck and ask about the tour and Fraser was more than happy to talk and provide information about tours, you saw people walking away impressed with what he had said. We too, are also happy to promote Drifters. We were lucky to go on tour with Fraser and we look forward to hopefully touring with him again in the future. He has set a very high bar for other guides to meet. We have been on other tours with other companies but none of the other guides or companies match Fraser or Drifters. We love when people want to know who we have booked with as it gives us the chance to promote Drifters and relive our wonderful time with Fraser. Thank you Fraser for the wonderful memories and we look forward to seeing you again soon.
We look forward to booking with Drifters in the very near future. We had such a good time.
Thank you!”
Kind regards from two very loyal Drifters guests
Fiona & Carol Grogan – Australia – South Africa Tour 7 Oct 2013
Gina – South Africa Tour – January 2012
“I just want to let you know that we are back in Australia from the 18 day tour. The trip was extremely successful and we have enjoyed our holiday. Our guide (Ed) was excellent and professional in his conduct. The tour exceeded all my expectations. “
Manny and Thelma – South Africa Tour – January 2012
“I recently stayed at Drifters Game Lodge in South Africa (13th-16th march) & wow, what a place! I absolutely LOVED it! The game drives, the location, the meals, the accommodation – everything!
I would like to personally thank our game driver, Isaac – he was fantastic! Everything we wanted to see – he found for us. He has an awesome sense of humour & he really made our stay there a highlight!! What a star!
I’d also like to thank the managers Belle & Gavin, the barman James and everyone else involved – they were all so delightful and made us feel so welcome. I was actually sad to leave, not only because of the place but because of the people.
Would it be possible to get an email address for the above people? I would really like to thank them and send them some photos 🙂
I have highly recommended drifters to all of my family friends at home, some of which I believe will definitely come in the next year or two. I hope to visit Drifters again also in the future.
Thank you so much! “
Kim Erceg. Jan 2012
“My sister and I went on the East Africa Tour which departed from Nairobi on 28 January 2012. We just wanted to write to thank Drifters and especially our guide Alfie for a fantasic trip. We were very dubious about going on a camping tour, compared to staying in lodges, but can say that we definately picked the right option as camping allowed us to be amongst it all, especially the nights we stayed at Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater with the wild animals so close (those nights were amazing). The itinerary was perfect and included everything we wanted to see plus more, the accommodation was fantasic and the food was really yummy as we didn’t expect to eat to the standard that we did considering we were camping.
But most importantly, we cannot say enough about our guide Alfie and am certain he contributed to the huge success of our tour. He informed us on a daily basis of exactly what we would be doing and where we were going that day, what to expect and what not to expect. He calls a spade a spade and we appreciated his honesty and no nonsense attitude. He’s a “top bloke” as we would say in Aussie and is definately the type of guide we were hoping to have.
So thank you Drifters and Alfie for a tour that exceeded ALL our expectations. We will certainly be recommending Drifters to others and rebooking with you when we return again (soon we hope….we loved Africa).
PS We just also wanted to add that Drifters have the best Truck. We saw some of the competitors vehicles and am so glad we didn’t book with them (some of their vehicles had seating where your back is to the window and another one had pvc clears as windows so it was hard to see out). “
Jayne Moore & Fiona McCorkell. 28 Jan 2012
“Our tour guide was a great enrichment for the trip. We would describe his personality as patient and friendly as well as open minded. He is a good leader and he is very suitable for a company like Drifters. “
Losa Sandro. 3 Feb 2012
“We just completed your 18 day Safari with guide Louis Lock. This was an adventure of a Lifetime for us and we would recommend it to anyone that enjoys the great outdoors. Louis was very informative on all aspects, animals, plants, trees, cultures and many other things. If he didn’t know He took the time to find out. All your other staff at the various lodges we stayed treated us very well and were much appreciated. Hopefully we can make another tour and will definitely book with your agency. Thanks again for this memorable event
Garry Andrejcin and Joyce Stubbins – South Africa – 10 Feb 2012
“The tour was great and I loved every single moment of it! Ed was a great guide and the group was awesome!”
Marete Kjelberg – Norwegian. Cape Town to Johannesburg via Vic Falls. 14 Feb 2012
“It was a really great tour and the guide was the best guide I’ve ever had!”
Mia Solberq – Norwegian. Kruger Park. 11 March 2012
“This was an excellent tour – vary varied. The food and accommodation was excellent. A large part of its success was due to the guide Buks who was very knowledgeable and passionate about South Africa. He is also a very calm person and has a great sense of humour. I will recommend Drifters to any one in Australia. “
Monica Steward. South Africa Tour. 17 June 2012
“I like to travel on my own but for this specific trip it was better to do it in a group. I had the time of my life! Would not change anything. “
Ilke Koopmans. Cape Town to Johannesburg via Vic Falls. July 2012
“Thank you very much for this amazing and unforgettable adventure! I enjoyed the tour all the time.”
Nina Ackerman – German – Mozambique. 5 July 2012
“Yeah Drifters is the Best !!! Thanks so much guys we just love booking your tours !!!! I’ve just landed in Milan. This e mail is to thank you. I will remember forever my “Botswana experience”. Everything (tour organization, guide, people) was simply perfect. I’m already missing Africa!
Thank you so much”
Benny. Botswana. August 2012
“We are back in the UK now having had a fantastic tour with Drifters. We want to thank everyone at Drifters for making it such a great trip, from booking to the very end of the trip everyone was so helpful.
The Drifters accommodation was great, and we especially enjoyed staying at Jo’berg, Andy’s Camp, Hayzview and Knysna. The accommodation in Drakensberg and Karoo are in stunning locations and despite their remoteness facilities, food and drinks were superb and the hosts, especially Baden were great company.
Our guide was Louis Lock and he was a star throughout the whole trip. Louis’s enthusiasm, knowledge, organisational skills and commitment were fabulous and he impressed us greatly in all that he did. He was great fun to be with and his humour and catchphrases will be remembered for a long time, it was an adventure not a holiday and we travelled in a truck not a bus!!
Please pass on our thanks to Louis and also share our comments with the senior managers (Andy Dott?) at Drifters as we do want to acknowledge how appreciative we are of the staff and especially Louis, he deserves recognition.
We will be recommending Drifters to family and friends and hope to have another adventure in the not too distant future. “
Best Regards
Paul & Judith Sambrooks.28 Aug 2012
“We were a curious and inquisitive group. Charles was an exceptional tour guide.He had a remarkable wealth and depth of knowledge on every subject and he made the tour spectacular and fun! He has a wonderful personality and a great sense of humour. We could not be happier with him. It was a great tour!”
Richard Fieldhouse. USA. Kruger Tour 12 Aug 2012
“My husband and I recently spent four night at the Drifters Lodge in Swakopmund. It was our first visit to that beautiful town and thoroughly enjoyed it.
When looking for accommodation, I thought it would be a good idea to let my son make that decision for us as he works there. He went to a couple of places and decided on Drifters as, in his words,: “the manager’s personality is so bubbly and warm, you would love it there”.
Agnes really is an asset to Drifters! She is a wonderful warm person and made us feel at home from the moment we arrived there. The room and bathroom were spotlessly clean and so was the breakfast room. She even made “sunny side up” eggs for my husband, which was a challenge, as she normally makes scrambled eggs for the bigger tour groups! She went out of her way to buy rice cakes for me as I do not eat wheat.
If we should go to Swakopmund again, we will stay at Drifters as we really had a wonderful time.”
Regards,
Max and Philna Bredenkamp, October 2012
“It was a fantastic trip. As Wilma said – an adventure – not a holiday. We were very lucky as regards our animal sightings – 4 out of the ‘Big 5’ – all but the leopard. However we were rewarded by 2 sightings of cheetahs. We saw a migration of wildebeest, a hyena making a kill and a lion feeding on a hippo – just a few of the highlights. I was fascinated by the insight we gained of the Masai people – their culture and way of life. I was also impressed with the standard of equipment – truck and tents – used on the trip. Having previously been on a truck and camping trip with another company I can say that Drifters equipment was of a much higher standard. Wilma, our driver, guide and cook, worked tirelessly to ensure the everyone on the trip got the most out of their adventure. She was very knowledgeable about the animals and birds that we saw. Any questions that she was not able to answer immediately, she very quickly came back to us with an explanation. The standards of meals she produced was excellent and she coped with any issues that arose (including 2 flat tyres) in a very professional manner. The group was a good mix of people – both in age range and personality. I really enjoyed the trip and found very little to find fault with”.
Suzanne Langridge, East Africa, 20 Oct 2012
“Shawn fulfilled all our wishes and went the extra mile for all of us. He made pancakes for us although it was a lot of work. He is a very driver, excellent cook and a fabulous entertainer. He was professional at all times – he was the perfect guide.”
Petra – Mozambique – 18 October 2012
“Just got back from my East Africa tour and I couldn’t wait to provide some feedback. This was my first time in Africa and my first experience with Drifters. What can I say? It was awesome and I really had the time of my life! Very well organized, the itinerary was perfect and included everything I wanted to see – Masai Mara (the locals were amazing! Thanks Dennis!), beautiful Lake Victoria (I will never forget the night swing on the beach), indescribable game drives in Serengeti and camping near to wild and probably hungry animals, Ngorongoro crater one of the most outstanding landscapes I’ve ever seen and much, much more. The food was very good and the truck, beside being almost new, behaved perfectly.
My final and most important remark goes to our tour guide – Wilma. She was our guide with a profound knowledge of all the fauna and flora, driver, top chef and motor mechanic. In countries where things don’t usually work like you are used to, she made us fell save. But most important, she was a friend that I intend to keep for a long time!
There was nothing, absolutely nothing lacking during my stay and everything was exceptional. I definitely rate my overall experience as a perfect and I’ll recommend this tour and your company to all my friends.
I’m missing africa already! Next year I’ll be there again! Probably for the botswana or uganda tour (if wilma starts doing uganda it will be this one for sure!). And of course with Drifters! Thanks!”
Miguel Reis – Portugal – East Africa Tour, November 2012
“Dear dear Lourette – and the rest of Drifters.
I came home a month ago from South Africa. I participated in your “South Africa Overland” – trip.
I am very sorry that I haven´t written you before, but a combination of Christmas and almost too many impressions have made it impossible to find the right words. Until now.
I just want to tell you that I am so impressed by your work. I have had one of the greatest trips ever – and it is because of you. I know that you are quite blessed with such a beautiful country, but without you sense of organization, your quality of lodges and truck and ESPECIALLY your high professional guides, it would not have been the same.
Throughout the last years, I have been on quite a lot tours around the world – and for me the guide does the difference. As a customer, you travel with an expectation of having guides with cultural, historical, social and communicative skills – and in Africa, off course knowledge of the flora and fauna. I might say that no matter how high my expectations were, I kept being impressed. I know it is a matter of the guide as person, but it is the task of Drifters to pick, educate and maintain those guides. And you do this job amazingly good. That is probably why we almost never hear anything else but compliments, when our clients return from a Drifters Adventure.
My guide was Bernhard and please send him a special thanks, even though I know you have several great guides.
Another thing, which might not been unsaid is you choice of lodge managers around the country. Every single time we felt so welcome and everybody did such an effort to let us feel comfortable and show us the local area. Please send these managers a great thanks as well.
Lourette. Will you make sure that all relevant persons in the organization will receive this email? Meanwhile I am training the other agents locally to ensure even more sale of Drifters products.
If you have any questions or comments, do never hesitate to contact me.
Best regards from a happy Kilroy agent. Thanks for a wonderful trip.”
Casper Olsen, Sales Supervisor, KilroyTravels Denmark
“There is no way that I could have had any better a time than the one I had on the Drifter’s 18 Day JHB to CT tour.
Firstly, what can you say about our tour leader extraordinaire Zane Nortman. While there is no doubting the beauty, spectacle and exoticism of the scenery, fauna and flora of this incredibly gorgeous country, Zane made the whole trip even more special and interesting in his attention to his pax in highlighting along the way things that may have been of special interest to them, which made the whole experience even more worthwhile. All in all, he took extra effort in everything he did which reflected a deep sense of pride in his country and in his work. We were incredibly lucky to have such an incredibly, lovely, fantastic guy that was also an absolute pro from head to toe!
All of the lodges were also wonderful in the most idyllic settings.
I hope 2013 brings all that you wish for and that it is a wonderful year for you.”
Romayne.
“We would like to write to you and thank you for an amazing and unforgettable visit to your lodge over the Christmas period 2012.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and the staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome and to cater for our every need. The food was outstanding and we were amazed at what could be done with so little fridge space and such basic amenities.
Every effort was made to give our children a wonderful time for Christmas and we really appreciate the fact that your staff arranged for a church visit on Christmas day. There was a little dance group that came to wish us a happy Christmas, and it was so appreciated.”
Gert and Deidre Rautenbach